This steak was like heaven and earth compared to the meals I routinely ate.
Zhao Xinlian truly couldn't understand how such a dish could become a signature delicacy. Moreover, there were so many people around eating it, and it seemed to have won numerous awards...
"Could it be my problem?" With a try-and-see attitude, Zhao Xinlian cut another piece of steak and put it into her mouth.
"Ugh!" The result was the same, utterly inedible, fishy, tasting like wax... Describing this piece of steak with all the negative terms Zhao Xinlian knew would certainly not be an exaggeration.
But glancing around, without exception, everyone was enjoying their meal.
At that moment, an unwelcome thought occurred to Zhao Xinlian.
She couldn't believe it was so.
So, she quickly raised her hand and called out, "Waiter!"
"Miss, what can I assist you with?" Noticing Zhao Xinlian's gesture, the waiter immediately walked over.
"This, this, and this, serve me all of your restaurant's signature dishes." Zhao Xinlian picked up the menu and pointed to seven or eight signature dishes.
"Miss, there's so much, can you eat all..."
"You don't need to worry about that, I'll take leftovers to go!" urged Zhao Xinlian.
She now just wanted to prove that her taste buds hadn't been held captive by that useless Chen Wei!
Otherwise...
A dozen minutes later, the dishes were served one after another.
Zhao Xinlian picked up her chopsticks with anticipation and put a bite into her mouth.
"Oof!" She immediately puffed her cheeks, wanting to spit it out but forcefully closed her lips. Each chew felt like a torment both physically and mentally.
"Ugh!" On the third chew, she ultimately couldn't hold back and spat it out.
Pushing the plate to the side, Zhao Xinlian decided to switch to another dish.
The second dish, the third, the fourth... Yet by the last one, she hadn't managed to swallow a single bite.
At that moment, Zhao Xinlian felt despair; she didn't know that her taste buds had, without her realizing, been conquered by Chen Wei!
What to do? She couldn't possibly shamelessly ask her ex-husband to cook for her, right?
Zhao Xinlian's face wasn't that thick.
She paid the bill and left.
Zhao Xinlian still held onto a sliver of hope, "Perhaps it's just that the meals here aren't to my taste. I'll try the next place. With so many restaurants in River City, I refuse to believe I can't find one that I can stomach!"
Chen Wei was utterly unaware of Zhao Xinlian's predicament.
At the moment, he was busy trying on new clothes picked out for him by Lin Yibai.
"Mr. Chen, the fitting room is over there," Lin Yibai pointed, "I think this suit will be perfect for you."
To say he wasn't looking forward to it would be a complete lie.
In fact, Lin Yibai could even picture how striking Chen Wei would appear in this suit!
The anticipation! Immense anticipation!
Watching Chen Wei enter the fitting room and after the door closed, Lin Yibai still couldn't divert her gaze.
Just then, an annoying voice rang in her ear, "Beauty, are you alone?"
Seeing that Lin Yibai didn't respond to him, the man took out a business card and introduced himself, "Hello, my name is Jiang Chengyi, I'm the CEO of Green Forest Group, and my annual salary is over five million. If possible, may I get to know you?"
"Not convenient, thank you!" Lin Yibai turned her head and said with a emotionless face, sounding as disdainful as one could possibly be.
Jiang Chengyi opened his mouth, wanting to say something else, but at that moment, Chen Wei, who had changed into a new outfit, walked out of the fitting room.
"Wow!" Lin Yibai quickly walked over, her eyes lighting up.
Not just her, all the women in the store's eyes twinkled with stars as they gazed at Chen Wei, as if they had discovered a new continent.
Only Jiang Chengyi wore a face of disdain, "Turns out you've kept a 'pretty boy'."
Hearing this, Lin Yibai's face filled with anger, "Mr. Chen is not a 'pretty boy,' watch your language!"
"Haha, if he's not a 'pretty boy' who is? Am I? It's just a good-looking shell, after death it's still a bag of ashes. While you're young, eat more 'soft rice', after all, no one will want you when you're old. Unlike me, a social elite, earning millions a year! Life isn't easy; it's all about hard work!" Jiang Chengyi truly embodied the words 'sense of superiority' to the fullest.
"You think you're amazing with an annual income of millions?" Chen Wei stepped forward and counterquestioned.
For a moment, Jiang Chengyi was actually intimidated by the kingly aura emanating from Chen Wei and lost focus.
Then he thought, how could a 'pretty boy' who relies on others possibly have such a kingly aura? It must have been his own overthinking.
He spoke, "Nonsense! If earning millions a year isn't impressive, is eating 'soft rice' impressive?"
"What company are you from? What's your position? What's your name?" Chen Wei asked again.
"Listen well, I'm the CEO of Green Forest Group, Jiang Chengyi. My annual salary is a steady five million upward, and this year, six million is no problem!" He could already imagine Chen Wei groveling at his feet after hearing these details.
Lin Yibai certainly didn't have as much money as him; if she really was wealthier, why would she come to this kind of store? The most expensive clothes here are only seventy to eighty thousand at best.
Jiang Chengyi considered himself very perceptive when it came to 'pretty boys'; they go after whoever has the money, regardless of gender.
"Disappear from my sight now, and I might consider giving you a hundred thousand." Jiang Chengyi took out a checkbook, offering as if bestowing charity.
Chen Wei paid him no attention and took out his mobile phone, dialing a deeply memorized number.
On the other end, inside meeting room 302 on the top floor of the grandest building in the Imperial Capital, a woman in a coffee-colored, tight-fitting OL outfit was unceasingly discussing plans for the latter half of the year.
Suddenly, the door was opened.
The crowd couldn't help but gasp, thinking that someone must be insane to interrupt the demoness Qin Binglan while she was speaking!
They could already sense she was going to be banned across Great Xia!
"President Qin, someone's looking for you," said the woman, trembling.
"Who has the audacity to barge in and interrupt me?" Qin Binglan's face was icy cold, to the extreme, and the atmosphere in the conference room dropped as a result. She hoped the woman would name someone worth her time.
"I don't know," the woman shook her head, "but you said that if this phone rang, no matter what you were doing, I had to inform you."
At these words, Qin Binglan looked over and upon seeing the pure white phone, her eyes flickered with softness and anticipation.
The icy aura vanished in an instant, she put down the business plan worth billions, and quickly walked over. She snatched the phone and pressed the answer button, "My King! You've finally called me!"
The sultry term of endearment 'My King' left everyone speechless, unable to believe that the tough businesswoman could show such a smitten expression.
My King!!!
They couldn't fathom what kind of person could make Qin Binglan call him 'My King'.
They whispered and speculated quietly.
Then someone said, "I've heard it said that the real power behind Tianchen Group isn't President Qin; she's just a front for that person."
"What! President Qin is just a stand-in! How formidable must that person be?"