Bai Xiaobai is a twenty-two-year-old restaurant owner struggling to keep the small eatery left behind by his parents alive. Everything changes when a mysterious Gourmet System appears in his mind, promising to train him into a master chef. Starting with an outrageously expensive tea egg, he must complete strict missions, master increasingly difficult recipes, and learn to work with extraordinary ingredients. As word of his food spreads, his once-empty restaurant attracts devoted customers, culinary rivals, competitions, and unexpected opportunities. What begins as a desperate attempt to save a failing business gradually becomes Bai Xiaobai’s journey toward understanding food, craftsmanship, responsibility, and what it truly means to become a great chef.
Chapter 25: Customer Guidelines
Bai Xiaobai knew absolutely nothing about the two regular customers who had been scolded by the manager. Although it was past breakfast time, a few more people were still trickling into the store, and Bai Xiaobai was busy as can be. “Ms. Bai, why did you open so late today? What have you been up to?” a man in a suit asked as he walked in. He was a sales representative for a company; he didn’t spend much time in the office, as he was always out on the road handling business. Still, the job wasn’t bad—as long as he met the sales targets set by his boss, he had relatively free time to manage as he pleased. Bai Xiaobai smiled at the man in the suit and said, “I was busy this morning launching a new product, so I opened a bit late.” Upon hearing this, the man in the suit perked up with interest and asked, “Oh, a new product? What’s the delicious new item?” “We’ve just launched our new ‘Supreme Beef Noodles.’ ” When the man in the suit heard “beef noodles,” his eyes lit up, and he asked, “How much is a bowl?” “399.” “3…” The man in the suit didn’t quite finish the last digit. Although he knew the tea eggs at this shop were expensive, he hadn’t expected the newly launched beef noodle soup to be this pricey either. If it were 100 per bowl, the man in the suit might have been willing to give it a try—after all, he only had 200 in his wallet, which wasn’t nearly enough to cover 399. The man in the suit felt his empty wallet, forced a faint smile, and said awkwardly, “I’ll stick with the usual then—I’ll have the Premium Tea Eggs.” “Sure, just a moment.” Bai Xiaobai wasn’t one to push or over-promote his food; after all, you can’t force someone to enjoy something they don’t want. Within half an hour of opening, several people had already come in to try the Premium Tea Eggs. Before long, all ten Supreme Tea Eggs were sold out. He was sure to make 100 yuan today. When the eleventh customer walked in, Bai Xiaobai told him the Supreme Tea Eggs were already sold out. “Boss, can’t you really make just one more? I’m a regular—I’ve been coming here to eat them these past couple of days.” A regular customer looked thoroughly reluctant after Bai Xiaobai told him the eggs were sold out. He emphasized that he was a regular customer, hoping Bai Xiaobai would make an exception for him. But Bai Xiaobai was firm: “I’m sorry, today’s supply is sold out. If you want to try the Premium Tea Eggs, you’ll have to come early tomorrow. Or you could try our newly launched Premium Beef Noodles.” While turning him down, Bai Xiaobai didn’t forget to promote his new product. But the regular customer was very determined—he only wanted the tea eggs. Bai Xiaobai stood his ground and refused to make an exception for this regular customer. Seeing that the owner wouldn’t give him special treatment, the regular customer shook his head, scowled, and left. Thanks to the positive word-of-mouth built up from the previous “tea egg craze,” customers trickled into the shop throughout the morning—both regulars and newcomers who had heard of the “Supreme Tea Eggs.” Upon learning that the tea eggs were sold out, these customers reacted in various ways. “Boss, business must be booming. I guess I’ll just have to come early tomorrow. What time do you open?” “Boss, I get that you limit it to one per person per day, but now I can’t even buy one. Are you pulling a ‘scarcity marketing’ stunt?” “No way? Sold out? You can’t make any more? Well, never mind then…” After being turned away by Bai Xiaobai, some customers expressed understanding, some were confused, and a few said they’d never come back. On the surface, Bai Xiaobai acted as if nothing had happened, remaining perfectly calm, but deep down, it felt like he’d been stabbed with a small knife—the pain was indescribable. My customers, my money… “By the way, System, what happens if I sell more Supreme Tea Eggs than allowed?” Bai Xiaobai voiced the question on his mind. A cold, electronic voice rang out [Host, for every additional Supreme Tea Egg sold, 50 experience points will be deducted. ]
