Chapter 492: East of the Jade Tower

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

Zhou Chao reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue notebook, handing it to the security guard.

“Could you please check if we can visit?”

The security guard took the notebook from Zhou Chao’s hand, hesitated for a moment, and then opened it. His expression changed drastically.

“Please wait a moment; i’ll report this upstairs.”

He turned and entered the guard booth. Zhou Chao could see through the glass window that the security guard was talking on the phone and occasionally glancing at the documents Zhou Chao had given him.

“Boss, isn’t this a bit inappropriate?”

“Do you also think it’s inappropriate now? Who was encouraging me just now? Now you realize it’s not quite right, huh?” Zhou Chao couldn’t help but wonder if Lin Wu was indirectly accusing him of abusing his authority.

“Ahem, I didn’t mean it that way. I also wanted to go inside and take a look. After all, it’s a place I once dreamed of.” Lin Wu’s eyes showed a hint of longing as he looked towards the National University of Defense Technology.

Zhou Chao gave Lin Wu a disapproving look. In fact, he also wanted to go inside and see, but he couldn’t admit it. After all, he had to save face.

In internet terms, people who graduate from other universities may not necessarily be true Huaxia people, but those who graduate from here are definitely iron-willed Huaxia people.

The security guard didn’t make them wait long. He came back with Zhou Chao’s documents.

“Hello, please register, and you can go in. If you need a guide, you can let us know. We have professional staff to accompany you.”

“No need for a guide; well just have a simple visit.”

“Alright, but please don’t take photos, and do not enter certain restricted areas without permission.”

Zhou Chao and Lin Wu nodded in agreement. After registering with the security guard, the two walked through the gate and entered the university campus.

As they walked along the path, they saw many young men in camouflage uniforms.

“So, do you feel like you’re back in the military?”

“Well, how could that be possible? After all, we didn’t have such good conditions back then.” Lin Wu had been a soldier for over a decade, and he had experienced a lot. He couldn’t help but smile at the young soldiers they passed by.

“That’s true!” Zhou Chao also knew about Lin Wu’s previous deployment, and the conditions were indeed quite harsh, but it had also toughened him up.

Zhou Chao and Lin Wu took a stroll around the National University of Defense Technology, satisfying their curiosity, and then returned to their hotel.

By the time they returned, Jiang Li had already woken up and was sitting on the sofa, snacking on some snacks she had somehow acquired.

“Why are you eating snacks again? If you were hungry, you should have called me!”

“I suddenly had a craving for them, so I ordered some online and only had a tiny bit.” Jiang Li demonstrated with her fingers, showing the minuscule gap between them.

Seeing Jiang Li like this, Zhou Chao rubbed her head and said, “If you want to eat, go ahead. But later, when we go out to eat, if you can’t finish your meal, don’t blame me.”

“In that case, I won’t eat them. I’ll wait to have a big meal later. I want to eat hot pot, extra spicy!” Jiang Li put down the snacks and declared firmly.

Zhou Chao chuckled and touched her belly, saying, “As the saying goes, you will give birth to a son if you crave sour food during pregnancy, whereas if you crave spicy food, you’re carrying a daughter. It looks like we have a little girl inside Ah Li’s belly!”

“You’re thinking too much.” Jiang Li swatted away Zhou Chao’s hand, then got up and headed towards the bedroom to change her clothes, preparing for a meal since it was already approaching noon.

In no time, Jiang Li came out wearing loose-fitting clothes.

“Let’s go, time to enjoy some delicious food!”

Just as Zhou Chao was about to get up, his phone rang.

“Helio, Ling Chen, is something the matter?”

“Boss, I’ve completed the tasks you assigned earlier. We’ve acquired over 60% of the shares, spending nearly 7.6 billion, with a 20% premium.”

“Alright, I got it. Well done. When I go to Hang City, make sure to send the equity agreement over.”

“Yes, boss. Also, regarding that small livestreamer from before, we’ve already banned him. There were over 50 female participants in his livestream, which should be enough to make him rethink his choices.”

“Okay, and what about the foundation?”

“The foundation is on track and is about to complete the formalities. I made some inquiries, and it should be finalized within the next couple of days. I plan to set up the foundation’s office at our headquarters, and it’s expected to be officially established next month.”

“Let’s speed up the process, and the headquarters should do the same. Time is valuable, and every day we wait, the children who are eager to learn are losing precious time.”

“Understood, boss!”

“Alright, I’ll hang up for now. Call me if there’s anything else.” Zhou Chao ended the call.

Jiang Li approached, linking her arm with Zhou Chao’s and asked, “Did you establish another foundation?”

“Yes, I used the profits we made with Si Cong and the others. They each took 2 billion, and I contributed the rest to make it a total of 10 billion. It’s almost finalized now. It’s just a pity you’re not the ambassador.” Originally, Zhou Chao’s plan was to groom Jiang Li as his charity ambassador, but plans had to adapt to circumstances.

“Who is the ambassador?” Jiang Li was curious since the ambassador’s identity needed to be spotless and influential.

Zhou Chao smirked and whispered, “The ambassador is Brother Hu.”

“Brother Hu? How do you know Brother Hu?”

“Why? With your husband’s influence, I can roam freely in the entertainment industry.” Zhou Chao looked rather pleased with himself.

“You’re showing off.”

Their playful banter, in Lin Wu’s eyes, was an endless supply of dog food. Standing behind them, Lin Wu rolled his eyes, thinking about Li Qian, who was far away in Modu.

“Lin Wu, are you daydreaming? The elevator’s here; get in.”

Regaining his senses, Lin Wu realized that Zhou Chao and Jiang Li had already entered the elevator and were looking at him with puzzled expressions.

“Sorry, boss. I got lost in thought for a moment.” Lin Wu hurriedly entered the elevator.

Once they left the hotel, Lin Wu walked briskly towards the parking lot, where he had the Rolls-Royce waiting. As for the BMW from the hotel, he had already returned it.

“Boss, where are we going now?”

Zhou Chao thought for a moment and asked Jiang Li beside him, “Ah Li, do you want to have Hunan cuisine? It’s also quite spicy.”

“Hunan cuisine? Sure, we’re in Hunan Province after all. Not having Hunan cuisine would make the trip less enjoyable.” Hunan cuisine, known for its spiciness, was quite tempting to Jiang Li.

In this world, savoring life’s pleasures, raising a glass, and celebrating the finest moments!

“Then let’s go to Yulou Dong.” Zhou Chao thought of this century-old restaurant.

Yulou Dong was a renowned century-old restaurant famous for Hunan cuisine, the place where authentic Hunan cuisine originated. It was often referred to as the “Huangpu Military Academy” of Hunan cuisine. Whether it was good or not would have to be judged after they tasted it.

Yulou Dong was located on Xiangfu Middle Road in Yuhua District, not far from the Regis Hotel where they were staying. It only took them around ten minutes to reach the restaurant.

There was a dedicated parking area in front of the restaurant. As soon as they got out of the car and approached the entrance, several greeters welcomed them with a synchronized greeting, “Welcome to Yulou Dong!”

“A private room for three, please.”

“Right this way, VIPs!” The greeter bowed slightly and gestured towards their designated area.

It was just noon, and Yulou Dong was already bustling with customers. As they walked through the restaurant, they could see that only a few tables were unoccupied, and the rest were filled with patrons enjoying their meals.

“Sir, here’s our menu for your review.” A waiter handed the menu to Zhou Chao.

“Okay.” Zhou Chao began looking at the menu. The first thing that caught his eye was the spicy chili baby chicken, one of Yulou Dong’s six non-heritage dishes. Without hesitation, he ordered it.

“In addition to the spicy chili baby chicken, we’ll have the hair-thin sliced beef, sauce-marinated pork knuckles, Dongting turtle and lamb, Guava fish with Sichuan pickles, and the mixed steamed preserved meats. Take your time in the kitchen, but make sure it’s delicious. Also, bring us a couple of appetizers. Please arrange it accordingly.” Zhou Chao handed the menu back to the waiter.

“Sure, please have some tea while you wait.” The waiter said before leaving the private room.

“Brother Chao, is there any significance behind the six dishes you ordered?”

“These six dishes are classics of Hunan cuisine, involving various cooking techniques like stir-frying, steaming, sauteing, stewing, and braising. They represent the pinnacle of culinary art in Hunan cuisine, requiring exceptional ingredients, knife skills, precise cooking times, and taste perfection. These dishes serve as a comprehensive representation of Hunan cuisine’s craftsmanship. So, you can judge the culinary skills of a Hunan restaurant based on how well they prepare these six dishes.”

Jiang Li nodded in understanding.

“By the way, Brother Chao, this afternoon, are we going to Orange Isle? I read online that reservations are required, and even though there’s no entrance fee, it’s not open to the public directly.”

“We need reservations?” Zhou Chao was surprised; he initially thought they could just go there without any prior arrangement.

“Yeah, but I’ve already made the reservation!” Jiang Li said with a smug expression.

“You’re deliberately making fun of me, aren’t you?”

“No way!” Although Jiang Li denied it verbally, her sly smile told a different story!

“Ahem, boss, can you two stop your public display of affection? I haven’t even had lunch yet, and you’re already overflowing with affection. It’s too much!” Lin Wu, the rough-and-tough guy, looked quite helpless. Their playful banter made him feel like he was watching a romantic comedy.

“I’m just trying to let you learn and improve more, so when you go back to Modu, you can use these techniques!”

Hearing this, Lin Wu was speechless and silently complained, “My wife, Li Qian, loves me for being honest and straightforward. What can 1 do? Besides, I can’t learn these things!”

“Brother Chao, can you please not corrupt Lin Wu? Li Qian likes him the way he is. If you teach him too much, people might think you’re taking him to do something fishy and ruining their relationship!”

Lin Wu nodded in agreement.

So, I’ve become the villain in the end?” Zhou Chao pretended to be surprised.

Laughter filled the room at their playful banter.

After waiting for about half an hour, the waitstaff pushed a cart full of dishes into the private room.

Once all the dishes were served, four or five waiters stood in a row and loudly exclaimed, “Welcome to Yulou Dong. Please enjoy your meal!”

The unexpected greeting left them all surprised..