Chapter 10
The opening dish presented was the Royal Steamed Egg infused with Emperor Crab and embellished with a touch of Caviar. The essence of Emperor Crab seamlessly merged with the velvety steamed egg, while the exquisite gold leaf on the caviar elevated the dish to a realm of opulence. Each mouthful was a treasure, as Zhou Chao savored the harmonious combination of the crab-infused steamed egg and the tantalizing burst of the resilient caviar, a treat that gratified his taste buds.
As Zhou Chao glanced at the pan-seared foie gras, he hesitated. Primarily because he had never tried it before and wasn’t particularly fond of foie gras.
“Chao, why not try a sip of that herbal chicken soup? They say it’s nourishing for Yin and kidney. It’s simmered slowly for eight hours and then infused with goji berries and left to steep for an additional two hours. You can even eat the dendrobium and seahorse directly; they’re known for their revitalizing properties.” Zhou Chao glanced at Li Yang’s expression and sensed that there was more to it than meets the eye.
Zhou Chao understood from Li Yang’s expression that there was a catch, but he couldn’t resist the temptation. He filled a bowl with the soup and started sipping it while saying, “Hmm, it’s really good, very good indeed.”
With a soup spoon in his left hand and chicken wings in his right, he reveled in the flavors.
“Try this one, it’s braised pork belly with black truffle and abalone. I know you used to love braised pork belly back in school, so make sure to savor this one,” Li Yang said, munching on his chicken wings and directing Zhou Chao’s attention to the dish.
Zhou Chao picked up a piece of abalone and took a bite. The texture was tender and the flavor rich and succulent. He followed it up with a bite of the braised pork belly, enjoying the tender, melt-in-your-mouth sensation. The sweetness of the sauce was followed by the musky aroma of black truffle and the fragrant essence of peas. The combination of flavors danced in his mouth, leaving him thoroughly satisfied.
Little did Zhou Chao know, he had single-handedly devoured over half of the dish without realizing it.
“Hey, hey, hey! Save some for me, will you? You’ve finished it all!” Li Yang exclaimed, his chicken wings disappearing as fast as the braised pork belly.
“Oops, I couldn’t help it. But it really was delicious. We should come here more often,” Zhou Chao said, his mouth still tingling with pleasure.
“Are you planning to sell your kidney or something? You’re even talking about coming here frequently,” Li Yang retorted with an eye roll.
Zhou Chao chuckled but didn’t say anything, focusing on finishing the meal.
After emptying the table of its dishes, both of them sat back in their chairs, feeling utterly satisfied. Li Yang ordered a pot of Longjing tea, and they chatted and sipped their tea, letting it soothe their stomachs.
“Chao, where are you going later? Do you want to stay at my place?” Li Yang asked.
“No need, I have a house in Modu City. But you can come to my place if you want,” Zhou Chao replied.
“You have a house in Modu City? Why didn’t you mention it before? You’re really something!” Li Yang exclaimed, slightly offended.
“I didn’t have it before. I just bought it recently. I called you as soon as I got back to Modu City,” Zhou Chao explained.
“Alright, let’s go and have a look!” Li Yang exclaimed.
Zhou Chao noticed the astonishment on Li Yang’s face as they arrived at the parking lot and Li Yang caught sight of the champagne-colored Maserati Quattroporte parked alongside his own car.
“Get in!” Li Yang called out to Zhou Chao, opening his car door. However, Zhou Chao stood still.
“What’s wrong? Why aren’t you getting in?” Li Yang asked, confused.
“I drove here.”
“Where’s your car then?”
“Right there, next to yours!”
Li Yang turned around to see the champagne-colored Maserati Quattroporte parked next to his car. He was taken aback. “What else have you been hiding from us, you little rascal? I should call Third and Fourth Bro to come and teach you a lesson!”
Zhou Chao rubbed his chin and chuckled. Li Yang didn’t say anything and just urged, “Come on, my dear Zhou Chao, let’s go and see your mansion!”
Zhou Chao swung open the car door and took the lead, with Li Yang following closely behind. After a ten-minute drive, they arrived at a garage connected to an ancient mansion.
Stepping out of the car, Li Yang stared at the mansion in front of him, stunned. Even though his family possessed billions of assets, he would never spend 200 million on an old mansion.
Pointing at the mansion, then at Zhou Chao, Li Yang asked, “Is this house yours? Where did you get the money?”
Zhou Chao hesitated for a moment before replying, “Four years ago, my parents had an accident, and I used the compensation money to buy digital currency. I entrusted it to a foundation for management, and little did I know it would increase thousands of times in value.”
“Bitcoin? How much do you have now?”
“I’m not exactly sure. I should have several tens of thousands of coins,” Zhou Chao replied confidently, keeping his possession of the system a secret from Li Yang. He could only say that he had invested in Bitcoin in the past and let the foundation handle it.
“What are your plans now?”
“For now, I don’t have any specific plans. You know me, I don’t have the skills to start a company. I’ll just buy some properties, become a landlord, and travel occasionally,” Zhou Chao explained.
“I envy your lifestyle, to be honest.”
The two of them lounged on the sofa, engaging in lively conversation. Suddenly, Zhou Chao asked, “Hey, Big Bro, what about your girlfriend?”
“I broke up with her a long time ago. With your current status, finding a girlfriend should be a breeze,” Li Yang replied.
“I’m going with the flow for now. I haven’t met someone I really like,” Zhou Chao replied.
“Alright then, let me take you to a nightclub. I remember you never went to one with us before. Today, I’ll show you the nightlife in Modu City.”
After a moment’s thought, Zhou Chao nodded and said, “Sure, let’s go.”
They both got up and headed towards their cars. In less than half an hour, they arrived at the nightclub called MASTER, ready to explore the vibrant nightlife of Modu City.