Chapter 13: Whoa, a Reward?
"That's great!"
Chen Jianhai slapped his thigh, jumped behind the service desk, and quickly pulled out three contracts.
"Xu Johnny, your qualifications meet the requirements of Langai Hotel. You are now officially hired as the head chef of Langai Hotel's Chinese restaurant. Here's the contract."
Xu Bo: "..."
Why does this feel like a setup?
...
After the two of them happily signed the contract, Chen Jianhai heard a "ding" in his mind,
and the system's voice echoed in his head:
"Ding."
"The hotel has successfully hired its first chef. The noodle section of the Chinese restaurant is now open!"
"Congratulations to the host for receiving a reward: five fully automatic dough kneading machines."
Then, a series of clattering and banging sounds came from the kitchen.
It sounded like someone was renovating.
Chen Jianhai looked up, astonished.
This can trigger the system???
And five fully automatic dough kneading machines... wow.
Today is my lucky day!!!
...
"Come on, help me move stuff."
Xu Bo, unaware of the noises from the kitchen, kept urging Chen Jianhai to help him move things from the car.
Opening the trunk, Chen Jianhai was stunned:
"Did you move your entire house here?"
The trunk was packed with pots, pans, tools, and various kitchen supplies, all polished and shiny, clearly top-quality items that Xu Bo regularly used.
"This is just a part of it. There were too many other things I couldn't bring."
"Besides, I've grown attached to my own stuff; I take it everywhere."
Xu Bo carefully placed a bunch of knives into a large pot, and together with Chen Jianhai, they carried it into the kitchen.
"Where's the kitchen?"
"Inside."
As the kitchen grew silent, Chen Jianhai nervously led Xu Bo inside.
As soon as they entered, both of them widened their eyes.
In the spacious and bright hotel kitchen, there were puff pastry machines, baking racks, double burners, and fermentation cabinets.
The central wooden countertop was absurdly large.
Xu Bo even suspected the designer of Langai Hotel had a screw loose, making the kitchen so big.
It could fit half a restaurant.
And all the machines were high-end kitchen appliances, looking very expensive.
What caught Xu Bo's eye the most,
were the five fully automatic dough kneading machines in the most prominent position!
"I've never seen a kitchen better than my own..."
Xu Bo trembled,
his eyes greedily taking in everything before him,
his twitching expression revealing his deepest desires!
This kitchen was a dream for anyone who loved cooking!
Chen Jianhai was also dumbfounded, not expecting the system to renovate so quickly.
Seeing Xu Bo's eyes light up, ready to get to work, Chen Jianhai quickly said:
"Johnny."
"From now on, I officially appoint you as the manager of the noodle section in Langai Hotel's Chinese restaurant."
"You'll be responsible for breakfast from 6:30-9:00, afternoon tea at 2 PM, and meals for the hotel staff."
Xu Bo was stunned: "Say that again?"
Chen Jianhai asked, "Is there a problem?"
"This huge kitchen, and I'm supposed to cook for the entire hotel by myself?" Xu Bo opened his mouth.
He couldn't express his feelings in words, but he could with the knife in his hand!!
This was pure exploitation!
Even with eight hands, he couldn't finish all that work.
Chen Jianhai patted his shoulder:
"Don't worry, I've already hired people online. They'll report this afternoon. The entire kitchen staff will be under your management."
"Where did you get the money to hire people?" Xu Bo asked, puzzled.
"From my savings." Chen Jianhai said, pained.
Xu Bo hesitated.
"Haizi, I really don't want to manage people or things, I just want to focus on cooking."
Chen Jianhai was speechless. He never expected Xu Bo to refuse even this.
But then he thought, if Xu Bo liked managing things, he would probably be flying abroad now, not here.
But, the role of restaurant manager was crucial and had to be given to someone trustworthy.
Chen Jianhai had to resort to a mix of coaxing and threatening:
"Bo, if you really don't want to, I'll hire another head chef to be the manager. You can just focus on cooking and follow his orders."
"No way!" Xu Bo immediately opposed.
"I already have enough of my dad bossing me around at home; I don't want another person controlling me!"
"But, you need to give me money to buy meat and flour!"
Xu Bo looked at the empty kitchen and the brand-new machines, feeling like he had no outlet for his energy!
It was frustrating.
"Here, go buy it."
Seeing Xu Bo agree, Chen Jianhai generously pulled out 19,520 yuan from his pocket and handed it to Xu Bo.
"Just this much?!"
Xu Bo stared at the 20-yuan bill on top in shock.
"Don't look down on it; this is the first money I've earned in six months!"
Chen Jianhai said.
Xu Bo was stunned.
Doesn't hotel management use online banking now?
Cash is one thing,
but why is it in both small and large denominations?
"I specifically withdrew it from the bank. Once the hotel has guests and room revenue, I'll allocate more funds."
Seeing Chen Jianhai's sincere eyes, Xu Bo realized Chen Jianhai was genuinely broke.
He was serious!
"Poor guy!"
Xu Bo cursed, then accepted the money: "If it's not enough, I'll cover the rest and deduct it from my salary later!"
Chen Jianhai: ?
Isn't that the other way around!
...
During the day, as guests gradually checked in, the staff hired online also reported for duty.
Doormen, gardeners, and cleaners were all in place.
Some were recommended by former employees, others were students about to graduate and intern,
sharing two common traits:
low salary demands, quick to get started, highly professional,
they only needed a brief explanation of the rules and job content to get to work.
Xu Johnny's helpers also made a grand entrance.
Five or six young men drove a truck filled with rice, flour, oil, various vegetables, fresh seafood, and meat back to the hotel,
the sound of cooking fires ignited,
and the long-silent hotel kitchen finally came to life.
"Mom and Dad, the hotel business is finally picking up..."
Thinking about the near-bankruptcy of the hotel, with him struggling alone,
Chen Jianhai took a deep breath, his eyes moist.
Previously, the hotel was on the brink of closure, with employees resigning one after another.
The entire hotel was left with just him, no customers, no staff, only a dilapidated old building.
Even his childhood friends advised him to sell the hotel,
the bitterness and hardship were indescribable.
He had held on with sheer determination, willing to go bankrupt to keep his parents' hotel.
Now, he had done it...
Just as Chen Jianhai was reminiscing about the tough times, ready to shed tears, a crisp voice rang in his ear:
"Ding."
"Congratulations to the host for triggering a side quest: Having 50 employees."
"Quest reward: Exclusive hotel staff uniforms."
"Quest description: Professional staff uniforms are not only an important aspect of the hotel's overall image but also a key part of showcasing the hotel's culture. Different staff uniforms greatly enhance employee recognizability, providing travelers with a more convenient stay experience."
Chen Jianhai's tears were forced back.
"Whoa, a reward?"