Chapter 456: Here Comes the Freeloader

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

The people in the private room heard the sound and set down what they were holding. Zhou Chao looked at Lin Wu and gave him a signal. Lin Wu quickly wiped his hands with a napkin and walked towards the door.

“Click!” Lin Wu opened the door, revealing a few familiar faces in front of him.

“Young Master Qin, Young Master Cong, Young Master Xuan! What are you doing here?” Lin Wu was somewhat surprised to see the three of them back in Modu.

“We’re here to eat, of course. Isn’t Young Master Zhou eating here too?” Si Cong asked curiously.

As the door swung open, it conveniently blocked Si Cong and the others’ view, so they could only see Lin Wu’s female assistant sitting behind him.

Upon hearing Si Cong and the others’ voices, Zhou Chao immediately spoke, saying, “Lin Wu, let them in!”

Lin Wu quickly moved aside and opened the private room’s door, allowing Si Cong and the others to enter.

Seeing Zhou Chao seated at the head of the table, the three of them greeted with a smile, “Young Master Zhou!”

Meanwhile, Brother Hu, who was sitting beside Zhou Chao, couldn’t remain composed when he saw the newcomers. While he had no direct interaction with Si Cong and the others, as one of the most active second-generation celebrities in China, they were familiar faces. It was unexpected for him to encounter two of them here. As for Zhang Wenxuan, he was relatively low-key in the public eye compared to Si Cong and Qin Fen. However, anyone who could hang out with Si Cong and Qin Fen openly was considered a top-tier second-generation celebrity.

“Brother Hu?!”

Seeing the man seated beside Zhou Chao, Si Cong was surprised. In theory, Zhou Chao and Brother Hu had no connection, and Brother Hu was known for being low-key. Even though Si Cong, as Ceng Ceng’s son, had been in the entertainment industry for many years, the two of them had never met privately. It was indeed surprising to see Zhou Chao and Brother Hu dining together.

Upon seeing Si Cong initiate the greeting, Brother Hu quickly stood up and responded, “Young Master Cong, hello!”

“You three were in Jingdu, so why are you back in Modu?” Zhou Chao asked curiously.

As soon as they heard this question, the expressions of the three men turned awkward. They exchanged glances, and finally, Si Cong, with a somewhat resentful tone, said, “Young Master Zhou, you’re quite a trickster. It turns out that the Huabin Golf Club is your property. When we invited you for dinner, were you just here to watch us make fools of ourselves?”

Zhou Chao’s smile became even more pronounced upon hearing this. He looked at the three men, who were clearly not in high spirits, and waved his hand, saying, “No way! I welcome any opportunity to generate income for my companies. How could 1 possibly want to see a joke at your expense? By the way, how did you guys find out that the club is my property?”

Hearing Zhou Chao’s question, Qin Fen and Zhang Wenxuan exchanged amused glances before Si Cong cleared his throat awkwardly. He pretended to be nonchalant and turned his head to the side, as if nothing had happened.

Seeing their reactions, Zhou Chao quickly understood the situation. He looked at Si Cong and teasingly said, “Young Master Ceng, your charm must be extraordinary, to the point where people are falling into your arms willingly!”

“No way! I, Si Cong, am not that kind of person. It was just a friendly exchange. Besides, who can resist my charm when 1 have nearly a billion people behind me?” Si Cong replied in a playful manner.

Seeing Si Cong’s flamboyant behavior, everyone in the room burst into laughter, including Brother Hu’s assistant, who covered her mouth and chuckled softly.

“Alright, enough teasing. Today, I’m treating Brother Hu to a meal. Where are you three heading?”

Brother Hu was a smart person and realized that the relationship between Si Cong and the others was probably quite good. Moreover, Zhou Chao might play a leadership role among them. Therefore, without overthinking it, Brother Hu suggested, “Young Master Zhou, why don’t we all sit together? The more, the merrier.”

“That’s right!”

“Yes, that’s right!” Si Cong, Qin Fen, and the others enthusiastically agreed.

Zhou Chao didn’t think much about it and nodded.

With the addition of the three, the seafood feast on the table seemed somewhat insufficient. Zhou Chao was about to call the waiter to order more dishes when Si Cong shouted, “Waiter, inform the kitchen to prepare the most expensive dishes for us. Today, we have a big spender among us, so don’t be shy. Also, bring us the most expensive red wine, one bottle per person!”

Upon hearing Si Cong’s words, Zhou Chao couldn’t help but twitch his lips, and even Brother Hu couldn’t suppress a chuckle, lowering his head and covering his mouth to laugh softly. Meanwhile, Qin Fen and Zhang Wenxuan maintained a calm demeanor, moving to a slightly different position as if to avoid any misunderstandings.

The waiter was swift in both arrival and departure. Soon, several bottles of top-notch Domaine Romanee-Conti were brought in, each worth over half a million.

Brother Hu, as he observed, couldn’t help but be amazed. The cost of this meal was enough to cover the income he might earn from acting in several roles. Although he was now considered a billionaire, he still couldn’t bring himself to indulge in such extravagant consumption.

“Here, Brother Hu, this bottle of red wine is for you.” While Brother Hu was momentarily lost in thought, Si Cong handed him a bottle of Domaine Romanee-Conti.

“Oh, should i drink this entire bottle? Isn’t it a bit extravagant?” Brother Hu said with a somewhat restrained tone.

It’s expensive, but when you’re dining out and drinking this kind of wine, you can only enjoy it to some extent. Wait for an opportunity to come to my place for a drink. The wine there is the real deal. We used to feel heartbroken even when drinking this type of wine, but now, we each get a bottle. Just relax and enjoy it.”

Listening to Si Cong’s words, Brother Hu became even more perplexed. Had this kind of wine become less prestigious in China, or was he simply out of touch with the top-tier second-generation celebrities? He was having trouble keeping up with their thinking.

Just as he was feeling confused, Qin Fen chimed in with a smile, “Brother Hu, just be more casual. Young Master Zhou invited you out to eat because he believes you’re someone worth getting to know. Don’t feel too restricted, and don’t worry about saving Young Master Zhou’s money. He doesn’t need it. What Si Cong said is correct, the wine at Young Master Zhou’s place is the real deal. Even a single bottle there can cost several million. I’ve heard that Young Master Zhou once drank a bottle of Han Emperor Moutai at home, the one with a global limited edition of nine bottles, worth eight figures!”

At this point, Brother Hu wasn’t sure if he should be shocked or dumbfounded, but he felt like his brain was about to shut down. These pieces of information were still taking their time to register as reality.

“Brother Hu, don’t get too close to these two troublemakers. They are up to no good, always thinking about dining with big shots,” Zhou Chao pointed at Si Cong and Qin Fen and said.

“All, 1 understand,” after getting a glimpse of Zhou Chao’s hidden influence, Brother Hu realized that Zhou Chao was indeed a hidden big shot, respected even by the top second-generation celebrities in China.

He took a deep breath and tried to calm down. After all, having worked in the entertainment industry for so many years, he could easily adjust his mindset. Soon, he regained his composure.

“Don’t just sit there, pour the wine in your glasses!” Zhou Chao organized the group as he spoke.

Brother Hu, Si Cong, and the others quickly poured wine into their glasses.

For a moment, the private room was filled with clinking glasses, toasts, and lively conversations. Brother Hu soon shed his initial restraint and joined in the merriment.

After three rounds of wine and five dishes, everyone had thoroughly enjoyed themselves, yet they maintained their composure. Each person had only consumed one bottle of wine, which was a trivial matter for those accustomed to the drinking scene. Their faces weren’t flushed, and there were no signs of drunkenness; only a slight aroma of alcohol lingered as they spoke.

Zhou Chao observed his guests, who were engrossed in conversation, and suggested, “Have we had enough to eat? How about changing the venue for some tea and more chat?”

“That sounds good! Let’s go to your place, Young Master Zhou, and sit on the spacious terrace, enjoy the evening breeze, have some tea, and gaze at the night view of the Huangpu River. It would be quite delightful!” Si Cong enthusiastically imagined.

Qin Fen, eager to participate, chimed in, “I agree. It’s also an opportunity for me to pick up some tea leaves from Young Master Zhou’s house. I’ve been wanting to do that for a while.”

Brother Hu, who was nearby, wasn’t sure what to say at first. After all, he wasn’t very familiar with the group, and he didn’t want to come across as too eager to engage in conversation.

Seeing Brother Hu’s hesitation, Zhou Chao decisively added, “Let’s go to my place, and Brother Hu, you’re welcome to join us. We can also discuss a few things when we get there.”

“Alright.” Brother Hu accepted the invitation without further ado.

With that settled, the group exited the private room, with Brother Hu lagging behind slightly due to putting on his mask.

“I’ll go pay the bill, and none of you are allowed to try and steal it from me. If anyone tries, 1’11 get angry,” Qin Fen whispered to Si Cong and Zhang Wenxuan.

“Nonsense, if anyone’s going to foot the bill, it’s going to be me!” Zhang Wenxuan asserted confidently.

Si Cong, adopting an attitude of ‘I’m the best candidate,’ looked at the two and said, “Hah, step aside, let me handle it!”

Walking behind, Brother Hu looked at the three of them with confusion. He couldn’t figure out why they were competing to pay the bill when Zhou Chao had invited them for dinner.

“You’ve earned over 10 billion this time, but I have over 40 billion. 1 should be the one paying for this meal.”

“Come on, do you think we don’t know? Most of it went to your dad’s company. You probably have only around 10 billion, maybe even less than me.”

“That’s right. In Jingdu, you lucked out with those guys. This time, it’s between me and Qin Fen. You stay out of it,” Zhang Wenxuan added with a touch of disdain for Si Cong.

Seeing the two of them teaming up, Si Cong made an international hand gesture to express his friendship and didn’t argue further. Instead, he turned to look at Brother Hu, as he had been eager to connect with this clean-cut figure from the entertainment industry for some time.

Brother Hu, still somewhat shocked by the recent conversation, was processing it all. He had some suspicions but couldn’t quite believe it.

Looking at Brother Hu with a smile on his face, Si Cong asked, “Did you hear our conversation just now?”

“Yep!”

Si Cong, with a knowing smile, handed Brother Hu a cigarette from his pocket, lit one himself, and took a slow puff before saying, “There aren’t many people who can make Zhou Chao invite them to dinner willingly. Most of us are acquaintances, but you are the first person I’ve seen who can make Zhou Chao personally invite and wait for them.”

Brother Hu’s eyes showed a hint of surprise, and he didn’t immediately respond but waited for Si Cong to continue.

“Perhaps Zhou Chao’s reputation isn’t as resounding in China as ours, but when it comes to influence, the three of us, me, Qin Fen, and Wenxuan, combined aren’t even close to one hand of Zhou Chao’s. I don’t know why he’s making an effort to befriend you, but one thing is certain: you’re worth befriending. Let’s exchange numbers and add each other as friends.”

Although Si Cong didn’t elaborate further, Brother Hu understood that Zhou Chao’s power and background were not to be taken lightly. He must have a good reason to befriend Brother Hu, and it was unlikely to be anything sinister.

With that realization, Brother Hu quickly exchanged phone numbers and added Si Cong as a friend. At that moment, he felt a sense of inclusion, breaking free from the previous sense of distance.

As Brother Hu and Si Cong continued their conversation, Qin Fen and Zhang Wenxuan settled their dispute over paying the bill. In the end, Qin Fen successfully footed the bill. Zhou Chao watched the group’s playful banter with a somewhat bemused smile.

After they left Huang Gongzi, Zhou Chao advised, “You guys have all had some drinks, so don’t drive. Arrange for a designated driver.”

“I’m fine, my assistant can drive. If you don’t mind, just ride in my car,” Brother Hu suggested.

Si Cong and the others exchanged glances and nodded in agreement. Si Cong wanted to have a chat with Brother Hu, so he joined him in his car. Meanwhile, Qin Fen and Zhang Wenxuan got into Zhou Chao’s car.

Let’s go!”