After Huangliang Yimeng successfully advanced to become a city-renowned internet-famous shop, both Han Sha and Bai Liu had discussed transformation with me.
After all, the truth about No. 29 as a haunted house had been revealed. With the case details made public, relying on haunted house marketing was obviously not a long-term plan. Huangliang Yimeng would eventually need to find other paths.
For this, Bai Liu, Han Sha, and I discussed many solutions, but with No. 29’s haunted house background, even if Sadako wanted to transform into an idol, she couldn’t become Hatsune Miku overnight. After killing countless plans, the turning point finally came from He Jian’s phone call.
As the No. 29 case neared conclusion, He Jian told me Lin Xiufen had been transferred to a nursing home. Due to her special circumstances, with no relatives to depend on, the related expenses were currently covered by charity organizations, though they were still figuring out long-term solutions.
In that instant, a flash of inspiration suddenly struck my mind.
Since No. 29’s tragedy began with Lin Xiufen, then ultimately, No. 29’s destiny should naturally be to prevent the appearance of another Lin Xiufen.
After all, without someone to lend a helping hand, some people’s fates are as fragile as cakes.
What followed was naturally handled by Bai Liu.
With the Yu Jiang Dong Mingzhu’s connections, things went smoother than I imagined. In less than half a week, several Yu Jiang charity organizations had reached agreements with my sister. They would organize elderly people with mobility and clear consciousness to work as helpers in the shop—both to help them reconnect with society and for Huangliang Yimeng to provide appropriate wages as subsidies to improve their lives.
Before the transformation was actually implemented, Han Sha had already thought up the promotional concept for me.
“Charity internet-famous shop… Standing on the moral high ground, I’d like to see what cards your dad still has to play.”
That evening, Han Sha looked at the planning document with a cold smile. If I didn’t know he was preparing for opening, I’d think he was writing some Bai Yiming assassination plan.
Han Sha was certain my dad wouldn’t easily give up causing trouble for my shop, but my dad hadn’t been making trouble during this period, and I knew clearly it was because my sister had made efforts.
In this regard, my sister was far more ruthless than me. When playing the good daughter, she was a caring cotton-padded jacket, but now that she dared to directly confront him, if the old man wanted to interfere again, he’d definitely experience my sister’s iron-blooded Gundam side.
This way, for the sake of peaceful retirement, he’d weigh things before acting next time.
Thinking of this, I felt much more settled. Facts also proved that today’s Huangliang Yimeng was different from before. Those over two thousand reviews were earned one by one while I was being a guinea pig in the haunted house. Even with renovation and reopening, Huangliang Yimeng would no longer be an ignored roadside shop.
It was now a legitimate top-three landmark in Guan Yinli.
For this renovation, Guan Yinli real estate even wanted to treat me to dinner. After all, during this period, due to the No. 29 case, the scandal of forced demolitions from over ten years ago had once again pushed Guan Yinli to the forefront. Han Sha, being so cunning, could smell it was a Hongmen Feast with his nose, and without a word went in my place. He returned and casually told me that someone would pay for this renovation.
Ultimately, I preserved No. 29’s original appearance—the red Western-style building, vintage interior decor, and I even built a courtyard at the entrance and planted roses.
After renovation, No. 29 had outdoor seating, doubling the maximum daily capacity. Originally, with just Xiao Song and me as pastry chefs, it certainly wouldn’t be enough, but now we had Lei Hong.
Just like Xiao Song, an undertaker turned cake chef, I had never heard of police turning to this profession before, but only after Lei Hong started working for me did I understand why the Shancheng Terror couldn’t handle her.
Lei Hong—she wasn’t my sister-in-law, she was my big brother.
As the saying goes, your big brother is always your big brother. Brother Lei’s efficiency in making cakes, cleanliness in cleaning, thoughtfulness toward customers, and fierceness in driving away scalpers were all impeccable. If I were He Jian’s parents and learned he insisted on divorcing such a daughter-in-law, I’d definitely slap this rebellious son to death on the spot.
It could be said that with Lei Hong’s addition, Huangliang Yimeng had truly grown wings.
The new menu underwent comprehensive upgrades. Besides the original talisman cakes, I added randomly patterned Old Calendar light cheesecakes and white rose cream squares. Beverages also included brown sugar tangyuan latte and Old Guan Yinli soy milk ice jelly, intentionally twisting my underworld menu gradually toward a retro direction.
The original charity meal sets were also retained, with most proceeds donated to No. 29 victim families, and the remainder used to ensure Lin Xiufen’s future life at the charity home.
Since No. 29 was an old house with stories, then old houses matched with elderly people—
Someone always remembers those forgotten dreams.
Finally, I had this phrase printed on the doormat at Huangliang Yimeng’s entrance, and a week later, my sister turned it into an advertisement appearing in Guan Yinli subway stations.
Predictably, within just a few days, Huangliang Yimeng’s review count shot toward 2,500, and the rating rose from 4.6 to 4.8.
As daily revenue soared, Old Han’s expression became increasingly benevolent like an old father. After another two weeks, coinciding with the shop’s rest day, I took all of Huangliang Yimeng’s staff to Luohan Temple to fulfill our vows, and in the evening arranged to meet He Jian and Bai Liu for a belated celebration feast.
By now it was early autumn, the cotton roses I’d planted in the courtyard were blooming, and at 7:30 PM, the hot pot on table No. 29 had just begun to boil.
“Yang Zi, you’re the only one at the whole table who doesn’t eat spicy food. Would it kill you to get a dual-sided pot?”
Bai Liu was obviously unhappy about having to sit on the mushroom soup side with me, but this was after all a celebration feast, and she, as the behind-the-scenes boss, couldn’t compete with these tactless employees for seats, ultimately having to condescend to stay with Xiao Song and me.
“Old Han got it. If you’re unhappy, you can directly dock his pay.”
Thinking that half the pot was mine, my mood wasn’t bad, and I threw the matter to Han Sha—I even suspected he got this dual-sided pot just to make Bai Liu uncomfortable.
Hearing this, Han Sha just smiled and said: “The boss has been working hard lately and has gotten thinner. I got a dual-sided pot because I was afraid he’d go hungry.”
“Ha.” Bai Liu smiled without warmth, unceremoniously snatching away the tripe Han Sha had just put in the spicy oil pot with her chopsticks. “Fine then. I’ll tell you what to cook and you cook it for me. If you want to flatter someone, I’ll let you flatter to your heart’s content.”
“Is there enough food? Should I cut some more?”
At this time, Lei Hong finished cutting the last potato slices and came out of the kitchen carrying a cleaver. Due to her overwhelming big brother aura, I often felt like I was the one hired to work for her. I hurriedly said: “Sister-in-law, you should stop being busy and come eat… If you keep working alone, Team Leader He will give me trouble.”
“Give you trouble? He dares?”
Lei Hong glanced sideways at He Jian, immediately making the latter smile bitterly: “It’s rare for everyone to gather. You know that I might get called back to the station at any moment.”
“Help me blanch some meatballs, I’ll go wash my hands.”
Social Brother Lei made the Terror obediently start helping her with the hot pot with just one sentence. As I was marveling at my big brother’s charisma, Song Nanshi beside me quietly asked: “Boss, would you like some duck blood? I’ll cook it for you?”
In spice tolerance, Song Nanshi and Bai Liu were comparable, but for some reason, Song Nanshi seemed quite satisfied with her current seat, looking at me with bright, sparkling eyes: “This fresh duck blood was bought by me… You can tell from the color how tender it is. Back at the funeral home, this color meant they’d just arrived.”
“…”
Speaking of the most unchanging thing about No. 29, it was Song Nanshi’s language skills.
Fortunately, I was used to it now. As Han Sha had said, in some ways, Song Nanshi was indeed very similar to me—I was overprotected by my sister since childhood, while Song Nanshi simply never had the opportunity to experience the outside world.
After Huangliang Yimeng reopened, I had tentatively asked Song Nanshi if she wanted to bring her parents to visit No. 29, let them see for themselves, and maybe they’d feel at ease.
However, Song Nanshi only hemmed and hawed at my suggestion: “I’ve already… told them about the shop. My parents aren’t so opposed now. They’ll come later.”
No matter what, if that day really came, I’d definitely treat the two elders to good food and drinks. After all, beautiful apprentices like Song Nanshi who were hardworking and talented were really hard to find.
Now that she’d finally graduated, I couldn’t easily let her run away.
As the hot pot boiled again, Lei Hong joined the table. Normally we should drink alcohol, but because He Jian had to return to the station later, everyone’s cups only contained soy milk.
I raised my cup.
“This shop being able to operate so dramatically, everyone present can be said to bear responsibility, but—”
I smiled: “That Huangliang Yimeng could reach today is also thanks to everyone’s hard work. I’m a boss with conscience, and today’s meal is to thank everyone.”
After speaking, Han Sha snorted and clinked cups with me.
“Still having conscience after being tricked out of seven shops—if I were Bai Yiming knowing I had such a son, I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night.”
“Now you’re an advisor. If he gets tricked out of an eighth shop, I’ll settle accounts with you.”
Hearing this, Bai Liu just gave him a cool look and clinked cups with me: “I’m in charge of supervision.”
“I’m in charge of helping the boss well,” Song Nanshi said quietly.
“I heard someone previously deceived the boss quite badly.” Lei Hong straightforwardly clinked cups with me, then glanced sideways at He Jian. “Although we’re divorced, I still have to pay back his debts together.”
“I told you, that really wasn’t deception…” He Jian finally helplessly raised his cup. “Besides, hasn’t the case been closed?”
After drinking a round, logically it was time for the head-down food-grabbing phase, but after thinking, I decided to put my next major plan on the table.
I cleared my throat.
“Actually… given Huangliang Yimeng’s current momentum, I think within a year, we can consider opening a branch.”
As soon as I finished speaking, Han Sha raised an eyebrow and was about to object, but I didn’t plan to give him that chance: “I considered this branch during the last transformation. After all, after we partnered with the nursing home, other charity organizations approached us, including the Yu Jiang Rare Disease Care Association.”
Sure enough, Han Sha was instantly silenced, even looking at me with considerable shock.
Bai Liu saw through my excuse at a glance, looking helpless: “Did they approach you or did you approach them? You brat, such big ambitions for running an internet-famous shop. Do you think you can manage so many things?”
“After all, if this were mom’s shop, she would definitely make the same choice.”
In the steamy mist of the hot pot, I thought again of mom’s smiling face.
For me, cakes had always been the bond between mom and me.
Even if forgotten, ignored, looked down upon… no matter how insignificant or weak an existence, they could find people who cared about them on the other end of that bond.
Thinking to the end, I was about to move myself to tears. I originally wanted to continue with grand speeches, but then Bai Liu scrolled through her phone and suddenly interrupted: “Yang Zi, how nice a place can you afford to rent with your current money?”
My heart skipped a beat. I didn’t expect her efficiency to be so high: “Wait, sis, I didn’t say I wanted to do this so soon…”
“Business doesn’t wait for people.” Han Sha, who had just been injected with adrenaline, instantly entered commercial advisor mode. “Is there commercial property available?”
“Yes.”
Bai Liu turned to me, and for some reason, the expression on her face made my big sucker radar ring for the first time in a while.
You know, my sister’s devastating blows had always been her specialty.
“Yang Zi, I have a pretty cheap property here, it’s just…”
Bai Liu considered for a moment: “This time… can you accept a few deaths?”
[Main Story Complete]