Delicious Delicacies (Part 1)

After fierce bidding, the final offer on the floor settled at 1.05 million from Qian Yiyou. Although Zhang Xinghui felt a bit unconvinced, he wouldn't make much profit by bidding higher, and his face showed hesitation.

It wasn't as if he and Qian Yiyou were the only ones present capable of purchasing this piece of jade rough. However, others lacked their financial strength. While some had bid earlier, they had all withdrawn once the price reached one million.

Chu Chen was already quite satisfied with the price of 1.05 million. His special ability had only estimated it at around one million. Just as he was about to make a decision, a familiar voice suddenly called out from outside the crowd.

"Wait, I'll offer 1.1 million."

Chu Chen followed the voice and saw a portly, kind-faced elder leading a middle-aged man as they pushed through the crowd.

Chu Chen was familiar with both of them. The elder was Lu Changshun, the owner of Juyuan Pavilion. Despite his amiable appearance, he was quite shrewd in business, which explained why Juyuan Pavilion was so successful. The other person was Zhao Qirui, whom he had gone exploring with a few days prior. It was Zhao Qirui who had just made the offer.

Seeing them, Chu Chen quickly greeted them, "Ah, it's Manager Zhao and Boss Lu, what a pleasure!"

Zhao Qirui smiled and shook his hand. "I used to think you, young man, were more skilled in ancient porcelain. I didn't expect you to be so good at gambling on stones too. How about selling this piece of jade to me?"

Chu Chen hesitated. "Manager Zhao, you flatter me. I was just lucky. As for the jade..." He looked towards Qian Yiyou.

Initially annoyed by the bid, Qian Yiyou's anger subsided upon seeing it was Zhao Qirui, a billionaire businessman. Setting aside his business acumen, Zhao Qirui was essentially a patron to him. Furthermore, if the price exceeded 1.1 million, he would barely make any profit. He could only agree:

"Since Manager Zhao likes it, I'll let you have it."

However, the smile on his face seemed a bit forced.

Zhang Xinghui, on the other hand, had no objections. He had been hesitant earlier, and seeing his old rival in a difficult spot, his smile clearly indicated his schadenfreude.

Zhao Qirui had some impression of Qian Yiyou and, after a moment's thought, finally remembered who he was. He smiled and said, "You must be Boss Qian from Qian Ji, right? I won't let you lose out. I'll introduce you to two clients in a few days."

Qian Yiyou was overjoyed upon hearing this and repeatedly thanked him. It was truly a case of "losing the east, gaining the mulberry." Compared to the importance of clients, this relatively small piece of glass type jadeite was nothing. The atmosphere was filled with joy, except for Zhang Xinghui, who wore a long face. His old rival gaining new clients was hardly something he could be happy about.

Since Qian Yiyou had agreed, Chu Chen was naturally happy to sell the jade to Zhao Qirui. Moreover, he was very pleased with the price, which was 100,000 more than his earlier estimate.

Zhao Qirui was also very happy that the transaction was settled. He said to Chu Chen, "It's almost mealtime. To save trouble, let's have dinner together, Brother Chu. We can transfer the money afterward, and I also have something I need your help with."

Chu Chen readily agreed. "Manager Zhao, you're too kind. It's no trouble at all. As long as it's within my capabilities, I'll definitely help you. And next time, if you don't mind, you can just call me Xiao Chu."

Lu Changshun interjected, "It's my turn to speak now. Xiao Chu, you don't mind me calling you that, do you?"

After Chu Chen indicated he didn't mind, Lu Changshun continued, "You found glass type jadeite, should we set off some firecrackers?"

Chu Chen waved his hands. "Let's skip that. Besides, this piece of jade isn't that large."

For discoveries of high-quality jadeite, shop owners usually ask the owner first before deciding whether to set off firecrackers. Some might not want too much attention and opt out. Of course, this was a bit like trying to hide the truth, as the jade business, while seemingly large, was actually quite small. Any stir would spread like wildfire.

Lu Changshun didn't mind. After all, this piece of emerald green glass type jadeite wasn't exceptionally valuable. Whether firecrackers were set off or not was inconsequential. If it were worth over five million, he would have definitely set them off, and customers wouldn't pay much attention to such matters anyway.

However, when considering the purchase price of the rough stone, the profit was a thousandfold. What other business could be so lucrative? But compared to the complete failure of the young man earlier, it highlighted the nature of gambling on stones: "one cut to riches, one cut to ruin."

Before leaving, Chu Chen apologized to Liu Zhiqing. After all, he had been a witness today. He had originally intended to treat him to a meal, but under the current circumstances, they could only arrange to meet again in the future.

After Chu Chen left, the crowd immediately erupted in discussion. A rough stone that no one had high hopes for had suddenly yielded a huge profit, revealing glass type jadeite. This revelation was undoubtedly shocking to all the stone gamblers present.

Some were so moved that they forgot to eat and rushed directly to the thousand-yuan section to select jadeite they fancied. The leader of this group was the same person who had jumped out like a clown when Chu Chen was cutting the stone earlier.

Chu Chen was familiar with the location where Zhao Qirui had invited them for dinner; it was the same private kitchen he had been treated to two days prior.

Seeing Chu Chen's familiarity with the place, Zhao Qirui asked, "Xiao Chu, have you been here before?"

Lu Changshun saw Chu Chen nod and chuckled, "Xiao Chu, you might not know this, but this private kitchen is actually one of Manager Zhao's establishments. The head chef here used to cook for leaders."

Chu Chen exclaimed in surprise, "No wonder the dishes here are so delicious. Manager Zhao, you're truly generous!"

Zhao Qirui laughed heartily. "It's nothing much, just a small venture."

Chu Chen thought to himself, To you, it's a small venture, but to people like us, it's a grand gesture. With this thought, his earlier elation from earning over a million dollars instantly calmed down. The road ahead is long and arduous!

As they entered the restaurant, the lobby manager immediately spotted Zhao Qirui and hurried over. "Manager Zhao, you're here! The private room is ready for you. Shall we head over now?"

"Alright, everyone's here. Lead the way."

Zhao Qirui waved his hand, and they were led by the manager to a room with an antique charm. Upon entering, Chu Chen couldn't help but sigh at its rich ambiance.

This room was somewhat similar to Zhu Dafu's reception room, but with a different style. Zhu Dafu's reception room was suitable for tea tasting and philosophical discussions, while this place was more suited for drinking and merrymaking. However, both shared a natural elegance, making dining here a form of life enjoyment.

After everyone was seated, Zhao Qirui noticed Chu Chen's slightly entranced expression and smiled faintly. "Xiao Chu, do you have any dietary restrictions?"

Chu Chen replied with a hint of self-deprecation, "I grew up in the mountains where sometimes we didn't even have enough to eat. I don't have any restrictions."

Zhao Qirui instructed the waiter to start serving the dishes and then asked Chu Chen with some interest, "Xiao Chu, I still don't know where you're from?"

"Hehe, I'm from the Shunde Mountain Area in Yan Province."

"Oh, Xiao Chu, I can't tell your accent at all! Then how did you become Uncle Wu's nephew?" Zhao Qirui mused thoughtfully.

Chu Chen smiled and replied, "It's nothing. My father is from Beijing. When I was young, he and Uncle Wu were like brothers. But my family's background wasn't good back then, so we were sent down there."

There were only four people present, plus Zhao Qirui's bodyguard and driver. Thus, they ordered only four dishes and one soup. Since the food was served quickly, by the time Chu Chen finished explaining, everything was already on the table.

After hearing Chu Chen's explanation, Zhao Qirui seemed slightly disappointed. "Oh, I see. Come, let's eat first. We'll discuss the matter I need your help with after the meal."

Only then did Chu Chen turn his attention to the four dishes and one soup on the table. It was evident that each dish was extraordinary. Setting aside the taste for a moment, their appearance alone was a feast for the eyes, and the aroma was intoxicating.

The dishes Chu Chen had tasted here on previous occasions were already exceptional in color, aroma, and taste. However, the color and aroma of these four dishes and one soup surpassed even those, and the taste was undoubtedly extraordinary as well.

Lu Changshun saw Chu Chen's eager look and chuckled, "Xiao Chu, we're fortunate to be enjoying Manager Zhao's treat today. These dishes were personally prepared and meticulously cooked by Master Niu, who used to serve leaders. Ordinary people can't get to taste them."

Chu Chen realized, "No wonder, apart from that Jiuzhuan Dachang, I haven't seen the other dishes on the menu. And besides the renowned Kaisui Baicai in the middle, I don't even know the names of the other three dishes. I'm quite ignorant."

Zhao Qirui laughed. "It's okay if you don't know. You'll know after you've eaten them. Come, let our knowledgeable Boss Lu introduce them to you first."

Lu Changshun began humbly, "Manager Zhao, you flatter me. I've just lived a few more years than everyone else; I can't claim to be knowledgeable. Please forgive me if I say anything incorrect."

He then continued, "Even the most famous dishes need to be tasted to be remembered. Let's eat and talk, and I believe everyone will have a deeper impression. Come, let's start with this one."

The dish Lu Changshun pointed to appeared to be a vegetarian dish. It used many ingredients but was layered distinctly and arranged meticulously. Looking at the knife work, the pieces were uniform in size and thickness, indicating the chef's profound skill. The entire dish was visually pleasing, making Chu Chen almost reluctant to eat it.

After inviting Zhao Qirui to start, Chu Chen picked up a bite and brought it to his lips. An aroma wafted towards him, and before he even began to chew, a refreshing fragrance instantly filled his senses.