Chapter 92: Arrival in Jingdu
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Two cars came to a stable stop at the entrance of the courtyard, and several people got out of the cars.
Zhou Chao opened the door and led the four inside.
“Wow.” Lin Wu and the others gaped, looking at the entire courtyard.
“Feel free to explore around and get familiar with the place,” Zhou Chao said before heading upstairs.
Unable to contain their curiosity, Lin Wu and the others began to explore.
“Brother Lin, how much do you think this mansion costs?”
“How would I know? Familiarize yourself with the surroundings for now; you’ll have plenty of time to admire it later!” Lin Wu replied before guiding them around.
Going upstairs, Zhou Chao went straight to the bedroom. He noticed the painting he had picked up from before, and realized he doesn’t know any antique enthusiasts.
“Ah, the antique enthusiast Looks like you’re the one who might have the expertise to identify its origin. I wonder if you recall the time 1 playfully poked your stomach?” Zhou Chao’s expression hinted at a memory as a mischievous smile curled on his lips.
Zhou Chao extended his hand, revealing two USB drives. After a moment’s thought, he put them back into the system storage. He planned to contact Xiao Yang in a few days. For now, he intended to lookg around and prepare a gift.
Having changed his attire, Zhou Chao stepped out of the bedroom and took a stroll around the premises. It wasn’t until he reached the backyard that he noticed the four of them deeply engrossed in a game of poker.
“Lin Wu, you guys should change into casual clothes. I’ll take you to have some Jingdu-style Copper Pot Lamb Hotpot!”
“Yes, Boss.” The four quickly returned to their rooms, changed clothes, and then came out.
Fortunately, there were only five of them; otherwise, the Rolls-Royce in the garage wouldn’t fit all of Lin Wu’s crew.
Zhou Chao drove directly to Longyi Hotpot in Tongzhou District. It wasn’t too far from the courtyard, about a 20-minute drive.
When they arrived, the restaurant wasn’t too crowded, and there were plenty of available seats.
“Hello, welcome!” A waiter greeted them as they entered.
The waiter arranged a large table for them, considering that everyone except Zhou Chao looked quite robust.
“Order whatever you want today, don’t hold back.” Zhou Chao looked at them and spoke directly, emphasizing that they should eat to their heart’s content.
Lin Wu and the others didn’t say anything, but their faces carried faint smiles. Zhou Chao was now a bit regretful, wondering why he hadn’t reserved a separate table for himself.
It didn’t take long for him to realize he was right in thinking so.
“Hello, how many plates of lamb would you like to order?”
“Let’s start with 30 plates.” Zhou Chao glanced at Lin Wu and the others, conservatively calling for 30 plates. They could always order more after finishing these.
“30 plates!” The waiter was slightly surprised. Generally, one person could be satisfied with three plates, but they didn’t think too much about it and proceeded to place the order.
Soon, two waiters arrived with trays of lamb, each holding six plates. Zhou Chao saw Lin Wu and the four looking at him.
“What are you looking at me for? The water is boiling, so why not put the lamb in?” Lin Wu and the others were speechless. You’re the boss; if you don’t start, how can we? Of course, this was just a fleeting thought.
Quickly, the hotpot was filled. The lamb was sliced thinly, so it cooked quickly. Zhou Chao used his chopsticks to pick up five or six pieces, dipping them in Jingdu’s sesame sauce.
“Delicious and tender.” That was Zhou Chao’s first impression. Seeing Zhou Chao start eating, Lin Wu and the others followed suit.
Soon, the plates of lamb in front of each person started to dwindle – six, five, four. Eventually, all 30 plates of lamb that they had initially ordered were finished. Zhou Chao felt about 80% full by now and put down his chopsticks.
“Do you want to order some more?” Zhou Chao looked at Lin Wu and the others, who were all staring at him eagerly. Zhou Chao understood what they meant.
“If you want more, go ahead and order. Don’t worry about me. Otherwise, there won’t be a next time!” Zhou Chao said before Lin Wu promptly signaled for a waiter to come over.
“Let’s have 20 more plates of lamb.” The waiter looked at the stack of empty plates on the table and swallowed nervously.
“Alright, please wait a moment.” The waiter quickly cleared the plates and returned with two stacks of lamb.
“20 plates of lamb, enjoy your meal.” Lin Wu took the lamb and poured it directly into the hotpot.
Zhou Chao silently observed the group’s actions. He wasn’t disappointed with the result. In less than half an hour, they had finished everything.
Looking at them, Zhou Chao couldn’t help but shake his head. Maybe he should consider giving Lin Wu and the others a raise – otherwise, their monthly salaries wouldn’t cover frequent visits to such restaurants.
“Are you full? If not, you can order more.”
“We’re full, burp!” Lin Wu belched just as he said it. Unexpectedly, Wang Feng and the others followed suit with burps of their own.
“Well, it seems like it’s contagious,” Zhou Chao said jokingly, looking at them.
Lin Wu and the others blushed instantly.
“Let’s head back.” Zhou Chao got up and made his way to settle the bill.
“Excuse me, how much is the total?” The waiter looked at Zhou Chao’s table number, then glanced at the bill, their eyes widening.
“Hi there, the total comes to 2658 yuan,” Zhou Chao quickly settled the bill and left.
“Let’s go back home to rest.” Lin Wu drove, Zhou Chao sat in the passenger seat, and Wang Feng and the others sat in the back. Fortunately, the space in the Rolls-Royce was ample; otherwise, Wang Feng and the others would have been squished.
The journey home always felt long. It was already 9 PM, and many people were just returning from work, causing the roads to be congested. It took about 40 minutes to get home.
As soon as Zhou Chao entered, he headed straight upstairs and collapsed onto the bed. “Ah, so comfortable.”
After resting on the bed for a bit, it was time for their usual tender moment. Since Zhou Chao’s return from Rain City, he and Jiang Li had been engaging in one to two hours of nightly conversation before drifting off to sleep. Perhaps, this was the essence of being in love.
Following a peaceful night, Zhou Chao woke up early and headed out for a jog. He took a round along the canal. Surprisingly, during his morning run, he ran into Lin Wu and the others, who had already completed their laps. Without overthinking it, Zhou Chao joined them for a run.
Around 8 o’clock, Zhou Chao and the others returned home. After taking a shower, Zhou Chao went downstairs and saw Wang Feng entering with breakfast.
Lin Wu had already asked Wang Feng to buy breakfast on the way back.
“Let’s eat together.” Zhou Chao grabbed a glass of milk and three buns, then sat down on the sofa.
“I have some things to take care of today. Lin Wu, come with me. The three of you can stay at home. Which one of you knows how to cook?”
“Boss, I do,” Da Wu spoke up.
“Whenever you find time, go buy some groceries. I’ll transfer you some money later. From now on, our meals will be up to you.” Zhou Chao didn’t want to eat out every day. After all, the kitchen at home shouldn’t just be for show.
“Alright, Boss.” After finishing breakfast, Zhou Chao requested Da Wu’s bank account and transferred 200,000 yuan directly.
“Lin Wu, let’s go. We have some errands to run.” Zhou Chao clapped his hands, got up, and headed to the garage.
Lin Wu quickly stuffed the two buns he was holding into his mouth, wiped his hands with a tissue, and then followed closely behind, hastening to catch up..