Chapter 109: Chapter 106 Japanese Cuisine
Until she drove the car out of the dealership, Huo Sining could still see the woman’s grimacing face from earlier.
Especially when she found out that Su Jinyuan actually knew the owner of the 4S shop, the woman was even more annoyed, and her look towards Huo Sining was sheer envy and jealousy.
Probably in her heart, she never imagined that those two who seemed like posers to her could really afford luxury cars.
“Boss Bai, where are we going to eat?”
Huo Sining carefully asked while driving, as it was her first time driving without an instructor, so she didn’t dare to drive too fast and was also somewhat apprehensive.
Bai Guoming knew she was a novice just by looking at her, so he didn’t dare to take Huo Sining too far and smiled, “There’s an Oriental Cuisine Restaurant up ahead. The food there is quite light. What does Miss Huo think?”
“Sure,” Huo Sining agreed without a second thought.
She wasn’t picky about food; she hadn’t been in her past life either, and no matter what she ate, she never gained weight, so she thought Bai Guoming’s suggestion was quite good.
The Oriental Cuisine Restaurant, she hadn’t tried it before, but she had heard a lot about Dongyang sushi and was quite keen to give it a try.
Su Jinyuan, of course, had no objections. He just followed Huo Sining’s car, and soon they arrived at the Oriental Cuisine Restaurant Bai Guoming had mentioned.
This restaurant was said to be a kaiseki dining experience available only to Dongyang’s officials and nobles, a high-end establishment. Although Huo Sining and her companions arrived quite early, there were already quite a few people dining there.
Kaiseki cuisine originally began in the temples of Kyoto, Dongyang, and was named after a group of monks who had an epiphany during their ascetic practices.
Huo Sining herself didn’t have any special feelings for Dongyang cuisine, but the service at the Oriental Restaurant was indeed impressive. Upon entering, they were first guided to wash their hands and have a footbath, then walked barefoot on the wooden floors, led to a private room by a gracefully serving maid dressed in a kimono.
Mr. Bai waved his hand to dismiss the kimono-clad maid, and the door was quickly pushed shut. The bubbling water sounds inside the private room, paired with faint piped music and a subtle sandalwood scent, did make for a very artistic atmosphere.
“This place is simple and elegant. Many customers come here just for the environment. But for me, it’s not about that; it’s just that I’ve been having some stomach issues lately. Eating greasy Chinese food makes me feel uncomfortable, and although Japanese cuisine isn’t anything special, it wins for being light.”
Huo Sining looked intrigued. Su Jinyuan, although expressionless, seemed quite satisfied with the dining spot, and a hint of a smile flickered across Bai Guoming’s eyes, knowing that the two were pleased.
They say Dongyang cuisine never fills you up, but Bai Guoming was anything but stingy when ordering. From caviar shrimp to foie gras with Wagyu beef, fish soup with oysters to salmon sashimi, complemented by various types and flavors of fine wines and tea bites, Huo Sining knew even before eating that the table full of dishes was definitely not cheap.
However, since Su Jinyuan didn’t say anything, Huo Sining just pretended not to know, and started eating as soon as the maid presented the dishes.
Huaxia people like to discuss important matters over the dinner table, first because eating and drinking can make the parties involved feel closer, and second because after a few drinks, people’s minds tend to get muddled, slowing down their thought processes by a beat, making it much easier to negotiate matters after some alcohol.
However, Bai Guoming clearly miscalculated, as Su Jinyuan, although he didn’t usually drink, wasn’t afraid to when he needed to.
After Bai Guoming toasted Su Jinyuan several times, the latter didn’t hesitate and downed the drinks in one gulp. Three drinks in and not a hint of color changed in his face, which only made it harder for Bai Guoming.
Bai Guoming’s stomach was already uncomfortable, and after those few drinks, he could only hurriedly stuff food into his mouth, trying to suppress the rising feeling of intoxication.
This made him behave, realizing this tactic was useless on Su Jinyuan, so he got straight to the point, “Little brother, I can only turn to you for help with this matter. It’s not that I want to intrude into your circle intentionally, it’s just that my good-for-nothing sister…”
Su Jinyuan took a sip of his drink indifferently, “Your sister?”
“Yes, my sister just came back from Paris, studied some jewelry design, and doesn’t understand anything now that she’s back in the country. She’s set on opening her own studio to design jewelry. As you know, I’ve got a family to take care of now, so where am I to find so much money for her squandering? Even if I had it, my wife wouldn’t agree.”
Seeing that Su Jinyuan didn’t respond, Bai Guoming continued, “My sister’s very determined, and my wife simply says no. I’m caught between my wife and my sister, like a sandwich cookie. What can I do? So I’d consulted with my sister and agreed to give her ten million as startup capital. Whether she opens a studio or something else, how she spends that ten million is not my concern. She’ll have to figure out the rest by herself.”
Su Jinyuan nodded, “So, the issue is resolved then. It doesn’t seem to have anything to do with me, does it?”
Bai Guoming’s face stiffened, and he became anxious, “No, I haven’t finished explaining. My sister heard that jadeite jewelry is profitable, and God knows what got into her, she wants to take that ten million to Pingzhou to participate in the jadeite raw stone auctions. An amateur like her gambling on jade, that ten million will be gone without a trace. Isn’t this a joke?”
Su Jinyuan nodded, “Ten million, if really used to buy raw materials, isn’t enough. It’s not that there won’t be a sound, the waters in this industry are deep. Ten million thrown in won’t even make a splash.”
“Right?” Bai Guoming grimaced. He had been thinking about finding some connections in a few days, but now Su Jinyuan, the expert, had come to him. Since that was the case, he had to pluck up the courage to ask.
“Mr. Su, I don’t have any other requests, just whether you could let my sister join you in attending the Pingzhou jadeite raw stone auctions. If she causes any trouble, you could help her with a tip or two. I’ve already discussed it with my sister in advance. If she makes a loss, she won’t blame anyone. If there is a profit, we’ll split it fifty-fifty. What do you think?”
Bai Guoming also knew his request was somewhat excessive. The Su family wasn’t short of money. If they knew which raw materials could win them a gamble, why would they need his investment to share half the profits with him? So, seeing that Su Jinyuan remained silent and not speaking, Bai Guoming didn’t feel it was right to keep bringing it up.
Huo Sining wasn’t interested in the topic of the two men. She didn’t understand anything about jade or jewelry, so she didn’t grasp what they were saying, but she was interested in the fish! Seeing a dish of caviar served, she couldn’t wait to start eating, and while eating, she couldn’t help but remark, “This restaurant’s cuisine is really good, the ingredients are both fresh and good-looking, and the taste is genuinely good.”