Divorced Dad's Gourmet Shop

Chapter 425: Chapter 424: New Sichuan Dish

He didn’t want to go public. He didn’t want to be rushed into something he wasn’t ready for. He needed absolute control.

Going public would mean a rapid expansion from a flood of capital injections.

But the downsides would come with it.

For one, the company would no longer be his personal property. Moreover, a mountain of responsibilities would fall on Jiang Liu’s shoulders.

Forget about running the shop and making buns; he’d probably have to deal with some trivial nonsense even on a trip to the restroom.

Jiang Liu didn’t have such grand business ambitions.

He just wanted to quietly make his money,

quietly unlock the Gourmet Album,

and quietly live a happy life with his wife and daughter.

Ren Qingqing replied to his message: "There’s no need to be so formal, Mr. Jiang. We’re on the same team now. If you ever need any help, please don’t hesitate to ask."

"I read your plan today, and it was a real eye-opener. I learned so much from it. You truly are a rare genius! If it were possible, I’d love for you to join Huaxia Pharmaceutical."

Jiang Liu: "Mm, okay.."

Jiang Liu casually read her message.

A strange look appeared in his eyes.

He...

’Was I... just being buttered up?’

...Hmm, it actually feels pretty nice.

Jiang Liu had a little bit of vanity, but not much.

He didn’t mind a bit of insincere praise from time to time.

Jiang Liu sent a message to Hu Yongfa: "I’ve got someone investing in us. I’m preparing to open two new stores. They’ll be bigger than your current one, and in better locations."

Hu Yongfa: "Master, you’re incredible!"

Hu Yongfa: "So what’s the plan? I’ll follow all your arrangements. As for the chef training you set up, I’ve pretty much got it down. I’ve been studying this whole time."

Jiang Liu: "Mm, good."

"When the new stores open, you and Old Yue should stay at this one. I can tell you two don’t want to be separated, and splitting the shifts makes things easier. Have Wu Qingshan and Bai Changrui each take an apprentice and head to the new stores."

"Speed up the hiring for servers. Prioritize good character, and then loyalty and a willingness to stay long-term. You handle the screening. Just let me know what you need for the hiring budget."

Bai Changrui and Wu Qingshan were veteran chefs.

Although in Jiang Liu’s opinion, their skills were nothing special, they were honest and didn’t overthink things.

How else could they have worked for twenty years and remained just ordinary chefs?

But this was exactly the kind of "talent" Jiang Liu was looking for. Because they were honest and dutiful, they would follow his instructions to the letter.

This was actually for the best.

Jiang Liu had taught Hu Yongfa and Old Yue the recipes for the buns, the nutritious congee, and two very potent stir-fry dishes.

As long as they were made to standard, they were guaranteed to keep customers coming back for more.

Of course, without top-tier ingredients, seasonings, and truly meticulous technique, the results would only be so-so. But it was more than enough to satisfy the average customer.

Hu Yongfa: "Roger that!!"

Hu Yongfa: "Master, there’s something I need you to decide on. A woman in her thirties came to apply for a job this afternoon. She seems like a good person, no issues there, but she’s been injured and has a slight limp... What do you think?"

In the past, Hu Yongfa wouldn’t have agreed, nor would he have brought it up with Jiang Liu.

After all, a limp would make many tasks difficult and could even disrupt the customers’ dining experience.

This time, however,

Hu Yongfa felt a pang of pity. The woman’s situation was truly unfortunate.

Her husband had cheated on her and divorced her, and now she was left with a child to support.

Life was a desperate struggle. No one would hire her, not even to wash dishes.

Hu Yongfa wanted to fight for a chance for her.

Jiang Liu thought for a moment. "That’s fine. Have her do cleaning or other back-of-house work. Pay and benefits will be standard. Tell her that if she’s willing to stay with me long-term, once she’s saved up enough, I can use my connections to find someone who can fit her with an assistive device at a good price."

It wasn’t that hard to hire people these days. As long as the pay was good, plenty of people would line up to work for him. But he didn’t care about that. What he valued were loyal employees who were willing to stick with him for the long haul.

After all, carrying plates and washing dishes wasn’t exactly a dream job for most people.

Hu Yongfa’s heart warmed, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

’That’s my master,’ he thought. He would never let him down.

Hu Yongfa: "Okay, Master. I think she’s a good person, and she’s not bad-looking either. I’ll take good care of her."

"If she’s a meticulous worker, can I give her a little extra bonus to help her out?"

Jiang Liu: "Just stick to the official procedures. Don’t make the other employees feel it’s unfair. Everything has to be by the book."

Hu Yongfa: "Alright then."

He was a little disappointed. He was a kind-hearted person and simply wanted to help the mother and daughter.

Jiang Liu explained, "Think about it. If you show favoritism toward her, what about our other employees? Will they be happy about it? Won’t they get jealous? And if they get jealous, won’t they intentionally ostracize her?"

"I’m not trying to criticize you, but you still don’t understand human nature. You’re a manager. When it comes to management, kindness can’t be your guiding principle. You can arrange for her to be taken care of, but you can’t show favoritism, understand?"

"There’s nothing wrong with kindness itself. It’s a valuable quality. But it has to be applied in the right place, toward the right people. If you can’t control it, one day you’ll find that your kindness is the very thing that makes you mess everything up."

Hu Yongfa saw his master patiently teaching him.

He was moved, and his respect for Jiang Liu deepened. He completely understood his master’s reasoning.

Hu Yongfa: "I understand now, Master. Thank you for being willing to tell me all this. No one’s ever explained it to me before, and I have indeed messed some things up in the past because of it."

Jiang Liu put down his phone.

He thought for a moment.

He decided he would add a new Sichuan dish to the menu for the new stores in a while.

He hadn’t decided what dish would be best yet.

Shuizhu Yu seemed like a good choice; plenty of people loved it.

Most importantly, it was profitable.

A single portion sold for a hundred yuan, of which fifty or sixty would be profit. It also held up well as a takeout order.

Back in the bedroom.

Jun Qingmeng and Tongtong were already lying in bed, their two pretty heads poking out from under the covers, eagerly waiting for him.

Jiang Liu glanced at the empty space between them and didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

It seemed they had already decided where he was going to sleep.

It was crystal clear.

Jiang Liu obligingly slipped into the covers, and the two of them immediately snuggled up against him.

So warm and soft.

It felt so good.

"Daddy! Can we watch the little bears together?"

"Tongtong was waiting. I didn’t want to watch without Daddy."

Jiang Liu smiled. "Okay, Tongtong is such a good girl. The three of us will watch together."

"Hubby, kiss,"

Jun Qingmeng said, puckering her rosy lips and closing her eyes.

She looked both adorable and shy.

"Mwah!" Jiang Liu planted a kiss on her lips. His wife’s lips were soft and cool. "There? Let’s hurry and watch. Any later and it’s straight to sleep."

It was already almost ten o’clock.

"Mhm!"

"Okay, Daddy!"

Not even three minutes later, Tongtong fell asleep on Jiang Liu’s chest.

Jun Qingmeng leaned against him. In the dim glow of the table lamp, her dark eyes shone like lustrous jade, flecked with hints of amber.

They were clear and pure.

"Hubby, is everything settled for the new stores?"

"It is," Jiang Liu said. "If all goes well, I should be signing the contract with the company tomorrow."

Perfect timing.

Tomorrow he also had to handle the property transfer and sign the household registration transfer authorization with Wang City.

.....

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