Everyone returned from dinner beaming with pride. So this is what it feels like to sit at a large table and eat a chef's cooking?! The waiters were busy serving food, pouring water, and refilling rice—it was so comfortable! Who knew men could be so attentive and cook too!

Before everyone had even settled in, Manager Wang had already had his waiter bring over three dishes and a soup, smiling obsequiously as he said, "I thought you hadn't eaten yet, so I prepared a special meal just for you."

Lan Yamei gestured for Tie Tou to take the food and bring it upstairs. She then thanked Manager Wang, saying, "I was thinking of having a proper discussion about business with Manager Wang after these last two days. I didn't expect you to come first! Here's what I'll do: have your kitchen staff buy a big, lively blackfish and keep it alive. Also, prepare some seasonal vegetables, about seven or eight kinds. Once I've arranged things here, I'll come over and show you my skills."

Shopkeeper Wang was overjoyed. "That's wonderful! I won't bother you any longer, you go ahead with your work. I'll hurry back and prepare for your arrival."

After saying that, he ran away in a flash.

As a businessman, Manager Wang is flexible and adaptable, so teaching him a trick or two is not a bad idea! As for how far he can go in the future, that depends on his fate.

The women had never seen a man who was a shopkeeper so humble in front of women, and they were all amazed.

Lan Yamei just smiled and said to Tie Tou, "Tie Tou, I'm leaving this place to you. You assign tasks to everyone. If you need me, just call me upstairs. I didn't sleep a wink last night and I'm really tired. I'm going upstairs to get some sleep."

One of the women downstairs, puzzled, blurted out, "Manager Lan, you just promised to go over there." She then cautiously pointed to the opposite door.

"It's alright, good things come to those who wait! Let him wait a bit, let him have some patience." After saying that, he quickly went upstairs, lay down on the bed, and fell asleep.

"Listen to my instructions, everyone. Two people to tend the fire in the kitchen, preferably older ones. Two people to chop meat and vegetables, they need to be quick and efficient. Deep-frying is a skill, one person per fryer, three people in total, they need to be experienced, they can't burn it, and they can't undercook it. Three people in front of the grill..." Tie Tou gave loud instructions, and the women readily obeyed, raising their hands to do the jobs they wanted.

As the announcements were made, the number of pedestrians on the street gradually increased. The sun rose from the east, its brilliant rays dispelling the shroud of night.

The sounds of vendors selling vegetables and fruits, people walking their birds and performing acrobatics, the clattering of horse-drawn carriages, and the banging of candy vendors blend together with the greetings of the crowd, showcasing the bustling atmosphere of a brand new day.

Two younger, slightly bolder women were in charge of attracting customers at the door, while Tie Tou, carrying a large bowl of popcorn fried chicken, was also trying his best to attract customers.

Many people passed by, including many who were longtime cravings for barbecue. But most of them only glanced inside before turning away and leaving.

After trying for a long time without making a single sale, the two women were somewhat discouraged, and the people in the room who had been eagerly waiting were also a little embarrassed.

It's like someone else's barbecue restaurant is thriving and packed with customers, but when you come to work, they don't have a single customer left, and you feel like you're the unlucky one!

Two young wives even said in despair, "Women are really not suited to be in the public eye. They are only suited to stay at home taking care of the children, cooking, and serving their in-laws. Isn't that better than this?"

The older woman retorted, "If you don't want to do it, go back! Don't make sarcastic remarks here. You give up at the first sign of difficulty; you have no backbone. Haven't you had enough of your in-laws' attitude? Do you even consider yourself human? You think you're something special, what a joke."

Most of the women echoed each other's sentiments, encouraging one another to get through this ordeal.

The two women who wanted to desert never spoke another word.

Tie Tou stepped forward and said, “Here, everyone keep your mouths shut. The manager hired you to work, not to gossip. If you have too many faults and can’t handle hardship, then go back home and take care of your children. Here, everyone has to listen to me! Now, each of you go back to your posts and do your work diligently. Don’t gather in the hall looking outside; it’s outrageous!”

When Tie Tou lost his temper for the first time, the women were terrified and quickly dispersed.

No customers came in! On ordinary days, the first floor would be packed by this time. He glanced at the women on either side of him, sighed, and said, "You two go inside and have some water, rest a bit, and then come back. As long as we don't give up, customers will definitely come."

The two women were greatly encouraged. They went inside, took a sip of water, and immediately came out to continue soliciting customers.

Iron Head was sweating profusely as he tried his best to serve popcorn chicken to passersby and to invite them inside, but everyone who accepted the popcorn chicken waved their hands and declined the invitation to enter the store.

Lan Ya Mei didn't actually go to sleep. She went back to her room, locked the door, and immediately used her mind to open a spatial dimension and slipped inside.

Zhao Zhicheng wrapped himself in a blanket, used a doll as a pillow, and slept soundly without a care in the world.

Lan Ya Mei didn't wake him up. She just slowly approached, reached out and pinched his hair, but didn't touch anything, as if she were touching air.

Zhao Zhicheng seemed to be moved and suddenly opened his eyes, startling Lan Yamei so much that she took a step back and fell to the ground.

"What are you doing? That's scary, isn't it?"

"What do you mean by secretly touching a man's hair, you're a young girl?"

"Let me see if you're all better yet. What else did you think?"

"How can it be good just like that! It's so boring here, nobody talks to me, nobody pays attention to me, I feel like I'm going crazy," Zhao Zhicheng complained, scratching his head.

"Just bear with it a little longer, I'm already thinking of a solution. You used to be such a glutton, but now all the food here is yours, what are you complaining about? Cherish this time, once it's over, you won't have another chance." As she spoke, Lan Yamei took a few bags of ready-to-eat chicken breasts and a cup of soda water from the shelf and started eating and drinking. She had been busy all along, and her stomach had been growling with hunger for a long time.

"To be honest, we really need to figure out how this distorted space came to exist. The problem is, I'm stuck in this space, unable to go to either side. I'm fine here; I'm a living, breathing person. As long as I'm willing to work hard, I can live a good life. It's even better over there—a secure job, a beautiful girlfriend. Tell me, what did I do wrong to be stuck in this space, with no one to turn to for help?" Zhao Zhicheng picked up another bag of betel nuts and chewed them listlessly.

"Don't rush, let's sort this out. The first time we met was at the Shura Temple in Ziyun Town. What were you doing when the earthquake suddenly happened?" Lan Yamei felt it was related to the loss of life, but she wasn't sure. She suspected that as long as the time traveler changed the original life cycle of people in this time and space, the time and space would be distorted once.

"I was performing surgery on a eunuch to restore his virility. But it failed, and the man died," Zhao Zhicheng said lazily, then, as if suddenly remembering something, asked, "What special thing did you do the day the space opened?"

"Me? Let me think!" Lan Yamei was lost in memories.