Chapter 95: Offering to Treat
Translator: Xiong Guoqi Editor: Meh / DesTheSloth
“How much is the towel?” Wu Min felt it meaningless to argue with Yuan Zhou, and thus he gave up and asked about the price of the towel.
“268 RMB.” Yuan Zhou spoke out the same price as the Clear Broth Noodle Soup pointedly.
“Boss Yuan, this small kindness costs so much. It’s even the same price as the Clear Broth Noodle Soup.” Wu Min wanted to cry.
“No, no. It’s only the price of the Clear Broth Noodle Soup.” Rarely, Yuan Zhou gave an explanation.
“Then how much is the towel?” Wu Min still stuck to the towel price.
“It’s free.” while frowning, Yuan Zhou repeated with a clear-cut explanation. Meanwhile, an obvious disgust was revealed from his eyes as he looked at this guy who couldn’t even understand his words.
“Are you kidding! YOUR restaurant actually offers something for free?” Wu Min didn’t believe him at all. Instantly, he figured it out why it rained so heavily today. It turned out to be due to Yuan Zhou’s hypocrisy.
“Yes, there is.” Yuan Zhou still said earnestly.
“Boss Yuan is actually quite kind-hearted.” Wu Hai said seriously at the side. Of course, it would have been more believable if he didn’t follow with a deceitful wink.
“So it’s real? Great, I’ll be using this then.” Wu Min revealed a surprised look. After all, he had always been greatly impressed by Boss Yuan’s fondness for money. For example, an extra bowl of broth and two cloves of garlic cost 40 RMB in the Clear Broth Noodle Soup Set.
Having paid the money for the noodle soup, he immediately fumbled out his phone from where it was least likely to get wet from the rain. Although his clothes were almost fully soaked, the phone nevertheless got well protected.
He picked up the phone and started to read his friends’ posts on his Wechat feed, and also updated a status of his own.
[It’s raining heavily. Boss Yuan’s restaurant is still open. Life’s so satisfactory and pleasing after eating the warm Clear Broth Noodle Soup in such a bad weather.”
Wu Min had gotten good relations with several customers, and therefore lots of thumb-ups instantly appeared below the status that he had updated just now. And of course, there were also many remarks.
[Boss Yuan opens the restaurant in weather as bad as this? It was really a nice joke. Wu Min, you’ve improved a lot in telling sarcastic jokes.], such sardonic remarks apparently came from his good friend.
[What the hell is Boss Yuan?], from a person who didn’t know Yuan Zhou at all.
[Hey, you don’t even know Boss Yuan? I also think Boss Yuan is unlikely to open the doors today.], from one of his colleagues who knew well of Yuan Zhou’s character.
[Pics or it didn’t happen. I don’t believe it at all.], from one who firmly believed that Yuan Zhou would never open the restaurant in stormy weather.
The beep from his Wechat App reminded Wu Min to check back to see the comments.
“Pics or it didn’t happen? Ok, let me take a photo.” as the Clear Broth Noodle hadn’t been served yet, He could only take photos of the interior surrounding of the restaurant and the towel he had just used, and then uploaded them to his Moments with the caption, “Boss Yuan provided me with a white towel today, brand-new and for free.”
Wu Min had thought those people would be definitely jealous of him.
However, things unexpectedly went in the opposite direction. People who didn’t believe him were even more skeptical now.
[Ho Ho. I trusted you just now about 5%, but now it’s decreased to 0. You say Boss Yuan provides free towels. That stingy guy? Wu Min, are you fu*king kidding me?” the good friend of his, who always talked unkindly, hit the nail on the head as he always did.
[Please, give us a better reason. It’s totally unlikely to happen, even more ridiculous than the sun rising from the north.], from his colleague who had been here for several times to eat.
[Yeah, absolutely. You are undoubtedly cheating us.]
Various remarks of disbelief crowded under his updated status when the Clear Broth Noodle Soup from Yuan Zhou happened to help him out just in time.
“Your noodle soup.” while speaking, Yuan Zhou set down the noodle soup.
“Thank you, Boss Yuan. Now I can prove the truth with this photo.” having expressed his gratitude, Wu Min took a photo first and released it to his Moments before he began to eat the dish. Like this, he eventually proved to his friends that he was indeed in Yuan Zhou’s restaurant right now.
[What the fu*k! Boss Yuan is really opening the restaurant. That’s really incredible. Wait, I’m going now.” the tone sounded like he was going to play a computer game.
[Is there anybody in Hua District that wants to go? Let’s go together.” this guy was preparing to come straight to the restaurant.
[I’m just going to silently watch you posture and show off, Wu Min. Don’t forget to treat us tomorrow after you come to the office.], Wu Min’s colleague was rather frank.
………
Upon watching the envious and expectant remarks under his status, Wu Min was satisfied. Then he began to eat the Clear Broth Noodle Soup.
“Boss Yuan’s culinary skills are still so excellent.” after swallowing a mouthful of noodle soup, he sighed with emotion.
Thanks to Wu Min’s Wechat post, the business of Yuan Zhou’s restaurant didn’t go down too much during the rainy day. In addition to customers who came from different places to watch the fun, there appeared several new customers.
Of course, these customers gave a much higher score to Yuan Zhou’s restaurant because of the free towel.
In the next morning, the first utterance of Mu Xiaoyun was, “Thank you for not having me come in the rain yesterday, Boss.”
“No need.” Yuan Zhou didn’t feel anything extraordinary, thus he said fairly earnestly.
After that, Mu Xiaoyun no longer spoke, and just began working devotedly. She also became more enthusiastic when greeting the customers.
“Wu Zhou, you ought to treat us to a meal today. Such a serious bug was solved by you alone. You must have gotten a good reward, haven’t you?” the man who had once treated Wu Zhou to eat kebabs had a handsome appearance and a characteristic name, YingJun (meaning handsome in Chinese), Zhao Yingjun. He embraced Yuan Zhou’s shoulders and ridiculed.
“Alright, no problem. Let me treat you to some Clear Broth Noodle Soup.” without hesitation, Wu Zhou agreed squarely.
“I have never expected you are so mean. Want to satisfy me with only a bowl of Clear Broth Noodle Soup?” Zhao Yingjun beat on Wu Zhou’s shoulder with his fist, unhappily.
“You say I’m mean? Come on, man. The Clear Broth Noodle Soup is worth 268 RMB for one bowl. Moreover, we have to wait in line before we could eat it.” Wu Zhou took Zhao Yingjun’s hand down from his shoulder grouchily.
“Are you out of your mind? A simple Clear Broth Noodle Soup worth of 268 RMB?” Zhao Yingjun felt this guy must be cheating him. It was not likely to be a star hotel.
“Is it a star hotel? Are you going to the star hotel with that little reward you have gotten?” Suddenly Zhao Yingjun asked in surprise.
“You think more than necessary. It was just a small restaurant nearby. However, the dishes are truly delicious.” thinking of the clear but yummy broth and the quite chewy noodles, Wu Zhou couldn’t help salivating from his mouth.
“I don’t like eating noodles. You know that.” seeing the expectant manner on Wu Zhou’s face, Zhao Yingjun almost got convinced. He had to remind him.
“Never mind. Let me take you there for a taste of the genuinely delicious noodles. Are you going with me?” Wu Zhou paid little attention to Zhao Yingjun’s disbelieving manner. Then he waved his big hands and said generously.
“Are you sure? Only treat me to eat this?” Wu Zhou was the best friend of Zhao Yingjun in the company. Seeing Wu Zhou say those tempting words, he also got a little curious in the heart.
“Just answer me if you wanna go or not. If we go late, we’ll have not enough time to have lunch.” Wu Zhou asked matter-of-factly while dragging Zhao Yingjun.
“Yes, I go. I decide to care about your feeling and go since you offer to treat.” Although reluctant, Zhao Yingjun eventually agreed. Nevertheless, he still showed no expectancy to the noodle soup, because he indeed didn’t like to eat noodles.
Since they got off work, Wu Zhou had been urging Zhao Yingjun to hurry up as if he were anxious to go somewhere important rather than just having lunch. He stopped urging and calmed down when they finally got close to the restaurant.
“There are a pretty good number of customers here.” looking at the long line, Zhao Yingjun said.
“We arrived early today. There are only 11 customers ahead of us. We’ll get our turn soon once we join the line.” while speaking, Wu Zhou dragged Zhao Yingjun to walked up.
It was none other than the leisurely small-mustached Wu Hai that was ahead of them in line. Upon seeing a familiar person lining up behind him, he opened the mouth immediately and said, “Wu Zhou, you’ve arrived. Why is it a different guy that accompanys you today?”
He then made a signal with his lips in the direction of Zhao Yingjun.
“This is my colleague, whom I’m treating to noodles today.” Wu Zhou answered proudly.
Previously, Wu Hai often spoke sarcastically of him, saying he only had his girlfriend in his heart and had no room left for the rest of humanity. Thus, Wu Zhou specially emphasized that he offered to treat today.
“Your bonuses must have been paid out today, right?” Wu Hai went straight to the point.
“Yes. Still, I’m offering to treat my colleague.” Wu Zhou reacted quickly.
“It’s because of the bonuses.” Wu Hai continued to talk cynically.
“Is it our turn now?” Zhao Yingjun broke in all of a sudden.
Bantering without any regard for the time, the three had already arrived at their turn to enter….