Chapter 219: Tearfully Cutting Off Mingliang
This was the first time Lin Canrong had ever heard of a restaurant needing to prepare not only different sets of tableware but even different tables for different styles…
There was space to store them, sure—the villa had an underground garage that could hold plenty of tables and chairs. But every meal would require setting everything up anew…
Just imagining it felt like a massive headache.
Pei Qian shook his head. "Of course it's necessary!"
"As a high-end restaurant, in addition to having quality ingredients, excellent cooking skills, and good dishes, we must also provide the best possible environment."
"It's just like how ancient scholars drank wine—different wines required different cups, and there were many complex, meticulous rituals. It wasn't only for the sense of ceremony. Suitable vessels could bring out the unique qualities of the wine and help create the right atmosphere!"
"Other restaurants only specialize in one type of cuisine, so their décor can stay consistent."
"Our restaurant will offer Western food, Chinese food, Japanese food, French food, and more. To give customers the best dining experience, we must be ready with multiple styles. From decorations, tables, and tableware to the overall ambiance, everything must be 100% accurate!"
"Details determine success or failure. Understand?"
Lin Canrong's jaw dropped in shock.
This…
It all sounded very reasonable, but something still felt off.
Yes, the dining environment was important, but was it really worth going through the trouble of constantly switching décor and tableware?
Could it be… that President Pei's requirement wasn't just about ritual or formality, but about a relentless pursuit of perfection itself?
By perfectly arranging the dining environment, they could provide guests with the ultimate dining experience?
Yes, that must be it!
Lin Canrong nodded vigorously. "Yes, President Pei, I understand now!"
"I'll go back and study up on all the related knowledge and then give our waitstaff systematic training. No matter if it's Chinese, Western, Japanese, or any other cuisine, we'll execute everything flawlessly. From the environment and service to the specific ways of eating, we'll make sure it's all done to perfection!"
"Uh…"
For a moment, Pei Qian was at a loss for words.
He hadn't actually intended things to be that strict. After all, this was just for his own employees—why bother making the service so polished?
But since Lin Canrong had misunderstood, Pei Qian couldn't really correct him now.
Then Lin Canrong thought of another question. "President Pei, what should we call this place?"
Pei Qian paused for a moment before asking back, "Does it really need a name?"
Lin Canrong: "…"
What kind of question was that? Of course it needed a name!
Otherwise, how would guests recommend it to their friends? The conversation would be completely awkward.
"Hey, I went to this amazing restaurant the other day!"
"Oh? What's it called?"
"…It doesn't have a name."
That just wouldn't do.
And if they wanted to list it on a review site, they'd need to enter a name anyway!
What's more, this restaurant was opening in a villa neighborhood.
Foot traffic was low to begin with. If they didn't even put up a sign, passersby might not realize it was a restaurant at all—they might just assume it was an ordinary residence!
But Pei Qian shook his head confidently. "A name isn't really necessary."
"We'll conquer people with our cuisine, not with some flashy title."
"Good food speaks for itself. Even if we don't promote it, it'll inevitably become popular."
Lin Canrong opened his mouth: "But President Pei, the shop needs a name. We have to register for a business license!"
"Oh." Pei Qian thought for a moment. "Then you decide. You're the manager."
"Register whatever name you like. But don't make a sign, don't display it. We'll win customers' hearts with food alone!"
"Anyway, make all the preparations. For the very first meal, I'll bring Tengda's employees over to support you!"
When Lin Canrong heard that he'd be the one naming the place, he felt a bit nervous. But seeing the trust in President Pei's eyes, he still nodded firmly.
"Understood, President Pei! I'll give it my all!"
…
Back at his rented apartment, Pei Qian opened Aili Island again to check on the video he had uploaded.
The view count was still low, not much different from when he had left that morning.
That was perfectly normal. No exposure meant no views, no views meant no likes or coins, and naturally the video would just get buried.
Many content creators with genuinely valuable material didn't blow up overnight either. They relied on persistently releasing high-quality content and slowly building up a following.
Pei Qian then placed an online order for Shenhua's latest flagship phone. That was going to be the "victim" of his next video.
But given the current pace of logistics, it would take at least two or three days before he could get his hands on it.
"Sigh, I miss DogDong (JD)…"
"Hopefully my Against the Wind Logistics can speed up its development too, so one day I can enjoy that same-day delivery feeling of ordering in the morning and receiving in the afternoon."
He yawned, pulled a blanket over himself, and went down for a nap.
…
…
August 1st.
In the morning, Pei Qian arrived at the office in good spirits.
Today was the day for Tengda's biannual Best Employee Selection Process.
All of the employees were perfectly aware of it, their expressions ranging from excited to anxious.
Only Bao Xu looked a bit grim. He had no interest in this selection whatsoever and had been secretly praying that he wouldn't end up in second place.
These days, he had been deliberately trying to lower his presence. But with voting… who could say for sure?
"Alright, no need for nonsense. Everyone, cast your votes."
Pei Qian didn't bother with a speech. No matter who got chosen, the arrangement was the same—one million yuan as a dream fund and a full month of paid leave.
The only little selfish wish Pei Qian had was that everyone wouldn't vote for Lu Mingliang.
Compared to Huang Sibo and Bao Xu, Pei Qian was actually quite satisfied with Lu Mingliang. He was obedient, didn't overthink things, and if he were replaced as lead executive designer, there was no guarantee the new person would be as easy to work with.
Everyone clicked their mice and completed their votes.
Some employees weren't present in person, but online voting worked the same.
Soon, the voting closed.
Pei Qian glanced at the tally, and his heart gave a sudden lurch.
Damn it—the first place really was Lu Mingliang!
Just what he feared, it came true.
Pei Qian was extremely reluctant. After all, finding such a by-the-book lead executive designer wasn't easy. If they replaced him with someone who turned out like Huang Sibo—constantly carrying the company forward—wouldn't that be even more disastrous?
But rules were rules. Even though Pei Qian had a soft spot for Lu Mingliang, he couldn't break company policy just to keep him in place.
Pei Qian steadied his mood, then handed the small trophy to Lu Mingliang.
"Congratulations."
Lu Mingliang froze for a moment before standing up.
He hadn't expected it to be him!
He glanced at Bao Xu, thinking the man had seniority and was more deserving of the award.
Pei Qian guessed what he was about to say and gently shook his head.
"This was the unanimous vote of the staff. You've earned it."
After a moment of hesitation, Lu Mingliang finally accepted the trophy.
It wasn't large, but it felt heavy in his hands!
So this… was what Brother Huang felt when he received the Best Employee trophy?
Lu Mingliang felt it deeply: this wasn't just a trophy. It was President Pei's trust—a weighty responsibility!
For an instant, countless words rushed to his lips, but he couldn't find the right thing to say.
Pei Qian then turned his gaze to the second-place winner.
Bao Xu.
There was no helping it. After all, Game Producer had been mainly Lu Mingliang's project. In the later stages—updating versions, developing new content—although Bao Xu had contributed a lot, Lu Mingliang, as lead executive designer, had been the one always in the spotlight.
Still, Bao Xu's contributions in playtesting and fine-tuning game details had not gone unnoticed. That was why he, too, ranked highly in the employee vote, earning second place.
And so, another awkward situation had arrived.
Pei Qian silently looked over at Bao Xu and gave him a kindly smile.
Brother, this really isn't me targeting you.
This is… the will of the people.
<+>
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