Chapter 109: Holding the Bowl in Hand, Eyeing the Pot?

After a long while, Chen Fang let out a deep sigh.

The money had already been transferred.

It was too late to say anything now.

Once the money entered the system’s pocket, there was no way to retrieve it.

Forget it.

Let it be.

At least—

The song was in hand.

Chen Fang returned to his duplex apartment and curled up in his room to write the lyrics and melody for “Father.”

This song was absolutely perfect for Wang Situ’s current state.

It was after hearing Wang Situ’s drunken words that Chen Fang came up with this song.

Since Wang Situ was stepping onto the Starlight Road stage for her father, this song was Chen Fang’s gift to her.

Having finished everything, Chen Fang lay on his bed, feeling content in body and mind.

Soon, night fell.

Pang Tong came back from outside and froze for a moment when he saw Chen Fang sitting on the sofa snacking—Chen Fang had come home earlier than him.

“Fatty, you’ve been pretty busy.”

Pang Tong had never been this busy before.

It seemed that this time, he was truly dedicated to opening the restaurant.

He grabbed a bottle of chilled cola from the fridge and gulped down half, belching loudly.

“Choosing the location, buying renovation materials, following everything step by step—it’s way more exhausting than working out.”

Since it was Pang Tong’s first time opening a restaurant, he was nervous and insisted on personally overseeing everything to avoid any problems.

Suddenly, Chen Fang thought of something.

“Fatty, are you planning on running the restaurant as a budget-friendly place or as a mid-to-high-end establishment?”

Different positioning meant different pricing for the dishes.

Since it was Pang Tong’s first time, he probably hadn’t thought about this.

Sure enough, Pang Tong fell into deep thought.

He hadn’t considered this before; he just assumed that since everyone needs to eat, opening a restaurant would guarantee profits, but he hadn’t thought through the details.

“Is this really that important?” Pang Tong asked.

Chen Fang nodded. “Very important.”

“If you position your restaurant as budget-friendly, every dish must be priced affordably. As long as the food tastes good, you should do well initially and make quick profits. But the ceiling for your restaurant’s growth will be low, and once things stabilize, your income will become fixed.”

“If you aim for a mid-to-high-end restaurant, be prepared to lose money at first. Since your prices won’t be cheap, ordinary people won’t come in. You’ll have to build a reputation over time or hire a top chef at a high cost to slowly become profitable. Wealthy customers dine extravagantly, so the profit ceiling is much higher.”

Each choice had its advantages and disadvantages.

Which to pick?

It was up to Pang Tong’s own mindset.

He was torn again.

It was a tough choice.

Choosing the first option?

It guaranteed steady profits but wouldn’t make big money; living a modest, comfortable life wouldn’t be hard.

But the problem was, he was opening a restaurant in the bustling metropolis of Jingdu. If all he aimed for was a modest life, what was the point of opening a restaurant?

Choosing the second?

He’d have to endure losses for a long time.

Could he afford that?

And who knew how long the losing streak would last...

What if before the restaurant started making money, his savings were depleted? Then he’d be back to square one overnight.

Chen Fang said no more.

He simply laid out the pros and cons.

The choice was Pang Tong’s.

No matter what he chose, Chen Fang would support him unconditionally.

After all, this was the thing Pang Tong cared about most.

Chen Fang had no reason not to support him.

After a long pause, Pang Tong cleared his throat dryly and finally made up his mind: “I’m going to go with the mid-to-high-end route.”

“Decided?”

“Decided!”

Pang Tong took a deep breath.

“Good! Don’t renovate the storefront just yet. I’ll introduce you to someone soon,” Chen Fang decided immediately. If Pang Tong chose the budget route, Chen Fang wouldn’t get involved, but for the mid-to-high-end path, You Nianwei was the best helper.

Pang Tong nodded firmly.

He was going all in.

Doing business was, after all, a gamble.

Profit and loss were part of the game; sometimes losing money in the beginning and making it later was quite normal.

Frankly, given Pang Tong’s personality, the budget route suited him better.

Both he and Chen Fang came from poor backgrounds and were orphans; they had no experience with the lavish dining habits of the upper class, so a mid-to-high-end restaurant was indeed risky.

But Pang Tong knew clearly that only by running a mid-to-high-end restaurant could he keep up with Chen Fang’s earnings.

He didn’t want to hold Chen Fang back.

Nor did he want a future where people talked about Chen Fang and mentioned his “poor, shabby brother running a small diner in Jingdu.”

Now, the pressure on Pang Tong was immense.

But...

Sometimes you have to push yourself.

Maybe he would succeed.

...

The next day.

Chen Fang arrived at the company.

Wang Situ had come earlier.

Only one day was left!

Chen Fang handed the new song to Wang Situ.

“You have only one day to practice this song. How well you perform depends on your own skill.”

Wang Situ had a solid foundation in singing.

Moreover,

This song was tailor-made for her.

It should be no problem.

Upon hearing this, Wang Situ’s expression turned serious, and she naturally focused even more.

But after just one run-through, she burst into tears in the recording studio.

This song truly touched her heart; she never expected Chen Fang to write a song specifically for her.

Over and over, Wang Situ practiced tirelessly.

Of course,

Chen Fang stayed close, offering timely feedback and corrections.

The day quietly passed.

Wang Situ wanted to practice all night, but Chen Fang stopped her.

She had already overdone it today; if she stayed up all night, she might not be able to sing a single word on stage tomorrow.

Balance rest and work!

Besides,

There would be many stages ahead.

If she missed this Starlight Road chance, many big stages still awaited Wang Situ.

Wang Situ now listened attentively to Chen Fang.

No exaggeration—

If Chen Fang told her to check her legs, Wang Situ would immediately pull down her pants—not only letting Chen Fang see but letting him touch.

Chen Fang stroked Wang Situ’s hair.

“Rest early tonight. Tomorrow, I’ll take you to buy the outfit for the stage, then we’ll go to the venue.”

Wang Situ nodded obediently, rubbing against Chen Fang’s palm like a little kitten.

Chen Fang felt a wave of emotion.

He remembered when he first saw Wang Situ backstage at the audition—back then, she was cold and aloof, speaking very little.

He never imagined he’d uncover this other side of her.

But this version of Wang Situ was very endearing, far more charming than her previous feigned coldness.

Chen Fang had Wang Situ go home first, then went to sit in Xi Yuanyuan’s office for a while.

Seeing Chen Fang, Xi Yuanyuan’s lips curled into a slight smile, and a flash of delight crossed her face.

“Something you need?”

“That’s what you say? Our relationship—can’t I come see you when I have nothing to do?”

Chen Fang felt at home.

Xi Yuanyuan’s heart swelled with happiness.

Although she knew Chen Fang was just flattering her, she couldn’t help but feel pleased.

Chen Fang poured her a cup of tea, then coughed a few times, smiling.

“But actually, I do have something to trouble you with.”

Xi Yuanyuan, in a good mood, smiled back.

“Go ahead.”

“Could you give me You Nianwei’s phone number?”

Chen Fang rubbed his hands together.

The next moment,

Xi Yuanyuan’s expression darkened.

Dog of a man!

Eating from one bowl but wanting to watch another pot simmer.