Chapter Two: First Arrival in Yangcheng

Shen Ye once again became the focal point of neighborhood gossip.

“Have you heard about Shen Ye? Didn’t he open a shop at Silver Beach? I heard he’s making a lot of money—five or six thousand a month, and in just over three months, he’s paid in full for a car worth over a hundred thousand,” one aunt remarked.

“Who around here hasn’t heard of Shen Ye? It’s a pity my daughter married early, otherwise I’d definitely have wanted her to marry him,” added Aunt Wang, drawing subtle looks of disdain from the others. The reason was simple: though Aunt Wang’s daughter was tall enough, her looks were rather plain—even bordering on unattractive. How could the newly prosperous, handsome Shen Ye ever be interested in her?

“You don’t know the half of it. Shen Ye is ambitious. He only ran his shop for about half a year, made a good sum, and then handed it over to his mother. Now he’s planning to open a chain in Yang City.”

“A restaurant in Yang City is bound to be more profitable than here in County N. There are more people, and they’re wealthier. He’s opening a chain there—who knows, he might become a giant in the restaurant industry. Then he won’t be just a manager, but the chairman of a restaurant company. So high-class and impressive,” boasted another aunt, who had recently learned how to use social media and was fond of trendy phrases.

“With all the young people in Shuimen Alley, I think Shen Ye is the most promising. Just barely a year out of college, and already the owner of a chain restaurant. Who knows, maybe he’ll really become a chairman someday.”

“Yes, he’s really something.”

“By the way, Aunt Liu, didn’t you say you wanted to introduce your niece to Shen Ye? Did that work out?” one aunt asked another.

“I had it all arranged, and Lin Mei agreed to let her son meet him. But before I knew it, her son refused the blind date. Sigh, with someone as successful as Shen Ye at such a young age, ordinary girls probably don’t stand a chance,” Aunt Liu sighed.

“That’s true.”

While these aunts were gossiping, Shen Ye was already preparing to open his shop in Yang City.

The most important step in opening a restaurant is choosing the right location.

Back in County N, a small place, there were only a handful of suitable spots for a restaurant, so the choice was simple. But Yang City was vast—a city of over ten million people, with countless possible locations for a restaurant. Here, you didn’t have to specifically seek out high-traffic areas—everywhere was bustling.

So, Shen Ye wanted a place with beautiful scenery.

In Yang City, two locations stood out above all others for their beauty. One was Pearl River New Town, the city’s newest business district, home to finance and economic companies—one of the most prestigious and modern parts of the city. The other was Pipa Island, the university district, with over a dozen universities nestled along the Pearl River, offering picturesque views.

These two areas were the most vibrant and luxurious in Yang City. Of course, the spending power in Pearl River New Town was certainly higher than that of Pipa Island.

So, which to choose?

An average entrepreneur would pick Pearl River New Town. But Shen Ye ultimately chose Pipa Island. It was the university district, home to more than a dozen excellent universities. Shen Ye himself had graduated from a modest technical college in Yangning, and he had always admired top universities. He had a bit of a university district complex.

Once the location was decided, everything else fell into place.

…

A little over a month later.

In Yang City, near the Yang City University of Technology on Pipa Island, a new restaurant opened.

Its name: Seaside Cottage.

The restaurant was decorated in a simple, elegant American country style.

But what set this place apart from others were two things. First, its female servers were not only beautiful, but exceptionally so—blessed with remarkable figures. When the restaurant opened, the male students from the neighboring universities were all abuzz. Someone even posted on the Yang City University of Technology’s forum: “Have you noticed a place called Seaside Cottage opened near our university? The female servers there are absolute stunners. I took a close look—though they're not that tall, their skin is flawless and fair, and their figures are incredible. Honestly, they could rival those famous actresses. They’re even more beautiful than our campus queen.”

“Really? Girls that pretty working as servers? With looks like that, plenty of rich guys would be lining up to date them,” another male student replied, skeptical.

“Why would I lie? They’re truly top-tier beauties.”

“For real? I’m going to check it out myself.”

“Go ahead, but the prices there are enough to make you cry. Us poor students can’t afford to eat there.”

“How expensive could it be? I’m not exactly hurting for cash,” someone boasted.

Soon, someone posted a photo of the menu from Seaside Cottage.

There were only ten dishes, and the cheapest was a hundred yuan. The most expensive, the baked cheese lobster, was a thousand yuan per serving.

The prices left countless students sighing with longing.

“Damn, high-end indeed.”

“The prices alone made me take a few steps back. My mom’s asking why I’m typing on my knees.”

“Looks like my chances to check out those top-tier beauties just dropped dramatically.”

“A restaurant for the rich.”

Of course, there were still some wealthy students who could afford to dine there, and they planned to see for themselves if the so-called top beauties lived up to their reputation.

…

Shen Ye’s Seaside Cottage did have a problem with its high prices. At first, few people came. Yet, the special seasoning he used, a rare find from the twenty-ninth century, elevated the food to a level far beyond any neighboring restaurant. And on the prime real estate of Pipa Island, with its heavy foot traffic, there was no shortage of customers who could afford such prices. As word spread, the restaurant’s business flourished.

More and more customers arrived, and the small restaurant began to feel crowded.

Naturally, the profits far surpassed what he had earned at his old Seaside Cottage.

But eventually, Shen Ye found it all too exhausting.

His philosophy had always been: make money, but also enjoy life.

So he set a new rule.

The restaurant would only open for six hours a day.

From eleven in the morning until two in the afternoon.

From five in the afternoon until eight at night.

The rest of the time, the doors would be closed, and no customers would be served.

Otherwise, he’d wear himself out.

(Unwittingly, it’s already Saturday. Please support with a recommendation vote this weekend!)