At this moment, Mr. Brooks Sr. didn’t say a single unnecessary word—at most, just “add soup,” “turn up the heat,” “take it out of the pot.” With Mr. Brooks Sr. wielding the big ladle and his son carrying out the dishes, the two of them had an unspoken understanding!

“Cousin, cousin... come help out front, there are a lot of people today...”

At the serving window, Cousin Brooks stuck her head out and called. It was noisy outside, and James Brooks responded and rushed out.

Watching James Brooks go out, a barely noticeable smile flashed across the father’s face. This was his son’s forte. After four years of college, Samuel Brooks felt his son’s education hadn’t been wasted at all. At the very least, the little kid who couldn’t sit still could now handle things on his own. That smile was soon justified. His son’s clear voice rang out distinctly.

“Hey... Uncle, please have a seat. Try some black melon seeds first—they’re a specialty of Fenglin Town, very fragrant... What would you like to eat today?”

“This brother, here, let me bring you a cold dish first. You two have a drink—homemade corn liquor. I’ll drink three cups on behalf of my dad!”

“Big sister, big sister, please wait a moment. There are a lot of people today, so the food might be a little slow—just a little bit! We have to make sure the color, aroma, and taste are all perfect. We can’t ruin the Jian family’s first-class reputation, right!?”

“Oh, Auntie, your son looks so smart... How old is he... What’s his name... Please wait a moment, you two, just a moment...”

...

Samuel Brooks smiled—a knowing smile. At this moment, no matter how many people came, no matter who they were, his son would definitely handle it gracefully and with ease. As soon as his son appeared, the noisy restaurant would be orderly within minutes. Those who complained about slow service, inattentive staff, or minor issues with the food would all be quickly convinced!

To be honest, his son really was made for the restaurant business. Sweet-talking and fresh-faced, he greeted every customer as uncle, aunt, brother, or sister—basic skills for running a restaurant. He was quick and diligent, always thinking about how to improve the dishes. When serving, he was meticulous—far better than the clumsy young waiters. And as for his studies, though he wasn’t great, he could recite orders for three tables and eighteen or nineteen dishes without missing a single item, all without writing anything down. The only thing he wasn’t good at was math—he wasn’t great at settling the bill. But that didn’t matter; when he did the math, he always rounded up, never undercharged!

Though he was a bit impatient, after a few more years, the “Wulong First Pot” brand would be safe in his son’s hands!

But what should have been no problem was actually a big problem. His wife definitely wouldn’t agree, and even Samuel Brooks felt that after more than ten years of schooling, struggling all the way through college, it would be a shame to keep his son in a small county and a small restaurant. It just felt unfair! He couldn’t help feeling a bit unwilling!

But what else could they do? The couple—one a master chef, the other a poor teacher—if it weren’t for the restaurant doing okay, even supporting two college students would be a problem. Now, finding a job costs tens of thousands, which is scary just to think about. Luckily, their son was understanding and didn’t pressure his parents to do this or that, or else it would really be hard for the father!

Sigh... The same sigh echoed in the kitchen. Samuel Brooks sighed, in exactly the same way as when his son did poorly on an exam!

...

...

During mealtimes, they were usually busy from just before noon until two or three in the afternoon before the customers started to thin out. While working, they washed pots and dishes, and those outside settled bills and cleaned tables—there was never a free moment. After more than two hours of hard work, the customers gradually left, and the piles of vegetables had turned into stacks of bills in the drawer. Now they could finally have a glass of water and take a break. James Brooks had just sat down when he caught sight of two cars pulling up outside the window—more customers!

Five men and two women. The one in front was even fatter than Fei Shiqing, with fair, plump arms exposed, his whole body looking like top-quality pork belly! The five men were all about the same—obviously the type who thought about food all day. Surprisingly, the two women with them were extremely attractive. The younger one, just over twenty, wore a white sunhat and a white dress, her chest full and round. Even without seeing her face, her figure was enough to stir the imagination. The older one carried a bag and wore sunglasses—she didn’t look bad either.

The men didn’t seem special, but those two women were clearly not from Wulong County. The women here were mostly like Cousin Brooks—thick arms and big hands, not much better looking than a head of cabbage.

Even more surprising than the women were the cars—an Audi and a Thunderbird, both with “O” license plates, clearly government vehicles.

Not local cars, not local people. James Brooks’s eyes darted, then he turned to the absent-minded Cousin Brooks, who was counting a pile of money with her thick fingers and wet lips, and said, “Emily, look... a flock of fat sheep waiting to be slaughtered. I’ll take this table.”

“Hey! Don’t let them find out!”

With her cheeks puffed out, Cousin BrooksEmily nodded heavily, smiling at Cousin Brooks. In the eyes of Cousin Brooks, who had dropped out of middle school, this handsome, clever, and smart Cousin Brooks was absolutely idol material. The two of them exchanged a smile...

Chapter 03: Delicious Food and Eating Well

The seven guests were stunned as soon as they entered. The young greeter was a sunny, energetic boy. His apron didn’t even look like an apron—more like a spotless stage prop. With a brilliant, genuinely warm smile, he greeted everyone as uncle, brother, sister—more warmly than meeting relatives. The seven guests were truly touched! They all felt that this small county town’s hospitality and old-fashioned charm were really something special!