Overconfident

"This business..." The proprietress of the Dongyuan Family couldn't help but gasp as she walked into the shop.

From the outside, it looked like this business was doing well.

But only when she actually stepped inside did she realize that it wasn't just good, it was absolutely amazing. Everywhere she looked, the place was packed with guests, not a single seat was available, and there were even people waiting in the lobby.

"With a business like this, they're losing money one by one and they're not worried?" she said incredulously.

A monopoly naturally leads to losses for other businesses.

Healthy competition? It doesn't exist.

"And the decor hasn't changed, so it feels..." She was reluctant to admit it, but she did feel a sense of familiarity here.

She only gets this feeling when she goes back to her hometown during holidays.

"Sister, how many are in your party?" A waiter noticed the proprietress looking around and came over to greet her warmly.

"I... am alone," the proprietress said, adjusting her sunglasses.

The waiter glanced at the customer behaving somewhat strangely, but didn't think much of it. "Then you may have to wait; there are no seats available right now."

"Okay, then, can I take it with me?" the proprietress said quickly.

She wasn't actually dining in the restaurant, and besides, after looking around, apart from feeling a bit like she was at home, the service and everything else seemed normal.

The only thing you really need to care about is the taste of the food.

Or, to put it another way, are there any special dishes here?

"Sure, please wait a moment while I get you the menu." The waiter smiled and nodded, then quickly went to get the menu.

The proprietress sat down on a plastic stool by the door, carefully examining the menu in her hand.

"No... they're all very ordinary, very common dishes!"

There wasn't any fresh seafood or any unique dishes; it was all the usual fare found in restaurants Yinghai City, nothing special.

"You think you can make something special out of these vegetables?"

She wondered to herself, glanced at the waiter waiting beside her, and couldn't help but ask, "Don't you have any signature dishes?"

"Sister, all the dishes are on the table. If you're asking about specialties, all of our dishes are specialties, and our guests all say they're delicious," the waiter explained with a smile.

"Every dish is a specialty? How arrogant of them," the proprietress thought to herself, then lowered her head and casually ordered a few dishes.

These are all dishes that require some skill and showcase the chef's skill level.

"Okay, please wait a moment while we notify the kitchen as soon as possible," the waiter said, taking the menu with him.

The proprietress gave a casual "hmm" and sat down at the door to wait.

Honestly, the waiting process was truly agonizing.

It wasn't that the wait was long. Rather, during the wait, I constantly saw people coming and going. Those who came were excited, and those who left seemed to be quite satisfied with their food.

Whenever she sees these scenes, her heart skips a beat.

"If this continues, things are really going to get messed up!"

She didn't know how much time had passed, but several packaged dishes were delivered to her.

She paid quickly, then picked up the several packed dishes and hurriedly left Haiqin Restaurant.

Inside the Dongyuan Family Restaurant.

The proprietress and her husband sat facing each other. The takeout boxes on the table were open, containing the lunch that the proprietress had just brought back from Haiqin Restaurant.

"The color, aroma, and taste... it looks pretty average!" The owner held up his chopsticks, frowned, and hesitated to pick them up.

He genuinely couldn't see anything special about these dishes.

"Why don't you try it? How will you know if you don't eat it?" The proprietress put down her chopsticks. "With so many customers, their sense of taste is ruined. Can't they tell the difference? There must be something different!"

The two exchanged a glance and simultaneously put down their chopsticks.

The owner was already tasting the food with a critical mindset, so much so that even as soon as the food was brought to his mouth, his brow was still furrowed.

But soon, his furrowed brows froze.

"What... what is this taste?"

His eyes widened, his mouth agape in disbelief.

Although the taste of the dishes, strictly speaking, wasn't exactly delicious—just average, and even with his discerning palate, he could still find quite a few flaws—...

However, this flavor was so unique that he could only recall tasting it once before.

"Are you alright?" The proprietress had just put down her chopsticks and hadn't even had a chance to savor the food.

"Don't speak..." The boss chewed slowly, his expression changing several times.

The proprietress, unaware of what was going on, also began to focus her attention on the food in her mouth.

"Hiss."

Then, her eyes widened as well.

After a moment, the two men looked solemn and remained silent.

"This is serious! Where did they find the chef at Haiqin Restaurant? How could they cook dishes to this level?" The owner couldn't hide his amazement.

Making food taste good is only the first level; the highest level is making food from the heart.

Why is the final dish in the movie "The God of Cookery," the "Heartbreak Rice," so incredibly delicious? And why are all the dishes in the anime "Cooking Master Boy" portrayed as being so incredibly tasty, relying solely on dazzling special effects and depicting the inner world of the diners?

They're all heartfelt!

A dish that touches the heart is truly unparalleled.

"What should we do?" The proprietress asked, her voice trembling with fear. "If this continues, our restaurant's business will only decline day by day, and in the end, we'll only be able to pick up their leftovers."

"What do we do? Poach our staff!" the boss said without hesitation.

"Find out who their head chef is, and poach him at all costs. We absolutely cannot let this situation continue."

That afternoon, after lunchtime.

Even so, Haiqin Restaurant continued operating until two or three in the afternoon, and finally closed its doors voluntarily, bringing the business to a temporary close.

Outside the Haiqin Restaurant.

With a broad smile, Zhang Zhaohai repeatedly thanked Chef Old Liu and his group of apprentices.

It must be admitted that they are currently holding up half the sky in the kitchen.

It must be admitted that it was precisely because of their involvement that Haiqin Restaurant's business accelerated, becoming increasingly prosperous and thriving.

Therefore, the couple treated the chef, Old Liu, exceptionally well.

"Boss Zhang, you promised me, so just keep your word," Old Liu said half-jokingly. "As long as you pay me well, any hardship is worth it, right?"

Behind him, several apprentices laughed together.

For some reason, although Zhang Zhaohai's smile remained unchanged, he felt somewhat unhappy and even a little threatened.

After everyone left, he talked to Song Wenqin about it.

"Old Liu is important, but relying solely on him in the kitchen doesn't feel quite right," Zhang Zhaohai said in a deep voice.

If this continues, won't the restaurants have to cater to his whims to make a living?

Hiring more chefs is the right thing to do; the restaurant's profits should not be entirely dependent on a few individual chefs.

"That makes sense," Song Wenqin also realized.

The main issue is that recently, Old Liu's attitude seems a bit pretentious; to put it bluntly, he has an air of arrogance about him.

They are not the kind of people who abandon their benefactors after using them.

As long as Old Liu stays here contentedly, he'll definitely enjoy a high salary. However, they can't ignore these obvious drawbacks and let them fester until it's too late to fix them, only to realize the seriousness of the situation then.

"Let's give Old Liu and the others a raise first, and then we should also prepare for the worst."

The couple quickly reached an agreement.

··

Outside the restaurant, Old Liu walked out surrounded by several apprentices.

Hearing his apprentices' flattery, he couldn't help but feel smug and elated.

"If you ask me, the restaurant's business is only possible because of Master. I don't think paying him a salary is enough. If we're really sincere, Master should directly invest his expertise and share the profits."

"I think our master has this skill, so he should go out and work on his own. Why should we let that couple earn the money?"

The young apprentices chattered amongst themselves.

These words were spoken without malice, but they resonated deeply with Old Liu, stirring his heart.

Yes!

The restaurant is bustling with activity every day. What are customers there for? The nice environment? The good service? It's all about the taste of the food.

How important I am!

How can we be satisfied with this salary?

However, there's no rush to start working; I'll wait until I've earned enough money.

As for things like technology as equity, just listen to that and don't take it seriously. The apprentices around me are ignorant and just spout nonsense. After all, the boss is in business, not running a charity.

He's not arrogant enough to make such a request.

But asking for a little more salary isn't unreasonable, is it?

"Don't say such things, it won't sound good to the boss." Old Liu smiled, not agreeing with the young apprentices.

A moment later, he sent a few of his young apprentices away.

I then sat by the roadside and smoked for a while by myself.

"Excuse me, are you Chef Liu?" Suddenly, a middle-aged man with a smile approached and offered him a cigarette.

"Who are you?" Old Liu took the cigarette, glanced at him again, and then looked up at the middle-aged man in front of him.

"I'm the owner of the Dongyuan Family's place next door. Um... can I have a word with you in private?" The owner looked around and gestured in a low voice.

"Dongyuan Family?" Chef Liu's heart skipped a beat as he looked at the rather impressive restaurant in the distance.

As a chef, how could he not have heard of the famous Dongyuan Family?

This is a long-established restaurant in Yinghai with a very good reputation. Moreover, it's quite upscale, and many people of a certain status often come here for gatherings.

"I... am not in a good position," Old Liu said calmly.

"The car is just ahead, a few steps away." The boss's smile remained unchanged, his attitude extremely humble. "It won't take up too much of your time. Besides, given your current importance, whether you're seen or not is irrelevant."

Upon hearing this, Old Liu immediately sobered up.

Yes.

Why do I always see myself as just an employee? I'm indispensable now!

"Hmm, that works too." He nodded, lowered his head slightly, and headed straight ahead.

A moment later, the boss stood outside the car, looked around, a smile appeared on his lips, got in the car, and closed the door.

More than half an hour later.

Outside the car.

"Chef Liu, our sincerity is right here. You should definitely consider it carefully. In terms of platform, our company has a good reputation and is well-known. In terms of compensation, in short, we will do everything we can to satisfy you."

"I'll think about it some more," Old Liu said, lowering his eyes.

"Okay, I'll look forward to your good news," the owner of the Dongyuan Family said confidently.

"Hmm." Old Liu nodded and quickened his pace to leave.

His phone rang twice on the way.

He glanced at the call; it was from Zhang Zhaohai. Usually, he would answer these kinds of calls immediately.

But today, he didn't know where he got the courage from.

They hung up on me immediately.

"What's with the rush? Do you think I don't know it's mealtime or what?" he muttered to himself impatiently, and strode towards the Haiqin Restaurant in front of him.

··

That night, everything seemed to be the same as usual.

At the front desk, Zhang Zhaohai still greeted guests with a smile, while Song Wenqin was busy collecting money and checking bills.

Suddenly, a waiter came running from not far away.

"Mr. Zhang, Mr. Zhang, over at the kitchen..."

Zhang Zhaohai was still preoccupied with the kitchen matters, but little did he know that his words would come true and trouble would arise now.

What happened in the kitchen?

He immediately asked in a deep voice.

"Chef Liu seems to have said he can't keep up and needs to rest," the waiter said breathlessly.

"Let's go, I'll go take a look." Zhang Zhaohai glanced at Song Wenqin and immediately went to the kitchen without hesitation.

Inside the kitchen.

Chef Liu stood to one side, while an apprentice busied himself massaging his back.

"Mr. Zhang, you've arrived."

Old Liu glanced up at Zhang Zhaohai.

That one glance was enough to ignite a fire in Zhang Zhaohai's heart.

That look in her eyes showed absolutely no respect.

Even if Chef Liu is exceptionally skilled, you are still the boss who pays his salary, and you don't know how to respect him.

"Old Liu, what's wrong?" Zhang Zhaohai asked patiently.

"Mr. Zhang, I'm getting old, and standing for too long really takes a toll. I need to rest. Please grant me leave," Old Liu said without hesitation.

Several apprentices chimed in to support him.

"Yes, Mr. Zhang, my master is very tired. He has to stand for countless hours every day. Even steel and iron can't withstand this kind of torment."

"Mr. Zhang, you can't just focus on making money and ignore the lives of your employees!"

Each of them, relying on Chef Liu's backing, said things that were increasingly harsh and offensive.

Zhang Zhaohai didn't understand.

Being a chef because you think standing is tiring isn't true... I own a restaurant and I hire chefs who can cook.

So it seems like it all depends on your mood; you rest when you're tired, and your business depends on your health, right?

"Old Liu, how can we approve your leave at this crucial moment?" Zhang Zhaohai said with barely suppressed patience. "Just bear with it. I've discussed your salary with the boss's wife, and we'll give you a raise."

Upon hearing this, Old Liu burst out laughing.

"Mr. Zhang, you know it's about money, right?"

"Isn't that right?" Zhang Zhaohai retorted.

"Alright, then I won't beat around the bush. Let's not beat around the bush. I know you, Mr. Zhang, are a straightforward person." Old Liu smiled enigmatically. "And to be honest, the owner of the Dongyuan Family next door came to see me today."

Zhang Zhaohai was not surprised to hear this; in fact, he felt it was only a matter of time.