19
Running a Hotel Business: Young Man, Do You Not Feel Guilty?
Why shrink the scented soap before selling it?
Naturally, it’s to prevent buyers from reselling it for profit—they can only give it away as gifts.
Who would casually give away scented soap for free?
Hotels, of course. When accommodating guests, they must provide complimentary soap; otherwise, what would guests use to bathe?
Wang Xiao had confidence in the hotel business, especially since it was 1990. Market economy couldn’t be openly discussed yet, and many sectors remained undeveloped.
Take the current guesthouses, for instance—they were truly rudimentary. The only amenities provided to guests seemed to be two thermos flasks.
And this was already considered a significant leap forward.
According to Comrade Wang Tiejun and Dr. Chen Yanqiu’s experiences, when they traveled on business in their youth, besides national grain coupons, they had to bring their own kerosene stoves, aluminum pots, cutting boards, and kitchen knives. Otherwise, they couldn’t even eat while away.
Fortunately, by 1990, the nation’s food supply issues were largely resolved. Although grain coupons hadn’t been abolished, one could still eat without them while traveling. Naturally, people began expecting better accommodation conditions.
For example, being able to lather up generously with soap bubbles for a proper bath.
Remelting and reshaping soap was a trivial task for the soap factory. In no time, they produced a bag of samples.
The factory managers were skeptical: if the large scented soap wasn’t selling well, would the smaller version fare any better? Were customers afraid the large soap was too expensive, opting for smaller ones to feel satisfied?
That couldn’t be it. Their large soap cost only two yuan. A family of three could buy one bar and use it for a whole year’s worth of baths.
Speaking of which, Wang Xiao was initially shocked when she heard the unit price of the soap.
Two yuan per bar? In an era where imported Lux retailed for just 1.98 yuan (as Dr. Chen had grumbled before she left), who gave Xin County Soap Factory the audacity?
Was it Florasis?
Didn’t they realize their target audience wanted affordable alternatives to imported goods?
It was only after the factory explained further that Wang Xiao understood their confidence: their scented soap was exceptionally large. While Lux weighed 100 grams per bar, theirs was as hefty as Stinky Soap, weighing 300 grams.
The office director even insisted this was a golden marketing strategy from abroad: use large volume and low prices to dominate the market, turning customers into loyal patrons who would never buy soap from other brands again.
Wang Xiao’s reaction was a silent scoff. Good heavens, who gave them the nerve to spout such nonsense?
Just look at the warehouse behind them—stockpiled to the brim—and they still had the courage to say that?
At that moment, Wang Xiao had too many criticisms to voice but kept them to herself, maintaining a faint smile without revealing any doubts: “Let me try selling these first. If we find a market, the factory’s scented soap sales shouldn’t be a problem in the future.”
Oh, the sheer audacity! How could a technician from the chemical research institute have connections to sell soap?
Wang Xiao glanced at the sky and asked, “Is there a bus to the provincial capital today? If so, I’ll leave now.”
Seeing she was serious, the factory managers hurriedly made calls to the bus station and tried to arrange a meal for her before she left.
Wang Xiao declined outright: “No need. I brought biscuits and apples. I’m not hungry.”
This made the factory leadership even more uneasy. The deputy director even ran back to his office to fetch some persimmons his mother had personally dried for Wang Xiao to take with him, regretting that he hadn’t even treated her to a meal at a restaurant.
The factory director looked around and called out to one of his subordinates: “Tang Yicheng, come over. You’ll accompany Engineer Wang on her sales run.”
Wang Xiao looked up and saw it was the “buzz-cut” guy who had carried her luggage. She instinctively declined: “No need, I can handle the sales run myself.”
A bag of scented soap samples wasn’t heavy—she didn’t need a bag carrier.
But the factory director wore a strange expression and earnestly insisted: “Engineer Wang, let our Section Chief Tang accompany you. Rest assured, he’s the head of our security section, a retired special forces soldier—his skills are beyond question.”
Wang Xiao wasn’t the least bit swayed. She knew that in this era, the role of a security section chief was entirely different from that of a security guard decades later.
To put it plainly, in large factories like the steel mill where Comrade Wang Tiejun and Dr. Chen Yanqiu worked, the security section functioned like an economic police force. They had the authority to catch thieves and handle petty criminals, wielding significant power and status.
But what did that have to do with her? She was going out to sell scented soap, not to pick fights.
The “buzz-cut” guy glanced at her and spoke up voluntarily: “It’s not safe for a young girl like you to run around outside alone.”
As if worried she’d been cooped up in the lab too long and didn’t understand the realities, he emphasized, “Things aren’t peaceful now. If you run into someone trying to rob you, a young girl would be in serious danger.”
It wasn’t just robbery—a single woman alone outside was the prime target for all sorts of criminals: thieves, robbers, human traffickers.
That’s why there were very few female salespeople in this era—this line of work was almost exclusively male.
The reason the factory director hadn’t paired Wang Xiao with other salespeople was because they were all already out in the field, doing their utmost to push products.
Wang Xiao vaguely recalled the frequent “Strike Hard” campaigns of the 1980s and 1990s, guessing that public security in this era was indeed precarious—otherwise, the public security organs wouldn’t have been constantly launching crackdowns.
“Alright,” she reluctantly nodded. She didn’t show any displeasure, instead offering a smile. “Section Chief Tang, I’ll trouble you then.”
Tang Yicheng wasn’t quite used to this. Though she looked young, she was indeed an engineer from the Chemical Research Institute, so he modestly said, “Just call me Xiao Tang.”
Wang Xiao readily agreed: “Sure, Xiao Tang. Let’s not waste time then—we should hurry to the provincial capital.”
Despite their haste, by the time they reached the provincial capital, it was already dark.
Wang Xiao didn’t even bother going home to see her parents first. She went straight to the Jinling Hotel with her bag.
Don’t be fooled by its name—this wasn’t just a restaurant, just as a hotel isn’t only for drinking. This was the highest-grade foreign reception venue in the entire province, providing meals, drinks, and accommodations.
Having sold recipes for Phoenix Claws, Mao Roast Duck, and Rattan Pepper Chicken, Wang Xiao could somewhat cheekily claim acquaintance with Master Fang.
Seeing Wang Xiao show up now, Master Fang was genuinely pleased—the kind of pleased that comes from making money.
That Mao Roast Duck, which seemed like a chaotic, somewhat unrefined hearty dish, had perfectly suited the tastes of a group of guests from the southwest. During their week-long stay at the hotel, they’d ordered Mao Roast Duck almost every day. The hotel had even found it overwhelming and tried substituting roast chicken for the duck—which also proved very popular.
The rich aroma of the braised dishes was highly appealing. While they were dining in the hall, many customers at nearby tables grew curious and requested the same dishes.
It must be said that although people nowadays have fuller wallets, their highest praise for food still largely revolves around how well it pairs with rice. Whether Mao Roast Duck could win over foreign guests was uncertain to Master Fang, but its popularity among domestic customers was undeniable.
In addition, various cold dishes like Phoenix Claws and hot braised dishes like Rattan Pepper Chicken also suited the customers’ tastes. Many patrons, especially women, would ask to take a portion of the Phoenix Claws back to their rooms after meals, nibbling on them as snacks. As for the latter, quite a few enjoyed using the leftover sauce from the chicken to toss with noodles, claiming it was flavorful and satisfying.
This made Master Fang wonder if their restaurant’s focus should shift from the light and sweet Huaiyang cuisine to spicy and numbing flavors instead.
The customer is king, and the restaurant must meet their demands. Master Fang also inquired of Wang Xiao, “Do you have any other tricks up your sleeve? Sell them to our restaurant too. We’re old friends—Uncle definitely won’t let you lose out.”
As he spoke, he casually handed Wang Xiao a plate of Glutinous Rice Lotus Root. “Try it. You’ve been traveling—this should tide you over.”
Wang Xiao didn’t hold back. She loved gnawing on Phoenix Claws and savoring chicken heads, but that didn’t stop her from adoring honeyed lotus root—the kind she’d queue up to buy.
After tasting a piece and then another, she smiled knowingly. “Sure, Uncle Fang, I do have a recipe for honeyed lotus root I can sell.”
And she needed to sell it soon.
She was afraid that the longer she stayed in this transmigrated world, the more she might forget the recipe. After all, because the honeyed lotus root was so time-consuming to make, she had only watched others prepare it and eaten it herself but never actually made it, so her memory of it was relatively faint.
“Uncle, for the honeyed lotus root, you can’t just add sugar. You need to include red dates for color and cook it in a pressure cooker for 50 minutes (don’t ask why not an hour—that’s how the chef did it, and she was just an ordinary recipe sharer). Once it’s cooked, don’t store it in an iron pot. Look, your lotus root is already turning a bit black. Use a stainless steel container instead. Then, simmer it over a coal stove to reduce the sauce for about an hour, flipping the lotus root so the top pieces go to the bottom and the bottom ones move to the top. Keep reducing the sauce. Once it’s done, taste the honeyed glutinous rice lotus root and decide on a price.”
After giving him a taste of success, Wang Xiao quickly made her request. “Uncle Fang, I came here to ask for your help. Who’s in charge of procurement for the back office and guest rooms? I want to promote some products.”
Uncle Fang wasn’t concerned about what she was selling.
Although few people in this era had the courage to leave their secure jobs to venture into business, there were plenty who dabbled in small trades or acted as brokers.
Since Old Wang’s daughter was already selling recipes, it was clear she had a head for business.
Master Fang didn’t even ask Wang Xiao where her goods came from. Instead, he instructed his cold dish chef, “You heard her. Try modifying it as the girl said, and I’ll taste it later to see what it’s really like.”
Honeyed lotus root is a traditional Jiangnan dessert, much like green pepper and shredded potatoes—not only chefs but even homemakers know how to make it. However, making it stand out and earning universal praise is no easy task.
The dish was time-consuming, so Master Fang naturally couldn’t wait around.
During this break, he took Wang Xiao to see an acquaintance in charge of guest room procurement—Manager Huang.
Manager Huang was truly beautiful, the kind of poised and dignified beauty that exudes national prosperity and public contentment. Despite being nearly forty, her figure was indistinguishable from that of an eighteen-year-old girl, a testament to her remarkable discipline.
Her smile was warm, vividly embodying the saying that some people make you feel as if bathed in the gentle spring breeze just by meeting them. As Wang Xiao presented the Scented Soap samples and explained her sales pitch, Manager Huang showed not a trace of impatience. Instead, she expressed in a tone of genuine regret, “Our hotel already has them.”
She retrieved a full set from the service cart to show Wang Xiao. “Disposable toothbrushes, toothpaste, Scented Soap, shower gel, slippers, and combs—we have all six essentials prepared.”
Tang Yicheng couldn’t help exclaiming in surprise, “Your hotel is so upscale! I’ve never seen these in any guesthouse I’ve stayed at.”
Manager Huang smiled modestly. Even high-end internal guesthouses weren’t lacking these amenities, though ordinary small inns certainly couldn’t keep up.
“We sent staff to train at hotels in Hong Kong and adopted their standards, providing guests with the six essentials for their convenience.”
After all, it wouldn’t do to expect guests to carry their own toiletries when traveling—that would be far too troublesome.
Wang Xiao nodded to show her understanding and apologized with a smile, “I’m sorry for wasting your time.”
“No trouble at all,” Manager Huang was very accommodating. “You meant well, trying to contribute to our hotel. If you have any new ideas in the future, please be sure to share them with us.”
Goodness, no wonder this major hotel had such thriving business. Just look at their attitude—ordinary small inns often treated guests with disdain.
As Tang Yicheng followed Wang Xiao out the main entrance of Jinning Grand Hotel, he marveled, “This really is a foreign-oriented hotel, meant for hosting international guests.”
Wang Xiao felt there was something odd about that remark.
Fortunately, Tang Yicheng didn’t dwell on the topic and instead asked Wang Xiao, “Is your home in the provincial capital? It’s getting late, let me take you home first.”
Wang Xiao glanced back at the clock of Jinning Grand Hotel and almost doubted her eyes.
Late, my foot—it wasn’t even 8 PM yet. Go home? What for?
Young man, if you’re clocking out before 8 o’clock, just look at your bank balance—aren’t you anxious?
Not having saved up for a luxury apartment in the city all these years is absolutely your own fault!