After becoming an Internet celebrity, in an interview with reporters, the 39-year-old Cheng Yunfu smiled and said, "I'm afraid I'm too dirty."
During the Spring Festival of 2021, the footage of Cheng Yunfu making ramen in front of the booth was broadcast to the short video platform by the media owner, accompanied by the keywords "three yuan a bowl of ramen" and "persist in 15 years of no price increase".
It seems that overnight, this ordinary stall owner Cheng Yunfu from Liangqiu Town, Fei County, Linyi City, Shandong Province has a new name-"Brother Ramen".
Some self-media people and video platform anchors surrounded the booth of "Brother Ramen" Cheng Yunfu from all angles. Standing in the first row, the anchor who filmed him can earn tens of thousands of yuan a day. Cheng Yunfu also thought about whether he would open a video game Live?
But the way of making money like "speak beautiful words and make fans happy" is not Cheng Yunfu's ideal way of making money. He quickly gave up this idea, "making money with rhetoric is not practical."
On the evening of March 8, "Brother Ramen" Cheng Yunfu accepted an interview with The Paper (www.thepaper.cn).
He said that he is just an ordinary citizen, and his life after becoming popular will not have much impact on him. "I just sell a bowl of ramen for three yuan. It's very simple."
"I started selling ramen for a living"
The Paper: When did you start the ramen business?
Cheng Yunfu: I started working in 2005.
At first, it was not hand-made ramen, but machine-pressed glutinous rice noodles, which had been pressed for two or three years.
At that time, the noodles cost two yuan a bowl. Later, I found out that the noodles were not hand-made ramen, and the taste was not very good, so I learned how to make ramen from my relatives.
The Paper: Why did you want to sell noodles in the first place?
Cheng Yunfu: At that time (yes) for living.
The income is low and the children are small. Selling noodles first can at least be a pocket money.
In 2007, it was changed to manual, which was stronger than machine.
At that time, the price of goods was rising, and the ramen was three yuan from the original two yuan, with meat.
It was 2010 or 2013, when prices were rising and customers couldn't accept it.
I will pay the original price and not increase the money.
However, the meat is not up, and more noodles are given to make customers full and warm.
The Paper: How has the business been these years?
Cheng Yunfu: It didn't work at the beginning, but it's okay now. The business is much better than before.
You can earn two or three hundred yuan a day, and a bowl of noodles can earn seven or eight cents.
The Paper: When did business start to get better?
why?
Cheng Yunfu: After 2008, business started to improve.
(Because) the customer approved it.
After I worked for two or three years, people knew that I was a real person, and it was affordable to come to eat noodles.
More and more old people who are going to the market and shopping for food know me.
The Paper: How many bowls can you sell in a day when business is at its best?
Cheng Yunfu: I can sell 600 bowls at the best time, and I will not rest until 6 pm.
"The people who broadcast me live are also for life"
The Paper: After the fire, how do you treat those who came to live broadcast on purpose?
Cheng Yunfu: I didn't like it at first, and I couldn't accept it. Now I want to open it.
They all came to see who I am, and they all came to support me. They met me through the Internet and saw that I felt at ease.
The Paper: Does it bother you with so many people at your door every day?
Cheng Yunfu: Someone came into the house at first, and I really couldn't bear it.
I said that I could no longer go to my house, which affected my rest.
Later, there were more and more people, and the yard was afraid to open it.
It's too messy, this group of people can shout too much, the self-media is too noisy, I'm too tired.
The Paper: Why do you think they came to see you for ramen?
Cheng Yunfu: Some self-media may show popularity, not the media, maybe it is to see what I am like?
Is it loyal, honest, and diligent as stated on the Internet?
The Paper: Have you accepted your own hot reality now?
Cheng Yunfu: Maybe I expressed my innermost words.
It is not easy to make money. I have also lived through a hard life, and I have to count when I spend a penny.
This money should be spent or not, and where it is spent, it will be calculated.
For example, if you buy a meal, you can’t bear to eat it.
Some people can buy a bag of salt with an extra dollar, enough to eat for several months.
These are all counted, making money is not easy.
The Paper: There are many anchors outside the door. I saw a woman outside saying that she would marry you. What do you think?
Cheng Yunfu: I'm sorry, I haven't seen such a scene.
Just kidding, she was also trying to get her fans to watch.
She is using this method to fool her fans to send gifts, maybe it is.
The Paper: Do you think they (live) are rubbing your traffic?
Cheng Yunfu: Everyone lives in a different way.
I harvest money through two-handed labor. Some people use this method to harvest results and harvest what they need.
The Paper: What do you think of their way of making money?
Cheng Yunfu: Maybe people have different ideas and practices.
Some of them said that the fans were in their hearts, and the fans were moved to give him some gifts, it was as simple as that.
They are also for life.
The Paper: What do your wife and children think about your popularity?
Cheng Yunfu: They don't have any opinions, how they usually live is still like that, plain and plain.
The Paper: What kind of help did the local government provide for your popularity?
Cheng Yunfu: The village gave a lot of help.
Now the parking lot in the village is free and the road is widened.
Free shuttle bus to and from the sightseeing bus, and free tea.
I feel very excited in my heart.
I didn't expect our village to do so much, thank my village.
People are not real and villages are not real, this is reflected.
The Paper: After becoming popular, what is the biggest change in your life compared to before?
Cheng Yunfu: I don't think there is any change.
Whether I am popular or not is the same, that is, going to the market.
Even more people can drive (consumption) in our villages and townships.
The Paper: Your current income still depends on selling ramen. Have you ever thought about other ways to make extra money such as live broadcast?
Cheng Yunfu: I thought about it, but I don't know how to broadcast it.
I don't want to earn their money.
The Paper: Why don't you want to earn their money?
Cheng Yunfu: It is not easy for people to make money, they are all ordinary people.
The money earned with both hands is at ease and steadfast, and the use of rhetoric to make money is not at all practical.
The Paper: Your mayor said that the people who live in the first row of your ramen are making a lot of money. Have you heard of it?
Cheng Yunfu: I heard that, both earn ten to twenty thousand.
I thought, what is the concept of ten to twenty thousand?
How long do I have to work? I have to work for three or four months to make so much money.
We can't compare, it's up to you whether you have the ability or not.
People have the ability, I don't have the ability, don't make this money, I think so.
"I just sell a bowl of ramen for three yuan, I'm very simple"
The Paper: In the past two days, Guo Gangtang was the only person who appeared in your video account and came to you. Why did you think of helping Guo Gangtang publicize (seeking children)?
Cheng Yunfu: Andy Lau starred in "Lonely", I have seen his movie.
Guo Gangtang is the prototype of the protagonist in the film.
At that time, I saw that Jiajia (the "abduction mother" Li Jingzhi's previously lost son), his mother traveled all over the country to find him, (this) moved me, (I) joined the baby project.
When I first started to fire (when) the media interviewed me, I said that (I) liked Andy Lau.
I grew up listening to his songs and watching his movies.
Andy Lau starred in the plot in "Lost Orphans". I was so touched by a person's determination not to abandon or give up.
Later, as soon as the news reported, Teacher Guo Gangtang saw that he came to me.
He told me, "I am the prototype of "Lonely" starring Andy Lau.
I don't know him, I haven't seen him, I'm afraid he lied to me, I let him go back.
Later I called him and he came again.
He wanted to borrow my enthusiasm to help.
I said yes, I tried my best to help him.
The Paper: In addition, there are parents who have lost contact and are looking for children who want to borrow your enthusiasm to find children. What do you think?
Cheng Yunfu: I also want to help.
But the platform does not allow it.
The reason is that the platform is not sure whether this is true or not, and they have to verify it.
The Paper: After the fire broke out, has any commercial company approached you for cooperation, advertising, and trademark registration?
Cheng Yunfu: No.
But I heard from my neighbor that there are trademarks registered in my name on the Internet.
It's not me (registered trademark), I declare again, it's not me.
I said that registering something gave me fifty thousand, but I didn't register.
I am not responsible for fraud in my name, and cannot be held responsible.
The Paper: Do you feel tired from living like this every day?
Cheng Yunfu: Get used to it, it's okay to get tired.
This is at least a recognition for me, and I won’t support it if I don’t recognize it.
I think I'm an ordinary person, really, I just sell a bowl of ramen for three yuan, I'm very simple.
The Paper: What should I do if I cease to be popular one day?
Have you ever thought about it?
Cheng Yunfu: (I) also thought about it.
I will continue to catch up with my episodes when it's gone, thinking about my customers, and my customers are as many as this person, and it's the same.
Now seeing my old customers, I feel a kind of intimacy.
The eldest brother asked me to go out just now, but the crowd can't be controlled unless I go out, so I went out.
They were very happy when I came, and they all came to support me.
The Paper: Have you noticed a child outside holding a sign saying "I want to learn ramen from you"?
Cheng Yunfu: I see it, isn't that a fiction?
If he really wanted to learn, he would not say so with a sign.
If he really wants to learn, he will say, "Teacher Cheng, will you teach me Ramen? I really want to learn."
He will not cheat (heat) like this.
If you really teach him, he will not learn.
I think this is an illusion, and I don't like such a person.
I like real people, so what do you say.
There are all kinds of people who kowtow to me.
The Paper: I heard the reporter who interviewed you said that you were in a particularly bad mood a few days ago, crying or something.
Cheng Yunfu: I cried because the reporter mentioned my previous life.
It used to be too difficult and the family management was not good. I mentioned that I was a little guilty before and felt guilty for my family and children.
It's all right now, at least it's better to eat, drink and wear now.
The Paper: What are your plans for the future?
Cheng Yunfu: Strive to work hard.
Bring some income to the old folks in our village, so that the people will live a better life.
I came from a hard time, it was so difficult.
We will not be fooled, deceived, or deceived, it is true.
The common people are suffering.
I also like photography. I took a picture of a person in the county seat digging a waterway on the road.
It was 40 degrees that day, and my body seemed to be scorched. I saw that scene and I knew it was not easy for working people.
Reporter Yu Yan, Lin Jueyao, He Kai, intern Ren Wanwan