Chapter Eleven: The Heifer Hasn't Calved in Two Years

“What! Sixty-eight for a single order of Shredded Pork with Garlic Sauce?”
Su Rui nearly dropped her phone when she heard the price Li Can proposed.
“Li Can, you must be joking!”
“I’m not joking.” Li Can’s expression was calm, his gaze unwavering.
“Are you… feeling unwell?”
Su Rui hastily pressed the back of her hand to Li Can’s forehead; the temperature was normal. “Oh, I get it, you’re planning to add some secret ingredient to the dish?”
Li Can shook his head.
“Then are you swapping the pork for beef? Or maybe lamb?” Su Rui counted on her fingers. “If it’s beef, sixty-eight per order is acceptable, but if it’s lamb, the profit margin wouldn’t be much different from before the price hike. It’d actually be harder to promote.”
“Sister Su Rui.” Li Can interrupted her, “It’s still pork, no changes to the vegetables—just ordinary Shredded Pork with Garlic Sauce, nothing more.”
“Li Can, I know your dish tastes incredible—better than any I’ve had since childhood. Even if you raise the price by a few yuan or even ten, that’d be understandable. But…”
Su Rui hurried to the front hall, grabbed a menu, and pointed at the price, “But you’ve suddenly raised the price by forty yuan! Isn’t that…”
“Oh, I almost forgot.” Li Can took the menu, “Destroy all the old menus. I’ll make a new one for you.”
“It’s not about the menu! Why don’t you understand?”
Su Rui was truly anxious now. She pulled Li Can to the restaurant door.
“Look at the people coming and going on this old street. They’re either local residents, workers from nearby construction sites, or just ordinary office workers. In short, most of the customers here value cost-effectiveness!”
When her voice faded, no one spoke.
Su Rui turned her head and saw that Li Can wasn’t looking at the people on the street at all. Instead, he’d lifted his chin slightly, gazing into the distance at a golden, glittering ancient rooftop.
Though only the pointed roof was visible, with the main structure obscured by buildings, hardly anyone in Cherry Blossom District didn’t know its name.
The Imperial Court Hotel!
A gastronomic paradise boasting dozens of ‘TOP 1’ accolades!
A must-visit destination for tourists!
In the whole culinary world, only Imperial Court has the strength and prestige to invest billions in making its architecture so resplendent and eye-catching!
If only one day my little restaurant could become something like that…
Wait!
Why am I getting distracted too?
Su Rui stomped her foot in frustration. “Li Can, are you listening to me or not?”
“I am, Sister Su.” Li Can withdrew his gaze.
He hadn’t expected that, even after wandering so far yesterday, he was still within Imperial Court’s sphere of influence.
It seemed that, after years of focusing on culinary innovation, he hadn’t noticed how Imperial Court had grown so powerful.
Once upon a time, it was just an ordinary restaurant, and he himself simply wanted a place to prove his skills.
How quickly time passes.
“So, do you see my point?”
Su Rui cautiously watched Li Can’s face until she saw him slowly nod.
Finally convinced, she thought.
“I understand your point.” Li Can patted Su Rui’s thin shoulder, and just as she was about to smile with relief, he continued, “But I still stand by my proposal.”
Smack.
Su Rui rapped Li Can’s head with her middle finger, leaving him bewildered.
“Are you the mysterious, missing head chef from Imperial Court?”
“How did you know?” Li Can was startled.
“You!” Su Rui blew her bangs in exasperation. “I was joking with you, but you really put on an act! If you truly were that person, I’d never object to any price change!”
She found a stool and sat down. “Li Can, this price change will ruin the restaurant!”
“I really am him.” If revealing his identity could reduce unnecessary conflict, Li Can wouldn’t hesitate.
“Alright, enough nonsense. How could you be the kind of person who could shake the culinary world with a stomp, and then come work in my little restaurant?” Su Rui laughed at herself.
Wasn’t it just that you moved me last night…
Li Can felt utterly wronged!
“Tell me, why are you so insistent on raising the price?” Su Rui regained her composure.
Though she’d only known this young man for a day, his steadiness and genuine skill suggested he wasn’t one to speak carelessly.
Li Can sat beside Su Rui.
“Sister Su, are there many customers on the old street?”
“Not many, and fewer every day.”
“Is the competition among nearby restaurants intense?”
“Very intense. Sometimes they even fight over customers.” Su Rui was suspicious. “What are you getting at?”
“If there aren’t many customers and competition is fierce, what are you worried about?” Now it was Li Can’s turn to ask. “The decline of old street is inevitable. Are you really going to give up the whole forest for a single tree?”
“What do you mean? I don’t really understand.” Su Rui frowned slightly, half-comprehending.
“Let me do the math for you.” Li Can picked up a pen and paper. “Look, Cherry Blossom District has a resident population of nearly 1.5 million. There are at least a hundred places like the old street here. So, 1.5 million divided by 100…”
Su Rui wasn’t sure what Li Can was getting at, but it sounded impressive.
“That’s roughly 15,000.” Li Can stopped writing. “Does old street have 15,000 regular customers?”
“Impossible. Maybe one or two thousand at most.”
“Add in transient customers—round it up, let’s say 5,000.” Li Can took a sip of water. “So, if you had to choose, would you cater to those 5,000, or to the remaining 1.45 million?”
“I…” Su Rui objected, “Even so, among those 1.45 million, few would buy a dish priced so high, right?”
“But the base is big.” Li Can nodded toward the distant golden rooftop. “You can’t imagine how terrifying the allure of good food is. Take Imperial Court for instance: a simple egg fried rice there sells for 120 yuan. Customers are still willing to pay, and even queue up with reservations, though they may not even get in.”
“How can you compare to Imperial Court—unless you have the head chef’s skills.” Su Rui’s words had barely left her mouth when she realized her latter comment was a bit harsh, so she hurriedly stared at the sky.
The sky… so blue.
Li Can smiled, half-joking, half-serious, “Who says I don’t?”
Upon hearing this, Su Rui examined Li Can’s eyes closely.
Clear,
Bright,
Brimming with confidence.
“You dare compare yourself to that mysterious head chef? Su Rui, is this the chef you hired? Truly, you’re like a cow that hasn’t calved in two years—his arrogance is off the charts. Hahaha…”
A loud, unabashed laugh sounded from nearby.
(To be continued…)