With the arrival of the first crayfish festival, streets and alleys in Yangcheng were decorated with crayfish-related themes.
Zhang Tianxing nodded with satisfaction as he looked at the newly renovated Zhang Ji Crayfish Barbecue restaurant.
The entire Yangcheng bustled with activity.
The villagers' most pressing concern wasn't how the crayfish festival would go, but whether crayfish farming would prove viable.
After all, everyone had witnessed Zhang Tianxing's rise to prominence, and his journey clearly demonstrated that this path could lead to success.
The common people weren't concerned about the successful hosting of the crayfish festival; they were focused on the profits it could bring them.
A significant characteristic was the increasing number of people visiting Yangcheng, which naturally led to a surge in consumption.
In this era, there were only a few taxis in all of Yangcheng. The emergence of motorcycle taxis quickly helped to capture the first wave of income from out-of-town visitors.
The second wave of income was reaped by several businesses, led by Zhang Ji Crayfish Barbecue restaurant, which experienced a peak period in recent days.
People from all corners of the country, speaking with various regional accents in Mandarin, gathered together.
The publicity for China's first crayfish festival was exceptional.
From the People's Daily at the national level to provincial newspapers, there was widespread promotion for the first crayfish festival.
It directly became a hot social topic.
Sparking nationwide discussions, "Hosting China's First Crayfish Festival" became the center of recent heated debates.
Gao Tianming, Zhu Dayong, Wen Qing, and Li Fang were all taken aback by the extensive advertising, surprised that the crayfish festival, which had sparked such widespread discussion, originated from their small shop.
They were unsure if the crayfish festival could be successfully held, but Zhang Tianxing had certainly become famous.
A person like Zhang Tianxing, even without formal education, would likely achieve success because his capabilities were clearly evident.
At the same time, some discordant voices began to emerge.
"People from Zhonghai are simply shameless. An invasive species, and they're establishing China's first crayfish festival. They'll do anything for a gimmick. Truly a disgrace to journalism."
"Exactly. The crayfish festival is an established foreign festival. Simply adopting it in another country is like picking at scraps, isn't it?"
"Indeed. Lacking any innovation. China has its own traditions. Blindly creating these unconventional festivals is simply laughable."
"One's position dictates one's perspective. I believe the first crayfish festival has its valid reasons for its inception."
"Existence is justified. I agree with that statement, but the surge in crayfish popularity has only been for the past two months. The city of Zhonghai starts bidding for the first crayfish festival. Isn't that a bit too greedy?"
Some agreed, some disagreed. Each side had their points, and as they say, "The husband says his reason is right, the wife says hers is right."
Both sides had valid arguments, but life had to go on. When ideals collide with reality, people can only choose to compromise.
"By the way, why don't we seize this opportunity of the first crayfish festival to hold the award ceremony for the crayfish essay contest during these days? That would better promote crayfish."
Zhang Tianxing suddenly had this idea. Adding more activities would make the schedule and arrangements more reasonable.
This place was so comfortable that it made people want to linger, indulging in culinary delights while also experiencing the warmth of the people.
The Yangcheng government had decided to designate the crayfish industry as a key support project and build a series of crayfish cultural initiatives.
Zhang Tianxing was also invited to be a committee member. A young man becoming an honorary committee member left Zhang Tianxing feeling overwhelmed.
At this moment, Zhang Tianxing's wallet was getting fatter. After completing the orders, Zhang Tianxing received consistent praise from international friends.
If the international friends had intended to place additional orders, Zhang Tianxing would have politely declined, saying, "Let's try again next year. For now, a little foreign exchange is enough to spend."
Besides, Zhang Tianxing hadn't had time to deal with the goods imported from abroad. However, with the first crayfish festival approaching,
these foreign goods were nothing significant. Zhang Tianxing had countless ways to sell them at a high price.
To be honest, during the period of shipping crayfish abroad, Zhang Tianxing had never slept soundly.
...
Hao Fangfang arrived in Yangcheng early and found Zhang Tianxing. Seeing him busy bustling about, her eyes nearly bulged out.
She had initially assumed Zhang Tianxing came from a family of hawkers, which explained his youth. Later, upon seeing his truckload of goods, her assumption was further solidified. She deeply felt that Zhang Tianxing was very capable, possessing wealth but not flaunting it or bullying others.
She had encountered plenty of people like that. When she was a model, countless rich second-generation individuals wanted to keep her, but she was adamant, never even considering it.
To her surprise, this meeting revealed that Zhang Tianxing was also a chef. A wealthy young master like him personally cooking was completely beyond her comprehension.
In this day and age, were bosses this low-key? It was quite unexpected.
She had originally planned for Zhang Tianxing to host her and show her around Yangcheng, but it seemed she had overthought it.
Although Zhang Tianxing didn't take Hao Fangfang to see the sights of Yangcheng, for the sake of future endorsements, he still found a way to satisfy her taste buds.
Zhang Tianxing seized this opportunity to prepare several dishes, winning unanimous acclaim from his companions.
"Esteemed guest from afar, these are a few dishes I've specially prepared for you."
Guests at nearby tables protested, "Boss Zhang, can we have a serving of those dishes too?"
Zhang Tianxing refused with a huff, "You cannot. These are specially made to entertain friends from Shengjing, and they are not for takeout!"
Hao Fangfang felt delighted upon hearing this. Just then, Wen Qing and Li Fang arrived. Zhang Tianxing spoke to them.
"Look who's here. Your task tonight is to accompany us in eating and drinking. You don't need to worry about serving."
Wen Qing glanced at Hao Fangfang and was immediately surprised, "Isn't this the..."
Zhang Tianxing quickly picked up a piece of pineapple with his chopsticks and put it into Wen Qing's mouth, making a shushing gesture.
Wen Qing looked around and nodded. Li Fang's eyes lit up. It was understandable, as Hao Fangfang was the "dark horse" of the entertainment industry last year.
"This dish is excellent. Chef Zhang, could you introduce it?" Hao Fangfang said with a smile.
"Figure it out yourself. I'm still busy. Eat first. That's pineapple ribs, which are good for women's beauty and health."
Upon hearing Zhang Tianxing's words, the three women's faces lit up with joy. This was great, they wanted to try it. The three of them devoured the food as if they were sweeping.
"It's truly delicious. I've never tasted anything like it before. Zhang Tianxing actually has these skills!" Hao Fangfang was somewhat surprised.
This culinary skill was comparable to that of renowned chefs. She had eaten in many places, and Zhang Tianxing's dishes each had their unique flavor, making them irresistible.
Wen Qing and Li Fang exchanged glances. How many more secrets did Zhang Tianxing have that they were unaware of? They hadn't had the good fortune to taste these dishes before.