C14 Supporting the Golden Restaurant

A system notification announced that the host could upgrade the shop and any item within it.

Du Binn's heart leapt with joy; his shop could be enhanced without the need for outside help. Without a second thought, he opted to upgrade.

Ding! Shop upgrade initiated.

As a mechanical chime rang out, the shop began to upgrade on its own.

The courtyard was enveloped in a sheer fabric, behind which the sound of tinkering began.

"How does the shop upgrade by itself?" Du Binn mused, his curiosity piqued. He eyed the filmy barrier and tiptoed over, trying to sneak a peek, only to find his view completely obscured.

The cloth, though seemingly thin, rendered the interior invisible, leaving Du Binn somewhat deflated.

"The system's upgrade process is shrouded in mystery. I wonder how long it will take," he pondered, watching his shop's transformation.

Just then, Lee Xiaoying bounded over, her eyes wide at the sight of the shop swathed in white.

"Binn, what's happened to your shop? Are you actually renovating?"

Du Binn nodded. "Yeah, business hasn't been great. I'm sprucing up the place, especially since the support funds are due soon."

At the mention of the funds, Xiaoying's eyes sparkled, and she eagerly inquired about the renovation details.

"Binn, I came to share some great news. Your support money has arrived."

"Really?"

Du Binn had been about to seek Uncle Wang's advice on making chairs, hoping to start preparations in the next couple of days.

He had intended to front the renovation costs with his earnings over the next two days, but to his surprise, the support money had already come through.

"When have I ever deceived you? With this money, your business is sure to thrive."

Xiaoying beamed with confidence. In her eyes, Du Binn could do no wrong, and she was convinced that the shop's previous struggles were due to its dilapidated state.

She never doubted Du Binn's pricing; she believed he had his reasons for setting them so high.

As they chatted, the village chief hurried over.

"Du Binn, I've got some great news for you!" the village chief called out as he strode in.

"About your grant money..."

Before the village chief could finish, Lee Xiaoying interrupted, "Dad, I've already shared the good news with Brother Binn. He's in the loop; no need to keep shouting."

The village chief, seeing Lee Xiaoying, realized her eagerness to spread the word. He chuckled and said, "Look at you—racing over here just to tell Du Binn the news."

Turning to Du Binn, the village chief continued, "This is the grant money that's been approved. I trust you'll put it to good use. Please, don't let me down."

He handed the money to Du Binn, who nodded affirmatively. "Rest assured, Village Chief, I'm on it. I won't let you down."

Satisfied, the village chief then noticed the small shop wrapped in white cloth. He hadn't expected Du Binn to be so driven and felt reassured. If Du Binn ran the shop well, he might soon repay the villagers' money, easing the village chief's own conscience.

After wrapping up their conversation, Du Binn set off to visit Uncle Wang. But just then, the system's voice chimed in.

A gentle reminder: the system upgrade will take six hours to complete. As the shop levels up, the time required will also increase.

"Ah, the system really gets me," Du Binn mused. "Here I was, fretting about the renovation time, and you've got it all figured out. You're a lifesaver."

Though he lavished praise on the system, it remained silent.

Shrugging, Du Binn made his way to Uncle Wang's courtyard.

"Uncle Wang, it's Du Binn. Are you there?" he called, knocking on the door.

No sooner had he spoken than the door swung open. Uncle Wang peeked out, then greeted him with a warm smile. "Du Binn, welcome! Come on in."

Ever since tasting Du Binn's Golden Egg Fried Rice, Uncle Wang had grown quite fond of him, and it showed in his newfound warmth towards Du Binn.

"Uncle Wang, did you get a chance to look over the blueprint I gave you?"

Uncle Wang was astounded by Du Binn's blueprint. He hadn't expected such an exceptional design and his curiosity was piqued. "By the way, who came up with this design? It's absolutely fantastic."

"What? You're telling me you designed it?"

Uncle Wang stared at Du Binn, his surprise evident, struggling to grasp the reality of the situation.

"Yep, I just threw it together off the cuff. It's really nothing special. Honestly, my cooking is more noteworthy than my design work."

Listening to Du Binn, Uncle Wang found himself nodding in agreement. If Du Binn's design was impressive, his culinary talents were even more so.

"I've reviewed it. It's doable, and I'm nearly finished with my current projects. I just need to know when you need the delivery."

"I'm here today for exactly that reason. Once you wrap up your current work, Uncle Wang, I'd appreciate if you could start on mine as soon as possible. I'm quite eager to have it."

"Sure thing, no problem. I'll wrap up today's work and get started on yours tomorrow. I guarantee delivery within a week."

Hearing Du Binn's urgency, Uncle Wang didn't want to waste any more time. He was ready to put in extra hours to expedite Du Binn's order.

"Okay, Uncle Wang, here's your payment. Please count it."

Uncle Wang was taken aback by Du Binn's forthrightness and quickly objected, "Hold on, I haven't even started your job yet. How can I accept so much money in advance?"

This time, Uncle Wang didn't ask for a deposit from Du Binn, confident in Du Binn's proven capabilities and trustworthiness when it came to settling debts.

"Uncle Wang, please, take the money. I have full faith in your skills. Besides, this isn't our first time collaborating."

With that, Du Binn handed the cash to Uncle Wang.

"Uncle Wang, here's 1,500 yuan. Deduct 500 for your labor, and the remaining 1,000 is for materials. I trust you'll use top-quality wood for my project."

Upon hearing Du Binn's offer, Uncle Wang's brow furrowed with concern. "Rest assured, I'll certainly choose the finest materials. A thousand yuan might even be more than necessary. I'll refund you any excess. But my labor doesn't cost that much—three hundred yuan will suffice. You keep the remainder."

Uncle Wang was an honest man; he had no intention of unfairly benefiting from Du Binn's generosity.

Therefore, when Du Binn presented him with such a substantial sum, Uncle Wang wasn't taken aback but rather showed a moment of hesitation.

"Uncle Wang, I have full confidence in your skills. I truly believe your workmanship justifies the price. Please, accept it as a modest token of my appreciation, a way of saying thanks."