I Bacame the Mother of His Child-Chapter 40 - 39: Cheng Guang Climbs the Stairs

The next day, Song Yuanhuan got up early to report back to the military, while Xu Xiuxiu was bustling with the preparations for the reopening of Sichuan Pavilion. The restaurant had expanded its floor area, increasing the space and seating significantly compared to its previous fifty to sixty square meters. Even the second floor had been renovated to include a few private rooms which Xu Xiuxiu had taken great care in designing, ensuring they offered privacy and were perfect for dining and business discussions.

Promotions were natural with the reopening of Sichuan Pavilion.

Xu Xiuxiu had flyers distributed early, promoting a grand discount: all expenses on the opening day would receive a 12% discount. Additionally, customers who spent over 288 yuan after the discount on that day could obtain a VIP membership card, which would offer them the same discount on future expenditures at Sichuan Pavilion.

When this promotional news was released, regular customers who frequented Sichuan Pavilion naturally would not miss out. It was a hectic day, and over a hundred membership cards were issued. Both the first-floor and second-floor halls were nearly full, and the individual private rooms upstairs had been booked well in advance, even up to half a month later.

Xu Xiuxiu held great hopes and enthusiasm for the grand reopening of Sichuan Pavilion. The outcome and profits were so astonishing that it even surprised her. By the end of the first busy day, the newly recruited staff were quite worn out, so Xu Xiuxiu personally cooked a late-night meal as a token of appreciation and also prepared red envelopes containing bonuses for all employees based on their seniority, which invigorated everyone again.

However, it didn’t take long before Sichuan Pavilion gradually entered a stable period. Although the business wasn’t as booming as on the reopening day, the restaurant had already established a reputation in the town, so attracting customers was no longer a concern.

Xu Xiuxiu was quite satisfied with this and handed over the management of the kitchen to Uncle Huang Zhizhong, hiring several chefs to assist. Gradually, Xu Xiuxiu really didn’t need to do anything, but since Sichuan Pavilion was her creation, she still invested herself wholeheartedly, occasionally bringing her son, Song Chengguang to the restaurant, and sometimes helping to greet longtime customers in the private rooms when the staff was too busy. ƒreewebɳovel.com

Ye Hua was one of those private room customers who almost daily brought a group, including some foreigners, and their spending was never low. Through some time spent interacting, Xu Xiuxiu vaguely learned that their background was in import and export trade.

Since they were regulars, Xu Xiuxiu gradually became familiar with them, and due to bringing Song Chengguang along, Ye Hua also got to know the little boy well. The boy was quite aloof and typically disregarded people, but he was unusually polite to Ye Hua, warmly calling him "uncle" each time, which both amused and surprised Xu Xiuxiu.

Business at Sichuan Pavilion continued as usual, and the restaurant hit its peak dining period at five o’clock that evening. As Qi Hehua, the manager in charge of the second-floor waitstaff, had taken leave due to a family emergency, Xu Xiuxiu took over her duties, leaving Song Chengguang at the cashier counter under the watchful eye of Sister Cai Qiufen before swiftly heading up to the second floor.

However, the little boy, Song Chengguang, was very agile and in a particularly active phase. Besides Xu Xiuxiu, no one could really keep an eye on him. Sister Cai Qiufen, busy with cashier duties, inadvertently lost track of him, and in a blink of an eye, he scampered off from the cashier counter and started wandering around the restaurant. The waitstaff, already bustling, did not pay special attention to him as he wobbled around. Being the owner’s son, many regular customers recognized him, and the employees didn’t fuss over him much, not realizing the boy was daringly heading towards the stairs to climb to the second floor.

Xu Xiuxiu was bustling around the second floor when she heard from the walkie-talkie that Ye Hua had arrived with guests. She walked to the staircase to welcome them only to see Song Chengguang cautiously lifting his little legs like a small panda as he climbed the stairs, all the while muttering to himself words of encouragement.

Xiuxiu’s heart surged to her throat as she saw the commotion unfold, her face turning as pale as snow. Unable to take a step, she felt an urge to rush down.

When Ye Hua came up the staircase with his companions, he just happened to catch Song Chengguang, who was gleefully climbing the stairs. Ye Hua, with a stern face, scooped up the little boy and walked him up to the second floor. Upon seeing Xiuxiu standing pale-faced at the stairwell, Ye Hua couldn’t help but express his dismay, "Boss lady, neglecting your son to tend to business like this isn’t right at all." Ye Hua, still unmarried in his thirties, was exceedingly indulgent with little Song Chengguang, perhaps due to his age.

"Sorry, we’re a bit short-staffed today," Xiuxiu slowly came back to her senses as she heard Ye Hua’s voice. She then saw Song Chengguang sitting quietly in Ye Hua’s arms with his little buttocks facing her, and then sneakily turning his head to give her a look of reproach with a face that seemed to say, "How could you abandon me, Mom?" Her heart, hanging in midair, dropped a bit.

"Busy? So busy that you can just leave your child unattended? Do you know how dangerous that was just now?" Ye Hua continued to scold Xiuxiu with a grim face, terrified by the scenario he had just witnessed. It would have been serious if the little boy had accidentally tumbled down the stairs.

"..." Xiuxiu, knowing she was in the wrong, silently kept her mouth shut, yet her eyes nervously fixed on Song Chengguang in Ye Hua’s arms.

"I was negligent," Xiuxiu eventually admitted once her mind reset. Recalling the scene she had seen a moment before, her face turned white again as she hurriedly took Song Chengguang from Ye Hua’s hands. "Chengguang, tell Mommy why you were climbing the stairs by yourself," Xiuxiu sternly questioned with a solemn expression.

Startled by Xiuxiu’s expression, Song Chengguang seemed slightly confused, "Wanted to find Mommy." The little boy’s milky voice answered, seemingly unaware of the gravity of his actions.

Xiuxiu felt as though she was choking, "Don’t you know that’s very dangerous? Haven’t I told you not to climb the stairs?" Xiuxiu, exasperated, raised her hand and gave the little boy a firm smack on his buttocks.

The little boy, his thin lips quivering, had tears welling up in his eyes.

"Tell me, will you dare to climb the stairs again?" Xiuxiu, hardening her heart, smacked Song Chengguang’s buttocks again as she questioned him. She knew she needed to make him realize the seriousness of the situation; otherwise, the little boy might do something frightening next time.

"I want to find Mommy," the little boy stubbornly responded, his tears dripping down.

Seeing this, Xiuxiu’s heart shattered. Fighting back her panic, she gently wiped the tears off the little boy’s face, "Don’t cry, Mommy only hit you because she panicked. Don’t be upset with Mommy." Xiuxiu soothed her son and then looked up at Ye Hua, "Mr. Ye, I apologize for causing you such concern. The private room is ready, you can go ahead with your guests!" Thankfully, Xiuxiu’s reason had not completely deserted her.