"Is this the new manager Boss Lin dug up? She has such a gentle smile, just like the girl next door."

"She's our manager, Shu Yun. She previously worked as the front desk manager at Fishing Platform and joined us because she absolutely loves Dundun."

Upon hearing the waiter's explanation, several customers were immediately shocked.

A front desk manager from Fishing Platform becoming Lin Ji's store manager? Is the new store's staffing really that high-level?

"What about the chefs in the kitchen? Besides Chef Xu, Master Niu, Master Ma, and the others, are there any newcomers?"

"Yes, there are. We have Wei Qian, who participated in two food competitions. There's also Master Zhu, the nephew of the head chef from Building Fifteen of Fishing Platform; Master Ji from Gate Six, who excels at rolling dough; Master Qin from Building Two; and Master Zhuang, who ranked fourth in the last competition. Our boss poached them all."

When the customers heard this, their expressions turned even more shocked.

They weren't familiar with Zhu Yong, Ji Minghui, and Qin Wei, but they knew Wei Qian and Zhuang Yizhou.

"I didn't expect Boss Lin to poach even his rivals from the cooking competitions! Must work hard, must make money! From now on, Lin Ji will be my canteen!"

With so many experts gathered at Lin Ji, the prices of the dishes would surely rise significantly.

So, I need to work hard and earn money so I can frequently treat myself at Lin Ji.

The customers took out their phones to take pictures of the restaurant's interior, and they also snapped a photo of the beautiful manager from Fishing Platform.

Once they posted it under the Lin Ji's Food topic, it immediately drew gasps of admiration from netizens.

「In the tearoom of Building Two at Fishing Platform」

Xie Baomin placed two Big Red Tangerines in front of Qiu Zhenhua, who was looking at his phone. "Don't bother getting Old Guo to appraise these, alright? That old scoundrel changed his hiding spot for his tea leaves. I searched for ages and could only find these two—I'm giving them both to you."

Qiu Zhenhua scrolled through his phone, a helpless expression on his face. "I never thought Shu Yun would really go to Lin Ji. And the netizens are even saying Dundun lured her away! Is my junior becoming so disingenuous now? Blaming it on a cat... Is he afraid I'll cause trouble for him?"

Xie Baomin recalled Lin Xu's time working at Fishing Platform and said with a smile, "You know, that's quite possible. Back then, Dundun clung to Shu Yun like a child and actually turned her into a cat slave... Look at how sensible their cat is! Unlike you lot, always giving me endless worries."

What's with him? Qiu Zhenhua thought. Has that scoundrel been a drill instructor or something? Why has he started making such snide remarks lately?

He finished his tea and returned his attention to the phone. "Gotta say, your junior's store is really popular. It was a soft opening without any promotion, yet so many people showed up. If I didn't know better, I'd think it was a mall's anniversary celebration."

Xie Baomin laughed. "That's nothing; just wait and see. This place will definitely become a benchmark in Yanjing's culinary industry."

When it was just a roadside stall, its daily revenue already exceeded fifty thousand. Now, with such a large venue and prices comparable to similar-grade restaurants, the daily turnover must be in the hundreds of thousands.

Those old-school, pretentious restaurants in Yanjing should just wait for the reshuffle!

「In the kitchen of Lin Ji's Food」

After touring the new store, the customers began placing their orders.

Looking at the order slips, Lin Xu told Wei Qian and the others, "The customers caught us off guard today; we'll have to eat in shifts. Even though it's a soft opening, we must strive for perfection and guarantee the quality of our dishes."

"Got it!"

"Understood, Boss!"

"Don't worry, we'll definitely put our heart into it."

After giving these instructions, Lin Xu packed some rice into insulated food containers, added several other dishes, and finally, sliced a portion of Crystal Pork Hock and one of pressed pig's head, sealing them with ice packs. He also prepared a garlic paste dipping sauce with vinegar on the side.

After packing all the dishes into a sealed carry bag, his father-in-law's lunch was ready.

He called for a runner service and handed the bag to Chef Xu. "Take this to the service desk on the first floor and have Tiantian give it to the runner."

"Alright!"

Downstairs, customers who hadn't yet ordered were intently studying the menu, filled with exquisite dishes.

"Wow! They've added so many dishes!"

"I had no idea the signature dishes section would even include chef profiles."

"Boss Lin has wooed so many talented people; it looks like he's planning something big."

"Waiter, are there any dishes made by Boss Lin on here?"

The nearby waiter said, "During our soft opening, our boss is mainly responsible for the hand-pulled noodles. Today, he only made two dishes: the pressed pig's head from the braised items section, and the Crystal Pork Hock displayed in the cold appetizer area."

"Really? Then give us one of each, and a large bowl of diced eggplant hand-pulled noodles for everyone."

The same scene occurred at other tables.

As soon as they heard that Lin Xu had made new pressed pig's head and Crystal Pork Hock, everyone couldn't wait to try them.

Once the dishes were served, many customers were captivated by the visual appeal of the two items.

"I never expected the pressed pig's head to look this beautiful."

"Back home, during Chinese New Year, my uncle always made pressed head that was so loose and messy. If Boss Lin could publish a tutorial, I could show off my skills to the family this Spring Festival!"

Seeing this dish really brings on the New Year vibe.

I have to take a photo and wish everyone online a Happy New Year! I'm going to blow those early New Year well-wishers out of the water!

Soon, a flurry of New Year's greetings appeared under the Lin Ji's Food topic online.

Various wishes like, "Bro, Sis, Happy New Year!" and "Wishing everyone a peaceful and joyful New Year!" left netizens both amused and bewildered, while also piquing their curiosity about this visually stunning dish.

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

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