Recaps

After renewing the InterContinental Garden Hotel, Zhang Yang reshaped Soup King Hotpot’s strategy and returned to Magic City. He left Tian Chuxi with a parting kiss and a promise to meet again, then arrived at Cloud Sea Capital with newfound confidence as its boss.

• Zhang Yang finalized a product-first transformation and expansion plan for Soup King Hotpot, including a hundred-store target and three additional central kitchens.
• At a farewell meal, Tian Chuxi and Zhang Yang teased each other about their previous night together, kissed, and exchanged a parting promise.
• Zhang Yang returned to Magic City with Xiang Xiaotian, who listened as he arranged an auspicious opening date for Bei Wei’s book café.
• Zhang Yang dropped Xiang Xiaotian at home and headed to Cloud Sea Capital, feeling newly confident in his leadership.
• Zhang Yang stepped out of his Phantom outside the company, displaying the commanding presence of a powerful figure.

Zhang Yang reviewed Cloud Sea Capital’s reports, approved a salary increase for Bai Jingyi, and impressed employees by announcing a new salary system. He spent the evening with Bei Wei and Bei Jiajia, then visited Youjian Book Cafe with Bei Wei ahead of its grand opening, where she introduced him to the staff as President Zhang and the shop’s owner.

• Zhang Yang reviewed Cloud Sea Capital’s reports, praised Zhou Zhaodong’s work, and approved a salary adjustment for Bai Jingyi.
• Zhang Yang addressed the company at an all-hands meeting and announced a new salary system, earning thunderous applause.
• Zhang Yang bought Bei Wei a bouquet of lily of the valley and joined Bei Wei and Bei Jiajia for dinner at their apartment.
• Bei Wei showed Zhang Yang her promotional post for Youjian Book Cafe, which Gu Jiani had commented on, and Bei Jiajia later left them alone together.
• The next morning, Zhang Yang made breakfast for Bei Wei, and they went to Youjian Book Cafe to check preparations before its grand opening.
• Bei Wei introduced Zhang Yang to the cafe staff as President Zhang and the owner of the shop.

Zhang Yang visited Bei Wei’s Youjian Book Cafe before its opening and praised her work, then attended the lively opening as business owners and acquaintances arrived to show their support. The chapter left Gu Jiani watching a stream of young people arrive in Rolls-Royces with flower baskets.

• Zhang Yang toured Youjian Book Cafe, praised Bei Wei’s work, and accepted her offer to share ownership of the shop.
• At the company, Zhang Yang reflected on his wealth and ambitions while Bai Jingyi joined him in his office.
• Zhang Yang spent the night with Bei Wei, and they drove to the cafe early the next morning for its opening.
• Business owners from Yunheng Building and the surrounding commercial district brought flower baskets to support the cafe, and Bei Wei took pride in Zhang Yang’s influence.
• Gu Jiani arrived with a flower basket, reunited with Bei Wei, and admired the cafe and Zhang Yang.
• As Gu Jiani sat with Zhang Yang and Bei Wei, Rolls-Royces arrived one after another with more young supporters carrying flower baskets.

Zhang Yang’s friends flooded Bei Wei’s Youjian Book Cafe opening with luxury cars and large membership top-ups, helping the shop take off. Over the following weeks, the cafe settled into steady business and Soup King Hotpot expanded rapidly; on the eve of Mid-Autumn Festival, Zhang Yang told Bei Jiajia its phased goal was to cover first-tier and emerging first-tier cities, then second-tier cities, with a possible future IPO.

• Su Jiajun, Xiang Xiaotian, and other car-club members arrived at Youjian Book Cafe in dozens of luxury sedans to congratulate Zhang Yang and support Bei Wei’s opening.
• Xiang Xiaotian bought a 200,000-yuan membership and helped organize the queue as car-club members topped up large sums, pushing the register total past two million.
• Gu Jiani was stunned by Zhang Yang’s influence, while Bei Wei accepted Xiang Xiaotian’s support and said she was content with her relationship with Zhang Yang.
• Zhang Yang left Bei Wei and Bei Jiajia to celebrate the cafe opening, then encouraged Bei Wei during a video call as she excitedly shared the day’s revenue.
• Over the next few weeks, Youjian Book Cafe gained regular white-collar customers, while Soup King Hotpot’s quality-focused reforms increased its popularity and drove expansion toward a hundred stores.
• At a new Soup King Hotpot location before Mid-Autumn Festival, Zhang Yang told Bei Jiajia that the chain planned to expand across first-tier, emerging first-tier, and second-tier cities, and might eventually go public.

Zhang Yang took Bei Jiajia to Soup King Hotpot, then prepared to spend Mid-Autumn Festival with his family and Bai Jingyi. The chapter ended with Zhang Yang and Bai Jingyi sharing a romantic kiss beneath the moon.

• Zhang Yang and Bei Jiajia dined at Soup King Hotpot, where she admired the restaurant’s food and service and later complained that her mother wanted her to go on a blind date.
• Zhang Yang spoke with his father, Zhang Zhaohai, about the family restaurant and promised to buy his mother a car.
• Zhang Yang invited Bai Jingyi to spend the evening with him and arranged for the company employees to leave work early before the holiday.
• Zhang Yang and Bai Jingyi went grocery shopping at a farmers’ market, then returned to her apartment and cooked dinner together.
• After dinner, Bai Jingyi led Zhang Yang onto the balcony to admire the moon and wished him a happy Mid-Autumn Festival in advance.
• Zhang Yang embraced and kissed Bai Jingyi beneath the moonlight.

Zhang Yang returned to Yinghai for the Mid-Autumn Festival and went to meet his mother, Song Wenqin. At the shopping district, Liu Jing’s attempt to use Lu Ting as a shield against matchmaking collapsed when she met Zhang Yang, and Zhou Tong was stunned by him.

• Zhang Yang arrived in Yinghai, saw his father, Zhang Zhaohai, at the family restaurant, and called Song Wenqin to arrange a meeting.
• Song Wenqin shopped with her friend Zhou Tong and Zhou Tong’s daughter, Liu Jing, who called Lu Ting to pose as her boyfriend and deter matchmaking.
• Lu Ting staged a chance encounter with the group, and Zhou Tong grew impressed with him while Song Wenqin avoided discussing the awkward setup.
• Song Wenqin received Zhang Yang’s message and headed toward his Cullinan, leaving Liu Jing and Lu Ting behind.
• Liu Jing and Zhou Tong spotted Zhang Yang and rushed over, while Lu Ting remained behind as Liu Jing denied that he was her boyfriend.
• Zhang Yang greeted Song Wenqin and met Zhou Tong and Liu Jing, who was immediately captivated by him.

Zhang Yang took his mother, Song Wenqin, to a luxury car center and offered to buy her a car. After she admired a Porsche 718, he chose a Bentley instead, leaving Zhou Tong and Liu Jing stunned by his family’s wealth.

• Zhang Yang gave Song Wenqin a diamond-set Jaeger-LeCoultre watch worth 390,000 yuan, impressing Zhou Tong and Liu Jing.
• Zhou Tong encouraged Zhang Yang and Liu Jing to chat, and Liu Jing followed him and added him on WeChat despite his cool manner.
• Zhang Yang brought Song Wenqin to a luxury car center and told her to choose a car, while Zhou Tong helped her browse.
• Song Wenqin admired a Porsche 718, but Zhang Yang said it was too modest and pointed out the Maserati and Bentley models.
• Zhang Yang chose a Bentley Flying Spur for Song Wenqin, and Zhou Tong eagerly praised her and her family’s wealth.

Zhang Yang bought Song Wenqin a Bentley Flying Spur, and the family returned to their restaurant to celebrate their new prosperity with Zhang Zhaohai. The chapter ended with the three of them sharing a lively family dinner on the night before Mid-Autumn Festival.

• Zhang Yang paid in full for a Bentley Flying Spur for Song Wenqin, while Zhou Tong and Liu Jing watched in astonishment.
• Zhou Tong offered to host a celebratory dinner and encouraged Liu Jing to befriend Zhang Yang, but Zhang Yang declined the invitation and left with his mother.
• Zhang Yang sent Zhang Zhaohai a photo of Song Wenqin in the Bentley, and Zhang Zhaohai invited them to have a family dinner at the restaurant.
• Song Wenqin and Zhang Yang drove their Bentley and Cullinan back to the family restaurant, where President Liu was astonished to learn they belonged to Zhang Zhaohai's family.
• Zhang Yang left his parents to receive congratulations from their neighbors, then the family celebrated together over dinner at the restaurant.

On Mid-Autumn Festival, Zhang Yang received full ownership of Yinghai’s landmark Four Seasons Hotel and took charge of the property. After inspecting his parents’ villa renovation, he reviewed the hotel’s operations and learned it had earned more than seventy million yuan in net profit the previous year.

• Zhang Yang opened the Mid-Autumn gift pack and received full ownership of the Yinghai Four Seasons Hotel.
• Zhang Yang visited his parents’ villa at the Purple Garden No. 1 Villa Complex and inspected the renovation, which he found well executed.
• Zhang Yang received confirmation that the hotel ownership transfer was complete and finalized the procedures to take over the asset.
• Zhang Yang arrived at the Four Seasons Hotel and met GM Anderson and the department heads.
• Zhang Yang reviewed the hotel’s reports over lunch and learned it had made more than seventy million yuan in net profit the previous year.

Zhang Yang took over the Four Seasons Hotel, uncovered procurement problems, and ordered Anderson to clean them up. He then began handing out Mid-Autumn gift boxes to trigger a system event, starting with Lin Jingmin.

• Zhang Yang reviewed the Four Seasons Hotel’s reports, spotted suspicious purchase prices and shorted hairy crab portions, and warned Anderson to fix the problems.
• Anderson found that the seafood had an unusually thick ice glaze and pressured Director Wu to confess to procurement kickbacks and turn them over to Finance.
• Zhang Yang triggered a random event requiring him to give gift packages to three women whose favorability toward him was at least 90, with a restaurant BUFF among the rewards.
• Zhang Yang called Lin Jingmin, visited her company, and exchanged Mid-Autumn gift boxes with her.

Zhang Yang gave Lin Jingmin a costly Hermes bag as a Mid-Autumn gift and left to continue his errands, while Lin Jingmin treasured the gift and wondered about their relationship. At Li Xiaoxuan’s popular barbecue restaurant, a customer who had blocked the entrance with his Big G had his car moved by a forklift arranged through property management.

• Zhang Yang gave Lin Jingmin a crocodile leather Hermes Birkin bag, kissed her goodbye, and drove away while Meng Mingfeng watched and gave up on his hopes of pursuing her.
• Lin Jingmin discovered the bag cost two hundred thousand yuan, showed it to a colleague, and posted about her Mid-Autumn gifts on a private social media account.
• Lin Jingmin accidentally liked a post about a moon whose light briefly shone on someone who knew it was not theirs.
• Zhang Yang checked the reviews and sales for Li Xiaoxuan’s Meat Processing Plant barbecue restaurant and saw that it was already popular.
• The owner of a black Big G refused to move it from the restaurant entrance while he and President Wang ate and discussed pursuing Li Xiaoxuan.
• Property management used a forklift to move the Big G to the roadside, enraging its owner.

Zhang Yang confronted Big G for blocking the entrance to Li Xiaoxuan’s barbecue restaurant, forcing him and President Wang to apologize and leave flattering reviews. Afterward, Zhang Yang comforted Li Xiaoxuan, who was sad that Tongtong was away, and she asked to spend the night with him.

• Big G argued with Manager Chen after his car was forklifted away, then learned Zhang Yang had ordered it moved.
• Li Xiaoxuan greeted Zhang Yang affectionately and explained that Big G had blocked her restaurant entrance, while Manager Chen confirmed Zhang Yang was Chairman of the plaza.
• President Wang urged Big G to apologize, and Big G apologized to Li Xiaoxuan and Zhang Yang before the two men posted positive reviews and posed for a photo.
• After leaving, Big G complained about the review and remembered that he had paid the forklift fee himself.
• Zhang Yang gave Li Xiaoxuan mooncakes and comforted her because Tongtong was away with her grandmother.
• Li Xiaoxuan admired the gifts in Zhang Yang’s trunk, then told him she wanted him and asked to spend the night together.

Zhang Yang completed his Mid-Autumn gift mission after unexpectedly giving Meng Baihan a box of mooncakes and accepting her invitation to visit her home. Her brother Meng Mingfeng arrived and found them together, then resolved to prevent their relationship from developing further.

• Zhang Yang decided to give his last mooncake gift box to his mother, but while driving around Yinghai he unexpectedly encountered Meng Baihan near her villa.
• Zhang Yang gave Meng Baihan a mooncake gift box, completing his mission and receiving 30 EXP and the Haiqin Restaurant Exclusive BUFF: Feel at Home.
• Meng Baihan invited Zhang Yang to her home, where they shared fruit and tea and looked through her childhood and school photographs.
• Meng Mingfeng arrived with mooncakes and was shocked to find Zhang Yang alone with Meng Baihan; Zhang Yang soon left.
• Meng Mingfeng asked Meng Baihan whether she liked Zhang Yang, objected when she admitted she did, and watched their security footage before deciding to stop them from getting closer.

On Mid-Autumn Festival, Haiqin Restaurant drew a packed crowd, and Zhang Zhaohai and Song Wenqin watched business boom. A documentary crew arrived and discovered that the restaurant’s food made diners taste the flavors of home; the chapter ended with the crew eating every dish and Old Zhao moved by a meal that reminded him of his late mother.

• Zhang Zhaohai and Song Wenqin managed Haiqin Restaurant’s unusually busy Mid-Autumn evening and reflected on their family’s success.
• Liu Cheng, Xiao Ye, and Old Zhao arrived to eat while scouting material for their documentary episode about home.
• The crew noticed diners reacting emotionally to familiar flavors, but Old Zhao dismissed their tears as excessive sentiment.
• Xiao Ye and Liu Cheng tasted home-style dishes and were reminded of their mothers’ cooking and Liu Cheng’s uncle’s food.
• Old Zhao tasted Hunan stir-fried pork, recognized the flavor of his late mother’s cooking, and broke down in tears before eating his fill.

On Mid-Autumn night, Liu Cheng, Xiaoye, and Old Zhao chose Haiqin Restaurant as the featured restaurant for their documentary, while Zhang Yang watched its sudden success from afar. The next day, he reshaped the management team at Yinghai Four Seasons Hotel and secured control of his business base, planning to use it to build local connections.

• Liu Cheng, Xiaoye, and Old Zhao decided to feature Haiqin Restaurant in their documentary, and Zhang Zhaohai and Song Wenqin agreed to discuss filming details the next day.
• Zhang Yang stayed at Yinghai Four Seasons Hotel and learned from Song Wenqin that Haiqin Restaurant was unusually busy, with customers repeatedly ordering the same dishes.
• Zhang Yang told Anderson to let Wu Wenbin resign after Wu Wenbin confessed to taking a supplier kickback, and Wu Wenbin resigned that afternoon.
• Zhang Yang replaced departing managers with young, capable employees while retaining and rewarding key sales staff.
• Zhang Yang finished reorganizing the hotel's management and planned to use his position as its owner to build local connections.

Zhang Zhaohai and Song Wenqin celebrated Haiqin Restaurant’s sudden success and arrived with Zhang Yang at Zhou Xiaona’s birthday dinner, where old family tensions resurfaced. The family waited for Zhou Xiaona’s distant cousin, whose late arrival had delayed the meal.

• Zhang Zhaohai and Song Wenqin discussed their booming restaurant and decided their family would arrive at the birthday dinner in three luxury cars.
• Zhang Zhaohai, Song Wenqin, and Zhang Yang drove to Wenbo Grand Restaurant and joined the relatives gathered for Zhou Xiaona’s birthday.
• Zhou Xiaona questioned Zhang Yang about his girlfriend and career, while Zhang Yang caught up with Li Kaiguang and heard that Wang Luyao was interested in him.
• Zhou Xiaona criticized Zhang Zhaohai’s restaurant and asked everyone to wait for her distant cousin, Brother Wen Cheng, despite the late hour.
• The hungry relatives declined to play cards and continued waiting for Brother Wen Cheng to arrive before dinner.

Zhou Wencheng arrived at Zhou Xiaona’s family gathering with his wife, child, driver, and nanny, and the relatives treated him as an honored guest. Zhang Yang refused to toast him and rejected Zhou Wencheng’s implied advice, leaving Zhou Xiaona alarmed at the confrontation.

• Zhou Xiaona rearranged the seating and had the relatives wait for Zhou Wencheng and his entourage to arrive.
• Zhou Wencheng and his family took the seats of honor, and his request that no one smoke for the child led the others to put away their cigarettes.
• Ding Qi declined Song Wenbo’s drink and kept to her bottled Evian, while the relatives listened as Zhou Wencheng described his company and a recent order worth over five million yuan.
• Zhang Zhaohai pushed back when Zhou Xiaona made a pointed remark about his former work at her restaurant, and he said his new restaurant would invite her to visit once it opened a branch.
• Li Kaiguang toasted Zhou Wencheng, but Zhang Yang stayed focused on his food and business messages instead of raising a glass.
• Zhou Wencheng asked what Zhang Yang did, then spoke about his own past arrogance and the guidance that had helped him; Zhang Yang declined Zhou Xiaona’s demand to toast him, saying no one could guide his business.

At Zhou Xiaona's birthday banquet, Zhang Yang refused to flatter Zhou Wencheng and instead toasted the relatives he chose to honor. The family left in three lavish cars, stunning the crowd and making Zhou Wencheng question his own arrogance.

• Zhang Yang deliberately skipped Zhou Wencheng's family while toasting the relatives, then returned to toast others at his table.
• Zhou Xiaona complained to Song Wenbo about Zhang Yang and apologized to Zhou Wencheng, who sidestepped her request to borrow money after Ding Qi came outside.
• Zhou Wencheng and Ding Qi decided not to lend Zhou Xiaona money, and the banquet ended with Zhou Xiaona still burdened by worries.
• Outside the restaurant, Zhou Wencheng arrived in a Lorinser Gulfstream and told Zhou Xiaona to arrange rides for the other relatives.
• Zhang Yang revealed his Cullinan, while Song Wenqin brought a Bentley and their family also arrived in a Maybach, drawing the relatives away from Zhou Wencheng.
• Zhou Wencheng and Ding Qi stared at the three luxury cars as Zhou Wencheng wondered whether he had been worthy of expecting Zhang Yang to toast him.

After the family’s dramatic reunion, Song Wenbo and Zhou Xiaona decided to repair their relationship with Song Wenqin and Zhang Zhaohai, hoping they might help with a loan. Song Wenbo brought gifts to Haiqin Grand Restaurant, but Song Wenqin rejected his apology and threw the gifts outside.

• Zhou Xiaona urged Song Wenbo to apologize to Song Wenqin and Zhang Zhaohai, partly because they might need their help securing a loan.
• Li Kaiguang rode with Zhang Yang in the Cullinan, watched women flirt with Zhang Yang, and got out near his home, remaining behind as the car drove away.
• Zhang Zhaohai and Song Wenqin celebrated their success, then opened Haiqin Grand Restaurant to another packed day and decided to prepare for a second location.
• Zhou Xiaona sent Song Wenbo to Haiqin Grand Restaurant with liquor and cigarettes, while she stayed behind.
• Song Wenbo found the restaurant crowded, offered gifts and apologized to Song Wenqin and Zhang Zhaohai, but Song Wenqin ordered him to leave.
• Song Wenqin threw Song Wenbo’s liquor and cigarettes out the door, leaving him humiliated.

Song Wenqin refused Song Wenbo’s gift, while Zhang Yang rose in Yinghai’s business circles and visited his parents’ suddenly thriving Haiqin Restaurant. He learned that a Penguin Video crew was filming there, and Xiao Ye resolved to ask him to appear on camera, but he had already left.

• Song Wenqin threw out Song Wenbo’s gift, and Song Wenbo and Zhou Xiaona admitted they had once treated Zhang Zhaohai’s family similarly when asked for a loan.
• Zhang Yang attended an investment forum at the Four Seasons Hotel, where Liu Fuyu floated introducing him to his daughter, but Zhang Yang said he already had a girlfriend.
• Female business owners crowded around Zhang Yang for photos, and he politely declined their romantic interest.
• Zhang Yang visited Haiqin Restaurant, learned from Song Wenqin that a Penguin Video crew was filming, and saw how crowded the restaurant had become.
• Zhang Zhaohai introduced Zhang Yang to director Liu Cheng and the crew, and Xiao Ye asked whether Zhang Yang could appear on camera.
• Xiao Ye ran outside to approach Zhang Yang, but he had already driven away in his Cullinan.

Zhang Yang continued managing his businesses in Yinghai while his parents arranged a second Haiqin Restaurant on the competitive Dongyuan Road. After spending the afternoon with Li Xiaoxuan, he agreed to pick up her daughter Tongtong from kindergarten, where the girl wondered whether he would become her father.

• Zhang Zhaohai and Song Wenqin agreed to take over a restaurant on Dongyuan Road and open Haiqin Restaurant's second location.
• Zhang Yang reviewed his businesses, discussed Secretary Bai's work, and accepted Anderson's offer to have Xiao Wu serve him hairy crab.
• Zhang Yang visited Li Xiaoxuan, spent the afternoon with her, and agreed to pick up Tongtong from kindergarten.
• Teacher Xu told Tongtong that Uncle Zhang would pick her up, and Tongtong asked whether he would become her daddy.

Zhang Yang picked Tongtong up from kindergarten, took her to dinner and a playground, and later brought her to Li Xiaoxuan's restaurant. The chapter ended with Tongtong asleep in his car as Li Xiaoxuan came out to meet them.

• Zhang Yang picked Tongtong up from kindergarten and told Teacher Xu that Li Xiaoxuan had asked him to collect her.
• Zhang Yang took Tongtong to Pizza Hut, where she asked whether he would marry her mother and tearfully explained that her biological father had denied being her father.
• Zhang Yang took Tongtong to a mall playground, where he ran into Meng Baihan and Wu Yiting and claimed Tongtong was his daughter.
• Meng Baihan told Wu Yiting that Zhang Yang had a girlfriend, while Wu Yiting urged her to pursue him.
• Zhang Yang drove the sleeping Tongtong to Li Xiaoxuan's barbecue restaurant and waited until Li Xiaoxuan came out to meet them.

Zhang Yang accepted Li Xiaoxuan’s request to stay by his side, then returned home as his parents prepared to open Haiqin Restaurant’s second branch. The new branch thrived on Dongyuan Road, drawing customers away from established restaurants and prompting a rival owner’s wife to investigate.

• Zhang Yang agreed that Li Xiaoxuan could stay by his side, and she asked him to visit whenever he had time.
• Zhang Yang learned that Zhang Zhaohai and Song Wenqin planned to trial-open their second branch before National Day, and they set the opening for the day after tomorrow.
• Old Liu asked Zhang Zhaohai for higher wages, and Zhang Zhaohai agreed while worrying that the restaurant relied too heavily on a few chefs.
• Zhang Zhaohai and Song Wenqin opened Haiqin Restaurant’s Dongyuan Road branch, which quickly filled with customers and received praise for its food.
• Haiqin Restaurant’s business continued to grow over the following days, taking regular customers from nearby restaurants.
• The owner’s wife of Dongyuan Family became suspicious of Haiqin Restaurant’s success and disguised herself to investigate.

The proprietors of Dongyuan Family discovered that Haiqin Restaurant’s food drew diners through its ability to evoke deep memories, and they decided to poach Chef Liu. After meeting with Dongyuan Family’s owner, Chef Liu demanded leave from Zhang Zhaohai and revealed the rival owner had approached him.

• The proprietress of Dongyuan Family visited Haiqin Restaurant, ordered several dishes, and brought them back to her husband to taste.
• The Dongyuan Family couple realized Haiqin Restaurant’s ordinary dishes could touch diners’ hearts and decided to recruit its head chef.
• Zhang Zhaohai and Song Wenqin discussed raising Chef Liu’s pay while preparing to reduce their reliance on him.
• Dongyuan Family’s owner met Chef Liu, promised generous compensation, and asked him to consider joining the restaurant.
• Chef Liu ignored Zhang Zhaohai’s calls, then demanded leave during the dinner rush and told Zhang that Dongyuan Family’s owner had approached him.

Old Liu and his apprentices quit Haiqin Restaurant after Zhang Yang dismissed him, leaving both branches’ kitchens nearly paralyzed. Zhang Yang and Zhang Zhaohai kept the Dongyuan Road branch running, and its food proved just as delicious, while Old Liu joined Dongyuan Family with his crew and drew over some Haiqin customers.

• Old Liu demanded a higher salary from Zhang Zhaohai, who agreed to match Dongyuan Family’s offer while arranging to hire additional chefs.
• Zhang Yang visited Haiqin Restaurant’s Dongyuan Road branch and found Zhang Zhaohai working while Old Liu rested and the apprentices slacked off.
• Zhang Yang told Old Liu to work or leave, and Old Liu quit with most of the kitchen staff; his apprentices at the first branch also went on strike.
• Zhang Yang arranged temporary chefs from his Four Seasons Hotel and helped Zhang Zhaohai cook, while diners began leaving amid the kitchen shutdown.
• Customers tasted the dishes Zhang Yang and Zhang Zhaohai prepared and found that Haiqin’s familiar flavor remained unchanged.
• Old Liu and his apprentices joined Dongyuan Family, whose owner welcomed them as Haiqin customers arrived next door.