Cheng Su wasn’t intentionally putting on airs. These days, their way of interacting was somewhat polite and reserved. He knew the fault wasn’t with him but with his mother, yet he couldn’t help feeling resentful and uncertain about how the two of them should move forward.
Just as mom had said, they were being calm. Perhaps it was good to take a moment to calmly think and figure out how to handle this relationship.
When Cheng Su showed up at the restaurant, everyone was surprised and came to greet him.
Cheng Su deliberately smiled and pointed at his face, saying, "If I weren’t fine, my face wouldn’t look like a baozi. Go on with your work, I’m just here to look around."
Once everyone dispersed to their tasks, Liang Dan let him sit down behind the cash register and took the initiative to bring out the account books from the past few days.
"I’m just checking how the business is, the account books aren’t urgent. You always handle things properly," Cheng Su said, patting her hand. "I’ve been thinking, we should hire another cashier. From now on, the restaurant will operate in shifts. That way, if you need to rest, there will be someone to take over. What do you think?"
"You’re the boss; of course, we’ll follow your lead," Liang Dan replied with an indifferent expression.
Cheng Su hummed in agreement, "Then let’s hire another one."
Liang Dan saw that despite her smile, there was a trace of worry between Cheng Su’s brows, so she asked, "Are you really okay?"
"I’m fine. Oh, and please thank your cousin for me, thank him for his kindness and thoughts!" Cheng Su remembered the tonic gifts that Qiulan and Luh Kai had brought when she was recuperating, saying it was just a small gesture.
Luh Kai hadn’t come in person, but when he heard about her accident, he sent a thoughtful gift. Of course, she was grateful.
"It’s nothing much to thank for, just some food," Liang Dan shrugged.
"Still, those tonics aren’t cheap at all; they’re good stuff!" Cheng Su scoffed with a playful smile. The gifts were valuable items like fish maw and bird’s nest. "Tell him that I’ll treat him to a meal another day."
"Oh!"
Cheng Su patted her hand and said, "Carry on with your work, I need to talk to Qiulan for a bit."
She went outside to sit down, called over Qiulan and Old Song, and asked if there was anything inappropriate at the restaurant or if there were improvements to be made. She also mentioned hiring another cashier so that the restaurant could start operating in shifts.
"That’s a good idea. The business is getting better and we need to be fully staffed. It’s just that our space isn’t big enough," Old Song commented. "However, I heard that Fa Ji is closing down!"
Cheng Su was startled, "It’s closing down already?"
Old Song nodded and explained, "Yes, and it’s being taken over by a food business. I heard they’re opening branches, with a main store in Shanghai called Li Ji. If they open, our business might be affected to some extent."
"They specialize in Shanghai cuisine?" Cheng Su inquired.
"I looked into it, and they mainly offer Jiangsu and Zhejiang cuisine. The standard seems to be mid to high-end," Old Song said.
Cheng Su pursed her lips and said, "That’s how the industry works, competition exists in every field. Let’s just wait and see. Once they open, we’ll go and test out their dishes."
"I was thinking the same thing."
"Though Joy Soon Loy is small, we do have aspirations to expand like the big restaurants, so we need to keep innovating our dishes. Signature dishes must maintain quality; I don’t need to mention that—I trust you to handle it, Old Song. As for innovating new dishes, see if they have any unique ideas. Don’t worry about wasting ingredients, be bold in creation, and strive to make the best dishes," Cheng Su advised.
"Alright, I’ll arrange a meeting with everyone soon."
Cheng Su thought for a moment before adding, "Here’s an idea, if someone comes up with a new dish that reaches a certain level of sales, we’ll provide a reward. This should help inspire everyone’s innovative capabilities!"
Old Song was momentarily taken aback, then expressed his admiration for her idea.