C85 How Much Money??

Her face was etched with a frosty expression, just as she was about to speak. The waiter's voice preempted her, "Gentlemen, our hotel serves very generous portions. Are you sure you can finish everything you've ordered?"

A cold smile played at the corner of Yee Qingsong's mouth.

Shortly after, a brash young man stood up and retorted, "Your place sure has a ton of rules. But how much I eat is none of your business."

The waiter looked visibly distressed.

Zhang Chen intervened, "It's understandable. Conservation and environmental protection are big deals nowadays. It's a directive from the top."

The young man let out a derisive sneer, his arrogance unabated, "Of course we're all about being eco-friendly. I've got a huge appetite!"

With that, he arched an eyebrow.

The other two wealthy youths chimed in with their agreement.

The waiter stood frozen, unsure of how to proceed.

Zhang Chen covertly signaled to him, and with that, the waiter silently retreated to prepare the meal.

Seeing the situation resolved, Yee Qingsong allowed a cold smile to surface, his finger subtly gesturing.

His companions caught on immediately.

The young man who had spoken earlier turned around, a mole at the corner of his mouth making him stand out.

Monkey Man didn't waste a moment before probing, "Bro, where do you work?"

Zhang Chen's eyebrows lifted.

The mockery was about to begin.

With a chuckle, Zhang Chen replied, "I'm self-employed. A turtle catcher, if you will."

Lin Zhiqing bit her lip and gave him an annoyed look.

Her glance was laden with allure, yet it went unnoticed.

Yee Qingsong's lips twitched; he didn't think much of the profession.

The other young men scoffed in response.

Monkey Man pressed on, "Catching turtles? Have you caught any?"

Zhang Chen's face lit up with enthusiasm. "Absolutely! Just a few days ago, I snagged a turtle from the Pacific!"

"Today, that very turtle laid three eggs! I was thrilled!"

"Sadly, they're a bit much for me to handle. The eggs haven't hatched, and I can't sell them."

"Now that turtle's mooching off me at home, sinking me deeper into poverty."

Zhang Chen's face fell into a look of dejection as he finished his tale.

Lin Zhiqing was taken aback.

Three tortoise eggs?

She glanced upward to find three young men standing next to Yee Qingsong.

Yee Qingsong's brow furrowed, a nagging sense that something was amiss, yet he couldn't pinpoint what it was.

The young men's eyes gleamed with intensifying mockery.

He couldn't even afford a single turtle?

Before long, an array of dishes arrived at the table.

Despite the table's generous size, it was a tight squeeze to fit all the food.

Lin Zhiqing gazed at the spread in disbelief.

How much would this cost?

A pang of inexplicable heartache struck her; she knew, inevitably, she'd be the one footing the bill.

After all, Zhang Chen was broke.

Zhang Chen's lips curled into a smile as he placed several of Lin Zhiqing's favorite dishes before her.

The table was so large she couldn't reach anything else.

A complex glimmer passed through Lin Zhiqing's eyes at the gesture.

Zhang Chen had brought her all her favorites.

Yet, she realized she had no idea what his favorites were.

Zhang Chen chuckled, "Alright, dinner's served. Let's dig in, everyone. You've ordered a feast, so make sure to finish it all."

Yee Qingsong and his companions exchanged knowing looks, a playful twinkle in their eyes.

Without further delay, they began to eat.

Despite her inner turmoil, Lin Zhiqing also picked up her chopsticks and joined in.

Zhang Chen eagerly rubbed his hands together; this was his first time sampling the hotel's cuisine, and he was curious about the quality of their cooking.

With one bite, Zhang Chen's face lit up with satisfaction.

Not bad at all!

The young men dove into their meal with gusto, thoroughly enjoying themselves.

Yee Qingsong, however, kept his eyes locked on the dish in front of Lin Zhiqing.

Would eating her dish amount to an indirect kiss?

A longing shone in Yee Qingsong's eyes.

Zhang Chen let out a cold chuckle and subtly pressed down on the table.

Yee Qingsong struggled, clueless to what was happening, and eventually, he had no choice but to abandon his efforts.

Lin Zhiqing had her fill quickly, and Zhang Chen set his chopsticks down.

The group of young men had been eating with gusto, yet they had barely made a dent in the feast before them, consuming less than a third of the dishes.

A mischievous twinkle shone in Zhang Chen's eyes as he silently waited.

Before long, the young men sequentially dropped their chopsticks.

Yee Qingsong offered a courteous smile. "I owe you one, Mr. Zhang Chen. Without you, I doubt I would have indulged in such an extravagant meal."

Zhang Chen returned the smile. "If it's so tasty, why leave it unfinished?"

"You're pulling my leg, Mr. Zhang Chen," Yee Qingsong replied. "With so much food, how could we possibly eat it all?"

Still smiling, Zhang Chen shook his head. "But I recall a certain someone vowing he could polish it all off."

Yee Qingsong chuckled with a hint of scorn. "Well, you might want to take that up with him."

He then casually propped up his legs, his eyes gleaming with mockery, thinking he had found the perfect pretext to ridicule Zhang Chen.

Suddenly, Monkey Man asked in a cold tone, "What seems to be the problem?"

A flicker of concern crossed Lin Zhiqing's face. She could see Yee Qingsong's scheme unfolding. Zhang Chen was bound to stir up trouble, and she was at a loss for words.

Zhang Chen, still beaming, said, "It's just hard for me to watch such waste. I'm someone who values thrift."

Monkey Man's scoff grew more pronounced. He taunted, "Here's an idea: you settle the bill for these dishes, and I'll make sure to finish them off. Deal?"

His eyes danced with mockery as he spoke.

Lin Zhiqing was seething. There was no way Zhang Chen could cover the cost.

But then, Zhang Chen's cheerful voice rang out, "Sure."

Lin Zhiqing was taken aback.

The other young men couldn't hide their smug expressions.

Yee Qingsong chimed in hastily, "Sure, but since you're the host, you wouldn't expect Zhiqing to foot the bill, would you?"

Zhang Chen's grin widened. "Of course not."

Lin Zhiqing felt a heavy weight in her chest, while Yee Qingsong and his friends couldn't help but smile.

The plan was a success!

With a mischievous grin, Yee Qingsong called out, "Waiter, the check, please!"

No sooner had he spoken than a waiter hastened over from across the room.

A few young men sported jeering smiles. They watched Zhang Chen with a gleeful anticipation, silently awaiting the moment he would embarrass himself.

Lin Zhiqing was genuinely puzzled. At this juncture, why was Zhang Chen still keeping up the charade?

How could he possibly have any money left?

The waiter approached promptly and inquired with deference, "Ladies and gentlemen, your total bill comes to 238,000 yuan. Will you be paying with a card or in cash?"

At these words, Zhang Chen's face became a mask of shock.

"How much did you say?"