amaotonovel Chapter 296 Holding an Umbrella for Others
Chapter 296 Holding an Umbrella for Others
As noon approached, sunlight streamed obliquely through the living room's floor-to-ceiling windows, casting dappled shadows on Yuan Bao's laptop.
She typed the last line, closed her laptop, walked out of the room, and looked at Yuan's mother, who was tidying up her gym equipment. "Mom, I'll have my older brother take you to the frog restaurant to order food first. I'll go pick up Xiaozhi. Let's meet there."
Aunt Yuan took off her fitness tracker and wiped the fine sweat from her forehead. "Okay! I really want to try it. The pictures on the flyer made me so hungry that I couldn't sleep well last night." As she spoke, she picked up her phone and called Bao Guo.
Bao Guo's voice came from the other end of the phone, with a hearty laugh, "Mom, I just finished an online meeting with President Lin's team and was about to take a break. Please tell my sister that I'll be at the entrance of the community in ten minutes."
Yuan Bao changed into comfortable casual clothes and took the keys from the key rack in the entryway.
The apartment complex I rented was newly built in recent years; the environment was quiet and the landscaping was excellent.
It's only a five-minute walk from home to Xiaozhi's school, just outside the community garden and across the intersection.
It was right at dismissal time, and the school gate was bustling with activity.
Children, carrying colorful schoolbags, poured out of the school gate like cheerful little birds.
Yuan Bao spotted Xiao Zhi immediately. He was gathered with several classmates, engrossed in reading someone else's comic book.
"Xiao Zhi!" Yuan Bao raised his hand to call out.
Upon hearing the sound, Xiao Zhi immediately closed his comic book and ran over. "Mom! Today, the teacher praised my composition and read it aloud in class as a model essay!" The boy's face beamed with pride, and his eyes sparkled.
"My son is so great!" Yuan Bao reached out and ruffled his hair. "Come on, we agreed to have a nice lunch. Your Uncle Baoguo and Grandma are already waiting for us up ahead."
The two walked side by side toward the frog shop, with Xiao Zhi chattering away, sharing all the funny things that happened at school, from the new games he played with his classmates during breaks to a corny joke his teacher told, down to the smallest detail.
As Yuan Bao listened, he would occasionally chime in with a few words, his heart filled with warmth.
From afar, you can see the red lanterns hanging at the entrance of the frog shop swaying gently in the wind.
Bao Guo stood outside the shop looking around. As soon as he saw them, he waved and said, "Come in quickly, all the dishes are served! We've been waiting for you two to grace us with your presence."
Stepping into the store, warm yellow lights illuminate the tables, creating a cozy atmosphere.
Aunt Yuan had already rinsed the tableware with hot tea. Seeing them arrive, she quickly handed them the menu, saying, "Take another look and see if there's anything else you'd like to eat. Feel free to order."
Xiao Zhi took the menu, his eyes lighting up instantly. "Mom, I want some crispy fried pork and brown sugar glutinous rice cakes!"
"Okay, okay, light them all." Yuan Bao replied with a smile.
Soon, the dishes were served one after another.
The copper pot of fragrant frog is steaming hot, with red oil bubbling and a rich aroma wafting through the air. The tender frog meat is sprinkled with bright green cilantro and white sesame seeds.
The salt and pepper frog was fried until golden and crispy, and placed on an elegant plate, accompanied by a small dish of secret dipping sauce.
Boneless chicken feet are served in a transparent glass bowl, the broth is bright red and enticing, and the chicken feet gleam with a crystal-clear luster.
Xiao Zhi couldn't wait to pick up a piece of frog, blow on it, take a big bite, and his eyes widened instantly. "Wow! It's so delicious! It's numbing and spicy, and the meat is so tender!" he said, giving a thumbs up.
Bao Guo also picked up a piece of salt and pepper frog, making a "crunch" sound as he bit into it. "The cooking time is just right. The outer skin is crispy, but the meat inside is not dry at all."
Aunt Yuan took a bite of the boneless chicken feet and squinted her eyes slightly. "The sour and spicy flavor is just right, and the chicken feet are chewy enough. I'll study it later and see if I can make it at home."
Seeing how much Yuan's mother liked it, but not wanting her to be tired, Yuan Bao really wanted to move to the new house as soon as possible so that Xiao Xiaobai could take over all the chores in the kitchen.
Bao Guo began to share interesting stories about working with Lin Guodong's team.
"For this collaboration, Mr. Lin's team came up with many novel ideas for the product promotion plan."
But what I admire most is their attention to detail; even a small icon on the poster underwent more than a dozen revisions.
Yuan Bao nodded, "Working with a professional team really teaches us a lot. Once our shop is renovated, we need to plan it out carefully and try to make it a hit from the start."
Xiao Zhi looked up, his mouth still full of food, and said indistinctly, "Mom, when the shop opens, I'll go help out during my holidays and be your little employee!"
"Okay, then I'll reserve Xiao Zhi as my capable little helper in advance," Yuan Bao said with a smile.
"You have to be able to endure hardship to be a junior employee!" Bao Guo picked up a piece of frog meat covered in chili oil and waved it at Xiao Zhi with a smile. "You can't slack off when you're serving dishes or wiping tables."
Just as Xiao Zhi was about to retort, Yuan Bao followed up, saying, "Speaking of hiring, we really need to plan our shop's staffing arrangements in advance."
She put down her chopsticks, took out her tablet from her bag, and brought up the shop's design.
On the screen, the originally unified space is divided into two distinct parts: the left side features a Chinese style layout, while the right side is a modern glass curtain wall.
"The TCM treatment experience center on the left is smaller and plans to operate in a relaxed manner, with appointments only. It mainly offers moxibustion and herbal teas, and regular customers can enjoy personalized conditioning and health-preserving pills."
Yuan Bao lightly tapped the screen to zoom in and show the interior details. "Brother, you'll be in charge of this experience center from now on. You can deal with President Lin's team here regularly. After we move there, it'll be just upstairs and downstairs, close by."
Take a look yourself. We'll hire a few more professional technicians. We operate on an appointment basis and focus on personalized treatments, so there's no need to rush in the early stages.
Bao Guo put down his chopsticks, leaned over to look at the diagram, and frowned slightly: "It's feasible, but reputation is crucial in traditional Chinese medicine, so the qualifications of the technicians must be strictly controlled. I'll contact President Lin later to see if he can recommend some reliable people."
He paused, then added, "By the way, Mr. Lin's company has a department that develops online medical platforms; perhaps they can help us with some promotion."
Xiao Zhi's eyes lit up as he shoveled the last mouthful of rice into his bowl: "Then I'll recommend this place to my classmates if they're not feeling well! Maybe I can even get a discount?" This made everyone burst into laughter.
Grandma Yuan smiled and added a spoonful of plum juice to her grandson's bowl. "You're so full of clever ideas. Studying hard is the real thing."
"I plan to go for a more accessible luxury style at the Western restaurant," Yuan Bao said, swiping the screen to show the design drawings of a retro chandelier and leather sofa.
"I already have suitable candidates for the chef..." she thought to herself with a smug smile. "The culinary skills of a complete novice in real life are not limited. If I copy a few of them, they can definitely make Michelin-level Western food."
"I'll hire a few waiters then, a lot of them, and offer good benefits." Yuan Bao thought about how embarrassing it was when he was looking for a job before.
"As long as people are diligent, capable, and have a sense of responsibility, there is no age limit of 35. They work 8 hours a day, and their holidays and social security are strictly implemented in accordance with relevant regulations. We cannot mistreat our employees," Yuan Bao said firmly.
Bao Guo stroked his chin, indicating his agreement: "Yes! That's true. After getting caught in the rain, we do our best to hold an umbrella for others."
Xiao Zhi suddenly held up an empty bowl and said in a serious tone, "I propose! Give away free desserts on opening day! Just like the newbie perks in a game, and I guarantee the place will be packed with customers!"
"That's a good idea!" Yuan Bao smiled and playfully pinched his son's nose. "Alright, let's end the discussion for now. Xiao Zhi has school this afternoon..."