Chapter 17

Chapter 17: An owner with principles

“Hahaha…”

At the other end, Hou Zi, Ah Li and Sun Ming were laughing evilly in a hearty manner while looking at the few people trying to outdo each other in ordering more meals on the side .

In the corner, Qian Jianshe, Yi Yuan and Zhou Yan were looking at Yuan Zhou and waiting for him to agree . Only Zhang Daming looked at Sun Ming’s group and asked, “What are all of you laughing at?”

“This brother of mine is really someone with principles, ain’t that so, Hou Zi?” Sun Ming used his fingers to point at Yuan Zhou, then looked at Hou Zi .

“That’s right . Didn’t I say earlier that owner Yuan is really someone with principles? Those methods of yours had all already been employed this afternoon but was completely in vain . One serving is what he said and it’s exactly what we had gotten . ”

Hou Zi both admired and loathed this manner of Yuan Zhou . However, he once again felt exceptionally pleased when he saw the blank looks of the group owner and the rest at that moment . When there was someone just like himself who scratched their head and cheeks in embarrassment because they was unable to eat something nice, this sort of experience couldn’t be written off as simply refreshing .

“Boss Yuan, look at my figure . Just this plate of egg fried rice isn’t enough to fill the gaps in my teeth . Even if you’re not planning to do a takeaway, you should still let me eat my fill, right?” Jian Qianshe turned his head to look at Sun Ming then at Yuan Zhou . Even his sympathy card had been played .

“That’s right, just look at the few of us . All of us are grown up men here, how could a portion of egg fried rice suffice? At least three portions are needed for each person to fill their stomach, isn’t that right?” Zhang Daming begun to mobilize every customer in the restaurant, this time, even the small moustache man in the other corner nodded his head incessantly .

“Since all of you have already put it this way, I will also not beat around the bush…”

The first half of the sentence made Yi Yuan and the others overjoyed, but the latter half of the sentence froze their expressions .

Yuan Zhou stood at the middle of the long curved table with a calm and collected expression, looking around in a circle and said: “I’m sorry, but it’s still a no go . ”

It was probably around 7pm and the moon had begun to rise . Every household was beginning preparations for dinner, and those that ate early could have already finished their meal, making this side street seemed even more peaceful .

And it was at this moment, the small number of pedestrians that were on the side street heard a number of unified roars coming from a small shop that did not have its signboard up . Those yells were forlorn and bitter, almost as if a duck was being grabbed by its neck . It frightened the pedestrians to the point of them getting goosebumps, convincing them to hurriedly leave the area .

“Why? Why are you so cruel, boss Yuan? Do you really want to see me head back with an empty stomach?” Qian Jianshe rubbed his belly with a bitter and hateful expression, with the rest incessantly nodding their heads in unison at the side .

“Boss Yuan, we need to have our principles as human beings . But right now, I really loathe yours . ” The look on Zhang Daming’s face was as if he was a husband that had caught his wife cheating; it was full of implacable hatred .

“I really have to say, boss Yuan is truly a boss with principles and character . ” Yi Yuan and Zhou Yan said that in unison, with a deeply moved tone .

The small moustache man placed down money, gave Yuan Zhou a thumbs up and left elegantly .

“This won’t do, I’m going to make a move first . I’m just going to feel more hungry if I continue to sit here any longer . ” Zhang Daming covered his stomach with his hand, looked at Yuan Zhou then continued, “Moreover, there’s also a kind of an impulse to beat someone up . ”

It goes without saying that Yuan Zhou was also in the mood to beat someone up . Leaving the sale of the hundred egg fried rice aside, that was money to be earned if he was able to sell them again . Forcing Yuan Zhou to personally chase that money away was a painful feeling that an average joe wouldn’t understand . He could only cry a river silently in his mind .

“I want to beat someone up too, but what would happen to our next egg fried rice if we beat him up?” Hou Zi brought up a crucial point in the debate, it was the first time they had eaten such a delicious egg fried rice .

“What a hungry feeling, let’s hurry up and leave . ” Sun Ming said as he prepared to leave, he didn’t speak up for Yuan Zhou this time either .

“How about we go and have some Old Li’s roasted duck after this?” Qian Jianshe couldn’t help but suggest that . He felt even hungrier than when he just arrived, but once he was done saying that, he realized that his appetite was gone .

“No, I don’t have any appetite when I think of other dishes . God, what should I do from now on?” Zhang Daming was originally a diehard customer of Old Li’s roasted duck . But, to one’s surprise, he no longer had the slightest craving for it now that it was mentioned . He couldn’t help but give Yuan Zhou a look filled with hidden resentment .

Just like the youngest daughter-in-law that had been dumped .

Yuan Zhou was calm and collected on the surface . Inwardly he had been patting down the fine hairs that were raised on his arm; the look on that guy’s eyes was simply too terrifying .

You’re a madman . This granddaddy is not interested in males .

The few that had eaten Old Li’s roasted duck recently couldn’t help themselves; they had started to subconsciously make comparisons when they thought of it . Compared to Yuan Zhou’s egg fried rice, Old Li’s roasted duck was too oily, the meat wasn’t tender or smooth enough, and the dipping sauce was lacking in exquisiteness .

Thinking up to this point, the amount of eyes filled with hidden resentment increased by quite a few pairs .

Even as a man of coarse appearance, Yuan Zhou wasn’t able to endure much longer and could only send them on their way in a hurry .

A particular scene greeted Yin Ya and Zou Heng, who had just entered the shop . A few grown up men were turning their heads and looking at Yuan Zhou frequently with resentment hidden in their eyes while walking out .

“Welcome . ”

Yuan Zhou saw the beautiful girl that had came by in the afternoon enter the shop with an average looking man . Although the beautiful girl didn’t belong to him, there was no problem in admiring her beauty . However, looking at her now immediately gave him the impression of a rose stuck in cow dung .

However, Yuan Zhou still possessed the manners that was required of him and sorted out two empty spaces for the two to sit down .

“Boss, two plates of egg fried rice, please . ” After Yin Ya and Zou Heng had sat down, Yin Ya, who had come here before, immediately placed their order .

“I got it, please wait . ” Yuan Zhou smiled and said .

……

Placing the egg fried rice down, Yuan Zhou, who was just preparing to turn his body was stopped .

“Sorry, can I also have a cup of tea? Lil’ Ya, what are you planning to drink?” Seeing that Yuan Zhou was about to turn his body around and leave, Zou Heng stopped him and asked .

“I’m sorry, but my place does not provide things other than the egg fried rice . ” Yuan Zhou had no favourable impression towards someone that had snatched such a beauty .

“How can your restaurant conduct business like this?” Zou Heng merely asked in a cold tone, not able to get angry with Yin Ya beside him .

When dealing with such a pretentious fellow, Yuan Zhou handled it by simply ignoring him, and quietly watching him play pretend .

“Zou Heng, please don’t be like this . The egg fried rice that boss made is really delicious, and what’s more, I am not thirsty at all . ” Yin Ya took the initiative to pull at Zou Heng and persuaded him, as she saw that the atmosphere had turned awkward .

“Lil Ya, that was not my intention . I just feel that the owner has an attitude problem . Since you’re not thirsty, then let’s just forget about it . We’ll talk once we’re done with our meal . ” Zou Heng took out the serviette that he brought along with him, wiped Yin Ya’s spoon with it then passed her spoon over .

“Thank you, let’s eat then . ” Yin Ya took the spoon and offered a thanks, then began to eat .

Zou Heng ,whose heart was completely in a bad mood, saw the beauty beside him lower her head to eat and could only suppress that discontentment in his heart . After all, he had exerted much mental and physical strength to chase her for the last few months . He mustn’t be defeated by such a small incident .

Pretending to be elegant, he scooped up a mouthful of egg fried rice and began his meal .

When he placed the rice inside his mouth and began to chew, flood of words began to appear and flash by his mind .

”Bloody hell, is this really an egg fried rice made by a human?”

“Is this really just a plate of egg fried rice?”

“Is this thing I eat really the egg fried rice I consume?”

The important points repeated itself thrice .

“This is just too delicious!”

In an instant, the word “delicious” had been carved on Zou Heng’s face .

“Sigh, another commoner had been subdued by the egg fried rice . ”

Yuan Zhou silently lamented in a corner .

“I was both exhausted and hungry after work today, I wonder if you can give me another serving?” Even though she was aware of this place’s rules this afternoon, Yin Ya still wanted to give it a try . After all, dreams were something that everyone ought to have . What if it can be fulfilled?

Yuan Zhou was still exposing his proper smile . “I am truly sorry, but I can’t . ”

“Boss…” Yin Ya had already switched to her coquettish mode, all for the sake of food . Her tone was soft and her words sweet .

At the other end, Zou Heng could not bear to hear it any longer . A woman that was standoffish no matter how hard he tried to pursue her was now acting coquettishly with another man in front of him . This sort of situation was something no genuine man could tolerate .

*Slam*

Thus, Zou Heng fished out his wallet and slammed it on the table . With a hint of the arrogant tone of a second generation’s child*, he said: “Boss, give me two servings . I will pay five times the price for each one . ”

TL Note: children of second generation refers to the children of entrepreneurs, who became rich under Deng Xiaoping economic reforms in the 1980s .

Once Yuan Zhou had finished calculating the price in his heart, he found himself unable to reject such a temptation .