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Tan Zongming picked up a piece of fish, put it in his mouth and savored it carefully. Then he showed an appreciative expression: "This 'Squirrel Mandarin Fish' is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a perfect balance of sweet and sour. It is a rare delicacy."
Jiang Haokun and the others also took a bite and nodded repeatedly in agreement.
"Su Chang, your cooking skills are truly exceptional. Why don't you sit down and have some with us?" Tan Zongming gave a thumbs up and invited her.
"Yes...yes...President Su, please have some too."
"Yes, yes, Mr. Su, please bring it to the table."
Everyone quickly extended an invitation.
"Haha! Not today." Su Chang quickly waved his hand to refuse: "As the head chef, I have to work if people come later. Please enjoy your meal, bosses. I'll go and get busy now."
After Su Chang left, the atmosphere in the private room became even more lively.
"President Tan, we've really struck gold this time! Su Chang's skills are absolutely masterful. I've even had private dishes from the descendants of imperial chefs in Kyoto before, and they don't even compare to Su Chang's skills," Jiang Haokun said with a smile.
"Haha, yeah, I didn't expect Su Chang to have this trick up his sleeve. But he's not short of money, I just don't understand why he chose to open a restaurant," Tan Zongming said, puzzled.
"Maybe Mr. Su just enjoys cooking. He's not short of money, so he can just do what he likes," someone speculated.
"Anyway, today's meal was really satisfying. I'll definitely come back to try Su Chang's other dishes when I have the chance in the future," Jiang Haokun said.
"Yes, yes, President Su's cooking skills are so good, we can't let them go to waste. Now we'll have a place to entertain distinguished guests in the future." The others chimed in.
At this moment, Su Chang, who was in the kitchen, had no idea what the people in the private room were thinking. However, he thought that he was not short of money now, so should he limit the number of tables? After all, what was the use of having so much money if he stayed here every day?
Without hesitation, Su Chang called out, "Xiao Cai, Xiao Cai."
"Hey, I'm here." Xiao Cai heard Su Chang's voice and immediately ran over. This Xiao Cai wasn't just some random passerby; he was the kitchen helper in "To Be a Better Man" who liked Peng Jiahe, a handsome young man: "Brother Su, what's up?"
"Go buy a whiteboard, and also buy some more ink pens and brushes," Su Chang instructed.
"Okay, Brother Su." Xiao Cai replied and ran towards the door.
"Wait, you haven't even taken the money, where are you going to buy it?" Su Chang was speechless. Xiao Cai was a bit absent-minded while working, so he had to quickly stop him.
"Oh...oh..." Xiao Cai took the money from Su Chang and ran out again.
Xiao Cai quickly bought a whiteboard and tools, which Su Chang hung in a prominent place by the door. Then, he picked up a pen and wrote "Limited to 5 tables per day" on the whiteboard, and then changed the number "5" to "4".
"Brother Su, what are you doing?" Xiao Cai asked in confusion.
Su Chang explained, "There are only two of us in our restaurant, and I don't want to be too tired. Limiting the number of tables will give me more time to research new dishes and also ensure the quality of each dish."
"Brother Su, you're amazing!" Xiao Cai understood Su Chang's intentions and nodded in support. Then he frowned and asked, "But, Brother Su, can we make money this way?"
"Hehe! Little Cai, this shop is mine. Do you think I'm short of money? Don't worry, I won't let you lose your job," Su Chang teased.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Cai smiled with relief: "That's good. I was worried about losing my job. But, Brother Su, since that's the case, and you're not short of money anyway, why did you even open this shop?"
Su Chang shook her head and said, "Xiao Cai, you don't understand. This shop isn't my means of making a living; it's my hobby and a childhood dream. Even if I weren't short of money, I would still hope to make more like-minded friends through it and share the joy of food." Su Chang actually wanted to see if she could meet other TV drama protagonists, after all, food is a favorite of many main characters.
Xiao Cai nodded thoughtfully, as if he understood something.
Su Chang patted him on the shoulder and encouraged him, "Don't think too much about it, just do your job well! Learn the trade well, and even if I close down, you can still work on your own."
After saying that, he turned and went into the kitchen to continue preparing the ingredients for the day. Watching Su Chang's retreating figure, Xiao Cai was filled with admiration and gratitude. He secretly resolved to work hard and learn culinary skills diligently, striving to help Su Chang make the restaurant a great success.
Chapter 43 Positive Reviews
Not long after the limited edition sign was put up, it attracted a lot of diners. After all, for Chinese people, the rarer something is, the more precious it is. This is how limited editions, which involve paying a high "intelligence tax," come about.
However, many diners hesitated after seeing the minimum three-digit prices. After all, a vegetarian dish costing several hundred yuan is unacceptable for ordinary consumers. Don't forget that Guan Juer, Fan Shengmei, and Qiu Yingying share an apartment with a rent of 8000 yuan and sometimes have to eat instant noodles. Not to mention that the real main dishes at Pinzhentang cost at least a thousand yuan, and there are even delicacies costing hundreds of thousands of yuan, but those all need to be ordered in advance. Not to mention that the wine obtained from Jiang Haokun is not cheap. Although Su Chang also bought some wine costing over a thousand yuan, it is not something that ordinary people can afford.
Nevertheless, Shanghai has never lacked wealthy people.
An old man stayed behind. He was dressed in a simple Zhongshan suit, his face etched with the marks of time, yet exuding a sense of composure and wisdom. He slowly sat down, ordered a vegetarian dish of three delicacies and a steamed sea bass, and then smiled at Xiao Cai, saying, "And a small bottle of Shaoxing wine, please."
At the same time, another middle-aged, overweight man wearing a large gold chain and a small watch led several friends in. The man wore a confident smile; he was slightly overweight, and his clothes were expensive. He plopped down in a chair and loudly proclaimed, "Give us some meat dishes! We're going for a big fish and meat feast!"
However, as Xiao Cai was leaving, I whispered a reminder in his ear to get him some cheap meat and vegetables, just enough to fill his stomach, and also to get him a case of beer.
After Xiao Cai finished announcing the dishes, he changed the "4" on the whiteboard to "2".
The old man quietly watched the fat man, a barely perceptible frown flashing across his face.
Soon after, the dishes and wine the old man had ordered were served. He took a small sip of the rice wine, squinted his eyes, and smiled slightly, savoring its rich flavor, seemingly oblivious to the noise around him.
The old man had just picked up a piece of vegetarian seafood with his chopsticks when his expression suddenly changed. His brows furrowed, and it was unclear whether he was satisfied or not. Then he picked up a piece of sea bass and put it in his mouth. His eyes lit up, and he clicked his tongue in amazement, "Hmm, this dish tastes good! You get what you pay for; this dish is worth the price." He then forgot about his drink and hurriedly said to Xiao Cai, "Young man, quickly bring me a bowl of rice!"
Without hesitation, Xiao Cai quickly served the old man a bowl of rice. The old man took the rice, thanked him, and then began to wolf it down.
The fat man chatted and laughed with his friends while constantly urging Xiao Cai to serve the food: "Handsome, why haven't our dishes been served yet? Hurry up!" His face showed an impatient expression.
Seeing this, Su Chang quickly gestured for Xiao Cai to take the group to a private room. His expression was serious as he said softly, "Have some sense. They're making too much noise and will disturb the other guests. Take them to a private room."
Xiao Cai nodded and walked up to the fat man and his companions.
"Handsome, let's go to a private room for dinner. It's easier for friends to talk in a private room. The food will be served soon."
“Okay, no problem.” The fat man thought that maybe the dishes he ordered were expensive, so the owner told them to dine in a private room. He didn’t realize that they were being looked down upon.
After entering the private room, the fat man's voice was still loud: "Haha, look at me, I'm so popular when I go out to eat, the boss even specially arranged a private room for me!"
"That is...that is..."
"Brother Chen is awesome! No wonder he's so influential."
His friends also joined in with smiles and flattery.
The old man ate very quickly, his usual slow and deliberate eating habits completely forgotten. He devoured the food in ten minutes, almost emptying the plate. Xiao Cai, who was standing next to him, was worried that the old man might choke. Fortunately, after finishing his meal, the old man only let out a burp, slowly sipped some Shaoxing wine, and then got up and went to the front desk. At that moment, Su Chang had also finished preparing the dishes and was standing at the front desk.
"Young man, did you make this dish?"
"Yes, sir, how is it going? Please feel free to suggest any improvements. This is my first time opening a restaurant, and I still have a lot to learn as I go," Su Chang asked humbly.
The old man gave Su Chang a thumbs up.
"Young man, your cooking skills are truly amazing! Didn't you see I almost licked the plate clean? I've lived for over sixty years, and only today have I learned what true culinary delight is. All the other dishes I've tasted before are nothing compared to this."
"Haha! Sir, you flatter me. There are countless ways to enjoy life, and everyone has their own path. If you like it, please come often. You're praising me too much; I'm afraid I'll get ganged up on later." Su Chang replied with a smile. He found this old man quite interesting, and his refined manner of speaking suggested that he must be of high status.
"This old man of mine just likes to eat whatever he wants and doesn't like beating around the bush. I'll say what I mean. Alright, I'll definitely come here often in the future. But you limit the number of tables, so can I book a table for myself?" the old man replied with a serious expression.
"Sir, let's skip the table reservation. Here's a business card for you. If you want to come next time, just give me a call in advance and I'll reserve a table for you. If it's full, it'll save you a wasted trip. What do you think?" Su Chang smiled and handed over a business card, which Gan Jing had reminded him to prepare earlier.
"Alright, calculate how much my table costs," the old man asked, pointing to his own table.
"Okay, sir, your vegetarian three delicacies dish is 268, the steamed sea bass is 2198, and the small bottle of Shaoxing wine is 468, totaling 2934 yuan. I'll just charge you 2930 yuan." Su Chang quickly calculated the total price. Just kidding, Su Chang's mental arithmetic ability is very strong.
"Okay, here's 3000 yuan. Consider the rest a tip." The old man slapped the 3000 yuan on the front desk and left with a big laugh. Su Chang knew that the old man wasn't someone who was short of a few dozen yuan, so she didn't bother him anymore. After all, if you insisted on returning a few dozen yuan to someone like that, he would feel like he had lost face and wouldn't come back next time. It would be better to bring him some snacks to try next time.
Around 2 a.m., just as Xiao Cai was getting impatient, the fat man finally led a few people out of the private room, drunk. The fat man told the others to go ahead, and went to the front desk alone.
"Boss, how much is my table?"
“Okay, brother, your table ordered eight dishes, which totaled 9682 yuan, plus two cases of beer, which cost 120 yuan, making the total 9802 yuan. You can pay 9800 yuan.” Su Chang replied with a smile.
"Ahem! Boss, your dishes are indeed delicious, but they're too expensive. Do you accept credit cards?" The fat man took out his wallet and counted the money, which was about seven or eight thousand yuan. He could only say with difficulty.
"Excuse me, brother, I've only been open for two days and haven't had time to install the card reader yet. How about you borrow some from a friend and return it to them later?"
"Oh, I see. Well then, how about this? I don't have enough money on me right now. How about you have someone accompany me to the bank next door to withdraw some?" The fat man asked apologetically, touching his balding head.
"Hehe! Okay." Su Chang didn't care whether the fat man was borrowing or not, as long as he got the money, that was fine. So he called Xiao Cai to accompany the fat man to the next room to get the money. As soon as Xiao Cai came back, he told Su Chang that the fat man had to withdraw at least six or seven cards to gather the money, and he kept grinning like an idiot. Su Chang smacked him on the head in annoyance and went to rest. After all, there were still two tables to be served today, and who knew when the guests would arrive.
Chapter Forty-Four: Yu Xinlei
Around 5 PM, Su Chang was idly playing on his computer in the shop. After all, the high prices of the dishes kept most customers away. He might have evolved from a homebody into a shop otaku. He originally wanted to write a few novels like other transmigrators, but who knew that being a wordsmith wasn't so easy. Although many TV series, movies, music, and novels didn't exist in this world, his skills were limited, and he couldn't do it.
Suddenly, a cell phone rang, interrupting Su Chang's depressed mood. Su Chang took out her phone and saw that it was Tan Zongming calling, so she answered it.
"Hello! Mr. Tan, what are your instructions?"
"Hehe! President Su, I wouldn't dare give any instructions. I just wanted to ask if your place is fully booked today?" Tan Zongming had learned that Pinzhentang only allowed five tables a day when he left at noon, so he called to inquire.
"Hehe! There are still two tables left today. What? Are you treating this place like your cafeteria and planning to come over tonight?" Su Chang replied with a smile.
"No, you can't eat good food every day, or I'll go broke." Tan Zongming replied with a smile, "It's like this, my Taiwanese business partner's son just came back from abroad and wants to take his fiancée out for a nice meal, so I recommended you to him and made a reservation for him."
"Okay, no problem, thanks! Mr. Tan, you've been so helpful in promoting this to me. What's the other party's name, and what time are they expected to arrive?" Su Chang asked gratefully.
"Haha! Not at all, not at all, isn't this also making me look good? That young master's surname is Yin, and he arrived around six o'clock."
"Okay, then I'll wait."
After hanging up the phone, Su Chang put away her computer and called Xiao Cai over, asking him to buy some new ingredients. After all, they were from Taiwan. Although there are many Taiwanese people in Shanghai who are used to Shanghai cuisine, what if they wanted to order Taiwanese specialties?
Around six o'clock in the evening, as the streetlights came on, a man and two women slowly walked into the shop.
Su Chang's gaze was instantly drawn to the woman walking in the front row. He was startled to discover that it was Barbie Hsu! She was tall and curvaceous, and her fitted evening gown accentuated her noble elegance. Her unique aura was like a blooming flower, exuding boundless charm.
The woman behind her, who resembled an assistant, was also beautiful, but her skin was darker and she was indeed slightly less elegant.
Before Su Chang could think further, a handsome young man walked straight to the front desk. He had fair skin and delicate features, like a masterpiece of sculpture, especially his bright eyes, which were like stars twinkling in the night sky.
"Hello, I'm Yin Shangdong. Mr. Tan Zongming made the reservation for me. May I have dinner now?" Yin Shangdong's voice was soft and gentle, with a slight curve, which was very pleasant to listen to.
Su Chang quickly snapped out of his daze and replied with a smile, "Hello! Mr. Yin, would you like to dine in a private room or in the main hall?" His eyes were filled with enthusiasm and professionalism.
Yin Shangdong's lips curled up slightly, revealing a charming smile, and he said, "I still prefer dining in a private room; it's quieter there." A hint of anticipation flickered in his eyes.
Su Chang nodded and said, "Okay, Mr. Yin, please follow me." As he spoke, he gestured for Yin Shangdong to enter and led him to the private room.
Yin Shangdong then came to Da S's side.
"Xinlei, let's go to the private room."
“Okay,” Barbie Hsu replied sweetly.
After entering the private room, Yin Shangdong gentlemanly pulled out a chair for Barbie Hsu and arranged for her to sit down.
Barbie Hsu smiled and said, "Thank you." Then, she looked at Su Chang and asked, "Do you have any recommended dishes?"
Su Chang immediately introduced several signature dishes from Shanghai and Taiwan, while observing Barbie Hsu's reaction.
At this moment, Yin Shangdong interjected, "Xinlei, I heard from your aunt that there's a very special snack in Taiwan called 'oyster omelet'. Do you have it here?"
"Hmm...yes." Su Chang replied, secretly thinking to himself that this Yin Shangdong was probably a big sycophant, having to ask for permission for everything.
"Then let's have one." Barbie Hsu nodded slightly in agreement.
After Su Chang wrote down the order, he left the private room and couldn't help but sigh that Barbie Hsu was even more beautiful in person than on TV. However, he guessed that she was probably a spoiled princess. But now he really wanted to know which TV series the three of them were the main characters in. After thinking for a moment, he decided to sign in.