Strange Chef

Chapter 2 Five-Star Grand Hotel

“This isn't what we ordered.” The three people didn't touch their chopsticks and looked at Bai Lu with dissatisfaction.

Bai Lu said calmly, “Try it. If it's not delicious, it's on me.”

“Okay.” Since the boss had said so, the three people started to eat.

After just one bite, the three people were stunned in unison. Somewhat incredulous. Slowly chewing the food in their mouths, they glanced at each other and then looked at Bai Lu together. After swallowing the food, one person asked, “Is it real?”

He was asking if it was really so delicious? Incredibly delicious! In the past, when reading books and watching movies, there were always descriptions of how delicious a good dish could be, with adjectives like Zhu Bajie eating ginseng fruit and all one hundred thousand pores opening up. They had always thought it was an exaggeration. But at this moment, just a bowl of cold noodles and a few side dishes made them experience the delicious feeling of fairy delicacies.

Bai Lu said with a smile, “It's real.”

The three people no longer had the mood to talk. Their chopsticks stretched out like landing craft. They devoured the food like a storm and started eating crazily.

In a moment, after sweeping through all the food on the table, the three people were still not satisfied. “Boss, bring the same thing again, and three bottles of beer.”

Bai Lu replied, “Brothers, sorry. Only one portion is sold. If you want to eat it tomorrow, come early. Also, my restaurant doesn't sell alcohol.”

“Boss, you can't do this. How can there be a restaurant that doesn't sell alcohol?”

“Don't talk about alcohol first. Boss, make another portion. How can a restaurant not sell food?” Another person spoke.

Bai Lu came over. “No matter how good something is, you can't eat it continuously. Isn't it good to eat just the right amount?”

“No good. We're not full.”

“You're already seven-tenths full. The function of food is to keep the body healthy. Eating too much will affect health.”

“We don't listen to big principles. We just want to eat it again. How much? Isn't it okay to pay?”

Bai Lu laughed. “It's not a matter of money. Keep something to look forward to. Coming to eat again tomorrow isn't it a kind of happiness?”

Seeing that Bai Lu was firmly unwilling to serve another portion, the thin man with glasses sighed. “How can you do business like this? Boss, I have to say something about you... Forget it. Check out.”

“A bowl of cold noodles is five yuan. Steamed buns are two yuan. Pickled shrimps are fifteen yuan. A side dish is five yuan per plate. Altogether it's fifty-seven yuan. Fifty will do.”

“How much?” The three young people were a bit surprised.

“Fifty.” Bai Lu repeated.

The thin man with glasses took out fifty yuan. “Boss, not that I'm criticizing you. You really don't know how to do business.” A plate of shrimps is only fifteen yuan. The three of them spent a total of fifty yuan. It's indeed a bit cheap.

Bai Lu took the money. “Reminder, only ten guests are served every day. If you want to eat tomorrow, come early.” While saying this, he was clearing the empty plates.

As soon as the three people heard this, they quickly asked, “Can we make a reservation? I'll book a table right now...”

“Sorry. No reservations are accepted.”

“Is it ten guests each for noon and evening, or just ten guests for the whole day? Boss, ten guests are a bit few. There are three of us at one table. Can you change it?”

Bai Lu looked at the shop. There were six four-person tables in total. After thinking for a while, he said, “You are my first table of guests. The boss has decided to accept your suggestion and change it to six tables for noon and six tables for evening. How about it?”

“Six tables aren't many either. Look at big restaurants. There are dozens of tables at noon and they still need to turn over tables. Small restaurants and pulled noodles shops turn over tables even more frequently.”

“Just six tables.” Bai Lu said.

“If it's six tables, then it's six tables. What time does it open at noon and what time does it start business in the evening?” When encountering delicious and cheap food, the three people were unwilling to let it go easily.

“It starts business at twelve noon and six in the evening.”

“Boss, how about this? We'll help you make a billboard and hang it at the door. Carve your rules and business hours on it. Then, you don't have to pay us. As long as you provide three tables of meals for us, it'll be fine. Each of us has one table. That means in addition to your twelve tables of meals every day. If one of us comes over, you'll make an extra table of food. There are three chances in total. Is it okay?”

Bai Lu thought about it. Making a notice board was quite troublesome. Cooking was easier. So he agreed. “Okay. It's settled like this.”

The three people quickly took out their mobile phones. “Boss, what's your phone number?”

“There's no need to remember the phone number. The signboard writes the business hours and business rules. By the way, it indicates that this store doesn't sell any alcohol. Only free boiled water is available.”

So arrogant! There's no restaurant owner who is so arrogant! Even the world's top restaurants are nothing more than this.

The three young people put their heads together. Soon, they typed out a paragraph of text on their mobile phones. After Bai Lu read it and nodded. “Make it according to this. Thank you for your trouble.”

“No trouble, no trouble.” The three people said a few more polite words. After exchanging names, they left.

Watching them leave, Bai Lu secretly felt lucky. Fortunately, fortunately. On the first day of opening, he didn't have zero customers.

The thin man with glasses is called Tong Anquan. At noon the next day, he brought a wooden notice board. The ancient wood-colored background was engraved with black characters. It was much more beautiful than the red paper written by Bai Lu.

At the top are five golden stars, meaning the restaurant's name. Below it, it copied yesterday's notice with slight changes. This store serves six tables of customers at noon and six tables of customers in the evening every day. Others are not served. Your understanding is appreciated. Patients with anorexia are not subject to this restriction. With a doctor's certificate, they can buy meals at a 20% discount. Only one portion per person.

Business hours are from twelve to one o'clock and from six to seven o'clock.

Also, this store doesn't sell alcohol and doesn't accept table reservations. The boss has the right to close and rest at any time. Please understand again.

The signboard was very large and beautiful. Replacing the red paper, it was firmly fixed to the wall with a thud. Tong Anquan said, “Luzi, serve the meal. The two of them will be here soon.”

Looking at the new notice board, Bai Lu was very satisfied and went inside to cook.

Their commotion at the door attracted passers-by. After reading the notice board, some people laughed and some people despised. As more and more people saw it, in not much time, most people on this street knew about this notice board.

The middle-aged woman seen the day before entered the kitchen to look for Bai Lu. “What are you messing around with? Where's your uncle?”

“Second Uncle went to the desert. Do you have something to look for him?”

The woman is called Wang Ruomei. She was stunned for a moment. Cursing in her heart, this bastard took enough advantage of me and ran away without saying a word. She glared at Bai Lu angrily and left in a huff.

At this time, two friends of Tong Anquan arrived. One was a bit taller and called Wang Xiaopeng. One was a bit fatter and called Huang Feng. As soon as they entered, they shouted, “Luzi, serve the food.”

Bai Lu didn't ask what they wanted to eat. He casually made four dishes and one soup and three bowls of rice and served them directly.

After the three of them ate, they praised again. “It's so delicious!”

Huang Feng said, “This meal doesn't count as one of those three meals. How much is it?”

“Seventy-eight yuan. Seventy will do. Thank you for your help.”

Huang Feng paid. “In the future, we'll have our lunch here. How about a standard of twenty yuan per person?”

Bai Lu smiled. “As long as you can get a table, it's fine with me. I don't care.”

“Why don't you know how to be flexible? We are your first batch of customers. You should give us a discount and make a VIP or something...”

At this time, someone outside the door said, “This restaurant owner is crazy.”

“You don't understand. This is called hunger marketing.”

“Marketing my a*s. It's just a small crappy restaurant. Go back to work.”

Several people left while talking. Through the glass door, it could be seen that they were several cooks walking towards Tianxiang Restaurant more than a hundred meters diagonally opposite. Tianxiang Restaurant is the best restaurant on this street, without a doubt. It is said that the chef earns over ten thousand yuan a month.

“They're still cooks? They really don't know good stuff.” Tong Anquan spoke up for Bai Lu.

Bai Lu smiled. “If you've had a good meal, leave quickly.”

“You're getting more and more outrageous. How can you chase away guests?” Tong Anquan was indignant. His tone was like that of an old friend. Muttering, he walked out.

“Come early tomorrow.” Bai Lu was clearing the dishes.

The restaurant's business hours at noon are from twelve to one. Although the notice board caused a lot of controversy and many people saw it, talked about it, and had a lively discussion, they just didn't come in to eat. You should know that this place is within the Third Ring Road. There are many office buildings. Countless white-collar workers want to eat delicious food and save money. It's extremely hard. Not to mention far away places. Just talking about the Goubuli steamed bun shop and the pulled noodles shop. As soon as it's meal time, they are overcrowded. But the Five-Star Grand Hotel is empty.

From this point, it can be seen that Second Uncle Wang Mudun really has business acumen. After many years of struggling, he has managed to run a good restaurant to the point where no one dares to enter.

Time passes like flowing water. After noon is gone, it's afternoon. After afternoon is gone, it's evening. It seems like in the blink of an eye, the “News Broadcast” is already on TV. Bai Lu gets up and closes the store. In one day yesterday and one day today, he earned a total of more than a hundred yuan. Only Tong Anquan and the three others ate twice.

Bai Lu was thinking that it might be better to go out and do some things while business is slow.