Volume 1 Chapter 20: Exposing Jiang Song
Hidden menu, exclusive dishes.
That sounds expensive!
The colleagues were on pins and needles.
Li Jing wanted to say something, but Ruan Wan stopped her.
Ruan Wan’s voice was gentle, like a soothing breeze, “It’s fine. Since Yu Ying likes it, let’s order it.”
Soon, apart from the yellow croaker maw soup still being prepared, the rest of the dishes were served.
The table was filled with a dazzling array of delicacies.
At the dining table, Jiang Song was witty and engaging, completely changing the impression he had left when he publicly criticized Lin Yuying as difficult to please. The atmosphere gradually warmed up.
When the waiter brought the yellow croaker maw soup, Lin Yuying was the first to offer a portion to Jiang Song.
Jiang Song glanced down at it and pushed it back to her, “Editor Lin remembered wrong. This dish wasn’t ordered by me.”
Lin Yuying was taken aback.
Then she heard Jiang Song add:
“Yellow croaker is a second-class protected animal in China, but importing it from overseas isn’t prohibited. The maw is refined from the fish’s swim bladder. Everyone says it’s as expensive as gold, but in reality, gold is far cheaper than this.”
“Miss Lin truly lives up to being the daughter of the Ruan family. You know your stuff.”
Everyone gasped.
This was even more expensive than gold!
Li Jing: “How much does it cost?”
Jiang Song: “Three million per pound.”
Li Jing: “…”
Everyone: “…”
Looking at the table, they silently estimated the cost of this meal—at the very least, it was over a million…
For ordinary people, spending a million on a single meal was an astronomical price!
Lin Yuying, however, mistook Jiang Song’s comment about “knowing her stuff” as praise. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she pretended to share the maw in front of her with everyone.
Everyone waved their hands in refusal:
“Yu Ying, you should eat it yourself.”
“Yeah, I’m not really used to these kinds of things.”
When it comes to treating others to a meal, reciprocity is key.
They felt they couldn’t return the favor to Ruan Wan with something of equal value, so they naturally chose to politely decline.
Lin Yuying’s smile froze, and she instinctively looked at Ruan Wan.
“Guangguang, hurry and persuade everyone.”
But Ruan Wan didn’t say much. She merely curved her lips into a sincere smile and said, “Team Leader Lin, it’s fine. You should enjoy it yourself.”
“Tsk!” Jiang Song remarked meaningfully, “Editor Lin ordered so many portions all by herself. What an appetite!”
Lin Yuying hurriedly explained, “No, I wanted to treat everyone.”
Jiang Song said lightly, “My mistake. So Editor Lin wants to treat everyone.”
With that, he turned to the waiter who hadn’t left yet and said, “In that case, let everyone here have a taste. Yellow croaker is at its most delicious this season.”
Everyone present was sharp-witted.
—No matter how you looked at it, it seemed like Jiang Song had set a trap for Lin Yuying!
Li Jing didn’t hold back either and was the first to say, “Then thank Team Leader Lin for the treat.”
The others also expressed their gratitude.
At this moment, Ruan Wan raised her glass in a timely toast and said, “Yu Ying, I haven’t congratulated you yet on your promotion to deputy editor.”
“…”
The others also raised their glasses to toast Lin Yuying.
“Team Leader Lin truly lives up to being a wealthy heiress. So generous with her spending!”
“Sister Yu Ying, you’ve really gone all out!”
“…”
Lin Yuying sat rigidly in her seat, nearly petrified. Her face, adorned with exquisite makeup, turned pale, then flushed, then pale again.
No! How did it become her treat?
If she were a wealthy heiress, a million would be nothing but pocket change.
But she wasn’t.
In her daily life, to maintain her wealthy girl persona, she spent a considerable amount of money on bags and clothes. Even combining the monthly allowance Lin Tangsheng gave her with her own salary wasn’t enough to cover her expenses.
Where could she possibly get that much money?
She instinctively looked toward Jiang Song.
Since Jiang Song had declined Ruan Wan’s invitation but agreed to her interview, perhaps he was interested in her.
But when she saw Jiang Song’s eyes filled with a smile, his focused gaze fixed on Ruan Wan across the crowd, Lin Yuying finally sensed something was off!
An absurd thought surfaced in her mind.
—Could Jiang Song be interested in Ruan Wan?
“Clatter!”
The thought was so absurd that she accidentally knocked over her water glass, sending hot water splashing everywhere.
Ruan Wan was sitting nearby, and dark water stains began to spread across her sleeve.
Jiang Song frowned and immediately stood up, taking hold of Ruan Wan’s arm. “How could you be so careless? Are you burned?”
“It’s fine,” Ruan Wan tried to pull her arm back. “I’ll go to the restroom to clean up.”
“I’ll go with you.”
Jiang Song was assertive, gripping her wrist instead and pulling her toward the door.
As the wooden door of the private room opened, two familiar figures stood before them.
Shen Zhizhi was wearing a goose-yellow square-neck knee-length dress. The injury on her leg hadn’t fully healed, and Li Minglan was supporting her, their closeness resembling that of lovers.
Inside the private room, everyone also noticed Li Minglan.
Blocked by the door and in a visual blind spot, they didn’t see the woman beside him, only recognizing him as Ruan Wan’s husband.
Someone couldn’t help but joke, “Guangguang, your husband is so good to you! He said he wouldn’t come to accompany you, but he still showed up!”
Ruan Wan, however, froze, wanting to close the door.
But the sound of the wooden door caught Li Minglan’s attention in the hallway.
He looked up and met a familiar pair of eyes.
As their gazes locked, his brow furrowed, and the first thought that came to his mind was:
Ruan Wan was following him!
But as his eyes swept over the scene, he noticed a man standing close behind Ruan Wan, their proximity almost intimate.
As the man placed his hand on the doorframe and pushed the wooden door open, a familiar, handsome profile emerged from behind Ruan Wan.
Li Minglan’s brow tightened.
“Jiang Song?”