As Sally's melodious incantation rang out, it was as if a dam had been opened, and the floodwaters instantly submerged the entire restaurant, completely filling it from bottom to top. Only where Mai Ge, Yabemia, and Sally stood did something like a protective shield appear, blocking the flood.
"System, can you rebuild the restaurant if it's damaged?" Mai Ge asked in his mind as he looked at the flooded restaurant.
"Reconstruction cost: 10,000 gold coins." The system answered crisply.
"Can you do it with zero down payment?" Mai Ge raised an eyebrow.
"Rejected! This system only accepts cash transactions." The system stated sternly.
"That top of the line Land Rover from the day before yesterday..." Mai Ge scoffed.
"Because...you can't afford it." The system's voice seemed to carry a deep sense of regret.
"Don't worry, I won't buy any of these luxury items in the future." Mai Ge said calmly.
"For all luxury goods, this system can provide six month interest free installments with zero down payment! Handbags, furs, luxury cars..." The system's voice suddenly sounded a bit anxious.
"A luxury car will do?" Mai Ge's eyes lit up.
"Luxury car interiors." the system immediately corrected itself.
"I don't even own a used Alto, I don't want it, get lost!" Mai Ge rolled his eyes, looking at the restaurant that had instantly transformed into a restaurant underwater world. He really shouldn't have praised her, one compliment and she had given him a wind and rain boost. With the floodwaters receding, the restaurant would have to close for renovations.
"The restaurant...it's not gone, is it?" Yabemia looked around nervously, silently wondering to herself.
"Whoosh!"
The flood came quickly and went quickly, and it didn't rush out of the restaurant, it was as if a hole had opened in space, instantly sucking away the water that had filled the entire restaurant.
Everything returned to calm, nothing in the restaurant had moved an inch, yet everything seemed to be coated with a layer of light.
Mai Ge and Yabemia couldn't help but swallow hard as they looked at the seemingly brand new restaurant. The tables and chairs gleamed under the lights, and even the air seemed fresher and slightly damp.
"Wow…that's amazing." Yabemia looked at the restaurant in amazement, gently touching the tabletop, and exclaimed with delight, "And it's so dry, not a speck of dampness."
Mai Ge walked to the wall and examined the murals carefully for a while. They were completely undamaged. He touched one and confirmed that it was indeed completely dry.
It's hard to imagine that just a moment ago, the entire restaurant was submerged in floodwater, and now, in the blink of an eye, everything is completely dry and sparkling clean. There couldn't be a more thorough cleaning, even the corners of the tables are spotless.
"Is there any magic more suitable for cleaning than this?" Mai Ge raised an eyebrow, looking at Sally as if she was a treasure. Hygiene and safety are fundamental to a restaurant.
"The water only carries away the surface dust and dirt, it doesn't corrode the items themselves, and it also carries away excess moisture, keeping the tables and chairs at the most suitable moisture ratio, so…" Sally put down her hand and explained softly, as if the water magic just now had frightened Mai Ge and Yabemia a little, and she was feeling a little uneasy.
"You can start work tonight. Your salary and benefits will be the same as Mia's: 4,000 copper coins a month and a daily meal allowance of 1,200 copper coins. You can allocate the meal allowance and order meals as you like." Before Sally could finish speaking, Mai Ge interrupted her, nodding with satisfaction. It seemed like he had struck gold again today.
"Really?" Sally's eyes lit up, looking at Mai Ge with surprise and delight, her usually cool face unable to hide her joy.
She only earned six hundred copper coins a month working at the hotel, but Mai Ge had offered her four thousand! More importantly, her daily meal allowance was a whopping 1200 copper coins—enough for two servings of Yang Zhou Fried Rice or six servings of tofu pudding!
Her dream of eating delicious Yang Zhou Fried Rice and tofu pudding everyday had actually come true! She still felt like she was dreaming. She secretly pinched herself with her hand hanging by her side and felt a sharp pain in her thigh. Only then did she believe that she had really been hired by Mai Ge.
"But… that's too much. I… I only need one serving of tofu pudding." Sally glanced at the bowl, which was as tall as a person, and shook her head at Mai Ge, somewhat embarrassed. "I can't do anything right now, and I might even cause trouble for the restaurant. I can't take so much."
"I think you're worth this salary." Mai Ge smiled and shook his head. Based on her cleaning skills alone, Mai Ge had already decided to keep her. Collecting money and doing the work wouldn't be a problem, and tidying up the tables shouldn't be an issue with a little guidance from Yabemia. This second employee suited him perfectly, she was indeed quite capable.
"I…" Sally wanted to say something.
"Put the plate down and sit for a bit. I'll go find you some work clothes. You can ask Mia for some work-related advice." Mai Ge turned and went upstairs, taking the bag of documents from his bicycle basket with him.
Sally watched Mai Ge disappear around the corner, her mouth slightly agape, her expression a mixture of delight and embarrassment, as if she had gotten a great deal.
"Congratulations, your magic is really amazing." Yabemia looked at Sally with some admiration. She was beautiful and elegant, and she knew such powerful magic, while Yabemia only had brute strength. What did a girl need so much strength for? She couldn't help but feel a little worried.
"I think you're the amazing one. You can do so much by yourself without getting flustered at all. If it were me, the restaurant would be in complete chaos." Sally looked at Yabemia with the same admiration. She had only been clearing tables and she had caused such a mess, while Yabemia had single-handedly handled everything and still managed to do everything in an orderly manner, taking care of every guest.
The two looked at each other and laughed at the same time. It was a wonderful thing that they both saw each other's strengths.
"Um...can I ask you for advice? How can I clear the table more quickly and efficiently?" Sally asked, looking at Yabemia.
"My name is Yabemia, you can call me Mia. We'll be colleagues from now on, so there's no need to be so formal. Clearing the table is actually really simple..." Yabemia smiled and helped Sally take the bowls off the tray one by one. Then she started to teach her how to separate the plates and bowls and place them on the tray so that they could lean against each other for stability.
Sally listened attentively to Yabemia's explanation, just like a studious student. She would ask questions carefully about anything she didn't understand, and Yabemia answered her questions without reservation. Sally, who had initially felt a little inferior and insecure, became more confident under Yabemia's admiring gaze.
"System, this time I want to see cheongsams." Mai Ge put the bag of documents in his hand on the table and said directly to the system.