125: Chapter 125 Seigo

The first dish to arrive at the table was a cold appetizer, served in an exceptionally unique vessel.

It was a long celadon platter shaped like a fishing boat; at the bow, evenly sliced geoduck was neatly arranged, its texture clear and bright.

At the stern lay plump, live Canadian spot prawns, their translucent and tender pink flesh a testament to being fresh stock just arrived via deep-sea cold chain.

The center of the platter was covered with a layer of finely crushed, crystal-clear ice, upon which two cleaned Australian lobsters lay on their sides.

The lobster bodies were split open to reveal firm, snow-white, and springy meat, flanked by four small side dishes: sturgeon caviar, smoked salmon, fatty tuna belly, and sea urchin tofu—every single one a top-tier delicacy.

Zhao Yiming stared at the platter full of delicacies, his eyes bulging so much they nearly tumbled into the crushed ice before him.

In the past, he had installed outdoor air conditioning units on construction sites, risking his life hanging outside thirty-story buildings for only four hundred yuan a day after enduring wind and sun, scrimping and saving every penny.

When he had passed by high-end seafood restaurants before, he’d seen Australian lobsters in the tanks with price tags marked at twelve hundred yuan per catty.

After standing in front of the window for just five minutes, he had been impatiently chased away by security; back then, he knew that such things were luxuries he would never dare to dream of in this lifetime.

But now, this expensive seafood that he hadn't even dared to touch was sitting steadily right in front of him—and there were two of them.

Immediately following, dishes were served one after another, all of them the restaurant's signature specialties; there was no unnecessary extravagance, yet every dish was substantial.

The second dish was Fish Maw Chicken; aged fish maw and free-range chicken had been simmered over a low flame until the soup was golden and thick, with the fish maw floating on the surface, quivering and rich with collagen.

The third dish was Leopard Coral Grouper steamed in the traditional style; the 1.6-kilogram fish was steamed to perfection, the meat flaking like garlic cloves, fresh, tender, and without a hint of fishiness.

Following that, Australian scallops baked with black truffles, braised sea cucumber with scallions, goose webs in abalone sauce, lion's head meatballs with crab roe, fish maw stewed with matsutake mushrooms, dry-braised large yellow croaker, and Boston lobster baked in superior broth were placed on the table in sequence, filling the entire round table to capacity.

Every time a dish was served, the private room would fall silent for a few seconds.

The six people present were all individuals who had endured hardships and performed heavy labor; they had never seen such a display, and looking at the table full of expensive food, they gripped their chopsticks, not daring to make a move easily.

This private room was a converted old Western-style house, decorated with low-key elegance and no gaudy ornaments; the servers waited outside the door, available at a moment's notice, making the atmosphere quiet and comfortable.

Jiang Chen looked calm as he picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of the grouper, tasted it, and then said with a smile, "The taste is alright. Don't be stiff, everyone, start eating."

His tone was natural, without the slightest hint of condescension; as he spoke, he ladled a bowl of the fish maw chicken soup, sipping it slowly, and gestured to everyone, "Eat while it's hot. It's just home-cooked food, no need to be polite."

Seeing how easygoing he was and how he actively invited them to eat, the group's tense expressions relaxed slightly.

Only then did they cautiously pick up their chopsticks and begin to slowly savor the dishes before them.

Zhao Yiming gripped his chopsticks, his palms still sweating a little; he tentatively took a small piece of spot prawn, and as the fresh sweetness hit his palate, he ate with a mix of awkwardness and gratitude.

He Hai watched Jiang Chen's easygoing manner, his heart filled with warmth; he raised his teacup slightly toward him without saying a word, but his gaze was full of respect.

Noticing this, Jiang Chen also raised his teacup and gave a gentle toast from across the table.

He took a sip with a smile, then lowered his head to eat unhurriedly, occasionally reaching for a dish further away, completely acting as one of them without any sense of distance.

The atmosphere in the private room gradually softened until only the slight clinking of bowls and chopsticks remained, no longer feeling stiff or oppressive as before.

After eating a few bites, Zhao Yiming put down his chopsticks and scratched the back of his head, speaking with simple honesty and sincerity.

"Mr. Jiang, I'm a man of few words and don't know how to give pretty speeches, but I will remember this meal for the rest of my life. If you have any orders in the future, I won't hesitate for a second."

Jiang Chen set down his chopsticks and dabbed the corners of his mouth with a napkin, his tone calm. "There's no need to be so formal. We'll be working together from now on; it's only right that we share a meal."

He looked up at the wall clock—it was exactly 1:45 PM—then turned to Lu Zheng beside him and said naturally, "I have something to handle at two o'clock. Let's get ready to go."

Lu Zheng nodded, put down his chopsticks, and wiped his hands. "Alright."

As Jiang Chen stood up, the six people present stood up as if by reflex, their chairs making a light scraping sound.

Jiang Chen quickly waved his hand, his tone friendly. "You guys keep eating, don't worry about me. Take your time, and if you want anything else, just ask the kitchen to add more. Don't let anything go to waste."

Reaching the door of the private room, he stopped and looked back with a sincere smile. "In the future, we'll gather here once a month. Just get along well and do your work well, and that will be enough."

After saying that, he gently closed the door and walked out.

The private room was silent for a few seconds before Zhao Yiming plopped back into his chair and covered his face with his hands, his voice muffled by his fingers but filled with excitement and warmth. "Damn, Mr. Jiang... he's really something else."

He Hai picked up his chopsticks again, put a piece of crab meat into his mouth, and as he chewed, his eyes turned red.

Tears rolled down his cheeks, but he didn't wipe them away, swallowing them along with the sweet freshness of the food, his heart filled with the warmth of being valued.

Sun Yi took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose; when he put them back on, his gaze was firm. He picked up his chopsticks and said only one word: "Eat."

Zhang Heng picked up his rice bowl, took a large bite, and placed a piece of sea cucumber on top. As he chewed slowly, he made up his mind to work hard and not let this sincerity go to waste.

In the hallway, Jiang Chen walked ahead with Lu Zheng at his side, their leather shoes making a steady sound on the solid wood floor.

Passing the front desk, Jiang Chen settled the bill and deposited some extra money onto his membership card.

Lu Zheng followed beside him and said softly, "Mr. Jiang, these six people are all reliable. I went through many files to select them; not one of them is the type to complain or play tricks."

He continued to list their merits: "He Hai had his wages withheld, but after winning the lawsuit, the first thing he did was pay back his comrades. Zhao Yiming broke three ribs, and as soon as he recovered, he went right back out to work."

"Zhang Heng carried shipping containers until the calluses on his shoulders were thick. Liu Wei ran a breakfast stall, and even when it went out of business, he cleaned the front of the shop before leaving. They are all people who can endure hardship and know how to be grateful."

Jiang Chen listened as he walked and gave a soft hum of agreement. "I know. They are all honest people; just treat them well from now on."

Lu Zheng paused for a moment and said with emotion, "They just lacked an opportunity."

Jiang Chen pushed open the door of the house, the afternoon sunlight spilling over him. His expression was gentle. "We'll build a platform for them. As for the rest, they'll have to walk the path themselves."

He looked back toward the private room and instructed Lu Zheng, "Go back and tell them to take the afternoon off to rest. I've given them the keys to the apartment; they should go back, settle in, and just gather at 7:00 AM tomorrow morning."

Lu Zheng nodded and turned back; Jiang Chen stood at the entrance for a moment until Lu Zheng quickly walked back out.

"Everything's been communicated. Zhao Yiming asked what we'd be doing next, but I didn't go into detail."

Jiang Chen pulled open the car door and said calmly, "No rush. First, let's go to No. 17 Wutong Lane in the Old City District in the south of the city."

Lu Zheng started the car, and the understated luxury vehicle merged smoothly into the traffic. Jiang Chen sat in the back, rolled down the window, and let the wind blow through his hair, his expression peaceful.

He took out his phone and browsed the transaction records for old houses near Wutong Lane.

For similar houses over the past six months, the highest price was 2.07 million, the lowest was 1.83 million, and the average was around 2 million.

Jiang Chen placed the phone face down on his lap and calculated silently.

He wasn't short on money, but he valued practicality. He would still need to negotiate properly with Uncle Liu regarding the house price; there was no need for wastefulness.

The car passed through a tree-lined road and entered Wutong Lane, where the bluestone path was narrow and quiet.

Small buildings from the Republican era on both sides were covered in ivy. Number 17 was in the middle of the lane, featuring a green brick and wooden gate with the words 'Qi Wu' carved on the lintel, simple and elegant.

An old Volkswagen was parked at the entrance, polished clean. Lu Zheng parked the car to the side, and the two of them got out, walking slowly toward the courtyard gate of No. 17.