"System, can I swear?" Mai Ge looked at the last two upgrade options that could even be directly upgraded to holographic projection, and the prices were jumping from 100 to 200 gold coins. He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow and say, "Isn't it better to just buy a new one instead of upgrading this?"
"Host, please have some self-respect. Insulting this system may trigger a hidden quest." the system said sternly.
"Okay, I bought a watch last year[1], it's pretty nice." Mai Ge nodded, glancing at the Level 4 Package that can upgrade to holographic projection and various dance performances. He was indeed tempted, but looking at the 200 gold coins price, he hesitated for a moment and then quietly said, "Upgrade to Level 1."
Right now, saving money was the most important thing. Amy was still in the novelty phase of the music box, she hadn't even learned the first song yet. There was no need to upgrade to holographic mode.
"Ten gold coins deducted. Upgrade in progress. Completed in five minutes. The battery will be fully charged after the upgrade." the system's voice sounded.
Mai Ge glanced at the counter, now empty where the music box had once stood. Since the system would recharge it, he didn't bother waiting any longer. He scooped up the Ugly Duckling, then slowly picked up Amy and began to walk upstairs.
The little one was sleeping soundly, so Mai Ge didn't want to wake her. After putting both little ones into bed, he went downstairs to turn off the lights.
Before turning off the light after washing up, Mai Ge stood by the crib, looking at the sleeping Amy, a smile appearing on his face.
He never imagined he would have such a delicate and adorable little daughter. This transmigration, which should have been a punishment, had suddenly become so wonderful. He had many beautiful expectations and visions for the future. Starting with the restaurant, he would slowly integrate into this Chaos City and multi-racial world.
The next day, Mai Ge got up early. He was busy all day, starting with preparing ingredients. Only after becoming a restaurant owner did he realize how far in advance a restaurant serving breakfast needed to prepare. He skipped the step of buying fresh ingredients.
Business was even better today than yesterday. The rumor that Rou Jia Mo could help with weight loss had spread among customers, so several groups of overweight customers came today.
The largest group was eight wealthy young ladies, even more exaggerated in size than Harrison and his group. When they sat down, Mai Ge was a little worried that the chairs might collapse, but fortunately, the ten gold coins chairs customized by the system were quite sturdy.
The scene after eating the Rou Jia Mo was even more chaotic, with the mouths of the customers around them agape. Mai Ge didn't dare to look too long either, as it was a bit too much for his eyes.
"Boss Mai, I saw on the sign outside that it says 'Countdown to Closed Day 1.' Does that mean your restaurant is closed tomorrow?" That evening, a customer took the Rou Jia Mo and asked Mai Ge.
"Yes, the restaurant is open for six days and then closes for one day. Today happens to be the sixth day, so we'll be closed tomorrow." Mai Ge smiled and nodded, this was already the umpteenth time he'd explained this today.
"Oh, I see. I was thinking of bringing my wife and kids to eat here tomorrow." The customer sounded a little disappointed, but then tried to persuade Mai Ge again, saying, "Your restaurant is so popular, how much money would you lose if you closed for even one day? And some customers might not come back if the restaurant is closed tomorrow. Look at other restaurants, they're open all year round. This makes us feel uncomfortable."
"Yes, Boss Mai, after eating your delicious food, I can't eat anyone else's food. If I don't eat tomorrow, I'll starve!"
"Boss Mai, so many of us are regular customers who come everyday. For your business to last, you can't just work sporadically. Isn't that torturing us?"
The customers sitting nearby echoed, saying they were getting addicted and craving it if they didn't eat it for a day. Now that they heard Mai Ge was planning to take a day off, they were trying every possible way to change his mind, some even with a hint of threat.
"You won't starve if you don't eat for a day. This is a rule set before the restaurant opened. Only I can cook the dishes in the restaurant, and I need to reserve some time to handle other things, so I can't work year round." Mai Ge shook his head, explaining his refusal cleanly and decisively.
The guests looked at each other in surprise. Mai Ge's words left no room for negotiation. Most restaurant owners would be trembling with fear if they had to take a day off, wishing they could stay in the restaurant all day long, afraid that regular customers would leave. How could they be as willful as Mai Ge?
However, these days, Mai Ge has strictly adhered to the restaurant's opening hours. Even if there are dozens of people queuing outside, he will not open a minute early. Once opening hours are over, even if there are still a bunch of customers wanting to order, he will refuse without hesitation, so saying these things is just a struggle.
After seeing off the last group of customers, Mai Ge closed the door and let out a long sigh of relief. He could finally rest tomorrow.
He understood the customers' desire to eat delicious food everyday, but compared to playing with Amy, missing one day of meals a week was nothing. Not having holidays and weekends off was already his biggest compromise.
Today's sales were basically the same as yesterday's, which was the limit that he and Amy could achieve together. There were less than 300 Rou Jia Mo tasks left, and he could complete the unlocking after a day's rest.
The music box had its power supply changed, but Amy didn't notice. The little one hummed along for two days and can now sing the whole song along with the original singer, her musical talent is truly unmatched.
…
"Daddy, are we going to the academy to see Teacher Luna today?" The next day, Amy woke up early, got out of her crib, climbed onto Mai Ge's bed, and asked excitedly.
Mai Ge, who hadn't set an alarm for a rare day, opened his eyes groggily and met Amy's bright, clear eyes. The curtains were pulled open a little, probably by Amy. He glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside table, it was already eight o'clock. He hadn't slept so well for several days.
"Yes, the restaurant isn't open today. After breakfast, we can go out and play all day." Mai Ge nodded, sat up, and smilingly picked up Amy, who was lying on the blanket, and tickled her, making her giggle.
Amy waved her little hands, trying to scratch Mai Ge, their laughter echoing in the room.
"Meow meow~" The Ugly Duckling hopped back and forth on the ground, even trying to stand up on its hind legs to see what was happening up there, but its short legs couldn't see anything at all, so it could only meow pitifully from below, having been kicked off the bed again today as usual.
"Alright, the sun's almost high in the sky, it's time to go. Which little dress do you want to wear today? What kind of hairstyle do you want?" Mai Ge picked Amy up and stood up, asking with a smile.
[1] “I bought a watch last year” Internet meme explanation: The term "I bought a watch last year" evolved from the Internet buzzword “wqnmlgb”, and now it has become a common expression. Everyone used this implicit phrase when expressing dissatisfaction.