It was already the next day when Shen Lingqing came back to Savory Alley. The staff had greeted her enthusiastically that morning, but Shen Lingqing wasn’t in the mood to socialize with them. As she went to her office to start her day at work, Qiao Lian followed her shortly.

“What’s wrong, Qingqing? You don’t look good today.” Her assistant frowned when she noticed that her boss wasn’t her usual self.

Shen Lingqing groaned and cradled her head with both hands.

“It must be the alcohol Xingchen and I had last night,” she muttered.

Qiao Lian checked her boss’s agenda for that day and was pleased that Shen Lingqing wouldn’t need to attend any important meeting until tomorrow.

“Then, you should have stayed in bed rather than reporting to work today if you aren’t feeling well. Most of the paperwork that needed your attention was already done anyway. As for today’s service, you don’t need to worry, since we could manage,” she told Shen Lingqing.

“That’s not possible. The manager shouldn’t leave her post while her staff is working hard.”

Qiao Lian sighed. As expected, even if she wasn’t feeling good, Shen Lingqing would rather choose to work than take a break.

“Then, please take your time. You don’t need to oversee the kitchen today if you aren’t feeling well.”

Ah, it was really annoying to have a stubborn boss like Shen Lingqing at times. It wasn’t like that the restaurant would suddenly fall without her for a day.

However, Qiao Lian couldn’t convince Shen Lingqing to take the day off to rest. She could only limit the work her boss could do for the day and forbid her to go downstairs to oversee the kitchen.

“What’s wrong, Miss Qiao? Are you looking for something?” Liu Jinfei asked when he found Qiao Lian in the pantry alone.

“Oh, Chef Liu. Please don’t mind me. I am just thinking about what I could give Director Shen to relieve her hangover.

Liu Jinfei blinked at that. “Is Director Shen alright?” He asked curiously.

He hadn’t seen Shen Lingqing arrive today, but he did hear from Yang Fangjin that she came back this morning. However, the young man never mentioned anything about Shen Lingqing not feeling well today.

“If you don’t mind, I can prepare something light for Director Shen to eat,” he suggested to Qiao Lian.

“Ah, I don’t want to trouble you, Chef Liu, but if you could, please?” Qiao Lian pressed her hands together, thanking the heavens for allowing Liu Jinfei to help her.

Liu Jinfei laughed at her expression.

“Sure. It’s something I don’t mind doing to help Director Shen,” he said.

“Then, thanks! I owe you this one, Chef Liu!” Qiao Lian said as she left the pantry to see what Shen Lingqing was doing at the office without her.

When she returned to Shen Lingqing’s office, her boss was still hovering over the pile of work she had left on the desk. Shen Lingqing was slower this time. Whether she had taken Qiao Lian’s advice or not, it was obvious that she wasn’t in good shape.

Qiao Lian sighed and worked in silence along with her boss. It was better for her to remain quiet for the meantime, so she wouldn’t make Shen Lingqing uncomfortable any further. Even when lunchtime arrived, Shen Lingqing didn’t go downstairs to join the rest. Qiao Lian brought her boss’s meal to the office, one that Liu Jinfei made earlier.

Shen Lingqing was feeling a little better after her meal, and with half of her workload today done, she supposed that she would be able to rest for at least an hour before the service would start in a few hours.

“Qingqing…” Qiao Lian looked at her boss with worry as Shen Lingqing continued to rub her temple.

Shen Lingqing really didn’t look good. Perhaps, it wasn’t just a hangover. It might be the exhaustion of the past week that she worked nonstop before and after Savory Alley’s reopening. It also didn’t help that she had to go to the banquet last night with her mother just as soon as she finished the assessment her father set for her.

When the clock struck three in the afternoon, Qiao Lian went downstairs to sub for Shen Lingqing again, just like what she did yesterday. The service started without any problem. As the dishes came out of the kitchen, Qiao Lian paid attention to the customers’ needs.

Liu Jinfei had taken a break with the rest as the first round of customers finished their meals. As Qiao Lian was busy checking the bookings on her tablet, he decided to bring Shen Lingqing’s refreshments to her office himself.

He knocked twice on the door to get her attention, but there was no response from the other side. Was Shen Lingqing so busy that she did not hear the knock on the door?

“Excuse me, Director Shen. I’m going in,” he said and opened the door at once.

However, what greeted him was Shen Lingqing’s sleeping face as she sat on the couch with the finished paperwork on the glass coffee table in front of her. She looked peaceful as she slept, her guard lowered and without alertness. It’s not like someone would have the heart to disturb her with a face like that.

It made sense to Liu Jinfei now why Qiao Lian was a little worried about their boss today. Shen Lingqing looked like she was exhausted. With her bare face, Liu Jinfei could see the slight darkening under her eyes as she took a nap.

He brought down the tray on the coffee table gently, making sure not to make a sound to disturb her nap. It was rare for him to see Shen Lingqing like this.

“Qingqing, are you…?” Qiao Lian opened the door and stopped midway when she saw Liu Jinfei standing across Shen Lingqing who somewhat fell asleep after finishing her work.

“Oh…” It was clear to her what had just happened.