Zhang Yi did not expect that mooching for food and drinks this time would be so easy. Sitting in Zhan Yichen's high-end car seat, he smiled from ear to ear and praised him profusely.
"Young man, you're so rich at such a young age. Are you from a prominent family or a company executive? I heard Lin Jing works in a big company, and she must meet rich people, right?"
Zhan Yichen was also adept at making things up. While driving, he chatted with him.
"Oh, I'm just an employee, but my salary is quite good, over a million yuan annually. You are Lin Jing's relatives, and she can be insensible, so of course, I have to take good care of you both. You can come to me for anything here, and I'll help you."
These words struck a chord with Zhang Yi, who praised Zhan Yichen again and then revealed his true purpose for this trip.
"I heard that my sister isn't returning to our hometown after she recovers from her illness. Both of them want to stay here. Do you think my wife and I can also find jobs in this big city? I've heard that salaries in big cities are high. If we earn money here for a year, we can buy a house back home, can't we?"
Zhan Yichen understood. They were planning to move to Pengcheng with their family and possibly even get a city household registration.
He also started to paint a rosy picture. "You've said it right. The salaries here are indeed very high. Although it's hard to find jobs, I have many friends who can help you. If you work here for one or two years, you might even be able to get a city hukou."
The couple's hearts leaped with joy. Liu Xin, upon hearing about the possibility of relocating their hukou, rushed from the back seat to talk to Zhan Yichen. If he hadn't had good self-control, the car would have veered into the green belt.
"Young man, is it difficult to get a city hukou? I want to get one for my daughter so that our descendants will be city dwellers forever. With our city hukou, my daughter can also marry into a good family, and the bride price will increase, won't it?"
It was rare to see a mother so brazenly talk about selling her daughter. Zhan Yichen witnessed the extent of people's greed today.
He didn't pour cold water on their dreams, going along with their wishes and saying whatever made them happy.
"You're right, with a city hukou, the bride price will be higher. I'll inquire about this for you. Let's go eat first."
Through their back-and-forth, he had completely broken down Zhang Yi and his wife's defenses. They thought he was a rich but foolish sugar daddy and planned to cling to him to realize their dreams of getting rich quick.
"What do you want to eat? How about Western food? The place in front is owned by my friend."
Upon hearing about Western food, Zhang Yi and Liu Xin's eyes lit up. In their small town, although there were Western restaurants, they were generally expensive. They could only feast their eyes from the outside and had never been inside.
Coupled with their admiration for foreign things, they naturally thought Western food was more upscale than Chinese cuisine. Zhan Yichen's suggestion perfectly suited their tastes.
As they got out of the car, the waiter at the entrance, upon seeing Zhan Yichen's car, quickly called out the owner. Zhan Yichen and the owner were indeed good friends; he hadn't lied about that.
As the owner came out, before he could speak, he saw two country bumpkins emerge from his car. Their rustic attire was one thing, but the way they ogled his restaurant, as if they were about to drool, made the owner's jaw drop.
Zhan Yichen walked up and patted him on the shoulder. "These two are my honored guests. Bring out your best ingredients."
The owner understood at that moment. This was not Zhan Yichen's usual behavior. It was clear the young man had ulterior motives.
He didn't inquire about what had happened, but Zhan Yichen's intention to deal with these two was evident. The owner successfully received the signal.
He immediately opened the door to welcome the so-called honored guests. "Please come in, both of you. I will arrange our VIP supreme service for you immediately. The ingredients are all air-freighted and very fresh."
The two country bumpkins, upon hearing this, felt a sense of superiority as honored guests and swaggered in with the owner.
The so-called VIP seating was in a secluded area. After all, it was unclear what kind of antics these two would put on, and to avoid scaring other guests, the owner led them to a quiet spot.
"Uncle, Aunt, please don't be shy. Order whatever you like. It will all be on my tab. Eat to your heart's content."
Zhan Yichen handed the menu to Zhang Yi. Looking at the dazzling array of food on the menu, he wished he could eat every single dish.
The couple picked the most expensive dishes and ordered a table full. They felt no shame and handed the menu back to Zhan Yichen. "What would you like to eat?"
Zhan Yichen smiled enigmatically. "This isn't enough. Boss, open another bottle of Lafite '82, and let my honored guests have a taste."
"Certainly, it will be ready soon. Please wait a moment."
Because Zhan Yichen kept telling them not to hold back and to eat their fill, these two, who were used to eating others' food, took it as a matter of course. When the dishes arrived, Zhang Yi rubbed his hands together, eagerly anticipating the meal.
As the owner had predicted, the clanging of their cutlery sounded like knives being sharpened in a slaughterhouse. If this area hadn't been quiet, he didn't know how many customers he would have lost.
Zhan Yichen sat opposite them, silently enduring the sound of their clashing cutlery and their greasy mouths. He occasionally felt fortunate that he hadn't ordered anything himself, as the joy of savoring fine food would have been ruined.
He stood up. Zhang Yi, with a mouthful of steak, also stood up, thinking he was leaving.
He quickly waved his hand and explained, "Uncle, please continue eating. I'm just going to order more if it's not enough. It's okay. We can pack leftovers later."
Zhang Yi's eyes followed him as he ordered more dishes, and only then did he feel relieved.
The couple truly ate to their heart's content. However, by the time the dishes Zhan Yichen had ordered later arrived, he had still not returned.
At this point, Zhang Yi panicked and stood up, shouting for the owner.
The owner lazily emerged from the kitchen, but his attitude was no longer the same.
"What are you doing? Don't you know that loud noises are not allowed in the restaurant as they disturb other guests? Be careful, or I'll have security escort you out."
Zhang Yi was a bully in his own territory but dared not utter a word when facing a tough opponent. His arrogance immediately subsided.
"Where is the young man who was sitting here just now?"
The owner looked at him impatiently. "What young man? This table is for just the two of you."