Chapter 106: A Slap in the Face? (Extended Chapter)

Wang Dong watched with amusement from the side. “Xia Yu, since you’re calling me out, why don’t we have a little contest? Let’s order a bottle of Louis XIII. If you can treat me to that, I’ll admit you’re impressive.”

“If you can’t, then this meal is on me. Consider it my treat for Uncle and the others.”

“That’s right. Treating us to dinner, but you don’t even dare to order a bottle of wine? And you still have the nerve to say you’re better than others? What are you competing with, your words?” Liu Jing and Chen Shufen chimed in, determined to embarrass Xia Yu. They were set on ruining his image in Zhao Sijie’s eyes, hoping the two would break up. If Zhao Sijie turned to Wang Dong, not only would they get the bride price, but also a chance to work in the city.

And what could Xia Yu offer them? They were convinced he couldn’t possibly afford it—especially since Wang Dong and Wu Tian knew his true identity: just a lowly driver, earning a few thousand yuan a month. A single bottle of Louis XIII here cost sixty thousand. He’d have to work a whole year just to afford one bottle—how could he compete?

“You… What nonsense are you all up to…” Zhao Sijie couldn’t stand it any longer, about to speak up angrily, but Xia Yu stopped her.

He scoffed, “Oh, I don’t need to buy it. I just need to make a call, and the owner of this restaurant will personally deliver the wine to me—and the whole meal will be on the house.”

“Pfft…” Wu Tian burst out laughing. “Xia Yu, the more you talk, the more ridiculous it gets. If you’re going to brag, at least make it believable.”

“You really think anyone would believe something so absurd?”

“I really don’t want to crush your spirit,” Wang Dong sneered. “But your words are laughable. There’s nothing wrong with being poor, but at least be down-to-earth. And you? You’re so vain, you don’t even think before you lie. Do you even know who owns this restaurant? Huang Hai, a dining magnate in Deep City, who handles countless affairs daily—you think he’d deliver wine to you personally?”

“Damn it, Sijie, what do you see in this man? He’s worse than the simpleton in our village—at least that one is honest, not a braggart!”

“Oh? You don’t believe me? Care to make a bet?” Xia Yu said with a half-smile.

“Yu, that’s enough, really—stop playing…” Even Zhao Sijie thought Xia Yu was being outrageous. Huang Hai was her boss—she knew his stature and how busy he was. Xia Yu was just a driver; who would know him? For the boss to personally deliver wine and comp the meal—impossible. She figured Xia Yu was just saving face, and now he was making a bet—if he lost, it would just be more humiliating.

Xia Yu smiled at her, assuring her not to worry, then looked provocatively at Wang Dong and Wu Tian.

Wu Tian was thoroughly entertained. Sharing a glance with Wang Dong, they instantly understood each other. This guy was practically asking for a slap in the face—why show him any mercy?

“All right, I’ll take your bet.” Wu Tian curled his lips. “If you lose, you break up with Sijie. If I lose, you can make me do whatever you want. How’s that?”

Xia Yu nodded readily. “Deal. If you lose, all you have to do is kneel and call me ‘Grandpa.’”

“You…” Wu Tian’s face twisted with anger, but thinking Xia Yu couldn’t possibly win, he nodded. “Fine. It’s a deal.”

Xia Yu said no more, took out his phone, and stepped aside to light a cigarette.

When Wu Tian saw that the cigarette was a Red Golden Dragon worth only four and a half yuan, he almost laughed out loud again. This fool can’t even afford a ten-yuan Double Happiness, and he dares to brag?

Zhao Sijie looked worried. If Xia Yu lost, it would be a complete joke, and she’d lose face too.

Xia Yu was already dialing Huang Hai’s number.

“Mr. Yu, what a surprise to get your call!” came Huang Hai’s greeting.

“I’m at your restaurant, and something’s come up,” Xia Yu explained briefly.

Huang Hai grew anxious and apologetic. “This is a problem. Of course, I’ll support you any way I can, but I’m out of town on business right now. Even if I booked a flight, I couldn’t get back in time.”

“Uh…” Xia Yu was a little embarrassed.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Yu. How about this—I’ll have the general manager deliver the wine for me. I’ll tell him exactly what to do, all right?”

“That’s the best we can do,” Xia Yu said with a wry smile.

“He’s really putting on a show,” Wu Tian muttered under his breath.

“Sijie, when he gets humiliated, don’t say you know him, or our whole family will be shamed,” Cao Jun snorted.

Zhao Sijie hesitated but remained silent.

“So, how’s it going? Are we going to have to wait here all day?” Wu Tian asked smugly.

“What’s the rush?” Xia Yu walked back over, pulling Zhao Sijie to sit. “Let’s not just stand around—let’s keep eating. I’m not full yet.”

Zhao Sijie forced a smile and sat back down with him, but she didn’t have Xia Yu’s composure and could hardly eat another bite.

Xia Yu ate as if nothing was wrong, leaving the others speechless.

What a loser, just stuffing his face. When he gets humiliated later, he’ll know what it’s like to cry, Wu Tian thought, just as he was about to mock Xia Yu again.

At that moment, a middle-aged man in a suit, accompanied by two servers, approached their table.

“Excuse me, which one of you is Mr. Xia Yu?” the man asked, bowing respectfully outside the table.

Everyone was stunned, unsure how to react.

“I am,” Xia Yu replied lazily.

“Good evening, Mr. Xia,” the man continued. “I’m Xu Hui, the general manager of this restaurant. Our boss just called and instructed me to deliver a bottle of ’87 Lafite to you personally, as well as our most expensive signature dish: thirty-year ginseng soup, priced at one hundred eighty thousand.”

At these words, everyone’s eyes widened in shock. Wang Dong’s mouth twitched.

Even Zhao Sijie looked incredulous—she knew just how expensive that bottle was: one hundred twenty thousand at this restaurant. And the thirty-year ginseng soup really was the priciest dish, a whopping one hundred eighty thousand.

That meant the wine and soup together cost three hundred thousand!

What extravagance—even successful businessmen and bosses wouldn’t dare order both at once.

“All right, bring them over and open the wine,” Xia Yu said with a nod.

Xu Hui signaled, and the two servers immediately set the soup down and poured the wine.

“My dear, have a taste,” Xia Yu said gently, ladling soup for Zhao Sijie, then for her mother.

As for Chen Shufen and the others, they were completely ignored—they didn’t deserve even a sip of this wine or soup.

“Ah…” Zhao Sijie snapped out of her daze, her hands trembling as she accepted the bowl.

“Drink up. Don’t be shy,” Xia Yu smiled. “Didn’t you hear the manager? The boss sent it over for free, right?”

“That’s right. And not just the wine and soup—your entire bill for today is on the house,” Xu Hui confirmed.

At these words, everyone jolted in shock, especially Wu Tian, whose face turned ashen.

Chen Shufen stared dumbly at the scene. How… how could this be? Wasn’t he just bragging?

Wang Dong was equally baffled. Wasn’t Xia Yu just a driver? How could Huang Hai personally instruct his staff to deliver such expensive wine and soup, and waive the bill altogether?

How could a driver have this kind of influence?

While they struggled to make sense of it, Xia Yu looked up at Wu Tian and said, “What are you standing there for? Did you forget what you just said?”

“Isn’t it time to kneel and call me Grandpa?”

“You…” Wu Tian’s face turned pale, unable to speak.

Was he really supposed to kneel and call Xia Yu Grandpa in front of everyone? How could he show his face again?

But he had said those words in front of everyone, so he was stuck and could only look to Wang Dong for help.

Wang Dong stepped forward, his voice cold. “Xia Yu, there’s no need to go to such extremes. Besides, the bet was that Huang Hai himself would deliver the wine, but he didn’t show up, so Wu Tian didn’t lose.”

“That’s right, I didn’t lose. Where’s Huang Hai? None of us saw him,” Wu Tian added quickly.

“Our boss is away on business, so he couldn’t come in person, but he did instruct me to deliver the wine to Mr. Xia. If you don’t believe me, I can call him right now to confirm.”

“Hmph, that doesn’t matter. The bet was that Huang Hai would come in person. In this case, it’s a tie at best,” Wu Tian clung to this point, struggling desperately. “So this counts as a draw.”

Xia Yu wasn’t sure how to respond, since he had indeed said Huang Hai would deliver it himself.

As the standoff continued, Zhao Sijie stepped in to smooth things over. “All right, it was just a joke to begin with. Let’s not take it too seriously.”

“Wang Dong, Wu Tian, if you have nothing else, you should go.”

Seeing that Zhao Sijie was somewhat angry, Wang Dong and Wu Tian didn’t dare say more. Still, Wang Dong politely bid farewell to Chen Shufen and the rest before leaving.

“Damn it, how is this possible?” Wu Tian cursed as they left the restaurant. “That loser is just a driver—how does he know Huang Hai? What’s going on?!”

Wang Dong frowned. “I don’t get it either. But it doesn’t matter. At the end of the day, he’s just a hired driver. I’ll have someone look into him again.”

“Whatever—today he just got lucky. He’s still just a driver, nothing more.”

Back in the restaurant, Xia Yu told Xu Hui and the others to leave, sensing that their presence made Zhao Sijie’s mother uncomfortable.

Once they were gone, Zhao Sijie couldn’t wait any longer. “Yu, what… what’s going on? You actually know our boss Huang Hai?”

Chen Shufen, Liu Jing, and the others all looked at Xia Yu, equally curious.

Xia Yu smiled. “Yes, I know him. He’s friends with my boss. I’ve accompanied my boss to drinks with him a few times, so earlier I called my boss and asked him for a favor.”

Before Zhao Sijie could reply, Liu Jing sneered, “Oh, so you just benefited from someone else’s connections. I thought you were something special.”

“Exactly. In the end, they only comped your bill because of your boss, right?”

“What’s so great about that? Son, hurry up and try the wine and soup…” Chen Shufen immediately pulled the wine and soup in front of herself, quickly dividing it among her own.