Hearing the number of one thousand tables, the waiter was taken aback. One thousand tables equated to a whopping 2.88 million yuan. Who would go mad and book so many banquet tables?
Moreover, considering their standard of 2888 yuan per table, which was enough for ten adults, one thousand tables implied hosting ten thousand people. Who could have that many relatives and friends?
Furthermore, with so many tables, where would they even fit?
The waiter thought she had misheard and asked again, "Sir, how many tables do you want to book?"
Having experienced a similar situation at the Shangri-La Hotel before, Ye Xingchen was serious. He enunciated clearly, "One thousand tables, I can pay upfront!"
He added, "I'm not joking."
Now the waiter was completely dumbfounded. She stared at Ye Xingchen for a full five seconds before regaining her composure and exclaimed, "Sir, did you say you want to book one thousand tables of the 2888-standard banquet?"
For a moment, all the customers and waitstaff at Chuan Xiang Qing Restaurant turned their gaze towards Ye Xingchen, their eyes filled with shock.
One thousand banquet tables, the number was simply unbelievable.
Ye Xingchen, on the other hand, wore an expression of resignation and had to repeat, "That's right, one thousand tables."
He had chosen this number after careful consideration rather than randomly. He had looked at the banquet menus, and a single table could feed him for about a week. With one thousand tables, it would be enough for a thousand weeks. Calculating for a year with 52 weeks, it would barely last him 19 years. And considering that he would likely live for around 60 years if nothing unexpected happened, these one thousand Sichuan-style banquet tables wouldn't suffice.
Moreover, this calculation didn't even take into account the possibility of having a future hostess in his shelter, or even having children and grandchildren. After all, nobody knew how long the Ice Age would last, and he hadn't lost interest in all women just because of someone like Chen Rou'er.
With an increasing population in the shelter, these one thousand banquet tables might seem like a lot, but they wouldn't last for long. While there were many snacks and fruits in the supermarket, they couldn't compare to the gourmet dishes prepared by chefs.
His well-thought-out decision seemed crazy in the eyes of the waiter and others.
The waiter remained stunned for quite a while before finally accepting the reality. She hurriedly said, "I'm sorry, sir, the number of banquet tables you're ordering is just too astonishing. I can't make that decision. Please wait a moment, I'll call the owner over."
Next, the owner himself came out. After a round of questioning and confirming that Ye Xingchen wasn't joking, he was still in disbelief until Ye Xingchen paid the full amount. Then he became ecstatic.
Calculating based on a restaurant industry gross margin of 60%, just from this order, the owner could earn 1.72 million yuan!
After instructing to have the prepared banquet packages delivered to his villa, Ye Xingchen didn't linger. He arrived at a Cantonese restaurant and booked one thousand tables there too.
Although Sichuan cuisine was delicious, it couldn't be eaten every day. After a while, anyone would get tired of it. Next came Shandong cuisine, Hunan cuisine... Ye Xingchen booked banquet tables for all eight major Chinese culinary styles.
Soon, the news of a wealthy customer crazily booking banquet tables spread in the catering industry of Jinghai City. Everyone speculated about why he would order so many.
Then, Ye Xingchen arrived at a winery.
Having food alone wasn't enough; drinks were also necessary.
Their chain of supermarkets did have quite a few drinks, but they were all lower-end products meant for the general public. Both in terms of quality and taste, they were far inferior.
After all, if the 50 million yuan wasn't spent now, it would become worthless paper when the doomsday arrived. It was better to spend it now.
He spent a whopping 5 million yuan on alcohol, and then, satisfied, he returned to his villa. Soon, a large truck loaded with crates of alcohol arrived.
Ye Xingchen instructed the workers to unload the alcohol. Not long after, the person he found repulsive, Chen Rou'er, appeared once again, but this time, she was accompanied by Chu Yao.
Chu Yao saw Ye Xingchen and immediately launched into a barrage of accusations, "You, a grown man, how could you hit a woman? Women are meant to be cared for, not beaten!"
She grabbed Chen Rou'er's still-swollen cheek and angrily said, "Look at what you've turned her into. Do you realize that what you did is illegal?"
On the way here, she had already discussed the strategy with Chen Rou'er. Their plan was to make Ye Xingchen feel a sense of disadvantage for what he had done yesterday, so that he would be on the defensive psychologically. At the same time, Chen Rou'er was to put on a pitiable appearance, with teardrops already circling in her eyes.
However, Ye Xingchen was not buying into it. He said coldly, "I did hit her. If you have a problem, go report me."
"You..."
Suddenly, Chu Yao was at a loss for words. She never expected Ye Xingchen to say such things, which were completely different from what she had imagined.
Ye Xingchen had no favorable opinion of Chu Yao either. They were alike in character, which was how they became close friends. He said impatiently, "I don't want to see you two. My home is not open to you. Disappear from my sight."
Chen Rou'er, who had prepared herself for this confrontation, looked at the crates and crates of expensive alcohol being unloaded, occupying the entire yard. She then remembered the trucks full of supplies brought here yesterday. Confusion crept into her mind. "Ye Xingchen, didn't you buy a lot of stuff and put it in the yard yesterday? Why is everything gone today?"
She asked this question not just out of curiosity but also to strike up a conversation with Ye Xingchen.
However, Ye Xingchen treated her as if she were air, not bothering to respond. He instructed the workers to continue their work.
Chu Yao had no interest in this topic, but she thought it could be a way to break the deadlock. So, she pretended to be curious and asked, "Ye Xingchen, I remember you didn't used to drink much. Why are you stocking up so much now?"
Seeing the two incessantly chattering in his ears, Ye Xingchen's expression darkened. He was about to shoo them away, but then a flash of inspiration struck him, and he changed his mind.
With a serious face, he said, "The apocalypse is coming in a month. Humanity will face an unprecedented survival crisis. I'm currently stockpiling various supplies to ensure a better future."
It wasn't that he suddenly became compassionate; he just wanted to intentionally let Chen Rou'er know that he had amassed a substantial amount of supplies. He wanted both Chen Rou'er, who had broken into his house and seized his supplies before, and even those who had eaten his food to know.
When the doomsday arrived, Chen Rou'er would come to his doorstep like a dog, begging for help. Those people he loathed to his core would also come begging to him, providing him with an opportunity for revenge.
He believed that even though he said this, neither Chen Rou'er nor Chu Yao would believe him.
And his expectation was accurate. Both of them were momentarily stunned, and then their faces showed expressions of disbelief as if they were looking at a fool.