Chapter 56: Final Preparations and A Slip of the Tongue

The final week arrived faster than Yu Liang expected.

He was standing in the main hall of the restaurant watching the workers put on the final lacquer coat on the wooden railing. The building had changed; it no longer looked like an abandoned, dusty building but a building full of polished floors and refined furniture. Lanterns were hanging from the roof, ready to be lit up for the dining guests.

"The kitchen equipment passed inspection this morning," Lin Meihua said, walking up beside him with a ledger in hand. "Master Chen says everything is ready. We just need to finalize the opening ceremony."

Yu Liang nodded, but his mind was somewhere else. They had faced many issues in the past weeks, from their supply chain, ingredients, to prices. But somehow, there was still something lacking.

Master Chen emerged from the kitchen, wiping hands on his apron. His weathered face carried an unusual expression which were half nostalgia and half excitement.

"Young Master Yu, Miss Lin," he bowed a little. "I’ve been reflecting on my time in the palace. There were always shows during the banquets. Performers, dancers, musicians.... They set the mood that made the dining experience memorable beyond just the food."

Yu Liang’s eyes lit up.

How had he not thought of this before?

If he was going to do this, then he might as well go all out. Food, service, atmosphere, entertainment, he could put everything together and will keep the prices far below what the high end restaurants were charging, he will make it dirt cheap.

He could already imagine those restaurant owners finding out.

They’d probably charge at him with full force.

"We should hire dancers," he said as the ideas keep taking shape. "And musicians for the opening. But more than that..." He turned to Lin Meihua. "We need exceptional waitstaff. Not just competent servers, but those who can interact with customers and enhance the experience. Beautiful women who can—"

A sudden chill ran down his spine.

He glanced at Lin Meihua’s expression which hadn’t changed, but her eyes carried a distinct coldness. The temperature in the room seemed to have dropped several degrees.

The heart of Yu Liang hammered in his chest. ’That was a mistake. An awful mistake.’ He knew where she was going with that line of thinking. He had to explain himself before she got it all wrong.

"What I mean," he said carefully, "is that appearance matters in hospitality. When customers pay, I want them to experience what premium feels like, so every detail should be refined. The servants’ presentation is part of that refinement, just like quality furniture, clean area, and proper lighting. It’s about..." He searched for the right words. "It’s a business decision. Creating the right atmosphere."

The silence stretched for three heartbeats.

Then Lin Meihua’s stern expression cracked. Her lips curved into a small smile, though she still pouted slightly.

"I know what you meant. I’m not some jealous fool who can’t separate business from personal matters."

"I know what you meant. I’m not some jealous fool who can’t separate business from personal matters."

She tapped her finger against the ledger.

’Jealous?’

Yu Liang’s mind went completely blank.

She said jealous.

For some reason, that single word had hit harder than any punch he had taken.

’Jealous of what?’

His thoughts immediately began running in every direction.

’Wait. Does that mean she thought I was talking about other women? No, obviously that’s what she meant. But why would she be jealous?’

His eyes flicked toward her before quickly returning to the ledger. ’Don’t look at her. Don’t make it obvious.’

He stared at the numbers on the page.

They made no sense anymore.

’Was that a confession? No. It can’t be. Maybe she just used the word casually. People say things like that. Yes. Completely normal. Completely normal.’

’Then why did my heart just start beating faster?’

He tried to calm himself. ’I’ve killed before. I’ve fought people who were more powerful than me. I’ve put myself in positions where even a single mistake would cost me my life.’

’And somehow one word has me panicking.’ Yu Liang swallowed.

’What am I supposed to say now?’

His mind offered several possibilities. ’Don’t worry, I don’t have any other women."

’NO!!!!’

’You don’t need to be jealous.’

’Absolutely not.’

’I’m glad you’re jealous.’

’Why would I even think of that?!’ He silently cursed himself.

Across from him, Lin Meihua was experiencing her own crisis.

The moment the word left her mouth, she realized what she had just admitted.

’Why did I say that?!’ Her face heated instantly.

She lowered her eyes to the ledger and focused on the numbers with all the concentration she could gather.

’I’m not jealous.’

’No.’

’...I mean, I’m not supposed to be jealous. Then why did I specifically mention it?’

She wanted to disappear into the floor.

However, she managed to keep a composed look on her face. She had always managed to negotiate well with hard nosed suppliers, clients and tough workers.

Surely she could survive one conversation with Yu Liang.

She straightened her back and tapped the ledger again.

"Anyway," she said while keeping her voice steady, "we should continue discussing the staff."

Yu Liang nodded mechanically. "Yes. Staff. Very important."

Neither of them looked at the other for several seconds.

She tapped her finger against the ledger.

"Leave the hiring to me. I have connections throughout Jade City and I’ll find suitable candidates."

Relief washed through Yu Liang, though he couldn’t quite explain why her approval mattered so much.

"I trust your judgment."

Chen Master made a small cough, and smiled in understanding.

"I will go back to the kitchen then. I have to make some sample dishes for our final review tomorrow." He gave a bow and left, but Yu Liang noticed the amused gleam in the old man’s eyes.

Lin Meihua was already making notes in her ledger.

"I’ll visit the employment agencies this afternoon. We need at least twelve waitresses for the main floor, plus four for private rooms..."

Over the following days, young women arrived for interviews. Lin Meihua’s selections were thoughtful, each candidate possessed grace and pleasant features, but more importantly, they carried themselves with dignity despite their circumstances.

Yu Liang sat in on several interviews. In nne girl’s father had accumulated gambling debts. Another supported three younger siblings after her parents died. A third women had fled an arranged marriage to an abusive merchant’s son.

"The position includes room and board," Lin Meihua explained. "You’ll get meals from the restaurant, a private room upstairs, and a monthly salary of five hundred low-grade spirit stones."

The number drew gasps. It was more than many skilled craftsmen earned.

Yu Liang watched their faces full of shock giving way to hope, then cautiousness, then disbelief and finally settling into genuine gratitude when they realized the offer was real.

"We require professionalism," he added. "Respect for your clients, service with enthusiasm. And in return, you will receive the same respect. Should anyone mistreat you, they will be removed from the premises immediately."

And by the end of the week, they had recruited their full crew. The expression of gratitude in those young ladies’ eyes never left Yu Liang, a reminder of how his wealth could make changes outside cultivation resources.

By the time all the signing and scheduling was done, the group had evolved from nervous strangers into an inspired ones. Some dabbed at their eyes with a napkin. Others straightened up, feeling more determined than ever. There was one young woman who bowed so deeply to Yu Liang that he feared she would fall to the ground, unsure whether to accept it or stop her.

He simply told them, "Do your job well and keep improving. If the restaurant does well, you’ll have more opportunities too."

Once the last candidate had left, Yu Liang looked around the empty hall. There was still plenty to do before opening like arranging the supplies, training staff, and a dozen or so small problems waiting to be dealt with.

[ Ding! Host has spent a total of 12,500 low grade spiritual stones ]

[ Multiplier Triggered: 100x ]

[ Host receives 1,250,000 low grade spiritual stones ]

He rubbed his forehead. ’Running a restaurant is more troublesome than cultivating.’

Still, he couldn’t help but smile. Things were finally coming together.