Chapter 387: The Struggle with Sachima

Chen Jianhai wasn't lying to Xie Zhulong. While he might seem foolish at times, he was often quite shrewd.

As a boss, beyond having the vision to steer the company's direction and strong, stable leadership, understanding employees' work attitudes and their moods outside of work hours is also essential.

Since the resignation of Zhu Tingting, Chen Jianhai has paid more attention to his employees, using conversations, both intentional and unintentional, to gauge their moods and make necessary adjustments based on their reactions.

After all, business is about people too. Although his time with Xiong Anping was short, Chen Jianhai could tell he wasn't happy at his job. With a bit more patience, Xiong Anping might just reach out to the hotel for a job on the island.

This would make things much easier for the hotel. After all, "I'll think about it" and "I want to work here" are two very different things.

Even if Chen Jianhai was wrong and Xiong Anping wasn't interested, in a few months, when the hotel's finances improved, he could still lure Xiong Anping over with a higher salary.

At most, he would have to delay buying his sports car.

Thinking about the sports car, Wen Zifan's big, double-lidded eyes came to his mind.

"Hehe…"

Thinking of Wen Zifan, Chen Jianhai quickly got up, washed his face, brushed his teeth, carefully shaved, and put on more formal clothes.

He walked out of his room, full of energy, ready to see his assistant.

But after searching around, Chen Jianhai didn't find Wen Zifan anywhere in the hotel.

She wasn't in the office, the lobby, or the restaurant. Where could she have gone?

"Where's Xiao Fan?" Chen Jianhai asked Ruike Ya at the front desk, puzzled.

Ruike Ya replied, "She said she had something to do at the association and left early."

"Oh." Chen Jianhai felt a bit disappointed.

He was really looking forward to seeing Wen Zifan.

But he couldn't deny her serious and dedicated attitude towards work.

After a moment of regret, Chen Jianhai smiled mischievously and headed towards the hotel's dessert shop.

As soon as he reached the entrance, he was stunned by the sight before him.

The previously simple and elegant dessert shop had been redecorated. The Baroque-style decor blended perfectly with the hotel lobby. The white walls with golden reliefs gleamed under the crystal lights.

In the dessert display case, pink onion mousse adorned with chocolate name tags was neatly arranged.

Soft and sweet macarons were delicately placed in pretty rainbow gift boxes. Various desserts made of cream, mousse, cheese, pudding, and ice cream were beautifully displayed, dazzling the eyes.

Every detail, from the utensils to the tables and chairs, showcased the rich, sweet ambiance of a dessert haven.

But the most eye-catching feature was the series of new chocolate products in a silver birdcage.

"Floral Romance Chocolate~"

Chen Jianhai read aloud the name on the golden tag hanging from the birdcage door.

"Is this a new product from the hotel?" Chen Jianhai asked, pointing to the chocolates in the birdcage.

"Yes, Boss. These chocolates are new and selling very well!" the dessert shop employee responded enthusiastically.

"Who did all this?" Chen Jianhai asked, pointing to the decor, utensils, and the small plates.

"These were all done by Brother Lin," the dessert shop employee replied.

"Brother Lin knew we were launching a new series of chocolates, so he applied for some funds from the year-end promotional budget and redecorated the dessert shop," the employee explained.

"Brother Lin... Lin Suyang?" Chen Jianhai asked.

The employee nodded, "Yes, it's Brother Lin."

Chen Jianhai raised his eyebrows, taking another look at the shop's decor.

You have to admit, the renovated dessert shop looked much better than the system's original design.

The power of love was indeed remarkable!

"Not bad, looks good." Chen Jianhai said, satisfied with the decor. He casually picked a heart-shaped chocolate from the birdcage and popped it into his mouth.

The chocolate was slightly bitter but smooth and creamy, topped with a special sugar frosting that perfectly balanced the bitterness, leaving a slight sweetness on his tongue.

As he ate, Chen Jianhai's eyes fell on a small basket of leftover pastries by the door.

"What's in here?"

The dessert shop employee replied, "These are cake edges, cookie edges, and chocolate scraps—leftover bits from the dessert shop."

Curious, Chen Jianhai picked up a piece. The cake was dense and firm, slightly flat, but oddly shaped, like the outer edge of a flower petal.

It tasted richly of milk, surprisingly delicious.

"Are these for sale?" Chen Jianhai asked.

The employee nodded, "Yes, Boss. These are usually sold by weight, and they're quite popular."

"Though they are leftovers, they're freshly made every day, ensuring quality and taste."

Chen Jianhai nodded in approval, his eyes landing on a small dessert cart nearby.

Compared to the cake scraps, the items on this cart didn't look very appealing.

They were yellowish, somewhat sticky, with some sprinkled with red bits of unknown origin.

Seeing Chen Jianhai's interest, the employee explained, "These are complimentary, not for sale."

"Why?" Chen Jianhai asked, picking up a piece of the yellowish item and putting it in his mouth.

After a couple of bites, he frowned.

The taste was neither sweet nor savory, the texture was hard to describe, not quite soft nor crispy. It was just odd.

"Is this from our hotel? What is this stuff?" Chen Jianhai was astonished.

He couldn't believe that such an unappetizing thing could be made in his hotel's dessert shop.

The employee looked embarrassed, "Boss, this is sachima. It's a new baking attempt, and you're tasting the 17th revised version."

"This... sachima?! And this is already the 17th version?"

"How bad were the previous sixteen versions!"

Chen Jianhai didn't voice this thought, but he was indeed shocked.

Meanwhile, in the dessert kitchen, the baker looked at the newly made batch of sachima with near despair.

Another failure...