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Novel Catalog
Chapter 20
It was a famous restaurant in Donghai, known for its exclusivity. Only the best chefs in the city worked here, and eating here was not only expensive, but you also had to reserve well in advance.
Before leaving, Jiang Ning had already asked Lin Yuzhen to call and secure a reservation for their dinner. As they arrived, Jiang Ning pushed Lin Wen out of the elevator while Lin Yuzhen and Sumei followed behind. This was Sumei’s first time at such a high-end restaurant, and she felt a little nervous.
“Yuzhen, this place is too expensive, isn’t it?” Sumei whispered to her daughter, glancing at the grand surroundings. “We can’t just spend Jiang Ning’s money like this. It feels like we owe him a favor we can’t repay.”
Lin Yuzhen understood. She knew that eating here would cost several thousand dollars. A colleague had once boasted about dining here for weeks. “Jiang Ning insisted on treating us to dinner, so I couldn’t stop him,” she replied. She hesitated for a moment before adding, “We’ll eat now, and later, I’ll pay him back for our share.”
Sumei felt a little relieved hearing that.
Jiang Ning pushed Lin Wen toward the reception, and a staff member quickly came forward to assist them.
“My apologies, Sir, but our restaurant is currently full. If you’d still like to dine here, please wait by the side,” the receptionist said politely.
“It’s full?” Jiang Ning glanced around at the busy restaurant before looking back at Lin Yuzhen. “Didn’t you make a reservation?”
Lin Yuzhen stepped forward and pulled out her phone, showing the reservation confirmation. “Yes, we made a reservation. You can check the system; we reserved for 6 PM, and it’s only 5:46 PM right now.”
“I apologize for the confusion. Some guests arrived early, and their reservations might not have updated in the system yet,” the waiter explained, still calm. “Please wait by the side, or you could come back tomorrow.”
Lin Yuzhen was becoming frustrated. Why was it so difficult to enjoy a meal? This place couldn’t just do whatever they wanted because of their popularity, could they?
Sumei, noticing the tension, pulled at Lin Yuzhen’s sleeve. “Why don’t we just go somewhere else? This place is too expensive, and just look at how the customers are dressed. It’s beyond us.”
Jiang Ning, however, wasn’t ready to give up. “No, this is the first time I’m treating you to a meal. We’re not going anywhere else. We’re eating here.”
Nobody had ever dared to take a table from him before. Whenever Jiang Ning dined out, restaurant owners and staff always treated him with the utmost respect. Now, even with a reservation, they were being told there was no space.
“Who’s your boss?” Jiang Ning asked, his voice firm.
The waiter raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. “Trying to drop names, huh?” he sneered. “Our boss is Huang Yuming, CEO of Donghai. Have you heard of him?”
Most people would recognize the name and understand the consequences of offending someone like Huang Yuming. The waiter had seen plenty of people trying to name-drop, so he wasn’t worried.
But Jiang Ning wasn’t fazed. He simply took out his phone and dialed Huang Yuming.
Huang Yuming, who was relaxing in a hot spring, immediately froze when he saw the unknown number. He picked it up without hesitation.
“Hello?” he answered.
“Little Huang, I’m at your restaurant. Is there any space?” Jiang Ning’s voice was casual but commanding.
When Huang Yuming heard the voice, he immediately became alert. The relaxation he had been enjoying evaporated. “Yes, of course! Big Boss, are you at Golden Jade? I’ll come down right away!” he responded, his tone nervous.
Huang Yuming didn’t even bother drying his hair or changing. He quickly gathered himself, dressed hastily, and used the personal elevator to rush down to the restaurant.
Back at the reception, the waiter gave Jiang Ning a look of disbelief. Little Huang? This guy must be out of his mind. There was no way anyone could casually call Huang Yuming “Little Huang.”
The waiter sneered. “Young man, why don’t you ask around whose turf this is? If you’re trying to act cool, you’ve come to the wrong place.”
But Jiang Ning wasn’t bothered. He stood still, unbothered by the waiter’s taunts.
“Didn’t you hear me?” the waiter asked coldly as he reached for his radio. “Brother Gou, there’s someone causing trouble here. Come up and handle it.”
Lin Wen and Sumei were getting anxious. This restaurant wasn’t just any ordinary place.
“Yuzhen, maybe we should leave. We can’t afford to make enemies here.”
“That’s right, let’s go home and eat. I’ll cook something,” Sumei added, clearly concerned.
They had endured years of hardship, becoming more cautious and reserved over time. But Lin Yuzhen didn’t move. She knew Jiang Ning and Huang Yuming were close. She had seen it with her own eyes – they were more than just acquaintances.
Then, a flurry of footsteps echoed in the restaurant as a group of burly men arrived. Leading them was Brother Gou, the man the waiter had called earlier.
“Who dares to cause trouble here?” Brother Gou’s voice was menacing.
The waiter pointed at Jiang Ning. “It’s them! I told them there was no space, but they insisted on entering. And this guy called our boss ‘Little Huang!’”
Brother Gou’s face immediately darkened. How dare anyone call Huang Yuming “Little Huang”? This was a direct challenge to his authority. The man was clearly asking for trouble.
He rolled up his sleeves, and his men surrounded Jiang Ning and his family.
“You want to leave on your own, or should I throw you out from upstairs?” Brother Gou sneered.
Jiang Ning turned his gaze toward him, narrowing his eyes slightly.
“Are you sure you want to be rude to me?” Jiang Ning’s calm response caught Brother Gou off guard.
At first, Brother Gou was stunned, but then he burst out laughing. “Who the hell do you think you are? I could kill you with a snap of my fingers and you think I’ve been rude?”
Just as the situation was about to escalate, the elevator door opened, and Huang Yuming rushed in, drenched and still dripping water.
“STOP!” Huang Yuming’s booming voice commanded, causing everyone to freeze.
The waiter and Brother Gou were both stunned.
“Don’t move a muscle!” Huang Yuming barked as he stormed over and slapped Brother Gou across the face. “Are you blind? Do you not know who this is? How dare you lay a hand on him?”
Turning to Jiang Ning, Huang Yuming bowed deeply, looking flustered. “Big Boss, I apologize for my late arrival and the bad behavior of my subordinates!”
Brother Gou, completely dumbfounded, held his cheek in shock.
“Big Boss?” the waiter stammered, his legs shaking. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks.
Lin Wen and Sumei were equally stunned, unable to comprehend what they had just witnessed. “Big Boss?” they muttered in disbelief.
“Do you still think I’m not worth the respect?” Jiang Ning asked calmly, his tone filled with authority.
After a brief silence, Huang Yuming, still trying to maintain his composure, said, “Uncle, Auntie, don’t worry about anything. This restaurant is as good as yours. From now on, anytime you come here, just walk in. Everything’s on the house.”
Lin Wen and Sumei were still in shock. Everything about this situation felt surreal.
“Thank you, Big Boss,” Huang Yuming said before excusing himself and leaving them to eat in peace.
The room fell silent. Lin Wen and Sumei were still trying to process everything. They had always been skeptical about Jiang Ning, but now it was clear he wasn’t just a wealthy man—he had power, respect, and influence that even they couldn’t comprehend.
“Jiang Ning, you really know how to make an impression,” Lin Yuzhen remarked, half-amused, half-impressed.
Jiang Ning smiled, but there was a hint of seriousness in his eyes. “I just wanted to make sure you all were treated well.”
