Magnate Tycoon: How Did Simply Enjoying Life Make Me a Male God?-Chapter 627 - 428: Loss of Face (Part 2)

The assistant director's expression changed slightly, quickly diverting his gaze and pretending not to see the scene where Yang Xiaoxiu had just pushed away Zhang Fuqiang's arm.

Zhang Fuqiang was stunned when he was pushed away on the spot.

In the past, when Yang Xiaoxiu rejected him, she would at least find an excuse or save him some face; even if he got handsy, as long as it wasn't too intimate, she would silently endure it, looking for a chance to evade.

But to be blatantly pushed away like this, with words leaving no room for face and sarcastic snark, this was the first time.

Seeing Yang Xiaoxiu's cold, completely indifferent demeanor, Zhang Fuqiang's face instantly darkened, and his dissatisfaction and anger surged to his head.

Just as Zhang Fuqiang was about to erupt in a red-faced outburst, the wooden door of the private room sounded with three timely knocks.

Two servers in dark uniforms entered steadily carrying gold-rimmed trays, on which emerald shrimp glistened with an oily sheen, and sea cucumbers in abalone sauce were covered in amber-colored, thick sauce, still steaming with heat.

Meanwhile, they adeptly filled everyone's glasses with red wine.

After the servers respectfully retreated, the original tense atmosphere was temporarily interrupted, but it fell into an even more oppressive silence.

Director Liu's Adam's apple moved up and down several times before he managed to squeeze out a stiff smile:

"The dishes are all served, everyone, please hurry and eat while they're hot."

As he spoke, he deliberately turned the lazy Susan towards the main seat, pointing at the enticingly colored traditional smoked foie gras, smiling affably:

"Teacher Zhang, this is the chef's signature dish, it's a must-order for investors in the film city next door every time they come.

You're famous for your discerning palate, why not give us a taste and see if this flavor lives up to its reputation!"

The cinematography director immediately caught on, quickly raising his glass to chime in: "Isn't that so! At the last dinner, Teacher Zhang's offhand comments on a dish were so professional that even the chef from a five-star hotel was full of admiration!"

Several followers joined in the laughter, and for a moment, the private room was filled with a chorus of compliments.

In this deliberately created lively atmosphere, Zhang Fuqiang's fingers finally relaxed their grip on the chopsticks. He picked up a silver spoon, took a scoop of mushroom soup, sipped it slowly, and said with a meaningful tone, "I've heard about this restaurant before, but some so-called signature dishes now..."

He suddenly looked up, his gaze as sharp as a knife swept over the indifferent-looking Yang Xiaoxiu, "They look glamorous, but in reality, they don't live up to their name, relying solely on luck to keep up appearances."

As soon as he said this, the table went so silent you could hear a pin drop.

The assistant director's hand shook slightly as he picked up a dish, and the sauce accidentally splattered onto the snow-white tablecloth; several young actors didn't dare to breathe loudly, lowering their heads to scoop rice from their bowls.

Only Yang Xiaoxiu remained sitting upright like a pine tree, her hand gently stirring the soup in her bowl with a spoon, creating small ripples, seemingly indifferent to the implicit barbs in the sarcasm.

Zhang Fuqiang glanced at this, snorted coldly, and picked up a piece of foie gras to eat.

At this moment, the remaining two specialty dishes on the lazy Susan were still steaming, yet no one had the mood to savor them.

All three of the restaurant's renowned signature dishes were ordered by the assistant director for the round table.

The first two dishes, "Amber Abalone Sauce Sea Cucumber" and "Traditional Smoked Foie Gras," were placed on the table, and Zhang Fuqiang leisurely picked up the food with silver chopsticks. After tasting a few bites, he nodded lightly. Although there was a hint of grudging approval after some picky scrutiny, he didn't find any faults.

The tense atmosphere in the private room slightly eased, and everyone subtly breathed a sigh of relief.

When the last dish, "Gastrodia Elata Brain-Boosting Chicken Soup," was unveiled in a celadon stew pot, the milky white broth's steaming heat hadn't dissipated yet when Zhang Fuqiang took just a small sip, and his expression instantly darkened.

The next second, he suddenly slammed the table hard without warning, causing the entire table's dishes and utensils to clatter.

Then, with a "pshh," he spat the broth onto the snow-white tablecloth, the brownish liquid splattering like ink droplets onto the neighboring seat's cuffs and the edges of the plates.

He, however, paid no mind to others, fiercely poking the chicken in the soup with his greasy fingers, the oil dripping between his fingers down onto the tablecloth.

"What a damn specialty dish!"

Zhang Fuqiang, in a fit of rage, slammed the soup bowl onto the lazy Susan, a crack appearing along the rim.

"The smell is so rank it makes people feel nauseous. They even say it's the treasure of the house; I think it's just something that ruins their reputation! The first two dishes were passable, but they saved the worst for last to fool people?"

He spoke more and more excitedly, spraying saliva onto the soup, "This chicken is not a free-range chicken; it's clearly a smelly chicken raised in a polluted ditch.

Although it looks delicately plated, it's all gold and jade on the outside but rotten on the inside. The meat is so tough it feels like chewing sawdust, utterly disgusting.

From now on, this dish should be renamed 'Smelly Chicken Nourishing Soup' to avoid misleading people!"

Everyone at the table was shocked, and a few young actors were so frightened that their faces turned pale, almost dropping their chopsticks.

The repeated curse of "smelly chicken" by Zhang Fuqiang, like a barbed arrow, drew everyone's gaze to Yang Xiaoxiu involuntarily.

However, she remained seated with a straight back, and when the splashing soup landed on the back of her hand, she calmly took out a handkerchief and gently wiped it.

Her cool demeanor sharply contrasted with the surrounding panic.

The assistant director's forehead veins were visibly pulsing, forcing out a smile worse than a cry, repeatedly saying, "It was a mistake by the restaurant, we'll replace it immediately!"

He rushed to the door in a few quick steps, called for the waiter, and scolded fiercely: "How did you make this signature dish? Replace it immediately! If Teacher Zhang is not pleased, don't think your restaurant can continue operating!"

The waiter, scared pale, bowed repeatedly in apology and exited awkwardly with the soup pot.

Only until the new dish was served did the tense atmosphere in the private room slightly relax.

Zhang Fuqiang glanced at the speechless crowd and took the initiative to break the deadlock.

He picked up his wine glass and stood, wearing a hypocritical smile on his face, "Sorry everyone, I really couldn't hold back because of the chicken's off taste just now."

He intentionally shook his wine glass, glancing subtly at Yang Xiaoxiu, "Don't let a 'smelly chicken' spoil the mood, let's continue eating! Come on, dig in!"

This remark made everyone chuckle awkwardly and raise their glasses, but each gaze cast towards Yang Xiaoxiu carried a subtle meaning.

Yang Xiaoxiu, however, quietly rotated the plate in front of her, slowly stirring the mushroom soup with a silver spoon, as if everything that had just happened around her had nothing to do with her.

The warm yellow glow of the crystal chandelier filled the room, mingling with the smell of dishes and alcohol in the enclosed space.

Amidst the clinking of glasses, all attention seemed drawn by an invisible magnet, focusing entirely on Zhang Fuqiang, seated in the main position.

He sat with his legs crossed, the cold light of a gold watch flickering from his suit cuff as he gestured, and every off-color joke, no matter how awkward, would immediately elicit laughter and a chorus of clinking glasses, compliments flowing like a tide.

Only Yang Xiaoxiu remained consistently detached on the side.

She focused on picking fish bones, the ceramic spoon clinking against the bowl, her shirt buttoned up to the top neatly, her hair tidily tucked behind her ears, forming a stark contrast to the fawning bustle around her.

When the waiter refilled the tea, she would softly say thanks; when soup splashed on the tablecloth, she would wipe it with a tissue, never once looking up at Zhang Fuqiang.

Various glances occasionally swept over Yang Xiaoxiu. The cameraman next to her, elbow resting on the table, murmured in a voice only audible to those nearby, "Xiaoxiu is really daring."

There was a mix of admiration and concern in his tone. Meanwhile, a young crew member clutched a drink in the corner, looking at Yang Xiaoxiu with admiration, as if seeing a warrior daring to challenge the evil dragon;

On the other hand, a few senior theater staff exchanged looks, gently shaking their heads and sighing, not optimistic about Yang Xiaoxiu's defiance.

The workplace dynamics were on full display in this microcosm.

Apart from the two cronies that Zhang Fuqiang brought along, most people faced him with professional fake smiles, hiding helplessness and forbearance in their eyes.

They all privately complained about Zhang Fuqiang's bossy attitude on set and mocked his greasy behavior, but when it came to the dining table, they still had to put on forced smiles.

At this moment, seeing Yang Xiaoxiu's straight back, many felt a sense of apprehension for her.

Zhang Fuqiang, known for being petty and calculative, had been publicly embarrassed this time by Yang Xiaoxiu, and it was feared that small retaliations against her would come in various forms in the future.

After several rounds of drinks, someone, emboldened by alcohol, lowered their voice: "Yang Xiaoxiu will likely suffer in the future..."

The words had barely left his mouth when someone nudged his elbow, signaling him to shut up.

In the main seat, Zhang Fuqiang was squinting, taking in everyone's reactions.