[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-from-wage-slave-to-tycoon":3,"chapter-from-wage-slave-to-tycoon-from-wage-slave-to-tycoon-chapter-19":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","From Wage Slave to Tycoon",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1886245,2508,"Chapter 19: 1 Meal Equals 1 Year of Hard Work","from-wage-slave-to-tycoon-chapter-19",19,"\u003Cp>\"Good evening, our two distinguished guests. Here are the top-grade two-head abalone and king crab you ordered. We have five ways of preparing them today!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The waiter presented a live, wriggling king crab and the top-grade two-head abalone—ten-year dried abalone, with each one weighing a full half-pound. Watching them, Su Chen nodded in satisfaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Looks good. Please have the kitchen speed things up a bit.\" After a long day, Su Chen just wanted to eat and go home to rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course, sir!\" With that, the waiter withdrew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But soon, there was another knock on the door. Just as Su Chen was feeling a little confused, a man who looked like a manager entered, leading several beautiful women in classical attire. They were holding instruments like the guzheng and pipa.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sir, this is the ’Night Banquet Dance’ that comes with our private room. Would you be interested?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Chen had heard of this before. Certain high-end restaurants on the Bund offered this kind of service. Enjoying fine dining and watching a dance performance while gazing at the Huangpu River’s night view was the start of a decadent night in Shanghai.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment of thought, Su Chen was about to refuse. He wasn’t used to this kind of atmosphere and just wanted a quiet meal. But beside him, Su Qingya heard there was a dance performance, and her big, sparkling eyes fixed on Su Chen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was as if she were saying, ’Big Bro~ don’t say no! I really, really want to watch!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the assault of Su Qingya’s pleading eyes, he reluctantly nodded. \"Alright.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Su Chen’s words, the women holding instruments gave a slight bow and found their places to sit and play.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A beautiful woman with an alluring figure stood in the center of the group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We invite our two distinguished guests to enjoy the Night Banquet Dance—’Moonlit Night on the Spring River’!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment the sounds of the pipa and guzheng began, Su Chen felt a gentle spring breeze wash over him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dancer, dressed in a cyan traditional robe, began to dance gracefully to the music.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her long, cyan sleeves flowed with the movement of her arms. Her dance was nimble and ethereal, evoking a sense of pure beauty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Chen found himself captivated. The classical folk music and dance blended together perfectly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the piece ended, Su Qingya clapped excitedly. \"That was incredible! So beautiful!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice pulled Su Chen back from his reverie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Excellent. Thank you all for your hard work.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Su Chen’s satisfied expression, the manager leading them also broke into a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The performers bowed to Su Chen in unison and left the private room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bro~ I’ve only ever seen scenes like this online. I can’t believe I’m getting to experience it in person. This is awesome!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A faint smile touched Su Chen’s lips. He was starting to understand why the ancients loved to hold banquets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let the music play on, let the dancing continue!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’The ancients really weren’t kidding!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe they didn’t have modern technology back then, but the ways they entertained themselves might have been even more thrilling than what we have today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After they finished enjoying the dance and music, twenty minutes had passed, and the waiter began to serve the appetizers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The seamless transition didn’t give Su Chen a moment of boredom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is our black truffle and crab meat congee, an appetizer to warm your stomach. It’s prepared with black truffle, crab meat, mushrooms, and chicken. Please, enjoy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He lifted the lid of the bowl, and a delicate fragrance wafted into his nostrils, instantly whetting his appetite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The portion wasn’t large, only about a third of the teacup. Su Chen scooped up a spoonful and ate it in one bite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as he took a bite, the rich flavor of black truffle spread through his mouth, slowly followed by the fresh umami of seafood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Delicious~\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Su Chen was still savoring the flavor, Su Qingya, who was next to him, had already finished hers completely, not forgetting to lick her lips to enjoy the aftertaste.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that Su Chen still had more than half left, she reached out a mischievous hand without a second thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>SLAP!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ouch!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Chen slapped Su Qingya’s hand away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Qingya pouted and huffed, \"I just wanted one bite. Why are you being so mean?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmph. And whose fault is that? It’s not my fault someone is like Pigsy eating a Ginseng Fruit—you wolfed it down without even tasting it!\" Su Chen shot her a glance and said with a faint smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"AHHHHH~ *You’re* Pigsy! Have you ever seen a Pigsy as good-looking as your sister?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Even a good-looking Pigsy is still Pigsy~ hahaha!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their playful squabbling stunned the waiter standing nearby. If not for his professionalism, he probably would have burst out laughing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the appetizer, the main courses began to arrive. First was the ten-year, two-head soft-center abalone—a truly top-tier delicacy—followed by a steamed king crab platter and an Australian lobster set.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the delicacies on the table, not only was Su Qingya practically drooling, but even Su Chen was having a hard time containing himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, the waiter nearby quickly cut the abalone in half, placed it on their plates, drizzled it with sauce, and served it to them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Su Chen had never eaten something this high-class, he had seen it online, so he picked up his knife and fork and started eating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Qingya glanced at Su Chen and copied his movements, looking quite the part.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She cut off a large piece of abalone, dipped it in the sauce, and stuffed it directly into her mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thick, slightly oily abalone meat was incredibly satisfying to chew, especially with the sauce...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was just too delicious!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both Su Chen and Su Qingya kept their heads down, eating heartily. Who had time to comment on the flavor?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two-head abalone didn’t look very big, but since it was dried abalone that had been rehydrated and cooked, after finishing one... Su Qingya leaned straight back against her chair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bro~ that one soft-center abalone made me half-full. I’m going to gain several pounds from this meal~\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The expression on Su Qingya’s face was quite amusing: a mix of satisfaction, a hint of worry, and a lingering desire for more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’re pretty skilled at turning things around on me. Now you’re blaming me for you gaining weight!\" Su Chen teased with a laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hehe~ No way, Big Bro is the best!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Joking was one thing, but you couldn’t joke around when it came to good food.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she spoke, Su Qingya was already reaching for the king crab.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A crab leg appeared in her hand. Her eyes shone as she gazed at the thick meat inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The meal lasted for about an hour before they finally, reluctantly, finished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although both of them were stuffed to the brim, there was still a lot of crab meat and Australian lobster left on the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Chen wasn’t afraid of being judged. With a calm expression, he called the waiter over and asked him to pack up all the leftovers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once everything was nearly packed, Su Chen led Su Qingya straight to the front desk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hello, sir. Your total tonight is 78,000, which includes a ten percent service charge. Here is the bill, please take a look.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Chen took the bill and glanced at it. The food came to a little over 70,000, so with the service charge, the price was about right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He then took out his bank card and paid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, the waiter brought over the packed food containers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sir, here are your packed items. Would you like to check them?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No need. Thank you.\" Su Chen still had faith in the basic integrity of the staff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After leaving the restaurant, Su Qingya, carrying the containers, said in a somewhat subdued voice, \"Bro~ this one meal cost more than what Dad saves in a whole year.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was true. A single meal. The amount of money an ordinary family would have to struggle for a year to save.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This reality... Su Qingya found it a bit hard to accept at the moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just like Su Chen at the very beginning, the sudden wealth had created a huge emotional disconnect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Chen reached out, patted Su Qingya’s head, and smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s okay. Our lives will only get better and better from now on!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Come on, Big Bro has another surprise for you!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Another surprise? What other surprise could there be? Ah~ Wait for me! Why are these containers so heavy!\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1435,"2026-06-10T06:54:56.831Z",1,"novelbin.me","d4d54227cc0c0fa8ebeb0be95449feec8a797be6c21e477a2f284c98e3ae30ab","from-wage-slave-to-tycoon-chapter-20","from-wage-slave-to-tycoon-chapter-18",47,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Ffrom-wage-slave-to-tycoon-cover.jpg"]