The elevator ascended and quickly reached Zhang Fan’s floor.
She stepped out of the elevator, and Zhou Wenzong followed her out as well.
“Why are you following me? Aren’t you staying on the top floor?”
“You have the meal coupons!”
“What?” Zhang Fan found it amusing. “You’re the young master of Zhou’s Jewelry. Do you have to be like this?”
“If something is rightfully mine, why shouldn’t I want it?”
Zhou Wenzong’s face was expressionless, hands in his pockets as he followed at a leisurely pace.
Fine then! Zhang Fan had nothing to say.
The shoes she had kicked off had already been returned to her room by housekeeping. The room had also been cleaned, with no trace of anyone having broken in.
The service at a five-star hotel was indeed quite good.
Zhang Fan put on her shoes, grabbed her phone, and turned around—only to bump into a wall of flesh.
“Why are you standing so close to me?”
“Who knew you’d suddenly turn around?”
The man’s voice sounded from above her head, carrying warm breath.
She couldn’t win an argument with him, and she couldn’t beat him either, so Zhang Fan chose to play dumb, keeping her head down as she headed toward the restaurant.
The entire third floor of the hotel was dedicated to the restaurant and leisure areas.
An all-you-can-eat dinner buffet priced at two hundred ninety-eight per person—in the past, this was something Zhang Fan wouldn’t have dared to even dream of.
Now, the food was right before her eyes.
The buffet counters were piled high with all kinds of delicacies, especially seafood.
Crabs, prawns, conch, baby octopus… At the cooking station, chefs were grilling oysters and steaks, and salmon was being sliced fresh.
Dazzling desserts, rich soups, and colorful fruits…
The restaurant was already packed with people—not just hotel guests, but also those who had come specifically for the meal.
It seemed that the word “upscale” didn’t stop diners from being fierce in grabbing the limited-supply dishes. The moment a good dish came out, it would be cleaned out.
While Zhang Fan was still in shock and taking it all in, Zhou Wenzong had already used his height advantage to find a table for two.
He took a bowl of soup, a plate of seafood fried rice, and a fruit salad, then began eating at a leisurely pace.
“Is that all you’re eating?”
Zhang Fan set down her own tray—two large plates piled high with food.
“Did I say you could share my table?”
Zhou Wenzong took a sip of soup and spoke in a flat, indifferent tone.
Zhang Fan, who had just been about to sit down, lifted herself back up. She looked around awkwardly—there didn’t seem to be any other seats available.
Fine, she’d ask a waiter and look for another spot.
She struggled to lift her tray again, but then heard Zhou Wenzong say, “Sit.”
Zhang Fan froze in place, her brain and body out of sync. Her brain received the signal to stop, but her body had already started stepping forward.
She nearly sent her entire tray flying.
She glared at Zhou Wenzong in annoyance, looked at the packed restaurant, and finally swallowed her pride and sat down.
Turning anger into appetite, she ate ferociously.
She had been hungry to begin with, and she’d always had a big appetite, so before long, the food in front of her was almost gone.
She was the type who could eat without gaining weight—perhaps because, despite looking dull and unassuming, she was constantly draining herself internally.
She had no one to share her worries with, so she could only wrestle with herself.
As she ate, her nose tingled, and she nearly burst into tears.
She remembered when she was little, when her family’s financial situation wasn’t great, and she had to help her parents with chores from a very young age.
One day, she saw someone drinking cola, and she wanted some too.
She didn’t know what came over her, but she stubbornly insisted to her mother, and ended up getting a beating.
Her mother left her on the road and walked home without looking back.
She was so scared that she burst into tears, running after her the whole way.
Then she told herself in her heart—the family was poor, her mother couldn’t afford it, and if she threw a tantrum demanding things like this, it would embarrass her mother.
It was her fault. She was the one in the wrong.
The same kind of thing happened a few years later, when her younger half-brother (same mother, different father) wanted cola, and her mother bought it for him without a second thought.
And her—she still never got to drink any.
When she looked up, her eyes were already red-rimmed, and what met her gaze was Zhou Wenzong’s face—first intrigued, then briefly stunned.
A moment of fluster, and she reached for a tissue.
“You’re not eating. Why are you staring at me?”
“I’m done eating!”
Zhou Wenzong spread his hands casually. “You… got some wasabi?”
“Yeah!”
Her voice a little nasal, Zhang Fan squeezed out a smile: “Wasabi really is pungent!”
“If it’s too pungent, then eat less of it!”
Zhou Wenzong stood up, and when he came back, he brought three cups—one plain water, one juice, one cola.
“Have a drink. Settle yourself.”
Looking at the drinks in front of her, Zhang Fan was dazed for a moment.
Without thinking, she reached out and took the cup with the bubbling, dark liquid.
One sip, and the carbon dioxide burst open in her mouth, the pleasure of the carbs spreading through her entire body and mind.
So drinking cola was actually this joyful!
She took a deep breath—even the air tasted sweet.
She smiled, looking at Zhou Wenzong, and for a moment felt that this man was actually quite warm-hearted.
“You didn’t wipe your nose clean!”
The man leaned back against his seat, raising a hand to point at the corner of his own lips.
“Huh?” Zhang Fan was mortified, quickly grabbing a tissue to wipe—but there was nothing there.
“Pfft!” Zhou Wenzong laughed out loud: “Got you!”
Seeing him laugh so recklessly and carefree, Zhang Fan’s face was written with a big “speechless.”
She wanted to take back what she’d just thought—this man was very annoying!
Glaring at Zhou Wenzong, Zhang Fan got up again to grab some food.
This time, she took a bunch of little cakes—one of every flavor.
One bite in, she finally understood why eating sweets could cure depression.
This feeling—it really was happiness.
She ate bite after bite, while Zhou Wenzong sat there, quietly watching, as if appreciating something amusing.
“Why do you keep staring at me?”
Zhang Fan frowned. Being watched while eating was so awkward.
“Don’t you need to go back—have some conference call, approve some documents?”
“Those things are for employees to do, not the boss.”
Zhou Wenzong took a sip of plain water, set the cup down, and slowly rose: “Alright, take your time eating. I won’t disturb you!”
“What a strange person!”
Zhang Fan muttered to herself, then went to grab a big plate of barbecue.
Zhou Wenzong walked out of the restaurant and, through the transparent glass, glanced at Zhang Fan eating seriously, the corner of his mouth curling up unconsciously.
“Quite rare.”
…
“Phew…”
Zhang Fan secretly patted her belly under the table.
When it came to buffets, you always couldn’t help wanting to eat your money’s worth.
Such a petty-minded way of thinking!
She couldn’t do this anymore. From now on, she was a rich person too—she had to have class.
Done. No more eating!
She stood up, but saw someone waving at her.
“Zhang Fan, you really are here!”
Ye Xueyan walked up with a smile: “I saw the school forum. Are you okay?”
“You… came all the way here, just to ask me that?”
This was a buffet restaurant—they charged you at the door!
“I was worried something might happen to you, so I came to check on you.” Ye Xueyan smiled. “Have you finished eating, or are you planning to have a bit more?”