The group soon arrived at what the women had called the Rich Garden, which indeed looked quite grand.
The vehicles parked in the lot were all priced at four or five hundred thousand yuan and above, a fact that reflected the establishment's high-class status.
Li Haochen was overjoyed. A high-class place meant high spending, and he anticipated a good time!
When Li Haochen and his group entered, his uncle and the others had already arrived. Just as they were seated, his second aunt also walked in, accompanied by a handsome young man, presumably her son.
"Haoyang, what are you ordering? It's not like you're paying the bill, why be so stingy?"
Zhuang Bilian's face soured as she looked at the dishes Li Haoyang had ordered. It wasn't that the food was bad, but rather it seemed to be an insult to them.
"Let me see. It really is a bit embarrassing. Auntie, don't be angry. Cousin's table doesn't have these, let me do it…"
"Auntie is treating? Then I must have a good look. Don't mind if I order, do you?"
Li Haochen didn't let the young man finish before snatching the menu and moving towards him, smiling at Zhuang Bilian. "Is that alright, Auntie?"
Murong Yanran, standing beside them, understood Li Haochen's intention and did not stop him this time. Some people needed a reality check to make them put away their disdainful gazes.
"Alright, you're a boss yourself, your perspective should indeed be broader. Then you order, whatever you like to eat."
Li Haochen picked up the menu but didn't order immediately. Seeing their undisguised mockery, he sneered and walked out. His actions didn't strike them as odd; instead, it made them more dismissive, believing Li Haochen dared not order in front of them for fear of embarrassment.
Although Li Dehai lacked worldly experience, he could somewhat guess Li Haochen's intentions. However, he said nothing and leisurely sipped the hot tea in his cup. Li Haoyang beside him did the same.
Outside the room, Li Haochen called over a server. "Excuse me, please disregard the menu we just ordered. I'd like to reorder."
"Certainly, sir. Please proceed."
"Eleven Imperial Sea Cucumbers, eleven servings of Braised Sea Cucumber in Abalone Sauce, Shark Fin... For soup, let's have the Cordyceps Stewed with Fish Maw King. Oh, and eleven bowls of Bird's Nest Sugar Soup. By the way, do you have any good wine?"
"Uh… Sir, let me check first. Please wait a moment!"
It wasn't that she didn't know; didn't the staff here know? It was just that the dishes Li Haochen ordered were quite expensive. She didn't dare to make a decision on her own. What if they ate their fill and couldn't pay? Such incidents had happened in their restaurant before. To be safe, she used an excuse and walked aside to call the manager.
Two minutes later, an elegant woman came down. By her appearance, she should have been in her mid-thirties, but she was well-maintained and looked quite young. Her ample bosom was quite striking.
She frowned as she looked at the menu Li Haochen had ordered. This would cost hundreds of thousands. Although their establishment was high-class, and they occasionally had customers spending tens of thousands to over a hundred thousand, they had never seen a single meal cost hundreds of thousands.
This put her in a difficult position. However, when she saw the wristwatch Li Haochen was wearing, her reservations disappeared. She recognized the watch; it cost hundreds of thousands. Anyone who could afford such a watch was either wealthy or noble.
Pan Jinlan immediately put on a fawning expression. "Sir, I am the manager here, Pan Jinlan. Xiao Yan just mentioned you were looking for good wine?"
As soon as she spoke, Li Haochen's entire body got goosebumps. Her voice was so alluring that even Sister Zhiling would be ashamed. It was indeed true that she was worthy of being a manager.
"Does Manager Pan have any recommendations?"
"Do you like white spirits? We happen to have a few bottles of 30-year-old traditional aged Maotai."
"How much?"
"With a discount, 280,000 yuan."
"Only 280,000 yuan? Don't you have anything more expensive?"
"I… I'm sorry, sir. This is the most expensive item in our establishment." Pan Jinlan's mouth twitched. Damn it, 280,000 yuan is cheap? I still have two bottles of aged vintage aged spirits with abundant sauce for thirty years. For 28,000, I'll let you drink them all night…
"Alright, bring us three bottles. Hurry up with the dishes, I'm hungry."
"Ye… Yes!"
Li Haochen walked back in. The scene inside abruptly stopped. He glanced at his uncle and elder brother, their expressions somewhat displeased. It was no doubt those two disgusting women causing trouble.
"Oh, Xiao Chen, what did you order?"
"Auntie Zhuang, I'm really sorry. I ordered a bit expensively. You won't mind, will you?"
Li Haochen's expression made her feel uneasy, but she quickly regained her composure. In her opinion, Li Haochen could have ordered at most eighty thousand to a hundred thousand yuan worth of food. While it was a bit painful, it wasn't unaffordable.
She soon realized she was mistaken. The first dish to arrive was the Cordyceps Stewed with Fish Maw King. She had tasted this soup once before; at a price of 8,888 yuan, it made her, a wealthy woman with over a hundred million yuan net worth, feel a pang of pain. Seeing Li Haochen, she forced a smile. "Xiao Chen has good taste. This soup is indeed excellent. Have a few more bowls!"
"It is quite good," Li Haochen said with a smile and walked out, calling, "Waiter, please bring me a disposable soup container, thank you!"
Li Haochen took the soup container and scooped some soup into it, saying, "Please leave a bowl for my aunt, she's been working very hard, taking care of the three of them day and night."
"We haven't even finished eating, and you're already thinking of packing it up. Country bumpkins really have no manners."
Zhuang Bilian's daughter's voice wasn't loud, but it was heard by everyone. Li Haochen stopped, glanced at her coldly, and then did something astonishing. He poured the soup from the container back into the tureen. "Sorry, I forgot you hadn't eaten yet. Fine, I'll order another one. Don't worry, I'll pay."
"Haochen!"
"Uncle, drink the soup. It's quite good, and it'll be bad if it gets cold."
Zhuang Bilian was annoyed. She was the one paying! What was he showing off for? Just as she was about to retort, she was so stunned by the dishes being served that she couldn't speak.
Imperial Sea Cucumbers, Sea Cucumbers, Matsutake Mushrooms... Holy cow, and Bird's Nest and Snow Clam! Seeing the ten most expensive dishes at the Rich Garden, she lost her composure. Although her family was worth over a hundred million, that was just assets, not cash. This meal, costing hundreds of thousands, was equivalent to her annual expenditure. This…
Not only her, but her daughter and her second sister, along with the others, all had darkened faces.
"Auntie Zhuang is still the generous one. I've never eaten such expensive food in my life. It's truly broadened my horizons. To thank Auntie, I propose a toast to her."
Li Haochen didn't wait for them to react and opened the rather unassuming old wine bottles on the table. This was indeed good wine; as soon as the cap was opened, the fragrance filled the room.
Wait, why did this wine look so familiar?
Zhuang Bilian looked at the wine bottle in Li Haochen's hand and suddenly panicked. This… wasn't this the premium Maotai displayed at the entrance?