Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Led by the waitress, the group reached the innermost booth on the first floor.
The space wasnât large, but it was sufficient for five people without feeling cramped.
After everyone sat down, Chen Teng pushed the menu toward Tang Li.
âAuntie, feel free to order whatever you like. The food here is all quite good.â
âIâm fine with anything. Just order according to your young peopleâs tastes.â
Zhou Xinyu didnât stand on ceremony and took the menu.
âI know my momâs preferences, Iâll order for her.â
Zhou Xinyu quickly selected four dishes from the menu, then pushed it back to Chen Teng.
âIâve ordered, the rest is up to you.â
Chen Teng was courteous and did not order but instead handed the menu to Yan Ci.
âCousin, see if thereâs anything youâd like to eat, just go ahead and order,â Chen Teng said politely.
âIâm not picky, and I donât eat much. Besides, weâre all family here, four dishes are enough, no need to waste.â
Hearing Yan Ciâs words, Chen Teng was somewhat impressed.
Xinyuâs cousin was indeed frugalâsuggesting that five people eat just four dishes was truly a homemakerâs mindset.
âThat wonât do. There are five of us, four dishes are simply not enough,â Chen Teng said with a smile.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
âIâll just order a few more.â
With ease and familiarity, Chen Teng ordered another four dishes, making a total of eight, which was quite a feast.
âPlease wait a moment.â
After taking the order, the waitress left with a smile, maintaining a courteous demeanor throughout without any sign of impatience.
At the same time, a tall, elegant woman entered from outside.
The woman, likely in her thirties, was dressed in a fiery red, form-fitting suit dress, with her hair neatly tied up, giving off a very professional air.
But what was most striking about her was her curvaceous figure, which was truly stunning.
The womanâs name was Yun Shu, and she was the owner of Furong Xiang.
In the upper echelons of Zhonghai society, she was quite well-known, with deep connections among many high-ranking officials and wealthy merchants, even earning the title of Zhonghaiâs top socialite.
Yun Shu herself didnât mind this title; in fact, she embraced it.
âMs. Yun.â
Seeing the woman in the red dress, the waitress gave a slight bow and greeted her.
âHowâs business tonight?â
Yun Shu casually asked.
âEverythingâs going well. All the reserved guests have arrived, and as the manager said, the place is full of distinguished guests,â the waitress replied with a smile.
âGood, thank you for your hard work.â
âYouâre too kind, Ms. Yun.â
Yun Shu nodded and didnât linger on the first floor, heading upstairs instead.
However, as she reached the platform on the second floor, Yun Shu unexpectedly paused.
A glint of sharpness flashed in her eyes.
She had spotted a figure at a table inside that she couldnât afford to overlook!
She was certain that the man sitting in the corner, looking at his phone, was Lin Yi, the president of Lingyun Group!
Lin Yiâs identity was quite concealed.
Aside from the top-tier elites in the business world, almost no one knew that he was the president of Lingyun Group. Most believed Qi Xianzhao was the real president.
But in reality, that outstanding young man was the true mastermind behind Lingyun Group!
It was his presence that had propelled Lingyun Group to the peak!
Yun Shu couldnât understand why someone of Lin Yiâs stature would come to her establishment to eat. The level of the place didnât match him at all.
It was like imagining Mr. Ma, a billionaire, dining at a small noodle shop during his private time.
With that thought, Yun Shu glanced at the others at Lin Yiâs table.
Judging by their attire, they seemed like ordinary people and didnât show any special respect toward him.
It seemed they didnât know his identity.
Otherwise, not just in Zhonghai, but in all of Huaxia, no one could dine with him with such a calm demeanor.
A smile tugged at the corners of Yun Shuâs mouth, a glimmer of craftiness in her eyes.
âMs. Yun, youâre here.â
While Yun Shu was observing Lin Yi, she heard someone greet her nearby.
Looking up, she saw it was the manager.
âDonât go just yet; I have a question for you.â
âWhat is it, Ms. Yun?â the manager asked, leaning in.
Yun Shu pointed to Lin Yiâs table. âWho reserved table A17?â
The restaurant had a reservation system, so with a quick check, it was easy to find out who had booked a table.
This information was crucial for Yun Shu. If Lin Yi had personally reserved the table, she would need to show some gesture of acknowledgment.
âOne moment, Iâll check.â
The manager took out a device resembling a mobile phone and looked it up, saying:
âIt was reserved by someone named Chen Teng.â
âYou even remember his name?â
âHeâs a civil servant in the industrial sector. I figured he might be useful in the future, so I gave him a priority booking, which is why I remember him.â
âSo heâs just a minor civil servant.â
âMs. Yun, should we give that table some special attention, perhaps send them a complimentary dish or something?â
âIâll handle this, just follow my lead.â
âUnderstood.â
Meanwhile, after ordering, Chen Teng started chatting.
âThe service here in the big city is really good,â Tang Li said quietly.
âIn our third-tier city, if you take too long to order, the waitstaff will roll their eyes at you.â
âThis sort of thing does happen in other cities, but itâs rare here in Zhonghai,â Chen Teng remarked.
âActually, I think people who look down on others are everywhere. The waitress here is being so polite to us because she knows Chen Teng is a civil servant. Otherwise, she wouldnât be so courteous.â
As she spoke, Zhou Xinyu practically had her nose in the air.
âIndeed, a civil servantâs job is stable, with guaranteed income regardless of circumstances. Itâs a bit better than other jobs.â
It was clear that Tang Li was quite satisfied with Chen Tengâs job.
âAbsolutely, and itâs not just about job stability; the benefits are good too. If you go to the hospital, the registration and check-ups are all reimbursed, so it doesnât cost much,â Zhou Xinyu added.
âItâs not like those who work outside, where the job may seem respectable and the income is good, but itâs not stable at all. I have a friend who started a business a few years ago. It was going well at first, making millions every year, but last year he suddenly lost everything. Not only did he end up not making any money, but he also lost over 2 million, and now he has to take the bus everywhereâwhat a disaster.â
Sitting nearby, Lin Yi, while playing on his phone, caught Zhou Xinyuâs subtle jabs.
She was clearly mocking Yan Ciâs job, though her method of ridicule was quite crude.
Instinctively, Lin Yi glanced at Yan Ci and saw that she was still smiling, unaffected by the remarks.
âEvery job has its advantages, and you canât generalize,â Tang Li said.
âWhy canât you generalize?â Zhou Xinyu retorted, slightly aggrieved.
âWhat I just mentioned is only a small part. The biggest advantage of being a civil servant is having a certain social status. Take making a reservation, for exampleâothers need to book a week in advance, but Chen Teng just had to make a call, and he got us a priority booking. Not everyone has that kind of pull.â