The summer sun blazed, and the cicadas chirped incessantly. It was a bit annoying to hear.
At noon, they only served two tables of guests, both acquaintances who had come specifically to support them. Although they made a net profit of several thousand yuan, Ye Jiujiu still felt a little worried—there weren't many real customers.
But that was just a joke.
Ye Jiujiu wanted to make money, but she wouldn't rely on acquaintances for personal gain. She felt a little frustrated because she hadn't had any real customers yet. Silently, she drank a large cup of lemon tea to cool down.
Around six o'clock, as the sun softened, more people began passing through the alley. Ye Jiujiu opened the door and hung up the sign that read "Open for Business."
Immediately, people noticed the restaurant's artistic atmosphere and came to inquire—but upon seeing the prices, they ran away muttering, "I can't afford it! I can't afford it!"
Nearby shop owners clicked their tongues. "Jiujiu, what kind of golden seafood are you selling? Why so expensive? A serving should be at most a few dozen yuan."
"You're wrong. My seafood is much better than gold," Ye Jiujiu replied, irritated by their gloating. "Seafood from the refrigerator is magical—better than gold."
The shop owner's face turned red, then purple. "We were just kindly warning you on behalf of your grandmother! It's definitely not too expensive."
Before he finished, six people walked toward Ye Jiujiu's shop. "May your business prosper—we've come to eat."
Ye Jiujiu recognized them: the two children who had gotten lost earlier, along with their parents. Smiling, she glanced at the embarrassed shop owner next door and opened the door. "Welcome."
"Boss, we only heard about your shop this afternoon from Sister Zhou. She said your seafood is especially delicious, so we made an appointment to come try it," the mother explained. (Sister Zhou is Lele's mother.)
"I want that porridge!" Jiaojiao, in a pink princess dress, said sweetly. "It's super delicious, right?"
"I want to eat too," said little Hao Hao, glaring at his parents. "My parents are mean—they never let me have any."
Ye Jiujiu remembered the chubby boy who had run away from kindergarten for porridge and smiled.
"Ever since that day, my child has been craving your seafood porridge. Do you have it today?" his mother asked.
"Yes, we do." Ye Jiujiu handed them a menu. "Take a look and see what you'd like."
Having already checked prices, they ordered one of each dish without hesitation. "Thank you, boss."
"You're welcome. Please wait a moment." Ye Jiujiu returned to the kitchen and remade the dishes from noon. Soon, other customers began walking in.
Those browsing were stunned by the beautiful and aloof Ye Jiujiu. Is this how restaurants are now?
Noticing their gazes, Ye Jiujiu smiled. "Are you here for a meal? How many are in your party?"
Everyone loves beauty. Among them, a chubby boy with acne felt his spring had arrived. He stepped forward. "Boss, there are five of us."
"Please come in." Ye Jiujiu led them to a six-person table against the inner wall, surrounded by greenery. "Is this alright?"
"Sure." They asked, "What's your restaurant's sign?"
"We're a private seafood restaurant, and we only sell fresh seafood." Ye Jiujiu handed them the menu.
"Seafood? What a coincidence! I love seafood," said the chubby boy, feeling fate had smiled on him—until he saw the prices. A bucket of cold water seemed to pour over his head.
The others glanced at the menu, hands trembling. Was it too late to run?
Ye Jiujiu understood their predicament. "The seafood here is all wild, better than the market. It's a private restaurant with family-inherited skills, so prices are a bit higher. However, since we just opened today, there's a 20% discount."
Though expensive even with the discount, the group was too concerned about appearances to leave. They ordered five dishes:
Cold seaweed salad
Steamed clams with egg
Scallops with garlic and vermicelli
Stir-fried whelks with chili
Baked mussels with cheese
"Please wait a moment," Ye Jiujiu said, heading to the kitchen.
"The style here is very refined—I like it," one girl said, snapping photos.
"I like it too," the chubby boy whispered, glancing toward the kitchen. "The owner is really beautiful."
"Just because someone's pretty, we're ordering such expensive food? Five dishes cost over a thousand yuan. We might as well eat hot pot," his companion muttered. "Let's run before it starts."
"It's unethical to cancel an order. If the food's bad, we can report her to the Consumer Association," another said.