After the renovation, the facade of the shop was completely transformed.
A large black sign with gold lettering hung above the entrance.
Under the sunlight, the four characters “Lu Family Restaurant” shone with a golden glow.
The entrance was remodeled to resemble the eaves of an ancient palace, covered with golden tiles.
Beneath the eaves, an exquisite wood carving was inlaid, depicting lifelike birds and beasts.
Lu Feng had no prior knowledge of wood carvings.
But even he, an amateur, could tell that if this wood carving were to be sold on the market, it would certainly be worth a fortune.
The original roller shutter, once covered in dust and indistinguishable in color, had been replaced by two antique-style red doors, each adorned with a gilded lion door knocker.
The System truly had a lavish hand!
Just looking at the exterior decoration of the shop was already luxurious enough.
Lu Feng pulled out his keys, somewhat impatiently, preparing to open the door to see the interior.
Wait…
Lu Feng suddenly remembered that the keys he held were for the old, broken roller shutter.
How was he supposed to open the new door?
“System, where are the keys for the door?”
“The shop is already bound to the host; simply stand in front of the door, and it will open automatically.”
That’s amazing, it’s an automatic door.
Lu Feng stood in front of the entrance, and just as the System said, the door slowly opened automatically.
With a heart full of anticipation, Lu Feng quickly stepped into the shop’s main hall.
On both sides of the entrance, two antique wooden shelves were placed, holding several exquisite porcelain flower pots.
Inside the flower pots were various flowers and plants that Lu Feng couldn't name, bringing a vibrant atmosphere to the shop.
In the spacious hall, eight Eight Immortals tables were neatly arranged, with four Eight Immortals chairs placed under each table.
On the left wall of the hall hung a wooden plaque.
The three vigorous brush-stroke characters for “Price List” on the plaque stood out prominently.
Lu Feng looked around and was very satisfied with the shop’s renovation.
After the System’s transformation, the shop had truly gone from rags to riches.
This was countless times more luxurious than the previous decoration.
Lu Feng went to the kitchen area; the old rusty stove, along with the heavy gas tank, were gone.
On the right, against the wall, was a double stove, embedded in a white marble countertop.
This was both aesthetically pleasing and space-saving.
Next to the stove was an electric steamer, with the xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) steamers provided by the System stacked on top; Lu Feng counted 18 steamers.
Within easy reach overhead was a cupboard, neatly filled with many bowls, chopsticks, and plates.
Lu Feng casually took out a plate and examined it; the porcelain was pure white and delicate, and the rim was decorated with exquisite blue-and-white patterns.
Next to the stove was a row of white porcelain bottles, which could be used to hold various seasonings.
Below was a row of wooden cabinets, with ample space inside for storing ingredients like rice and flour.
As for the left side of the kitchen, a super-large fresh-keeping cabinet was placed there.
Lu Feng noticed an inconspicuous small door at the very back of the kitchen, and curious, he opened it and peeked inside.
The space inside the door was small and completely empty.
“System, what is this room for?”
“This connects to the System Shop; for the recipes the host has mastered, some required ingredients can be purchased in the shop, and purchased ingredients will automatically appear in this room.”
That’s fantastic, now procuring ingredients won’t be so troublesome, Lu Feng became excited.
The resentment he had felt from being tricked by the System earlier vanished without a trace.
Working in such a beautifully decorated shop from now on, he felt that even if he was busy from morning to night, he wouldn't feel tired.
Environment can influence one's mood, and with a good mood, one can maintain energy for anything.
Plus, the System's max-level cooking skills.
Lu Feng could already foresee his shop’s business booming in the future.
Next, he would grow bigger and stronger, creating new glories!
It wouldn't be long before he would be known throughout the culinary world, reaching the pinnacle of his life.
Just thinking about it made him a little excited!
“Ding!”
“Host has completed check-in. Do you want to activate the mission system?”
Lu Feng’s pleasant thoughts were interrupted by the System’s prompt.
“Activate mission!” Lu Feng replied without hesitation.
“This week’s mission has been unlocked!”
“This week’s mission: Within one week, starting tomorrow, sell a total of 500 xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) every day from 9 PM to 11 PM.”
“Mission progress: 0 / 500”
“Mission reward: 1,000,000 cash”
“Ingredient Shop has been unlocked, and relevant ingredient purchasing permissions have been granted.”
“All necessary procedures and certificates for the shop’s opening have been completed. It can officially open tomorrow.”
Seeing the mission reward, Lu Feng’s eyes instantly lit up.
1,000,000 yuan!
How long would he have to work like an ox, how many 996s would it take to save that much!
Now, he could get it just by selling 500 xiaolongbao (soup dumplings)!
Lu Feng instantly felt that the past few years had been a waste of effort.
If only he had known, he wouldn't have bothered with work!
Lu Feng looked at the mission details that appeared out of thin air, calculating in his mind as he read.
Selling 500 xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) in a week, if calculated over 5 days, means at least 100 portions per day.
Lu Feng didn't include Saturday and Sunday.
He was his own boss now; he didn't want to go back to the 996 life.
Wasn't a two-day weekend better?
Most people eat xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) for breakfast, so selling 100 portions in one morning would be a bit difficult.
However, if he also sold them at noon and in the evening, he could probably sell them all.
Selling from 9 PM until the evening…
Huh?
Wait a minute!
Lu Feng suspected he had misread, so he carefully re-read the mission details and couldn't help but exclaim.
“System, did you make a mistake? The daily business hours are only two hours? And it’s from 9 PM to 11 PM??”
“The mission is correct. Please complete it according to the mission requirements.”
Lu Feng was a bit frantic; the System’s arrangement instantly upped the difficulty.
He could only sell for two hours a day; even including Saturday and Sunday, the time wasn't enough.
Moreover, the business hours were from 9 PM to 11 PM.
What respectable person would come out to buy xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) in the middle of the night?
“System, what happens if I sell outside of the business hours?”
“Sales made outside of business hours will not be counted towards mission progress.”
…
Damn, how ruthless!
Lu Feng couldn't help but silently curse in his mind.
A flash of inspiration struck, and he suddenly thought of a good idea.
What if I only sell one xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) for one yuan?
Wouldn’t I be able to complete the mission in one go?
Hehe, I’m such a clever guy!
“Each portion of xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) must be priced no lower than 50 yuan. Selling at a lower price will result in a 10% deduction from the reward each time. Please be advised, Host.”
50 yuan?
Well, as expected of the System, it doesn’t allow any loopholes.
Lu Feng felt a bit unsure about the 50 yuan price tag.
Li's Xiaolongbao sells a basket for 30 yuan, which isn’t cheap.
But their restaurant has been open for decades, with two generations of craftsmanship, so there’s a reason for the high price.
And his newly opened small shop was selling them for even more than an old established brand.
Why?
“Detecting host’s lack of confidence. You can try your own cooking skills first.”
He didn’t expect the System to offer advice; it was becoming a bit human-like.
Since that’s the case, he would make one to taste.
Lu Feng was also curious about his max-level xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) technique and wanted to see what the xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) he made would taste like.