Chapter 387: A New Side Mission
Translator: Xiong_Guoqi Editor: DesTheSloth
“Thank you,” the man in a suit said courteously.
“Did anybody praise you?” Ling Hong frowned.
Zhou Jia wanted to laugh at the side. Due to her professionalism, however, she managed to refrain herself from doing so. She merely turned around and reported the names of the dishes solemnly.
The man in a suit nevertheless cared little about their jokes.
“Why do you always sit here and not leave every day?” Ling Hong pointed at the man in a suit and asked immodestly.
“This young man who never eats discounted dishes, it seems to be none of your business.” Although the smile of the man in a suit turned into an artificial smile, he nevertheless still looked to be very gentle.
“Yeah, it’s indeed none of my business. So my question is also none of your business. You just need to answer me and that will be fine,” Ling Hong said quite naturally.
If it was said by others, Zhou Jia would inevitably grumble that he was so shameless. However, it was quite different since this person was Ling Hong. When she heard that, she felt it quite natural, but the man in a suit didn’t think that way.
“Ho Ho.” Instead of giving him an answer, the man in a suit just laughed.
“What are you laughing for? Tell me the reason, please.” Ling Hong looked at the man and said that.
“Sorry. I’m not prepared to tell you,” the man said decidedly.
“Interesting. However, I must know it today.” Ling Hong looked at the man with much interest.
“Mr. Ling, here are your dishes.” Zhou Jia carried his dishes to him.
“Um.” Ling Hong nodded his head. Just when he was about to inquire him again, Zhou Jia carried the dishes to the man in a suit.
This time, the man in a suit uttered ahead of him, “I’m going to have my meal now.”
Then, Ling Hong became stuck with his words and didn’t know what to say. After all, the man came here for meals rather than listening to him ask questions.
Fortunately, Ling Hong knew this man wouldn’t leave after the meal, therefore he was relieved and thus started to savor his food carefully.
In just that short while, the restaurant fell silent. Every customer was eating his own dishes.
Seeing the man not explain anything, Yuan Zhou quelled his curiosity temporarily and began to prepare other dishes earnestly.
However, the silence didn’t last long, because Ling Hong had finished his meal.
“I’m done. You can call the next person now.” Ling Hong wiped his mouth elegantly and then stood up before saying to Zhou Jia.
“Ok. Thank you, Mr. Ling,” Zhou Jia said smilingly.
“Um.” Ling Hong nodded his head.
Only then did Zhou Jia call the next customer to come inside and have the meal.
Having finished his meal, Ling Hong became idle and he started to satisfy his curiosity.
“Come on. Let’s talk.” Ling Hong said to the man in a suit who was eating his meal.
“No need. I don’t want to talk to you.” The man refused blankly.
“Then I’ll speak and you just answer,” Ling Hong said naturally.
Without a word, the man in a suit just sat there still, not giving his seat to others as always. He just stayed seated in the chair and ate leisurely.
“You should eat more quickly. Many people are still waiting for the seats.” Ling Hong didn’t really care about that. He just said that at the side.
“Are you eating slowly just to stay here longer?” Ling Hong even became worried when he saw how the man in suits ate the meal.
An adult man surprisingly ate meals in a way that dishes and plain cooked rice were eaten alternately. Not to mention the extreme slowness, he likewise liked looking around at others. Only after he peered around carefully did he lower his head and take a bite of food.
“You are also dressed decently and should not lack money for the meals. Why do you stay here for so long?” Ling Hong stroked his chin and revealed a curious expression.
“You really want to know?” The man in a suit might have been annoyed by his repeated questions and finally he turned his head and said to Ling Hong.
“Of course.” Ling Hong nodded his head.
“Actually I feel the dishes here are way too common.” Once the man talked, he uttered something surprising.
Even Yuan Zhou gaped at him in surprise.
“I mean it. The taste is indeed common.” Seeing Ling Hong not believe in him, the man in a suit said affirmatively.
“Ho Ho. Why don’t you go to find a better restaurant or one that serves the equally delicious dishes? Of course, one without so many rules would be better,” Ling Hong said ironically.
“That doesn’t exist. If there is one like that, I would have already gone there.” The man in a suit said sincerely.
“I have never expected that you would give this reason. So you feel the dishes are quite common and hence would stay here for a whole afternoon every time you come?” There was sarcasm in Ling Hong’s tone.
“Yes. I do that because of the painting and the people.” The man in a suit pointed at the painting People Passing by A Small Restaurant by Wu Hai and said earnestly.
“Oh?” Ling Hong answered dubiously. He didn’t quite understand the man.
“If there is a day when you don’t come, I might not come, either,” the man in suits smiled and said.
“That would really be my honor.” Ling Hong laughed ironically.
Then, he fell silent. In his opinion, Yuan Zhou’s dishes were rare delicacies in the world, but the man surprisingly felt them very common. Obviously, he was acting in front of the customers. What a joke! How dare he act in front of him?
“Can you tell me what makes you feel the dishes are common?” After a short while, Ling Hong asked.
“The common thing is that I can’t taste it.” The man in suits pointed at his own mouth and said mildly.
“I think you had better eat the salt directly in order to taste it.” Ling Hong said directly.
“I would definitely be able to taste more that way.” The man in a suit nodded his head.
“Forget it. I don’t want to talk with you more.” Ling Hong suddenly became uninterested in knowing the genuine reason. He turned around and prepared to leave.
At that time, the man in a suit paused for an instant and then uttered, “Because I can’t tell what the taste is and I don’t have a sense of taste.”
Ling Hong paused his footsteps before he left.
“So that’s the reason.” After he went out, Ling Hong turned his head and took a look at the man in a suit.
He was still eating his dishes over there while looking around at the happenings in the restaurant. From his angle, he just could see everything in the restaurant.
Only now did Ling Hong understand the meaning of the man in a suit. Since he couldn’t tell the taste, he naturally couldn’t distinguish how good the dishes were. What he came to eat was no more than the feelings of the restaurant itself and hence he was naturally reluctant to give his seat to others.
He had also understood the meaning of his words “If you don’t come, I will not, either.”
The man who liked staying here actually enjoyed the scene where Wu Hai ridiculed Boss Yuan everyday and Jiang Changxi flirted with Boss Yuan.
He also clearly remembered the heart-warming banner erected at the door, the person Ma Zhida who came every time there was a new dish and Lee Yanyi who always complained while eating.
Although he didn’t know their names, he could recognize them. However, these matters were really very interesting, for example, the person Ling Hong who liked joking with Wu Hai. He only knew that Ling Hong never ate discounted foods.
He couldn’t tell the taste, but an atmosphere was also very important to the meal.
“Haw-haw. Interesting.” After that, Ling Hong shook his head smilingly and then left with big strides.
Their dialogue was also heard by Yuan Zhou. He set the dishes down and then walked to the man in a suit.
“Do you need a stronger taste?” Yuan Zhou asked lightly.
“No need. I’m good.” The man in a suit refused him gently.
“Ok. Help yourself, please.” Yuan Zhou nodded his head and then left.
While it was noontime at Yuan Zhou’s end, it was nevertheless 10:30 p.m. in LA.
“Hey, Jack. How was your trip to China?” A friend of Jack asked curiously.
“Don’t mention it. It couldn’t be more terrible.” Jack answered unluckily.
Jack indeed didn’t want to mention the matter. However, it was not only him who had traced Yuan Zhou’s IP address; hence, the matter that Yuan Zhou charged foreigners dollars only was finally made known on the forum.
Then, the matter was made known to more people.
A crowd of people kept quarreling on the forum. Some even intended to make complaints against Yuan Zhou while some supported him. There were even many Americans who supported him.
It was known to all that democracy, equality and freedom were what they had been advocated. Naturally, it was one of the free choices that anyone can make to decide which currency he could receive. After all, Yuan Zhou’s restaurant wasn’t opened in the US. If he opened the restaurant in the US, wasn’t it very normal for him to receive only dollars?
Therefore, some people were still looking for an opportunity to come for tasting in order to satisfy their curiosity.
However, those who opposed Yuan Zhou’s restaurant became so many that they even formed an alliance.
There were people from quite a few different countries. Yuan Zhou’s restaurant instantly became famous in other countries now. Nonetheless, it wasn’t a good fame, but instead the evil name of an unscrupulous merchant.
However, Yuan Zhou was totally ignorant of these troubles. He was very happy now, as the system released a mission again, a side mission.
…