Chapter 144: There's More Trouble Coming

"Yes, because the local dishes in Malaysia might not quite suit the local palate here, we make appropriate adjustments based on actual conditions when cooking," the manager readily admitted. This was an open practice within the industry anyway, and there was nothing to hide.

"My friend's younger brother has never been to Malaysia and asked me what the difference is between this dish and authentic Malaysian local cuisine. I briefly explained it to him and mentioned in passing that he might not fully appreciate the original flavor. You know how teenagers are—even if it doesn't suit their taste, they still feel they should experience the authentic flavor. So I said that if I got the chance, I would cook a dish for him to try. Who could have known that the lady at the next table would start mocking us. The boy is young and still struggles to control his emotions a bit, so he acted somewhat out of line and caused trouble for your esteemed restaurant. I am truly sorry."

After listening to Chen Xin's words, and then looking at the two teenage boys and the two individuals nearby who were clearly long-time adults, the other diners began to whisper among themselves. The glances they cast toward the fat man and Tong Qing grew somewhat complicated.

At that moment, the head chef and owner also emerged. He was a genuine Malaysian; he spoke Mandarin, but not very fluently. Fortunately, Chen Xin spoke his native language. Their completely fluent communication allowed the chef-owner to quickly understand what had happened.

"It's no problem. I greatly appreciate that you can taste my efforts. If it's convenient, we can exchange culinary skills with each other."

Naturally, Chen Xin politely declined the owner's suggestion. She explained that she was merely a foreign language major student who had tasted authentic Malaysian cuisine a few times and knew how to make a few simple dishes, but she did not know how to cook formal, elaborate meals. She said she hoped to have the opportunity to taste authentic Malaysian cuisine cooked by the head chef himself.

"Actually, our people nowadays are very accepting of different cuisines. Sir, you could try making a couple of completely authentic Malaysian dishes and then adjust them based on market response."

The chef was delighted by his exchange with Chen Xin and even wanted to treat them on the house. Of course, Chen Xin did not give him that chance and only accepted a certain discount.

This sequence of events left the fat man and Tong Qing looking rather embarrassed on the side. The fat man fared better; as a businessman, he had thick skin, and once they paid the bill and left, who would even remember such an episode? Only Tong Qing looked at Chen Xin with a gaze carrying a trace of disgust, a trace of hatred, and a measure of indescribable resentment.

"Hey, Brother Zhou."

As they paid their bill, walked out the door, and stepped out one after the other, they heard the leader of an oncoming group spot Zhou Hao's direction, his eyes lighting up. He reached out directly, wanting to shake hands and greet Zhou Hao.

The fat man narrowed his small eyes, recognizing the speaker as an important member of the Nanhua Chamber of Commerce. Despite having some money himself as a businessman, if he truly wanted to strike up a conversation with such people, they might not even deign to acknowledge him. Yet such a person was treating Zhou Hao with this kind of attitude; it was blatantly obvious that these four unfathomable individuals possessed a background he knew nothing about.

The approaching man had a business relationship with Zhou Hao's mother, but it was clear the two sides were not on equal footing. He called Zhou Hao "Brother Zhou," partly because he was slightly younger than Zhou Hao, and partly because social status dictated that he dared not act superior in front of Zhou Hao.

Although the others did not know Zhou Hao very well, they recognized the Zhou family's other two young masters, and they all hurried over to offer greetings.

"By the way, Ms. Dan will be coming over shortly. Does Brother Zhou want to wait a bit?"

"My mom is coming over?" Zhou Hao turned his head to glance at Chen Xin, hesitating slightly.

He had not hidden Chen Xin's existence, but matters hadn't reached the point of introducing Chen Xin to his mother yet. It wasn't that he felt Chen Xin was presentable, but rather that he hadn't told his mother about Chen Xin's little fat boy yet. If they met unexpectedly and complications arose, that wouldn't be good.

"Brother, you promised to take us out to get something to eat." Zhou Zhou was a sharp little smart aleck; a roll of his eyes and he knew what his brother was hesitating about. He quickly stepped forward, "We can just come back and say hello when Auntie arrives later. Who knows how long we'd have to wait anyway, and I haven't eaten my fill yet."

Although Zhou Sheng didn't speak, his expression conveyed the exact same sentiment. Without a shred of hesitation, Zhou Hao told the other party that they wouldn't be staying and would contact them by phone later.

As for Chen Xin, although the others were curious, they weren't tactless enough to inquire. Everyone exchanged cheerful greetings and watched the four of them leave while chatting about some gossip.

The fat man wanted to go cozy up to that group, but a second thought reminded him that he still had a girlfriend with him who had gotten into a conflict with Zhou Hao's group, and he instantly squashed that idea.

"Let's go. I'll send you back first." The fat man wasn't the kind of guy without any class. Even though he had made up his mind in his heart never to take Tong Qing out again, he would still follow through with what needed to be done.

Having knocked about in society for so long, Tong Qing naturally guessed the fat man's thoughts, but at this point, she no longer cared. Her mind had also shifted toward Zhou Hao. As far as she was concerned, there was no such thing as a cat that wouldn't steal fish in this world. She refused to believe that pulling out all the stops would make her lose to that little vixen from the countryside.

Leaving the two of them aside for the moment, the remaining four—Zhou Hao and his companions—spent a long time wandering around the Town God's Temple. The two teenagers chattered noisily as they ate plenty of food, then rushed over to play on the dance arcade machine. Young, agile, and flexible, the two of them playing the dance machine exuded a uniquely youthful and vibrant energy.

"Why don't I head back first later, and you go meet up with your mother?" The two of them were waiting in a corner water bar for Zhou Zhou and Zhou Sheng, chatting idly. "I have to work overtime the whole day tomorrow, and I can probably finish up in about a week. If you have time tomorrow, could you help deliver the chili sauce to Senior Sister Wei?"

"No problem. Let me know when you figure out your schedule, and give me a heads-up so I can go pick up Zhang Zhang."

"Take a plane. The train ride takes too long, and I'm afraid you won't be able to manage him all by yourself."

Zhou Hao nodded. He didn't lack that bit of money; minimizing hardship and saving time was the best approach.

As the two chatted away, it wasn't long before they heard loud cheers coming from Zhou Zhou's direction.

"Your two younger brothers are pretty great. How come when we first saw them, it seemed like you guys weren't quite getting along?"

"Those two brats are going through a rebellious phase, especially Zhou Sheng's mother, who loves comparing him to Zhou Zhou. But these two grew up together and were raised at their grandfather's place when they were little; they can't stand their parents comparing them to each other, saying it hurts their feelings. Yet Zhou Sheng's mother refuses to listen and even takes it a step further."

"Why? Doesn't his father try to talk some sense into her?"

"Zhou Sheng is actually my aunt's son. My aunt and Zhou Sheng's father got a divorce a long time ago, and Zhou Sheng took my aunt's surname."

No wonder. Chen Xin understood inwardly and stopped probing, shifting the conversation instead to Zhou Sheng's programming skills.

"I think since he has the interest, it's better to cultivate him according to his hobbies. Computers are very popular right now, and the internet is also a booming industry. Once he studies this field, his future prospects won't be a problem."

"We'll see. My aunt—how should I put it—is a bit stubborn and likes to split hairs. She just wants Zhou Sheng to inherit her business, so there's probably going to be plenty of fuss yet."