Rebirth at the Start: This Fate is Too Explosive!

Chapter 345 Xiulan's Little Chef!

Inside the breakfast shop.

Steaming hot soy milk, steamed buns, and fried dough sticks were served quickly.

Ye Fan ate quietly, giving the mother and daughter space to calm down.

Li Xiulan held the warm cup of soy milk, the warmth spreading from her fingertips, slightly dispelling the morning chill and the turmoil in her heart.

She looked at Ye Fan, who was eating quietly and calmly across from her, took a deep breath, and solemnly said, "Ye Fan, classmate."

This time, she didn't use honorifics, but instead used a more natural way of addressing a younger person than an elder would, "Thank you so much for today. Thank you for taking care of Ling'er, and thank you for helping me get my wages back."

This expression of gratitude came from the bottom of my heart, but it also carried a hint of uncertainty.

"Auntie, you're too kind. It was nothing at all," Ye Fan said sincerely, putting down his chopsticks.

As breakfast was nearing its end, Li Xiulan immediately stood up and deftly pulled out the few bills she had in her old wallet: "Boss, the bill!"

Ye Fan did not habitually grab orders as usual.

He keenly sensed that this simple breakfast held extraordinary significance for Li Xiulan—it was the only way she could express her gratitude and maintain a semblance of dignity at that moment.

Taking this away will only make her more uneasy and embarrassed.

"Okay!" The shopkeeper readily accepted the money and gave change.

After paying, Li Xiulan's tense shoulders seemed to relax slightly, and a look of relief appeared on her face.

Ye Fan saw it all and understood.

Sometimes, accepting things in a sensible way is more reassuring than giving generously.

This breakfast, paid for by Li Xiulan, acted as a delicate buffer, temporarily smoothing out the violent turbulence brought about by the morning storm, and allowing the atmosphere in the car to return to a delicate balance of temporary calm, yet undercurrents.

The car drove away from the breakfast shop, but did not head towards home.

Xian Zuling and Li Xiulan were both puzzled, but neither of them asked, and they just sat quietly in the back row.

The car eventually stopped on a relatively busy street, in front of a shop with a sign that read "Shop for Rent" but whose shutter door was closed and banging sounds could be heard from inside.

Ye Fan turned off the engine and turned to Li Xiulan in the back seat, saying, "Auntie, we've arrived. Please get out and take a look."

Li Xiulan and Xian Zuling got off the car with a lot of questions in their minds.

The shop in front of me wasn't large, but it was very clean. Through the glass door, I could see workers busy inside—not demolishing walls for renovations, but replacing some equipment.

A brand-new stainless steel double-burner stove was being pushed in, and a large-capacity commercial refrigerator was being unpacked, filling the air with the faint smell unique to new appliances.

The original tables, chairs, and benches still looked about 80% new, and the floor was clean.

"Ye Fan, what's going on...?" Li Xiulan looked at the bustling scene and was even more confused.

Ye Fan walked to her side, pointed to the shop, and said in a calm but convincingly confident tone, "Auntie, I took over this shop yesterday. It used to be a Hunan-style stir-fry restaurant, which had a good foundation and the renovation was easy. Now, it just needs a key figure to run the business—a chef who truly understands Hunan cuisine and can make it taste great."

He turned his gaze to Li Xiulan, offering a sincere invitation: "Ling'er has told me countless times that your Hunan cuisine is the authentic taste of home, the best she's ever had. It just so happens that you don't have any other work right now, and I urgently need a reliable and skilled partner. Auntie, you contribute your skills, and I'll contribute my capital; we'll each own 50%, and we'll do it together."

"Technology as equity?" Li Xiulan was stunned by this unfamiliar term, followed by immense fear and unease. "No way! How can this be? I... I'm just a rural woman, how would I know how to open a shop and be a boss! My previous snack shops were just small-scale operations, this... this proper restaurant, I can't make it work! It'll definitely lose money!"

She waved her hands repeatedly and subconsciously took a half step back, as if the brightly lit shop were some kind of monstrous flood.

She can earn her money through hard work, but being a "boss"? That's beyond her comfort zone.

Ye Fan seemed to have anticipated her reaction and began his analysis calmly: "Auntie, you used to run a snack shop. You know how to serve customers, how to keep accounts, and how to control costs. You have all the know-how. That's much better than someone with absolutely no experience!"

"In the restaurant business, taste is fundamental! Your culinary skills are your biggest asset, something no one can take away or imitate. As long as the food is delicious, you'll never have to worry about customers."

"Don't you and Grandpa Ling'er still grow vegetables? Homegrown vegetables are fresh and safe, and you can control the costs. Even if you need to buy them, with your old farmer's eye, how could the vegetables you choose be bad?"

"Most importantly," Ye Fan's tone softened, carrying an undeniable concern, "with this stable and relatively relaxed career, Ling'er can truly focus on her studies in Jinling. She won't have to worry day and night about you working yourself to the bone to earn money, and you can live a more comfortable life, right?"

Ye Fan's every word was like a precise key, gradually unlocking Li Xiulan's strong defenses.

Especially the last point, which hits her softest spot—making her daughter feel at ease.

She remembered her daughter's heart-wrenching cries at the brick factory, and the fear and pleading in her eyes.

Li Xiulan fell silent.

She watched as the workers installed the brand-new stainless steel workbench, its gleaming surface reflecting her slightly aged face, dusted with brick dust.

A feeling she had never experienced before, a mixture of trepidation and a glimmer of hope, quietly began to grow in her heart.

She clenched her fist, then released it. Finally, with a hint of reckless courage, she raised her head, her voice still trembling but exceptionally clear: "Those...those shares...I can't take that many! I'm just an employee; you provide the money and the effort, I'll just take my salary!"

"Auntie," Ye Fan smiled, his tone gentle yet firm, "you're not just an employee, you're a partner. The core of the shop is your skill; without your skill, money alone won't get it up and running. We'll split it 50/50, it's fair and reasonable."

He paused, then added, "Besides, only when you are the owner yourself will you truly treat this shop as your own business and run it with dedication. Only then can we continue to operate it and make it better and better, right?"

"Xiulan's Kitchen"—the name Ye Fan had decided on yesterday, was spoken by him now, carrying a warm expectation.

He told Li Xiulan that he had already made arrangements with the real estate agent after signing the contract yesterday. All the equipment would be replaced with new ones, including pots and pans, spice racks, and even plates and bowls. Money was not a problem, and the agent handled everything efficiently.

The equipment has been replaced and cleaning is done today. Tomorrow we can go buy ingredients and officially open for business!