Chapter 739: I Will Visit You Often

“No, no,” Brendan Harris said, waving his hands repeatedly. “I’m more than satisfied with this. I was actually a little worried when you said you’d arrange a job for me. I mean, I’m not educated, I don’t have much experience, and I haven’t seen much of the world. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to handle whatever job you gave me.”

“But security? I can do that. It’s the perfect job for me. It’s really great.”

Brendan Harris actually had very low expectations for a job. All he wanted was something to do to keep him from being idle.

Hearing her uncle-in-law say this, Cecilia Sterling could only nod with a resigned smile. There really wasn’t a more suitable job for him at the moment, so this arrangement would have to do for now.

‘At least he’s a department manager, which comes with some real authority.’

After entrusting her uncle-in-law to Manager Sheldon, Cecilia Sterling drove to Aetherium.

“If you need anything, you can just message me on WhatsApp. The roads are slippery with all this snow; you didn’t have to drive all the way out here.”

In the general manager’s office, Julie personally brewed tea for Cecilia Sterling. “Here, drink something warm.”

“I just came from Cirrus Palace today. I’m thinking of renovating it. The idea actually came to me because of Aetherium. While this place is well-maintained, I’ve noticed some areas that need redoing, so I thought I’d come by and tell you.”

“We just did a massive overhaul two years ago,” Julie said.

Cecilia Sterling cradled her teacup. “Things get old, things get new. I took a close look. The tables and chairs in the Chinese restaurant, the moisture damage on the spa walls, the movie theater’s air vents, and the rust stains on the water wall panels in the first-floor hallway… These flaws aren’t glaring, but they definitely bring down Aetherium’s overall prestige.”

“It’s amazing you noticed all that.” Julie nodded in admiration. “Okay, I’ll have each department thoroughly inspect their areas for anything that looks old or worn out. They can submit a unified report, and we’ll renovate it all at once. After all, the devil is in the details. Given Aetherium’s location and price point, we have to deliver the absolute best.”

With that, Julie stood up and gestured to Cecilia. “You haven’t eaten yet, have you? The Japanese restaurant here at Aetherium is having its soft opening today. All the ingredients are top-tier. Want to go try out the menu?”

“It’s opening so soon?” Cecilia Sterling’s eyes lit up; she loved Japanese cuisine. “I thought it wasn’t supposed to open until the spring.”

“It’s a quiet soft opening, but even so, we’re fully booked for the next two weeks. It’s all our premium members at Aetherium.”

Japanese cuisine has always been a favorite among the upper class, and it’s especially popular with the younger generation.

As a result, most of the patrons at the soft opening today were young people in their twenties, predominantly couples.

“Welcome to Aetherium Itamae. Do you have a reservation?”

At the restaurant’s entrance, a staff member greeted the two guests warmly and politely.

Kylie Churchill had her arm linked with Shawn Lane’s. They were both dressed beautifully—a perfect, handsome couple.

“Yes, a reservation for Miss Churchill. The number ends in 8866,” Kylie Churchill said softly. Perhaps because she was on a date with Shawn Lane, her voice was laced with an irrepressible joy.

“Miss Churchill, a table for two. Right this way, please.”

The restaurant’s dining environment was composed entirely of private tatami rooms, offering exceptional privacy. Kylie Churchill looked at Shawn Lane and explained, “This is Aetherium’s new Japanese restaurant. It’s still in its soft opening, so getting a table is incredibly difficult. Only Platinum members and above could book a spot during this period. They said that because of limited ingredients, they’re only seating half the restaurant. It will open fully once all the kinks are worked out.”

“So that’s why,” Shawn Lane said, his eyes crinkling into a smile as he looked at her. “No wonder you insisted I keep today free.”

Kylie Churchill looked a little smug. “Because I remembered you love this kind of food. The ingredients here are top-tier. You’re leaving the country soon, and I want us to make more happy memories together.”

The mention of him going abroad made Shawn Lane a little uneasy.

Long-distance relationships were fraught with uncertainty, and Kylie Churchill was an exceptional catch. He was terrified that she would fall for someone else while he was away.

“Kylie, will you come visit me?” Shawn Lane asked, a sudden wave of emotion in his voice. “I’m afraid that if we’re apart for too long… I won’t be able to stand how much I miss you.”

The sudden depth of his feelings made Kylie Churchill’s heart race. She quickly nodded. “Of course. I’ll come visit you whenever I’m free.”

Shawn Lane’s lips curved into a charming smile. “I’ll come back to visit often, too. Just one more year. Once I graduate, we can be together for good.”

His words brought a deep blush to Kylie Churchill’s lovely face. She shyly lowered her gaze. “Okay. I’ll wait for you.”

Moments later, Cecilia Sterling and Julie also entered the restaurant.

Of course, the two of them didn’t have a reservation. The waiter looked troubled. “Manager Zhu, all the private rooms are booked. The rooms in the other half of the restaurant aren’t open and haven’t even been cleaned yet. So…”

Before Julie could say a word, Cecilia spoke up. “That’s fine. We’ll just sit at the counter.”

This “counter seating” was at the teppanyaki grill, where diners could eat while watching the chef at work. However, these seats were typically in the main dining area and offered no privacy.

Since the two of them were only there to sample the new menu, they didn’t need privacy. At her words, the waiter led them to the counter, where a chef was searing foie gras.

The thick, plump piece of foie gras sizzled, its rich aroma filling the air. Paired with fresh mango slices and a shaving of black truffle, it looked absolutely mouth-watering.

It had been a while since she’d had Japanese food, so Cecilia didn’t hold back. She ordered a feast of sashimi, sushi, teppanyaki, sukiyaki, and tempura—everything she was craving.

The sashimi arrived first. The quality of its sashimi is the ultimate test of any Japanese restaurant.

“You see,” Julie began, “we don’t use Norwegian salmon. This is New Zealand King Salmon. Its flesh is more delicate, and the fat content is much richer.”

“The marbling on the otoro is simply gorgeous. The quality is outstanding.”

“Our ark clams are from a supplier in Hokkaido. The meat is firm and crisp with a nice bite, superior even to arctic surf clams.”

As Julie explained, Cecilia dug in, unable to stop after the first bite.

“I used to have to go out for Japanese food all the time since we didn’t have a place like this here. This is so much more convenient.”

Adding a high-end Japanese restaurant had been Cecilia’s idea in the first place. Her reasoning was simple: she loved the cuisine. ‘Aetherium has a Spanish restaurant and a Vietnamese restaurant, so how can it not have a Japanese one?’ she had thought.

“Julie, aren’t you going to eat?” Cecilia asked, noticing that Julie hadn’t touched her chopsticks.

Julie shook her head with a polite smile. “I’m not really one for raw food. I’ll wait for the cooked dishes.”

Cecilia looked crestfallen. “Oh? That’s such a shame. I love raw food! I’m a huge fan of raw marinated seafood, too. I grew up eating the kind from Veridia—it’s absolutely delicious!”

Just then, Kylie Churchill emerged from her private room, walking into the main dining area in slippers. Her voice was a little too loud as she called out, “Server!”