"Big Brother Dali, isn't that going a bit too far?" Jiang Tang hesitated, wondering whether or not to chase after her.
"Isn't this whole scene of your own making?" Ning Chen gave her a sidelong glance.
"Sigh, you two really are like oil and water." Jiang Tang shook her head helplessly and went after Xu Shuyan.
Ning Chen was happy to have the peace and quiet, strolling all the way to the library.
The two-day school sports meet concluded quickly. The name "Ning Chen" soon echoed both inside and outside the campus. Many students speculated whether he was a retired national second-tier athlete. Curiously, the school administration never came to "trouble" him, and this major news remained nothing more than gossip among the students.
When the weekend finally arrived, Ning Chen was preparing to stay in his room and read novels all day. Unexpectedly, a series of knocks sounded at the door, followed by Qiao Jing's voice.
"Xiaochen, are you inside?"
"Aunt Qiao, what’s the matter?"
"Hurry up and get ready. Aunt Qiao is taking you all out for a meal today."
Ning Chen wasn't particularly keen on going out, but hearing that they were going to the most famous restaurant in Qingzhou, he got up immediately. Xu Shuyan and Jiang Tang were already dressed and ready, sitting in the living room watching television. Seeing him emerge, Xu Shuyan turned her exquisite, fair face away, clearly still angry.
"Xiaochen, you've been in Qingzhou for half a month now. I've been so busy with work that I haven't properly taken you out for a meal yet," Qiao Jing said with a bitter smile. "That incident at the InterContinental Hotel... who could have guessed that would happen? Sigh..."
"What's past is past." Ning Chen smiled as he put on his jacket. "By the way, Aunt Qiao, what’s the word on that situation?"
"We haven't been able to get anything yet; professional assassins are tight-lipped," Qiao Jing shook her head. "But the weather is nice today, so let's not talk about that. Hurry up and get ready, we're going out to eat."
"You got it!"
The Peach Blossom Garden Hotel was the most famous in all of Qingzhou. Every night it was packed to capacity, and even seats in the lobby often had to be booked a month in advance. Xu Jingshan had to use his connections within the Xu family just to barely secure a private room, though he couldn't make it today due to a meeting.
The Audi A8 drove north, and half an hour later, it entered the Gem Mountain Scenic Area of Qingzhou. The Peach Blossom Garden Hotel sat at the foot of Gem Mountain, surrounded by vast stretches of peach trees. The blossoms were vibrant and picturesque, drawing crowds of visitors.
As the car pulled into the hotel, Ning Chen suddenly sensed something. His eyes, which had been fixed on his phone screen, drifted toward the peach forest outside.
"Little Tang, I don't know why, but every time I come to the Peach Blossom Garden Hotel, the air feels so fresh and my mood improves," came Xu Shuyan’s voice from the back seat.
"Really, Shuyan? You feel that too?" Jiang Tang said, surprised. "Me too! Every time I come here, the air feels so crisp. If it weren't so far from school, I’d want to live here."
Qiao Jing smiled faintly upon hearing them. The Peach Blossom Group had only been established for five years, yet their return-customer rate kept hitting new highs, primarily due to the hotel's environment. Everyone who came here felt as if they had stepped from a noisy city into a hidden paradise. Professional teams had once tested the air quality at the hotel and concluded it was higher than that of 5A-level scenic spots! No one knew how the Peach Blossom Group managed it, which was exactly why their stock kept climbing.
Ning Chen, however, had seen the truth the moment he arrived.
*A Spirit-Gathering Array!*
*The foundation of this hotel is actually a massive Spirit-Gathering Array?*
Ning Chen was astonished, looking around. *Although it's the crudest form of a Spirit-Gathering Array, it truly does function to collect Spiritual Qi. No wonder this hotel is so popular...*
Where the heaven and earth's Spiritual Qi gathered was often a place of great Feng Shui. Fresh air was merely the most basic phenomenon. If the concentration of Spiritual Qi went higher, a person's physical body would undergo a transformation—becoming stronger, with sharper senses, keener thinking, and perhaps even an extended lifespan! Unfortunately, the foundation of this array was far from capable of extending lives; at most, it would keep long-term guests healthy.
*The person behind the Peach Blossom Group must be a practitioner,* Ning Chen thought to himself.
After getting out of the car, he followed Aunt Qiao up to the sixth floor. The hotel’s interior design leaned toward a pastoral style, giving one the feeling of returning to nature.
"Shuyan?"
As they walked and chatted, a voice filled with surprise suddenly rang out. Xu Shuyan turned and realized it was Chen Zhihao! Ning Chen also recognized him—the first rich kid he’d stepped on since arriving in Qingzhou.
"Shuyan, what a coincidence! You’re here to eat at Peach Blossom Garden too? Haha, Qingzhou is so big, we really are fated!" Chen Zhihao happily abandoned his friends and strode over. Seeing Qiao Jing was also there, he hurriedly greeted her, "Hello, Aunt Qiao, I... ah! It's you!"
*Chapter 36: Serve Everything on the Menu!*
Upon discovering Ning Chen was there, Chen Zhihao nearly balled his fist to charge forward. Over half a month ago, this brat had pressed his face into a bowl of crucian carp soup and nearly drowned him; he had been looking to settle that score ever since.
"Xiaochen, you know Zhihao?" Qiao Jing asked, frowning. Chen Zhihao was one of Shuyan’s high school classmates, a good-for-nothing playboy; she didn’t want Ning Chen hanging around such people.
"We've met once. I wouldn't call it 'knowing' him," Ning Chen answered truthfully.
"Oh," Qiao Jing said, relieved.
"Aunt Qiao, I’ve booked a private room here and invited a few friends. Would you like to join us for a meal?" Chen Zhihao suppressed the annoyance in his eyes and put on a smile.
"No need, we've already booked a room," Qiao Jing refused without hesitation, and led Ning Chen and the girls away.
The Chen family and the Xu family were both in real estate, but their rapport was lukewarm at best. She had heard from Xu Jingshan that both Chen Zhihao and his father, Chen Yaozu, were no good and were deeply entangled with local street gangs.
After being rejected, Chen Zhihao felt a bit awkward and disappointed. He had wanted to show off his family's wealth to make an impression on Xu Shuyan’s mother, and incidentally, suppress that little punk Ning Chen. Just as he thought his chance was gone, a turn of events occurred.
"I’m so sorry, President Qiao! Little Liu is new here and was far too careless!"
"I apologize to you on behalf of the hotel!"
A middle-aged man in a sharp suit was bowing incessantly to Qiao Jing outside a private room on the sixth floor. Beside him, a receptionist looked even more distraught—she had mixed up the reservation for the "Peony Room," leading to both Qiao Jing and another guest arriving at the same time, despite there only being one room.
"What is wrong with you people?" Qiao Jing was furious. She scolded them loudly, "A hotel of this size, and you make such a low-level error?"
"We are truly sorry, President Qiao! It's all our fault!" The manager and the receptionist bowed at ninety-degree angles, faces full of contrition.
The manager tried to salvage the situation: "President Qiao, why don't you wait for a short while? As compensation, I can offer you a fifty-percent discount on this meal. What do you think?"
"Who cares about your discount?" Xu Shuyan was also unhappy. "Does the Xu family look like we’re hurting for money? Who do you think you’re looking down on?"
"Yes, yes, of course..." The manager nodded and scraped.
Jiang Tang sighed softly and looked at Ning Chen, who was gazing at the scenery outside the corridor, quietly lost in thought. Just then, four rich kids dressed head-to-toe in designer labels walked over, laughing and chatting. One of them was Chen Zhihao. He paused when he saw the situation in front of the private room, then slapped his thigh, overjoyed.
*This receptionist just did me a huge favor. I’ll definitely tip her after dinner!* Chen Zhihao thought gleefully, though he said aloud, "Aunt Qiao, why don't we just join tables? There are only four of us, so there's plenty of room."
"This..." Qiao Jing scrutinized Chen Zhihao and his three friends, then looked at Xu Shuyan, hesitating.
"Is that the school beauty from City No. 1 High, Xu Shuyan?"
"What City No. 1? She's the school beauty of Qingzhou University now. Your intel is outdated, Old Yang."
"No wonder Zhihao keeps babbling about her every few days. She’s too beautiful—a goddess..."
The three rich kids—one man and two women—couldn't tear their eyes off Xu Shuyan. Especially the woman, who had spent three hours on her makeup that morning, yet Xu Shuyan was crushing her while completely bare-faced.
"This..." Xu Shuyan hesitated. She certainly didn't want to eat at the same table as Chen Zhihao, but she had been craving the hotel’s "West Lake Vinegar Fish" and "Longjing Shrimp" for a long time.
She glanced at Ning Chen and thought: *Doesn't Ning Chen have a grudge with Chen Zhihao? Why not use this opportunity to let him embarrass himself and mock me for my cooking?*
With her mind made up, Xu Shuyan lifted her chin and smiled at Qiao Jing: "Mommy, it's almost noon, let's just eat here! I really want their Vinegar Fish. What do you think, Little Tang?"
Jiang Tang immediately chimed in, "I want the braised bamboo shoots!"
"Alright then." Qiao Jing nodded and walked into the room. She didn't want to make a fuss; after all, she had spent tens of thousands to secure this room, and who knew when they’d get another chance to book it.
"Phew..." The manager exhaled in relief.
*It’s done!* Chen Zhihao clenched his fist behind his back and whispered to his three cronies, "Yuna, Xiaoxing, Liangping, you see that brat following Xu Shuyan?"
The three of them nodded. "What about him?"
"I have a grudge against him! When we get in there, listen to my lead and step all over him. I’m going to make him lose face until his ancestors feel it!" Chen Zhihao hissed. The three friends signaled it was no problem. Stepping on people and putting them down was their daily bread.
They entered the Peony Room. It was set up with a massive table that could seat twenty, complete with a sofa, a coffee table, a smoking room, and two bathrooms.
"Waiter, bring the menu!" Chen Zhihao shouted as soon as he sat down. Two waitresses with pleasant figures quickly stepped forward.
Chen Zhihao took the thick, exquisite menu and smiled as he handed it to Qiao Jing. "Aunt Qiao, you're the elder, you order first."
"You're too polite, Zhihao," Qiao Jing said with a smile, thinking this Chen boy was actually quite well-mannered.
"Aunt Qiao, order whatever you like. This meal is on me today," Chen Zhihao said, patting his chest.
"No, no, that’s not right..." Qiao Jing tried to refuse.
*We'll be family soon enough; you're basically my mother. Why the politeness?* Chen Zhihao thought, though he said, "It's fine, Aunt Qiao, order to your heart's content..."
Before he could finish, Ning Chen’s voice cut in: "Waiter, bring one of everything on the menu."
*Pfft!*
Xu Shuyan and Jiang Tang were rinsing their mouths and nearly spat it all out.
"Are you sick?" Chen Zhihao glared at Ning Chen. "You’re ordering all that food—can you even eat it?"
"Don't worry, I can," Ning Chen gave him a sidelong glance.
"There are over a hundred dishes on this menu, and you think you can eat them all? Are you a pig?" One of the girls in the group of rich kids sneered with disdain. She was Lin Yuna, a girl who was at best a five out of ten, or a six with makeup, draped in head-to-toe Gucci with a limited-edition Hermes bag.
"Is he some kind of bumpkin who's never eaten before?"
"The lady told Aunt Qiao to order as she liked—was she talking to you? Hilarious."
The other two, Yang Xiaoxing and Ye Liangping, also began to jeer.
Ning Chen didn't react; he just watched them quietly. If he were to let a few spoiled brats ruffle his emotions, his two thousand years of cultivation would have been for nothing.
"Xiaochen is my godson!" Qiao Jing spoke up then, her eyes cold. "You lot, watch your mouths."
*Chapter 37: '82 Flying Fairy Moutai*
Hearing this, Chen Zhihao and the others quickly quieted down, looking at each other. Qiao Jing was Xu Jingshan's wife, a woman with her own career in Qingzhou who, with her husband's recent support, saw her business soaring. Ordinary people didn't dare provoke her.
*This brat really struck gold to have Qiao Jing as a godmother!* Chen Zhihao felt a twinge of jealousy. *Doesn't that make Ning Chen and Xu Shuyan siblings without blood ties? Damn it, that’s dangerous! Could Qiao Jing be trying to play matchmaker?*
At that moment, Qiao Jing said to Ning Chen, "Xiaochen, eat whatever you like. I'll cover this meal." As she spoke, she affectionately patted the back of Ning Chen’s head.
"Aunt Qiao, don't say that. We already agreed I was paying..." Chen Zhihao stood up.
Ning Chen interrupted again, "I already said it: bring one of everything on the menu. I want to try it all."
"You..." Chen Zhihao glared at him, ready to explode. Qiao Jing glared back at him. He had to force a smile and urge Ning Chen, "Brother, it's not that I'm stingy, but you can't finish all that—isn't it a waste? We’re all supposed to be supporting the 'Clean Plate' campaign now. We should be thrifty."
"Thrifty? What kind of crap are you talking about? That piece of clothing on your back must cost at least ten thousand, right?" A faint smile brushed Ning Chen’s lips. "If you don't have the money, don't offer to treat."
"I don't have the money?" Chen Zhihao pointed to himself, reached into his wallet, pulled out a black card, and slammed it on the table. "Zhongshang Black Card, five-million-dollar limit. See that?"
Ning Chen nodded. "I see it. When will the food be served?"
Chen Zhihao gritted his teeth. "Fine! Since you want to eat, I’ll treat you today for the sake of Aunt Qiao and Shuyan! But don't you regret it..."
"Waiter, bring one of everything on the menu!"
The waiter was already bewildered. "The... the alcohol too, sir?"
"Of course!" Ning Chen said with a grin. "What’s the most expensive liquor you have?"
"An '82 Flying Fairy Moutai," the waiter replied.
Ning Chen waved his hand. "Bring it!"
Chen Zhihao cursed, "Damn you!"
Ning Chen looked puzzled. "What's wrong, Young Master Chen? Can't afford the bill?"
Chen Zhihao didn't act impulsively this time. An '82 Moutai was a treasure tucked away in the Peach Blossom Garden's cellar, costing at least fifty or sixty thousand a bottle.
"Brother Zhihao, can you not afford the wine?" Jiang Tang spoke up suddenly, looking at Chen Zhihao with suspicion. "But I heard Shuyan say earlier she wanted to taste what an '82 Moutai was like."
"Little Tang, what nonsense are you spouting? When did I..." Xu Shuyan whispered, complaining to her best friend.
"Shuyan is interested?" Chen Zhihao’s eyes lit up. He immediately told the waiter, "Have your manager bring out that bottle of '82 Moutai. I want it!"
"Yes, yes, sir!" The waiter nodded repeatedly and turned to leave.
*What a sucker,* Jiang Tang thought, suppressing a laugh.
*...* Xu Shuyan was speechless. *Is this guy an idiot?*
Lin Yuna, Yang Xiaoxing, and Ye Liangping exchanged glances, thinking Chen Zhihao was bleeding heavily—over a hundred dishes plus an '82 Moutai would cost at least a hundred thousand! But Chen Zhihao’s father had told him: to win over a girl like Xu Shuyan, you had to be willing to spend. The Xu family were giants in Qingzhou; she had grown up with a silver spoon. How could you win a super-rich beauty without spending big?
"Aunt Qiao, Shuyan, I’ll go check on the dishes. Excuse me for a moment." After ordering, Chen Zhihao disappeared mysteriously. Ning Chen caught a glimpse of something in his eyes—the guy was clearly up to no good.
"Aunt Qiao, I’m going to go freshen up," Ning Chen said, standing up.
He walked into the private bathroom, locked the door, and hopped out the window. Using his True Qi, he stood steadily on the wall as if walking on flat ground. If anyone saw this, they’d surely shout, "Spider-Man!"
He hadn't gone two steps before he heard Chen Zhihao’s voice.
"Chen-shao, time to bring out our 'old pro,' haha!"
"Manager Wang, the packaging is all set, right?"
"Don't worry, we’ve done this before. The packaging looks perfect; I had a specialist make it."
"And the wine?"
"Unless they're a professional sommelier, they won't be able to tell the difference."
"Good!"
Inside an office, Chen Zhihao was laughing heartily. On the table before him sat a bottle of Flying Fairy Moutai wrapped in tattered, yellowed paper. Historically, after the state-run Moutai distillery was established, they used cotton paper to prevent bottle wear. In the late 1960s, to make the packaging look better, they started using exquisite gift boxes for exports...
"A real '82 Moutai is over fifty thousand a bottle, and it's priceless—people buy them to collect. Who would just open one to drink?"
"Anyway, ordinary people can't taste the difference, hahahaha..."
Chen Zhihao held the fake wine, his face full of smiles. The people in the room thought he was a fool, but he was the clever one!
When he returned to the room, Ning Chen happened to be stepping out of the bathroom, sitting back down without a trace of emotion.
Soon, the cold appetizers began to arrive: crystal duck tongues, shredded pork ears with scallions, abalone in fermented black bean sauce, Drunken Shrimp... The table was filled with a dazzling, colorful, and aromatic spread.
Xu Shuyan and Jiang Tang’s appetites were piqued; they began shoveling food into their mouths, praising how delicious it was. By comparison, Ning Chen’s table manners were atrocious. He picked up the plates and shoveled the food into his mouth, not caring about his reputation in the slightest. Even Qiao Jing felt a bit embarrassed.
"Like a starving ghost reborn."
"Have you never eaten before? Eating so fast—aren't you afraid you'll choke to death?"