Free Web NovelChapter 156: Chapter 156: Zeng Guangrong’s Banquet
Zifei was the epitome of Rongcheng’s conceptual cuisine. From the ambiance and dishes to the artistic performances, every aspect embodied a theme of cultural dining, making it the perfect choice for high-end banquets.
Zeng Guangrong had chosen this private kitchen in Kuanzhai Alley as the venue for the dinner.
Even in his past life, Wu Yun had heard of Rongcheng’s most famous Black Pearl Restaurant, hailed as the city’s highest standard for banquets.
Of course, that was also the result of exaggeration and marketing.
After the rise of social media, all you had to do was pay, and any food blogger could make a simple stir-fried vegetable dish sound like a hundred different culinary marvels.
Wu Yun and Li Qiuliang drove their own cars and parked in a nearby lot.
It couldn’t be helped; parking near Kuanzhai Alley was a real problem. Fortunately, one of them had the latter half of the afternoon off from class, and the other had left work early.
When they arrived at Kuanzhai Alley, it was still a little before dinnertime.
They walked into the ancient, charming streets of Kuanzhai Alley, which were bustling with people coming and going.
’But compared to other ancient towns and old streets,’ Wu Yun thought, ’Kuanzhai Alley has a more modern feel to it.’
Following their GPS, the two arrived at the entrance to Zifei.
The "entrance" was actually the double-door gate of a courtyard house, with a plaque hanging above it bearing the word "Zifei."
Standing outside were two slender women dressed in cheongsams with a blue-and-white porcelain pattern.
Seeing Wu Yun and Li Qiuliang approach one after the other, one of the more curvaceous women smiled and asked, "Good evening, sirs. Welcome to Zifei. Do you have a reservation?"
Before Wu Yun could speak, Li Qiuliang, who was half a step behind him, smiled and said, "We have a reservation. The name is Zeng."
Zifei was located in an area of Kuanzhai Alley where every inch of land was worth its weight in gold. Due to the constraints of the courtyard house, seating was limited.
Therefore, the hostesses were perfectly clear on the reservations and seating arrangements for each day.
"This way, please, gentlemen!"
The two hostesses pushed the doors open.
The curvaceous woman swayed her hips as she led them into the courtyard.
They passed through a corridor lined with display cabinets and, led by the woman, entered a large courtyard with the feel of a garden.
Three wooden tables and chairs were set up in the courtyard. The atmosphere was reminiscent of the relaxed and comfortable tea-drinking culture of old Rongcheng.
"Please follow me! Mr. Zeng’s table is on the third floor."
Whether intentionally or not, as she ascended the stairs, the woman’s waist and full hips, accentuated by her form-fitting cheongsam, swayed in an alluring arc.
’I’m mostly immune to this sort of thing,’ Wu Yun thought. ’Besides, this hostess’s rating doesn’t even meet my standards.’ Thus, he felt only the faintest ripple of interest.
Li Qiuliang, however, was a different story. At thirty-five or thirty-six, he was in the prime of his life. No matter how beautiful his wife at home was, he had gradually lost interest; these days, he found wildflowers to be more fragrant.
Fortunately, the ordeal lasted only a moment. Once they reached the third floor, Li Qiuliang finally let out a long breath.
The hostess knocked, waited two seconds, and then pushed the door open to enter.
"Ah! President Wu! I’ve been waiting for you day and night, and you’re finally here! You have no idea, for every day you didn’t come, this Old Zeng’s heart was hanging by a thread, terrified you’d transfer the money to another bank."
Zeng Guangrong strode over and grabbed both of Wu Yun’s hands, as if he were meeting his greatest benefactor.
Behind him followed a young man and woman in casual attire.
Zeng Guangrong turned to the hostess, whose lovely eyes seemed to shimmer, and said, "Everyone’s here now. You can start serving the dishes."
After the door was closed behind them, Zeng Guangrong gestured and said, "President Wu, President Li, please, have a seat!"
Wu Yun was invited to take the main seat—the seat of honor, colloquially known in Sichuan as the "overlord’s seat."
Zeng Guangrong shot a look at the young man sitting opposite him.
The young man took an exquisite little box from his bag and presented it with both hands.
"President Wu! This is the upgraded Centurion Black Gold Card, with a ten-million-yuan limit!"
The young woman sitting beside him took the box and passed it to Wu Yun.
Zeng Guangrong pointed to the young woman, who had stood up, and made the introduction. "This is our bank’s Gold Medal Customer Service Representative, Tan Shu. She will now be your exclusive personal concierge, on call twenty-four hours a day. She’ll help you handle all the benefits of your Centurion card, and she can even find professional teams to assist you with matters like financial management."
"Tan Shu, why don’t you start by explaining the benefits of our Centurion Black Gold Card to President Wu. His original Black Card was a special issue, so many of its benefits were somewhat restricted."
Tan Shu, who in Wu Yun’s eyes scored only around an 80 in terms of looks, stood up gracefully and said, "Hello, President Wu! I look forward to working with you."
"The full-benefits Centurion Black Gold Card comes with a ten-million-yuan credit limit, but in addition to that, you can also apply for temporary credit increases in advance."
"If you have a purchase in mind that exceeds your credit limit, you just need to inform me in advance. I’ll arrange a temporary limit increase for you so you can use this card to buy anything you want."
Tan Shu then went on to detail the Black Card’s other benefits, such as its global shopping privileges, special treatment at select high-end restaurants, access to exclusive private events, and healthcare guarantees.
Just as she finished her explanation, there was a knock on the private room’s door. Several waiters entered in a smooth, single file, some pushing serving carts, while one wore a microphone headset.
With every dish that was served, the waiter with the microphone would announce its name and explain its historical context, imbuing the artistic-looking dish with a beautiful sense of meaning.
"President Wu! President Li! Come, try this Maotai I’ve been saving for ten years!"
The young man then produced a vintage-looking Maotai box from a bag behind him, opened it, and took out a classic bottle of Maotai liquor.
When he opened the cap, a rich, mellow aroma wafted out. Even Wu Yun, who didn’t drink much baijiu, could tell it was a fine vintage. It smelled truly fragrant.
"President Wu, I’d like to propose a toast! Thank you for trusting Old Zeng and entrusting our branch with your three-billion-yuan deposit!" After speaking, Zeng Guangrong tilted his head back and drained his small cup of liquor in one go.
Wu Yun also downed the baijiu in a single gulp. As the liquor went down, its rich aroma rushed up through his sinuses and straight to his brain.
Seeing that the others didn’t seem ready to start eating, Wu Yun didn’t stand on ceremony. He picked up his chopsticks, grabbed a piece of what was called stir-fried dragon tendon with red pepper, and put it straight into his mouth.
Seeing all the exquisite dishes whetted Wu Yun’s appetite. He had heard of the dish "Ants Climbing a Tree," but this was the first time he’d ever seen "Panda Climbing a Tree."
’To be honest,’ he thought, ’if this weren’t a business dinner, I’d probably let loose and really dig in.’
’People in their thirties and forties are so tedious,’ he mused. ’They always beat around the bush instead of being direct.’
’I much prefer dealing with straightforward people, but this is just how things are. I don’t have the power to change it right now; I can only hope to slowly influence those around me.’
After three rounds of drinks, Zeng Guangrong set down his cup, cleared his throat, and finally got to the main topic.
"President Wu, thank you for putting your trust in me, Old Zeng. With your company’s massive cash deposit, my career has taken off, and a promotion is now in sight!"
"If you need any help in the future, whether it’s with loans or personal connections, I can be of assistance!"
Then, Zeng Guangrong’s tone shifted as he revealed his true purpose.
