Chapter 346 - 146: Delicious Is Going to Be a Hit

Chapter 346: Chapter 146: Delicious Is Going to Be a Hit

’Goddammit.’

’You work so damn hard, it makes me feel guilty for only paying you three thousand a month!’

Ling Shuyu just said, "Oh," and didn’t object. "Then I’ll be heading back."

She paused at the door and asked, "Are you going to set up the stall today?"

"I probably will."

"Oh." Ling Shuyu didn’t elaborate and simply left.

Su Chen stood gloomily by the window, only letting out a breath after he watched Ling Shuyu’s car drive away from the company building.

’This girl works way too hard!’

’It feels like she cares more about the company than I do!’

"When we make it big, half the credit will have to go to Ling Shuyu!"

After closing the door to Ling Shuyu’s office, Su Chen continued to wander around the second floor. When he strolled over to an employee lounge, he discovered someone else was inside!

"Bai Xiaobo? What are you doing at the company too?"

Su Chen checked his phone and confirmed it was 6:30 in the morning.

Bai Xiaobo had never come to work at this hour. He either clocked in right on time or was outright late!

’This is too weird. Something’s up.’

"Boss..." Bai Xiaobo was sporting a pair of dark circles even worse than Ling Shuyu’s. "Boss, you’re finally awake! I wanted to see you, but they wouldn’t let me!"

’Why does his voice sound like he’s about to cry?’

Seeing Bai Xiaobo about to grab him, Su Chen quickly took several steps back. "If you have something to say, just say it! Don’t try any funny business with me!"

"Boss, after you went to bed yesterday, our WeChat orders suddenly exploded! And they were huge orders, worth tens of thousands of yuan. I wasn’t sure what to do and wanted to report it to you, but Aunt Fang wouldn’t let me see you!"

’So that’s what it was.’

Su Chen nodded. It wasn’t unreasonable to come to him about orders worth tens of thousands. "Then you could have asked President Ling!"

"President Ling, she...!"

Su Chen knew Xiaobo and Ling Shuyu had some misunderstandings. "Even if President Ling wouldn’t help you, you could have asked our two master chefs, right?"

Xiaobo felt even more wronged. "I went to the kitchen to ask..."

Su Chen sighed and clapped a hand on Bai Xiaobo’s shoulder. "The chefs can’t make decisions on business matters, but Liu Shengnan should have some ideas, right?"

"Shengnan, she...!"

Su Chen nodded. "I know what you’re going to say. Alright, you haven’t slept all night, have you? Let me tell you, this counts as voluntary overtime, so I’m not paying you for it. Hurry up and go home to sleep. We can talk about whatever it is tomorrow."

"But Boss!"

Su Chen had already backed away to the doorway. "Go home and sleep."

Internally, however, he heaved a huge sigh of relief.

’Thank God I didn’t let Xiaobai say any more!’

’This guy couldn’t have seen Ling Shuyu working overtime and decided to copy her, could he?’

’You think I don’t know what you’re really made of?’

’Trying to trick me into giving you a raise?’

’Not a chance!’

After sending Bai Xiaobo away, Su Chen finished his patrol of the second floor. Once he confirmed no one else was pulling an all-nighter, he sat down at a dining table by the kitchen entrance and crossed his legs.

’The rat race is starting inside my own company now. This is not a good sign.’

’I’ll have to knock some sense into them later.’

’Who works themselves to death like this? You might not value your lives, but I still want to make money!’

As Bai Xiaobo left the company, he felt incredibly wronged.

"Heavens above, what the hell did I do wrong?"

Xiaobai would never know that his mistake, his one and only mistake, was wearing the boss’s floral shorts!!!

But say what you will, Brother Fang Chang’s efficiency was top-notch.

He said it would be an hour, but the delivery arrived in just about half an hour—and he delivered it personally!

"Boss Su, something big must be happening today, huh? Ordering so much pork belly at once. What are you making?"

Though Fang Chang was speaking to Su Chen, his shifty eyes kept glancing toward the kitchen.

"Braised pork belly. How about it, you a fan?"

Before Fang Chang could process the question, he answered subconsciously, "A huge fan."

’Wait a minute, this is damn weird. Why would Boss Su be asking me if I’m a fan?’

"Alright then, don’t leave. When it’s done, help me taste-test the dish."

Fang Chang: ???

’Taste-test?’

’Could something this good really happen to me?’

"Boss Su, Boss Su!" Fang Chang trailed behind him like a puppy. "Are you serious? You’re not joking? The kind of taste-testing where you cook it, and I’m the first to try it to see if it’s good?"

"Yes."

"So if it’s delicious, does that mean I can eat as much as I want?"

Su Chen stopped walking. "One more stupid question and you can just go home."

"Okay, okay." Fang Chang also stopped at the kitchen entrance. "I’ll wait here then!"

Although he had no idea what had gotten into Boss Su to make him the taste-tester...

...Fang Chang felt this was a golden opportunity to show off.

He opened up the "Gourmet Scout Squad" group chat on his phone.

[Long Road Ahead: Everyone, take a look at where I am? Heh, specially invited by Boss Su to Delicious to help taste-test a dish. It’s nothing much, really, just a simple plate of braised pork belly.]

The message wasn’t out for more than a few seconds.

[Long Road: Holy shit! I’m stuck on a mountain looking at a power station, and you’re eating braised pork belly? Boss Su’s personally-made braised pork belly?!]

[Zhang Yi: I want some so bad...]

Fang Chang smiled in satisfaction.

[Long Road Ahead: Ah, it’s really nothing. I’ll post a review for the fam in a bit. Gotta go, I’m heading into the kitchen to watch Boss Su cook.]

On the surface, he was heading to the kitchen, but in reality, Fang Chang was watching his group-mates spamming enraged and despairing sticker-memes, feeling a deep sense of satisfaction and pride.

He strolled into the kitchen.

He saw Su Chen chatting with Zhang the Second, his hands not yet started on the cooking. Fang Chang didn’t say anything, just stood to the side and listened in.

"The problem now is, for a dish like braised pork belly, tastes vary all across the country. How can we make a version that satisfies the majority of people?"

Zhang the Second slammed his hand on the table. "Impossible. Taste preference is a very personal thing. If it were some innovative new dish, maybe. But braised pork belly has been around for thousands of years. People in different regions have long-established taste preferences. It’s simply not possible."

Su Chen also thought it was impossible.

But that was precisely the problem he was facing.

Seeing that their conversation had hit an awkward stalemate...

...Fang Chang spoke up cautiously.

"Is it possible that..."

"...we could just make multiple flavors of braised pork belly?"

Su Chen had been feeling a bit impatient, but after hearing Fang Chang’s words...

...his eyes suddenly lit up!