The Gourmet Customizer

"So fast?"

Ling Shuyu lifted her head proudly. "I locked all the workers on the second floor. They ate and slept there! Seven days was already slow."

Damn!

Su Chen stared at Ling Shuyu in disbelief. ’Why don’t you be the boss instead?’

’You’re a pure, unadulterated capitalist!’

"Director Li said that because of the extra month off at the beginning of the year, the kindergarten classes will start in August this year. The parents are hoping we can open for business as soon as possible."

Due to certain special circumstances, there had been an extra month-long break at the start of the year, and some public schools were making up for it during the summer vacation.

Su Chen thought for a moment. "Then we don’t have much time left. Don’t rush the kitchen too much; as long as it’s more or less the same as the one on the 19th floor, it’ll be good enough. I’ll work on the menu with Liu Ahbao later. You’ll need to discuss the specifics with He Shuting about what to do when the kids arrive. Let me know anytime if you run into any difficulties."

Around a hundred little kids... two or three people was a bit too few to handle them all.

If it really wasn’t enough, they’d just have to hire more people.

"Okay, I’ll bring it up once those two get to the company."

Seeing Ling Shuyu’s expression, Su Chen found it hard to believe that such a workaholic could actually exist in this world.

It seemed that more than salary or bonuses, Ling Shuyu preferred to receive others’ approval. And so... Su Chen said tentatively, "Good work! If anyone else had done it, it definitely wouldn’t have been this fast."

As expected...

A trace of pride appeared on Ling Shuyu’s usually icy face.

’Time to add more fuel to the fire,’ he thought.

"To reward you, how about I personally cook us a celebration dinner tonight?"

"Really?" Ling Shuyu exclaimed. "The kind of ’personally cook’ where you can make anything I want to eat?"

"Nonono~" Su Chen wagged his finger. "You eat what I make. Of course, as our greatest contributor... hmm, President Ling will get some special treatment."

"Ah! What is it?"

Su Chen kept her in suspense. "You’ll find out when the time comes!"

Brother Fang Chang, who was nearby, witnessed this exchange. "Um... Boss Su, can I join this celebration dinner?"

Seeing the change in Boss Su’s expression, Brother Fang Chang quickly added, "I’ll pay!"

"No!" Su Chen and Ling Shuyu said in unison.

’Damn it!’

Brother Fang Chang silently sat back down at a workstation that wasn’t his and took out his phone.

[Lai Ri Fang Chang: Bros, I have to get a job at Delicious! They’re having a freaking celebration dinner tonight and won’t let me join!]

[Zhan Yang: Holy crap! That awesome? Is Boss Su cooking himself?]

[Zhang Yi: Are they still open for business tonight? My wife gave me some pocket money, enough for a plate of stir-fried chicken!]

[Lai Ri Fang Chang: They’re probably closed tonight. The whole crew just got back from the Capital City. I’ll continue my undercover mission and let you all know as soon as I have any news!]

After putting his phone away, Brother Fang Chang actually thought of something.

"Boss Su."

Su Chen grunted, assuming the customer was going to bring up the celebration dinner again.

Brother Fang Chang suddenly became serious. "You’ve set up a small meal service on the second floor?"

"That’s right."

Fang Chang clapped his hands. "Do you know what I do for a living?"

This made Su Chen’s eyes go wide. "What?"

"Boss Su! My family owns a butcher business! Fang’s Meat Industry, you know of it? We deal in all sorts of premium meats!"

Su Chen turned around, puzzled. Aunt Fang also came closer. "So Fang’s Meat Industry is your family’s business?"

"Yup, yup! My dad runs the slaughterhouse and the farm, and I run the butcher shop. Boss Su, if you partner with us, I’ll deliver to you for free! I’ll get you all top-grade meat! And I can give you a discount on the price!"

Seeing Su Chen’s slightly dazed look, Aunt Fang added, "Fang’s meat is really good. They’re a local business, but their prices are about thirty percent higher than the market rate. My family has always bought our meat from them."

"Hah!" Brother Fang Chang laughed. "Boss Su, I’m not bragging! After the daily slaughter at all the slaughterhouses in Jingzhou, our shop gets the first pick of the meat. Only after us do the other supermarkets and stores get their stock. Our purchase price is high, but for you, I can definitely make it cheaper."

If that was the case...

Su Chen considered it. Fang’s Meat Industry was a local brand recognized by the people of Jingzhou. If the kids ate meat from this brand, their parents would surely be at ease.

Parents these days, to be honest, were willing to spend any amount of money on their children, especially when it came to food. No one was afraid of spending money on good food; what they feared was spending the money and still getting sold inferior goods passed off as premium. That was unacceptable!

Since that was the case, Su Chen said, "This is something to consider. Later, you can talk to Li..."

Li Mingtao used to be in charge of this sort of thing.

"Follow up with Liu Shengnan first."

Brother Fang Chang grinned cheekily. "Boss Su, since we’re going to be partners, about that celebration dinner..."

"Leave your contact information first, we’ll talk about it later." Su Chen waved his hand dismissively. "Let’s go, President Ling. Take me to the second floor for a look."

"Okay." Ling Shuyu glanced at Brother Fang Chang and quickly followed Su Chen to the elevators.

Once they were inside the elevator, Ling Shuyu whispered furtively, "Boss, there’s no one around now. You can tell me what the special treatment is!"

"Nope. You’ll find out at dinner tonight," Su Chen flatly refused.

’How could I possibly tell you now?’

’I don’t even freaking know what it is myself! I just said it off the top of my head!’

After touring the second floor, Su Chen returned to his office.

He had thought he could relax for a while after just paying the rent, but things were piling up one after another!

"No matter what, I should sort out tonight’s celebration dinner first."

"Hmm... a small meal to get the employees all fired up. That’s a pretty good deal."

Su Chen sat down at his desk.

He began to plan the menu.

Number of people: 8.

Characteristic: All are from Jingzhou.

Budget: The less, the better.

Expectation: The less trouble, the better.

Coincidentally, he hadn’t eaten the classic lamb hot pot on his trip to the Capital City because he felt the old, famous restaurants were too commercialized, their reputations undeserved.

Plus, Fang Chang had said his family was in the premium meat business. ’So it wouldn’t be out of line to have a little taste test first, right?’

’And didn’t you say you really wanted to join our celebration dinner? It wouldn’t be right to show up empty-handed, would it?’

’Hmm... and the other employees haven’t arrived yet. It’s not too much to ask you all to bring something for the celebration dinner, right?’

Su Chen opened the company group chat and found Liu Shengnan.

[Su Chen: We’re closed tonight, having a celebration dinner. Everything else is taken care of. On your way over, pick up some lettuce. I’m cooking. Oh, right, don’t tell anyone else about buying stuff. You know what I mean.]

Then he found He Shuting, copied the message, changed "lettuce" to "tofu," and sent it.

He repeated this process several more times.

After sending messages to everyone, Su Chen listed all the ingredients he had just assigned on a notepad.

"Still missing some seafood."

He picked up the business card Brother Fang Chang had given him. Since they weren’t friends on any app, he could only send a text message.

[Let’s discuss the partnership in detail at the celebration dinner tonight. By the way, it’d be best if you brought some of your products for everyone to try. Hmm... I’ll need these cuts of lamb: chuck roll, tri-tip, heel muscle, aitchbone, and eye of round. Not too much, eleven pounds should be enough.]

After sending that message, Su Chen sent another.

[Also, pick up some fresh shrimp and grass carp on your way. Bring your girlfriend along, too.]

Brother Fang Chang, who had just driven halfway, pulled his car over to the side of the road.

"Crap! Why didn’t you just ask me to bring a whole leg? How can a ’taste test’ involve this much meat?"

The second message arrived.

Brother Fang Chang shivered. "Eating the fish, shrimp, and meat is one thing, but you want to eat my girlfriend too?"

’That’s going too far, Boss Su!’

After getting all that sorted, Su Chen leaned back into his beloved chair with great satisfaction.

’I’m clearly not the type of person who likes to take advantage of others!’

’So why does it feel so good after I do it?’

’This is bad, so bad...’