Zhu Da analyzed, "Given our current situation, opening a large company is unrealistic. First, we lack capital, and second, we have no viable projects. I’d like to hear your opinions."

Li Tieniu responded, "I don't understand any of this. Anyway, I'll follow whatever Xiao Zhao arranges."

Zhang Ersha suddenly blurted out, "Sell tofu, sell tofu…"

"Sell tofu? Can that make money?" I casually asked Zhang Ersha.

"Heh heh, sell tofu, heh heh, sell tofu…"

Zhang Ersha wouldn't say anything more than those few phrases. Li Tieniu added, "I know how to make tofu, but can this stuff actually earn money? Do people in the big city even like it?"

Zhu Da pondered for a moment, "Now that Brother Ersha has reminded me, I do have an idea. The other day, out of boredom, I was wandering through a supermarket and overheard a few old men and women complaining that the current factory-made tofu isn't as tasty as the old-fashioned, handmade kind. They said they searched all over Beijing but couldn't find any supermarket selling handmade, stone-ground tofu. I think if we open a handmade tofu workshop, we might just make a killing."

Having served five years in the army, my worldly experience wasn't rich, but hearing Zhu Da speak, I felt a stir of interest. "Do you think that could work, Commander Zhu? Can making tofu really make us rich?"

Zhu Da cautioned, "Commander Zhao, don't look down on something as simple as tofu. This item is low in initial investment but high in profit. If we can break into the market, increase sales volume, and set up a few chain stores, we can certainly rake in big money eventually. Think about how much money a single bowl of liangpi can make. I saw on TV recently how someone used liangpi to earn several million yuan—pretty impressive, right?"

I sought Peach Blossom’s opinion. Peach Blossom told me, "Boss, just go for it with confidence. As long as you firmly believe that all the gold and treasures in this world will eventually belong to us, you will succeed in whatever you do."

I was beginning to waver about Peach Blossom's words. Was this guy feeding me a line? Selling tofu to earn all the world’s riches?

However, we currently had no capital, and making tofu didn't require much upfront cost. This truly looked like the best option available.

"Good! Then we’ll start a tofu company first. Village Head, you’ll be in charge of technology; Zhu Da, you handle general affairs; and I'll take charge of sales."

"What exactly is 'general affairs'?" Zhu Da asked, confused.

"It means managing all matters, everything we don't manage ourselves falls under your purview," I explained to Zhu Da.

Zhu Da looked crestfallen. "To put it plainly, I’m the errand boy. Fine, I won't argue. As long as we all work together to make money, that’s what matters. But if we want to make handmade tofu, we absolutely need a stone grinding wheel. Without that contraption, the tofu will taste completely different."

Li Tieniu nodded in agreement. "Exactly, the stone grinder is essential. I wonder if there’s anywhere in the city that sells such things."

I recalled that near my old home, there used to be a stone grinder at the mouth of an alley, but later, the city center built a stone park and moved that very machine over there. Since I couldn't find another grinder right away, I figured we could borrow that one for now and return it later when we found another.

When I shared this idea, everyone readily agreed. We decided to make our move late that night. With no other business to discuss, the conversation naturally shifted to the Brotherhood Alliance.

Zhu Da explained to everyone, "The Brotherhood Alliance and the Hualong Society are gangs that have recently risen to prominence in Beijing over the last few years. The two factions are locked in fierce competition, with their influence being roughly equal. The Hualong Society operates very secretively and keeps a low profile; rumors say no one knows who their leader is. The Brotherhood Alliance, however, is the complete opposite. Their leaders, Lu Ada and Lu Er, are treacherous and cunning, and their fighting skills are formidable, their methods vicious. Every person involved in the Beijing underworld speaks of them with fear. The Public Security Bureau has organized several raids and arrests against the Brotherhood Alliance over the years, but the top bosses remain deeply hidden; they only manage to catch small fries, never any of the true core members. Moreover, over the last year or two, the Brotherhood Alliance’s reach has deepened; they seem to know about any move the Public Security Bureau makes beforehand. It's said that police officers now actively avoid anything involving the Brotherhood Alliance because Lu Ada and Lu Er have extremely vengeful natures; if someone makes them lose face, they will seek retribution even if it costs them their lives. However, given the skills of you brothers, we might not necessarily fear them."

Peach Blossom whispered to me, "Boss, you don't need to worry. Our army of snakes and rats will arrive in Beijing in a few days. No one will dare touch our Superman or Super Cat. To hell with any 'Ada' or 'Er'; if they provoke us, we’ll just flatten them, hehe. Not to mention your super little sister’s power is terrifying."

Hearing about the snake and rat army, I was startled. I messaged Peach Blossom, "Are you bringing all of them to Beijing?"

Peach Blossom replied, "Yeah. Leaving them in the mountains is useless for us lone commanders. We can’t be doing all the major and minor tasks ourselves, can we? When we have time, we’d rather be chasing girls and making money. Boss, rest assured, I will manage them properly and absolutely won't cause you trouble. I swear, is that enough?"

I figured those creatures were probably already on their way. Even if I disagreed now, Peach Blossom would find another way. Forget it, let them come. Hehe, by then, I’ll stage a Snake vs. Rat vs. Brotherhood Alliance battle and see who’s truly the toughest.

Seeing me stunned and silent, Zhu Da prompted, "What are you thinking about, Commander Zhao? Say something."

I slammed the table and made the final decision: "I completely agree with everyone's suggestions. We must enhance our awareness of prevention and ensure safe production. Let's get the company up and running first. For the company name, I propose we use the Village Head's name: Tieniu Tofu Company. From now on, we will specialize in producing Tieniu brand tofu products."

As the meeting concluded, I asked Zhu Da to help me figure out where to start looking for Zhao Fen and Zhao Fang. Zhu Da clarified the specifics, then slapped his chest and vowed to take care of it, telling me to focus solely on the company work.

In the afternoon, Zhu Da went out to procure supplies based on Li Tieniu's list: lye, premium soybeans, large vats, iron pots…

That evening, the three of us went to the park and successfully pried the stone grinder free. Everything was ready; only the tofu remained to be made. ＊＊＊＊＊＊ The company's development was quite smooth. The product was ready soon enough, and the initial taste tests were rated highly. However, in Zhu Da's words, the masses' palates are the only true standard for judging a product.

I visited several non-staple food supermarkets, hoping to place Tieniu brand tofu inside for free public tasting. This was twofold: to find flaws in the product and to build fame as a foundation for the company's long-term future. Unexpectedly, they all rejected me, using the excuse that we lacked a proper business license. Zhu Da found someone to handle the licensing paperwork, but the reply was that we shouldn't expect to get it for at least three months—we just had to wait.

After the second full meeting of the Tieniu Tofu Company, the decision was made: during the period without a license, we would focus on retail sales while simultaneously gathering feedback to improve our production process. We would plan to enter supermarkets and department stores once the license was secured. The crucial responsibility of retail naturally fell onto my shoulders as the Sales Manager, so I transformed once again into a small street vendor selling tofu.

But I dared not tell my parents that I had quit my job to sell tofu; otherwise, they would surely scold me to death. Xiao Yudi had become obsessed with soap operas; no matter how much I tried to pull her out, she remained glued to the television at home. At least she kept my mother company, and their rapport was enviable.

Selling tofu along the streets provided me with the opportunity to search for Zhao Fen and Zhao Fang. Every day, I pushed the manual tricycle loaded with tofu, traveling between Beijing’s small, medium, and large universities. Xiao Chuchu once mentioned she worked at a television station. Beijing City has so many TV stations, from the massive national broadcast centers down to small district channels, and I basically visited them all. The security guards’ uniform reply was always the same: "Please conduct your business outside."

The guarantee Zhu Da made with a slap on his chest still hadn't yielded any results. He insisted he had sent out feelers and told me to just wait patiently. But how could I sit still? Beijing is a chaotic mix of people, and what if something happened to them?