Chapter 84: Our Store Got Noticed by an Internet Celebrity

In the middle of the night, Zhang Yang couldn’t sleep at all and went out alone to the balcony for some air.

The breeze from Zhongshan Park brushed against his face. On this early summer night, he thought about many things: the riverside mansion symbolizing wealth, the shop he didn’t know when he could sell, the Shudu Spicy Roast Duck store’s first entrepreneurial success, the sleepless night brought by the midnight cashback critical hit, and the girls who had appeared in his life…

This summer seemed to be getting hotter and hotter.

He took out his phone. A few minutes ago, he had said goodnight to Bei Wei, and the newly added genuinely rich Miss Luo had messaged him several times without getting a reply, so she gave up. Scrolling through her Moments, he saw she had flown to Beijing.

Pei Xiaoru had been acting almost like a live broadcast all afternoon and evening, constantly updating him as if the shop could be sold tomorrow.

“Alright, let’s wait until it actually sells, long-legged girl.”

Zhang Yang put down his phone and calmly returned to the bedroom to sleep.

Starting the next day, Zhang Yang began staying obediently at the Shudu Spicy Roast Duck store.

People say even a monk works one day at a time, and with his daily cashback multiplied by critical hits, it wouldn’t do for him, as the store owner, not to be present.

Besides, the system didn’t determine whether the critical multiplier was truly random. Trying harder couldn’t hurt.

Inside the Shudu Spicy Roast Duck store, it was another busy noon.

Zhang Yang stayed in the store, occasionally delivering roast duck to his own customers while keeping an eye on Bei Wei at the front desk.

She wore an apron and handled the phone skillfully, gradually taking on the air of a young boss’s wife.

“Zhang Yang,” Bei Jiajia said, scrolling on her phone, “have you noticed? Lately, the roast duck topic has been trending.”

She showed him the latest videos from top food bloggers visiting restaurants.

The top influencer already had over a million likes.

“I noticed. I still don’t understand why it suddenly started to gain traction,” Zhang Yang nodded, walking out with Bei Jiajia to talk privately.

“Here’s the thing. My dad just got the news too. Behind this trend are countless pushers-some acting spontaneously, others deliberately. He was so excited last night he didn’t sleep a wink,” Bei Jiajia said.

On a hot trend, even a pig can fly.

Especially someone who had been deeply rooted in Chengdu’s food industry for years.

“Could it go viral?” Zhang Yang asked.

“Possibly,” Bei Jiajia nodded. “These past two days, merchants inquiring about franchising with my dad’s stores have increased several times over.”

Suddenly, a thought flashed through Zhang Yang’s mind.

Though the wording didn’t match exactly, the meaning was clear: unimaginable wealth was coming.

This, of course, applied to Bei Tianfu.

As for Zhang Yang, he thought that if the Shudu Spicy Roast Duck category really took off, the entire massive city of Shanghai would be ripe for franchising.

Even though the money from this was trivial compared to the system’s rewards, the key was that he could openly funnel a few million into his own pockets under this guise without having to explain further.

“My dad, seeing the situation, is thinking about renting an office in Shanghai to set up headquarters,” Bei Jiajia quietly told Zhang Yang.

The Shanghai general agency would naturally be Zhang Yang, but if Tianfu Catering set up a headquarters there, it would be convenient for franchising across East China and for serving local Shanghai merchants, achieving a win-win with Zhang Yang.

Zhang Yang naturally welcomed such a good opportunity.

“By the way, does Uncle Bei regret giving me the Shanghai general agency?” Zhang Yang asked jokingly.

“Of course he doesn’t fully regret it,” Bei Jiajia chuckled. “But people need to be content. When the day comes that you earn the Shanghai franchise fees, my dad will earn even more.”

“Zhang Yang… Bei Jiajia,” Bei Wei called from inside the store, waving from afar.

They both smiled and returned to the store.

For several consecutive days, Zhang Yang stayed at the store during the day and checked his gains punctually at midnight.

The critical hits were stable, hovering around five or six times. He hadn’t seen a tenfold yet, but he was satisfied. Going from ten thousand a day to fifty or sixty thousand a day felt like taking the fast lane-purely exhilarating.

The only drawback was that this was just a ten-day experience card. After ten days, he would return to his normal ten-thousand-yuan daily cashback. Luxury is easy to get used to, but going back to modesty is difficult!

Meanwhile, Bei Jiajia finally received concrete news.

Her dad decided to open a headquarters in Shanghai for easier franchise management. As the family’s only daughter, Bei Jiajia naturally had to get involved and help out.

Around noon that day, inside the Shudu Spicy Roast Duck store:

“Sis, these are the main details. I think fewer customers will come today. If you need anything, just call me,” Bei Jiajia said, lightly hugging Bei Wei.

“Go on, you’ve been with us so long, it’s time to help Uncle,” Bei Wei smiled.

“Mainly because Zhang Handsome is so generous, how could I not do my best? By the way, has Zhang Handsome arrived yet?” Bei Jiajia asked curiously.

Bei Wei’s face reddened.

Last night, Gu Jiani happened to be away, and Zhang Yang had stayed over. They had talked until dawn.

Early this morning, since someone had to be at the store and she didn’t want to wake him, Bei Wei came alone first.

“Oh, got it,” Bei Jiajia grinned mischievously. “By the way, Sis, Zhang Handsome isn’t here. I need to tell you something quietly-don’t let him hear it.”

Bei Wei blinked and leaned closer.

“Sis, someone like Zhang Handsome is irresistible. Don’t you have to keep an eye on him? Out there, girls of all types-pretty, open, good-natured, bold, proactive… You need to have some awareness!” Bei Jiajia whispered.

Bei Wei smiled calmly, seemingly unsurprised.

“Sis, why aren’t you reacting?” Bei Jiajia asked, confused.

“What can I do? As you said, there are all kinds out there. I can’t block him. Am I supposed to cry, throw tantrums, or hang myself to keep him in place?” Bei Wei smiled lightly.

“Better to go with the flow. I can’t be better than anyone else.”

“Then… what should I do?” Bei Jiajia stammered.

“Fool, be the most special, the most irreplaceable in certain ways,” Bei Wei said softly. “For example, the most obedient, the most considerate, the most sensible, the best at cooking…”

“Keeping a guy is so hard!” Bei Jiajia exclaimed.

“Just go with the flow. You’re more thoughtful than I expected,” Bei Wei said, patting her distant cousin’s head.

Bei Jiajia mumbled a bit and stayed quiet.

She vaguely felt Bei Wei’s advice was a little off. After all, it’s just a guy. What’s so special about that? Why try to be irreplaceable? But thinking about it, Zhang Yang was so handsome, rich, and in such great shape…

Who wouldn’t want to hold on?

“Thinking about it, that actually makes sense,” Bei Jiajia thought, then left Shudu Spicy Roast Duck to start her next tasks: renting an office and helping her dad. The thought already gave her a headache, but it didn’t matter-after all, she was her dad’s only daughter. No matter how big the company became, it would eventually be hers.

Around noon, the Shudu Spicy Roast Duck store had only the staff and Bei Wei present.

“Bei Wei, why didn’t you call me this morning?” Zhang Yang sent a video. He looked like he had just woken up.

“You sleep so deeply, I woke up first and got up,” Bei Wei smiled at him on video. “Want to come by? Bei Jiajia isn’t here today, so we’re short one person.”

“You’re really using Bei Jiajia as a staff member, huh?” Zhang Yang laughed. “Wait, I’ll come as soon as possible.”

Ending the video, a customer arrived to verify a voucher, so Bei Wei busied herself.

Outside the store, two figures stepped down from a nearby car.

“So this is the store? I checked the area, and it seems this Shudu Spicy Roast Duck store is the most popular here,” one slightly plump middle-aged man said to his photographer.

This man was one of the top domestic restaurant reviewers, known as The Gourmet.

With over ten million followers, each review could bring enormous attention and traffic to a restaurant, causing food businesses nationwide to scramble online.

His style was distinctive-sharp-tongued but precise. Big restaurants were critiqued harshly, small ones more leniently, forming a personal logic for restaurant reviews.

“Yes, this is the one nearby,” photographer Lao Liu nodded. “Unimaginable fortune is here; let’s see if they can seize it.”

They had come because many food bloggers nationwide had recently been exploring Shudu Spicy Roast Duck stores. This one had a good reputation and had been recommended, so they decided to check it out.

“Let’s go!” The Gourmet waved and put on a mask; the two headed straight inside.

At the entrance, he glanced at the crowded store and exchanged looks with his partner.

“Quite a crowd. Business seems good.”

Inside, the aroma was irresistible, and the chatter indicated happy diners.

The Gourmet noticed a fair-skinned, pretty girl at the front, busy taking orders and verifying vouchers.

“Hello, we’d like to order,” he said politely.

Normally, during busy times, staff could be impatient, so he was prepared for mediocre service.

“Hello, how many of you?” Bei Wei asked, smiling while busy.

“Two,” the Gourmet replied from under his mask.

He was surprised. Despite the busy scene, she remained calm and welcoming, instantly raising his impression of the store.

“For two, I recommend our set meal for two. You can also pick your own dishes if you want,” Bei Wei explained.

“Are you an employee here?” he asked casually.

“Oh, this is my boyfriend’s store. I’m helping out,” Bei Wei replied.

“Ah, so you’re the boss’s wife,” the Gourmet and his partner exchanged smiles.

Bei Wei smiled shyly, keeping quiet but feeling a little sweet inside.

The Gourmet thought young people’s entrepreneurship was tough; complimenting her a bit seemed fitting. Besides, with business doing so well, helping others succeed felt good.

“All right, then we’ll take the set meal for two,” he said.

“Okay. Also, you can buy online; it’s a bit cheaper,” Bei Wei reminded them.

“No need. We’ll pay directly. Your store is good and considerate, unlike some places that act clueless and hide discounts,” the Gourmet said, liking her more.

They found a seat, waiting patiently while recording some content.

He wiped the table clean, noticing no grease, and nodded approvingly.

For big restaurants, the focus is the food. For small ones, you can’t expect fancy dishes, so praise comes from other details.

For example, this table-spotless, not a trace of grease.

For a roast duck store, achieving this is no small feat. On top of that, even though the food is strongly flavored, the store thoughtfully offers adjustable spiciness. In a way, it shows a customer-first service philosophy.

See? Who says there’s nothing to praise? There’s plenty to compliment.

“Not easy at all-two young people working hard to open a small shop, and now business is finally picking up. That’s a story worth telling,” the Gourmet remarked, looking around.

In this vast city of Shanghai, two young people far from home had built this little store with their own hands.

Isn’t this just hard work leading to wealth, creating a future with your own hands?

The Gourmet’s inspiration was sparked. Before even tasting the food, he already had a list of ideas forming in his head.

“Hello, table twenty-seven,” the server announced, delivering the long-awaited roast duck.

The Gourmet and his photographer gazed at the steaming roast duck, the aroma making their mouths water and appetite surge.

They weren’t unfamiliar with roast duck, but that had been in Chengdu. Here in Shanghai, it had been a long time since they’d tasted such authentic roast duck.

He took a bite.

Numbing and spicy, yet not greasy at all. The careful selection of the duck itself was obvious.

“Very good-absolutely not greasy. Perfect with rice.”

“I think I could eat two bowls.”

“Best part is, it’s affordable. Two of us for fifty yuan-quite a bargain.”

The Gourmet praised it wholeheartedly, genuinely impressed.

Fifty yuan-what more could you want? Good service, a clean store, non-greasy, tasty food, and cheap? Excellent!

The cameraman faithfully recorded the Gourmet’s reactions.

At the front desk, Bei Wei was busy when a staff member came running to inform her.

“That one over there… looks like an influencer, here to review the store.”

“An influencer?” Bei Wei’s heart skipped a beat. Looking from afar, he seemed increasingly familiar.

Could it really be… the most cutting-tongued Gourmet on the entire internet? She hadn’t prepared, and didn’t know if he’d like the food.

After thinking it over, she decided to approach.

“Um… sir, how do you find the taste of our food?” she asked nervously.

The Gourmet was wiping his mouth, and upon seeing the young boss’s wife approaching, a smile immediately appeared in his eyes.

Well, she’d been recognized.

“Don’t be nervous. Afraid I’ll be harsh?” the Gourmet asked with amusement, looking at her.

Bei Wei smiled awkwardly-basically, that was the gist.

“You’re from Chengdu, right?” he asked. “The flavors are very authentic, exactly like what we eat back home.”

“Thank you, thank you for the compliment,” Bei Wei’s heart finally relaxed.

Big influencers like this could decide a restaurant’s fate with a single sentence-no wonder she was nervous.

“By the way, how did you come up with opening a roast duck shop?” he asked curiously.

“Well… I really like the taste of home, so my boyfriend opened an authentic Chengdu-style roast duck shop for me,” Bei Wei winked, quietly dropping a little romance.

The Gourmet’s eyes lit up.

What a highlight!

A couple far from home in Shanghai, the girlfriend misses the taste of home, so the boyfriend just opens a roast duck shop for her? That’s a perfect story angle.

He sensed this episode would get a lot of attention online.

“If you enjoy it, please say a few kind words about us,” Bei Wei couldn’t help but ask.

“Don’t worry. Our review will be fair. No bias, just honest feedback,” the Gourmet said, glancing at his photographer before standing up.

“Oh, and you’re busy here alone-where’s your boyfriend?” he asked before leaving.

“My boyfriend?” Bei Wei instinctively looked outside the store, then pointed. “He’s just outside, he just arrived.”

Moments later, the Gourmet and his photographer stood at the entrance, staring at the young man stepping out of a Cullinan.

The car was sleek and expensive, exuding wealth.

The man was tall and handsome, radiating presence even from a distance.

“Is this… the store owner?” the Gourmet muttered.

This is the young man working hard in Shanghai, creating happiness with his own hands? The theme had to change!

“Zhang Yang, they’re here,” Bei Wei excitedly said, grabbing his arm to introduce him.

Zhang Yang had woken up very late after a wild previous night. After breakfast, realizing Bei Wei was alone at the store, he hurried over.

“Mr. Gourmet?” Zhang Yang was momentarily taken aback, then recognized the trademark mustache and famously sharp tongue.

This was the top food reviewer, the notorious Gourmet. Why was he visiting the store?

Zhang Yang immediately realized the situation’s seriousness.

“Hello, sirs,” he greeted with a smile.

This store was tied to his task-he couldn’t be indifferent.

“Hello, so you’re the owner,” the Gourmet said, shaking his hand, examining the young store owner up close.

A Cullinan, an Audemars Piguet, and handsome to boot. He opened a roast duck shop for his girlfriend just because she missed the taste of home.

This persona was appealing!

As they shook hands, the Gourmet’s mind raced, thinking how to make this video go viral. A rich, handsome man who spoils his girlfriend would definitely attract viewers.

Zhang Yang, noticing the Gourmet’s constantly changing expressions, felt a twinge of doubt.

Was this guy okay?

“How’s the food, sirs?” Zhang Yang asked politely.

“Very good, very authentic,” the Gourmet praised, then hesitated. “Would it be convenient for you to help me film some material?”

Zhang Yang paused, realizing what he meant.

They wanted content.

But… the persona he had set up for himself-wealthy, spoiling his girlfriend, opening a shop for her-wasn’t something he liked.

He felt guilty.

Spoiling was fine; he never treated anyone unfairly. But having a multi-million-follower influencer present him as a rich male god felt too high-profile, too much for the sake of online traffic.

And this persona implied deep affection…

He couldn’t take that.

He did spoil his girlfriend, but he couldn’t claim deep affection-he didn’t want to sully that concept.

“I’ll think about it,” Zhang Yang didn’t agree immediately.

“Zhang Yang…” Bei Wei gently shook his arm, pleading with her eyes.

Being promoted by a ten-million-follower influencer meant the store could take off. She didn’t want to miss this opportunity.

Besides, she loved the persona the Gourmet wanted to build for him.

Seeing her so persistent, Zhang Yang compromised: no face shots.

“Mr. Gourmet, I can cooperate, but…” he said tactfully.

The Gourmet nodded enthusiastically. No face shots were fine-they could film from the back or side, leaving fans curious, maybe even better for engagement.

Moments later, following the Gourmet’s direction, Zhang Yang changed into the store uniform with apron, flexing his arm as the “boyfriend” and cooperated with the filming.

The photographer captured back and side shots.

Although no front-facing shots were taken, the audience would imagine. Leaving some blanks sparked curiosity.

Perfect!