Chapter 119 The Rival
"Song's Private Banquet Hall, humph!"
After his assistant finally secured a reservation at Song Ji, Gu Hong arrived alone. Wearing a hat, he looked up at the Song Ji signboard and scoffed inwardly. Just by looking at the exterior and interior design, it was nowhere near as good as Rongxia Xiaochu; it could only be described as shabby!
He pulled his hat down low, worried about running into Rongxia Xiaochu's regular customers here, because the assistant manager had said many times that Songji had stolen their old customers.
Gu Hong himself had also tried to protect those regular customers. If they saw the big boss of Rongxia Xiaochu eating at the competitor's restaurant, it would be a complete blow to the competitor's morale and a loss of his own.
After just one glance at the entrance, Gu Hong decided against considering Song Ji as a competitor to Rongxia Xiaochu.
What is a rival?
They should be of similar size, comparable strength, and similar restaurant styles.
However, judging from the decoration at the entrance, Rongxia Kitchen is clearly several levels higher up.
Gu Hong felt that the assistant manager should be given a warning. He had never known about Song Ji before and really thought that Song Ji was next to Rongxia Xiaochu. But it turned out that it was four kilometers away. How could it be called next to?
Just as Gu Hong was about to go inside, a gust of wind swept past him, and a figure carrying something in its hand ran very fast.
Gu Hong: "Hey!"
The person who had run past seemed to hear his voice and quickly turned back. The young man's voice was a little anxious but very polite: "Sir, I'm so sorry, did I bump into you? I'm really sorry!"
Gu Hong immediately dropped his previous polite assessment of him. What kind of "old man" was he? He was only forty years old! Couldn't he call him "brother"?
Gu Hong glanced at the young man, his gaze landing on the food box in his hand, and asked with some curiosity, "What's this?"
"This is Songji's takeout. If you want to eat Songji's food at home, you can call our front desk to order, and we will deliver it to your doorstep."
Gu Hong frowned: "How far can you send it?"
"Four kilometers, sir."
The young man addressed the old men on both sides, making Gu Hong feel that he was being made to look old, especially since the young man's words struck a chord with Gu Hong. He waved his hand and said, "It's nothing, you can go now."
"Thank you, sir!"
Gu Hong frowned, it was the first time he had ever heard of food delivery services going this far.
Four kilometers? Wouldn't that mean capturing all the customers around Rongxia Xiaochu?
This Song family business has quite the ambition.
Gu Hong pursed his lips, his face showing displeasure, and walked into Song Ji with his hands behind his back.
Upon entering the living room, Gu Hong surveyed the decor, his gaze sweeping over the paintings and lighting.
Ha, that's not surprising. The Rongxia Xiaochu restaurant displays paintings by famous artists, and they've invested a lot of money in the decoration alone. He just thinks these are all fakes, they just look good together.
Why isn't a waiter serving him now that he's sitting here?
Is this how Song Ji treats its customers?
Rongxia Xiaochu is different. As soon as customers step into the store, a dedicated waiter will greet them with a smile, lead them to their seats, serve them tea and water, and ask them what they need, making them feel at home.
"Hello, sir, do you have an appointment?" Just as Gu Hong was mentally scoffing, a voice rang out.
Gu Hong frowned. Why did that voice sound so familiar?
Gu Hong possesses the qualities typical of a businessman: he has an excellent memory and can remember people he has only met once.
Turning his head, he immediately widened his slightly narrowed eyes.
Isn't this the same waiter from Rongxia Xiaochu?
Moreover, she wasn't just an ordinary waitress; she had been promoted to assistant supervisor. When she resigned, Gu Hong even made a token attempt to persuade her to stay, but in the end, she came to work at Song's Restaurant.
Gu Hong felt a surge of anger. His first thought was, "Did Song Ji poach his people?"
Gu Hong remained silent.
Shen Hui then glanced at him. She had thought that the guest was wearing a hat and was quite concerned about his privacy, so she had only given him a cursory look without carefully observing his appearance.
But when she recognized the person, Shen Hui was shocked.
Why would Boss Gu come to Song Ji?
Mr. Gu is the big boss of Rongxia Xiaochu, but he doesn't only own Rongxia Xiaochu. He has been deeply involved in the catering industry for many years and can be considered a capitalist.
Gu Honglai's dinner at Song Ji was definitely not just for the food. Many thoughts raced through Shen Hui's mind, but in the end, she decided to remain calm and collected, pretending not to recognize him, and continued to ask, "Sir, do you have a reservation?"
"Hmph." Gu Hong snorted lightly. "Yes."
He gave her his phone number, and Shen Hui led him to a seat and brought him a menu.
Gu Hongcai didn't care whether Shen Hui recognized him or not. He was both angry and confused. Where did Song Ji get the audacity to challenge him? Was Song Ji just a store in name only, and was its actual controlling shareholder some kind of rival?
Gu Hong glanced at the menu and thought dismissively, "There's no gimmick at all. They've got things like twice-cooked pork and shredded pork with green peppers. The names of these dishes don't justify the prices. They're definitely not made by professionals."
After ordering a few dishes, Shen Hui left.
Gu Hong glanced around the shop's decor, then touched the table. It was just an ordinary wooden table, lacking any style.
The dining tables used in Rongxia Xiaochu are all custom-made from mahogany, exuding nobility and elegance.
He glanced at the customers in the shop, puzzled. How could a shop that was only slightly better than a small street-side restaurant attract so many customers?
Oh! They're advertising, using the disparagement of Rongxia Xiaochu to advertise!
Isn't the show "Food Detective" that aired on a local TV station a while ago the best example?
Gu Hongyue felt increasingly annoyed. His Rongxia Xiaochu, which he had spent a lot of money to open, had actually become a stepping stone for such a store.
Gu Hong stood up and observed Song Ji's kitchen.
Unlike Rongxia Xiaochu, Songji's kitchen doesn't have standardized partitions; you can vaguely see the chefs cooking inside through the glass.
But why did Gu Hong find the chef's figure somewhat familiar?
Gu Hong's eyes widened again when the other person turned around and was facing him.
Ho Chi!
Compared to Shen Hui, Gu Hong was more familiar with He Zhi. After all, He Zhi was the sous chef at Rongxia Xiaochu and had always been an honest man. Gu Hong had never been able to understand why such an honest man would resign.
But at this moment, Gu Hong realized that it was Song Ji who poached them!
Alright, Songji is definitely going to leech off Rongxia Xiaochu, isn't it? Openly putting down Rongxia Xiaochu on TV shows, but secretly poaching its members!
When the dishes were served, Gu Hong also discovered that Song Ji's food ingredient supplier was suspected to be Rongxia Xiaochu as well.
Gu Hong was so angry he was about to faint. He had done similar things when he was young and made his fortune, and his restaurant was later vandalized with dog blood.
He has already suffered so much hardship, there's no reason why Song Ji could easily rise to power by stepping on him.
Gu Hong was so angry that he couldn't eat, but he was determined to try it out and see what Song Ji's food was really like.
Song dared to criticize him on TV, and he dared to retaliate through other online means!
On the other side, Shen Hui hurriedly told Song Xinran and He Zhi about it. Actually, she only intended to tell Song Xinran, but He Zhi had a keen ear.
He Zhi's expression immediately turned panicked: "Why is President Gu here at Song's Restaurant? Did he bring any people with him? Are they here to cause trouble? What should we do?"
Shen Hui said, "He came alone, but judging from his expression, he's here to cause trouble. Manager, what should we do?"
He Zhi and Shen Hui looked exactly like two middle school students who had skipped class to go to an internet cafe and got caught by their teacher...
Song Xinran thought to herself, "Is it really necessary?" She remained calm and said, "Since President Gu hasn't said anything, let's just treat him like an ordinary customer. As long as our store's service is impeccable, he won't be able to cause any trouble."
The two seemed to have found their backbone. Shen Hui said, "I'll ask Pang Ru to be more careful later. I don't dare to look at President Gu. I always feel that his eyes are scary."
He Zhi rubbed his chest: "Luckily, I'm in the kitchen, so I don't have to come into contact with the customers in the front."
Pang Ru was given an important task: to receive guests. Shen Hui told her that a guest with a powerful background was coming and that he was her and He Zhi's former boss.
Upon hearing this, Pang Ru immediately said, "Sister Hui, is your former boss trying to poach you?"
Shen Hui smiled wryly and said, "How could that be? I wasn't particularly outstanding when I worked there before, and why would the big boss need another waiter like me? I suspect he's here to cause trouble. Be careful later."
Pang Ru said, "Okay, leave it to me!"
Pang Ru was extra careful when serving the dishes, glancing at Gu Hong out of the corner of her eye. He ate so politely, like a normal person.
Gu Hong frowned, naturally feeling Pang Ru's gaze. He felt that Song Ji's waiters were not professionally trained and were impolite!
After eating at Song Ji's restaurant, I think I understand a little why their business is so good.
To be fair, Song Ji's food is slightly better than Rongxia Xiaochu's, but this deliciousness feels somewhat familiar.
Gu Hong immediately thought of a name: He Zhi. This was definitely He Zhi's doing!
Gu Hong felt that the food he used to eat at Rongxia Xiaochu tasted just like this, so delicious and so tempting.
The taste of Rongxia Xiaochu seemed to have changed. Gu Hong always thought it was just his imagination, but now he knows that He Zhi was poached!
Gu Hong couldn't sit still any longer and stood up to go to the front desk to pay the bill, actually to see Shen Hui.
Shen Hui glanced at Gu Hong out of the corner of her eye, but lowered her head slightly, pretending not to recognize him: "Sir, your total bill is one hundred and twenty-six yuan."
"Shen Hui".
Hearing her name, Shen Hui shuddered. How could a nobody like her have been remembered by President Gu?
I heard back when I was at Rongxia Xiaochu that Gu Hong had connections in both the legitimate and underworld circles...
"Shen Hui, quit working at Song's Kitchen and come back to Rongxia Xiaochu. I'll give you a raise!"
Shen Hui: "Huh?"
Because I was so surprised, I couldn't help but show it on the spot.
Gu Hong said, "Songji poached you back then, and I'll offer you double the salary to bring you back and promote you to supervisor. You should know that Rongxia Xiaochu has a better future than Songji."
Shen Hui: "Huh??"
She hadn't had much contact with Gu Hong before. Gu Hong wasn't often in the store, and when he came to inspect, he was always accompanied by the assistant store manager. It wasn't something that waiters like them could easily build a relationship with.
Gu Hong had always been kind and easy to talk to, but when Shen Hui heard this today, she suddenly felt that Gu Hong's true personality was too overconfident.
First of all, she wasn't recruited by Song's company. Secondly, even if they offered her double pay, she wouldn't go back. The emotional damage is immeasurable, and besides, Song's company offered her a lot. One shouldn't be too greedy.
Of course, this is also the most important point.
If she leaves Song Ji, she won't be able to eat such delicious food anymore. Is there anything more bitter than this in life?
Shen Hui resolutely said, "President Gu, I resigned from Rongxia Kitchen first and then applied for the front desk job at Songji. There was no poaching involved. I am doing very well here and have no intention of changing jobs. I am afraid I will disappoint President Gu."
Gu Hong looked at her with a grim expression: "Shen Hui, do you know what you've missed?"
Shen Hui looked slightly embarrassed. What had she missed?
Did you miss out on the backstabbing among colleagues, the bad moods, the daily overtime, and the exhaustion?
She would really thank me.
She smiled, feeling that the panic she had felt when she first saw Gu Hong had completely disappeared. Upon closer inspection, Gu Hong was just an ordinary person.
"Mr. Gu, thank you very much."
Gu Hong gave a light snort and left.
Shen Hui couldn't believe that Gu Hong had left so easily, but he hadn't actually caused any trouble.
Shen Hui told He Zhi that Gu Hong might try to poach him, and that he must resist the enemy's sweet-coated bullets.
He Zhi had only one thing to say: "I would rather die than go back!"
Gu Hong's visit this time seemed to be just a simple visit to Song Ji's restaurant. However, on the third day after he returned, Song Xinran suddenly received a message from the supplier saying that they could no longer provide ingredients to Song Ji's restaurant.
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