C19 A Beautiful Woman in the Middle of the Night

"Let's get out of here!"

Frozen in shock for a few seconds, Manager Wang suddenly sprang to his feet, yanked up the shutter door, and bolted outside!

The burly men, equally terrified, hoisted their two injured companions and hightailed it out of the store!

As they fled, they yelled in a panic, "What the hell, was that a monster?"

"We've seen a ghost!"

Chung Yuan didn't attempt to stop them. His rage subsided slightly, and he turned to approach Chung Yuanyuan and Chung Tuantuan.

"Yuanyuan, are you okay?"

Both children rushed into Chung Yuan's embrace. Chung Yuanyuan planted a kiss on his cheek.

"Dad, you're so cool!"

Chung Tuantuan was even more exuberant, raising his hands in jubilation, "Dad, are you Superman? You've got to be Superman, right?"

Chung Yuan smiled warmly, lifting the two kids and heading upstairs.

"There's no such thing as Superman in this world..."

"No! Dad, you are Superman..."

...

Finally, the children were asleep.

Chung Yuan made his way back downstairs.

Manager Wang, in his haste to escape, had left the shutter door open!

Only after the children were asleep did Chung Yuan come down to close it.

But he wasn't overly concerned.

The store was under surveillance.

He had already secured the eight hundred dollars from the counter.

The kitchen was out of food.

The dining area was left with just a few tables!

The only items of value were the refrigerator and some beverages in the freezer—hardly a fortune to be stolen.

"Ah well..."

Chung Yuan surveyed the disheveled hall and began tidying up.

Several tables had been toppled, one even ruined, and the stools were a mess too.

He cleaned each table meticulously and rearranged them neatly.

Next, Chung Yuan wiped down the freezer and took inventory of the alcohol.

"One bottle, two bottles, three bottles... Eighteen left. That won't be enough for tomorrow. The usual delivery guy isn't coming anymore; I'll need to find a new supplier for the drinks tomorrow!"

He muttered to himself while jotting down notes in a small ledger.

"Wine, five cases."

"Black tea, one case. Ice soda sells well—I'll need three cases on hand. And two cases of Young Bao..."

"Black-legged chicken, ten of them, and two barrels of oil..."

Chung Yuan perused the menu, mentally checking off the items he needed as he meandered through the hall.

The wall clock's hands crept toward eleven o'clock.

Outside, the street lay in utter darkness.

Bang!

Just then, the sound of a car door slamming echoed from outside, seemingly right at the entrance of his shop.

Chung Yuan paid it no mind and kept his focus on the menu.

"Excuse me, are you still open?" a voice inquired.

"Sorry, we're closed," Chung Yuan responded without so much as lifting his gaze.

The person on the other end seemed to hesitate, their high heels clicking faintly at the doorway before the sound began to fade.

Then, the clicking returned, growing louder.

The person had come back, sounding rather forlorn, "Boss, is there really no way? We've tried so many places, but they're all closed. We can hardly find anything to eat now. Anything you have that can be made, we'll take it! Even instant noodles would do!"

The voice belonged to a woman.

At her words, Chung Yuan finally looked up.

That one glance was like a glimpse into spring, the scenic vistas of Bright Lake, and a vast ocean of stars.

Standing at the door was a striking woman with a shapely figure and refined features, appearing to be in her early twenties, dressed in a miniskirt that showcased her long, silky legs—easily over a meter long!

She wore glittering fish-mouth heels that seemed to be studded with diamonds.

Such shoes were typically seen only on television or at upscale social events.

Who would wear such towering heels casually?

Weren't they afraid of taking a nasty fall?

Her hair cascaded like waves over her shoulders, and her exquisite features were tinged with a mix of resignation and shyness.

Clutching her handbag, her hands were neatly placed over her lower abdomen as she offered Chung Yuan an apologetic smile.

"I'm so sorry to bother you at this hour, boss. I appreciate your help. If there's any pre-made dish you could just warm up, I'd be grateful. I'm not picky!"

It was hard to believe. A woman like her surely wasn't lacking in funds. Where couldn't she find food?

After all, there were plenty of places open around the clock!

Chung Yuan glanced out the window and noticed the woman was still driving a luxury car.

It seems like when there's a beautiful woman around, everything becomes a bit easier to handle!

Chung Yuan nodded in agreement. "Oh, it's no trouble at all. What would you like to eat? Our restaurant has just two dishes: pumpkin fried rice and Late Spicy Chicken Braised Rice." (Woman: "I'll have both!") "Braised rice it is!"

Before Chung Yuan could finish, the woman had already chimed in, as if she had come with her mind made up. Chung Yuan was taken aback but didn't dwell on it.

"Alright, just give me a moment and I'll get started on that for you!"

"Thanks so much! Could you pack the Late Spicy Chicken Braised Rice to go? I'll have the pumpkin fried rice here," she requested.

"Sure thing!"

After a quick check in the kitchen, Chung Yuan returned with an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, we're out of rice at the moment. I need to steam some more, which might take a while... Oh, you're not in a hurry? Great, I'll get that started then."

Chung Yuan stole another glance at the woman before heading back to the kitchen to rinse and steam the rice.

Meanwhile, the woman, carrying her bag and full of curiosity, wandered over to the kitchen's entrance, seemingly fascinated by everything inside. Her eyes widened as she surveyed the space.

It was a simple setup: just two stoves, a sink, a shelf, a kitchen freezer, a counter with cutting boards, a double burner, a box of seasonings, a steamer, a dish placement area, and a section for small ingredients. It was much like any other kitchen, only smaller. But despite its size, it had everything one might need.

"Uh..." Chung Yuan turned to see the woman still there and asked, "Is there something else you need?"

The woman shook her head. "No, nothing. I was just taking a look around. Wow, your kitchen is really clean and well-organized!"

Chung Yuan grinned. "Thanks for the compliment. Hygiene is crucial in a restaurant, isn't it? Taste comes second. After all, if you can't guarantee basic cleanliness, even the tastiest food won't be appetizing to customers. Who would dare to eat something that could be dangerous?"

The woman's laughter blossomed, revealing charming dimples on her cheeks. Her smile was truly beautiful—neither too showy nor insincere, and it didn't come off as half-hearted. Paired with her crescent-moon eyes, it sweetened Chung Yuan's heart.

Chung Yuan retrieved the chicken from the freezer and set about chopping chilies, ginger, and garlic.

The recipe called for two star anise, which would need to be removed after infusing the oil.

A splash of light soy sauce, a dash of dark soy sauce, a pinch of salt, and a moderate amount of MSG, with just a hint of chicken bouillon.

Since the Late Spicy Chicken Braised Rice already contained chicken, adding chicken bouillon was optional.

But given that freezing can diminish the chicken's natural flavor, a touch of chicken bouillon could be appropriate.

And finally, a light sprinkle of pepper powder.