Chapter 32: The Calm Before the Storm

The next few days passed in a haze of cautious anticipation. After the meeting with Zhao Wen, Liang Chen felt a mixture of relief and unease.

The tension of the negotiation hadn't fully left his mind, but there was a faint glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, he had turned the tide in his favor.

Liang's focus was back on running his restaurant, the lifeblood of his existence.

Customers continued to pour in, many of them regulars who had long become familiar faces.

The restaurant was as lively as ever, and each day was a dance of preparation, cooking, and serving, keeping Liang occupied enough to dull the nagging anxiety that lingered in the background.

But still, the looming decision weighed on him. Zhao had said he'd take Liang's terms to the board and return with their response.

Every day, Liang checked his phone, half-expecting a message from Zhao with an update, but nothing came.

Today was no different. After wrapping up a busy lunch service, Liang stood at the kitchen window, watching the flow of people walking past the alley.

The restaurant was quiet now, with only a few customers lingering over their meals.

Zhu was at her usual post, tidying up behind the counter and preparing for the evening shift.

Liang's phone buzzed in his pocket, startling him out of his thoughts. He quickly pulled it out, his heart skipping a beat when he saw Zhao Wen's name flash on the screen.

Zhu glanced up, noticing his expression change as he answered the call.

"Liang Chen speaking," he said, his voice steadier than he felt.

"Chef Liang," Zhao's smooth voice greeted him. "I hope I'm not catching you at a bad time."

"No, this is fine," Liang replied. He leaned against the counter, bracing himself for what was to come.

"I spoke with the board," Zhao continued, getting straight to the point. "And after careful consideration, we've decided to move forward with your proposed terms. We're willing to grant you the creative control you requested, as well as the flexibility regarding your involvement in any future expansions."

Liang blinked, processing the words. He hadn't expected the Zhenzhi Group to agree so easily, and a wave of cautious optimism swept over him.

"That's... great news," Liang said slowly, still trying to wrap his mind around it.

"I thought you'd be pleased," Zhao replied, a hint of satisfaction in his voice. "Of course, we'll need to finalize the paperwork, but I'm confident we can have everything signed and sealed by the end of the week."

Liang's grip tightened on the phone. The end of the week. It was happening faster than he had anticipated.

"I appreciate your willingness to meet my conditions," Liang said, keeping his tone diplomatic. "I'll review the paperwork as soon as it's ready."

"Excellent. I'll have my team send over the initial draft later today. You'll have ample time to go through it with your legal advisor."

Liang nodded, though Zhao couldn't see him. "I'll be in touch."

After a few more pleasantries, Zhao ended the call, leaving Liang standing in the middle of his restaurant with his thoughts swirling. Zhu approached cautiously, noticing the look on his face.

"Good news, I take it?" she asked.

Liang sighed, running a hand through his hair. "They agreed to my terms. I wasn't expecting it to go this smoothly."

Zhu's eyebrows shot up. "Wow. That's... unexpected, but good, right? Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Yeah," Liang said, though there was a note of uncertainty in his voice. "It is. It's just... everything's moving so fast. They want to finalize the deal by the end of the week."

Zhu crossed her arms, leaning against the counter beside him. "That's corporate for you. When they want something, they move fast. But hey, you got what you asked for. Now you just need to make sure everything's legit in the contract."

Liang nodded, though his mind was still racing. "Yeah, I'll need to have a lawyer look it over. I just... I don't know. It still feels like I'm stepping into something bigger than I can handle."

Zhu gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "You've handled everything thrown at you so far. This won't be any different. You're not alone in this, Liang. You've got people around you who can help."

Her words offered some comfort, but Liang couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to this deal than met the eye.

He had negotiated for control, but the Zhenzhi Group was a massive corporation—they didn't give things away without expecting something in return.

Later that evening, after the restaurant had closed and the staff had gone home, Liang sat in his small office at the back of the restaurant, staring at the email on his computer. The contract from Zhenzhi Group had arrived, and it was time to comb through it.

Liang's eyes skimmed over the legal jargon, his head already starting to spin. He wasn't a lawyer—this kind of stuff wasn't his strong suit.

But he knew enough to recognize a trap when he saw one, and he wasn't going to let Zhenzhi get the better of him.

After about an hour of reading, he leaned back in his chair with a frustrated sigh. He needed help. This contract was too complex for him to handle alone.

Pulling out his phone, Liang scrolled through his contacts until he found the name he was looking for: Zhang Rui, an old friend from university who had gone on to become a lawyer. They hadn't spoken in a while, but Liang trusted him, and if anyone could help him navigate this contract, it was Zhang.

Liang tapped on Zhang's number and pressed the phone to his ear, hoping his friend would pick up.

"Liang! Long time no speak!" Zhang's cheerful voice greeted him on the other end of the line.

"Hey, Zhang," Liang said, unable to keep the exhaustion out of his voice. "I hope I'm not calling too late."

"Not at all, not at all," Zhang replied. "What's going on? You sound stressed."

Liang let out a small laugh. "That obvious, huh? I've got a situation, and I could really use your help. It's about a contract."

Zhang's tone shifted to one of interest. "A contract, huh? Sounds serious. What's the deal?"

Liang explained the situation with the Zhenzhi Group, laying out the offer and the terms he had negotiated. Zhang listened attentively, occasionally humming in thought.

"So, they agreed to your terms," Zhang said once Liang finished. "That's a good sign, but you're right to be cautious. Corporations like Zhenzhi don't hand over control easily."

"Exactly," Liang agreed. "I've got the contract, but it's... a lot. I need someone to go through it with me, make sure there aren't any hidden traps."

"You came to the right person," Zhang said confidently. "Send it over to me, and I'll take a look. We can go through it together and make sure everything's airtight."

Liang felt a wave of relief. "Thanks, Zhang. I really appreciate it."

"No problem, my friend," Zhang replied. "I'll look it over tonight and get back to you tomorrow. We'll make sure you're protected."

After hanging up the phone, Liang sat back in his chair, feeling a bit lighter. He wasn't out of the woods yet, but at least he had someone in his corner who knew how to navigate the legal battlefield.

The next morning, Zhang called back with a thorough breakdown of the contract.

They spent an hour discussing the finer points, and while there were a few clauses that needed tweaking, Zhang assured Liang that, overall, the contract was fair and aligned with the terms he had requested.

"There are a couple of spots I'd like to adjust," Zhang said, his tone professional. "Nothing major, but we want to make sure there's no room for them to backtrack on their promises."

Liang nodded, feeling more confident with each word. "Thanks, Zhang. I'll pass your notes on to Zhao and make sure everything's finalized."

"No problem, Liang. Just make sure you don't sign anything until those changes are made."

"I won't," Liang promised.

After the call ended, Liang sat in his office for a while, staring at the finalized notes. It was strange—just a few days ago, he had been unsure whether he even wanted to take the deal. But now, with everything falling into place, he could see the possibilities ahead of him.

Maybe this was the right move after all. He had fought for control, and now it seemed like he would get it. The restaurant would remain his, but with the backing of the Zhenzhi Group, the possibilities for expansion were endless.

But even as Liang prepared to move forward, a small voice in the back of his mind whispered a warning.

Things were moving too smoothly, too quickly. And if there was one thing he had learned in his years running a restaurant, it was that when something seemed too good to be true, it usually was.

Liang shook off the doubt, focusing on the task ahead. He would get through this, just like he had with every other challenge life had thrown at him.

And if there were any more surprises waiting down the road, he would be ready.