The new storefront of Flavor Quest

Xiao Yao continued to ask a few more questions before finally saying, “Mr. Chen, pick a restaurant for tonight. I want to treat all the company staff to dinner, and set the standard a bit higher.”

“Thank you for your generosity, boss. Looks like the lunch we arranged for today will definitely be left over,” Chen Xingwen replied with a smile. He had already made a reservation ahead of time; even if Xiao Yao hadn’t thought of this, he would have suggested it himself.

The prospect of a lavish meal courtesy of the new boss delighted the upper management gathered there. Beyond the chance for a good feast, everyone hoped to seize the opportunity to make a favorable impression on their new employer.

After everyone had left, Chen Xingwen spoke tactfully, “Boss, our building has only just opened for business. Raising the office rental rates to the highest in the city right away—don’t you think that’s a bit hasty?”

“I understand your concerns. At the end of the day, our priority is to attract tenants and build up popularity since we’ve only just launched. Once we have enough traffic, the rent can gradually increase. Normally, using standard operating procedures, setting such a high price—4,500 yuan per square meter—is not likely to attract tenants. I am aware of that,” Xiao Yao replied patiently.

“If you know that, why insist on this approach? The first year or two after we officially begin operations is critical. The foundation we lay during this time will largely determine the public image of our building. Once an impression is formed, it’s hard to change. Your idea of positioning our building as the city’s most high-end office complex is something I support. The hardware certainly meets that standard, and it’s also my highest goal. But I think we should progress step by step, steadily advancing. Trying to do everything at once is too difficult,” Chen Xingwen said, choosing his words carefully.

His reasoning was sound, and Xiao Yao wasn’t offended by his advice. If it weren’t for special measures he had in mind, he wouldn’t interfere with Chen Xingwen’s management plans.

“In normal circumstances, you’re absolutely right. Your operating plan is excellent. But I have some unconventional strategies, and you’ll soon see their effect for yourself,” Xiao Yao said, without further explanation. “Let’s set a trial period of three months. If my methods work, we’ll follow my plan. If there’s no effect—or even negative consequences—we’ll revert to yours, and I’ll try to keep my interference to a minimum.”

Chen Xingwen was someone Xiao Yao greatly valued and wished to retain, so he accorded him full respect, refraining from unilateral decisions.

If Xiao Yao were just an ordinary second-generation rich boss, Chen Xingwen would hardly believe his words. But Xiao Yao was clearly not a typical young tycoon; both his own bearing and the cautious way Chen Guangzhi treated him proved it. A wealthy boss with a powerful background—his connections were beyond Chen Xingwen’s understanding. If Xiao Yao could attract a host of major provincial and municipal enterprises to take up residence, it really was possible for the Tai Gu building to become the city’s most prestigious and high-end office tower overnight.

Since Xiao Yao hadn’t specified the special means he intended to employ, Chen Xingwen didn’t ask further. He simply said, “Since you’re confident, I’ll wait and see.”

With this major issue settled, Chen Xingwen proceeded to give a detailed report on various aspects of work.

Pan Wu’s memories contained no experience of managing a large company alone, nor was it a task he enjoyed—Xiao Yao felt the same way. From Chen Xingwen’s report, it was clear he was highly capable, and Xiao Yao rarely opposed his decisions.

As it was the boss’s first day inspecting the company, Chen Xingwen left nothing out during the face-to-face briefing.

After finishing with daily matters, Chen Xingwen brought up his most troublesome issue, “Since the building began operations, thanks to meticulous recruitment efforts, the supermarket on the three basement floors and the mall from floors one to six are performing well. The fast-food outlets on the seventh floor are also thriving. But only the eighth floor’s ‘Ancient Charm Pavilion’ is struggling, which is having a negative impact on our operations.”

Bringing in Ancient Charm Pavilion had been Chen Xingwen’s greatest misstep during recruitment. “Even after halving their rent, they’re still losing money—so much so that they can no longer sustain it. They’ve decided to close within the week. Learning from this, I’m planning to divide the entire eighth floor into four restaurants—two high-end Western, two high-end Chinese. Do you have any opinions on this?”

“Ancient Charm Pavilion is quite well-known in the city. I’ve heard their three other branches are thriving, so I didn’t expect them to fail here. Restaurant business really is unpredictable,” Xiao Yao said, surprised. “High-end dining recruitment is always tricky. I’m not comfortable leaving it to others. Let’s not lease out the eighth floor; we’ll operate it ourselves.”

The Chivalrous Banquet at Taste Pavilion had introduced over a hundred new dishes recently, earning praise from veteran gourmet enthusiasts. Zhou Xiaobai had been scouting new venues for a while. Now that Ancient Charm Pavilion was vacating, Xiao Yao could hand the entire eighth floor to Zhou Xiaobai.

“Managing a restaurant requires real expertise, especially high-end dining—it’s particularly challenging. If we operate it ourselves, there are many more factors to consider. I don’t have professional experience in the restaurant business, so I really don’t have confidence in managing it well.” Chen Xingwen was taken aback by Xiao Yao’s proposal.

“Professional matters should naturally be managed by professionals,” Xiao Yao replied. “I happen to own a Taste Pavilion catering company, which has been searching for new locations. I’ll lease the entire eighth floor under that company’s name, paying the full rent without any discounts.”

Since he wouldn’t be responsible, Chen Xingwen no longer had to worry. As long as the boss’s Taste Pavilion paid rent punctually, its success or failure was no longer his concern.

With the most troublesome issue resolved, only the matter of renaming the building remained. Chen Xingwen asked, “Boss, now that the building no longer belongs to Han Guang Group, what should we rename it?”

After a brief pause, Xiao Yao replied, “The building technically belongs to Taigu Investment. Let’s rename it Taigu Tower.”