Greatly Disappointed

Inside the restaurant of the Dongyuan Family.

An incredibly spacious kitchen.

The original chefs quickly made way, allowing Old Liu and his group of apprentices to swagger in.

Anyway, Old Liu now looks just like a master chef.

If you didn't know better, you'd think he was the executive chef of a five-star hotel.

"Come on!" He changed his clothes.

His quick-witted apprentice stepped forward and helped him put on a chef's uniform.

"Chef Liu, the menu is here." The owner of the Dongyuan Family personally delivered the menu, then stood at the door with anticipation, eager to see Chef Liu's performance later.

Chef Liu naturally had the idea of showing off to his new employer.

"Come on, everyone, get to work!" he shouted.

Immediately, the apprentices each took on their respective roles, assisting and bustling about in every corner of the kitchen.

Outside the kitchen, the proprietress of the Dongyuan Family Restaurant also came over and stood beside the owner, watching together as the kitchen bustled with activity.

"How was it?" she asked with a smile.

"How could the people I recruited be wrong? Look at this scene!" the owner of the Dongyuan Family praised loudly. "And look outside, just by recruiting the chef team, so many customers have come along."

He was quite pleased with himself.

The proprietress thought so too, and was extremely pleased with herself.

"By the way, you'd better keep a close eye on Chef Liu, or someone else might poach him," the proprietress emphasized repeatedly.

"Don't worry, he'll be absolutely satisfied with the treatment and authority I've given him," the boss said confidently.

Inside the kitchen.

As usual at Haiqin Restaurant, Chef Liu was at ease and quickly prepared the dishes.

We will do things the same way we did before.

The first dish was served shortly afterward.

The owner at the door couldn't wait any longer and came in personally to serve the dishes, taking the opportunity to experience the feeling of being praised by the diners later.

It was quite a coincidence; this dish was exactly what the customers from next door ordered.

"Here, please enjoy your meal." He served the dishes with a smile, not in a hurry to leave, waiting for the guests' reaction.

"Great, it's still the same old dishes." The customer, before even taking a bite, praised the food as soon as it was served.

After all, it looks and smells exactly the same as before.

Presumably, the taste won't change when I eat it later.

As he spoke, he eagerly picked up his chopsticks, ready to relive that familiar taste.

The food enters the mouth.

The shop owner stood by, waiting expectantly.

However, the guest suddenly frowned, "Something's not right!"

"Huh?" The owner, caught off guard, asked, "Is there something wrong with the food?"

"No, no," the diner said, shaking his head repeatedly with a troubled expression. "Why don't I feel that sensation anymore?"

To be honest, they used to love the food at Haiqin Restaurant.

It's not that the food is particularly delicious; in fact, if you were to nitpick, each dish would have many flaws and shortcomings. But what's different is that every dish there evokes a familiar and comforting feeling that comes from deep within one's memory.

This feeling is enough to make them tolerate all the flaws in the dishes.

But now? The food doesn't taste that familiar, comforting flavor; all that's left are its various flaws.

Putting aside all those feelings, this dish is just mediocre.

"Are you sure you're not mistaken? Why don't you try it again?" the shopkeeper asked tentatively from the side.

The diners didn't believe it either, so they tried eating a few more bites.

Disappointingly, that feeling was truly gone—that warmth, that sense of familiarity. If the dishes they were so eagerly anticipating were just mediocre creations, they would rather not come, rather not eat at all.

He had no choice but to finish his meal in silence, then get up, pay the bill, and leave.

The restaurant owner watched the diners' retreating figures with a puzzled expression, his mind naturally filled with various questions.

Gradually, more and more dishes were brought out from the kitchen.

Before long, the lobby was filled with a chorus of questions.

"What's wrong? This food doesn't taste right!"

"Too salty... And this dish is really a failure. Are you sure this chef really came from the Haiqin Restaurant next door?"

In fact, the dishes have never changed.

Once that protective aura is removed, the flaws of these dishes are instantly exposed, and even the most tolerant diners find it increasingly difficult to forgive.

For a moment, the lobby was filled with this sound.

The owners of the Dongyuan Family Renjia looked at each other, completely baffled.

"Are you new to our restaurant? Do you need time to familiarize yourself with the new environment?"

"I guess so. It's impossible for them to adapt all at once; they'll probably need some time."

The couple discussed it in hushed tones and could only offer a rather weak explanation.

As time went by, a sense of loss echoed throughout the hall.

The couple finally couldn't sit still any longer.

"Chef Liu." The owner of the Dongyuan Family waved to him from outside the kitchen.

"What's wrong?" Old Liu, still looking like a master chef, strode out. "You all must have been quite satisfied with the meal, right?"

"No." The restaurant owner's expression was complicated. "Well... could you and your apprentices perhaps adjust to the situation as soon as possible? It seems the customers outside aren't very satisfied with the food."

After all, he had hired the chef at a high price, so he couldn't immediately say anything harsh.

They only said it very tactfully.

"Dissatisfied with the food? How could that be?" Old Liu's eyes widened slightly. "President Luo, I've only just arrived, are you trying to sow discord between me and others?"

"No, no, that's not what I meant." The boss shook his head, then gritted his teeth, "Never mind, it's alright, you can continue."

"That's how it is, what could possibly happen?" Old Liu said with dissatisfaction, turning around and walking straight into the kitchen.

Inside the lobby, the restaurant owners, a married couple, looked at several tables of food that had barely been touched, their eyes filled with gloom.

"No, no, this shouldn't be the case."

"Oh, right, let me try it." The owner looked at the almost untouched dishes on the table, thought for a moment, asked for chopsticks, and took a bite.

The dish had just entered my mouth.

Instantly, a strong, oily smell filled my nostrils.

"How was it?" the proprietress asked.

"It's really not good, just the standard of a roadside stall," the owner said, frowning. "Is this Old Liu here to cause trouble? With this level of quality, it's just a complete mess!"

"Let's take another look, let's observe further." The proprietress took a deep breath. "Just like you said, maybe they haven't gotten used to it yet. Give them some time to adjust, and who knows, things might be different, right?"

"I'd like to, but the customers outside don't think so," the owner said, frowning. "Those dishes that were only touched a few times, do you expect them to come back next time? With that level of quality, it's not even as good as our original dishes, let alone attracting customers. Aren't we just ruining our own reputation?"

While the dishes at the Dongyuan Family may not be particularly amazing, they are renowned for their authentic and traditional flavors.

But after doing this...

For some reason, he felt a little uneasy.

But now that things have come to this, I can only console myself with the excuse that I still need to adapt.

The couple stood in the hall, looking out at the diners who were frowning as they ate, their hearts filled with unease.

··

Meanwhile, the chefs from Haiqin Restaurant finally arrived.

As the chefs, dressed in Four Seasons Hotel chef uniforms, walked through the lobby and headed straight for the kitchen.

The diners in the lobby all looked surprised and started discussing among themselves.

"Is this... the head chef of the Four Seasons Hotel?"

"Who is the owner of this hotel? How could he hire a chef from the Four Seasons Hotel?"

In the kitchen, several chefs from the Four Seasons Hotel stood in a row, all wearing white chef hats and uniforms.

"Hello, Chairman Zhang."

"Thank you for your hard work these past two days." Zhang Yang smiled and nodded, offering a few words of encouragement.

A few moments later, several people took over the kitchen.

"The head chef of the Four Seasons Hotel, son, where did you find him?" Zhang Zhaohai came out a moment later, his face full of disbelief.

His son said he could arrange for a chef, but he really didn't know where they came from.

To everyone's surprise, several chefs from five-star hotels came up right away.

The Four Seasons Hotel brand is simply unbeatable, isn't it?

"Dad, don't worry about it. Just make sure the people you hire start working normally. My chefs will take over for now and make sure our restaurant runs smoothly," Zhang Yang said with a smile.

A few moments later, the dishes were prepared in an orderly fashion and delivered to the tables in the private rooms of the main hall.

With added buffs, plus the expertise of a chef from the Four Seasons Hotel.

Everyone seemed to have enjoyed a sumptuous feast.

Many of the diners who stayed behind were both glad they had remained steadfast in the face of adversity and eager to share their stories with others.

Haiqin Restaurant, a joyful atmosphere prevailed.

Outside, the guests who had left midway to visit the neighboring Dongyuan Family Restaurant were now departing from the Dongyuan Family with immense disappointment.

"I'm so disappointed. It's completely different from what I had at Haiqin Restaurant. I'm sure the chef really came from Haiqin Restaurant."

"Is the boss trying to scam us?"

They returned to the entrance of Haiqin Restaurant to retrieve their car, and suddenly stopped, seeing the guests emerging from inside.

The whispers of the guests reached my ears.

"It's so delicious! The Four Seasons Hotel chef's skills are truly extraordinary. I heard that the young owner invited him through his own connections."

"It's delicious, just like before, and the dishes themselves are even more impeccable."

Everyone wore a satisfied smile as they walked away.

The guests who had just left Dongyuan Family looked at each other, bewildered, wondering what had happened.

They stood outside the door, peering inside through it.

The lobby was bustling with activity, just as lively as it had been at the Haiqin Restaurant's original location.

What's going on?

"The head chef left, and they hired a better batch?"

"I shouldn't have left."

At this moment, most people still had things to do in the afternoon and were not hungry for the time being, but there were still a few Gourmet who were determined to get what they wanted, so they went back into Haiqin Restaurant to try it again.

A few days passed quickly, enough to witness many things.

At Haiqin Restaurant, Zhang Zhaohai's newly recruited chefs finally arrived, and on the auspicious day of National Day, the Haiqin Restaurant Dongyuan Road Branch officially opened.

On the opening day, the house was adorned with flower baskets. Friends and relatives of Zhang Zhaohai and his wife, whether from near or far, acquaintances from the past or acquaintances made after they became successful, all came to offer their congratulations and support.

The couple looked radiant.

It's not just because the second store has officially opened, but also because business has been booming during the trial operation these past few days.

After Old Liu and his gang left, the restaurant's business not only remained unaffected, but flourished even more, gradually becoming the most popular restaurant on Dongyuan Road.

Zhang Zhaohai finally understood that the success of his restaurant was not due to any particular chef.

What could be the reason?

It must really be a blessing from heaven, or the result of good deeds done by our ancestors.

Meanwhile, at the Dongyuan Family Restaurant, things have been getting better and better these past few days.

Inside the restaurant:

The boss's face was clouded with anger, and he was seething with rage.

These days, he's seen his neighbor's continued success, and it's like a daily slap in the face.

"Chef Liu, today might be a busy day. Please, you and your apprentices, do your best," the boss said as he entered the kitchen.

"Mr. Luo, you've seen how well we've performed these past few days, haven't you? We've worked incredibly hard, haven't we?" Old Liu said nonchalantly. "By the way, after this busy period is over, I need to take a few days off to rest. My apprentices can easily cover for a few days."

"We'll see," the restaurant owner said, frowning.

Working hard?

These past few days, let alone attracting the original customers of Haiqin Restaurant, even their regular customers are quite dissatisfied.

Because the food at the restaurant is no longer up to par with its previous standards, many regular customers are quite disappointed, and we don't know how many have left in the past few days.

However, he still harbored a sliver of hope, believing that he needed time to adjust.

As noon approached, he stepped outside to greet his distinguished guest.

Incidentally, I glanced at the bustling business next door, my eyes filled with envy.

"Which shop on Dongyuan Road can match this kind of business?" he muttered to himself.

After an unknown amount of time, a black Mercedes-Benz S-Class pulled up in front of the building.

He quickly put on a big smile and went to greet her.

"Brother Wang, Brother Wang, you're here! Welcome, welcome!" He stepped forward with a smile.

The car door opened, and a dignified middle-aged man stepped out, nodded, and walked over.

"Old Luo, lunchtime is the same as always. I have some important guests to entertain today. I know your food has always been to my liking, so don't let me down today," the man said.

"Don't worry, Brother Wang, I've got it covered," the owner of the Dongyuan Family assured him, patting his chest.

"Hmm." The man nodded and walked straight into the private room.

Around noon, the Dongyuan Family finally began to get busy.

After all, it's a holiday, so business is definitely much better than before.

The restaurant was packed.

Inside the kitchen, everyone was busy, and Chef Liu's shouts could be heard from time to time.

Dishes were continuously prepared and served to each guest's table.

"I'll take this private room," the owner instructed, carrying the dishes straight to one of the private rooms.