620: He has health insurance!
620: He has health insurance!
Those who could afford to dine at the Epang Palace were no ordinary patrons.
Simply put, they were worldly figures, who, even upon hearing a dispute, would not crowd around like ordinary people.
Nevertheless, they couldn’t help but cast curious glances toward the commotion.
A bowl of shaved ice would only cost a bit over a hundred bucks, not quite two hundred.
In comparison to the five-figure bills commonly seen at the Epang Palace, it was barely worth mentioning.
At least for the patrons currently seated in the restaurant, it was a trifling sum, with no one willing to haggle over such a small amount and lose face in the process.
Moreover,
Even without knowing who was the behind-the-scenes owner of the Epang Palace, any fool in Capital City could deduce that the backing for such a venue was extraordinary.
Faced with the possibility of being overcharged for a bowl of ice, one needed to consider whether it was worth offending an elusive figure over such a petty amount of money, rather than insisting on their rights.
Taking various factors into account, most would choose to turn a deaf ear and smile away the incident, but tonight, there was an exception.
“Sir, we are very sorry, but we can waive the charge for that bowl of ice,” offered the on-duty manager who had arrived upon hearing the news.
His attitude was commendable, showing no sign of dispute.
He immediately proposed waiving the charge for the shaved ice, but the customer was relentless.
Or perhaps it could be said,
He was very principled.
“What do you mean by waiving the charge?
It’s as if I’m taking advantage of you.
I don’t care how much you charge if I’ve eaten it, but if I haven’t and you overcharge me even a penny, that’s extortion,” the customer stated emphatically, mumbling that he would call the Market Supervision Bureau.
Inside the Epang Palace, the festivities continued as usual.
The entertainers, dressed as fairies, remained committed to their performance, demonstrating remarkable professionalism.
The patrons also exhibited exemplary composure, not buzzing about the incident.
At most, they exchanged a few words in low voices amongst themselves.
“Sir, we certainly would not overcharge for any dish.
Is it possible that you remembered incorrectly?” the manager said graciously, with an impeccable attitude, unlike some places that grow arrogant with a bit of stature, forgetting their place and treating customers with blatant disregard.
This was the right mindset for conducting business.
The customer is king.
No matter how far one has come, one must never forget their initial purpose.
As an observer, at least up until this point, Jiang Chen felt that the Epang Palace would not bully its clients by overcharging.
Although such incidents are indeed nothing new in the food service industry and have even become an unwritten rule—like what the man had just mentioned, a little extra charge per table can indeed accumulate to a significant amount of revenue—
These shady practices are typically found in small, unsophisticated establishments, like barbecue stalls around a school.
Any place with a modicum of ambition would not stoop to such tactics, let alone the Epang Palace, worth over ten billion for just one location.
Looking for trouble on purpose?
Jiang Chen scrutinized the customer.
With a crew cut, rugged features, and a distinctly masculine set of facial lines, he bore a slight resemblance to a popular actor known for playing tough roles.
However, unlike the fair-skinned actor, this man’s skin was bronzed as if weathered by wind and sun, suggesting he was probably not much older than Jiang Chen himself.
Causing trouble at the Epang Palace.
If he wasn’t a fool, then it could only mean—
Trouble was brewing.
“Sir, how about this?
We can offer you an 80% discount on your bill for tonight,” proposed the manager after checking the bill handed over by a waiter, hoping to appease the situation.
“How many times do I have to say it, it’s not about the money.
Either the Epang Palace offers me an apology, or let the Market Supervision Bureau handle this,” the man replied, showing no signs of backing down, much to the dismay of the establishment.
His demand wasn’t unreasonable, but it was one the Epang Palace certainly could not fulfill.
Apologizing might sound simple, but the consequences were immeasurable.
In any business, integrity is of utmost importance, even more so in the food service industry.
An apology could be given with a single sentence, yet doing so would amount to an admission of overcharging, which could tarnish the reputation of the Epang Palace beyond monetary repair.
Glancing at the unmoved Goddess of Mercy beside him, Jiang Chen cleared his throat, took a few steps forward, and made a striking entrance.
“For such a trivial matter, I don’t think we need to waste public resources.
It’s also getting late, and public servants have been busy all day; there’s no need for them to make an extra trip.
Whether it’s one bowl of ice or two can be easily confirmed by reviewing the surveillance footage,” he said.
As the future owner of the Epang Palace, Jiang Chen felt it was his responsibility.
Soon,
Many eyes began to focus on him.
“Go check the surveillance,” Jiang Chen prompted the manager with a smile.
The manager hesitated, clearly uncertain, and apparently confused about who this new player might be.
“Yuan Bingshan, you’re in for some trouble now,” a girl with a round face, who had been enjoying the drama while sitting on a stool at the side, said with giggles, revealing her cute fangs.
“Shut your mouth,” snapped the man who had been accusing the Epang Palace of extortion.
“Check the surveillance,” the man commanded severely, his gaze fixed on Jiang Chen as the manager truly began to issue instructions to the waiters.
“Friend, what does this matter have to do with you?” he asked.
Once the surveillance was reviewed, the truth would be clear.
“Sir, aren’t you looking for the owner?
I am the owner of this establishment,” Jiang Chen declared.
The man called Yuan Bingshan was taken aback.
At his words, the round-faced girl also looked curiously at Jiang Chen.
The meddler stood composed, since he and Lan Peizhi had already reached a verbal agreement, so starting his role ahead of schedule wasn’t particularly inappropriate.