Financial freedom starts from graduation

Chapter 581 What are you pretending to be?

Because it didn't take too long, the four girls didn't notice anything unusual. After Zhou Wang found them and they sat down, Su Yajing handed them the menu with a smile. Oh, no, in such a high-class place, it should be called a "MENU".

It was said to be a high-end restaurant with three Michelin stars year-round, but Zhou Wang couldn't help but grin when he took the menu.

"Damn it, another one of those ridiculously bad menus..."

Zhou Wang's complaints were naturally for a reason.

Because this Caprice restaurant does not offer à la carte service, but only provides two different sets for you to choose from: a regular set priced at HK$2980 and a seafood set priced at HK$3988.

Of course, this price is per person and does not include drinks. In addition, it is clearly stated at the bottom of the menu that a service charge of 10% of the total price will be added.

Most decent Western restaurants are like this. This is relatively better, because although you don't get to order, at least you can glance at the menu and know what you can eat. Some Western restaurants are even more outrageous; you have absolutely no choice. You eat whatever they make, like opening a blind box. You never know what the next dish will be...

These Western restaurants are generally the most expensive, and it is said that the world's number one Western restaurant follows the same model.

In Zhou Wang's view, this is simply a matter of "it depends on my mood today." If I'm too lazy to go shopping for ingredients, I'll just make something simple and serve it to you. It's so easy and convenient...

This is definitely a classic case of a victim of injustice.

But some people just fall for this, as if it's the epitome of high-end.

Some might say that many private chefs in Chinese restaurants are like that too, but one good thing about Chinese restaurants is that you can at least tell how much the food they serve costs. But Western restaurants are completely different; even a salad with dressing can cost you an exorbitant price.

"Since we're already here, let's eat the expensive stuff. How about the 3988 set, five servings, please... Also, open another bottle of wine."

Zhou Wang casually remarked to the waiter who took his order.

"Sir, what would you like to drink? As an accompaniment to your meal, we offer a wide selection of highly-rated and well-regarded beverages, including wine, sparkling wine, cocktails, and spirits..."

"Let's have some wine, any recommendations?"

Upon hearing Zhou Wang's question, the waiter smiled at Zhou Wang and slowly said:
"For red wines, we have Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Lafite. If you prefer white wines, we have Chardonnay, Riesling, and Pinot Gris. We also have refreshing rosé wines..."

Zhou Wang finally frowned at this moment.

He glanced at the waiter who was still talking animatedly.

On the surface, the waiter's attitude seemed perfectly fine, but as a newly minted "psychology master," Zhou Wang could immediately see the faint arrogance hidden in his eyes and the corner of his mouth, and it seemed there was even a hint of disdain for him.
Even if Zhou Wang couldn't see these things, he could still sense something from the waiter's behavior.

When he first brought the menu, he communicated with Zhou Wang and the others entirely in Cantonese. It was only at Zhou Wang's request that he reluctantly switch to Mandarin.

But judging from Zhou Wang's accent, he didn't seem to be a native of Hong Kong Island. On the contrary, he spoke Mandarin much more fluently.

In addition, when recommending drinks, he used the English name for each brand.

For example, he insists on calling the well-known Lafite "Lafite," and he deliberately calls the highly famous white wine Riesling "Riesling." What is he trying to create?
As someone who knows wine fairly well, Zhou Wang could understand what the waiter was saying, but looking at the blank expressions on the faces of the four girls next to him, he knew that they had no idea what the waiter was talking about, nor did they know which brand of wine those English words referred to.

Zhou Wang didn't believe that the waiter explained the dishes to every table like that; how many people could actually understand what he was ordering?
You should know that most people who come to places like this are either tourists who genuinely enjoy Western food but can't find a better place to dine, or just people who want to show off.

How much do you expect these people to know about alcohol?
So Zhou Wang became very unhappy again.

He couldn't understand why he had encountered so many troubles just from going out for a quick meal.

Yes, in Zhou Wang's view, a Western meal costing several thousand yuan was no different from "fast food." Any elaborate Chinese meal he had ever eaten was much more expensive than this.

He couldn't be bothered to find out why the waiter was behaving that way.

He just couldn't understand it...

Damn it, you're just a waiter, what makes you so arrogant?
Although the waiter at the door gave Zhou Wang a hard time, he at least had a reason based on restaurant rules, so it wasn't fair to say he did it on purpose...

But in Zhou Wang's view, this stupid waiter was just making trouble out of nothing.

So Zhou Wang sneered and said, "I'll drink Lafite."

Upon hearing that Zhou Wang had ultimately chosen "Lafite," a hint of disdain flashed across the waiter's eyes. Sure enough, you only understand this, right?
He simply disliked Zhou Wang.

Spending a long time in such a place, even as a waiter, can subtly change one's mindset by being surrounded by all sorts of polite and always-mannered "upper-class people."

He doesn't need to put in any extra effort; the accumulated tips alone amount to nearly ten thousand Hong Kong dollars every month...

Yes, many people who come here seem to consciously integrate into Hong Kong Island's unique "tipping culture," leaving a tip of HK$50 to HK$200 after paying the bill.

He earned tips from all sorts of people while simultaneously criticizing and judging them.

Who are just showing off because they're poor, and who actually have some real talent...?

When Su Yajing and the other three girls came in, his eyes lit up.

After all, among the four girls, even the relatively most down-to-earth Shen Yutong uses LV's flagship handbag, the Capucines series made of pure crocodile skin, which costs close to six figures.

Given that their outfits were almost entirely made of genuine designer brands, the waiter came to a very confident conclusion.

These four stunningly beautiful young ladies are all genuine heiresses!
Working in a place like this, he certainly had his own "ambitions"—what if he had a sudden encounter and ended up with such a stunningly beautiful girlfriend?

Unfortunately, while the waiters were lost in their own thoughts, Zhou Wang walked in and plopped down between them.

The waiter noticed that the four girls' eyes were mostly on Zhou Wang.

Zhou Wang went out in slippers, and naturally didn't bother to dress properly. But even if he dressed more formally, given the preconceived notion and Zhou Wang's undeniably handsome appearance, the waiter would still directly regard him as a "pretty boy."

To take it even further, it's about labeling Zhou Wang as a "model".

He certainly couldn't directly target Zhou Wang, but he was still happy to use these subtle methods to suppress Zhou Wang's self-esteem, which is why he made those little moves just now.

"Okay, sir, which year would you like? If it's a regular year, I'd recommend 18, 14 is also good, but the best is 09, though the price..."

Why didn't you ask me if I wanted Carruades de Lafite or Château Lafite Rothschild?

Zhou Wang abruptly interrupted him.

"Ah..." The waiter was momentarily at a loss.

"What, you don't know the difference between these two kinds of Lafite, or do you not understand English?"

Zhou Wang frowned deeply.

Yes, he couldn't understand what Zhou Wang was saying at all.

Before the waiter could react, Zhou Wang continued, "Didn't you recommend a few years? Tell me, which year is the 'Hot Year'? Or I'd like one with 'Bright Acidity', do you have any recommendations? If all else fails, you can give me a bottle with 'Firm Structure', okay?"

The waiter immediately broke out in a cold sweat.

Zhou Wang used so many technical terms, but all he understood was "OK," and he had no idea how to respond.

Given the waiter's mediocre skill level, the few terms he knew were just learned on the spot. He's not a professional sommelier, and he memorized the vintages by rote. How could he possibly know why those vintages were so great?

It's his own fault for wanting to show off in English, and now he's put himself in that position too, which is really upsetting.

While the waiter was stammering, Zhou Wang sneered, "So, you don't know anything. What are you pretending to be so smart about... Get lost, let someone else take our order."

The waiter's face turned pale and then red, but he didn't dare say anything more and turned to leave.

At this moment, the four girls finally realized what was happening and couldn't help but chuckle.

"Wow, brother, so that waiter was just showing off. I was wondering why something felt off..."

"Trying to show off your skills in front of Guan Yu? When it comes to showing off, Da Huai... Zhou Wang is the real professional!"

Yu Duo almost let it slip, and couldn't help but glance guiltily at the other three girls. Then she realized that no one seemed to care about such details, and she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Yu Duo was still a little disappointed because she had been looking forward to this trip, but a week had already passed since they left. She felt that she hadn't had much time to even see Zhou Wang, let alone spend time alone with him.

Zhou Wang was determined to sit next to Su Yajing since they finally managed to get out for a meal, but somehow Cui Min'er had taken his other seat...

At this moment, a waitress came over, and her attitude was indeed much more honest than the previous one. When she finished ordering, Zhou Wang generously slipped her HKD 500 as a tip.

He always judges people based on their personalities, not the issue itself, and he wouldn't take out his anger on the current waiter for the stupid waiter's behavior earlier.

After all that fuss, the food was finally served.

Once the meal started, Zhou Wang finally understood why this restaurant was relatively popular with women.

Speaking of the taste of the dishes, although they all looked good and were quite fancy, Zhou Wang found them rather disappointing.

For example, there was a lobster dish where the meat was a bit tough, which was bad enough, but the sauce they gave it was some kind of weird cocoa sauce...

Yes, cocoa sauce with lobster—this was the bizarre idea of ​​a world-renowned chef, and the strange taste almost made Zhou Wang vomit.

There was also a smoked duck dish, which looked very appealing, but it still tasted bland, probably due to the seasoning.

(picture)

But the atmosphere of this restaurant is top-notch, which brings us back to the question of why it's so popular with women...

It's too easy to get good photos.

The Victoria Harbour night view outside the window, the exquisite plating, and the various small design details of the restaurant are all designed to help you take the most beautiful photos.

For example, before serving the smoked duck, the waiter will bring out the whole plate of duck and give you enough time to find the right spot. Then he will slowly open the lid so that the guest can accurately capture the moment when the smoke comes out. The cooperation is extremely high.

For example, the dessert after the meal is specially presented in a mirrored box, with an elegant and exquisite design, allowing customers to take selfies while taking pictures of the food—very clever...

In addition, the waiters will also proactively guide you to the most photogenic spots in the entire restaurant based on their past experience.

Yes, it's called a Michelin three-star restaurant, but it's actually a "popular spot for taking photos and making souvenirs."

This is Zhou Wang's overall impression.

What Zhou Wang actually found delicious was the free "pre-meal bread," which tasted really good. Zhou Wang felt like he was half full just from eating that...

He didn't finish many of the appetizers and main courses, leaving them there uneaten. Although it was wasteful, it was better than forcing himself to eat something he didn't like.

When they had almost finished eating, the four girls began taking photos, while Zhou Wang sipped a rosé wine by himself.

It's not some luxury brand, just an English brand that Zhou Wang doesn't recognize, something that costs two or three thousand yuan.

Because the waiter had ruined his mood, Zhou Wang wasn't going to actually open a bottle of vintage Lafite to show off; there was no need for that.

Just as Zhou Wang was playing on his phone and waiting for the girls, a disgusted voice suddenly came from the side.

He didn't understand the language, but the gibberish tone sounded very familiar to Zhou Wang. He looked up and saw a young couple standing in the aisle next to him, pointing at him with disgust and saying something.

Zhou Wang recognized them; weren't they the young couple from the restaurant entrance earlier?

“, ……

It was at this moment that Zhou Wang finally understood that they were speaking the language of South Korea.

No wonder I felt that the woman looked pretty, but there was something unnatural about her. If she's from South Korea, then everything makes sense.

Zhou Wang gained the talent of mastering the world's mainstream languages ​​through the [Magic Dictionary], but Korean was not among them. Zhou Wang was too lazy to spend time learning it, so he couldn't understand what the two were saying, but he could roughly tell that it wasn't anything nice.

Because their expressions made it obvious.

"Lina?"

Just then, Choi Min-ah, who had just finished taking the photos, looked up and saw the young couple, immediately showing a surprised expression.

Zhou Wang was also surprised. Cui Min'er seemed to... know them?
(End of this chapter)