It was past **10:00 PM** when Max finally sat down, alone, in his small restaurant.
The lights were dimmed. The tables were empty.
But the echo of laughter, compliments, and clinking forks still lingered in the air.
He leaned back against the counter, exhausted but satisfied.
> "I need more supplies. A lot more."
Pulling out his phone, he opened his regular supplier app. He wasn't going to rely on the system for ingredients — that wasn't how it worked.
He scrolled through the order list and started adding items:
* 40 loaves of fresh bread
* 5 cartons of organic eggs
* 10 packs of cheddar cheese
* 3 gallons of vegetable broth
* 6 packs of premium coffee
* Fresh herbs, butter, caramelized onions
He paused, thinking about how fast everything had run out today. Then added:
* 3 packs of smoked bacon
* Extra to-go containers
**\[Order Confirmed – Delivery scheduled at 4:30 AM]**
He placed the phone down, rubbed his face, and exhaled deeply.
> "Ready for round two."
---
### **4:00 AM – The Next Morning**
Max's alarm buzzed through the silence. He forced himself out of bed and washed up quickly.
Still half-asleep, he walked down the empty street.
The air was crisp and quiet, the sky still dark.
A delivery truck was already parked outside the restaurant.
"Morning, Max," the young driver grinned. "Bigger order today, huh?"
"You have no idea."
Together, they unloaded crates of bread, cartons of eggs, herbs, and everything else.
By 5:15 AM, Max was already chopping, prepping, sorting.
The calm before the storm.
---
### **6:30 AM – Prep Time**
With the ingredients laid out, Max took a long breath.
He chopped vegetables, stirred broth, whisked eggs — the motions now second nature.
He wasn't just preparing food. He was preparing **for another war**.
---
### **8:00 AM – First Customers**
Before he even flipped the "Open" sign, the first customer knocked on the door.
"You open yet?"
"One minute," Max smiled, tying his apron.
And just like that… the second wave began.
---
### **9:30 AM – Business Booms**
The line outside was longer than yesterday.
"Someone told me this place has the best grilled cheese in town."
"My coworker sent me a picture — I had to come."
"They said the soup here heals your soul!"
Inside, Max moved non-stop — cooking, plating, serving, smiling.
It was chaos.
But it was his kind of chaos.
---
### **12:30 PM – Supplies Running Low**
The extra stock he had ordered helped — a lot.
But even that was starting to run out now.
Not as fast as the day before, but he knew…
> "If tomorrow's busier, I'll be in trouble."
He needed help. Maybe part-time, just during peak hours.
He wiped sweat from his brow and kept going.
---
### **3:00 PM – Closed Sign Flipped**
The last customer left with a smile and a full stomach.
Max leaned against the counter, barely able to stand.
And just then, the door opened again.
**Emily stepped in.**
Wearing a simple white shirt and jeans, her hair tied back, and a folder under her arm.
"You made it through the storm again?"
"Just barely."
She smirked and sat on the counter.
"I brought what I promised."
---
### **Design Plans and Soft Smiles**
Max opened the folder. Inside were finalized sketches:
* Dark wood shelves above the prep area
* Soft hanging lights over the main counter
* A clean, bold chalkboard menu
* A pastry display corner
* A small side station for coffee
"These are cost-efficient but stylish," Emily said. "We can start with shelves, lighting, and the new menu board."
Max flipped through the pages slowly.
He imagined the place transformed.
Not just a food stop — a **real** restaurant with personality.
He looked up at her.
"You know\... I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you."
She paused, a little surprised — then smiled.
"I know. I was just waiting for you to admit it."
They shared a quiet moment.
No rush. No big declarations.
Just… a spark. Subtle, but real.
---
### **After She Left – Accounting Time**
As always, Max sat down with his notebook.
He called up the **system interface** in his mind — the translucent blue screen only he could see.
> **\[Points earned today: 493]**
> **\[Total: 2,159 / 10,000]**
Then he did the real-world math:
---
### 💰 **Daily Summary:**
* **Total Revenue:** \$673
* **Supply Cost:** \$180
* **Net Profit:** \$493
* **System Points:** +493
---
### 🧾 **Money Management:**
* \$200 → Supplies for tomorrow
* \$50 → Emergency reserve
* \$243 → Transferred to business account
📌 **Business Account Balance:**
> **\$1,122**
---
He underlined the number twice.
It wasn't huge. But it was **growing**.
> "Step by step."
He closed the notebook.
Looked around.
The smell of roasted cheese still lingered.
And for the first time in a long while…
> He wasn't building something **alone**.
---