Chapter 7 of 10

Chapter 7

16 min read3,998 words

As long as someone is from Jiangcheng or has stayed there for a while, no one would be unaware of "Heaven and Earth." "Heaven and Earth" is a large group company that integrates various chain industries such as dining, entertainment, accommodation, fitness, and high-end clubs.

"Heaven and Earth" almost dominates the leading position in all its business projects in Jiangcheng. It can also be said that whatever "Heaven and Earth" has, it must be the best in Jiangcheng.

Of course, it's not just for the rich. It is divided into "Heaven" and "Earth," roughly separating the consumer groups. Although the business projects are roughly the same, the consumption and class levels are vastly different. A glass of red wine in the "Earth" restaurant might cost ten yuan, but in the "Heaven" restaurant, a glass of red wine could cost ten thousand yuan, or even more.

Tang Guobin, the old man, is one of the major shareholders of "Heaven and Earth." As soon as he parked his car, someone came to greet him. He got out of the car, tossed the keys to the valet, and led the group into the "Heaven" restaurant with a confident stride.

Liu Fat and Wu Lao, who had been to "Heaven and Earth" before, managed to maintain a calm demeanor, but Xu Qing, who was visiting for the first time, seemed a bit at a loss. The restaurant, which looked like a towering palace from the outside, was extravagantly luxurious inside. The floor was covered with a crimson velvet carpet, soft and light underfoot, making even the bones feel lighter. In front of them was a jade-enclosed artificial pond, where golden light flickered, revealing a group of lively koi fish. There were also many diners on both sides, all dressed elegantly, making Xu Qing, who was wearing a tank top and shorts, stand out as an oddity.

"Bro, are you stunned? Let's go upstairs." Liu Fat pulled Xu Qing, who was still in a daze, and they both went up to the second floor.

Tang Guobin had already entered the "Heaven" No. 8 private room and was seated, ordering dishes on his own. Today, he was in a great mood, and his appetite was also much better. He ordered more than ten dishes before passing the menu to Xu Qing.

"Come on, bro, order whatever you like."

Xu Qing took the menu and flipped through it. The dishes were not only numerous but the prices were shocking. The cheapest dish started at 800 yuan, and the more expensive ones were over 1,000 yuan. He thought to himself, this isn't eating; it's eating money. A meal here would probably cost tens of thousands of yuan.

Seeing Xu Qing frowning and hesitating, Liu Fat leaned over and whispered, "Order whatever you want, Young Master Tang doesn't mind the cost."

Xu Qing bit his lip and pointed to a dish priced at 888 yuan, "I'll have the Gold and Silver Melon!" He quickly handed the menu back to Liu Fat, as if he were getting rid of a hot potato.

Hearing Xu Qing order the Gold and Silver Melon, Tang Guobin couldn't help but laugh. He put his arm around Xu Qing's shoulder and said with a smile, "Good bro, we really have a special connection. When this place first opened, I immediately fell in love with this dish. Hahaha!"

Xu Qing was slightly stunned and thought, is there something special about this dish? Is the Gold and Silver Melon just for show? He then dismissed the thought; if it's on the menu, it must be edible.

Liu Fat, unlike Xu Qing, was not so reserved. He ordered a series of meat dishes like Dongpo Pork Elbow and Abalone, completely ignoring any vegetarian options.

The menu made its way around the four of them and returned to Tang Guobin. He casually raised the menu and said, "Open a bottle of 1982 Lafite. That's it."

The server politely took the menu, backed out of the room, and gently closed the door without making a sound, clearly well-trained.

Tang Guobin put his arm around Xu Qing's shoulder, looking like the best of friends, and even pinched his shoulder blade.

"Bro, you're really something. Your muscles are as hard as a block of elm wood."

Xu Qing pulled back, freeing himself from the hand on his shoulder, and rolled his eyes with a smile, "What do you mean? Just because I have muscles doesn't mean you can touch them. I'm straight."

"Get lost! Hahaha..." Tang Guobin laughed heartily and reached for Xu Qing's shoulder again. But Xu Qing, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, jumped up from his seat and sat next to Liu Fat, pushing the jolly man towards Tang Guobin and said irritably, "Bro Liu has a good touch, let him feel you."

"Damn, you're really insulting me..." Liu Fat's eyes bulged, and the fat on his face twitched. He feigned a grievance and said, "If Young Master Tang likes my body, I wouldn't mind offering myself to him." He then glanced at Tang Guobin timidly.

"Get lost, do you want me to eat? I'm straight." Tang Guobin broke out in a cold sweat but then burst into laughter.

Perhaps because of his wealthy background, Tang Guobin always had a group of sycophantic friends around him. As he put it, friends were like "pans of food," where "pan" meant eating and drinking, and "food" meant money. These so-called friends were only interested in these two things. Spending too much time with these drinking and eating friends could get boring.

In other words, Tang Guobin was also lonely. The only true confidant he had was Liu Youfu, also known as Liu Fat. Now, Xu Qing gave him a different feeling, one of spontaneity and freedom.

Soon, the food and drinks were served. The waitresses in qipao held the wine bottles, showing the labels to Tang Guobin. Seeing him nod slightly, they began to open the bottles and pour the wine.

Xu Qing picked up the small glass of crimson liquid in front of him, brought it to his nose, and sniffed it. Then he tilted his head back and slurped it down in one go. He smacked his lips and frowned, "This wine is a bit sour..."

Pfft—

Liu Fat and Tang Guobin couldn't help but spray out their drinks. Fortunately, they turned their heads in time, or the table would have been ruined. This guy was really something, saying the 1982 Lafite was sour.

"Bro, you're really talented, hahaha..." Tang Guobin laughed so hard he was bent over. He thought, this guy is really a character, even more interesting than Miaoyu from "Dream of the Red Chamber."

Xu Qing's face turned red, realizing he had made a fool of himself. He scratched his head awkwardly and said, "I guess red wine is supposed to be a bit sour. It's not as strong as erguotou."

Life is unpredictable. Yesterday, he was a poor student who couldn't even pay rent, and today he was sitting in the most luxurious hotel in Jiangcheng. There were things he had never encountered before, and he didn't know the intricacies of it all. Ignorance is bliss.

"Right, erguotou is indeed more refreshing than this sour stuff. Come, try this golden melon." Tang Guobin, trying to hold back his laughter, nodded solemnly and used his chopsticks to pick up a golden foil-wrapped oval object from the plate in front of him and placed it in Xu Qing's bowl.

Xu Qing's eyes lit up, and he tore off the foil with his hands. A sweet aroma wafted out, and the golden melon revealed itself to be a roasted sweet potato.

"A roasted sweet potato for 888 yuan, today I've really seen something new..." Xu Qing sighed, grabbed the sweet potato, and stuffed it into his mouth. Surprisingly, this humble country treat, when prepared by a master chef, was indeed much sweeter and more fragrant. But 800 yuan could buy a lot of sweet potatoes in Xu Qing's hometown.

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