We drove straight into the center of Nanjing. The restaurant was on Shanghai Road. The decor was a bit outdated, and the storefront wasn't as big as the one in Hangzhou, but the location was good. That was my first impression.

As I stood at the entrance, carefully surveying the place, my mom suddenly asked, "First time in Nanjing, right?"

"Yeah, first time. It's built up nicely."

"Of course."

Just then, I noticed a lot of flower baskets in front of a storefront a few doors down. It was also a restaurant and looked like it had just opened. Our place was definitely inferior to theirs. And the place next door to us was also a restaurant; there was a "For Rent" sign on the door. I walked over, took a look, and immediately tore the flyer off.

My mom immediately came over to me and said, "Why did you tear that off? They're also looking to lease."

"Are you also looking to lease?" I asked, curious.

"Ever since that place opened, our business has been diverted."

I glanced over at the other restaurant. Actually, they had different styles. They focused on spicy food, while we had authentic Jiangnan cuisine. Saying business was diverted was a bit of a stretch.

"Lease the place next door, expand the restaurant, and renovate it. Look at your storefront; it's already outdated. This location is so good; it's a shame to close it down."

While we were discussing this, a car suddenly pulled up beside us, and a voice called out, "Boss lady, so fast?"

My mom greeted him with a smile and said, "You called, so of course I rushed over. How's business?"

The man who got out of the car was quite young. He immediately replied, "Still a lot worse than last month's revenue. At least a third less. I'm getting worried. We need a strategy."

"Did you look for other locations like I asked?"

"I looked around Confucius Temple last night, but there's nothing suitable."

Listening to their conversation, I immediately made a decision. I pointed to the storefront next door and said, "No need to look anywhere else. Lease this place and renovate the storefront."

Maybe I spoke too abruptly. He looked at me questioningly. My mom immediately explained, "This is my son, Lin Che."

He gave me a friendly smile, then turned to my mom and asked, "So, we're going with this plan?"

"Do you think it's a good idea?" My mom asked for his opinion respectfully.

"I think this plan is good because we have a steady customer base. Closing down would be a real shame."

As he answered, he opened the door to the restaurant. I stepped inside first. The two storefronts did seem quite small. I guessed the restaurant had been here for at least ten years. The better the business, the less time there was to deliberately renovate. Now, I thought, was a good opportunity, not to compare ourselves to others, but to reorganize.

My mom sat down first and said, "We came here today to see the situation. Xiao Zhang, bring the monthly statements. The three of us will make a decision now. If we go with Lin Che's plan, it'll save a lot of trouble. We just need to find a renovation company and you can supervise."

Then my mom carefully looked at the monthly revenue and said, "Not bad."

"So, if it's okay, we'll go with Mr. Lin's idea?"

I took the flyer I had torn off out of my pocket and put it on the table. It was very simple. Besides the "For Rent" notice, it only had a contact name and phone number.

"If you tear it off, no one will contact them. If we really decide to lease it, we'll transfer it today. As for the renovation style, we can just copy our Hangzhou restaurant. It's a chain anyway."

My mom looked at me, a bit surprised, with a look of astonishment. Maybe she thought my efficiency was alright. Actually, my mind was completely on Pei Shi Yu right now. It would be good if I could go back tonight. Besides, my plan was simple and convenient, and it would also lock in our original customer base. If we wanted to improve the flavors, we could just hire a chef.

I thought they would discuss it seriously for a while longer, but my mom suddenly made a decision. "We'll do as Lin Che says. Xiao Zhang, you take care of leasing the place. And should you find the renovation team, or should I?"

"I'll bring the renovation team from Hangzhou," I answered quickly.

I might not have other strengths, but I did have some connections in the construction business. I could just contact them and have a few people come over. It was just a matter of copying the Hangzhou restaurant.

"Wouldn't that be too much trouble? We could just find one in Nanjing," my mom immediately rejected my idea.

"Do you know anyone?"

"Why do we need to know anyone? There are plenty of renovation companies."

"Then it's up to you. Do you still have the blueprints for the Hangzhou restaurant?"

"I'll have Wang Rui take care of that. Just find a renovation company and send over the pictures."

"So, is everything here settled? Are we going back today?" I asked uncertainly.

"There are still so many things to do. What's the rush? We've only decided on the plan. The actual work hasn't even started, and you're already thinking about going back."

"There are only two main things: leasing the storefront and finding a renovation company. Leasing the storefront can be done with one phone call. The two parties sign an agreement, pay the money, and it's done. There are plenty of renovation companies online..."

Before I could finish, my mom interrupted me. "You make it sound so simple. Before the renovation company arrives, we have to dispose of the old tables and chairs. There's a whole bunch of stuff to do after that."

"We can sell them to the used goods market. That's also just a phone call away."

"You make it sound like you don't have to worry about anything, like everything is just one phone call away."

"So, what do you think of my efficiency?" I asked with a confident look.

"Otherwise, what would we need you for?"

Xiao Zhang, who had been watching us talk the whole time, spoke up at this point. "Boss lady, how about I go to the used goods market now? If we're going to renovate, we need to clear out the restaurant first. And the kitchen utensils and freezers need to be taken to the warehouse. The leasing of the next-door storefront can be left to you to discuss. I'll call the staff over and have them help with the cleaning. The quicker we move, the better."

My mom considered for a moment and replied, "Okay, you take care of the leasing and the renovation company with your son. You're okay with that?"

"Yes, I am," Xiao Zhang answered readily.

After he left, I started to walk into the kitchen. It was very clean inside. I asked loudly, curious, "Have you not been open for the past few days?"

My mom immediately followed me in and said, "It started today. Xiao Zhang is quite responsible. Look how clean the kitchen is."

I didn't respond because I didn't know what she meant by saying that. Was she referring to my attitude just now, or was she indirectly saying that I was being too hasty?