Chapter 93 Going to the Amusement Park

Chengjian Yazhu is located in the new urban area. It took twenty minutes to get there by tricycle, and the driver said, "We're here."

As soon as Song Xinran got out of the car, she saw the high-end residential area that the real estate agent had mentioned. The overall style was European, with an arched gate flanked by two huge Roman columns, and security guards standing by.

Although it can't compare to the design of future high-end residential areas, it's already quite good from the perspective of development in this era. The main gate is impressive, the surrounding roads are wide and clean, the sidewalks are paved with neat colored bricks, and the people coming and going all look good.

Parking lines were marked outside the residential area, and several of the more fashionable cars were parked inside. At that time, private cars were not yet common, and only the wealthy could afford to drive one. The name of this "rich people's community" was well-deserved.

Song Xinran carefully examined the surrounding shops, including teahouses, home-style noodle shops, beauty salons, chain supermarkets, and so on. At that time, the overall commercial facilities were still relatively traditional. Even the shops around high-end residential areas mostly met basic living needs, unlike what would happen in ten or twenty years when a complete food street would form downstairs in the residential area.

Song Xinran strolled slowly along the street leading to the main gate of the residential area, observing the surrounding construction. She was not discouraged, though. The fact that there were no slightly upscale restaurants outside the residential area did not mean there was no market.

On the contrary, she was even more eager to try. The lack of competitors meant a lack of similar competition, which made the store stand out more. However, it might be a period of lukewarm reception when it first opened, but things would be fine once its reputation was established.

Song Xinran is full of confidence in her new career. She is no longer penniless like when she first came into this world. She has businesses and savings, so the cost of trial and error is very low.

She strolled slowly outside the community, wanting to see how the surrounding businesses were developing. It must be said that the environment outside high-end communities is quite quiet and elegant. The green belts are planted with camphor and osmanthus trees. The fragrance of the osmanthus is light and gentle, giving people the feeling of walking in a painting.

"Dad, let's go eat stir-fried pork!" A father and son walked past her. The child, who looked to be about ten years old, seemed quite excited. "Mom's not home today, let's go out to eat!"

The father said with a stern face, "If your mother finds out we're eating out, she'll say I don't cook for you and take you out to eat junk food."

"It's not junk food at all! My mom even took me to eat it!"

Father: "...What? Your mother even took you to eat here?"

The child chuckled twice, feigning ignorance.

The father had no doubts: "Alright, let's go eat there today."

The child immediately ordered: "I want stir-fried pork, pickled fish, and pork soup!"

"Okay, order them all."

The father and son chatted and laughed as they walked towards the other side of the residential area. From their conversation, Song Xinran gleaned some key phrases: "delicious," "home-style restaurant," and "very popular."

Isn't this the same category as the store she's planning to open? Song Xinran quickly became interested and followed the father and son. After walking for three or four minutes, they arrived at the side entrance, where Song Xinran saw the store they were talking about.

It was a small shop called "Rongxia Home Cooking," with a decor unlike typical restaurants. The dark brown solid wood door looked very high-quality, and a sign at the entrance read, "Home-cooked Kitchen, Bringing You the Taste of Home."

Song Xinran knew at a glance that this was definitely not a budget restaurant. The father and son went straight into the small shop, and she also prepared to go in and order a dish to try. Standing at the door and looking inside, she could only see the screen at the entrance, which vaguely obscured the figures of the diners inside, but it was not hard to tell that the business was very good.

She was stopped before she could even enter. A waiter greeted her with a smile: "Madam, may I ask which table you reserved?"

Generally, the waiter would ask if the customer had a reservation, but Song Xinran acted too casually and familiarly, so the waiter prepared to take her directly to the store.

Song Xinran was taken aback: "Do I need to make an appointment?"

The waiter glanced at her, still smiling, and said, "Yes, Rongxia Home Cooking uses a member-only reservation system. All dining seats require reservations of ingredients and services in advance. Guests without reservations cannot enter the dining area at this time. We hope you understand."

Song Xinran thought to herself, "This shop is quite upscale, but why did that father and son just go in?"

She glanced at the waiter, not wanting to make things difficult for the working class, and left.

As she walked away, she happened to pass by the window. The guests by the window pulled back the light-colored bamboo curtain, revealing the father and son from before. The window was half-open, and Song Xinran overheard their conversation.

The child said, "Dad, you were planning to eat here, you even made a reservation in advance!"

The child's father chuckled: "Then you'll have to make a reservation in advance, otherwise there won't be any seats left."

Song Xinran glanced inside and saw about four or five tables, all of which were almost full.

Business couldn't be better.

Song Xinran was overjoyed. Although she was already preparing to open a private restaurant, seeing that a similar restaurant had been so successful showed that she had good judgment and a bright future ahead.

At this moment, Song Xinran couldn't wait to find a suitable shop, renovate and tidy it up, and open for business as soon as possible. She knew about private kitchens in her previous life and knew how profitable they were.

After all, the target customers of high-end private restaurants are wealthy people, and wealthy people are very willing to spend money on things they like.

It wouldn't be suitable to open a shop in Chengjian Yazhu, as there are already competitors there, and they've built such a successful business. Song Xinran doesn't want to get involved here. The city is so big; there's plenty of room for her to explore.

Feeling hungry, Song Xinran found a noodle shop at the entrance of the residential area. Two liang (100 grams) of noodles cost four yuan.

Song Xinran thought to herself, "Is this the charm of a high-end residential area? It's 50 cents more expensive than noodles in the north of the city."

When I tasted it, I felt it was a waste of money, and it wasn't even as good as the food in the north of the city.

In the afternoon, Song Xinran went to look at a shop in a nearby upscale residential area. The area had been completed less than two years ago, and the occupancy rate had not yet increased, so she marked it with an X in her notebook.

On this day, Song Xinran looked around and found that there were very few high-end private restaurants. There was only one near Chengjian Yazhu, but it was difficult to rent a suitable storefront. The commercial areas near the high-occupancy communities were basically well-developed, and there were very few shops for rent or sale.

However, this matter cannot be rushed; finding a suitable place will be extremely profitable.

In the evening, Song Xinran received a call from Fang Jianmin. As soon as she answered, Fang Jianmin said, "Chef Song, I know about what happened at the braised food workshop today. It's all thanks to you!"

"Xiao Wei just called me and praised you for a long time. I really didn't choose the wrong person this time. Chef Song, you not only have great cooking skills, but you are also decisive and efficient in your work. Xiao Wei still has a lot to learn from you!"

Fang Jianmin was praising her over the phone, and Song Xinran felt like picking her ears at his exaggerated words. A line she had read in her past life came to mind: "A whole day of caring words is not as good as a single sentence of money."

She now thinks so too, feeling that Fang Jianmin's complimenting phone call was a complete waste of her rest time. However, a greenhorn who had just started working would probably be very happy, feeling that he had gained the appreciation of the big boss and that a promotion was on the horizon.

Unfortunately, Song Xinran did not want a promotion.

She gave perfunctory "uh-huhs" and "yeahs," which Fang Jianmin noticed, but he maintained his cheerful tone: "Xiao Wei is still at the police station; we need to resolve this matter properly..."

Song Xinran's radar was very sharp, and she predicted that Fang Jianmin had something else to say next, so she immediately changed the subject: "Yes, this kind of thing must be resolved properly, otherwise others will follow suit and there will be a lot of trouble."

She chuckled twice: "Since Chairman Fang invited me to work as a chef in the restaurant, I should also take charge of things in the kitchen. It's quite a coincidence that Chairman Fang called today. Did he want to praise me and give me a raise?"

Fang Jianmin was speechless for a moment, his hand holding the phone paused for two seconds, wondering if Song Xinran knew how to speak properly. Who asks the boss for a raise directly?

Besides, isn't her salary high enough? It's already five thousand a month, how much more do she want? Wei Dong only earns two thousand five a month, not including the year-end bonus.

However, Fang Jianmin couldn't very well refuse, since he was the one who made the call first and had praised him so much.

After a moment of hesitation, Fang Jianmin felt like he was in a bind. He hadn't meant to make the call, so why was he now in an awkward position?

After about five or six seconds, Song Xinran said, "I was just kidding."

Fang Jianmin finally saw the steps and quickly came down. He didn't bother to mention anything else, afraid that Song Xinran would say something inappropriate again. He smiled and said, "Chef Song is not only decisive, but also humorous. It's getting late, Chef Song should get some rest."

Song Xinran agreed, and Fang Jianmin quickly hung up the phone.

He put his phone aside, quickly drank a cup of tea to calm his nerves. The purpose of the call was to ask Song Xinran to help out as the temporary store manager for the next few days, as Wei Dong needed to go to the police station and didn't have enough time.

But before he could even speak, Song Xinran made her own request—a rather impulsive demand for a raise.

Fang Jianmin thought to himself that Song Xinran wasn't usually such a reckless person. Today, she handled the store's affairs with great efficiency, which earned her Fang Jianmin's favor, but she didn't appreciate it.

Fang Jianmin could only call Wei Dong and apologize for the trouble Wei Dong would have to endure these past few days.

Wei Dong's voice was a little hoarse on the phone, but he was full of energy: "Don't worry, Chairman Fang, I can handle both sides and guarantee that it won't affect the store's order!"

"Okay, Xiao Wei, you've worked hard." Fang Jianmin thought to himself that although Wei Dong was not as capable as Song Xinran, he was at least obedient and had a high level of enthusiasm for his work, so he was barely qualified.

The next time Song Xinran went to the braised meat shop to make braising liquid, she ran into Wei Dong again.

However, Shi Hui and Fan Qiu saw her before Wei Dong. The two, who were resting, immediately stood up and said in unison, "Chef Song, you've arrived!"

Seeing the two of them beaming with joy, Song Xinran felt a slight unease and murmured "Mmm."

Shi Hui said, "Are you here to make the braising liquid? I've kept the braising liquid very well this week. After each batch of food is braised, I clean off any impurities and freeze it. It hasn't spoiled at all. If you're busy, you can take a day off today."

Song Xinran's first thought was that something must have happened at the store again, but she shook her head and said, "It's not busy today."

But after looking around, I didn't find anything unusual.

Fan Qiu asked, "Chef Song, have you eaten yet? We bought some congee with preserved egg and lean pork outside, and Xiao Shi also made some braised dishes. It tastes quite good when eaten together. Would you like to try some?"

As he spoke, he opened another box of lean meat porridge that hadn't been opened yet and pushed it in front of Song Xinran.

Song Xinran refused again: "I've already eaten at home."

Fan Qiu said, "Chef Song is very skilled. The food he makes at home will definitely taste better than what he makes in restaurants."

Song Xinran didn't mention that her home was under renovation and that she always ate out. She smiled slightly and didn't say anything.

But that smile seemed to encourage Fan Qiu. Before she could say anything more, Wei Dong came out and smiled as soon as he saw Song Xinran: "Chef Song, why are you here so early? It's okay to sleep a little longer. Everything is fine at the shop lately."

Seeing that she was standing, they brought her a chair and placed it behind her, saying with concern, "Sit down and rest for a while, don't worry too much."

Song Xinran recognized it; this chair belonged to Wei Dong. She had heard Fan Qiu and Shi Hui discuss it when she came to the store before.

Why did he give her his own special chair?

She glanced at Wei Dong and was startled; he had changed a lot in just one week.

He rubbed the corner of his eye, his fingers brushing over the faint dark circles under his eyes. His eyes were slightly red, and his shoulders were still tense when he spoke to her. His cheeks were slightly sunken and lacked color, but his eyes were still quite bright, like a burning flame.

In her past life, Song Xinran had seen this state many times. It was like working non-stop and not having recovered. The whole person was supported by a burst of energy, but the fatigue in their body could not be hidden, and even their clothes looked dusty.

Song Xinran clicked her tongue in surprise and couldn't help but ask, "Is Manager Wei very busy lately?"

Wei Dong said, "Thankfully, I was able to coordinate things. There were a lot of things going on at the police station. That Mao Yong kept changing his story, so I decided to fight him to the bitter end!"

"Oh, Mao Yong is the guy who came to the store last week to cause trouble and act like a braised man!" Wei Dong said. "I didn't know until I checked, and I was shocked to find out that he's related to the owner of the braised meat shop on the other side of this street!"

"I've been running between the police station and the shop all week, making sure I don't miss either!" Wei Dong's voice rose a few decibels as he spoke, though he coughed a few times, probably from talking too much these past few days.

However, Shi Hui and Fan Qiu seemed oblivious to the situation. Their earlier attentiveness in serving tea and water had vanished, and they simply stood at the door talking, seemingly completely unaware that Manager Wei was coughing.

Wei Dong took out a bottle of mineral water and took a sip: "I'm in great spirits. I can handle a few more things. The shop is doing very well!"

Seeing his state, Song Xinran was a little scared, so she quickly changed the subject and went to make the braised dishes. She was really afraid that Wei Dong would die suddenly, although it seemed that the concept and events of sudden death were not as common at this time as they would be twenty years later.

As soon as Song Xinran entered the kitchen, Shi Hui, as if a wooden toy had been wound up, immediately came to help. In the end, Song Xinran left before she had even stayed in the shop for forty minutes.

Wei Dong even personally escorted her to the door. Song Xinran looked at his dark circles and sunken cheeks and wanted him to stop seeing her off. If he stopped halfway, she would have to go to the police station to make a statement.

"Chef Song, thank you so much," Wei Dong said first.

Song Xinran was puzzled.

Wei Dong said, "I've been quite busy this week, and I know Chairman Fang wants you to come to the store temporarily to take over my work..."

Song Xinran: ...

She had a rough idea of ​​what Fang Jianmin meant when he called that day, but Wei Dong said it directly, which made her a little suspicious. Was it sarcasm?

She didn't speak, but crossed her arms over her chest, adopting a slightly defensive posture.

Wei Dong was very sincere: "This is my first time being a store manager, and I cherish this opportunity and this position. I will do my best. Chef Song, thank you!"

Although it wasn't explicitly stated, Song Xinran understood. Still somewhat dazed, she waved her hand and said, "You're welcome."

Even after she had walked away, she still found Wei Dong's words somewhat unbelievable. If she were to temporarily take over as store manager, wouldn't she be doing more work for the same salary? She just didn't want to suffer, so why did Wei Dong make it sound like she was the one who gave her the opportunity?

Song Xinran shook her head. She had learned something new; it was the first time she had ever seen someone so passionate about their work.

*

The house renovation took longer than Song Xinran expected, a week longer than planned, but when she stepped into her new home and saw the brand-new environment, Song Xinran felt genuinely happy.

The interior has completely shifted to a country style. The off-white fabric sofa is soft, with a few cushions casually draped over it. The light wood coffee table is clean and has a soft color. The white round chandelier on the ceiling has a retro look. It was a lamp that Song Xinran specially chose. When it is turned on at night, the light is soft and not dazzling.

The balcony is the most appealing feature. Pushing open the wooden sliding door, the wind carries the scent of sunlight and vegetation, and the off-white tiles on the balcony are neatly arranged.

On the left is a small rattan table and two wooden chairs, and on the right is a recliner. The green plants outside the balcony seem to reach into the balcony, and the shadows of the trees cast dappled light on the ground.

Song Xinran immediately sat down on the recliner she had carefully chosen. Sunlight dappled her skin as she took a deep breath and couldn't help but sigh, "This is life."

What's the first thing to do after your new house is renovated?

Song Xinran's first thought was to let Song Yu come and see for himself. He had been working at the kindergarten and the house had been under renovation. He had only chosen his own bookshelf and bed and hadn't had a chance to come and see the place in person.

Looking at the calendar, Song Xinran realized that next week was Children's Day, and the kindergarten would be closed for a day. With the weekend, it would be three days in total. Song Xinran planned to bring Song Yu to the city to celebrate the holiday.

When Song Xinran told Song Yu about it, he widened his eyes in disbelief: "Really, Mom? Are we going to the city for the holiday?"

Song Yu thought to himself, "How come all the good things in the world are piled up at once?"

First, his mother came home and made his favorite steamed egg custard. Then, his mother said that the new house in the city was finished being renovated. Finally, she even wanted to take him to the amusement park in the city!

Song Yu had long heard of the amusement park, which had many attractions such as a carousel, a flying chair, and bumper cars. Although he had never been there, his classmates all said that the amusement park was a lot of fun, and that parents would only take them there if they did a lot of things, such as sweeping the floor, washing dishes, and folding their own clothes.

Song Yu already knew all of these, but his mother hadn't mentioned taking him to the amusement park yet.

Song Yu thought for a moment and said, "Then what should I do to help Mom?"

He tried hard to think if he had learned any new skills, but unfortunately, he could never keep anything from his mother, and he would tell her everything he had learned as soon as he got home.

Song Xinran hesitated for a moment: "Um, is there anything I need to do?"

So Song Yu told his mother what the children in his class had to do when their parents took them to the amusement park.

Song Xinran chuckled and, seeing Song Yu's serious expression, couldn't help but rub his head and cheeks: "Silly boy, you don't need to do anything. It's just that Mommy wanted to take Xiao Yu there, and Xiao Yu also happened to want to go."