Chapter 9 (1/2)

Chapter 9: The 1st Customer

Yuan Zhou had at least worked in the kitchen of a 3-Star Hotel before. Although it was vastly different from his tiny restaurant, the rush hours were more or less the same. He certainly knew that no guest would come at the time.

Yuan Zhou turned around and headed back into the restaurant. He paced around the kitchen and discovered a red button in a concealed position.

“System, what’s this?” Yuan Zhou clearly remembered that such a thing did not exist previously in his previous kitchen before the renovation.

The system read, “It provides a place for resting.”

“It’s really simple and direct.” Yuan Zhou pushed down on the button while he complained about the system as usual.

“Zi”

With a light grating sound, a chair emerged in the middle. It seemed quite plain just like the square wooden stools for ordinary use. The only slight difference was the legs of the chair, which were wrapped in metals at the bottom. Giving it a sci-fi feel.

Yuan Zhou sat on the chair with curiosity, but he found nothing different. Of course it felt good and was more comfortable than normal chairs. Furthermore, as he gently stretched his legs he discovered that the chair could also move. Besides that, the moving chair produced no sound. Yuan Zhou played around with it happily just like a child that got a brand new toy.

His good mood didn’t last too long when he found it was almost 11:30 and the crowds outside the street were starting to thicken.

Some people gazed at the restaurant for a while, but clearly had no intention to enter. Yuan Zhou started to feel anxious.

At around 12.20pm, the crowds outside were getting larger. Yet, there were still no guests that entered the restaurant, nobody even inquired about the price.

This made Yuan Zhou even more worried. He walked to the door and looked outside. There was a newly-opened fast food restaurant down the street. He had got up early the previous day thus hadn’t noticed it. But today the green colored shop sign seemed fairly eye catching.

Their business was pretty good. Through the glass window, he could see no vacant seat left. Yet, people outside were entering.

“What’s so good about fast food? What I have here is specially supplied.” Muttering something, he went back to his own restaurant.

“Ding ling ling, Ding ling ling……..”

The harsh ringtone disrupted the quiet atmosphere in the restaurant.

Yuan Zhou answered the telephone and found it was from Sun Ming.

Sun Ming was his first friend he made after he graduated and started to work. He was loyal to his friends and had a well-off family. He had got along well with Yuan Zhou who didn’t speak much.

He had just said “Hi” when a torrent of words gush through the phone with a rapid fire rate.

“Yuan Zhou, what’s the matter with you? Didn’t I say I would give you a farewell dinner? You haven’t settled on a date and time?”

“I’m really sorry. I was too busy to tell you that I wasn’t going to leave anymore. I got the store redecorated and am currently ready to start a new business.” After being reminded, Yuan Zhou recalled that Sun Ming had indeed intended to treat him to a farewell dinner before he left. He had almost fainted due to the big surprise the system gave him these few days that he had almost forgotten about the dinner.

Sun Ming forgave his carelessness after Yuan Zhou apologized to him.

“Why didn’t you inform me of your new restaurant? I can come over and be your first guest.” Sun Ming interrogated with a discontented manner.

“I was about to give you the notice. Since it is the first day of my business, it seemed a little hasty.”

“Got it. Wait there. I am sending you two flower baskets right now. What business is it?”

“Some kind of eatery……..”

Sun Ming interrupted Yuan Zhou and said squarely, “I will go over to your restaurant for my supper, to increase the number of your customers as well.”

“Please rest assured. It’s fairly good stuff, although a little costly…”

“Brothers shouldn’t need to mention that. How expensive can a small restaurant be? Wait for my arrival tonight.” After that, Sun Ming hung off the telephone.