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My name is Xiao Xi, and I live on the edge of a bustling city with a strong local flavor and close-knit neighborhoods. My life is ordinary and simple, and the greatest joy of every day is to prepare a delicious lunch for my family. In addition to me, there are also my hard-working husband Xiaobai and our lovely son Xiaobao at home. Xiaobai is an authentic farmer, although he doesn't talk much, but every time he praises my cooking skills, it always makes my heart flutter. And Xiaobao, who is a lively and lovely primary school student, is full of praise for every meal I make.
For today's lunch, I'm going to make something special. In the kitchen, the sound of spatulas accompanied by the smell of oil smoke was busy, preparing a table of hearty dishes. Today I'm going to make Xiaobai's favorite braised pork, plus a plate of crisp and delicious cold cucumbers, and Xiaobao's favorite tomato scrambled eggs.
While I was concentrating on cooking, there was a knock at the door. I wiped my hands and went to open the door, and outside the door stood my neighbor, Aunt Li. Aunt Li is a woman in her fifties with a straightforward personality and loves to help others. She would often exchange home-grown vegetables for snacks I made.
"Xiaoxi, I have some freshly picked beans here, you can look at it. Aunt Li handed over a bag of beans and said with a smile.
I took the beans and said gratefully, "Thank you, Aunt Li, I'm worried about the lack of vegetables." ”
"Where, every time you cook a meal that is so delicious, what is my little vegetable? Aunt Li said and left.
I decided to make these beans into sautéed green beans, which is also a specialty dish in our family. In the kitchen, the oil in the pot began to gurgle and aroma.
While I was busy cooking, Xiaobao came back from school. As soon as he entered, he was attracted by the smell wafting from the kitchen.
"Mom, what did you do today?" asked Xiaobao excitedly.
"Your favorite braised pork, as well as cold cucumber and sautéed green beans. I replied with a smile.
Xiaobao jumped up happily: "Great, I like the braised pork made by my mother the most!"
Lunch was ready, and our family of three sat around the table and enjoyed this delicious lunch. Xiaobai picked up a piece of braised pork and nodded with satisfaction: "Xiaoxi, your skills are getting better and better." ”
"Yes, Mom, your food is better than the restaurants outside!" Xiaobao also praised.
Right here
While our family was having a good meal, there was another knock at the door. I put down my chopsticks and went to open the door. Standing outside the door was my husband's younger brother, Xiao Gang, a young and promising engineer. He had some information in his hand and looked a little anxious.
"Brother, Xiaoxi, I'm sorry to disturb you eating. The company has an urgent project, and I need my brother to help me look at these blueprints. Xiao Gang said as he handed over a few drawings.
Xiaobai nodded, indicating understanding. He is a carpenter, and although he does not have a high degree of education, he has a unique view of architectural design.
As soon as Xiao sat down, I filled him with a bowl of rice and added a few dishes. "Xiao Gang, you can also come and eat, just right. I said with a smile.
"Thank you, Sister Xiaoxi, your cooking is always so delicious. Xiao Gang praised while eating.
We were eating and discussing Xiao Gang's project. Xiaobai put forward his own views on some of the design drawings, and Xiaogang listened very carefully and nodded from time to time.
At this moment, Aunt Zhang, who was next door to my house, walked in. Aunt Zhang is an active member of our community and enjoys participating in various community activities. She said with a smile: "Xiaoxi, I heard that the food you make is very delicious, I came to try it today." ”
I hurriedly served rice for Aunt Zhang, and added a few dishes that I am good at.
Aunt Zhang took a few bites and was full of praise: "Xiaoxi, you can open a restaurant with this skill!"
The atmosphere at the dinner table was very lively. Xiaobao and Xiaogang discussed the latest technology news, while Aunt Zhang and I chatted about the latest news in the community. Xiaobai occasionally interjected a few words, and everyone burst into laughter.
After the meal, Xiaogang and Xiaobai continued to discuss the project. Aunt Zhang and I cleaned up the dining table. Aunt Zhang looked at my busy figure and suddenly said, "Xiaoxi, you are so capable, why don't you consider opening a restaurant?"
I was stunned by her sudden suggestion. I never wanted to open a restaurant, I just loved to cook for my family. But Aunt Zhang's words also made a wave in my heart.
At night, after Xiaobao went to sleep, Xiaobai and I sat in the living room and chatted. I told Xiaobai about Aunt Zhang's suggestion.
"What do you think?" I asked, hesitantly.
Xiaobai looked at me and said seriously, "Xiaoxi, I think this is a good idea. Your craftsmanship is so good, opening a small restaurant will definitely attract a lot of customers. ”
The hesitation in my heart gradually turned to excitement. I can do what I love while also bringing more income to the family.
But I'm still a little worried: "It takes a lot of money to open a restaurant, where do we get that much money?"
Xiaobai thought for a while and said, "I can expand the operation of the carpentry workshop and take on more work." Yes, we can
Save money slowly and don't rush it. Besides, we can start small, such as opening a family restaurant. ”
I was infected by Xiaobai's encouragement and confidence, and my heart was full of hope. I started to think about my own bistro and thought about what to do to attract customers.
The next day, I told Aunt Li and Aunt Zhang about the idea. They were all very supportive of me and even offered to help spread the word. Aunt Zhang said even more enthusiastically: "I can help you contact the community to see if there is a suitable place to open a restaurant." ”
Over the next few days, our family started to get busy. Xiaobai is busy with carpentry work during the day, and at night he has to help me plan the decoration and design of the restaurant. Xiaobao also took the initiative to take on more household chores, which gave me more time to study the dishes and manage affairs.
A week later, Aunt Zhang brought me good news. There is a small shop in the community that happens to be vacant, the location is good, and the rent is relatively reasonable. Our family went to see it, and although the shop was not big, it was enough for us to start the first step of our dream.
We decided to rent this shop. Xiaobai used the evenings and weekends to start decorating the store. His carpentry skills were excellent, and he quickly decorated the shop with warmth and character.
I started preparing the menu and sourcing ingredients. I decided to focus on home-cooked food and add some innovative dishes as well. I want every customer who comes to our restaurant to feel at home.
A few days before the opening, I invited Aunt Li, Aunt Zhang, and some neighbors in the community to try it. They were full of praise for my dishes and said they would definitely come and support them.
Finally, our taverna opened. On the opening day, we were busy early in the morning. Xiaobai is in charge of serving customers, and I am busy in the kitchen. Xiaobao also put on a small apron to help serve food and clean up the table.
Customers are coming one after another. Some of them are neighbors in the community, and some of them have heard about the good reputation of our restaurant. Everyone was full of praise for our dishes, and some people came to me and said, "Xiaoxi, your craftsmanship is really good, the food here is even better than the restaurants outside." ”
Such praise makes me feel extremely satisfied and happy. I know it's all worth it.
Over the next few months, our small restaurant business went from strength to strength. We started to have regular customers, and there were even people who came from other places to try our signature dishes.
In the process, I learned how to run a restaurant better and how to balance work and family life. Xiaobai's carpentry workshop has also become busier because of the success of the restaurant.
Our lives have become more fulfilling and happier. Whenever I see satisfied customers and hear their compliments on my dishes, I
I felt an indescribable sense of accomplishment. Xiaobai's support and Xiaobao's help made me even more determined to continue running the restaurant.
However, just as our taverna was growing in popularity, a sudden challenge arose. A large new restaurant chain has opened in the community, and they offer a wide variety of dishes at very competitive prices. This is undoubtedly a huge threat to a small restaurant like ours.
At first, I was a little worried. I was afraid that our regular customers would be attracted away by the new restaurant, and that the small shop that we had worked so hard to build would be affected. But Xiaobai was very calm, and he said to me: "Xiaoxi, we have our characteristics, and our dishes have the taste of home, which is incomparable to other restaurants." ”
Encouraged by Xiaobai's words, I decided to take some steps to deal with this challenge. First of all, I added some new dishes, which are innovative based on customer feedback and suggestions. Secondly, I started to organize small events in the community, such as cooking classes and family food competitions, to attract more people in the community.
Our efforts soon paid off. Although the new restaurant has attracted some customers, many of the old customers have chosen to come back to us, saying they like the atmosphere of our restaurant and the taste of the dishes. In addition, we have also attracted some new customers through the events we organize.
Just as our small restaurant was gradually getting through the difficulties and business was picking up again, we received an unexpected piece of good news. A local food show wanted to come to our restaurant for an interview to showcase our specialties and unique family runs. This is undoubtedly a huge publicity opportunity for us.
On the day of the filming of the TV show, Xiaobai and I prepared everything early. The arrival of the program team attracted the attention of many customers and passers-by. During the shoot, I showed off a few of our signature dishes and shared the story of our restaurant.
After the show aired, our bistro ushered in unprecedented popularity. More and more people are coming here to try the delicious dishes that are featured on TV. We even had to start accepting appointments to cope with the surge in footfall.
In the midst of such busyness and success, our family has been brought closer together. Po has also become more proud in school, often boasting about his mother's cooking skills and their family's small restaurant to his classmates.
However, just as we are enjoying the joy of success, life presents us with a new challenge. Xiaobai's father, who is also my father-in-law, suddenly fell ill and was hospitalized. It was a big blow to our whole family. My father-in-law has always been a strong backing for our family, and his illness makes us all feel it
to great stress and worry. Especially for Xiaobai, he not only has to manage the daily work of the carpentry workshop, but also takes care of the thriving restaurant, and now he has the responsibility of taking care of his father.
In order to alleviate the burden on Xiaobai, I decided to temporarily adjust the opening hours of the restaurant so that we can spend more time with and take care of my father-in-law. Although this decision will affect our business, family is always our number one priority.
Our neighbors and friends have given us a lot of support and help during this difficult time. Aunt Li and Aunt Zhang took turns to help us look at the store, and even some familiar customers volunteered to help. We were deeply touched by this warmth and support, and we felt the strength of the community family.
Fortunately, after a period of treatment, my father-in-law's condition gradually stabilized. Xiaobai and I began to gradually adjust back to our normal rhythm of life and work. Our restaurants are back to normal business hours and customers are returning to our small restaurant.
After this incident, I started to think about how to better balance family and work. I realized that while career success brings satisfaction and happiness, the happiness and health of my family are the most important thing.
We started thinking about hiring some additional staff to help us with the workload of our work. Through interviews, we found several employees who are both competent and passionate about restaurant management. With their help, Xiaobai and I are no longer so tired, and we have more time to spend with our families, especially Xiaobao and my father-in-law who is recovering.
Just as our lives were getting back on track, Xiaobao's school held a family day event. All parents and children are invited to participate in a variety of interactive games and performances. Xiaobao very much hopes that Xiaobai and I can participate. Considering that we have missed a lot of Xiaobao's activities in the past due to our busy schedule, we decided to definitely go this time.
On Family Day, our family of three went to school in high spirits. Xiaobao participated in painting and sports competitions, and Xiaobai and I joined the parents' fun relay race. Looking at Xiaobao's happy smiling face, my heart was full of warmth. At that moment, I deeply felt that the happiness of family is far greater than the success of any career.
Through this Family Day event, we have built a more friendly relationship with other parents. Some of the parents have also become regular customers of our bistro and they are attracted by the unity and cordiality of our family.
Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, our small restaurant has been in business for more than a year. Over the course of more than a year, we have experienced ups and downs, challenges, and growth. I learned how to maintain balance in my life and harmony in my family while pursuing my dreams.
Our bistro is more than just a place to offer beauty
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