Chapter 387: A New Side Mission
Translator: Xiong_Guoqi Editor: DesTheSloth
"Thank you," the man in a suit said courteously.
"Did anybody praise you?" Ling Hong frowned.
Zhou Jia wanted to laugh at the side. Due to her professionalism, however, she managed to refrain herself from doing so. She merely turned around and reported the names of the dishes solemnly.
The man in a suit nevertheless cared little about their jokes.
"Why do you always sit here and not leave every day?" Ling Hong pointed at the man in a suit and asked immodestly.
"This young man who never eats discounted dishes, it seems to be none of your business." Although the smile of the man in a suit turned into an artificial smile, he nevertheless still looked to be very gentle.
"Yeah, it's indeed none of my business. So my question is also none of your business. You just need to answer me and that will be fine," Ling Hong said quite naturally.
If it was said by others, Zhou Jia would inevitably grumble that he was so shameless. However, it was quite different since this person was Ling Hong. When she heard that, she felt it quite natural, but the man in a suit didn't think that way.
"Ho Ho." Instead of giving him an answer, the man in a suit just laughed.
"What are you laughing for? Tell me the reason, please." Ling Hong looked at the man and said that.
"Sorry. I'm not prepared to tell you," the man said decidedly.
"Interesting. However, I must know it today." Ling Hong looked at the man with much interest.
"Mr. Ling, here are your dishes." Zhou Jia carried his dishes to him.
"Um." Ling Hong nodded his head. Just when he was about to inquire him again, Zhou Jia carried the dishes to the man in a suit.
This time, the man in a suit uttered ahead of him, "I'm going to have my meal now."
Then, Ling Hong became stuck with his words and didn't know what to say. After all, the man came here for meals rather than listening to him ask questions.
Fortunately, Ling Hong knew this man wouldn't leave after the meal, therefore he was relieved and thus started to savor his food carefully.
In just that short while, the restaurant fell silent. Every customer was eating his own dishes.
Seeing the man not explain anything, Yuan Zhou quelled his curiosity temporarily and began to prepare other dishes earnestly.
However, the silence didn't last long, because Ling Hong had finished his meal.
"I'm done. You can call the next person now." Ling Hong wiped his mouth elegantly and then stood up before saying to Zhou Jia.
"Ok. Thank you, Mr. Ling," Zhou Jia said smilingly.
"Um." Ling Hong nodded his head.
Only then did Zhou Jia call the next customer to come inside and have the meal.
Having finished his meal, Ling Hong became idle and he started to satisfy his curiosity.
"Come on. Let's talk." Ling Hong said to the man in a suit who was eating his meal.
"No need. I don't want to talk to you." The man refused blankly.
"Then I'll speak and you just answer," Ling Hong said naturally.
Without a word, the man in a suit just sat there still, not giving his seat to others as always. He just stayed seated in the chair and ate leisurely.
"You should eat more quickly. Many people are still waiting for the seats." Ling Hong didn't really care about that. He just said that at the side.
"Are you eating slowly just to stay here longer?" Ling Hong even became worried when he saw how the man in suits ate the meal.
An adult man surprisingly ate meals in a way that dishes and plain cooked rice were eaten alternately. Not to mention the extreme slowness, he likewise liked looking around at others. Only after he peered around carefully did he lower his head and take a bite of food.
"You are also dressed decently and should not lack money for the meals. Why do you stay here for so long?" Ling Hong stroked his chin and revealed a curious expression.
"You really want to know?" The man in a suit might have been annoyed by his repeated questions and finally he turned his head and said to Ling Hong.
"Of course." Ling Hong nodded his head.
"Actually I feel the dishes here are way too common." Once the man talked, he uttered something surprising.
Even Yuan Zhou gaped at him in surprise.
"I mean it. The taste is indeed common." Seeing Ling Hong not believe in him, the man in a suit said affirmatively.
"Ho Ho. Why don't you go to find a better restaurant or one that serves the equally delicious dishes? Of course, one without so many rules would be better," Ling Hong said ironically.
"That doesn't exist. If there is one like that, I would have already gone there." The man in a suit said sincerely.
"I have never expected that you would give this reason. So you feel the dishes are quite common and hence would stay here for a whole afternoon every time you come?" There was sarcasm in Ling Hong's tone.
"Yes. I do that because of the painting and the people." The man in a suit pointed at the painting People Passing by A Small Restaurant by Wu Hai and said earnestly.
"Oh?" Ling Hong answered dubiously. He didn't quite understand the man.
"If there is a day when you don't come, I might not come, either," the man in suits smiled and said.
"That would really be my honor." Ling Hong laughed ironically.
Then, he fell silent. In his opinion, Yuan Zhou's dishes were rare delicacies in the world, but the man surprisingly felt them very common. Obviously, he was acting in front of the customers. What a joke! How dare he act in front of him?
"Can you tell me what makes you feel the dishes are common?" After a short while, Ling Hong asked.
"The common thing is that I can't taste it." The man in suits pointed at his own mouth and said mildly.
"I think you had better eat the salt directly in order to taste it." Ling Hong said directly.
"I would definitely be able to taste more that way." The man in a suit nodded his head.
"Forget it. I don't want to talk with you more." Ling Hong suddenly became uninterested in knowing the genuine reason. He turned around and prepared to leave.
At that time, the man in a suit paused for an instant and then uttered, "Because I can't tell what the taste is and I don't have a sense of taste."
Ling Hong paused his footsteps before he left.
"So that's the reason." After he went out, Ling Hong turned his head and took a look at the man in a suit.
He was still eating his dishes over there while looking around at the happenings in the restaurant. From his angle, he just could see everything in the restaurant.
Only now did Ling Hong understand the meaning of the man in a suit. Since he couldn't tell the taste, he naturally couldn't distinguish how good the dishes were. What he came to eat was no more than the feelings of the restaurant itself and hence he was naturally reluctant to give his seat to others.
He had also understood the meaning of his words "If you don't come, I will not, either."
The man who liked staying here actually enjoyed the scene where Wu Hai ridiculed Boss Yuan everyday and Jiang Changxi flirted with Boss Yuan.
He also clearly remembered the heart-warming banner erected at the door, the person Ma Zhida who came every time there was a new dish and Lee Yanyi who always complained while eating.
Although he didn't know their names, he could recognize them. However, these matters were really very interesting, for example, the person Ling Hong who liked joking with Wu Hai. He only knew that Ling Hong never ate discounted foods.
He couldn't tell the taste, but an atmosphere was also very important to the meal.
"Haw-haw. Interesting." After that, Ling Hong shook his head smilingly and then left with big strides.
Their dialogue was also heard by Yuan Zhou. He set the dishes down and then walked to the man in a suit.
"Do you need a stronger taste?" Yuan Zhou asked lightly.
"No need. I'm good." The man in a suit refused him gently.
"Ok. Help yourself, please." Yuan Zhou nodded his head and then left.
While it was noontime at Yuan Zhou's end, it was nevertheless 10:30 p.m. in LA.
"Hey, Jack. How was your trip to China?" A friend of Jack asked curiously.
"Don't mention it. It couldn't be more terrible." Jack answered unluckily.
Jack indeed didn't want to mention the matter. However, it was not only him who had traced Yuan Zhou's IP address; hence, the matter that Yuan Zhou charged foreigners dollars only was finally made known on the forum.
Then, the matter was made known to more people.
A crowd of people kept quarreling on the forum. Some even intended to make complaints against Yuan Zhou while some supported him. There were even many Americans who supported him.
It was known to all that democracy, equality and freedom were what they had been advocated. Naturally, it was one of the free choices that anyone can make to decide which currency he could receive. After all, Yuan Zhou's restaurant wasn't opened in the US. If he opened the restaurant in the US, wasn't it very normal for him to receive only dollars?
Therefore, some people were still looking for an opportunity to come for tasting in order to satisfy their curiosity.
However, those who opposed Yuan Zhou's restaurant became so many that they even formed an alliance.
There were people from quite a few different countries. Yuan Zhou's restaurant instantly became famous in other countries now. Nonetheless, it wasn't a good fame, but instead the evil name of an unscrupulous merchant.
However, Yuan Zhou was totally ignorant of these troubles. He was very happy now, as the system released a mission again, a side mission.
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Chapter 388: The Nickname of Compass
Translator: Xiong_Guoqi Editor: DesTheSloth
The timing of the system releasing that mission was fairly good. Just when the lunch time ended, the system released the mission.
The system displayed, "A new side mission is available now."
"What the f*ck. I thought it was my phone that rang." When Yuan Zhou saw the characters displayed by the system, he didn't react immediately.
The system displayed, "Receive or not?"
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Yuan Zhou looked up and down dubiously.
However, the system didn't answer him at all. The several characters of "Receive or not" were still lingering in Yuan Zhou's mind quietly.
"How strange this is!" Yuan Zhou muttered a few words and then said to receive.
[Side mission] Complete 60 hours of pan-tossing exercises within 4 months
(Mission tips: As a to-be Master Chef, your craftsmanship of pan-tossing still has to be improved. Please work hard to complete the mission. The time of the exercises can be arranged on your own, but you need to finish it within the scheduled time.)
[Mission reward] Cooking Method of Vegetables Stir-fried With Mushrooms
(Reward tips: The concealed reward is that you don't need to worry about the injury from overusing your wrists. This system will solve the problem for you automatically. No need for thanks.)
"So this is the reward?" It was rare that Yuan Zhou didn't complain about the mission tips and reward tips of the system, but instead muttered thoughtfully.
"The mission starts from today or tomorrow?" Yuan Zhou asked.
The system displayed, "From tomorrow morning on, the time will be calculated officially."
"Alright." Yuan Zhou nodded his head.
Then he took that LED writing board and began to write on it.
[Starting from today, the BBQ business hours will be prolonged by two hours every night until all business hours owed by me are paid off.]
The signature was naturally Yuan Zhou's.
"Well, that's good." After Yuan Zhou wrote that, he looked from left to right and then nodded his head contentedly, preparing to put it outside during the dinner time.
The reason why he didn't put it outside now was very simple. Only in the evening could the LED writing board shine brightly.
However, it was a different matter whether or not the customers liked the flashy colorful LED board appearing outside Yuan Zhou's restaurant. After all, they hadn't been quite used to Yuan Zhou's aesthetic tastes.
When the dinner time arrived, Wu Hai entered the restaurant first again.
"Boss Yuan, what time does the BBQ start?" Wu Hai cared about the foods more than anything else.
"9:00 p.m." Yuan Zhou gave a look of dislike at Wu Hai who only knew eating.
"Then why don't you make it clear? That way, I can come on time." Wu Hai contrarily said discontentedly.
"You live so close to me. You can come whenever you want." Yuan Zhou pointed at the building across the street and said randomly.
"By the way, I have a very serious problem." Wu Hai suddenly stroked his mustaches and said primly.
"Go ahead." Yuan Zhou nodded his head.
"Since you are going to compensate us for the opening hours, do you think it is reasonable to compensate the previous ones?" Wu Hai stroked his mustache on the right side and said earnestly.
"Um?" Looking at Wu Hai, Yuan Zhou was a little puzzled.
"It doesn't matter. If you don't remember how much you have owed us, we can help you." Wu Hai signaled Yuan Zhou to look back at his behind.
As expected, other customers behind all nodded their head one after another.
"Besides, I also have a small notebook that includes that information." Wu Hai took out a notebook and said deservedly.
"No need. I still remember." Yuan Zhou interrupted Wu Hai.
"We seem to be able to eat the BBQ in the recent few months," Man Man said happily at the side.
"Sorry, I don't intend to make up for the leave before." Yuan Zhou frowned and said with an earnest expression.
"Then why are you making up for the leave you took this time?" Then, all the customers became muddled. Wu Hai asked consciously.
"My principle is that I can't let the customer's time be delayed due to my personal affairs. But previously, none of those was my personal affair." Yuan Zhou stood straight and said earnestly.
"Ok. Got it." Wu Hai nodded his head with a spiritless manner.
"No wonder you are called Compass. You really distinguish things clearly." Man Man revealed a speechless manner.
"If they aren't your personal affairs, what exactly are they?" Wu Hai suddenly raised his head and asked curiously.
"Business hours begin now. Please order your dishes." For those questions that he didn't want to answer but didn't know how to refuse, Yuan Zhou would change the subject skillfully.
"Boss Yuan, this change in subject is really too abrupt." Man Man couldn't help complaining.
"No, it's not. I'm serious." Yuan Zhou indicated the time was up.
"It really is. Let's order the dishes quickly." When Wu Hai found the time was truly up, he said to Zhou Jia beside him.
Then, the customers began to order their dishes. After all, they were all under the supervision of the queuing committee. If they ate faster this time, they could also get their turn when they came late next time.
It was difficult to sacrifice for others while easy for themselves.
The advance notice of Yuan Zhou still made many customers feel relieved, as they had felt perturbed when there wasn't such notice days ago.
Previously, Yuan Zhou had promised to make up for the loss of time, but there was no more news after that. Although the customers all wanted to ask about that, they didn't know how to ask. Even the most thick-skinned people, Wu Hai and Ling Hong, didn't ask, let alone others.
Luckily, Yuan Zhou decided to make up for it voluntarily.
The compensation for the loss of time was like winning the prize. Many customers rushed over here from a distance. All ate blissfully and appeared quite happy.
"Boss, I'm clearing these things away." Shen Min went up and said when the BBQ time ended.
"Ok, go." Yuan Zhou nodded his head.
It was rare for Shen Min to have so much work to do. Instead of feeling annoyed, she felt quite relieved. Therefore, she started to work quickly.
When she finished her work here, the pub was almost done as well. After clearing everything up, it was the time for her to get off work.
The first day to make up for the lost time passed quietly like that.
On the next day, Yuan Zhou arranged a time to practice tossing the pan in the afternoon.
"System, is this what you have prepared?" Yuan Zhou asked while looking at the newly-appeared pan and spatula as well as the brand--new iron sand.
The system displayed, "Host, you can use it to practice. The injury from overuse will vanish automatically every night when you go to bed."
"Alright." Yuan Zhou took a deep breath and then began to practice.
He took the pan with his left hand and the spatula with the right. Then, a sound of "Hua Hua" passed from inside of the pan.
"Never expected that I still need to practice tossing the pan every day now." Yuan Zhou suddenly complained.
Instead of relaxing, however, he was still practicing earnestly.
"Hua Hua Hua", the rhythmical sound emitted in Yuan Zhou's restaurant.
About half an hour later, Yuan Zhou's phone suddenly rang, unwilling to remain out of the limelight.
"Ling Ling Ling, Ling Ling Ling"
"The time seems to be up." Yuan Zhou put the tools down precisely.
Then, he began to prepare the ingredients required by the dinner.
Right after that, he prolonged the BBQ time as arranged by two hours. Therefore, he had no more time to practice.
It was not until Yuan Zhou went to bed did the system appear suddenly.
The system displayed, "Host, you have only practiced for half an hour today."
"Yeah, right." Yuan Zhou leaned against the bed and flipped the book.
The system displayed, "According to this system's calculation, your limit is one hour."
"It turns out that you have even made the evaluation." Yuan Zhou said calmly.
The system displayed, "Yes."
"You think I'm supposed to practice more?" Yuan Zhou was enlightened and asked.
However, the system didn't answer him anymore.
Yuan Zhou didn't expect the system to answer him, either. It was only half an hour later when his reading time ended did Yuan Zhou reply before he went to bed, "I have my own plans.
As for what Yuan Zhou's plan was, it was unknown to others...
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Chapter 389: Posture in Front of the System
Translator: Xiong_Guoqi Editor: DesTheSloth
A night passed by quickly.
"Ding Ling Ling, Ding Ling Ling". Yuan Zhou woke up to the ringing of his alarm clock.
After he got up early in the morning, Yuan Zhou didn't go out for jogging this time. Instead, he washed up and went to the kitchen downstairs immediately.
"Hoo. I can practice for half an hour." Yuan Zhou took the pan and spatula and adjusted his breathing.
Right afterwards, there came the sound of the pan touching the iron sand in the quiet kitchen. "Shua Shua Shua".
The system was a little surprised at Yuan Zhou getting up early, giving up the morning exercises and practicing the pan-tossing. After all, in the opinion of the system, Yuan Zhou paid much attention to his figure.
However, it was no more than being surprised. Yuan Zhou only practiced for half an hour yesterday and that was the most relaxed way to practice.
Nonetheless, the system made a wrong guess this time.
In the restaurant, somebody found some clues.
"Do you feel that something is wrong with Boss Yuan today?" Wu Hai came every day and hence he was quite clear about Yuan Zhou. He turned his head and asked Chen Wei beside him.
"What is it?" Having gulped down a beef kebab, Chen Wei took a look at Yuan Zhou and asked with puzzlement.
"It seems that his hands aren't placed on the grill at all." Without any hesitation, Wu Hai swallowed up a shrimp kebab down without spitting out the shrimp shell and then said that, pretending to be serious.
"Do you still caring about that?" Chen Wei had never paid attention to that. To him, the meat dishes and good wine occupied all his attention.
No one really cared about where a chef put his hands.
"One of a painter's hobbies was to watch others' hands." Wu Hai answered perfunctorily.
"What exactly do you want to say?" Chen Wei felt quite puzzled and thus he asked.
"Boss Yuan seems to be very tired today. I even saw him frown just now. With his respect toward the food ingredients, he would seldom frown while cooking." Wu Hai said earnestly.
"It's indeed a tiring job to attend to a restaurant alone. Why don't we suggest Boss Yuan employ an assistant?" Chen Wei said seriously.
"We can try." Wu Hai nodded his head.
It was the second day after he started to practice. The reason why Yuan Zhou behaved like that was because he practiced for another half an hour in the afternoon.
Therefore, the consequences of practicing were then revealed. His waist, shoulders and arms were almost all protesting.
"It turns out to be so complicated. It seems that 6 hours of business time per day is the critical point of this body." Yuan Zhou thought that inwardly.
Luckily, there were only two hours for the BBQ time every day. It passed very soon.
When Yuan Zhou took a shower before he went to bed, he did some appropriate stretching exercises in order to relieve the aches of his muscles.
"Luckily I have the system." Yuan Zhou lay on the bed and said thankfully.
On the next day, however, Yuan Zhou found that he shouldn't hold too much hope toward the system.
"Didn't you say it can remove the injury from overdoing it?" Yuan Zhou grasped his aching left hand with the right one and asked the system expressionlessly.
The system displayed, "The injuries from overdoing it has been removed."
"Then why do my arms still ache?" Shown on Yuan Zhou's face was an expression of "Are you fu*king kidding me?"
The system displayed, "After strenuous exercises, the human body will generate much lactic acid. If it can't be gotten rid of in time, it will bring about an aching feeling to the muscles and meanwhile result in the rapid increase of the force and flexibility of the muscles. However, the physical damage that may cause a change to the structural components of muscles has been removed. The problems of the increase of metabolism and the toxicity of the metabolic waste to the organs have all been solved."
"So you mean you only solve the worries behind, but leave the aches to me, don't you?" Yuan Zhou summarized briefly.
The system displayed, "Host, your conclusion is quite right."
Yuan Zhou had already known about the system's usual temperament and hence didn't feel strange at all.
"Ok. Got it." Yuan Zhou nodded his head.
Then, he tried to make some stretching exercises in order to relieve his aches.
Time is like the sand in one's hand. The more tightly you grasp, the easier it runs off. By then, Yuan Zhou had insisted on practicing his pan-tossing for more than half a month.
As usual, Yuan Zhou's restaurant was visited by many customers every day. He acted the same while cooking dishes, knitting his brows slightly yet with a solemn and earnest expression. When he greeted the customers, he remained indifferent and earnest and never spoke more than necessary.
The regular customers all noticed that Yuan Zhou spoke less recently and looked to be very tired. Nonetheless, his dishes tasted better than before now.
Even Lee Yanyi agreed.
Almost all the regular customers of Yuan Zhou's restaurant knew now that Lee Yanyi was a well-known gourmet. If he said it was good, it was truly good."
"You are still young. Be cautious not to die from fatigue." After he finished the meal, Lee Yanyi didn't leave right away, but said that.
"Um. Thank you. I will not." Yuan Zhou was lost in a daze for a while and then answered.
"Then get some more rest." Seeing Yuan Zhou not really follow his instructions, Lee Yanyi said that angrily and then left.
"Hey, Boss Yuan..." Wu Hai also prepared to say something, but he was interrupted by Yuan Zhou.
"Don't talk. Look there." Yuan Zhou secretly pointed to a young man and girl that sat together at the table for two today.
"Ah, it's them." Wu Hai and the customers eating beside him controlled their desire to look at them together.
They just took a glimpse at them occasionally.
"I bought many things with me today. Can you, could you please receive them?" The young man was the one that often came for meals. This time, he still talked with a low voice and perturbed manner as always.
The girl was just sitting face to face with him. She was dressed in a white woolen sweater and a chunky cotton longuette, looking gentle and beautiful. Hearing that, she raised her head and looked at the man. Then she revealed a big smile, neither agreeing nor refusing him.
"This is the mini umbrella, this is the notebook, this is the mirror and this is the pen. And this one and this one..." When the young man saw the girl not refuse him, he took out a pile of things from the backpack.
The little things were scattered all over the small table.
"Could you please receive them all?" The man asked anxiously.
For quite a long while, the girl remained silent. The atmosphere was a little quiet. Just when the man lowered his head and dared not look at the girl, being about to give up, the girl reached out her white hand and picked a key ring up.
The action was like a slow motion that replayed in front of the man. With his whole face turning red, the man looked at the girl and again at the things all over the table from time to time and couldn't say anything due to the excitement.
In the end, he surprisingly uttered, "Thank you. Thank you."
And the girl also nodded her head shyly.
When they were sitting together, it was actually like a silent play. The girl never talked and the young man only said something occasionally, but still didn't speak about anything else.
Right now, they started to eat their dishes quietly again. When there weren't any new dishes, the man would not speak as well. They did nothing other than sitting and eating together.
Apart from that, the young man only went to line up when he saw the girl come outside. It was like that every time. What the girl did most was probably to smile.
As Wu Hai diverted his attention away from the two persons, Yuan Zhou had already left to do his own work. Therefore, he had no more opportunity to ask Yuan Zhou.
"This guy is too cunning. I must ask him next time. Eating meals are the most important thing in my life." Wu Hai made up his mind inwardly.
As for Yuan Zhou, he naturally didn't know what Wu Hai was thinking. He was just looking at the two people being intimate over there and smiled faintly.
However, Wu Hai surely wouldn't have any opportunity.
In the evening, the system's reminder came again when Yuan Zhou finished his exercises for that day.
The system displayed, "Congratulations that you have completed the side mission perfectly in advance, host."