Chapter 88

Leonardo stood in disbelief, turning to Linda, "You're saying that Summer made all this food—these dishes, the meat, the cornbread, and the noodles?"

Linda nodded, "Yes, it was all Summer's doing. Who else could it be?"

Leonardo muttered, "I knew it wasn't you..."

Being Leonardo's wife, Linda could take the candid remark. Leonardo continued, his tone more serious, "But why didn't you let them join us for the meal? They paid for the food and cooked it. It seems unfair."

Before Linda could respond, Summer stepped in to explain, "Mr. Leonardo, we asked her not to tell you. This meal was meant to be a treat for you. We've already eaten."

Hearing this, Leonardo's curiosity piqued. He turned to Summer and Logan, "So, why did you go to all this trouble? What's the catch?"

Summer didn't answer directly. She turned her attention to Anthony and asked in a hopeful tone, "Mr. Anthony, how did you find my cooking?"

Anthony cleared his throat, looking slightly amused, "I might have mentioned once that her cooking wasn't as good as a professional chef's, and she decided to prove me wrong. What do you all think of Summer's cooking?"

Ben, the accountant, was the first to respond, "Honestly, Summer, your cooking is better than the chefs at the state-run restaurants in the county."

Leonardo and Ken couldn't find better words and nodded in agreement.

With everyone's approval, Summer beamed, "Thank you!"

With the compliments out of the way, Logan took the opportunity to steer the conversation, "Mr. Anthony, since you're pleased with Summer's skills, how about the matter we discussed?"

Anthony knew that Summer and Logan didn't go to such lengths just to show off cooking skills. Their real aim was to set up a food stall at the local market.

Anthony, softening under the influence of a good meal, replied, "Do you really want to go through with this?"

Having discussed it last week, Summer simply nodded, "Yes!"

Anthony, after a moment's contemplation, said, "Alright, let's discuss it among ourselves. We'll let you know our decision soon."

Satisfied with the response, Summer and Logan excused themselves, leaving the leaders to discuss the matter in private.

After Summer and Logan left, Leonardo, Ken, and Ben grabbed some bread to soak up the remaining sauce, while Anthony observed with a hint of amusement. Unable to resist, he joined them, and soon the bowl was spotless.

Once the meal was finished, Leonardo asked Anthony, "So, what exactly are they planning?"

Anthony recapped Summer and Logan's proposal to set up a food stall at the market. The others quickly understood why they had prepared such an elaborate meal.

Ben, ever the practical one, immediately voiced his support, "With her cooking skills, setting up a food stall would be more than feasible."

Leonardo, Ken, and Linda, already impressed by the meal, nodded in agreement.

Anthony looked around at them, "So, you all agree?"

Leonardo, enjoying the afterglow of the meal, replied, "If they want to do it, I think we should let them try. It's for the benefit of our community."

Ken and Linda had no objections either. Ben, having more ideas, suddenly spoke up, "Mr. Anthony, if Summer is this talented, why not think bigger? Why not establish a state-run canteen?"

Anthony was taken aback, "A state-run canteen? Here in the countryside? Who would eat there? Who has the money for that?"

Ben argued, "Even in the countryside, people have different needs. There are times when families can't cook at home and need a decent meal. We should be providing for those needs. We have the talent—why not use it?"

Anthony considered Ben's words. While a state-run canteen seemed far-fetched, Ben's reasoning made the idea of a simple food stall seem more practical by comparison. "You've got a point, but a state-run canteen is a big project. Let's start small and see how things go with the food stall first."

As the sun set, painting the sky a deep orange, Summer and Logan stood on a small hill, watching their chickens forage.

Summer looked at the horizon, "I wonder what they've decided."

Logan, ever calm, replied, "I don't think there will be any problems."

Summer smiled at him, "Thanks for the vote of confidence."

Logan glanced at her, "Are you doubting your own skills?"

Summer was confident in her cooking, but the matter involved more than just her skills. "I do, but it's not just about that. We'll see what they decide."

Logan shrugged, "We'll just have to wait."

Knowing that they wouldn't get an answer that night, Summer and Logan finished their chores and returned to the dormitory to wash up and sleep.

The next day, they focused on their teaching duties, trying not to dwell on the outcome. It wasn't until the end of the day that Summer started to get anxious again. "I wonder if they've made a decision yet."

Logan, grading papers, replied, "We'll check after we're done."

Just as they were finishing up, Ben arrived at the school. Summer and Logan greeted him eagerly, "Mr. Ben!"

Ben smiled as he entered, "I'm here to talk about the food stall."

From his expression, it seemed like good news. Summer quickly brought a chair for him, but Ben waved it off, "I'll just stand. It's a quick update."

He explained, "We discussed it thoroughly and decided to approve your proposal."

Summer let out a sigh of relief, "Thank you, Mr. Ben!"

Ben continued, "Make a detailed list of what you need, and I'll see to it that everything is provided. You won't bear the costs—it will be considered community property, useful for other purposes too."

Summer nodded eagerly, listening attentively.

Ben added, "Regarding payment, since this isn't official employment, you won't have a fixed salary. After covering the costs of ingredients, any profits will be split between you and the community."

Having expected this, Summer and Logan nodded in agreement.

With the details sorted, Ben took his leave. Summer and Logan walked him to the gate, watching him leave.

Turning to Logan, Summer grinned and extended her hand, "To a successful partnership!"

Logan looked at her hand, then into her eyes, before turning away with a casual, "To a successful partnership."

Summer, knowing his nature, didn't feel awkward. She followed him back into the school, feeling hopeful about their new venture.