Chapter 405: Chu Xiao’s Pride
Zhou Shijie looked at Yuan Zhou with a smile and said, “Little Yuan, your French is good. I wanted to ask you about that yesterday.”
Zhou Shijie was speaking French impressively this time, which made Yuan Zhou slightly perturbed.
“What the hell is ‘Your French is good’? I don’t even speak English. For foreign languages, I speak either Mandarin or the regional dialect.” Yuan Zhou maintained his composure on the face, but couldn’t help ridiculing inwardly.
However, he started to observe the surroundings around earnestly without a trace.
“What the f*ck! They seem to be talking in French. Wait, the names of dishes are also in French. Why can I understand that?” Yuan Zhou revealed a suspicious look.
“Am I a born genius of French and understood this language ever since I was born?” Yuan Zhou couldn’t help guessing.
Yuan Zhou prepared to answer Zhouo Shijie’s question in French confidently.
“A little. Not too much.” When Yuan Zhou uttered the first word, he found that he couldn’t speak French at all.
Then, he fell silent and directly summoned the system.
“System, were you the one that helped me with that?” Yuan Zhou’s tone was quite serious.
The system displayed, “The CD for you to learn the etiquette of western-style dishes was in French.”
So the CD that Yuan Zhou had been watching in the past few days was all played in French. As it could be read and understood naturally by Yuan Zhou with no big differences, Yuan Zhou didn’t even notice this matter.
Yuan Zhou didn’t remember that until he was reminded by the system.
“Then how can I understand French?” Yuan Zhou asked curiously.
The system displayed, “In order for you to learn the skills better.”
“You really did a good job. So you just forgot to pass on the speaking ability to me?” Yuan Zhou said very sincerely for the first half sentence, and the latter half was spoken quite considerately.
The system displayed, “The learning of etiquette doesn’t require the speaking ability.”
The words were so conspicuous in Yuan Zhou’s mind that he was immediately stupefied.
After quite a while, he said, “System, that really makes a lot of sense. I don’t even know what to say.”
Then, the system that made sense vanished again unsurprisingly, just like what it did every time it cheated Yuan Zhou.
Back to reality, Yuan Zhou still gave an explanation to Zhou Shijie.
“I don’t speak French. I can only listen and read it.” Yuan Zhou said with an extraordinarily natural tone.
“Really? Can you listen and understand this? Arroseurarrosé.” Zhou Shijie asked with interest.
“Do you want to know the meaning?” Yuan Zhou asked with puzzlement.
“Of course. I just feel this word is very difficult to be translated literally. Last time, this old man almost couldn’t understand it.” Zhou Shijie said while stroking his very neat beard.
“It presumably means that ‘he who is unjust is doomed to destruction’ or ‘deal with a man as he deals with you’.” Yuan Zhou said affirmatively.
“Right on. Little Yuan, you French is indeed very good. But you really don’t speak it?” Zhou Shijie asked with puzzlement.
In his opinion, if one could read and listen, how could one not speak it?
However, the fact was that Yuan Zhou really didn’t speak French at all.
“No, I can’t.” Yuan Zhou affirmed that with a nod.
“Haw-haw. If you don’t speak, then how did you manage to learn French?” While taking Yuan Zhou to savor the dishes, Zhou Shijie asked with interest.
“By watching.” Yuan Zhou thought for a while and said earnestly.
“An interesting young man. Come and taste this one.” Zhou Shijie pointed at the dishes in front of him and said.
“Um.” Yuan Zhou nodded his head and then began to taste it.
The two people, old and young, basically walked around and tasted dishes in the conference place. Occasionally, Zhou Shijie introduced some chefs to Yuan Zhou.
Yet, it was more of tasting.
This was exactly the purpose of Zhou Shijie bringing Yuan Zhou here. Only in the most authentic place could he witness the most authentic French dishes.
Of course, visiting his peers in the same industry was also one of the purposes.
The whole day passed very soon.
“We are leaving. Let’s go to the hotel.” Zhou Shijie parted with others and then said to Yuan Zhou.
“Um. I’m very full today.” Yuan Zhou said subconsciously.
“That’s good. Then we don’t need to eat dinner and I can save some money.” Zhou Shijie said smilingly.
“Indeed. I’m going out to wander around.” When Yuan Zhou walked to the entrance of the hotel, he suddenly said that.
“Ok. I will stay out of that in case you have a nice affair.” With a temperament of a kid, Zhou Shijie teased him right away.
“No, there won’t be. I will just wander around the entrance.” Yuan Zhou shook his head.
“There might be. Remember you are in France now, young man.” Zhou Shijie burst into laughter and directly went upstairs.
Nevertheless, Yuan Zhou really stayed at the entrance and thought quietly where he should go.
After about one minute or so, the doorman at the side came over to him.
“Sir, what can I do for you?” The doorman was a tall and blond handsome man.
Yuan Zhou could understand him. He turned his head and looked at the doorman silently. Meanwhile, he was struggling in his heart about how to answer it.
“Occasionally, it isn’t good to understand French. How shall I answer him now?” Yuan Zhou grumbled quite speechlessly.
After all, he could only listen, but couldn’t speak.
While Yuan Zhou was in an embarrassing situation outside, Zhou Shijie received a phone call after he went back to his room.
“Why do you have time to call me?” Looking at the two characters Chu Xiao on the screen, Zhou Shijie answered the phone decisively and teased him.
“I know you are in France now. Are you used to the surroundings here?” Chu Xiao revealed a natural tone as if he had called to make small talk.
“This old man merely came here for a visit. I didn’t see you today.” Zhou Shijie asked conveniently.
“Yes. Presumably we didn’t meet.” Chu Xiao said calmly.
“So tell me. What’s the matter?” Zhou Shijie came to the point.
“How many of you are there?” Chu Xiao suddenly asked that.
“Two.” Zhou Shijie knitted his brows and said frankly.
He didn’t forget that Yuan Zhou was also here.
“Please don’t feel surprised if I want to treat you guys to dinner.” Even when Chu Xiao was talking, his polite remarks couldn’t conceal his pride.
“You are going to cook?” Zhou Shijie immediately understood what Chu Xiao meant.
“Of course. I will serve my signature dish then.” Chu Xiao said affirmatively.
“Ok. No problem.” Zhou Shijie accepted this invitation directly. He didn’t ask Yuan Zhou for his opinion before deciding to take him there together.
“Then let’s meet in my restaurant at noon three days later.” Chu Xiao reported his address.
“Wait.” Just before Chu Xiao hung off the phone, Zhou Shijie stopped him.
“What’s the matter?” It was Chu Xiao’s turn to ask that this time.
“Since you’re going to treat me to dinner, I want to treat you when you go back home, too. How do you like that proposal?” Zhou Shijie was quite confident of this invitation.
“All right.” Chu Xiao agreed clearly at the other end of the phone.
“Then, everything is fine.” Zhou Shijie smiled contentedly and then hung off the phone.
“He’s a capable man.” Chu Xiao recalled that Yuan Zhou could always tell the merits and demerits of the dishes when he tasted them.
Even if he ate them for the very first time.
That’s right. Chu Xiao had also been to the exchange of pointers that day and he had even seen Yuan Zhou and the chairman Zhou Shijie. However, he didn’t go to greet them, but just looked at them quietly.
Nevertheless, that also provided Chu Xiao with a reason to treat them to dinner.