Chapter 15: When the Dust Settles (Please Support with Favorites, Monthly Votes, Recommendations, and Continued Reading)

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“Director, I’m merely a law-abiding businessman.” Chen Bingwen’s voice was not loud, but it carried clearly. “As a citizen, it is my duty to cooperate with the Independent Commission Against Corruption in combating bribery and corruption.”

In a corner of the teahouse, two reporters were frantically recording the scene.

Chen Zhiming, an investigation director with the ICAC, stared darkly at the constantly flashing magnesium bulbs. He gave Chen Bingwen a meaningful glance but said nothing. Then, escorting the ashen-faced Inspector Lam, he hurried out of the teahouse.

The news that Inspector Lam had been taken away for investigation by the ICAC appeared on the third page of the Sing Tao Daily the next day.

Although the report merely stated that “an inspector surnamed Lam from the Department of Health has been asked to assist in an investigation on suspicion of accepting bribes,” anyone with common sense knew that nine out of ten people targeted by the ICAC did not escape unscathed.

Chen Kee Sweet Soups had entered the public eye of Hong Kong for the first time in such a manner.

The Department of Health reacted even faster than expected.

Chen Bingwen had not even finished reading the newspaper he had just bought when the newly assigned inspector from the department came knocking at his door.

He was a young man in his early thirties, surnamed Ma, with gold-rimmed glasses and a stiff, formal manner of speaking.

“Mr. Chen, this is your new license.” Inspector Ma took the document from his briefcase. “We apologize for the delay.”

Chen Bingwen accepted the license and discovered that it had been issued with a validity period of three full years.

He accepted it without revealing his thoughts, fully aware that the Department of Health was trying to distance itself from the matter.

“Inspector Ma, as for the hygiene standards at our factory…”

“I’ve looked them over. Everything is in proper order.” Inspector Ma pushed up his glasses.

Then he suddenly lowered his voice. “About Inspector Lam’s situation…the department was deeply shocked as well.”

He paused before continuing, “If you run into any problems in the future, you can come directly to me.”

The meaning behind his words was perfectly clear: the Department of Health wanted no further trouble. As long as Chen Kee followed the rules, they would not deliberately make things difficult.

Chen Bingwen nodded, accepting the department’s gesture of goodwill.

After seeing the people from the Department of Health off, Chen Bingwen returned to Chen Kee Food Factory and summoned Zhong Qiang and the others to begin trial production of the sweet soups.

Chen Kee Food Factory now employed six workers.

Aside from Zhong Qiang, Ah Chang, and Ah Bing, all veteran employees from the former cured-duck factory, the other three had been newly recruited by Gao Zhenhai through the Labour Department.

Production in a family workshop depended on experience and instinct, but industrialization relied on data and standardized procedures.

If they could not complete that transformation quickly, Chen Kee Sweet Soups’ expansion plans would inevitably be hindered.

The future of Chen Kee Sweet Soups was at stake, so Chen Bingwen had to personally oversee the operation.

“Boss, the thermometer says ninety-eight degrees!” Zhong Qiang stared at the thermometer mounted on the stainless-steel boiling pot, his voice filled with excitement and nervousness.

Chen Bingwen hurried over and carefully inspected the red beans boiling inside.

“Wait another two minutes, then add the dried tangerine peel.” Chen Bingwen’s voice was calm and firm. “Ah Chang, get ready to record this: First batch, Pot One, ingredients added at ninety-eight degrees, time—9:17 a.m.”

This was the first day of industrial production at Chen Kee Food Factory.

After a busy morning, they had provisionally established standardized production procedures for several varieties of sweet soup.

Chen Bingwen had just sat down and was about to take a drink of water when Manager Zhou Mingzhe of Wing Lung Bank called to inform him that his eighty-thousand-dollar loan had been approved and would be credited that afternoon.

The money he had earned during this period had nearly all been spent on renting the factory and purchasing ingredients. If the loan had not come through soon, Chen Bingwen had been ready to seek out Zhou Mingzhe himself.

At lunchtime, when they heard that the license had been approved and the bank loan would arrive shortly, Chen Guofu and Wang Qiaozhen finally felt the weight lifted from their hearts.

“Good. As long as it’s been approved, that’s all that matters.” Chen Guofu rubbed his hands together, the wrinkles on his face relaxing.

…

On January 20, the annual bidding for stalls at the Victoria Park Lunar New Year Fair was being held in the auditorium of the Wan Chai Municipal Council.

Several well-dressed cha chaan teng owners stood together in a corner, speaking in low voices.

The four cooked-food stalls at the Victoria Park Lunar New Year Fair were too insignificant to interest large catering groups, yet too expensive for small vendors to afford.

Moreover, the fair lasted only seven days, while the required investment ran to several thousand or even tens of thousands of dollars. Anyone unfamiliar with the circumstances would have no interest in participating in the bidding.

As a result, the cooked-food stalls at the Victoria Park fair almost always rotated among a handful of regular businesses.

When Chen Bingwen entered with Gao Zhenhai, they attracted little attention.

To the seasoned veterans in the hall, the two plainly dressed young men looked no more than inexperienced boys who had come to watch the spectacle.

Chen Bingwen found a seat toward the back. Gao Zhenhai sat beside him, somewhat stiffly straightening his back as he tried to appear composed.

The bidding began.

In a flat voice, the auctioneer read out the rules. “The opening bid for each of the four cooked-food stalls at the Victoria Park Lunar New Year Fair is five thousand Hong Kong dollars. The highest bidder wins. Each increase must be no less than five hundred dollars.”

“Stall One, opening bid: five thousand!”

“Five thousand five hundred!”

The instant the auctioneer finished speaking, a cha chaan teng owner expertly raised his bidding paddle.

“Six thousand!”

“Six thousand five hundred!”

The price climbed back and forth among several cha chaan teng owners, quickly reaching eight thousand dollars.

At that point, as if by unspoken agreement, the pace of bidding began to slow.

“Eight thousand, once…eight thousand, twice…”

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“Ten thousand!”

A clear voice rose from the back of the hall. It was not loud, yet every person present heard it distinctly.

All eyes instantly turned toward the rear.

Chen Bingwen calmly held up his bidding paddle.

The cha chaan teng owners exchanged bewildered glances. Only one question occupied their minds:

Who was this young man who had suddenly appeared?

“Te—ten thousand?” The auctioneer was stunned as well. A single increase of two thousand dollars had driven the price of Stall One to an unprecedented high.

He had no choice but to confirm the bid with Chen Bingwen.

After Chen Bingwen nodded firmly, the auctioneer announced, “This gentleman bids ten thousand for Stall One! Does anyone wish to raise the bid?”

A brief silence followed.

“Ten thousand, first call! Ten thousand, second call! Ten thousand, third call! Sold! Stall One goes to this gentleman!”

The auctioneer’s gavel came down heavily, and the hall immediately erupted in a low murmur of discussion.

Several cha chaan teng owners whispered among themselves, occasionally turning around to study the unfamiliar young man.

“Brother Wen…” Gao Zhenhai swallowed nervously, his fingers unconsciously tightening around the armrest.

Ten thousand Hong Kong dollars was equivalent to an ordinary worker’s annual salary—and he had just spent it on a stall that would operate for only seven days?

Chen Bingwen’s expression remained unchanged. He merely patted Gao Zhenhai lightly on the knee.

His gaze stayed fixed on the auction platform, deaf to the commotion around him.

The Victoria Park Lunar New Year Fair drew visitors by the hundreds of thousands, even millions. To make things convenient for them, the four cooked-food stalls were positioned in four central areas of the fairground.

Wherever visitors happened to be, they could find food and drink nearby.

How could Chen Bingwen possibly miss such an excellent opportunity—one that could both make money and expand the influence of Chen Kee Sweet Soups?

He had come prepared to spend the entire eighty-thousand-dollar loan if necessary.

That was why he had taken the initiative from the start, intimidating the other competitors.

“Now bidding begins for Stall Two. Opening bid: five thousand!”

The bidding that followed became Chen Bingwen’s one-man performance.

“Stall Two, opening bid: five thousand!”

“Ten thousand!” Chen Bingwen raised his paddle again.

“Eleven thousand!” One of the cha chaan teng owners finally lost patience.

“Fifteen thousand!” Chen Bingwen did not even blink.

“…”

“…”

“Fifteen thousand, third call! Sold! Stall Two goes to this gentleman!”

“Stall Three…”

“Fifteen thousand!”

“…”

No one responded.

“Stall Four…”

“Fifteen thousand!”

The auctioneer’s gavel fell.

The matter was settled.

The entire auditorium fell silent.

Four stalls, purchased at an average price of thirteen thousand seven hundred and fifty dollars each!

That was nearly three times the opening price. Everyone stared at the young man who had risen to his feet as if he were insane.

Gao Zhenhai’s hands trembled with excitement. He whispered, “Brother Wen, we got them all! All four!”

A faint smile finally appeared on Chen Bingwen’s face. “Come on. Let’s go sign the contracts!”

When they left the municipal council building, Gao Zhenhai’s legs were still trembling.

“Brother Wen, the four stalls cost fifty-five thousand dollars… How many bowls of sweet soup will we have to sell before we break even?”

“The Victoria Park fair receives between fifty and one hundred thousand visitors a day. On the final day, it stays open all night, and attendance can reach between two hundred and five hundred thousand.

“We should calculate using a conversion rate of at least thirty percent. Over seven days, we could sell between one hundred and fifty thousand and three hundred thousand portions of food.

“Even if we calculate only the minimum price of one dollar per bowl of sweet soup, total revenue would still reach one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. And that does not yet include the premium created by the brand.”

Seeing that the figures had left Gao Zhenhai somewhat dazed, Chen Bingwen smiled.

“You only need to remember one thing: after this campaign, everyone across Hong Kong Island will know Chen Kee Sweet Soups.”

When they returned to Chen Kee Food Factory, the workers were stunned to hear that their boss had spent fifty-five thousand dollars to secure all four stalls.

Zhong Qiang asked in astonishment, “Boss, how much sweet soup are we going to have to prepare to meet demand?”

Chen Bingwen did not answer him directly.

Instead, he began assigning tasks to everyone.

“Ah Hai, go to the Labour Department first thing tomorrow morning. Recruit another thirty people—nimble workers if possible, preferably those with experience in catering.

“Zhong Qiang, you’ll be responsible for leading the team in processing the red beans, lotus seeds, and other ingredients that can be prepared in advance into semi-finished products.

“Starting the day before the Victoria Park fair opens, we’ll operate three shifts around the clock, with production continuing without interruption.”

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At an event like the Victoria Park Lunar New Year Fair, they obviously could not sell sweet soup alone. There would also be snacks such as curry fish balls and savory dumplings cooked on-site.

As long as preparations were made in advance, Chen Bingwen had no concern that they would run out of things to sell.

The next day, the Oriental Daily carried the headline on its front page:

“Sweet-Soup King Spends Fifty-Five Thousand! Wins All Four Cooked-Food Stalls at the Victoria Park Fair.”

For a time, interested parties in Hong Kong Island’s catering industry began asking around, trying to find out exactly what kind of business Chen Kee Sweet Soups was.

The Oriental Daily’s report was like a stone tossed into a tranquil lake, sending ripples throughout Hong Kong Island’s catering industry.

Inside Fook Lam Moon Cha Chaan Teng, owner Zhang Shichang slammed the newspaper onto the table so hard that the teacups rattled.

“Damn it. Because of him, I didn’t get a single stall this year.”

Several cha chaan teng owners who had bid together the previous day sat around the table, passing the day’s newspaper from hand to hand.

“What’s the story with this Chen Kee?” asked the owner of Wing Wah Restaurant, narrowing his eyes.

“I hear it’s a sweet-soup shop in Sham Shui Po!”

“Isn’t this Chen Kee the same business mentioned in the newspaper a few days ago—the one that reported an official from the Department of Health?”

One of the cha chaan teng owners suddenly spoke up, still holding half a barbecued-pork puff in his hand.

The atmosphere immediately fell silent.

“Are you sure?” Zhang asked suspiciously.

“It probably isn’t such a coincidence,” another owner said reassuringly.

“I’ll have someone look into it.” Zhang abruptly rose and walked over to the cashier. Picking up the telephone, he dialed a number. “Ah Wai, find out everything you can about that Chen Kee in Sham Shui Po!”

A muffled reply came through the receiver. Zhang irritably hung up, his eyes narrowing to slits behind his gold-rimmed glasses.

He turned back to the others.

“Whoever they are, anyone who dares take our stalls will pay the price.”

Meanwhile, on Kweilin Street in Sham Shui Po, a long queue had already formed outside Chen Kee Sweet Soups.

Wang Qiaozhen and Auntie Cheung were so busy that their feet barely touched the ground. The sweet soups, which normally sold in modest quantities during the morning, had somehow sold more than two hundred bowls that day.

“Ah Zhen, why are so many people buying sweet soup today?” Auntie Cheung wiped the sweat from her brow and asked in a low voice.

Wang Qiaozhen had never made a habit of reading newspapers, so naturally she had no idea that all of this was the result of Chen Bingwen’s bidding the day before.

“Exactly. I’ve been wondering about that myself.”

At Song Kee Dessert Shop, the owner and three employees stood idle outside the entrance, watching the Chen Kee Sweet Soups shop across the street with complicated expressions.

The man responsible for all of this, Chen Bingwen, had no time to concern himself with such matters.

Although the sweet soups for the four cooked-food stalls would be produced centrally at Chen Kee Food Factory, a large quantity of kitchen equipment would still be needed on-site for heating and serving.

To keep costs under control, purchasing secondhand kitchen equipment was obviously the most economical choice.

The secondhand kitchenware shops on Apliu Street were therefore the best option.

After buying the equipment for all four stalls at extremely low prices, Chen Bingwen hurried without pause to the fabric market in Sham Shui Po.

The Chen Kee Sweet Soups stalls at the Victoria Park fair required a unified visual design. He planned to use eye-catching gold lettering on red signboards, along with aprons and flags bearing the Chen Kee Sweet Soups logo, creating a powerful and distinctive brand identity.

If they wanted the best possible publicity, unified stall designs, a consistent logo, and matching uniforms were all essential.

Inside the fabric market, Chen Bingwen ran his fingers over a roll of bright-red silk.

The color was perfectly suited to the festive atmosphere of the Lunar New Year fair.

“老板, I’ll take all of this red fabric, along with matching gold thread,” Chen Bingwen told the stallholder. “I also need fifty aprons. I’ll collect them the day after tomorrow.”

The stallholder was a thin, middle-aged man. His eyes lit up at once.

“Young man, that’s an urgent order. There’ll be a thirty-percent rush charge.”

Chen Bingwen did not even furrow his brow.

“Fine. But the workmanship must be precise. The four words ‘Chen Kee Sweet Soups’ must be embroidered across the front of each apron, and the lettering must be identical.”

After leaving the fabric market, Chen Bingwen glanced at his watch. It was already three in the afternoon.

The opening of the Victoria Park fair was drawing closer, and there was still plenty to prepare. Not a moment could be wasted.

“Brother Wen!” Gao Zhenhai came running over, panting heavily. “We recruited thirty people through the Labour Department. They’re all experienced workers. Zhong Qiang is training them at the factory.”

Chen Bingwen nodded. “Come on. Let’s go back and take a look.”

Inside Chen Kee Food Factory, the roar of the machines was far louder than usual.

The newly hired workers stood in three rows, learning standardized procedures under Zhong Qiang’s guidance.

“The red beans must be soaked for six hours, and the dried tangerine peel has to be prepared in advance…” Zhong Qiang’s voice echoed throughout the workshop.

Chen Bingwen stood at the doorway and watched for a while before saying to Gao Zhenhai, “Ah Hai, you need to learn more from Zhong Qiang about standardizing sweet-soup production.

“I intend to hand the management of this factory over to you in the future. You can’t become the sort of boss who simply washes his hands of everything and relies on others to handle every problem.”

Gao Zhenhai scratched his head, looking slightly embarrassed.

“All right. I’ll study the entire process seriously and learn it thoroughly.”