I'm Done with the Elite Marriage - Chapter 32

The pregnancy symptoms turned out to be much more manageable than Zhou Youling had anticipated.

She had done extensive research and learned from her doctor that the first three months could be particularly challenging. Of course, every expectant mother’s experience varies-some endure severe morning sickness, loss of appetite, and restless nights, while others seem to go about their lives as usual.

For Zhou Youling, apart from occasional bouts of nausea and dry heaving, everything else felt pretty much the same.

The only noticeable change was the increased frequency of nighttime bathroom trips. She used to sleep soundly through the night, but now she constantly felt the need to urinate. The doctor explained that this was due to the pressure on her bladder caused by the pregnancy, and that it would only become more pronounced as she approached the later stages. Thankfully, Zhou Youling was someone who could fall asleep easily, so even with the interruptions, she wasn’t too worried about losing rest.

The truth was, Zhou Youling hadn’t been mentally prepared for this pregnancy at all. Fu Xunzhou had never expressed any desire for children, and they had always taken precautions.

Over two months ago, she and Fu Xunzhou had been intimate, and he had taken measures as usual.

This child was entirely unplanned.

But life has a way of throwing those one-in-a-million chances at you, and Zhou Youling just happened to be that one.

The doctor had explained that even condoms weren’t foolproof-there was always the possibility of breakage or other issues.

All things considered, Zhou Youling felt fortunate.

Fortunate that she was now divorced. Otherwise, this unborn child would have had a father who didn’t love him.

Despite being pregnant, Zhou Youling still had a long list of plans she wanted to accomplish. At the top of that list was the restaurant she had recently taken over.

At nine in the morning, Zhou Youling arrived at her restaurant with Bai Lingxue accompanying her. She looked up at the sign above the entrance, which had been replaced with the name she had chosen: Food and Color.

“I have to say, those two characters-Food and Color-look pretty pleasing to the eye,” Bai Lingxue remarked.

Zhou Youling nodded in agreement.

With the name change, the restaurant finally felt like it was truly hers.

Still, Bai Lingxue couldn’t help but feel a bit concerned. She turned to Zhou Youling and asked, “Are you sure you want to take on all this restaurant business with your current condition?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Zhou Youling replied. “There are so many working women out there who continue with their jobs while pregnant. Why should I be any different?”

Bai Lingxue chuckled. “You really are tenacious.”

Zhou Youling placed a hand on her still-flat stomach and said, “When my child is born, I want to be someone he can look up to. I want to show him that his mom achieved something significant in her field.”

Bai Lingxue nodded approvingly.

At this hour, the restaurant was still being cleaned. A waiter noticed Zhou Youling entering and kindly informed her, “I’m sorry, but we don’t officially open until 10:30 a.m.”

Zhou Youling curved her lips into a smile. “I’m not here to eat.”

The waiter looked puzzled but didn’t dare to ask her to leave.

Zhou Youling and Bai Lingxue found a spot on the sofa and sat down. She raised her hand to call the waiter over. “Could you please ask your Kitchen Supervisor to come out for a moment?”

A restaurant typically consists of a front hall and a kitchen. Some establishments, especially those with a more diverse menu, may also feature a bar, which is dedicated to crafting beverages. While the dishes are undoubtedly the soul of a restaurant, unique and memorable drinks can often captivate customers at first sight and leave a lasting impression.

This particular restaurant owed its thriving business not only to its distinctive decor but also to its standout beverages. As for the dishes coming out of the kitchen, they were rather average by comparison.

At the moment, the front hall was being cleaned, while the kitchen staff were busy preparing ingredients.

The Kitchen Supervisor, upon hearing that the front hall had summoned him again, let out a disgruntled grunt. “It’s so early. How could there already be customers?”

The waiter from the front hall replied, “The customer specifically asked to see you.”

Since the request was explicit, the Kitchen Supervisor had no choice but to comply. Wiping his hands, he trudged over reluctantly.

The moment he stepped into the front hall, he spotted Zhou Youling and immediately recognized her.

The Kitchen Supervisor rolled his eyes dramatically and asked, “What do you want?”

“Nothing major,” Zhou Youling replied calmly, handing him a document titled “Termination of Employment Contract.”

“You’re fired,” she said, her tone light but firm.

The Kitchen Supervisor stared at the document in disbelief. “Who do you think you are? What gives you the right to fire me?”

Before Zhou Youling could respond, Bai Lingxue, standing nearby, let out a cold chuckle. “Who do you think she is? The person sitting in front of you is the boss. Considering your behavior last time, firing you a thousand times over would still be justified.”

The Kitchen Supervisor looked utterly bewildered, as if his entire worldview had just been upended.

Meanwhile, the waiters cleaning the front hall had started to notice the commotion. Heads began to peek out from various corners.

The space wasn’t large, and with no customers around, Zhou Youling’s conversation with the Kitchen Supervisor was clearly audible to everyone.

Perhaps it was no coincidence that her voice carried so well.

The waiters began whispering among themselves:

“I heard from the manager that the restaurant has a new boss.”

“Yeah, I heard that too. I was just wondering why the boss hadn’t shown up until now.”

“Wait, I remember her! She’s the one who had that cooking contest with the Kitchen Supervisor last time. And she won!”

“Really? Really? Let me take a look.”

“That Kitchen Supervisor was such a pain. It’s great that he’s finally gone!”

Zhou Youling addressed the Kitchen Supervisor directly. “I’ve gathered evidence of your negligence during work hours. There are cameras in the restaurant. This termination will follow proper procedures, and we’ll compensate you for any losses. The finance department will handle your final settlement.”

The Kitchen Supervisor stood there, stunned, and instinctively tried to plead. “I-”

Before he could finish, Zhou Youling cut him off. “There’s no need to say anything. My decision is final. Please leave.”

Her tone left no room for negotiation.

After the Kitchen Supervisor left, Zhou Youling, accompanied by the Front Hall Manager, headed to the kitchen. Bai Lingxue, needing to attend to other matters, also took her leave.

Typically, aside from the recently dismissed Kitchen Supervisor, there was another individual responsible for managing the kitchen.

The Front Hall Manager called over a young man who handled kitchen operations and introduced him. “This is our new boss, Miss Zhou.”

Zhou Youling discreetly sized up the young man standing before her.

She had already reviewed all the personnel files and knew that the young man’s name was Su Xingan. Though only twenty-six years old, he had twelve years of experience in the restaurant industry.

Su Xingan was tall and slender, dressed in a crisp white chef uniform. In person, he looked much more energetic than in his photo.

Zhou Youling nodded at Su Xingan and said, “Su Xingan, hello. Starting today, you will serve as the acting Kitchen Supervisor for Food and Color restaurant. The acting period will be three months. If your performance during this time is satisfactory, you will be promoted to the official Kitchen Supervisor position.”

Hearing this, Su Xingan’s face lit up with barely concealed excitement.

As soon as she finished speaking, Zhou Youling suddenly strode over to a countertop. A loud “smack” echoed through the Kitchen.

She had killed a large southern cockroach with her bare hand.

The group of men in the Kitchen exchanged uneasy glances, staring at their new boss in stunned silence.

Everyone knew what the presence of a cockroach in the Kitchen implied. While no restaurant could guarantee a perfectly spotless kitchen, the blatant appearance of a cockroach was a glaring red flag.

Zhou Youling picked up the squashed cockroach and held it out in front of Su Xingan. “I hope this never happens again in the future. And I trust you’ll handle it properly.”

Su Xingan instinctively extended both hands to take the cockroach, but Zhou Youling turned and tossed it into the trash can instead, sparing him any embarrassment.

She didn’t impose many demands or micromanage Su Xingan, yet her actions filled him with determination.

Having started working at a young age, Su Xingan had been helping out in kitchens since he was fourteen. It had taken him twelve long years to even become an assistant to the Kitchen Supervisor. He deeply valued this hard-earned opportunity.

Zhou Youling also understood that Su Xingan’s sudden promotion might stir some dissatisfaction among the other staff. She turned to address the group of men in the Kitchen, all of whom were taller than her. “Starting this month, everyone’s salary will increase by twenty percent-on the condition that you cooperate with the acting Kitchen Supervisor. The success of a restaurant depends on the collective effort of its Kitchen staff. Thank you all for your hard work.”

With that, Zhou Youling bowed deeply to the entire group.

That single gesture of respect won over everyone present.

After resolving the Kitchen matters, Zhou Youling followed the Front Hall Manager back to the front hall.

The Front Hall Manager’s name was Zhou Xiaoming. His demeanor and way of handling things left a good impression on Zhou Youling.

To ensure she became familiar with the restaurant, Zhou Xiaoming gave her a thorough tour, including the staff dormitories upstairs.

Zhou Youling was pleased with everything she saw. She had already reviewed Zhou Xiaoming’s resume and knew he had over a decade of experience in the restaurant industry. Compared to her, a newcomer to the field, Zhou Xiaoming clearly had a much deeper understanding of the business.

By the time they finished, it was already the lunch rush.

Zhou Youling watched the bustling dining hall, now filled with customers, and said to Zhou Xiaoming, “I’ve just taken over this restaurant, so there’s still a lot I don’t know. I’ll be relying on you.”

Zhou Xiaoming replied, “Not at all. I’m just doing my job-it’s what I’m paid to do.”

Zhou Youling smiled. “Speaking of pay, I noticed that the salaries for our front hall staff seem to have room for improvement.”

Zhou Xiaoming chuckled knowingly, leaving it at that.

Zhou Youling said, “Don’t worry, starting this month, the salaries of the front hall staff will also be increased by 20%. Starting next month, I’ll provide more benefits for our employees, including organizing trips and other activities.”

Her words brought a wide smile to Zhou Xiaoming’s face. “What a coincidence! We even share the same surname. Maybe we were family five hundred years ago.”

“Perhaps we were.”

Zhou Youling firmly believed that with enough money, almost anything could be accomplished.

She had spent over two million yuan to acquire this restaurant, not with the expectation of making a fortune, but simply to keep it running smoothly. Seeing the restaurant bustling with customers brought her immense satisfaction. It was the fulfillment of a childhood dream she had shared with her two closest friends: one had opened a café, another a bar, and she, a restaurant.

Everything seemed to be falling into place perfectly.

Suddenly, there was a loud crash. A porcelain bowl shattered on the floor, and a man stood up, shouting, “This is the food your kitchen serves? What kind of nonsense is this? Are you trying to fool me?”

The restaurant fell silent. A waiter stood with his head bowed, apologizing repeatedly, “I’m so sorry, sir. I deeply apologize!”

Zhou Xiaoming immediately strode over to the angry customer.

Zhou Youling stayed where she was, observing the situation. She didn’t have the experience to handle such incidents and knew she had to rely entirely on Zhou Xiaoming’s ability to manage the crisis.

She trusted him completely.

When dealing with an enraged customer, the staff must adopt a humble attitude. Zhou Xiaoming bent over slightly as he spoke to the man. Although Zhou Youling couldn’t hear what he was saying, she could see he was doing his best to calm the situation.

The stark contrast between the customer’s fury and Zhou Xiaoming’s composed demeanor was striking.

Eventually, the customer’s expression softened, though he still appeared displeased.

Zhou Xiaoming, knowing Zhou Youling was waiting for an update, approached her after resolving the immediate tension. “The problem was with the Squirrel Fish,” he explained.

Zhou Youling was familiar with the dish. Old Master Fu was particularly fond of it, and every time she visited the Fu Family, she would bring him Squirrel Fish, which he always finished with relish.

She understood that preparing Squirrel Fish required a certain level of skill, but for a seasoned chef, it shouldn’t pose a challenge.

Zhou Xiaoming elaborated, “The dish had a foul smell and tasted off.”

“Was the fish not fresh?” Zhou Youling asked.

Together, they went to the kitchen to investigate. They discovered that the chef who specialized in Squirrel Fish hadn’t come to work that day. Another chef, who only had a rudimentary understanding of the dish, had hastily prepared it using fish that wasn’t fresh, resulting in the unpleasant experience.

Su Xingan, still lacking some experience in handling such situations, admitted, “I was busy with another major dish earlier. It’s entirely my fault.”

“We’re not here to assign blame,” Zhou Youling said, shaking her head. “Can you prepare this dish?”

Su Xingan hesitated. “I can make it. I’ve done it a few times before, but I can’t guarantee the taste.”

The customer was already furious. If the dish was served again and failed to meet expectations, it could escalate the situation further.

What could be done?

Zhou Xiaoming added, “The customer made it clear-he doesn’t want any compensation. He just wants to eat the most authentic Squirrel Fish. If he doesn’t get it, he’s threatening to smash up the restaurant. I’ve managed to calm him down for now, but the kitchen really needs to step up!”

Sweating nervously, Su Xingan said, “I’ll do my best.”

Zhou Youling stopped him. “Let me handle it. If anything goes wrong, I’ll take full responsibility.”