Everyone was casting funny glances at Ning Ran when she returned to the film set the next day.
Ning Ran was well aware that it was because of her photos on the internet. She was secretly thankful that all they did was to look at her strangely.
She did not attempt to provide any explanation for the pictures, neither was she able to come up with one.
Filming for the day started shortly after as the crew had a tight schedule to follow.
They filmed non-stop, barely having any time to rest. The director only called it a day at 7.30 p.m..
When Ning Ran left the set, Feng Minsheng was already waiting outside in his BMW.
Ning Ran got into his car immediately and said, âLetâs go for dinner.â
Feng Minsheng gave her a smile and replied, âYouâve had a long day, you must be tired.â
âYeah, Iâm exhausted.â
âWhat do you feel like having?â
âFlamed steak and sake. I want to have authentic Kobe beef.â
It was the supper which she had with Nan Chen previously. It came to her mind as she remembered it being very delicious.
âWhere can we have that?â Feng Minsheng had not heard of such a place before.
âI know the address. Just drive straight ahead,â Ning Ran said.
When they arrived at the restaurant, the waiter rejected them, saying that the restaurant was full.
Ning Ran was not buying that. âThere isnât a single person in your restaurant. What do you mean âitâs fullâ?â
âAll our beef is handpicked and specially flown in from Japan. To ensure that the taste of the beef remains consistent, we only serve the meat that was flown in the same day. As you may know, this type of beef is not allowed to be exported, so we had to get it through private channels, and it only arrives in limited quantities. As such, we are only able to serve a limited number of customers each day. Iâm so sorry, Madam,â the waiter explained patiently with a smile on his face.
âIâll pay extra,â Feng Minsheng offered. He saw it as a good opportunity to win brownie points from Ning Ran.
âSorry, sir. Iâm afraid we wonât be able to serve you no matter how much you are willing to pay,â the waiter answered.
âI donât believe that thereâs anything in this world that money canât solve. I am determined to eat this beef today!â Feng Minsheng had his mind set on it.
Still maintaining a polite front, the waiter shook his head helplessly and replied, âSorry, sir. Thereâs really nothing I can do.â
âIâll pay five thousand. Just give me one serving of your beef!â Feng Minsheng yelled.
âSir, the average expenditure at our restaurant is above fifteen thousand. Besides, even if you paid fifty thousand, we still wouldnât have anything to serve you,â the waiter said.
Ning Ran was stunned when she heard the price. It actually costs so much to dine here?
When Poker Face brought her here previously, she simply enjoyed the delicious food without asking about the price.
âWho are you trying to scare?â Feng Minsheng did not believe the exorbitant price.
âThe supply of top-grade Kobe beef is very scarce in the first place, and it is not an export item. Thus, people usually have to fly to Japan to enjoy the beef, but even so, its authenticity is not guaranteed.
However, the Kobe beef we have at our restaurant is hundred percent authentic as we have our own supply channels. As such, we charge a premium for it,â the waiter tried to clarify the situation for Feng Minsheng.
Ning Ran tugged at Feng Minshengâs sleeve and said, âForget it, letâs go somewhere else instead.â
âNo way! I am definitely eating the beef here tonight. How much is it? Tell me, Iâll pay!â The man was adamant on dining at the restaurant.
âItâs really not about the money. Customers who are keen to dine here would usually have to make reservations at least one week prior, otherwise, no matter how much they are willing to pay, we still have to reject them,â the waiter reiterated.
âBut the previous time I came here, we didnât make any reservations,â Ning Ran was starting to doubt the waiterâs words as well.
The waiter let out a faint laugh and explained, âIt was because of the man you came here with that time. The other customers would willingly give their reservations up for him.â
Ning Ran was surprised that the waiter recognized her.
Needless to say, the man he was referring to must be Nan Chen!
âYouâve been here with someone else before?â Feng Minsheng asked as he looked towards Ning Ran.
âOf course! How else would I know that the beef here is delicious?â Ning Ran said in an irritated tone.
âWho was that? Who would be given such a great honor?â
Ning Ran kept quiet.
âWhy donât you tell me instead? Whoâs the man who can dine here without making any reservations?â
Feng Minsheng turned towards the waiter and demanded an answer.
The waiter merely smiled instead of answering his question.
There were not more than three people who could dine here without a reservation.
Those were the Flower Cityâs most powerful people, and were not names which the waiter could casually discuss.
âLetâs just go somewhere else instead,â Ning Ran tried to persuade Feng Minsheng to leave again.
âI think heâs lying to me. It feels like heâs intentionally going against me,â Feng Minsheng said indignantly.
âThen you can continue arguing with him. Iâm leaving first.â
As Ning Ran was already getting impatient, she turned around and stalked off.
The reason she wanted to get close to Feng Minsheng was to find out his true motives.
She was frustrated that he had neglected the fact that she was famished, and was bent on eating at the restaurant, even though the waiter had already made it clear multiple times that it was not possible.
Just as she turned around, she saw a couple stepping out of the elevator.
The man was dressed entirely in black. Although he was expressionless, he was so attractive that his good looks could shake the heavens.
The lady next to him looked sweet. In her white dress, she looked just like a high school student.
Both Ning Ran and Feng Minsheng were shocked when they saw the man.
Feng Minsheng did not dare to look at him as he had gotten a beating from him before.
Instead of fear, Ning Ran was filled with guilt.
But her worries were unfounded as Nan Chen did not even look at her when he brushed past her. He walked straight into the restaurant, a cold aura surrounding him.
However, the sweet-looking lady whom Nan Chen came with stole a few glances at Ning Ran. The corners of her mouth twitched, but she did not say anything.
âSir Chen, this way please.â The waiter welcomed the man respectfully.
âChen, I read from the internet that itâs super hard to reserve a table at this restaurant.â The lady sounded as sweet as she looked.
âNo reservation is required for Sir Chen,â the waiter responded when he heard what the lady said.
Ning Ran shot a glance at Feng Minsheng, hinting him with her eyes that this was the person who did not require a reservation.
âNo big deal! Letâs go, weâre not eating here anymore.â Feng Minsheng sounded pissed.
Ning Ranâs lips curled into a mirthless smile as she sneered, âItâs not as if we have a choice.â
âRan, why do you mean by that? You were not so shallow before, when did you become⦠â
âWhen did I what? Iâve always worshipped money. If youâre capable enough, you would have already gotten us a table here. Iâm starving!â
Ning Ran deliberately said that to rile Feng Minsheng up.
âYou⦠â
âIâve always been a golddigger. I donât deny that I have a preference for rich men. If you canât even satisfy my craving for steak, how can you say that you like me? What can you offer me?â
The womanâs anger spiked inexplicably as she spoke.
Ning Ran could not figure out the reason for her surge of anger. Surely, it was not because she had seen Nan Chen walking in with another woman?
Thatâs not possible! Ning Ran quickly shook off that thought.
That rich guy had definitely brought countless women here to dine, I canât possibly be the first one.
Whatâs there to be angry about?
I bet his usual cold demeanor is just a disguise. Heâs just like other guys who go around picking up young girls! To top it off, that lady looks like sheâs still in high school!
That despicable and shameless hypocrite!
Ning Ran cursed Nan Chen over and over again in her heart, but it didnât feel satisfying at all. How she wished that she could curse him out loud!
Feng Minsheng saw Ning Ranâs glum face and thought that she was upset with him. He quickly tried to appease her. âDonât be mad at me anymore. I said that off the top of my head just now. I know that youâre not actually a golddigger.â
âNope, thatâs exactly who I am.â Ning Ran did not intend to spare his feelings.
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