Chapter Twenty: Found a Treasure!

“How is it? Is it fixed?”

As soon as Li Can returned to the restaurant with the wrench in hand, Su Rui hurriedly asked. Now that the restaurant was finally showing some promise, she was determined not to let small issues affect the evening’s business momentum.

“It was just a simple misalignment. I’ve corrected it, so it’s good to use now,” Li Can replied.

“I didn’t expect you to be so strong. I tried to fix it myself before, but the pipe was stainless steel—I couldn’t do a thing,” Su Rui said in surprise.

“A chef’s hands are quite strong.”

Li Can didn’t elaborate. He put the tool back in the kitchen storage cabinet, poured out some detergent, and scrubbed the grease from his hands. Only then did he return to the front hall to rest.

“Li Can, I think we should get a professional to replace the pipe tomorrow. We can’t keep patching things up like this,” Su Rui said, sitting across from him with a small notebook in hand.

“Whatever you say,” Li Can agreed readily. “It’s just—”

“Just what?”

“Nothing.” Li Can swallowed his words. If they didn’t deal with Zhao Gang, the real troublemaker, no number of new pipes would solve the root of the problem.

“This can’t be delayed. It has to be dealt with soon,” Li Can thought.

“Oh, guess how much we made at lunchtime today?” Su Rui waved her small fist excitedly, her smile wide and radiant. “Including cold drinks, we made nearly two thousand!”

“Is that so.” Li Can’s smile was perfunctory. He’d seen bigger scenes before. Back at the Imperial Court, forget lunch—even breakfast sales alone could reach nearly a hundred thousand, and with lunch and dinner, daily revenue could easily top a million!

That was a number Su Rui wouldn’t even dare dream of.

“Really!” Su Rui, oblivious to Li Can’s subtle change in expression, started counting on her fingers. “Look, aside from the twelve orders from your friends, the other twenty were from regular customers, and every single one left a positive review! If this keeps up, our daily revenue might break ten thousand!”

“Ten thousand! That’s half a month’s turnover for many restaurants!” She spread her palm in front of Li Can’s face. “Once we have more customers, we can start selling tobacco, alcohol, and desserts as well. The income will be even better.”

Li Can couldn’t help but laugh. Only then did he realize that this woman, mature on the outside and tough on the inside, was actually a master at penny-pinching!

“Sister Su Rui, I won’t interfere with how you run the restaurant. You make the decisions—I believe you can handle it. But I have one request.”

“Go ahead.” Su Rui listened seriously, discreetly using a napkin to wipe away a nearly invisible drop of oil from the corner of the table. She did so mainly because of Li Can—she’d noticed that in just a few minutes, he’d frowned at that tiny stain at least ten times!

This guy definitely has OCD!

With the oil stain gone, Li Can visibly relaxed and continued, “What I ask is this: no matter how the restaurant develops, never compromise on the quality of the food. If you do, I’ll resign immediately.”

The atmosphere grew solemn. Su Rui could see the resolve in his eyes and nodded gravely. She had originally wanted to ask if Li Can could make more spicy dishes to boost alcohol sales. But now, she realized that might cross a line for him—she didn’t even have the nerve to ask!

“So, what dish are you planning to introduce next?”

“I haven’t decided yet,” Li Can answered honestly.

“Huh?” Su Rui’s hand trembled. “Then why did you make shredded pork with garlic sauce today?”

“Because you bought a lot of pork tenderloin this morning, and since I made it last night, I thought I’d do it again,” Li Can replied calmly.

“That’s—it’s that simple?” Su Rui was so shocked she could barely speak.

“Yes, just that simple.” Li Can nodded.

Su Rui was speechless for a long while. She’d thought today’s much-praised dish was his signature specialty. Clearly, she’d underestimated him.

She’d found a treasure!

“Let me know in advance if you decide on the next dish. I’ll go to the market early—morning produce is fresh, and you get discounts if you buy in bulk.” Su Rui was back to her calculations.

Li Can just smiled in response.

As six o’clock approached, the once-quiet old street started to bustle. Every restaurant lit up its signboard. Waiters stood at their doors, rubbing their hands in anticipation, searching for hungry customers. It was a scene of lively industry.

Li Can was busy in the kitchen, too. Marinating pork, soaking wood ear mushrooms, and peeling green bamboo shoots all needed to be prepped beforehand. And, of course, minced garlic, ginger, and scallions were indispensable.

Su Rui wasn’t idle either. After her talk with Li Can, she’d gone to a stationery shop near a school and bought a blackboard and a box of chalk. She set the blackboard at the entrance, where it bore a single line: Today’s Special—Shredded Pork with Garlic Sauce, 56 per serving.

Even though there was only one dish listed, making it look a bit bare, Su Rui believed this was only the beginning. Soon, the menu would be so dazzlingly rich that customers wouldn’t know where to look.

At six sharp, the first customer arrived. To Su Rui’s surprise, it was Aunt Luo. She said she'd finally found some free time and wanted to enjoy the feeling of being a guest for once. After tasting the shredded pork at lunch, she couldn’t get it out of her mind and insisted on coming back for a second helping, no matter the price.

The second customer was another familiar face: the middle-aged man with the bushy beard. From their conversation, Su Rui learned his name was Zou Ming. He’d grown up on the old street and now ran a nearby car wash. Business was good and not too demanding, so he’d developed a taste for fine food.

“Boss Su, do you use MSG in your shredded pork?” Zou Ming asked.

“No, we don’t,” Su Rui explained. “Li Can says the best food is the natural taste of the ingredients, so we avoid adding unnecessary seasonings. We want the ingredients to shine.”

Zou Ming nodded approvingly. “No wonder my tongue felt comfortable all afternoon after eating here at lunch.”

“That’s right. At other places, the chefs use a lot of MSG to boost the flavor. You don’t notice while eating, but afterward your tongue feels numb, as if there’s a film on it,” Aunt Luo chimed in.

As the two chatted, more and more customers arrived. Most were returning from lunch, while the rest were new faces, likely drawn by word of mouth.

The restaurant was thriving!

But, as always, the unexpected happened.

Around nine o’clock, while Li Can was sweating over the stove, he clearly heard a commotion coming from the front of the restaurant.

(To be continued…)