in2ebook Chapter 294 Economic Depression and Social Unrest
Chapter 294 Economic Depression and Social Unrest
The next morning, due to the train robbery incident, they were delayed for a long time, so when Zhang Ye and others arrived in Shanghu, it was already past ten in the morning.
After traveling all the way, everyone was hungry.
So they found a place and had a simple meal to fill their stomachs.
Afterwards, he rushed back to the base without stopping and slept until about five in the afternoon.
At this time, the setting sun was like a burning fireball, gradually sinking to the west, dyeing the sky orange and red.
The biting cold wind blew through the streets, bringing a hint of coolness.
Although the New Year has passed, there is still a hint of festive atmosphere in the bustling city of Shanghai.
Zhang Ye got up from the bed, stretched, then walked to the washbasin and washed his face with cold water.
The cold water stimulated his skin, instantly waking him up and invigorating him.
After washing up, Zhang Ye walked to the window and stared quietly at the sky that was gradually swallowed by darkness, with a thousand thoughts in his mind.
This trip to Shanghai was not just for sightseeing, he was also shouldering a crucial task that he had to do personally.
Watching the time tick by, it was almost six o'clock. Zhang Ye took a deep breath, pulled himself together, and shouted out the door, "Guards, prepare the car! We're leaving for the Shanghu Hotel right away!"
It’s so hard to come to this world-famous international metropolis, how can you not enjoy a good meal?
……
An hour later, Zhang Ye sat quietly in a relatively secluded corner of the Shanghu Hotel, his eyes slowly sweeping over the sparse guests around him, his brows slightly furrowed, and his mood gradually became heavy and depressed.
I still remember the last time I came to this restaurant for dinner, the scene could only be described as crowded with people and every seat was occupied.
If you wanted to have a meal here, you might not even be able to get through the door if you didn’t reserve a seat many days in advance!
But who would have thought that just over half a year had passed and the once famous and highly acclaimed Shanghu Restaurant would have fallen into such a state. At this moment, it was a normal meal time, but there were only a few tables with customers sitting at them.
Just when Zhang Ye was feeling confused, a rather young waiter walked over with light steps.
With a gentle and kind smile on his face, he carefully held a delicate menu in his hands and approached Zhang Ye's table. He asked softly, "Hello, sir, do you need any help?"
Zhang Ye looked up at the waiter before him, then reached out to take the menu. After flipping through it a few times, he casually asked the question that had been on his mind for a long time: "Young man, your restaurant used to be very prosperous, so why is business so bad now?"
"This..." The young man was obviously stunned when he heard this. He obviously did not expect the other party to suddenly ask such a question.
He hesitated for a moment, a hint of embarrassment crossing his face as he forced a smile. "To be honest, we used to receive mostly foreigners, and quite a few companies that relied on foreigners for their livelihoods often chose to come here to negotiate business." At this point, the young man couldn't help but sigh softly, then continued, "After the foreigners were driven away, our source of income was cut off, so naturally, those businessmen stopped patronizing us."
Zhang Ye expressed his opinion while ordering food: "It's not enough to just rely on foreigners to eat. You need to keep up with the times and make timely changes. Now that the foreigners are gone, you should turn your attention to domestic customers. You can't just sit there and wait for death because the foreigners are gone, right? As the saying goes, can a living person be killed by holding his urine?"
Zhang Ye paused, looking around the somewhat deserted restaurant, then added earnestly, "No matter what, your restaurant is well-known in Shanghai. As long as you make the dishes well and exquisitely, and set the prices reasonably, you won't be short of customers."
After hearing this, the young man nodded hurriedly, and replied with an ingratiating smile on his face, "Haha, sir, you are absolutely right. However, the final decision on this matter still depends on our boss."
After saying that, he quickly and deftly wrote down the dishes Zhang Ye ordered, then turned around and left in a hurry.
He is just a waiter. The development of the restaurant has nothing to do with him. If business is good, he will earn more. If business is bad, he will earn less. If the restaurant really goes bankrupt, he will just find another job. That's all. It's no big deal.
"Brother, this place is different from Qizhou. Here, anyone with a little fame or respect relies heavily on foreigners for a living. Now that the foreigners have just walked away, how can these people have the spare money to spend in such a high-end place?"
Lu Shan sat steadily opposite him, with the corners of his mouth slightly raised, and explained to Zhang Ye with a soft laugh.
When he is out and about, as long as there are no irrelevant people around, Lu Shan will call Zhang Ye "Big Brother".
In this way, the relationship between the two people appears particularly close and warm, and there is no need to worry about revealing each other's true identities.
"Alas... We need to think this over carefully and find a proper solution! Without those foreigners, the entire economy of Shang Shanghai has practically collapsed! This won't work."
Zhang Ye couldn't help but sigh softly, a look of worry appeared on his face, and he slowly spoke.
Looking back, I was only concerned with satisfying myself for a moment, and never expected that the series of adverse consequences caused by this would be so difficult to deal with.
In the past six months, the economic situation in Shanghai has been deteriorating and has become a scene of depression.
Whether it is a large and well-known enterprise or a small and unknown handicraft workshop, countless of them have closed down.
If it were not for the continuous influx of various small commodities from Donglu and Wuyue, which slightly boosted the economic activity in a small area, the once famous and prosperous Shanghai Beach would have long been reduced to a deserted city!