A Proposal

For the next few days, Jiang Feng would prepare the porridge every evening and put it in a cooler box. The next day, he would ask Ji Yue to deliver it to Professor Li. Ji Yue, not knowing the reason, assumed Jiang Jiankang had made the porridge.

Initially, Jiang Feng didn't trust the game's cooler box. It looked like an ordinary styrofoam box, but he was surprised to find it possessed magical heat and freshness preservation functions. No matter how long the food was kept inside, it came out unchanged. It was truly cutting-edge technology.

It was a godsend for the takeout industry.

Zhang Wei's official account was completed. He taught Jiang Feng how to operate it step-by-step and even posted on his Moments to help promote the account. Unfortunately, the results were consistently unsatisfactory.

Although Ji Yue recommended customers scan the QR code to follow the official account whenever they ordered, and QR codes were also posted on the tables, there was still little effect.

His classmates, however, were very supportive. Everyone followed the official account, and many helped repost and promote it, becoming the main force for takeout orders. But after three days, the follower count had barely reached half.

It seemed every one of Jiang Feng's tasks had hit a bottleneck, with no progress being made.

It was a rare free Saturday. Most A University students stayed in their dorms over the weekend, relying on takeout. Business at the restaurant was much slower, giving everyone a chance to relax.

The club recruitment fair was next week. The Chess Club hadn't even managed to apply for an activity room due to a lack of members, and their budget was pitifully small. If they couldn't recruit a few new members this year, they would likely be disbanded by the student union.

No activity room? They'd create their own. Since the restaurant was quiet on weekends, all the Chess Club members gathered to brainstorm unique ways to attract freshmen during the recruitment fair next week.

Including Jiang Feng and Liu Qian, who had joined this year, there were nine members in the Chess Club. They all assembled on the second floor of the Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant. Even the former club president, Ji Yue, joined the discussion, worried about the Chess Club's future.

"When did our club get another person? Classmate, what's your major?" He Jiahui, a senior in Fine Arts, should have already retired from the club. However, because the Chess Club had been struggling to recruit new members, she hadn't left.

"I'm Liu Qian, a sophomore in the Chinese department." Liu Qian hadn't joined any clubs in her freshman year, so her first experience with club activities felt a bit novel.

He Jiahui was Ji Yue's direct junior. Her understanding of chess was limited to knowing how the knight moved in an 'L' shape, how the elephant moved diagonally, and how the rook moved in straight lines. She had been persuaded to join the club by Ji Yue back then.

"Senior He, you really don't pay much attention to our club's affairs." Qiu Chen, as the Vice President, felt it was his duty to speak up. "You don't even know we recruited a new member? Didn't I tag everyone in the group chat before? Also, Brother Chen, Senior Zhao, Brother Feng, this is probably your first time at their restaurant, right?"

Seeing herself being called out, Zhao Linling put down her phone.

She and Chen Mengxing were also seniors, both in the Law department.

"We wanted to support you, but with our internships in senior year, it's hard enough to find a law firm. We're working overtime so much our hair is falling out, how can we have time to eat out!" Zhao Linling couldn't help but complain.

"Yeah, and I'm busy looking for internship positions!" He Jiahui chimed in, also complaining.

As soon as He Jiahui finished speaking, Jiang Feng and Ji Yue came up with bowls of Sour Plum Drink. The drink was freshly served from the refrigerator, condensation misting the cups, making the amber-colored drink look even more appealing.

"Senior He, have you found an internship?" Jiang Feng handed her a cup of Sour Plum Drink.

"Not yet. We art students are unemployed before we even graduate!" He Jiahui took the Sour Plum Drink and took a big gulp, her eyes lighting up. She swallowed eagerly.

"Wow, junior, where did you buy your store's Sour Plum Drink? What brand is it? It's so delicious, I want to buy some too!"

"My dad made it." Jiang Feng and Ji Yue handed out the Sour Plum Drink to everyone.

"Thank you, President." Liu Qian happily took a cup of Sour Plum Drink.

"Have you guys come up with anything? The club will be disbanded if it has fewer than 12 members," Ji Yue asked.

"Not yet, senior. Don't worry! Things will work out. If all else fails, you can ask the juniors to try and persuade a couple of people from their departments. You never know, they might succeed! Look, we haven't even started recruiting yet, and they've already persuaded... Junior Liu!" He Jiahui seemed very laid-back, finishing her Sour Plum Drink in a few gulps. "Junior, can I have another cup?"

"It's cold, drink less!" Ji Yue could only turn her attention to the seemingly reliable Chen Mengxing. "Mengxing, you recruited Jiang Feng and Qiu Chen, what do you think we should do for recruitment this year?"

"There's no more Sour Plum Drink. Do you want Mung Bean Soup?" Jiang Feng asked.

He Jiahui nodded repeatedly, and Liu Qian quickly said, "President, I want one too!"

Jiang Feng went down to get them Mung Bean Soup.

"Let's hand out flyers. If that doesn't work, we can do as Jiahui suggested and recruit from the freshmen in our own departments. Freshmen don't know the situation, so we'll just try to trick as many as we can. We can tell them they can only leave the club after three months." Chen Mengxing didn't have many other ideas.

"Good idea!" He Jiahui, Ji Yue, and Zhao Linling said in unison.

The newbie Liu Qian stared in disbelief.

"Um, why can't we use some normal promotional methods? For example, telling people that Chess Club members get a 10% discount on meals at Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant, and club benefits like free Sour Plum Drink, Mung Bean Soup, and so on." Liu Qian asked.

"Who would join a meaningless club that has no money and doesn't offer extra credits just for a 10% discount on food? A University regulations state that each person can only join one club," Liu Zixuan scoffed.

Liu Qian silently looked at him.

Liu Zixuan froze, as if struck by a heavy blow.

Zhao Yang and Zhao Yu, who had been in a daze, also turned to look at Liu Qian.

"Wh-what's wrong?" He Jiahui asked, confused, not understanding why the air had suddenly gone silent.

"Our Junior Liu joined the Chess Club for the 10% discount on meals!" Qiu Chen slammed the table.

"It's that delicious?" He Jiahui looked incredulous.

"It really is that delicious." Ji Yue nodded seriously. Just then, Jiang Feng came up with the Mung Bean Soup. Ji Yue looked at Jiang Feng with a look of relief. "Jiang Feng, I knew I didn't misjudge you back then. Entrusting the Chess Club to you was the right decision!"

"What?" Jiang Feng looked confused.

"Keep it up, the future of the Chess Club depends on you!" Ji Yue patted Jiang Feng on the shoulder.

Qiu Chen relayed Liu Qian's suggestion to Jiang Feng. Jiang Feng listened, paused, and said, "Sorry, I need to go to the restroom first."

Once in the restroom, Jiang Feng opened his status panel to check the progress of his main quest.

Main Quest:

1.[Gain a Foothold]: Earn the recognition of 1000 diners for Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant. Quest Progress (34/1000)

Quest Hint: Diner recognition is crucial for a new restaurant. Please make Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant the number one restaurant in the hearts of A University diners.

Task Reward: Unknown

Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant currently only has the approval of 34 customers, and Liu Qian is definitely one of them. But among these 34 customers, how many have never joined a club? And among those who haven't joined a club, how many would be willing to join the Chess Club for a 10% discount on food, like Liu Qian?

Liu Qian's suggestion is a good method.

However, a stronger approach is needed.

When Jiang Feng returned to the private room, everyone was chatting enthusiastically. Zhao Linling was complaining to the group about her increasingly thinning hair, saying even the legendary "Overlord" couldn't save her.

"Let's do as Liu Qian suggested. We'll print flyers advertising the club's benefits and the 10% discount on food. He Jiahui, please oversee the design." Jiang Feng said.

"No problem. I'll design it to be high-end, classy, and sophisticated, so no one will be able to tell that the Chess Club can't even secure funding," He Jiahui gave Jiang Feng a thumbs-up.

"We still need to promote it in the freshman group chat. I'll trouble Zhao Jiejie and Chen Xuechang with this."

Zhao Linling and Chen Mengxing also agreed.

"For the rest, it will require some hard work. The setup for recruitment days, arranging the food displays, and handing out flyers will depend on all of you," Jiang Feng said.

"Food displays? What kind of food displays?" Liu Qian asked.

"My family's restaurant is just a new establishment, without much fame or appeal. Naturally, we need to prepare some complimentary pastries and drinks to attract the younger students," Jiang Feng explained.

"Pastries? Does your uncle know how to make pastries?" Liu Zixuan asked curiously, as Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant didn't sell desserts.

"My eldest uncle knows how to make them," Jiang Feng said, a triumphant smile appearing on his face.

Although Jiang Jianguo appeared to be a tailor on the surface, in reality, he had inherited at least seventy percent of the skills from old Mr. Jiang Weiguo in pastry making. Furthermore, when he was trying to woo his wife, he made pastries that were incredibly beautiful and lifelike.

The students of A University are in for a treat.