If You Can, Do It

"Old Liu, just say what you want to say," Zhang Zhaohai said, barely managing to remain patient.

"Okay, it's good that you're straightforward. I won't hide anything then." Old Liu smiled. "You know, we all work for money, right? The boss of the Dongyuan Family is offering me this salary and wants to hire me."

He made a gesture.

Zhang Zhaohai's heart skipped a beat, but he couldn't show any emotion.

"But how could I, Old Liu, do something so despicable as to just let someone dig it up and run away? Money is important, but you can't be obsessed with it, right?" Old Liu looked at Zhang Zhaohai.

"Are you right, Mr. Zhang?"

The apprentices standing nearby stopped what they were doing and looked at Zhang Zhaohai.

"Okay! Starting next month, I'll give you the same salary." Zhang Zhaohai said calmly, then suddenly smiled.

"Next month? Mr. Zhang, you're not up to something, are you?" Old Liu grinned. "Let's start this month, and finish it off."

"You..." Zhang Zhaohai took a slight breath, "Okay, can we start work now?"

"Alright!" Old Liu straightened his back, his whole body becoming energetic. "Come on, everyone, get moving and give it your all..."

Immediately, several apprentices around him shouted and got back to work.

Zhang Zhaohai didn't say another word, turned around and walked out of the kitchen, his face somewhat gloomy.

"What happened?" Song Wenqin quickly came forward to ask.

"You need to arrange recruitment right now." Zhang Zhaohai waved his hand. "This Old Liu is saying that Dongyuan Family next door is trying to poach him, saying they're offering this salary."

As he spoke, he made a gesture.

"That's too greedy! Old Liu can never be satisfied!" Song Wenqin exclaimed in surprise upon seeing this.

"We can't keep this person here; we're just stalling for time," Zhang Zhaohai said in a deep voice. "If our restaurant wants to grow, we can't rely on just one person; we need to add more staff."

Now, the kitchen staff at both the first and second stores are all people brought by Old Liu.

But I plan to open more branches in the future, and I can't let Old Liu monopolize the kitchen because they're all his apprentices and grand-apprentices, right? I'll need to recruit other chefs eventually.

We shouldn't pin our hopes on a particular person just because we're worried about the taste of the food changing.

Therefore, labor pains are necessary.

As a restaurant owner, he naturally couldn't be controlled by a mere chef.

"Okay, then I'll speed up the recruitment process right now," Song Wenqin said crisply.

"I'll get in touch with them too," Zhang Zhaohai said after thinking for a moment.

He's a chef by trade, so he has plenty of resources. It would be easy for him to contact other chefs looking for work. If all else fails, he can always fill in himself.

Nothing happening that day.

··

On the day before National Day, Zhang Yang had nothing to do, so he decided to go and check out the second branch of Haiqin Restaurant that his parents had just opened.

He certainly wasn't worried about business.

With the buff in hand, Zhang Yang felt he could open the shop with his eyes closed and wouldn't encounter any setbacks.

In the morning, he drove his Cullinan to the entrance of the Haiqin Restaurant Dongyuan Road Branch.

"Hmm, as expected." Zhang Yang looked at the parking lot, which was already full of cars, and nodded slightly.

As expected, the result was as good as ever.

He strolled toward the Haiqin Restaurant's second branch, which was already open for business.

"Hello sir, how many are in your party?" A young woman in her early twenties greeted him warmly from the doorway.

"I... I'm looking for my parents," Zhang Yang said with a smile.

"Your... parents?" The waitress was dazzled by his warm smile and was about to ask.

"Go ahead and get busy, I'll go by myself." Zhang Yang suddenly smiled and waved to the distance.

My mom was busy at the bar in front of us.

With that, he walked straight away.

Standing there, the young waitress watched the departing figure and suddenly realized what had happened.

I'd heard rumors that the boss's son was incredibly handsome, and seeing him today, it was definitely no exaggeration.

In front of the bar.

"Mom, are you busy?" Zhang Yang asked with a smile.

"Oh my... son?" Song Wenqin looked up and immediately greeted him with a wide smile.

The newly hired staff in the restaurant all looked over curiously at the tall, handsome figure in front of them.

"Where's Dad?" Zhang Yang looked around.

At 1 a. m., Zhang Zhaohai usually works at the front desk.

As a restaurant owner, you can't always do everything yourself, can you? You have to let go eventually.

"Your dad..." Song Wenqin hesitated for a moment, "... he's in the kitchen."

"The kitchen? He's cooking for himself now?" Zhang Yang asked, somewhat surprised, but not too surprised.

My dad is always busy and wants to do everything himself, which is understandable.

"Sometimes when I'm too busy, I'll step in and do it myself," Song Wenqin said with a smile.

"Okay, I'll go check it out." Zhang Yang didn't take it seriously and said casually, heading straight for the kitchen to see how his father was doing.

Song Wenqin hesitated, intending to speak up and stop him, but after thinking about it, she decided against it.

Outside the kitchen of Haiqin Restaurant.

Zhang Yang walked in and immediately saw his father busily working away.

Nearby, several apprentices looked rather relaxed, while not far away, Old Liu, the chef of his own restaurant, was sitting and resting.

"What's going on?" Zhang Yang frowned immediately.

The boss is personally busy at work, while the chef is just sitting idly by?

Those who eat dry food.

"Dad, why aren't you resting?" Zhang Yang asked as he stepped forward.

"Zhang Yang, you're here." Zhang Zhaohai was busy tossing the wok. "Old Liu's a bit tired, he'll take a break first."

"Take a break?" Zhang Yang frowned. "You don't need to pay wages for a break?"

He's a bona fide capitalist now, so naturally he sees this kind of behavior—drawing a salary without doing any work—as a thorn in his side.

"Young Master Zhang, what are you saying?" Laughter came from the side.

"Even machines need to stop and rest after working for a long time, let alone people," Old Liu said leisurely as he walked up. "These old bones of mine are definitely not what they used to be."

Seeing this, Zhang Yang naturally knew what was going on.

This old man seems to think he's something special, believing the restaurant's current success is all thanks to him?

"Old Liu, if you can do it, then do it; if you can't, then leave." Zhang Yang gave Old Liu a quick, indifferent look. "I'm asking you now, can you do it?"

"Then I really can't do it." Old Liu's expression suddenly turned cold.

"Then you can leave." Zhang Yang waved his hand, leaving no room for negotiation.

Immediately, Old Liu burst into laughter in anger, his eyes fixed on Zhang Zhaohai.

"Mr. Zhang, is this also your idea?"

Zhang Zhaohai took a deep breath. "This restaurant will eventually belong to my son, so of course he can make the decisions."

"Alright!" Old Liu immediately took off his chef's uniform and shouted, "Stop it, everyone!"

Immediately, the apprentices stopped working.

Inside the kitchen, people looked at each other blankly; only a few extra helpers were still busy at work.

"Pay up and leave!" He looked at Zhang Zhaohai. "I hope you won't regret this."

In the blink of an eye, the kitchen was almost empty.

Shortly after, a call came in from Haiqin Restaurant's branch. They said that Old Liu's apprentices in the kitchen had also gone on strike.

In the blink of an eye, the kitchens of both restaurants were rendered paralyzed.

"Dad, with this old man in this state, don't tell me you didn't make any backup plans," Zhang Yang asked Zhang Zhaohai.

Good taste is a system buff; it wouldn't matter who made it.

The only real problem right now is that the kitchen suddenly shut down, and there's no one to fill the gap.

"They've recruited, but they probably won't be here for another day or two." Zhang Zhaohai took a deep breath, his brows furrowed. "We need to find a way to hold out for these next two days. Also, regarding the taste, with Old Liu and his group gone, I don't know if we can guarantee the quality..."

"So that's what's holding you back." Zhang Yang chuckled. "Dad, you're a chef Old Liu. Don't you know your own limitations? Do you really think the restaurant's success is all thanks to his crew?"

"Regardless of whether it was his achievement or not, for a restaurant to grow and thrive in the long run, it naturally cannot rely on just one person," Zhang Zhaohai said.

"Let me put it this way, anyone can be the head chef at our restaurant," Zhang Yang said with a smile. "How about this, I'll find someone to temporarily fill in for you."

The most urgent task is to get the kitchen running again.

But this was a minor matter for him.

His Four Seasons Hotel has dozens of chefs; temporarily hiring a few head chefs to help out for a couple of days is a piece of cake.

"You're looking for someone? You even have connections to arrange temporary help?" Zhang Zhaohai, somewhat puzzled.

"Okay, I'll arrange it. You don't need to worry about it." Zhang Yang gestured as he made the call.

Zhang Zhaohai was speechless. He watched as Zhang Yang gave a few simple instructions and hung up the phone. His tone didn't sound like he was asking for help; it sounded like he was giving a direct order.

Does the person on the other side rely on their son for a living?

Inside the lobby.

Many diners stared in disbelief as a group of chefs emerged from the kitchen, exchanging bewildered glances.

"No... Master, you're not cooking? What's going on?"

There were quite a few people outside eagerly waiting for the food to be served.

"The food? You can wait for the boss to cook it himself, we're not doing this." Old Liu raised his voice and swaggered out of the restaurant.

The news spread quickly throughout the restaurant, causing a commotion.

"What? The chefs are all gone? What are we waiting for?"

"The chef's gone, will the taste still be the same?"

Many people exchanged glances, some of them hesitant.

Undoubtedly, they felt that with the chef team gone, even if the dishes could be made later, the taste would certainly not be what they wanted.

Immediately, many more customers who were waiting for their food got up and left their seats.

"Those chefs, did they go to the Dongyuan Family next door? Want to eat there?"

"Let's go, let's go see if there are any seats."

"Well, we're already here, let's wait and see."

As soon as the chef team left, all sorts of opinions arose in the restaurant.

A significant number of people got up without hesitation, ready to go to the Dongyuan Family Restaurant next door to see what was going on.

Of course, there are also some loyal customers who come not only for the taste, but also because of the old relationships Zhang Zhaohai has cultivated over the years, and they come for Haiqin Restaurant and for the owner.

"Mr. Zhang, are you alright? Do you need any help?"

Among the diners, quite a few well-dressed people looked up and asked.

Birds of a feather flock together.

Zhang Zhaohai drives Maybach and is extremely wealthy, so he naturally has many friends of some status.

"It's alright, it's alright, sit down and relax, the food will be here soon," Zhang Zhaohai and Song Wenqin quickly reassured them.

In this way, although a considerable number of diners left, at least some remained.

Inside the kitchen, Zhang Zhaohai took a deep breath, preparing to do it himself.

"Zhang Yang, how long will it take for the people you called to arrive?"

"They're on their way. We've arranged a few for the store and a few more for this place, that should be enough." Zhang Yang took off his coat and changed into his clothes. "Come on, I'll help you out. Let's get busy for a bit."

It's certainly inappropriate for a billionaire like him to do something like this.

However, since it happened suddenly and it was for their own restaurant, it's understandable.

Soon, the father and son worked together, and with the help of the remaining kitchen helpers, they got the kitchen up and running again.

Outside the kitchen, the waiters waited somewhat nervously.

Finally, the first dish was served.

Immediately, the waitress brought the dish to the table of the customer who ordered it.

At the table, two guests who had come specifically to try the food hesitated as they looked at the dishes.

"The chef has changed; I heard the boss is cooking himself now. I wonder if it will taste the same as before."

"Well, let's try it. At least it looks pretty good."

The two exchanged a glance, and without much hesitation, they both put down their chopsticks, ready to taste the flavor.

The food entered my mouth almost instantly.

Their eyes lit up simultaneously.

"It's delicious!"

The familiar, nostalgic flavors haven't changed; in fact, the dishes themselves have become even more delicious.

Then, as usual, the two of them ate heartily, constantly reaching for their chopsticks.

The diners waiting around watched this scene with a mixture of suspicion and a vague sense of anticipation for the dishes to come.

The kitchen was bustling with activity.

One dish after another was served on the table.

The long-awaited guests couldn't wait to taste the food, trying to find that familiar flavor, and also wanting to see if the quality of the dishes at this restaurant had declined since the chef team left.

The result was unexpected by everyone.

That taste, so familiar from their memories, is still there, just as delicious, just as unforgettable.

Immediately, the remaining diners felt both fortunate and full of praise.

Inside the hall, the once complex scene had transformed into a bustling and lively one.

Meanwhile, next door was the Dongyuan Family Restaurant.

"Mr. Luo, my apprentices and I have arrived. Please make sure we are well taken care of." Old Liu stood in front of the owner of the Dongyuan Family and smiled.

A group of them stood inside the restaurant.

Behind them, diners from the neighboring Haiqin Restaurant, having heard the news, came in one after another, finding places to sit down, clearly all there for them.

Seeing this, the owner of the Dongyuan Family was naturally overjoyed.

"Chef Liu, don't worry, you're in charge of the kitchen from now on. This way, please, and all the junior chefs, please come this way too." He led the way with great enthusiasm.