Grand Re-opening

On this day, half a month later, Shen's Appetite had a huge banner in front of the building,

'Grand Re-opening'

It said.

There were balloons, decorations, a variety of drinks, and a buffet of different mouth-watering dishes, courtesy of Chef Zhi Luan. The place was filled with people from the neighborhood as well as customers and friends. Everyone had a drink in their hands as they chatted and laughed together.

At this time, a light tapping sound drew the attention of the guests, as they all turned to old man Shen who stood on an elevated platform.

"Everyone here knows me so there's no need for introductions. Since everyone knows me, you all must know the history of this place and how it came to be. When it burned to the ground, it felt like my world had crumbled again and I had to start all over again… one painful step at a time. But I was wrong… I didn't have to do it alone, and you all showed me that I wasn't alone. Tonight, Shen's appetite rises from the ashes like a phoenix because you all made it possible…"

He then raised the glass of wine in his hand,

"I am truly honored to be surrounded by reliable people and I am honored to have you as my guests tonight. To Shen's Appetite!"

"To Shen's Appetite!"

Everyone responded with their wine glasses raised.

"Please eat and drink all you want!"

Old man Shen laughed before stepping off the platform.

The party continued until 10 pm. Everyone started leaving one after the other, bidding their farewells and congratulating old man Shen on his grand re-opening. The old man called Yan Qincheng and his staff together.

"I don't know where to begin. You all have been amazing in this terrible time. I know working for me can be a handful most of the time, but I want you all to know that I'll never forget what you've sacrificed for me at my moment of need."

"I don't work for you,"

Yan Qincheng laughed.

"No you don't, but you helped out a lot… thank you."

Everyone was shocked to see old man Shen so calm, expressing sincere emotions. Yan Qincheng who had known him the longest was likewise surprised. She beamed a warm smile,

"You don't have to thank me. I'd do anything I can for you without you asking."

Everyone exchanged pleasantries before finally going home, leaving Zhi Luan and the old man. Old man Shen stated that the restaurant wasn't going to be open until the day after tomorrow, for the sake of giving his staff the day off.

Zhi Luan wanted to clean the place up, but old man Shen stopped him.

"You can always do that tomorrow. Rest for the night."

Zhi Luan nodded and pulled up a chair, sitting in a reclining position as he groaned in relief. Today was a big day for the restaurant, so, he had a lot of work to do with the cooking and preparation. Although he had help, he still did most of it. He wasn't made from iron or wood, he was tired.

Old man Shen noted how relaxed Zhi Luan was and shook his head, feeling a warmth in his heart. He went into the kitchen, took out a carton of cold beer, and placed it on the table beside Zhi Luan as he too sat on the other side of the table.

"Isn't this your special beer?"

Zhi Luan asked. He remembered when old man Shen warned that no one should touch his special beer.

Old man Shen laughed,

"What makes it special is the occasion… drink up."

Old man Shen cracked open a can and passed it to Zhi Luan.

The two drank in silence for a while before Zhi Luan spoke up,

"You said everybody present tonight knows about the history of this place… all except me. I know it's not my right to know but I can't help but be curious."

Old man Shen smiled lightly. He wasn't surprised that Zhi Luan asked him this.

"It's nothing to hide," he said before taking a deep breath and continued.

"It's been 12 years since I took charge of the restaurant, but it wasn't mine initially… it was my wife's…"

Old man Shen gulped a mouthful of beer before he continued,

"Before then, I was a project director at a bottling company in Jishan district. With my position, I was earning well for a man my age. I had three kids, two of which were in their senior high school year, and my wife… she decided to stay at home. She loved taking of us, especially me… she loved cooking for me. She'd always serve me large portions of food and smiled as she watched me eat it up. She joked about it saying I had a huge appetite…"

He took another gulp of beer and continued.

"I never liked the idea of her staying at home all day, so I came up with an idea. She was a wonderful cook… opening a restaurant was the best I could think of. I didn't think she'd give it such a name…but I loved it, I loved it so much and I loved her more. Two after the restaurant kicked off, she became very sick. She was diagnosed with hepatic failure, and I found out that she had been secretly treating it for years but to no avail. I did all I could to save her, but she passed away shortly after…"

This time, old man Shen's eyes became misty,

"My world crumbled after that. Nothing made sense anymore. I became bitter… I was angry… I was angry that she didn't tell me about her sickness on time… I was angry that behind that smile, my wife was dying, and I knew nothing about it. I was angry that all I did was eat and watch as my wife slowly died… what a husband I was. My job suffered because I refused to go back to work, I stopped paying attention to my children, so their grandparents took them, and I never saw them again. Bit by bit, I became alone. My children leaving me was all fault… but I wished they hadn't left."

Old man Shen finally overcame the feeling welling up inside him as he took a deep breath.

"Later on, I quit my job and took over the restaurant. This place was all I had left… I'd be foolish to let it go just like that. And that's how I took over."