The Story of Deep City ｜ Silent Coffee, Fruit and Tea, Tasty Life Formula

The following article comes from Jing Bao by Luo Wan.

Crystal newspaper

New media produced by Shenzhen Jingbao Media Co., Ltd., head of Shenzhen Newspaper Group. There are touching stories here, which will open your eyes to creative space. Let’s find a better world together!

On the morning of December 7th, I arrived at the exit B of Huaqiang North subway station as promised, looking for the location sent by the barista Ma Xiu-Yi+Station Charity Store. The mobile phone map shows that it is nearby, but there is no agreed place. I walked back and forth along the street twice and called Matthew. "In the underground mall, get off the elevator." The signal at that end is a little weak. "You stay where you are, and I’ll come up to pick you up." After a while, I heard someone calling me from behind. It was Matthew.

I met Matthew during this year’s Shenzhen Reading Month. In all the publishing houses and cultural and creative booths of the Happiness Covered Bridge Book Market in Shenye Shangcheng, a slogan "Into the Silent World" attracted my attention. The stall owner on duty is a young man. Whenever he sees someone watching him, he will respond with a bright smile. During the understanding, I got to know the brand combination of "Needless to Say Coffee × You Yigan". The former makes coffee and the latter makes juice, and most of the employees employed are hearing-impaired people. As the "city of coffee", Shenzhen has gathered all kinds of coffee, and Jingbaoyuan story also reported many stories of coffee shops. But the story of the silent barista seems to be blank, and I want to know them. In this way, I got in touch with Matthew, the barista from Taiwan Province who is in charge of coffee.

When I got off the elevator, Matthew led me through the subway mall. In a short time, we arrived at the "Yi+Small Station". The island platform on the left is the coffee, fruit and tea beverage area, and the area on the right is the area selling charitable goods. Obviously, this is a small shop with the characteristics of public welfare. Before I set off, I searched the shop on the Internet, and the photos did not look like traditional coffee shops, which once puzzled me. However, Matthew’s appointment here naturally makes sense.

"This is Yang Zong." As soon as I entered the store, Matthew recommended another partner to me, Lao Yang, the founder of UniGallen. The same Taiwanese accent, "He is from the village next door to me." Matthew has been to the mainland longer than Lao Yang, and both of them have settled in Shenzhen for many years.

It’s not surprising that Matthew and Lao Yang, two fellow villagers from Taiwan Province, started a business and did public welfare together. In the tacit interaction, I thought they should be old friends for many years. I didn’t expect them to tell me that it was a coincidence, just at the beginning of this year.

"Accurately speaking, it is an’ assessment’." Matthew thought for a moment and added.

"Oh?" I realized that the story began.

examine

The story begins with Matthew.

Two years ago, in a coffee shop in Nanshan Science Park, Matthew told the waiter his order demand as usual. However, I saw that the other party did not respond, just picked up the phone and typed, and the screen showed "I can’t hear the sound."

It was Matthew’s first contact with a hearing-impaired barista. Matthew successfully ordered a cup of coffee by pointing. In the whole process, except for not talking, other links are very smooth. As a barista, Matthew was also curious about the process of learning and making coffee for the deaf barista, and they chatted with the mobile phone translation software.

Soon after, Matthew heard the news that the deaf barista had left his job. Because they work with healthy people, the store has not set some tips for the hearing-impaired barista. Without knowing it, many customers can’t understand this silent service. Often, impatient guests leave their faces before they can explain, and repeated complaints follow. Matthew tried to introduce the work for the deaf barista through his own relationship, but he encountered the same obstacles and scruples.

▲ Matthew conducts training for the hearing impaired.

At that time, Matthew had his own mature studio, and often offered coffee elective courses in major universities to spread coffee culture. He felt that this crowd actually needed more help. "I want to open a silent cafe to seek more entrepreneurial and employment opportunities for these silent baristas, so that they can confidently integrate into society." The first step is training.

On February 19th this year, Matthew’s first free coffee training course for hearing-impaired people was officially opened in his studio. I didn’t expect the first class to encounter heavy rain. But to his surprise, although it was a public welfare class, all 15 hearing-impaired students were present on time, and none of them were absent.

The most difficult part of the course is still communication. Matthew explained a sentence, which was translated by the sign language translation teacher again. Whether the information understanding is accurate or not is unknown, and the progress of the professor is also very slow. What can be finished in two hours on weekdays just took more than three hours. But this does not affect the interest and enthusiasm of the students at all, which makes Matthew feel gratified.

"There is a barista giving free coffee training!" Such information soon spread in the circle of hearing-impaired people, accompanied by the voice of doubt.

"Lao Yang Lao Yang, there is a barista in Xili who is holding a public welfare training class. Go and help us identify whether it is a liar." The news soon reached Lao Yang’s ears.

As early as 2019, Lao Yang had set up a catering brand company named "Benwuque" for the hearing-impaired people. He is a senior in training hearing-impaired employees and providing them with employment opportunities. When he found that his store manager and shop assistant had quietly gone to Matthew’s training class for a class, he decided to meet his colleague in person.

It is said that there is no free lunch in the world. Many years ago, when Lao Yang started his company under the banner of public welfare, he was also questioned by many voices. Some people said that he was collecting money, while others said that he was raising money. When he gave free lectures, someone sent a notice to remind everyone that this was a new type of fraud.

"This road is actually very lonely and needs time to prove." However, when it was someone else, Lao Yang also took a critical look. "I’d like to see how someone could be so stupid to do such a thing."

In the second class, Lao Yang appeared in Matthew’s class on time. Not only is Lao Yang looking at Matthew, but after knowing Lao Yang’s identity, Matthew also silently draws a question mark in his heart.

After some conversation, Lao Yang and Ma Xiu were as good as ever. The two were surprised to find that they were both from Taiwan Province and came from neighboring villages in Pingtung. And their address in Shenzhen is even closer, with the balcony facing the balcony.

A wonderful fate brought them together.

Since then, they often have a chat in the coffee shop under their home, talking about the concept of silent public welfare and talking about future planning. "This process is like an assessment of each other. We found that what we had to do was the same, so we slowly walked together. "

remain intact

"So, is the name" Don’t Say Coffee "specially named for this crowd?" In the preparation of the previous interview, I learned that the silent coffee shop founded by Matthew in Xili seems to have done public welfare training earlier than him.

Unexpectedly, this is also a coincidence.

"I have always felt that’ seeing a gentleman, Yunhu does not like it.’ This sentence is quite beautiful. It describes that ancient women have met their favorite people, so what are they not happy about? Inner happiness is described as the highest level of liking by dislike, so we can express the best taste of coffee without saying anything about the delicious taste and flavor of coffee. Therefore, our coffee brands and cafes are called "Don’t talk", and the corresponding slogan is "There is great beauty in the world without talking, and the taste in the world is pure joy". "

From the establishment of silent coffee in 2017 to the decision to make silent coffee at the end of 2022, "silent coffee" coincidentally corresponds. Matthew thinks, in the dark, this is more like a social mission.

▲ Matthew is at the Happy Covered Bridge Book Fair.

Unlike Matthew, Lao Yang’s job is brand planning and has nothing to do with catering. However, his experience of meeting the hearing-impaired people is very similar to Matthew’s.

A few years ago, when Lao Yang was dining in a Hunan rice noodle shop in Shenzhen, he found that the waiters employed in the shop were all hearing-impaired people, which made him very touched. "This is a very meaningful thing." He began to pay attention to and approach such a crowd and became friends with many of them. After gradually understanding their difficulties in employment and life, Lao Yang also wondered how to help them better. In 2019, he discussed with his wife, or he would open a small shop first.

In the field of catering, Lao Yang has no experience, and the fruit juice tea that can be operated according to the formula is a better category to start with. After site selection and training, the store quickly opened up, and the name of the store "You Yigan" followed the Taiwanese saying "There is a family". Lao Yang also gave his company a name, "Ben Quan Bu". "I want to tell these children that you don’t really lack anything, but you just exchange with the society in a different way."

When dealing with employees, Lao Yang always says what he should say, scolds when he should scold, and treats them equally. In order to communicate with them better, Lao Yang also specially studied sign language, and now he has basically communicated without hindrance. "Mainly to prevent them from scolding me behind my back, hahaha."

"That is the youngest child in our store at present. She is 22 years old now. You can interview her later." Following Lao Yang’s eyes, I noticed a girl who was seriously making fruit tea.

"Her name is Zi Yue, from Jiangxi. When she first came to work here, her parents called me at least three times and were very worried about her. Finally, they said that their relatives were in Shenzhen and would like to visit the store. As a result, two 7-seat commercial vehicles arrived that day, and more than a dozen people came, and all her aunts and aunts came. I am sure that there is such a store before I let her come here to work. "

▲ Comics drawn by barista for customers.

There are many things like this. This also made Lao Yang realize that in fact, many disabled people didn’t specialize themselves. Instead, their families put up their labels early. Of course, they felt that they were vulnerable groups when they went out, and they were afraid of being bullied, so they didn’t believe that their children would have a better development.

"I also took a group of deaf people to sing K." Looking at my surprised eyes, Lao Yang said leisurely, "They just can’t hear, but the vocal cords are good. I took them to sing K just to let them roar and vent their emotions. " At that time, the boss of KTV heard that a group of hearing-impaired people had packed a big box and were yelling at ghosts. After hearing their stories, they were all given free tickets. Lao Yang hopes to change their mentality through these, and let them come out and face the society.

"On the surface, Matthew and I taught them survival skills, but in fact, we are more concerned with their inner conditioning, hoping that they will get rid of the idea of’ waiting for help’. They are complete people and can completely go out. "

In recent years, Lao Yang’s employees have grown from four to eight, and at most, they have expanded to four stores and more than 30 employees. Due to the impact of the epidemic, only the original store in Futian is left. "In fact, I didn’t want to turn it into a big enterprise." Lao Yang said that his initial intention is very simple, that is, if conditions permit, see one to help one.

secret

In Matthew’s circle of friends, I saw the photos of him and Lao Yang leading the staff to Huizhou Coffee Manor in early December. They planted and picked beans together and learned the wonderful process from dirt to a cup of coffee. In the photo, Matthew, who is in his sixties, and Lao Yang, 45, are mixed among the children, learning to pose as cool as they are, and they are more childish.

"Although they are usually quiet, privately, these children are very fashionable and have great personality. One girl usually rides a heavy motorcycle, and another girl is a badminton team." Matthew and Lao Yang are always used to calling them "children". In their eyes, these children have a more dedicated and persistent quality. "They are very studious, very motivated, more focused and more serious. They cherish this job very much and always want to do their best. Their meticulous work is really so persistent that you can’t imagine. "

"Tell me about the store manager pengpeng pouring fructose." Matthew pointed to another boy on duty. Those smiling eyes look familiar, and I remember that he is the stall owner at the Happy Covered Bridge Book Fair. It turns out that he is the manager.

"He was pouring fructose that day. Normally, we just fell down. pengpeng wasn’t. He took a strainer and filtered it on it. I said, why are you filtering? He said that because fructose is sticky, there are bubbles when it falls down, which will affect the amount it comes out, so it must be done. " In Matthew’s and Lao Yang’s view, such details may be unnecessary, but in pengpeng’s view, this is his standard, and he must do it.

"When he started following me in 2019, he was only 22 years old." Lao Yang recalled that pengpeng was a Shanghainese. At that time, when he heard a friend mention Lao Yang’s entrepreneurial project, he decided to work in Shenzhen. At that time, pengpeng’s parents were unanimous in their opposition. In the past few years, pengpeng has changed from an employee to a store manager, and now she has been able to be independent and prove herself to her family with her ability.

▲ Zi Yue and pengpeng (right) are at the Happy Covered Bridge Book Fair.

Pengpeng is thin and thin, but writing on the handwriting board is a breeze. He listed his four hobbies to me: watching cartoons, studying fruit juice, watching movies and traveling. His major is graphic design and he dreams of becoming a cartoonist. "Those are all painted by my colleagues. They are really great." Pengpeng pointed to a whiteboard near the wall, on which are portraits quietly drawn by silent baristas for customers, which are lovely and vivid. This is their little fun after work.

I asked pengpeng what Lao Yang and Matthew looked like in your eyes. He solemnly wrote on the board, "Very well, I really appreciate them. They are my distinguished guests. Without them, I may not be able to insist on opening a shop because my ability is limited. I treat them like family, like my father. "

He seemed a little shy after writing the last sentence, so he quickly wiped it off and immediately added, "Don’t tell them."

It seems that Lao Yang, who heard my question, took a closer look and shouted, "Hey! He also said don’t tell me. This kid has secrets. "

I made a look, pengpeng hands a thumbs-up sign, gently bending. I know, that means thank you. "As long as the guests are happy, I will say thank you to them. Thank you for not looking down on us. "

Compared with pengpeng, who always has a smile in her eyes, Zi seems more cramped. In the face of my questions, her answers are always concise. She claims to be a "fat house", a foodie, and her hobbies are playing games and reading novels. Before coming to Shenzhen, Ziyue’s parents found a good job as a clerk for her, but she was not happy. "Because I can’t talk to healthy people. The barista is very good, at least I met a group of funny people. "

Zi Yue said that she had hesitated and was afraid before changing jobs, but fortunately she met Lao Yang and Matthew. "They are very childish people. Will make faces to scare you. " Zi Yue’s face began to show a leisurely pride. She wrote: "I will laugh at them as childish ghosts. They used to be children. "

desire

During the chat, you can clearly feel that Matthew and Lao Yang are completely different personalities. One of them is calm and introverted, and the other is acute and strong; One is like a strategist who sits still, and the other is like a pioneer who is brave and forward. Just like the mellow coffee and the warm fruit tea, there are bitterness and sweetness, which form two sides of life.

In September this year, the "Yi+Station", which combines coffee and fruit tea, officially opened in Huaqiang North. This is also a preliminary attempt after Matthew and Lao Yang met, and more training, internships and employment opportunities have emerged here. At present, there are nearly 100 hearing-impaired people who have participated in training courses, and there are 8 regular employees.

Matthew said that his contract for silent coffee, which was originally located in Xili, will expire at the end of this month, and the new store location has not yet been determined. "Yi+Station" has been supported by public welfare funds and has become a new base camp for this group of hearing-impaired baristas. This model is an exploration. If possible, they are expected to promote it in many places such as the Universiade area in Longgang next year. At the same time, it also means that their operational pressure will be even greater.

▲ Lao Yang (third from left) and his employees are building a group in Huizhou Coffee Manor.

"Yi+Station" is located in the subway mall, which is not very good, but there are many customers who spend money with each other. There is no noise in the shop. Most of the time, you will only hear the roar of the juicer, the "hissing" sound of the milk bubble and the crisp sound of the collision of utensils. There is a card in the corner of the bar to remind customers that this is silent service, and there are related sign language instructions. You can choose to write with a pen or point to the menu to order.

I’m curious. Besides, there seem to be a few signs in the store that can suggest that this is a service for the hearing impaired. Matthew said that at first they made a slogan for the store, "Support silent coffee, support them", but it was opposed by employees. "They didn’t want to win sympathy with this label, and finally the signboard was changed to: grinding different life formulas with both hands."

One, two, dozens of silent dreams have finally blossomed in Shenzhen.

I asked the child what she wanted more, and she jokingly wrote: To be a rich woman. I asked, is there anything else? Seriously. She said that she wanted to be a writer and write relaxed and warm stories. "If Yang Zong doesn’t suddenly leave us, there is a high probability that he will continue to do it here."

Original title: "Story of Deep City | Silent Coffee, Fruit and Tea, Tasty Life Formula"

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