The waiter snapped out of her shock and stammered, "B-But sir, our restaurant is already full, and many customers are already dining. If you were to book the whole place, it would be hard for us to explain to the other guests..."
"That's not something you, a mere waiter, should worry about. Call your manager here. I'll talk to him myself," Yan Yincheng said coldly.
The waiter was taken aback but managed to reply, "Yes, sir. Please wait a moment."
A short while later, a man in a men's kimono followed the female waiter and came up to Yan Yincheng. He put on a smile and said, "Sir, hello. I'm the manager of Itabuki Izakaya. I've just heard from Xiaomei that you'd like to book our entire restaurant?"
As he spoke, he sized up Yan Yincheng secretly. The man was extremely good - looking, with a noble and cold aura. Just standing there casually, he was like a beautiful sight. His whole get - up also indicated that he was a man of means.
"That's right," Yan Yincheng nodded slightly.
This was exactly the peak dining time. Moreover, this Japanese restaurant was located in a bustling downtown area. It had an elegant environment and delicious food, so the customer flow was large.
As his voice faded, the bell on the door rang again.
The female waiter immediately turned around to greet the new guests. "Welcome to Itabuki Izakaya~"
"Do you have any empty seats?" A man and a woman walked in hand in hand.
The female waiter hesitated and glanced at the manager. After receiving a silent signal from him, she said to the new guests, "There are two seats left in the hall. Would you like to dine there?"
The male guest was very straightforward. "No problem!"
Then, guided by the female waiter, they walked towards the only two empty seats.
The manager of the Japanese restaurant's eyes glinted with shrewd calculation. He said to Yan Yincheng, "Sir, as you can see, our restaurant is already full. If you were to book the whole place at this time, it might cause dissatisfaction among other guests. We still have to do business in the future..."
"Wei Shu," Yan Yincheng called out coldly.
Wei Shu quickly took out a card and said, "We'll book our private area, and you can continue your business as usual. From now until midnight, all the food and drinks for the customers who enter this restaurant will be free. We'll cover all the expenses. All you need to do is add two more seats in the private room we've specified. If you're worried that we'll renege on the payment, I can pay a deposit of 100,000 in advance. Is that still a problem?"
The manager of the Japanese restaurant was overjoyed and thought they were easy targets. He quickly replied, "Sure, sure. We'll arrange it for you right away!"
Listening to the manager's footsteps as he walked away while instructing the waiters, Yan Yincheng let out a sigh of relief and proudly curled his lips. Humph, that kid Pei Mingyuan was playing such tricks on him. Did he think he could secretly flirt with the mother of his two kids? No way!
However...
Ten minutes later...
Wei Shu and Yan Yincheng, guided by the waiter to the "Bamboo Shadow" private room, stared blankly at two middle - aged, semi - bald men.
One of the middle - aged bald men stood up from the floor with a smile and warmly walked towards Yan Yincheng. "You're the one treating us to dinner tonight? Young man, looks can be deceiving! Come, come, sit down quickly. Since we've met, it's fate. Let's get to know each other!"
"Sorry, you've got the wrong person. Excuse us!" Wei Shu refused expressionlessly and pushed his third master out of the private room awkwardly.
They found the restaurant manager, and Wei Shu scolded, "What's going on! We're looking for a man and a woman! The man's surname is Pei! Not two middle - aged men!"
"Do you mean Young Master Pei?" The restaurant manager suddenly realized. Then his tone became a bit hesitant. "But if it's Young Master Pei's private room, we're afraid we can't do anything. You know the status of the Pei family in Haicheng. Our small restaurant can't afford to offend them."
Wei Shu said, "Don't be afraid. My third master is a major shareholder of Pei Corporation. Just do it. My third master will take care of everything!"
Only then did the manager say, "Okay! Sir! We'll arrange it right away!"
Inside the "Bamboo Shoot" private room.
"You must try their caviar sushi and pan - fried foie gras. They're the signature dishes here. The caviar here is the most delicious I've ever tasted in Haicheng. It bursts in your mouth and is extremely delicious," Pei Mingyuan said with a smile to Xu Zixi.
Xu Zixi nodded. "Then let's order one of each as you suggested. I'm not picky."
Pei Mingyuan smiled. "I'm relieved then. I was worried that Japanese food wouldn't suit your taste."
Pei Mingyuan seemed to be a regular here. He was very familiar with ordering from the waiter. She turned her gaze out of the window at the scenery and was a bit absent - minded. She was thinking about her model. She had to complete it perfectly within five days. Which part should she start with to finish it faster? This wasn't something she could accomplish alone. She needed the help of others...
"Xiaoxi? Xiaoxi?"
A hand waved in front of her eyes, and Xu Zixi came back to her senses.
"What were you thinking about so intently?" Pei Mingyuan asked with a smile. "I've called you several times."
"I was thinking about my two kids. I wonder if they're eating obediently without me tonight," Xu Zixi replied casually. "What's up?"
"Nothing. I just wanted to ask if you'd like to try their plum wine."
Xu Zixi refused. "No, thanks. I may have to work overtime on the model when I get home tonight. Drinking will affect my work efficiency."
"Are you really going to finish the model within five days?" Pei Mingyuan asked with a worried look on his face. "Five days is too rushed. Can your body handle it?"
Xu Zixi smiled. "General Manager Pei, I'm not alone. I have Yaru and the others behind me. As long as we work together, there's definitely no problem. And don't you think that when you successfully challenge the impossible, the sense of achievement can offset all the hardships?"
The logic was sound. As the president of Pei Corporation, how could Pei Mingyuan not understand? He just felt a bit bitter. He knew exactly what that man named Yan was up to. That Yan guy wanted to occupy all her time with this task and cut off her chances of contacting other men, just like not wanting her to ride on his motorcycle.
She had refused him so straightforwardly, but when it came to things related to that Yan guy, she always compromised again and again.
Taking a deep breath, Pei Mingyuan said with a faint smile, "If you encounter any difficulties, just let me know. I'll do everything I can to help you solve them. Also, make sure to get enough rest. Don't overwork yourself. You still have two babies to take care of."
He had deep - set features and a handsome appearance. Coupled with his amorous eyes gazing intently at her, under the warm yellow light of the izakaya, he looked extremely charming and gentle. But Xu Zixi instantly got goosebumps. She resisted the urge to rub her arms in front of Pei Mingyuan and said, "I'll be careful. Thank you, General Manager Pei."
At this moment, there was a sudden knock on the door of the private room. Pei Mingyuan called out, "Come in."
As soon as he finished speaking, the door of the private room was opened. Waiters in various kimonos from the Japanese restaurant carried in a table and started adding seats without any explanation.
Pei Mingyuan's expression instantly changed from gentle to faintly angry. He stood up, frowned, and questioned, "What's going on?"
Then, two familiar figures walked in one after another as if they were in an empty room.
"Long time no see. As a major shareholder of Pei Corporation, this meal should be on me."