Time flew by, and Saturday arrived.
Wang Xiaoliang got up early and made the rounds of all three of his stores.
He was like an old farmer now, needing to check his few small plots every day. Only when he saw his crops flourishing could he feel at ease for the rest of the day.
There was nothing that needed his attention. Wang Xiaoliang checked the time; it was only a little after nine in the morning. Still, he wanted to look at the private dining room, at least to have Sister Hong clean it more thoroughly, so he headed straight for Old Sichuan.
No customers had arrived at the restaurant yet. Sister Hong was directing the servers as they cleaned and set out tableware. The distinctive spicy aroma of Sichuan cooking filled the air.
"Busy, Sister Hong?" Wang Xiaoliang greeted her with a smile.
"Oh, Brother Liang, you're here!" As soon as Sister Hong saw him, she put down her rag and warmly came over. "You're early! Come, sit down. Let me get you some tea."
"Go ahead with your work. I just came early to check the private room and see what needs preparing."
"Oh, still worried, are you?" Even as Sister Hong spoke, she was already leading him inside. "Entertaining some important guests, then?"
She pushed open the door, revealing a private room large enough for a big round table. The table was indeed sizeable, with more than enough room for twelve people. With a little squeezing, even fifteen would be no problem.
The decor was fairly ordinary, but the room was clean and tidy.
Wang Xiaoliang asked Sister Hong to give it another thorough cleaning, making sure the tableware in particular was spotless.
He also asked Sister Hong to cook a separate pot of rice-the good