Chapter 108 - 98: Member

Chapter 108: Chapter 98: Member

On Friday morning, Hai Hei and Ning He went to Old Wood’s to handle the paperwork and fill out the forms. They also privately drafted a detailed cooperation agreement, which they both signed.

Although a situation like this had never occurred before, it was normal for the academy cafeteria to adjust flexibly now that the food company had issued new regulations. Old Wood had already inquired with the approval authorities on Ning He’s behalf and confirmed the arrangement was fine, but the process would take a week to complete.

Ning He didn’t publicize the news, so Skinny Winnie was still racking his brain for a way to get close to her. But every time he tried, she and Connie would hurry off before he could say more than a few words, leaving him tearing his hair out in frustration.

Taking advantage of the week-long waiting period, Ning He and the others had a lot to do.

The custom VIP cards Connie had ordered were ready. They came in two types, regular and premium. The two of them drafted a list for the premium members, planning to give those cards to their most important regulars.

Besides Leitel and a few others, the list included Mia and Natie, Mr. Rochester, Doctor Lister, and the two presidents of the local vegetarian society—more than twenty people in total. In addition to discounts, premium members could also make priority reservations.

The premium cards had a matte black finish that gave them a high-quality feel. The font was simple and clean, and at the bottom, a cluster of rice seedlings was outlined in white—a design Connie had specifically requested to match both Ning He’s name and the restaurant’s. Each card had a unique number. Leitel received card number 000001, which made the old man gleeful all afternoon.

The layout upstairs was adjusted. On the wall behind the food bar, they hung up the names of the day’s dishes in white text on a black background, which were updated daily. The dish descriptions were also more detailed, including not only the main and side ingredients but also data like calorie counts and approximate nutritional information. This allowed health-conscious patrons to easily assemble a balanced meal.

But evidently, most customers cared more about the taste. They even came up with some new ways to eat the food.

For example, a method invented by Leitel—stuffing a pocket bread with stir-fried mixed vegetables, then adding a smear of the spicy pepper sauce from the vegetarian chicken cutlets—quickly spread among the diners. Other customers would get a few thin crepes from the *jianbing* stall and roll up whatever they liked inside; the freedom to experiment was part of the fun. ℴ

The once-necessary reality of a different menu every day had now become a selling point. Every day at noon, after Ning He finalized the menu based on available ingredients, she would post it on Mia’s social media account and in the two members-only group chats. Customers would read it carefully, and if they spotted a few new dishes or several of their favorites, they would spend the rest of the day in pleasant anticipation.

For these customers, Heqi Chinese Restaurant quickly became the place they dined at most frequently.

The restaurant also hired two more people: a dishwasher and a cleaner, both found through a neighborhood auntie. With their help, everyone’s workload became much lighter.

In the bit of free time they managed to carve out, Ning He called Hai Hei over and taught him the techniques for making *youtiao* and sweet rice cakes.

Like Connie, Hai Hei had specialized in flour-based foods and worked with dough every day, so teaching him was a breeze. He mastered the techniques in just three days.

"I’ll meet all the requirements of our partnership," Hai Hei promised as he was leaving on the final day.

"I trust you. Do a good job," Ning He said.

Hai Hei nodded, thanked her again, and left the restaurant.

"If we weren’t so incredibly busy, I’d feel pretty reluctant about handing over these two items."

Connie had mixed feelings. It was like giving away her own child, and she felt an emptiness inside.

Ning He patted her shoulder.

"We only have so much energy. As the restaurant grows, we’ll have to hand things like this over to others sooner or later. Hai Hei is a good guy. It’s a good thing for these two snacks to reach more people through him. We should just focus on planning the opening of our noodle shop."

Connie smiled. "I know, I’m just getting a little sentimental. I never thought there would come a day when we’d be making this much money. Now Susan is even clamoring to go to culinary school when she grows up."

Ning He laughed heartily and then asked about Juan and Ding Xiang.

"Ding Xiang’s physical therapy is going very well. As long as she avoids strenuous exercise, she’s just like anyone else. Juan has enrolled at the mechanics academy. He’s up until midnight every day, tinkering with all sorts of things. He’s certainly full of enthusiasm for his studies." At this, Connie sighed. "Thank you. Without you, I’m afraid none of this would have been possible."

"Don’t mention it. This is a win-win partnership. We’re going to keep growing bigger and stronger!" Ning He declared, full of ambition.