Chapter 378: Dutch Treat
"Brother Xuan, the lady wants a drink!"
The pointy-faced girl clung to Zhou Zixuan's arm and cooed.
Although everyone knows the phrase "a glass of '82 Lafite to calm the shock," in reality, very few have tasted it. Even those who have are likely to have tasted a counterfeit.
That's because the global production of '82 Lafite was only two hundred thousand bottles, yet Hua Country consumes three hundred thousand bottles each year.
It follows that the '82 Lafite sold on the market is mostly fake, and only ultra-luxurious hotels like the Four Seas Hotel carry a small stock of the real deal.
"This..."
Zhou Zixuan was sweating bullets; he wanted to stick Qin Yu and Xu Peng with the bill but didn't want to spend seven or eight hundred thousand on wine alone during a meal. If they really spent like that, the ten million his family had to pay in compensation wouldn't last long.
"Here's the thing, sir, since '82 Lafite is so precious, we do have a limit—no more than two bottles per table!"
At that moment, the server chimed in. Discover stories at My Virtual Library Empire
It was a relief for Zhou Zixuan, saving a few hundred thousand by drinking one less bottle.
"Then let's do this, one bottle for the two of them, and one for us. If that's not enough, we can have some baijiu afterwards!"
Qin Yu told the waitress.
"Okay, one moment please!"
The waitress nodded and went to the counter to get the Lafite.
"Chat for a bit, I'm going to the restroom!"
Qin Yu stood up and walked toward the restroom.
"Tch, Xu Fatty, let's get the ugly part over with, today's meal is going to be split bill, AA system!"
Zhou Zixuan couldn't wait to reveal his true intentions.
Initially, he had wanted to just find a regular hotel, spend ten or twenty thousand on a meal, and then go for the AA system. Spreading the cost, he would only have to pay about ten thousand, which was within his bearing range.
But Xu Peng was different. As a security guard earning only three to four thousand a month, spending ten thousand on a meal would surely cause him sleepless nights for months.
But who could have guessed they'd end up stopping right at the Four Seas Hotel, where the meal was now costing nearly nine hundred thousand?
Zhou Zixuan could grit his teeth and somewhat bear it, but Xu Peng and Qin Yu, a couple of losers, would probably have to sell their kidneys to pay for this meal, right?
Thinking of this, Zhou Zixuan felt much better.
"What? AA system?"
As expected, Xu Peng was shocked, his expression turning to panic: "Zhou Zixuan, didn't you say you were treating? Split bill, where am I supposed to get that kind of money?"
"What's wrong with me changing my mind? Who asked you to drink '82 Lafite? There's such a thing as forced buying and selling, but no forcing others to treat, right?"
Zhou Zixuan retorted with a shrug.
"Ah…I…"
Xu Peng's face turned crimson as he scratched his head helplessly. Even with the AA system, he would have to pay around two hundred thousand.
Without eating or drinking, it would take him a decade, right?
Just for a meal?
He might as well end himself!
With this thought, Xu Peng quickly shouted toward the front desk, "We won't be needing that bottle of Lafite!"
"Sorry, sir, but we've already opened it and cannot return it."
The waitress said with a hint of mockery in her eyes – coming here, most customers were competing to drink '82 Lafite, yet here was someone who didn't want it.
Could it be he was pretending to be wealthy without having the money?
Xu Peng's shout drew strange looks from other customers in the lobby, turning his face even redder.
"Xu Fatty, now you see the gap between you and I? A meal worth hundreds of thousands – I can afford it, but you, even selling all that blubber, can't!"
Zhou Zixuan started taunting.
"I...where's my boss?"
Xu Peng, out of ideas, could only look to Qin Yu for a strategy.
Although his boss was the husband of the Four Seas Corporation's female owner, he still lived in an urban village, often without money in his account, indicating that economically, Qin Yu and the beautiful boss were independent.
Xu Peng was on the verge of tears thinking about their predicament. They were utterly doomed now; he figured that the boss probably couldn't come up with the money either. They had been royally screwed by Zhou Zixuan, that son of a bitch.
"Oh, what's wrong?"
Just then, Qin Yu came out of the bathroom. Seeing Xu Peng's expression, as if someone had died, he knew that Zhou Zixuan's true colors must have shown through.
"Boss... Zhou Zixuan said, today's meal is going to be split by the AA system!"
Xu Peng stammered out.
"AA system? No problem, we're all adults here, can't always be freeloading, right? Paying for our own share is perfectly fine!"
Qin Yu, stroking his chin, said.
"Heh, do you know how much you two will have to split for this meal? At least 450,000!"
Zhou Zixuan, with a smug smile on his face, mockingly said, "Oh snap, a BMW 5 Series just got eaten up like that!"
"No problem, at worst we'll borrow from loan sharks, right? Live for today with today's wine; let's eat first and worry later!"
Qin Yu pulled out a chair, sat down casually, and started munching on the appetizers that the waiter had brought over.
He even called over to Zhou Zixuan and the pointy-faced guy, "You guys should eat too, you've paid as well, don't be shy!"
"I might just barely be able to afford it, but as for you guys, how many years will you have to work to pay for this meal. Tsk tsk...."
Zhou Zixuan spared no effort in belittling Qin Yu and Xu Peng.
"Boss... I only have a few tens of thousands on me!"
Xu Peng tugged at Qin Yu and said weakly.
"No worries, eat up. If it's not enough, I'll cover the rest!"
Qin Yu patted Xu Peng's shoulder and said.
"Oh...."
Xu Peng nodded, having known Qin Yu for so long, he figured Qin Yu wouldn't screw him over.
Reassured by this thought, he relaxed and began to eat the snacks on the table.
Soon, the exquisite dishes were served one after another, and the two bottles of Lafite that had been decanted were placed on the table.
The pointy-faced guy was busy snapping pictures with his phone again.
Qin Yu, on the other hand, was drinking from a wine glass, savoring the 82 Lafite.
"Humph, eat up, drink all you want, you'll be crying soon enough!"
Zhou Zixuan, seeing Qin Yu and Xu Peng eating with relish, grumbled in dissatisfaction.
An hour later.
The four had finally had their fill.
Zhou Zixuan snapped his fingers: "Bill, please!"
After waiting for the waitress to come over with the bill, he said, "We're splitting the cost, AA system. Can you calculate how much half of it is?"
"Uh...."
The waitress was momentarily taken aback; coming to such a high-end restaurant and still going AA? But it was the customer's request, and she had to fulfill it. She did the calculations with a calculator and said: "Your half would be 448,000!"
"Okay, charge it!"
Zhou Zixuan gritted his teeth before handing over his bank card to the waitress.
Then, he sneered at Qin Yu and Xu Peng, "It's your turn to pay, let's see how you'll manage!"
"Excuse me, sirs, your total comes to 448,000!"
The waitress, having processed Zhou Zixuan's card, turned to Qin Yu and Xu Peng, and politely said.
"Hang on a second...."
At that moment, the general manager came over with a smile, "Our hotel is having a National Day promotion, randomly selecting two customers to waive their bill. Congratulations, Mr. Qin and Mr. Xu, your meal is on the house today!"
"What?"
Zhou Zixuan's eyes bulged as he incredulously asked the manager, "Why them? Why not me?"