Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Fruit Platter

In the end, Xu Yang left with 10 honeydews. However, Zhou Kun was unsure how he was going to market and sell them.

Due to the limited quantity of honeydew that Zhou Kun had brought back, including the fact that Xu Yang had repeatedly assured that there would be no problem with the sales, Zhou Kun did not send a message to notify the wholesalers in the chat group.

However, he was still going to make a trip to Huang Fang’s home to send a few new-variety honeydews for her to try. After all, he had relied on the wine that she had given him before to turn the situation around.

“Little Zhou, why are you here?” Huang Fang had received a call from the security guard who told her that someone was looking for her. She did not expect it to be Zhou Kun.

“Auntie Huang, I recently stocked up on a batch of honeydews that are of great quality but the quantity is limited. So, I don’t plan to set up a group purchase for them. I just thought of sending a couple for you to try.”

“Little Zhou, you’re being too polite. Hurry, come in and have a seat.”

Huang Fang was rather lonely because she was all alone at home. Zhou Kun was a great company for her since he could chat with her.

Somehow, they got to the topic of matchmaking, which she had mentioned previously. “Little Zhou, didn’t you mention before that you don’t have a girlfriend?”

She continued, “I’ve asked around for you. Auntie Gu, a resident in the estate, has a niece who’s almost the same age as you. She’s a white-collar worker, and she’s now looking for a partner. Auntie Gu thought you’d be a good match for her. Do you want to be set up with her?”

“She has a white-collar job while I’m just a wholesaler. I don’t think we’re suitable for each other.” Zhou Kun began to feel a headache after hearing her words. Hence, he immediately turned down Huang Fang’s good intentions. He knew that once there was a start to the matter, he would have endless blind dates if the first one didn’t work out.

“Kid, you’re just too backward in your mindset. In today’s society, it’d be enough if you can earn money. Previously, you managed to get so many grapes and dragon fruits. I can tell that you’re a capable person. I think things are going to work out between you and her.”

“Auntie Huang, I’m sure you know of my situation too. My father isn’t awake yet. Which girl would want to be with me, given my current predicament?”

“That’s a problem that I failed to consider.” Huang Fang showed great disappointment, apparently feeling sorry for her failure to set them up.

Due to the fact that he did not know if she would bring up similar topics again later, Zhou Kun had no choice but to leave Old Madam Huang’s place with a random excuse.

As for Xu Yang, he returned to the Xiang Banquet private restaurant where he worked, along with the 10 honeydews that he had purchased from Zhou Kun.

“Inform the rest that we will be promoting a 188-yuan fruit platter tonight,” said Xu Yang who was the manager of the restaurant and thus had the right to choose the main dish to be promoted each day. Even so, fruit platters had never been promoted before.

“However, the main dish prepared by the kitchen today is pan-fried mushrooms,” the young worker in the kitchen reminded.

“I know. Like I said, promote the fruit platter.”

Xu Yang brought the honeydew to the kitchen and was ready to get the chef to arrange the plating for the honeydew.

After six o’clock, all the customers of Xiang Banquet private restaurant arrived one after another. Xu Yang nervously watched the movement in the private rooms. To be honest, he was a little nervous since he did not know how the sale of the honeydews would go.

The customers in each private room ordered the fruit platter one after another. However, Xu Yang was not surprised at all, as the patrons of the Xiang Banquet private restaurant were all wealthy and of high status. In order to satisfy the need for novelty of the guests, the recommended dishes would change on a daily basis. Generally, the patrons would order the recommended dishes. Xu Yang wanted to see more orders for the fruit platter.

He had already informed every waiter to inform him whenever there was an order for the fruit platter, regardless of which private room it was from. Soon, the waiter in charge of serving in the ‘Tianmen Mountain’ private room said to Xu Yang, “Manager Xu, the guests from Tianmen Mountain private room would like to order the fruit platter.”

The patrons in the Tianmen Mountain private room were a few young heirs who were also regular customers of Xiang Banquet private restaurant.

There weren’t that many dining rules when young people dined. Generally, patrons would ask for the fruit platter to be served after the meal. However, the youngsters were not that particular. As soon as the fruit platter was mentioned, they asked for it to be served immediately.”

As soon as the 188-yuan fruit platter was served, the young heirs felt that the restaurant was fooling their customers. The fruit was placed on a huge pot but there were only nine pieces of fruit that were cut into cubes and were the width of a finger.

The orange flesh of the melon and its familiar aroma told everyone it was some kind of honeydew.

“Tsk, tsk, even a young girl would think that this petty amount of fruit is too meager, let alone men like us.”

“Duh, if every dish is delicious yet affordable, would this place still be Xiang Banquet private restaurant?”

He was right. The dishes of Xiang Banquet private restaurant were known to be delicious and expensive.

However, the tiny pieces of honeydew that were served as a 188-yuan fruit platter was truly not in tandem with the standards of Xiang Banquet private restaurant.

“Forget it, eat the fruit, eat the fruit!”

One of them took the initiative and poked a melon, after which the cube that was made of nine small cubes, fell apart.

“Damn it, what kind of melon is this? It’s so sweet!” The piece of honeydew that was the width of a finger actually gave off a rich and intense aroma of honeydew. The intense sweetness lingered in his mouth.

However, the taste was gone as soon as he savored it. Although the aroma of the honeydew was still there, it vanished as soon as he swallowed. It didn’t seem thrilling at all. Hence, the young man poked another piece and placed it in his mouth.

There were only nine pieces of honeydew on the plate—which were obviously not enough for sharing. As such, the sounds of an additional order being placed soon came from the Tianmen Mountain private room.

Clearly, it was not the case for just one private room. Eventually, there were multiple orders for the fruit platter that were placed one after another in various private rooms.

Xu Yang watched the orders increase and thought to himself that his method had indeed worked. However, he soon faced an issue.

“Manager, the patrons from Tianmen private room mentioned that they’d like to pay extra for a whole piece of honeydew instead of a few tiny pieces. They don’t want a fruit platter,” said the waiter who was in charge of serving in the Tianmen private room. He looked for Xu Yang while panicking.

“What did you tell them?”

“I said that the main dish today is the fruit platter and that we do not sell whole honeydews.”

Upon hearing his answer, Xu Yang knew that things were going awry. The patrons of the restaurant would never take no for an answer.

“Alright, you’re dismissed. I’ll go explain to the guests.”

As soon as he entered the private room, Xu Yang saw the few heirs who were waiting for him, and the wad of money on the table.

“Manager Xu, I heard that the honeydew you have here can’t be bought with money.”

“Not at all. Mr. Li, there’s nothing you guys can’t eat. However, our honeydews are a little…” Xu Yang deliberately looked like he was hesitating to speak.

“A little what? Expensive? Why? Are you scared that we won’t be able to afford them?”

“No no no! It’s just that… Well, I’m not afraid of being laughed at by you but these honeydews are a little too sweet. If you eat it whole, it might be overwhelming.”

“That’s interesting. Too sweet? Let us have an eyeopener and find out what kind of honeydews would be overwhelmingly sweet.”

When Xu Yang went to the private room, he had already instructed the workers in the kitchen to begin preparing. It happened that someone was knocking on the door. The honeydews had arrived.

The entire honeydew was sliced into twelve pieces, emitting a strong aroma of honeydew.

“I shall see whether this honeydew is that sweet,” said Young Master Li who began chewing on a piece of honeydew that he picked up.

His actions froze immediately.

“How is it?” The other members in the private room expressed their curiosity because his expression didn’t seem right.

“It’s overwhelming, it’s so damned overwhelming.”

“Can you still eat it then?”

“Yes, I can eat it whole!”