The next day, Shen Lingqing was busy overseeing the kitchen when Qiao Lian came rushing in to catch her attention. Everyone turned their heads to look at Qiao Lian with curiosity. They were about to start the service of the restaurant and wondered who would want to see their manager unannounced.

“Director Shen, you have a guest,” her assistant declared.

Shen Lingqing lifted her gaze and looked at Qiao Lian in confusion. A guest? She wasn’t expecting anyone to see her today.

“Who is it?” She raised a slender brow at her assistant when she noticed the slight nervousness on Qiao Lian’s face.

“Your mother. Madam Shen is here to see you.”

Shen Lingqing’s eyes widened in surprise. “My mother?”

She thought that it was her younger brother again. Never did she consider her mother would make her way here just to meet her daughter.-.

She then immediately stepped out of the kitchen and looked around the diner’s area, only to find her mother seated alone at the farthest table in the corner, with Lin Xiaoyu serving her tea. Madam Shen looked so out of place as she wore a formal evening dress.

Shen Lingqing then spotted Zhang Qing and Jiao Jiao stationed outside, forbidding anyone to enter the place.

“Mom? What brings you here? I thought I was to meet you at the banquet later.”

Lu Xinyi smiled and thanked Lin Xiaoyu before answering her daughter’s question.

“I thought I’ll drop by to see how the restaurant is going. It looks better compared to the last time I was here, Qingqing.” She looked around and admired the new interior design of the restaurant. “Lingtian invited me to come here before your opening, but I’ve already committed to helping your uncle that day.”

“It’s okay, Mom. Lingtian explained it to me. I understand,” Shen Lingqing replied. It was a good thing that neither of her parents had come to see her, or else she might have committed a mistake in their presence.

“How’s the food?” Madam Shen asked her daughter. She heard that Qingqing rarely asked for food delivery from Oriental Bliss these days.

“Passable,” Shen Lingqing said without batting an eyelid.

“Passable?” Lu Xinyi repeated what her daughter had just said. It was rare for her to hear her daughter compliment someone’s cooking. For her precious daughter, ‘passable’ might mean that it was edible based on her sensitive palate.

Shen Lingqing nodded but didn’t say more.

“I would like to try the dishes some other time.” Madam Shen smiled gently towards her daughter before she gave her daughter a look from head to toe.

“And you are still not dressed for the event,” she pointed out. “I thought you got your dress from the boutique.”

“Lian had it ready this morning, Mom.” Shen Lingqing sighed. “The service is about to start, though. Could you please wait in the kitchen while I go upstairs and change?”

“Hmm… how’s the ventilation inside the kitchen? I hope I won’t smell later at the banquet.” Her mother laughed with a teasing grin on her face.

Shen Lingqing shook her head. That’s impossible. She didn’t spend a lot of money upgrading the vent system for it to be put to waste. She would never allow Savory Alley to be subpar from the other restaurants their family owned.

“Don’t worry, Mom. You won’t smell. We made sure that the vents and exhaust system installed in the kitchen is the best in the market these days.”

She then led her mother to the kitchen and allowed her to take the seat at the small dining table Shen Lingqing used to sit on whenever she was observing everyone.

The staff held their breaths, as they didn’t expect to see Madam Shen today. Did she also come here today to observe?

“Ah, please don’t mind me and continue whatever you are doing. I’m just here to pick up my daughter.” Lu Xinyi smiled at everyone before patting her daughter’s hand. “Qingqing, you should hurry. We wouldn’t want to be late for the banquet tonight.”

Lu Xinyi could almost swear that her daughter was about to groan. Just like her father, their Little Qingqing would rather stay at home or work rather than attending these kinds of social events.

“Alright. Please wait here. I will be back soon.” Shen Lingqing then glanced at Qiao Lian, silently asking her to accompany her mother as Lu Xinyi waited for her.

It was easier said than done for the remaining staff of Savory Alley, who were forced to continue their tasks; knowing that Lu Xinyi was with them in the kitchen. This wasn’t the first time they saw Madam Shen, but it didn’t mean they could stay calm in her presence.

It wasn’t every day that Lu Xinyi and President Shen appeared and paid a visit to the restaurants they owned. The staff would rather be in Shen Lingqing’s company than be left with her parents in the same room.

The service started without Shen Lingqing, with Qiao Lian overseeing the dishes that leave the kitchen. Meanwhile, Lu Xinyi silently watched as the staff continued their tasks around the kitchen, without saying anything. It seemed that they were doing well without Shen Lingqing supervising the kitchen the whole time.

It took half an hour before Shen Lingqing returned, dressed in a black evening gown. Her long hair had been pinned up in a messy bun. Black jewels dangling on her ears, paired with a necklace.

“I hope I didn’t make you wait for too long,” she told her mother, oblivious to how the people around them looked at her in awe and surprise. They had never seen their boss dressed like this before.

Lu Xinyi hummed and smiled at her daughter. She then rose to her feet and hooked her arm with that of Shen Lingqing.

“You look so stunning, dear. It’s hard to believe that my baby is all grown up.” She rested her head against her daughter’s arm.

“Mom…” Shen Lingqing groaned.

“Alright. Alright. Let’s get going now.”