Table For Two - Chapter 242：The Challenge (17)

Xiu Ling’s restaurant’s first customer was her best friend, Joann and her family. Technically, it did not count as their first customer because the dinner was held on the night before the day of opening. It was for the staff to get used to the environment. In other words, it was a dry run.

Joann booked the entire restaurant but the number of customers was only enough to fill up one table. After all, it was only Joann and her family such as Sylvia, Xu Jing and Mrs. Xu. When they arrived, they were in awe of the place’s decoration. It felt like they had walked back in time into a restaurant in ancient China but all the luxuries of the modern world like air-conditioning tucked away in hidden corners.

When Xiu Ling, the hostess of the night came to welcome them, the guests praised her for the job well done. Xiu Ling accepted the compliments on the behalf of the interior designer, saying it was all his work and ideas, she had nothing to do with it.

Joann knew her best friend was once again underselling herself. She knew it needed a delicate and detailed mind like Xiu Ling’s to come with a design as comfortable yet elegant as this. In a way, she could sense her friend’s presence in every corner of the room, it was as if the place was an extension of Xiu Ling.

Due to the small number of customers, Xiu Ling could stay at the front to complete her service. Mrs. Xu could handle the kitchen work alone. People were worried that Mrs. Xu might not be able to finish the order as quick as a professional cook so they wanted to assign a second cook to help her but they underestimated Mrs. Xu. While they might not have the professional training, even a chef would have a hard time keeping up with a mother inside the kitchen. Back when Xiu Ling was young, Mrs. Xu had to raise a daughter while keeping the whole family afloat, serving dinner was easy as ABC for her.

Furthermore, if Mrs. Xu really needed help, she could ask Auntie Xiao for help. It came as quite a surprise but Joann was quite glad to see how friendly the two aunties were. Perhaps because Auntie Xiao knew Mrs. Xu’s personality and was familiar with her tempo, they worked very well side by side inside the kitchen.

They became fast friends and both Joann as well as Xiu Ling were happy to see that. Joann was glad because she did not want to feel like she had imposed Auntie Xiao upon her friend’s project. If Auntie Xiao was not a good match in Xiu Ling’s business, she would not hesitate to request Auntie Xiao to leave. She would figure out a different way to help Auntie Xiao that would not trouble her friend. Thankfully, everything worked out in the end.

Xiu Ling was happy because she knew how hard it was for her mother to find new friends at the city. Mrs. Xiu was asked to leave the environment that she was familiar with for the sake of her daughter and Xiu Ling felt guilty about that. She knew her mother was more comfortable back in the village, living a simpler lifestyle.

Even though the relationship between Mrs. Xiu and Mrs. Lin was getting better, Xiu Ling knew this had its basis in respect, they were ultimately people from different worlds and backgrounds. Xiu Ling did not want her mother to feel alone in the city and Auntie Xiao’s arrival could not have been timelier. She was thankful to realize that her mother gel so well with Auntie Xiao. At least now she had someone to accompany her in the city.

When dinner was served, Mrs. Xu praised Mrs. Xiu for her cooking and Sylvia took the opportunity to snap a few pictures of the food and the environment. Of course, she sought Xiu Ling’s permission first.

The dinner went joyfully and happily. Based on the dry run that night, Joann had confidence that her friend was going to ace this challenge. She realized Xiu Ling was practically glowing during the service. Handling the sequence that the food should be served, liaising the complication between the kitchen and the customers, making sure that each of the customer felt comfortable and welcomed, she was a consummate professional. In a way, Joann felt like her friend had found a calling.

Joann wished her best friend good luck and told her not to worry because from her observation, she knew Xiu Ling was going to come out of the challenge the winning party. She had that air of easy confidence that suggested so.

…

Jia Jia was open for business the next day. Mrs. Xiu, Xiu Ling, Auntie Xiu and the two hired workers spent the morning in the kitchen preparing the ingredients and setting up the place. Before they opened the doors, Xiu Ling told her people to be prepared. Since this was their first day of opening, there was probably going to be a small crowd. After all, everyone was always curious about the new shops.

There was always article on the television detailing the long lines at some restaurants or eateries that were newly opened. It was part of the new item hype. Xiu Ling did not really understand this part of human psychology but it did not mean that she was not going to take advantage of it.

That was not a bad result. Xiu Ling was already satisfied with how they were doing but she had no idea how fast things were about to change. Xiu Ling was fully unprepared for the many surprises that would be coming her way.