Chapter Twenty-One: Opening the Shop

February 2016.

Yangcheng, Ning County, Silver Beach.

That narrow, elongated commercial street.

A restaurant named Seaside Cottage opened its doors, though not in any grand fashion.

This Seaside Cottage isn’t particularly large, barely over thirty square meters in size.

The place is decorated in American country style: red-and-white striped tablecloths cover the dining tables, vintage lamps nestle beside them, and one transparent glass wall faces blue sun umbrellas and waist-high wooden fences. Western country music echoes, brightening the mood with every note!

A menu hangs on the renovated wall.

There are only eight dishes listed.

Fried corn tortillas. These originated in Mexico and found their way to America; the tortillas are filled, somewhat reminiscent of roast duck pancakes, combining vegetables and meat in fragrant harmony. One portion, one hundred.

Alaskan cod fillet. The fillets are pristine, glossy, tender, and delicious—a seasonal delicacy to accompany drinks. One portion, two hundred.

New York bagel. While bagels began in Europe, they flourished in nineteenth-century New York. You’ll find even better bagels at the corner deli, but Jewish delis still insist on hand-rolling them. Bagels are ring-shaped bread rolls boiled and baked from flour, water, and malt. When buying bagels, add cream cheese and smoked salmon for extra delight. One portion, one hundred.

Cheese-baked lobster. The flavor is exquisite; the lobster meat is just cooked, firm and springy, with the aroma of garlic melding into creamy cheese—one bite, and the richness fills your mouth. One portion, one thousand.

Montana steak. In Montana, livestock outnumber people by twelve to one. In the Big Sky State, you’ll discover top-grade steaks; all-natural Angus beef is among the best. The tastiness of steak depends not only on its size, but also on its doneness—the rarer, the better. One portion, five hundred.

Boston clam chowder. Every Bostonian has their own definition of the best chowder. It’s based on milk and cream, mixed with chunks of clam, potatoes, and clam juice. New England also offers other seafood dishes—clams, oysters on the half shell, and young cod. One portion, two hundred.

Chicago hot dog. Chicago may be famous for deep-dish pizza, but its hot dog reigns supreme. Vienna sausage nestled in a bun topped with onions, tomatoes, shredded lettuce, bell peppers, Greek golden peppers, and sweet relish. One portion, one hundred.

New Orleans gumbo. Life in New Orleans revolves around jazz, zydeco dancing, swamp blues, stuffed pancakes, and a spoonful or two of gumbo. Gumbo is Louisiana’s favorite—a seafood or smoked meat vegetable stew, thickened with okra or a roux of wheat and fat. There are countless versions, from classic Creole gumbo to spicy French-descendant styles. One portion, two hundred.

As for drinks, there’s a wide selection: Budweiser, and several types of red wine commonly found in the market.

And seated at the bar, the young man is Shen Ye.

Yes, Shen Ye is the owner of this establishment.

Shen Ye first decided to open a restaurant.

He originally planned for a Cantonese restaurant, but Chinese food is oily, the cooking process complicated, and washing dishes troublesome. Too much oil, even the dishwasher would struggle.

So, he changed his mind: why not open an American-style restaurant and serve American cuisine?

After all, American dishes are incredibly simple to prepare, and the plates can go straight into the dishwasher after eating, hassle-free.

As for flavor? There’s always the magical seasoning of Dining in the Open Air.

Of course, the transfer contract for the shop was signed in December. Then came the New Year, so Shen Ye didn’t rush to open before the holiday; he started afterward. He used the month or so to find a chef skilled in American food, paid some tuition, and learned to make American dishes.

Because American cuisine is so simple, Shen Ye now doesn’t need to hire anyone.

Then, he simply sat here and waited for business.

...

But today was the first day.

So the first arrivals weren’t customers, but relatives and friends, here to support Shen Ye’s new venture.

His father, Shen Jiaping.

His mother, Lin Mei.

As well as his eldest uncle, Shen Baoping, and fourth uncle, Shen Guoping. On his father’s side there were five: Shen Baoping, Shen Jiaping, Shen Weiping, Shen Guoping, and Fifth Aunt Shen Qin.

Among these, Third Uncle Shen Weiping was rather wealthy, but he always looked down on poor relatives and rarely interacted with the others. Shen Ye couldn’t persuade Shen Weiping to attend his opening.

From his mother’s side, a few relatives came as well: eldest aunt Lin Chun and younger aunt Lin Zhu.

These relatives came to show support for Shen Ye’s new restaurant. But when they saw the price list, they were stunned.

Finally, Fifth Aunt Shen Qin spoke up: “Ye, did you mark these prices wrong? The cheapest dish is a hundred yuan per portion.”

Shen Qin, thirty-eight this year, also ran a restaurant herself. Looking at these prices, she felt they reached the heavens.

“Fifth Aunt, my menu targets the high-end market,” Shen Ye replied with a smile. “High-end dining means fewer dishes, but higher profit. That gives me more rest and more income. What could be more delightful?”

Shen Jiaping snorted, “Did someone kick your brains out? With prices like this, and just a small roadside shop, who’s going to eat here?”

“Dad, aren’t you always hands-off with my affairs? Besides, I feel this is how I’ll make big money. Let my sister become a rich beauty,” Shen Ye said leisurely.

Lin Mei’s head spun as she read the prices. “Son, maybe lower them a bit? Thirty yuan per dish is about right.”

“Mom, trust me. I said I’d go upscale, so I’m sticking to it. Don’t worry. People these days have money—they need high-end dining,” Shen Ye answered confidently.

Lin Mei hesitated. She was soft-hearted and indecisive by nature.

Seeing Shen Ye’s determination, the relatives didn’t say more.

But deep down, none of them believed Shen Ye’s restaurant would succeed. They were sure he’d lose money.

The prices were simply outrageous.

...

On the first day, a few customers came in, but as soon as they saw the menu, they turned and left, clearly thinking it was a scam. Only recently had the reputation of Qingdao’s thirty-eight-yuan-per-shrimp scandal emerged; who wanted to be fleeced?

On the second day, a few more customers entered, but after seeing the menu, they too left immediately.

On the third day, more guests came, but again, they turned and left.

In other words, Shen Ye’s turnover for the first three or four days was zero.

Shen Ye was not anxious at all. He continued to sit at the bar, listening to mellow English songs, gazing at the enchanting sea outside the window.

He waited for customers, confident in his seasoning, Dining in the Open Air. The flavor spoke for itself; he wasn’t worried about sales. He only needed to wait patiently.

(These chapters are transitional. The protagonist secretly hunts criminals, but on the surface needs an identity, a way to earn money, and improve his family’s financial situation.)