Who would still be a social slave when they are so rich?

Soon... one exquisite dish after another was served to the table by the waiters in a gentle and graceful manner.

Each dish is like a work of art, from its plating and color to the unique aroma that permeates the air, all of which demonstrate its exceptional value and the chef's superb skills.

Moreover, with each dish served, the reception manager would introduce the entire process, from the selection of ingredients to the cooking techniques, in a very magnetic voice.

Yang Lan and Dong Shiying were still pondering Su Chen's earlier words, but when they heard the reception manager repeatedly mentioning "air freight" and "top-quality ingredients," their thoughts gradually turned to the food on the table.

Looking at the exquisite dishes on the table, the two realized that each dish cost over four figures, and there were at least ten dishes on the table. So, this meal would cost at least tens of thousands of yuan.

After all the dishes were served and the manager left the room, Yang Lan couldn't help but ask, "Xiao Chen, this meal alone must have cost tens of thousands, not to mention the cost of booking the whole place, and the Land Rover we rode in earlier, you said that was yours too..."

After a pause, Yang Lan looked at Su Chen with a complicated expression, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Xiao Chen, where did you get so much money?"

Yang Lan had a good understanding of Su Chen's past work and the Su family's situation. Unless Su Chen or his family won tens of millions in the lottery, how could they spend so recklessly?

Yang Lan's question was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly breaking the quiet atmosphere in the room. Even Dong Shiying, who was standing to the side, perked up her ears. It would be a lie to say that she wasn't curious. If she weren't unfamiliar with Su Chen, she would have already asked the question that was on her mind.

Su Chen calmly put a piece of crystal-clear abalone into his mouth and savored it for a while before putting down his chopsticks, wiping his mouth with a tissue, and then looking up at Yang Lan and Dong Shiying with a faint smile.

"Sister-in-law, Miss Dong!" Su Chen's voice was calm and unhurried. "You should have Douyin on your phones, right? If you can, you can search for Shufen Hot Pot Restaurant and who its founder is. After you've looked it up, you'll know the answer!"

Su Chen did not bring up the Yunmengze Group as an explanation because he knew that the Yunmengze Group was too large for them, and that it would make Yang Lan and Dong Shiying think that Su Chen was just fooling them.

Shufen Hotpot is different. Yang Lan is quite familiar with her aunt Chen Shufen. Once she understands the scale of Shufen Hotpot, she will naturally believe what Su Chen said, thus saving him a lot of trouble.

As expected, Yang Lan was clearly taken aback when she heard the name Shufen Hotpot. She immediately associated the distinctive naming method with her aunt Chen Shufen's name.

Dong Shiying, who was standing nearby, kept a close eye on Yang Lan. When she saw the change in Yang Lan's expression, she quickly picked up her phone and started searching for "Shufen Hot Pot" on Douyin.

As soon as she clicked the search button, a lot of information about Shufen Hot Pot Restaurant popped up, and many of the videos had a very high number of likes, even tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands.

Dong Shiying quickly found a video titled "Detailed Explanation of Shufen Hot Pot," which had over a million likes, and she clicked on it without hesitation.

The video details the origins of Shufen Hot Pot, how it grew into a leading hot pot brand in Chengdu, and also introduces the owner, Chen Shufen, and includes an interview.

"Lanlan~ Look at this!" When Dong Shiying saw Chen Shufen appear in the video, she vaguely remembered that Yang Lan had introduced her to the Chen family before. If she remembered correctly, the youngest sister of the Chen family was named Chen Shufen.

Upon hearing this, Yang Lan's gaze immediately fell on the phone screen. She instantly recognized the person in the video as her ex-husband's sister-in-law, Chen Shufen, and exclaimed instinctively, "Sister-in-law?!"

Dong Shiying was taken aback when she heard this, not expecting that it really was someone from the Chen family.

The interview didn't cover much content. After it ended, the video talked about the operation of Shufen Hotpot. When Yang Lan and Dong Shiying heard that Shufen Hotpot currently has more than 100 stores and an annual turnover of over 1 billion yuan, they fell silent.

With an annual turnover of over one billion yuan, and considering the typical net profit margin of the catering industry, the hot pot industry can achieve a profit margin of 30% to 40%. If calculated in this way, wouldn't the annual profit be several hundred million yuan?

The two instantly understood. With such wealth, Su Chen could easily afford to drive a Rolls-Royce or a Lamborghini, let alone a Land Rover or a luxury restaurant.

A strange silence fell over the room, broken only by the faint sound of the river outside the window and the breathing of Yang Lan and her husband.

Both of them stared intently at the phone screen. The astonishing numbers and Chen Shufen's confident and composed demeanor in the video seemed to open up a completely new and unattainable world before their eyes.

"Xiao...Xiao Chen, is everything in the video real? More than a hundred stores?" Yang Lan's voice trembled slightly as she looked at Su Chen, her eyes filled with disbelief. "My aunt...she's become such a big boss?"

This was even more shocking to her than telling her that Su Chen had won millions in the lottery.

Winning the lottery is just a matter of luck, while the video shows a vast, well-organized, and ever-expanding business empire.

Chen Shufen, the capable and efficient sister-in-law from her husband's family who was only a head chef in the university cafeteria, had unknowingly reached such heights.
This feels even more surreal than a dream.

Su Chen smiled and nodded, giving Yang Lan's question a definite answer. "Yes, it's all true. I originally just wanted to open a shop to improve my family's life. I didn't expect it to become such a hit. I guess you could call it luck!"

His tone was calm, as if he were talking about something ordinary, but to Yang Lan and Dong Shiying, it was like a bombshell.

Dong Shiying suddenly came to her senses and searched the screen again. This time, she even used a different search software. Unexpectedly, there was a lot of information they didn't know about, such as Chen Shufen's net worth of billions, her status as a dark horse in the industry, and her position as vice president of the Chongqing Catering Association. These entries were enough to explain everything.

She gasped, looked up at Su Chen, and her expression completely changed. If before it was resistance, shock, curiosity, and a hint of inquiry, now it was entirely awe and a barely perceptible sense of restraint.

She finally understood where Su Chen's ever-present calm and composed expression came from. He wasn't just putting on a show or a lucky guy who suddenly became rich; he had a catering empire behind him.

For Su Chen, the future heir, booking the Linjiang Banquet... is probably as simple as an ordinary person finding a nice restaurant for a casual meal after work. That Land Rover is probably just a means of transportation, as he puts it.

Thinking back on those previous speculations about Su Chen "renting a car to save face," I really want to dig a hole with my toes and bury myself in it.

Yang Lan's shock... was mixed with a complex emotion. She was happy for her aunt Chen Shufen's success, but more than that, she felt a sense of unreality, as if she were in another world.

How long has she been gone? The Su family, which once struggled to make ends meet, has undergone such a dramatic change.

The huge information gap left her feeling somewhat lost and conflicted. But soon, a tremendous sense of relief washed over her.

The promises Su Chen made earlier—to resolve the debt, arrange for the children to attend school, and even send Chen Fan to Africa for reformation—were now fully affirmed. Su Chen wasn't just fooling her; he genuinely possessed the ability to accomplish all of this with ease.

After figuring things out, Yang Lan felt much more relaxed. With the help of her aunt Chen Shufen, her two children at least had a stable living environment. The only thing they lacked was fatherly and motherly love.

Su Chen had been paying close attention to Yang Lan's expression. When he saw her tightly furrowed brows slowly relax, he understood that all that was left was to set off the final fire, and then the matter concerning his eldest cousin's wife could be temporarily put to rest.

"Sister-in-law, Miss Dong, don't just stand there, eat your food! It won't taste good if it gets cold!" Su Chen tapped the table lightly with his fingers, making a crisp sound.

"Ah~ right, eat, eat!" Yang Lan and Dong Shiying instantly snapped out of their daze and instinctively picked up their chopsticks to eat. While Yang Lan was still processing the information, Dong Shiying looked completely absorbed in the moment. She realized that her good friend was planning to return to Wudu, and if that were the case, their chances of seeing each other would definitely become fewer and fewer.

This means that the opportunity to dine at such a top-notch restaurant may be lost forever. Naturally, she wouldn't miss this chance to enjoy the food, at least she could brag about it to her colleagues or friends when she got back.

Yang Lan was quickly drawn to the aroma of the food on the table, briefly putting her other thoughts aside and focusing on enjoying the meal.

Once people are captivated by delicious food, their smiles become even brighter, and Yang Lan and Dong Shiying are no exception; they even talk more.

"This twice-cooked pork is so fragrant! It's expensive for a reason, and it's definitely different from ordinary pork!" Yang Lan took a bite of the expensive twice-cooked pork. The unique rich aroma of the black pork and the perfect cooking time made her exclaim from the bottom of her heart.

Dong Shiying's eyes lit up as she ate, feeling that the delicacies she had eaten before were no different from pig swill. While busy tasting the different dishes, she mumbled in agreement, "It's more than just different... Lanlan, you have to try that fish, it's so fresh it'll make your eyebrows fall off! And this soup... oh my god, it's like boiled cabbage in clear broth! It's so delicious!"

The atmosphere gradually warmed up. Dong Shiying, who was naturally outgoing and spoke in a carefree manner, let down her guard against Su Chen and started talking freely. She asked curiously, "Brother Su... I saw on Douyin that netizens really recommend your Shufen Hot Pot restaurant. We people in Northeast China also love it. Do you have any plans to open a branch here? I'll bring my colleagues to support you when the time comes!"

Dong Shiying had initially considered whether to address him as Mr. Su, but when she remembered that he was her best friend's cousin, she decisively changed it to "little brother." After all, she didn't want anything from Su Chen, so maintaining proper respect was enough.

"Haha~ I really have that idea!" Su Chen picked up his teacup, took a sip to moisten his throat, and then briefly explained the purpose of his trip to Northeast China. He also mentioned that his cousin Su Yan wanted to develop the hot pot market here.

"However, it's still in the evaluation stage. Once the project is finalized and the store opens, we'll notify Ms. Dong immediately. At that time, I'll have my cousin give you an internal VIP card!"

"Oh, that's great! I'll remember what you said!" Dong Shiying smiled even more happily, and found Su Chen more and more pleasing to the eye.

Rich, capable, and unpretentious – such "second-generation rich" are extremely rare.

As Yang Lan watched the two talking, a smile unconsciously crept onto her lips.

After several rounds of dishes and drinks, the dinner party drew to a close amidst everyone's conversation. Su Chen saw that the time was right and it was time to ignite the final spark.

"Sister-in-law..." Su Chen's smile faded slightly, and he said with a more serious tone, "I remember you've been working in the service industry for almost ten years, so you must have a lot of management experience in this area."

“My mom called before and said that after you return to Chongqing, you can work with my third uncle to manage all the hot pot restaurants in Fuzhou, our hometown. The two kids have also settled down and started school in the city, so you can take care of them while you work.”

"As for the salary, you can rest assured. After working for three to five years, buying a house outright is absolutely no problem!"

"Take a look... is there anything else you need? Just let me know, and my mom will definitely arrange everything for you!"

These words clearly indicated that Yang Lan had been given the choice to return, leaving her no room to refuse, unless she could truly decide to abandon the child.

"Xiao Chen, you just said that the two children have settled down in the city?" Yang Lan quickly noticed the key point in Su Chen's words.

"Well, this is because we wanted the kids to have a good start. Good schools these days require spots, and since the kids can't live on campus, Mom bought them a three-bedroom apartment."

Upon hearing this, Yang Lan trembled. She hadn't expected her aunt to be so thorough, completely eliminating all her worries.

This thoughtfulness and meticulousness, like a warm current, washed away the last trace of hesitation and defense in her heart.

"Aunt...Aunt, she..." Yang Lan's voice choked, and she couldn't say anything more, only nodding her head forcefully.

Tears streamed down silently, containing a multitude of emotions: gratitude towards her sister-in-law's family, guilt towards her child, relief towards her ex-husband, and a glimmer of hope for the future.

Seeing this, Dong Shiying quickly put her arm around Yang Lan's shoulder and comforted her, "This is great news, Lanlan! Look how thoughtful your aunt and brother Su are. The child is settled, and your job back home is arranged. Isn't that wonderful? You can establish yourself in your hometown and raise your child to be successful. That's better than anything else."

"Yes! I'll go back!" Yang Lan wiped away her tears, her face resolute. "Once I've settled things here, I'll return to Wudu!"

When Yang Lan gave him a positive answer, Su Chen finally breathed a sigh of relief. He could finally give his mother an explanation about his cousin's wife's matter.

After things were cleared up, the group became more easygoing and chatted for about half an hour before Su Chen and his group ended the dinner.

When it came time to pay the bill, Dong Shiying curiously followed Chen Fei to take a look. When she saw that the bill was as high as 100,000 yuan, she couldn't help but gasp. This wasn't a meal; it was practically the cost of a year's hard work.

"Sister-in-law, let me take you home!" Su Chen suggested as they left the Linjiang Banquet.

"No need to trouble yourself. We're not far from where we're staying. Shiying and I are planning to walk back and digest our food along the way." Yang Lan hesitated for a moment before politely declining Su Chen's offer.

Su Chen could tell that the two had something to say to each other. After all, if Yang Lan returned to Wudu, it would be difficult for the two to meet again in the future!

"Okay~ We'll be going now. If you need anything, sister-in-law, just call me or come to the Ritz-Carlton Hotel to find me!" Su Chen waved to the two of them and then opened the car door and got in.

Watching the Land Rover slowly merge into the traffic and disappear from their sight, Yang Lan then looked at Dong Shiying beside her and said, "Let's go too!"

Dong Shiying immediately linked arms with Yang Lan and muttered loudly, "Lanlan, how am I supposed to live without you?!"

Yang Lan rolled her eyes at her best friend upon hearing this; she could tell that this guy was just deliberately causing trouble.

"Hmph~ I'm afraid you'll be happier without me. When I'm not around to keep you in check, you can openly go looking for male models!"

"How could this be... I, Dong Shiying, would never be that kind of person!"

"Hmph~ I wonder who's been posting those things on Douyin every day. Don't think I haven't seen them."

"Fine, Lanlan, you've been spying on me! Let's see how I deal with you!"

The two walked home, laughing and joking, their playful shadows stretched long and thin under the streetlights. (End of Chapter)