Chapter 55: Cheng Chumo: Seize the Young? You Said Seize the Young?

Chen Yan smiled warmly and patted Cheng Chumo's shoulder, "Don't worry about what tricks I'm pulling, just tell me whether the restaurant business has picked up."

Cheng Chumo stared at the sea of people in front of the restaurant and reluctantly nodded.

No choice; the facts are right before our eyes.

No matter how Chen Yan achieved it, he unquestionably lost.

"Since the business is good, what about our betting agreement… Brother Cheng Chumo haven't forgotten, have you?"

"What are you talking about, what do you call that?" Cheng Chumo glared, "Am I the type of person who cheats?"

After that, he let out a light hum, "Relax, it's just a single ox; my family doesn't have much, only oxen are abundant."

"Just wait for me to go take a look, then I'll bring it home for you."

Chen Yan laughed, raised an eyebrow at Qin Huaidao and Yu Chi Bao Lin, "Looks like we have a feast today."

"That's right," Yu Chi Bao Lin giggled, "We have to thank Brother Cheng Chumo; if he hadn't bet with Old Chen, we wouldn't have a chance to eat beef."

Watching them chat, Li Lizhi's mouth, hidden beneath her veil, lifted slightly.

She felt the people before her truly got along well and were genuinely interesting.

Chen Yan opened his folding fan and said lightly, "Alright, I know you're all curious how I did it; let's go up for a cup of tea and I'll explain slowly."

Yu Chi Bao Lin retorted, "Brother Chen, since it's a restaurant, how can we only drink tea?"

"We definitely need to order wine!"

Hearing this, Qin Huaidao and Cheng Chumo's eyes brightened.

Previously Chen Yan didn't brew much wine, so they hadn't had that strong liquor for a long time.

That flavor made them miss it intensely.

Today the restaurant just opened; how can we only drink tea and not wine?

Chen Yan glanced at the three of them, "Drinking wine is fine; do you have enough silver on you?"

"What?" Cheng Chumo exclaimed in shock, "We go to our own restaurant to drink, do we still have to pay?"

Yu Chi Bao Lin likewise puzzled, "Right, Brother Chen, the restaurant was funded by us together; why should we pay when we go to drink?"

"There's no such logic!"

Qin Huaidao stayed silent, believing that since Chen Yan said so, there must be reason.

Chen Yan, walking at the front, heard that and said irritably, "Just looking at you, you clearly never understood our own business; otherwise you wouldn't say such things."

Cheng Chumo and Yu Chi Bao Lin scratched their heads awkwardly.

Their families indeed have many businesses, but those are basically handled by servants; they are usually too lazy to bother.

They know little about commerce.

Chen Yan explained, "The restaurant isn't just mine, nor is it owned by any one of you."

"The so‑called rulelessness, no boundaries—no matter who of us goes to eat and drink, the money must be paid."

"Otherwise, if you all eat and drink lavishly at the restaurant every day, even bring friends, and after eating don't pay, how would we keep the accounts? What would the other investors think?"

Chen Yan paused, continued, "For example, Brother Qin, because he finds the hot pot tasty and the wine good, he eats and drinks there every day."

"And not only does he eat himself, he also brings other members of the Qin family; after they're done they still don't pay—what would you think?"

Cheng Chumo and Yu Chi Bao Lin exchanged glances, at a loss for words.

How could they think?

Of course they'd think, since Lao Qin ate, they can eat too.

If Lao Qin can bring Qin family members, they can bring Cheng family members and Yu Chi family members as well.

After all, the restaurant was opened by everyone; daily costs for buying ingredients, brewing wine, making tea must be deducted from their profits.

If Lao Qin ate and they didn't, wouldn't that be a loss?

The previously silent Li Lizhi softly said, "Marquis of Weinan is right; no matter who of us eats, the money must be given—that's the rule."

Li Lizhi spoke, and Yu Chi Bao Lin and Cheng Chumo fell silent immediately.

Cheng Chumo teased Qin Huaidao, "Did you hear, Brother Qin? Just now Brother Zi An said that's you; don't finish eating and drinking without paying and make a mess of the restaurant."

Qin Huaidao was speechless, "Brother Chen used me as an example to tell you two something, and you got proud."

"If you have that skill, you'd better think about how to bring the ox home and how to file the official paperwork."

Cheng Chumo: "......"

"......"

Arriving at the restaurant entrance, Xiao Shunzi immediately spotted his own Lord Bo, as well as a group of Duke's eldest sons and two princesses.

No choice, this group's charisma was so outstanding that it was hard not to notice.

"Excuse me, please make way, everyone, for convenience."

Xiao Shunzi deftly pushed through the crowd, clearing a path for Chen Yan's party, his face full of eager smiles.

"Lord Bo… gentlemen and ladies, the private room on the third floor is ready; you may go up directly."

Chen Yan gave a slight nod, "Leave the outside matters to others; you come with us upstairs."

"Alright!"

Xiao Shunzi replied, summoned a servant, gave a few instructions, then bowed and led Chen Yan and others toward the interior.

At this moment the first floor of the restaurant was already packed; the originally spacious hall was bustling, and if you listened closely, all you could hear were praises of the hot pot's taste and the wine's quality.

"Looks good," Chen Yan said contentedly, "Xiao Shunzi, I didn't expect you to have a talent for being a manager."

"I just saw you handling things well, seemed fitting; maybe you should stay here as manager from now on."

Hearing this, Xiao Shunzi got flustered, "Ah, Lord Bo, you can't just discard me."

"I only want to stay at the Bo Mansion, stay by your side; as manager, you should quickly find others to help, I still hope you let me return soon."

Chen Yan helplessly said, "Why are you so unambitious?"

"Here, you are the managing proprietor; everything in the restaurant is under your control."

"If you go back to Bo Mansion, you'll just be a servant with many worries—does that compare to being the manager here?"

Lord Bo whispered, "You are right, my lord; I have no talent, I don't aspire to great deeds, I just want to stay by your side as a servant."

Chen Yan: "......"

What kind of conduct do these two siblings have?

The sister wants to be his maid, while the elder brother wants to make him a servant.

"Fine, fine, fine, as you wish; you hold the position for now, and in a couple of days I'll find someone to replace you."

Chen Yan didn't bother to say anything; if Xiao Shunzi wants to go back, let him.

Xiao Shunzi breathed a sigh of relief; he was truly afraid that Chen Yan would keep him here.

A smile returned to his face as he courteously led everyone up to a tastefully decorated room on the third floor and had them sit.

"Come, young gentlemen and ladies, please have some tea."

Xiao Shunzi poured tea for the group.

Chen Yan lifted his cup, took a gentle sip, and said lightly, "Xiao Shunzi, tell them how much money has been collected since the restaurant opened."

When the topic came up, Xiao Shunzi said with admiration, "Lord Bo, I've been busy and haven't tallied the earnings."

"But… I estimate it's about seven or eight hundred strings."

"Pfft!" Cheng Chumo spat out a mouthful of tea, looking at Xiao Shunzi in disbelief, "Did you take a little?"

"You say you took a little?"

"......"