Looking out the window at Yabemia, who was pouting, spreading her arms, and raising her left leg backward, making a cute face at the glass, Mai Ge was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but laugh.
She was actually quite adorable.
Today, Yabemia changed into that black and white maid outfit. The system-customized maid outfit fit her perfectly, highlighting her slender limbs and the waist-cinching effect of the vest, which perfectly accentuated her figure.
She wore a white headband, her long blonde hair was still tied in a side ponytail, hanging down her right side. She wore black knee-high socks and black leather shoes. With her smile, she looked quite like a vibrant, energetic young girl.
Yabemia froze for a moment, then quickly withdrew her hands and feet, stood at attention, her face flushed, and looked up at the sky, "What should I do... how did the glass window suddenly become transparent, and the boss saw me? How embarrassing!!!"
"Mia, why are you here so early? Come in." Mai Ge said with a smile, opening the door. He hadn't expected Yabemia to arrive so early; he hadn't asked her to come at a certain time yesterday.
"Good morning, Boss Mai. When I left yesterday, I saw the sign on the door saying restaurant open at 7:30 in the morning, so I thought you must have been up early to prepare, which is why I came to help out so early." Yabemia walked over, her face still a little red, but her expression and attitude were quite serious when she spoke to Mai Ge. After she finished speaking, she added, "I already had breakfast on the way."
"Okay, you don't need to come so early next time. You don't need to help with the kitchen. Just be at the restaurant before opening hours." Mai Ge smiled and shook his head, stepping aside to let Yabemia in. This girl was quite thoughtful, and he was quite satisfied with her attitude towards work.
"I've been helping out in the kitchen for many years. If you need to prepare ingredients, I can do a lot of things, like washing vegetables, chopping vegetables, cleaning the kitchen… I can do all of these." Yabemia said enthusiastically. Compared to greeting customers, she was more skilled at these tasks.
"Your job scope doesn't include these things, and you might not be able to handle my cooking. I'll let you know when I need your help in the future." Mai Ge smiled and shook his head. The food supply system had already taken care of everything, and there hadn't been any ingredients he couldn't handle yet. As for things like chopping vegetables, those were definitely not something Yabemia could handle. However, the girl was quite enthusiastic about her work.
"Sit down and rest for a bit. Amy isn't awake yet. I'll go prepare the ingredients. It's your first day, so get used to the work rhythm. Don't be discouraged if you make a few mistakes; just do your best. It'll be very busy once we open for business, so enjoy this leisurely time." Mai Ge said with a smile, pouring Yabemia a glass of water before turning and walking towards the kitchen.
"Oh." Yabemia held the warm cup, her heart filled with warmth as well. Her previous boss had treated her like a donkey, giving her almost no rest throughout the day.
But Boss Mai didn't let her do any work beyond what was agreed upon. His attitude and tone showed he treated her as an equal. After a moment's hesitation, she obediently sat down on the chair, looking around the beautiful restaurant while thinking to herself, "A meal costing six hundred copper coins must be incredibly meticulous in terms of preparation and cooking. I'd better not cause Boss Mai any trouble."
Mai Ge skillfully kneaded the dough and cooked the meat. He glanced back at Yabemia, who sat quietly in the restaurant, and nodded with satisfaction. Good-looking, obedient, not talkative, hardworking, and with a positive attitude—such employees are hard to find. This time, he'd struck gold.
Around seven o'clock, Amy changed her clothes, washed up, and came downstairs carrying the Ugly Duckling. Standing at the kitchen doorway, she looked at Mai Ge, rubbed her eyes, and said, "Good morning, Daddy."
"Good morning, Little Amy." Mai Ge replied with a smile. Looking at the flour on his hands, he went over and gently kissed her hair, pointing outside, "Mia's here too. Go play with her for a while; I'll make breakfast."
"Okay." Amy nodded, then added, "But Daddy, I'll eat my Yang Zhou Fried Rice this morning when Grandpa Half Beard arrives. He said he'd treat me to something delicious. I just want a Rou Jia Mo for now."
"Okay." Mai Ge nodded with a smile. Crassus hadn't come to the restaurant the day before yesterday, and the little one had been mentioning it several times, wanting him to keep his promise.
"Good morning, Sister Mia." Amy turned around, holding the Ugly Duckling, and her eyes lit up when she saw Yabemia. "Wow, Sister Mia looks so beautiful today! Your new clothes are so pretty!"
Yabemia smiled at Amy's praise, but also a little shyly, looking at Amy and saying, "Amy is pretty too, prettier than me."
"Yes, I think so too." Amy thought for a moment, nodded seriously, climbed onto the chair, and sat down opposite Yabemia.
"Meow meow~" The Ugly Duckling looked at Yabemia with a mixture of caution and curiosity. It had been a little unhappy yesterday when this girl had touched its head, but today she seemed quite pleasing to the eye.
"Is this a kitten?" Yabemia asked curiously, looking at the Ugly Duckling. It was the first time she had ever seen a kitten of this color.
"No, actually it's a little duck. Because it's so ugly, I call it the Ugly Duckling. It will grow into a beautiful white swan when it grows up." Amy shook her head and explained earnestly.
"A little duck that will grow into a beautiful white swan?" Yabemia looked at the kitten in Amy's arms, feeling a little confused.
"Yes, I'm waiting for it to grow up." Amy nodded, remembering what Mia had said yesterday when she was unconscious. "I think you'll definitely like it too."
"Hmm, it's a very cute little one." Yabemia looked at the Ugly Duckling, hesitatingly asking, "Can I hold it?"
"Of course, but we should ask the Ugly Duckling if it agrees." Amy nodded, looking down at the Ugly Duckling.
The Ugly Duckling covered its eyes with one little claw, and raised the other claw in front of it, making a gesture of rejection.
"Looks like it doesn't want you to hold it yet." Amy shrugged helplessly.
"It's an interesting little one." Yabemia said, withdrawing her hand without feeling disappointed. The aroma of braised meat wafted from the kitchen, its rich meat scent making her take a deep breath. It was quite different from Yang Zhou Fried Rice, it must be the 300 copper coins La Zhi Rou Jia Mo on the menu, filling her with curiosity and anticipation.
"Eat up." Mai Ge said, bringing out a plate of Yang Zhou Fried Rice and two La Zhi Rou Jia Mo. He handed one to Amy, then sat down next to her and began to eat breakfast.
Starting the day with a serving of Yang Zhou Fried Rice. The rice grown in the Fountain of Life helps his body recover to its best condition. Then, have a La Zhi Rou Jia Mo to further invigorate his blood. The fatigue of waking up in the morning will completely disappear, and he'll feel incredibly energetic.
Yabemia looked at the Rou Jia Mo in Amy's hand, the rich aroma of meat making her involuntarily swallow.
"Sister Mia, do you want to know what a La Zhi Rou Jia Mo tastes like?" Amy asked, glancing at the Rou Jia Mo in her hand and then at Yabemia.
Yabemia nodded subconsciously, her body behaving itself. But is Amy planning to let her try it? Should she eat it? She suddenly felt a little conflicted.
"Then I can eat it for you to see!" Amy said with a smile, then took a bite of the Rou Jia Mo with both hands, nodding happily and saying, "The La Zhi Rou Jia Mo is really delicious!"