Chapter 97: Standing Up for His Subordinates

Afterward, Chen Huajiang exchanged a few words with his wife and returned to the Nantian Restaurant.

Business was brisk—the queue stretched out the door, and inside, the place was bustling with people.

“Welcome!”

Ah, it’s the boss.

As soon as Chen Huajiang stepped in, he heard Wei Lanhua’s voice. She was clearing a dinner table and, out of habit, greeted the newcomer, only to look up and find it was Chen Huajiang, not another customer. She couldn’t help but smile awkwardly.

“Not bad. I thought you were shy and never smiled,” he teased with a nod, “Seems I misjudged you.” Smiling, he continued into the kitchen for his usual inspection.

The restaurant was running more smoothly by the day, everything proceeding in an orderly fashion. Yet it was still missing one crucial role: a manager. Chen Huajiang couldn’t possibly oversee this place forever.

But he was torn about whom to choose. The pool of suitable candidates was simply too small. Daguang was too dull; Liang Long wouldn’t quit his job at this stage to join him. Guo Lin was capable, but he had just taken charge of this branch—if he transferred him now, Guo Lin would certainly feel slighted. Besides, someone would need to manage the original branch. It would just be robbing Peter to pay Paul.

A shadowy figure lingered in Chen Huajiang’s mind—Hao Jianguo. Unfortunately, after their last meeting, Hao had not sought him out again.

Perhaps he should take the initiative, pay him a visit—make a third plea, just like seeking a wise advisor for a kingdom?

He was mulling over these thoughts when a glass of water appeared on the table before him.

“Boss, would you like to order?” Wei Lanhua asked nervously, her head bowed.

“You don’t need to curry favor like this,” he replied with a wave of his hand and a chuckle. “Take care of the other customers—don’t be so formal with me. Once you get to know me, you’ll see I’m not the fussy type. When I’m hungry or thirsty, I’ll just ask you directly for something.”

Understanding, Wei Lanhua nodded and carried the glass away to another table.

Chen Huajiang opened his mouth in protest. Damn it! She took the water with her? That’s clueless. He’d almost reached for the glass himself, leaving him feeling a bit embarrassed.

Clearly, Wei Lanhua still lacked experience on the job.

“Brother Chen, you’re finally back!”

“Damn, I’ve been here three times today—twice you weren’t around. I thought aliens had abducted you!”

“Hey, pretty lady, bring me a cola!”

Heihu strode over boisterously and sat down across from Chen Huajiang, grumbling as he shot a lecherous glance in Wei Lanhua’s direction.

At the sight of Heihu, Wei Lanhua’s face instantly paled; she stiffened with tension.

This displeased Chen Huajiang. He said to Heihu, “Tiger, show some respect. She’s my staff, not one of your underlings.”

“What, Chen, you’re not going to get all huffy with me, are you? I didn’t say anything—just called her pretty, that’s all.”

“Oh, I get it. She’s the woman you’ve set your sights on. My mistake, my mistake.”

Heihu was also annoyed, glaring at Chen Huajiang and cocking his head, trying to exert some psychological pressure.

But when he saw Chen Huajiang’s calm, indifferent expression, he sensed the other’s resolve. Though displeased, Heihu had no choice but to change the subject, but not without taking another jab at Chen Huajiang.

He’d been here three times today. The first time he saw Wei Lanhua, he was tempted—she seemed like someone easy to approach. The second time, he tried to ask for her name and contact information, but she kept silent, leaving him frustrated.

“Wei Lanhua, go take care of the other tables. You don’t need to serve us here,” Chen Huajiang interjected, providing her with a way out. She nodded gratefully, relieved—she was clearly intimidated by Heihu’s thug-like demeanor.

“Tiger, come on now. I’m a married man, as you well know,” Chen Huajiang said. “What I can’t stand is your attitude toward my staff. You own a ten percent stake in this place. Even a rabbit knows not to foul its own nest—yet here you are, acting worse than a rabbit.”

“Don’t glare at me. Everyone has their bottom line. Kunlun Catering is mine. Anyone causing trouble here is crossing me.”

He looked at Heihu with a cold gaze, determined to nip this in the bud. If he let it slide, it would only escalate, and the restaurant would descend into chaos—he’d never be able to manage the team or run the business properly.

“Impressive, Brother Chen. You’ve always got a trick up your sleeve,” Heihu replied with a forced smile. “But since we’re friends, I apologize for today and promise it won’t happen again.”

He clearly wasn’t happy—who would have thought Chen Huajiang would embarrass him publicly over a waitress?

But Heihu had come to Chen Huajiang with a request, so he couldn’t afford to sour their relationship.

“Much appreciated, Tiger,” Chen Huajiang replied with a smile.

“I’ve leased a storefront at the East Gate’s main entrance, planning to start a small business similar to yours. I’d like you to take a look at it for me,” Heihu said with a grin.

With those words, Chen Huajiang understood: Heihu still hadn’t let go of his greed. The restaurant’s impressive turnover during its three-day trial run had amazed Heihu—he’d shown his covetousness then, his first thought being to run off with the profits. He’d even considered gym and beauty parlor schemes, though Chen Huajiang had discouraged him at the time.

Clearly, Heihu hadn’t given up—he’d already rented the storefront.

“Alright, since you want me to take a look, I’ll do it,” Chen Huajiang agreed, knowing there was no point arguing now.

“Great, thanks, Brother Chen. Let’s grab dinner together tonight,” Heihu said, cupping his hands in mock gratitude.

They left together, caught a rickshaw, and made their way to Heihu’s new shop.

Nanmingshi was divided into five zones: east, south, west, north, and central. The East Gate’s main entrance had once been the city gate in ancient times. Even a few decades ago, it had seen a fierce battle during the city’s defense. When enemy forces attacked Nanmingshi, the defenders held out at the East Gate wall, fighting bitterly.

Even now, traces of that history remained—bullet holes pitted the old city walls near the main gate, moss growing in the craters, bearing silent witness to the passage of time.

Today, the East Gate district was the most prosperous part of Nanmingshi. Most government housing was located there, making its economy second only to the city center.

Heihu’s new storefront was in an excellent location, right at the entrance to the main gate, next to the East Gate farmers’ market—a high-traffic area. In fact, he had leased two adjoining storefronts and had already knocked down the wall between them, clearly preparing for a big venture.

“Not bad, the location is excellent. It would be hard to lose money running a restaurant here,” Chen Huajiang commented, though he silently added, “but making a fortune wouldn’t be easy either.”