Chapter 92: Open a Bottle of Romanée-Conti

Jin Xun Technology, a tech company in Jiangcheng specializing in enterprise software.

He had joined Jin Xun right after graduation and worked there for over two years, dedicating himself with overtime and delivering several key projects.

And the result?

Once the projects were completed, Su Qiang claimed all the credit.

During the year-end evaluation, Su Qiang even went to the leaders to slander him, accusing him of lacking team spirit and disobeying management.

In the end, when the company streamlined its staff, he was the first to be laid off.

And now, that very supervisor who had stolen his credit and slandered him...

... was sitting at the table next to him, wearing a meaningful smile.

"Oh my, what a coincidence!"

Su Qiang stood up, holding his wine cup, and strolled over leisurely.

"I thought you looked familiar from behind! It really is our Qin Ze!"

He walked up to Qin Ze's table, sized him up and down, then glanced at the dishes on the table, the smile in his eyes deepening.

"Not bad, Qin Ze; you've been doing quite well for yourself since leaving Jin Xun, haven't you?"

Qin Ze looked at him but said nothing.

Seeing no reaction from him, Su Qiang turned his gaze toward Su Qingqing, Jiang Xin, and Xiao Na.

His eyes swept across the three women's faces, and suddenly lit up.

"Oh my, and who might these three beauties be..."

Qin Ze finally spoke:

"My people."

"Your people?" Su Qiang laughed even harder.

"Well, well, you've got quite the entourage now!"

He turned around and called out to the people at his own table.

"Everyone, let me introduce you; this is a former subordinate of mine from Jin Xun! Qin Ze! A particularly capable young man!"

Five or six people sat at that table, dressed in suits and leather shoes, their demeanor marking them as company executives.

Among them, two were familiar to Qin Ze, being mid-level managers at Jin Xun Technology.

The gazes those few cast upon Qin Ze carried a hint of scrutiny.

A middle-aged man wearing gold-rimmed glasses chuckled.

"Supervisor Su, is this the resigned employee you mentioned?"

"Yes, yes, exactly!" Su Qiang hurriedly replied.

"The very Xiao Qin I mentioned to you before; the one quite skilled at handling projects."

As he spoke, he turned back, looking at Qin Ze with a beaming smile.

"But Xiao Qin, since you resigned, I take it you haven't found a new job yet?"

"Tsk, coming here to dine today, ordering so many dishes, and bringing along so many beauties..."

He shook his head and sighed.

"Ze Ze, it's not me, your old supervisor, criticizing you, but young people should be down-to-earth and practical."

"You've only been away from Jin Xun for such a short time, yet you're already putting on this act?"

"What's the point of slapping your own face just to look fat?"

His voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for the surrounding tables to hear.

Guests at the nearby tables had already begun looking over.

Su Qingqing's expression changed, and just as she was about to stand up, Qin Ze pressed her hand under the table.

Su Qingqing glanced at him and held back.

Seeing Qin Ze remain silent, Su Qiang assumed he was intimidated and grew even more arrogant.

"Qin Ze, you are my former subordinate; as your old supervisor, I must still look out for you today."

"Even though you are no longer part of Jin Xun!"

He said with a laugh, acting very magnanimous.

"I'll pay for this meal of yours!"

As he spoke, he deliberately glanced at Su Qingqing and Xiao Na.

"Consider it me helping you save face!"

The Jin Xun executives at that table all burst into laughter.

The Deputy General Manager with the gold-rimmed glasses picked up his teacup, took a sip, looked in Qin Ze's direction, and shook his head.

"Young people these days are just not down-to-earth."

"Just as Xiao Su said, he was doing perfectly well at Jin Xun, yet insisted on leaving."

"It's like the few I interviewed and hired before; coming from ordinary families, they struggled to get into good schools, joined our Jin Xun, and were given such a great platform by the company, yet they didn't know how to cherish it."

Another middle-aged man nearby chimed in agreement.

"Exactly. Young people these days are impetuous and restless; they can't endure any hardship and only know how to seek pleasure."

"Just look at him, ordering a whole table full of dishes, plus those... isn't this just wasting money?"

The words of these few were laced with barbs, openly and subtly targeting Qin Ze.

Su Qiang, even more energized, seeing Qin Ze remain silent throughout, began speaking with sarcasm again.

"Qin Ze, you haven't forgotten me, have you? You've only been away from the company for a short while!"

"I'm saying I'll pay your bill; today, this meal is on me!"

Qin Ze had not spoken a word.

He waited until Su Qiang finished speaking before slowly setting down his chopsticks.

"Supervisor Su, you said you're treating for this meal?"

Su Qiang lifted his chin:

"That's right! You're my former subordinate; I still have that much regard for you!"

"For the little bit you've eaten, a few thousand yuan, ten thousand at most, I, Su Qiang, can certainly afford it!"

A trace of a smile curved the corner of Qin Ze's mouth.

"Then I'll let you spend the money today."

As he spoke, he turned to look at the waiter beside him.

"Waiter."

A waiter in uniform hurried over.

"Sir, what do you need?"

"Bring the menu; I want to order more."

Su Qiang's face changed slightly.

But with so many people watching, he could not say anything.

Qin Ze took the menu, flipped through it, and immediately began ordering from the most expensive items.

"This one, the most expensive bottle in your restaurant!"

"Romanée-Conti La Tâche Grand Cru, correct? Open a bottle!"

The waiter paused for a moment, then immediately offered a reminder:

"Sir, the price of this bottle... is fifty-two thousand."

"I know," Qin Ze said. "Order it."

Su Qiang's face changed instantly.

"Wait!"

He hastily stopped the waiter and turned to look at Qin Ze.

"Qin Ze, what do you mean? A fifty-two-thousand bottle of wine, and you just order it?"

Qin Ze looked at him, his expression very calm.

"Didn't you, Supervisor Su, say you were treating? Is it too much for me to order a bottle of wine?"

Su Qiang's face flushed red.

"You..."

Qin Ze ignored him and continued looking at the waiter.

"Another serving of Sake Jelly with Half Abalone."

The waiter opened his mouth:

"Sir, this dish... costs ten thousand yuan per serving; few people order it. Are you sure you want to order one?"

"Mm, do it."

"Wait!" Su Qiang suddenly stood up. "Qin Ze! Have you gone mad?!"

He pointed at Qin Ze, his hand trembling.

"I'm paying, and this is what you order? Over fifty thousand for wine, ten thousand for a dish; do you take me for a fool?"

Qin Ze leaned back in his chair, looking at him.

"What's wrong, Supervisor Su? Didn't you say you were treating?"

"Weren't you very generous when you said those words?"

"Now you feel the pinch?"

Su Qiang was so choked up he could not speak.

The expressions of the Jin Xun senior executives at that table also changed.

The Deputy General Manager wearing gold-rimmed glasses frowned, his gaze upon Qin Ze filled with displeasure.

"Young man, what is the meaning of this? Supervisor Su acted out of kindness; why must you be like this?"

"Exactly, young man, do not be so aggressive when doing things!"

Qin Ze did not even look at him.

"This is between me and Supervisor Su."

The Deputy General Manager was choked up by these words, his face turning even uglier.