Chapter 107

Chapter 107: The Trap Plan Was Discovered!...

Chen Ran didn’t have many diners in her friends list, but not too few either. At least, many people from the Queuing Committee had added her contact information.

At first, people often tried to guess Chen Ran’s whereabouts from her social media posts.

However, everyone soon regretfully discovered that Chen Ran posted so rarely on social media. She hardly ever shared anything related to her location.

But this time, she posted such a heavy-hitting message!

The fan group immediately exploded with excitement over this news; about a dozen people took screenshots at the same time and quickly forwarded them into the group.

“Did everyone see? Chef Chen said she’s holding a charity dinner!”

“Quick, check Chen Ran’s social media!”

“Is there an address? Where is Chen Ran?”

“It was mentioned before in the group, Chef Chen went to some Hope Primary School this time. General Manager Xu and the others even built a book bar nearby, but Chen Ran hesitated and went to the school next door instead.”

He Xin also quickly posted the screenshot into the gourmet group: “Anyone local here? Hurry up!”

“Where are those people in the group who usually like doing charity? Your blessing has arrived!”

Of course, more people immediately started contacting Chen Ran.

“Chef Chen! Give me a location!”

“Chef Chen, no matter what the donation is, I’ll pledge ten thousand first! I’m easy to please, just give me a bowl of chicken porridge!”

“Chef Chen, is it the Hope Primary School? I’m a 985 master’s student taking a gap year, I can do volunteer teaching for a year! I can also donate desks and benches!”

Even more extreme, some directly sent transfers!

Chen Ran was suddenly a bit overwhelmed.

Just now, seeing Principal Li’s condition and hearing what other staff said, she impulsively posted that message on social media.

In her mind, a few local diners or entrepreneurs like General Manager Xu and General Manager Wang who usually do charity would be enough.

But unexpectedly, in just a short while, her message list exploded!

There were even continuous friend requests coming in.

Chen Ran hurriedly closed her friend requests, then looked at the long queue of messages growing nonstop and started to feel a headache.

She thought for a moment, hesitated between the chat windows of Ms. Wang and General Manager Xu, then opened Ms. Wang’s chat.

Ms. Wang’s few messages were concise:

“Ranran, are you going to donate to Hope Primary School?”

“How many people can the banquet accommodate? What time? What’s the target amount for charity? Is there an auction?”

“I will be there on time.”

Seeing the several questions in Ms. Wang’s second message, Chen Ran suddenly began to sweat.

She hadn’t even thought about these questions yet!When she posted on social media just now, she instinctively used the term "charity dinner," but upon careful reflection, the dishes Principal Li bought were probably just enough for a table of snacks, right?

The time hadn’t been confirmed, nor had the target amount for charity or the form of donations.

In the few messages she received, there were people wanting to donate money, some offering to teach, and others pledging to donate tables and chairs...

She immediately sought help from Ms. Wang: “Sister Wang, can we have Ji You come help out?”

Chen Ran sent a long voice message, describing the situation and difficulties, with a special mention of Principal Li.

In the book bar just a wall away, Ms. Wang smiled softly.

“I can have Ji You help, but I think there may be someone more suitable.”

She recommended two people, Gao Shuxian and Wan Jiaxin.

“Shuxian and Wan Jiaxin are both local, do you remember Wan Jiaxin? She was the girl in the Taohuayuan program who was in charge of getting you your boxed lunch.”

Chen Ran recalled and remembered.

“They’re both local and available. Gao Shuxian just signed up and is preparing for an exam, and Wan Jiaxin took leave from a new drama she’s in, to relax.”

Local?

Chen Ran noticed the word and suddenly remembered something.

At lunch today, while chatting casually, Chef Zhou mentioned something.

The book bar outside had only been built a few days ago. And the workers hired weren’t local idle workers, but neat uniformed staff from a large company.

Chen Ran squinted and glanced toward the book bar by the door.

She put on her headphones and directly called Wang Qing'an.

Ms. Wang was startled!

However, she quickly took a deep breath and answered the call.

“Ha ha, don’t worry, those two should be able to handle this task.”

“Hmm, that’s fine. Ji You has experience organizing small charity events. I’ll ask her to help take a look.”

“Ah… Why are they both here, ha ha, isn’t it a coincidence? Sometimes, fate between people is just like this…”

Ms. Wang paced back and forth in the room while speaking with Chen Ran. Other diners gathered around her, trying to listen in on the conversation.

Especially General Manager Xu, who was the closest: Why wasn’t it her who got to know Chen Ran first?

This group of people crowded around Ms. Wang, making it hard for her to breathe. She waved her hand to move them away, signaling for them to step outside.

Just as she raised her eyes, she realized many were giving her meaningful glances, like they were pointing at her throat.

“What’s going on?”

Ms. Wang lightly pressed her phone, mouthing the words, just as she saw her trusted assistant Ji You, with a distressed expression, signaling for her to look behind.

Wang Qing'an turned her head and saw that Chen Ran was standing at the door of the book bar.

To give the book bar the impression that it might close, the lighting inside had been intentionally made to look old. The windows weren’t so bright either. Even during the day with the lights on, the interior still appeared somewhat dim.Chen Ran stood at the entrance of the book bar, with the sunlight from behind her shining through, giving her an imposing presence.

“Really, a book bar?”

“Did the employees from a big factory’s 996 schedule quit their jobs and return home to open a book bar, just to meet fellow book lovers?”

“The lease is only for a month, so you only hired a temporary chef for a month, right?”

When she first saw this rather literary job ad, she even thought: how could the system hesitate? This book bar is clearly the kind of place the system would choose for part-time work!

Now, looking at it, she had to admit that the system’s instincts were sharp.

“Chef Chen! Let’s talk calmly!”

“Chef Chen, we’re just trying out a book bar, we didn’t really do anything...”

“Chef Chen, I just got here, I don’t know anything about any ‘Chen Ran’s trap plan’!”

Countless sharp glares flew toward the last person who spoke.

Everyone spoke in unison: “You’re not qualified for the charity dinner, go drool outside!”

Trap plan?

Chen Ran glanced at the counter in the book bar and saw a cookbook. As she walked over, she realized that she had forgotten to put down the kitchen knife she was holding in her other hand.

She casually placed the knife on the counter and noticed that General Manager Xu, behind the counter, instinctively took a step back as she picked up the cookbook and flipped through it.

Hmm...?

“You guys... this cookbook... it’s quite comprehensive?”

What lion head rice, pot-stewed meat rice, shredded cabbage rice—don’t even mention those, but they even had the three-set duck ready?

What kind of book bar sells three-set duck?

They even included the nine-turn large intestine, which she had just learned and hadn’t started practicing yet!

“Three-set duck?”

Chen Ran scanned the customers in the room: “The book bar also sells three-set duck, and you’re not afraid of giving yourselves away?”

Seeing that Chen Ran didn’t seem angry, Zhu Chenchen squeezed his head out from behind the crowd and boldly laughed, “Sister Ran, we definitely need you to sign the contract first, then you can see the cookbook!”

Chen Ran couldn’t help but chuckle and continued flipping through the cookbook.

It was really complete!

Double-skill roast chicken, vegetarian fried eggplant boxes, mock crab meat, crispy fried little carp—basically, every famous dish was listed.

Except for Dinghu Shangsu.

This piqued Chen Ran’s curiosity: “Why isn’t Dinghu Shangsu here? Doesn’t anyone like it?”

“Dinghu Shangsu’s ingredients are a bit hard to collect. One of the mushrooms isn’t of good quality...”

Anyway, since it was already exposed, General Manager Xu led Chen Ran to the back of the book bar.

Passing through the dimly lit book bar, they reached the back, which turned out to be a brand new kitchen!The full stainless steel cooking platform and stove were not surprising, and all kinds of kitchenware were complete. Even the aprons and towels were in the mint green color that Chen Ran liked.

Inside, someone was organizing the refrigerator—surprisingly, it was Tang Su! The aunt who was repeatedly wiping the already spotless cooking counter also looked a bit familiar.

Chen Ran opened her mouth, then remembered: “It’s Aunt Liu!”

She was the one who was especially good at washing little carp at the Swan KTV!

General Manager Xu’s tone was still as arrogant as usual, but those who were familiar with her could detect a hint of caution in her voice: “We’ve also contacted Master Du Zhaohu, but Master Xu insisted that someone must go pick him up and personally oversee him before allowing Master Du to come over. Ms. Tang Yang has already gone to pick him up.”

“And my mom’s coming over too! I told her to come by herself, but she insisted on going home to get the homemade pickled vegetables. She said she promised you this back in Yang Lianshan…”

Chen Ran turned around and saw who was speaking— it was Shu Jianmin, someone she hadn’t seen for a long time!

Suddenly, something small pounced at her and hugged her hand: “Teacher Chen! I really missed you, I haven’t had your lion’s head meatballs in so long!”

Chen Ran looked down and saw it was Zhu Kuan Kuan.

Well, since Tang Yang went to pick someone up, it made sense that her apprentice, Zhu Kuan Kuan, was here too.

It had been a while, and Zhu Kuan Kuan had lost quite a bit of weight, but looking at her shoulders, they seemed broader now.

Chen Ran bent down, intending to pick her up, but hesitated for a moment, ultimately squatting down to hug her.

“You miss me, or do you miss the lion’s head meatballs?”

This question was a bit hard to answer, but Zhu Kuan Kuan, who had been through many tests at home, had her own way of handling situations like this.

She directly wrapped her arms around Chen Ran’s neck, pressing her face against Chen Ran’s: “Teacher Chen, please don’t be angry! Everyone’s just craving your cooking! Look at how beautiful this kitchen is, I even put up a few stickers!”

Actually, Chen Ran hadn’t been angry from the beginning. Especially after seeing this kitchen and all these familiar faces, she felt deeply touched.

“I’m not angry.”

She looked up at General Manager Xu, noticing the rare hint of unease on the usually domineering CEO’s face.

“But since you all came to me, for this charity dinner, I’ll just play the role of the hands-off manager.”

General Manager Xu clapped her hands and laughed heartily.

“No problem! Leave it to us, you just focus on cooking and perfecting the Nine-Turn Large Intestine.”

“This book bar, along with the books inside, and this kitchen, after this is all over, will be directly donated to the Hope Primary School!”