Chapter 81: Two Michelin Stars
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Zhou Chao and his two companions sat in Ling Chen’s office, sipping tea.
“Ling Chen, recently the company has been a bit cautious in the stock market. After the incident last time, many people have their eyes on us.”
“Yes, Boss, rest assured. I’ve already given the orders. Lately, we’ve been focusing more on the European stocks and dabbling a bit in small futures.”
“Just now, the things I mentioned, you need to implement them promptly. The third project is a strategic one. When the time comes, find someone trustworthy to oversee it. As for the second one, directly contact Director Yang and his team at the headhunting firm, see if they have any suitable candidates. And for the first project, we still need to collaborate with the local partners. Keep an eye on these matters.”
“Boss, you can count on me. I’ll take care of it as soon as possible.”
“It’s almost time. Let’s have a meal together. Also, let the company employees know that 1’11 be treating them to lunch. Later on, we’ll book several tables at a high-end restaurant. You can handle the arrangements.” Zhou Chao raised his hand to check the time; it was almost 12 o’clock. He suggested they have a meal together.
“Boss, you don’t have to worry about the expenses.” Ling Chen chuckled and walked out. Soon, a wave of cheers came from outside. Zhou Chao even heard someone saying they wanted to eat lobster. He couldn’t help but smile.
“Boss, this time you might need to spend quite a bit.”
“These are all small expenses. As long as everyone in the company works together, these are minor issues. Let’s go, we’ll head out for lunch.” Zhou Chao got up and led the group out.
“Thank you, Boss.”
“Long live the Boss.”
The continuous cheers made it seem as if a major celebrity had arrived.
“Keep up the good work. There’ll be big rewards at the year-end conference.” Zhou Chao waved his hand to quiet the employees’ cheers.
“Yeah!” Upon hearing Zhou Chao’s words, an even louder round of cheers erupted. Zhou Chao smiled and walked out of the company.
“Boss, when do you plan to hold the annual meeting?”
“We’ll see. If everything goes well next month, then probably at the end of the month.” Zhou Chao pondered for a moment. In January, he was going to Jingdu, and by then, Jiang Li would have completed her internship and be returning to Jingdu.
Zhou Chao and his group chose a Michelin two-star restaurant located in Lujiazui. Upon entering, they noticed that most of the patrons were foreigners. The three of them found a table by the window and sat down.
They engaged in conversation, but after a few minutes, they realized that the waiter hadn’t come to take their orders yet. Zhou Chao’s brows slightly furrowed.
Seeing this, Ling Chen quickly called a waiter over, drawing the attention of several nearby tables.
Upon hearing Ling Chen’s call, a waiter finally approached.
“What dishes would you like to order?” The waiter spoke in fluent English.
Zhou Chao’s brows furrowed slightly at the words, and he remained silent. Ling Chen took the menu and ordered three portions of A5- grade wagyu steak and a fruit salad.
“Is this how Michelin-rated establishments operate now? Serving customers in English on our own territory?” Zhou Chao remarked with a hint of frustration.
“Boss, calm down. It’s not worth it.” Ling Chen knew that Zhou Chao was genuinely upset.
After Zhou Chao had calmed his mood a bit, he didn’t speak further. Ling Chen and Lin Wu exchanged a glance and could only sit in silence.
Soon, the dishes that Ling Chen ordered arrived. They were plated nicely, and the aroma was inviting.
Even when angry, one couldn’t let it ruin their appetite. Zhou Chao picked up his utensils and started eating. Seeing this, Ling Chen and Lin Wu also began their meal.
“Ling Chen, did you order the A 5 wagyu beef?” After taking a bite, Zhou Chao put down his fork and knife.
“Yes, Boss. I saw they had A 5 wagyu steak on the menu, so I ordered three portions.”
“Go and bring the manager here.” Hearing Zhou Chao’s calm tone, it was clear that something was off about the steak.
Ling Chen quickly summoned the manager of the restaurant. The manager had an arrogant demeanor, perfectly embodying the arrogance and prejudice of a person from a colonial empire.
“Sir, I’m Bill, the manager here. Is there something I can assist you with?” He struck a condescending pose.
“This beef isn’t of A5-grade Wagyu quality; it’s A2-grade. The meat’s texture barely meets the A2 standard. Your establishment is trying to pass off lower quality as premium. Is this the level of service you provide?” Zhou Chao’s eloquent British aristocratic accent left the onlookers astonished. His penetrating gaze fixed on Bill.
“How could that be? We’ve always used A5-grade wagyu beef.” Bill’s initial arrogance was gone; he no longer spoke with the same toughness. To utter such fluent aristocratic accents, this was certainly no ordinary person. Bill knew the person before him must have had A5-grade wagyu beef before.
“Never would I have thought that a prestigious two-star Michelin restaurant in Modu would stoop to selling subpar goods. Your service attitude is equally arrogant. Do you think this place is still in the 100-year-old past, where you can deceive customers with impunity? Is this the attitude of the British Empire?” Although Zhou Chao’s voice wasn’t loud, every word he said was deafening.
The people at nearby tables also noticed the situation with Zhou Chao and his group. Bill quickly apologized to them and offered to waive the bill for their meal this time. He also prepared to give each of the three of them a membership card.
Zhou Chao declined the offer and promptly stood up, departing the scene. After taking a few steps, he halted, redirecting his attention towards Bill. With conviction, he stated, “The ground beneath your feet has undergone a transformation. It’s no longer open for heedless exploitation. It has risen, transformed. So, when you stand on this land, converse in its language and truly observe your surroundings. Time to grasp this opportunity is finite. Lin Wu, ensure the bill is settled.”
Zhou Chao’s group walked out of the restaurant, leaving Bill standing there. After a while, Bill finally reacted and hurriedly chased after them, but unfortunately, Zhou Chao and his group were already far away.
“Lin Wu, did you record the videos from earlier?”
“I recorded all of them.” Zhou Chao had instructed Lin Wu to record the videos when he sensed something was off with the steak.
“Send them to Ling Chen. I don’t want to see such an arrogant restaurant still standing on this land. I don’t care what methods you use.”
“Understood, Boss.” Ling Chen couldn’t help but marvel at Zhou Chao’s far-sightedness.
“Let’s go, let’s find a small eatery and grab something to eat.” The rumbling of their stomachs reminded the three of them.
“All, home is still the most comfortable place. 1 don’t feel like moving once I lie down.” At this point, Zhou Chao had returned to The Palms Residence. After having dinner with Ling Chen, the three of them had gone their separate ways, as Ling Chen had things to attend to.
“Lin Wu, where are Wang Feng and the other three?”
“They’re at the old mansion, buying some equipment and assembling it.”
“Okay, I plan to have you set up a security company in the future, mainly composed of veterans. If you have suitable comrades, you can recommend them to join. The focus will be on providing protection for the entire company.” Zhou Chao sat up from the sofa, looking at Lin Wu with a serious expression.
“Boss, I don’t have experience in this field. You should arrange for someone with experience to manage it.”
“Don’t worry, you’ll have an assistant when the time comes. Once the company’s plans are in place, you’ll start building the security team.”
“Yes, Boss.”
Ding, ding, ding..