Chapter 501: Scheming Guy

Chapter 501: Scheming Guy

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

After three rounds of drinks and a five-course meal, Zhou Chao had a rare day of indulgence. Not only did he drink, but he also managed to outdrink Lao Ma. Consequently, he decided to stay at the State Guest House. Meanwhile, Jiang Li joined the female volleyball players for more celebrations.

“Young Master Zhou, I really want to thank you today!” Coach Jiao finally found the words as she accompanied Zhou Chao and Jiang Li to the door.

Zhou Chao waved his hand modestly, “No need to thank me. You deserve it. You’ve brought honor to our country, and we entrepreneurs have only provided a small amount of help. In the future, work even harder and bring home more gold medals.”

Coach Jiao nodded confidently. “Yes, you can trust us. We’ll work even harder!”

“Coach Jiao, you don’t have to see us off. We’ll be on our way.”

“Young Master Zhou, take care!”

Zhou Chao nodded and led Jiang Li to the parking lot.

On the way back to the hotel, Jiang Li drove while Zhou Chao, who had consumed alcohol, sat in the passenger seat, enjoying the scenery.

“Brother Chao, are you sure Lao Ma won’t be angry or hold a grudge against you for today?”

“Don’t worry. Lao Ma isn’t that kind of person. At most, I made him spend a bit more money today. Besides, he gained some goodwill from this event too. Even though he says he doesn’t mind, you can see from the group photo that Coach Jiao displayed the check.” Zhou Chao didn’t expect Lao Ma to be so shrewd.

“Then why didn’t you join the group photo? You could’ve gained some fame too, you know?” Jiang Li glanced at Zhou Chao curiously.

“I’d rather avoid that kind of exposure. Besides, today’s spotlight was on Lao Ma. If I had joined, it would have stolen his spotlight!”

Jiang Li nodded thoughtfully. “I see. I didn’t realize there were so many intricacies involved.”

“Lao Ma is quite sharp, and 1 don’t know if he was really drunk earlier or just acting. Maybe he’s having tea in the hotel right now!” Zhou Chao couldn’t help but wonder how Lao Ma, known for his cunning, could get drunk so easily.

In a room at the State Guest House, Lao Ma sat on the sofa, rubbing his temples, and muttered to himself, “Zhou Chao, 1 didn’t expect you to become so crafty after just a year. If 1 hadn’t been quick-witted, 1 might have really ended up losing to you.”

“Director Ma, this Zhou Chao is the founder of Dragonfly Group. He’s so young!” Xiao Li, the young assistant, entered with a bowl of hangover soup. “That kid is full of surprises. I’ve heard that he started a tech company in Peng City, and now he’s making significant achievements. His machine tool technology has reached the world’s most advanced level. This is just what we know, and given how cunning he is, who knows what other industries he’s involved in? Maybe this is just the tip of the iceberg,” Lao Ma said as he accepted the hangover soup and drank it all in one gulp.

“Will he have any impact on our company?” Xiao Li expressed her concerns.

“No, it won’t affect us. This young man’s businesses are all in the industrial sector, unrelated to us. Xiao Li, you should learn more. Look at how he started from scratch and built a conglomerate worth billions. I don’t expect much from you, but you should still strive to learn more.”

“I understand, Uncle.”

If Zhou Chao were here, he would probably be shocked to learn that Lao Ma’s assistant was his relative.

When Zhou Chao returned to the hotel, he took a shower and lay down on the bed. Although he didn’t feel particularly drunk, he did have a slight headache.

“All Li, I’m going to take a nap. We can go to the night market later.”

“Sounds good, let’s go!” Jiang Li raised her eyebrows, signaling Zhou Chao to start the car.

Huafang Street was part of Qinghe Alley and belonged to the old city area of Hangzhou. In the past, it was known as the “Four Corners of Qinghe Alley” where four famous shops were located at each corner. Over time, it became a renowned area.

Apart from Hu Xueyan’s former residence and the bronze sculpture museum, there were also many unique snacks, making it one of the must-visit food streets in Hangzhou.

Zhou Chao’s place was indeed close to Huafang Street, just a short drive of less than five minutes, and they arrived at the street.

“Brother Chao, why does this food street look different from the one we visited before? There are antique shops, jewelry stores, and such. It seems more like a commercial street. Beneath the ancient-style buildings, there are quite a few non-food shops, and there are quite a few of them.”

“Yeah, it seems that way. Let’s go in and take a look. I’ve heard many tourists come here when they visit.”

Jiang Li nodded and followed Zhou Chao as they entered Huafang Street.

Just a few steps in, Jiang Li spotted a stall specializing in stinky tofu.

“Brother Chao, let’s check it out. I wonder if their stinky tofu tastes good!” Zhou Chao already knew what Jiang Li meant she wanted to try it. After all, she didn’t get a chance to taste it back in Xingcheng, so now that she saw it, there was no way they could pass it up. Before he could react, Jiang Li had already led him to the stinky tofu stall.

“Boss, is your stinky tofu delicious?” Jiang Li asked the busy stall owner.

The owner pointed to the free samples of stinky tofu and said, “It’s definitely delicious. I’ve been running this stall for over ten years, and it’s authentic Xingcheng stinky tofu. You can try it for free, and if you don’t like it, it’s on the house.”

Jiang Li took a skewer of stinky tofu and tasted it directly, finding it quite delicious. She exclaimed, “It’s really good! I want one!”

The owner worked quickly and prepared a serving within two minutes. After enjoying her portion, Jiang Li turned to Zhou Chao, nodded her head towards the stall, and said, “Come on, try it! You can’t just eat and make me pay for it.” “You’re only getting one bite!” Jiang Li picked up a piece of stinky tofu and fed it to Zhou Chao, making the owner uncomfortable.

“It’s really not bad. Boss, how much is this stinky tofu?”

“$12!”

Zhou Chao nodded and made a mobile payment. When he turned around, Jiang Li had moved to the next stall, enjoying her stinky tofu while asking the owner about the taste.

Huafang Street wasn’t very long, measuring only about 1800 meters. By the time they finished exploring, it was already 7:30 in the evening. They had tried a few snacks, including stinky tofu, Ding Sheng cake, and scallion bun stew, but they weren’t particularly interested in the others. They also visited an antique store, but most of the items there were from the recent past.

As night fell, the lights on Huafang Street lit up, adding a warm ambiance to the ancient and traditional atmosphere.

“What’s wrong? You seem a bit down,” Zhou Chao asked as he drove away from Huafang Street, noticing Jiang Li’s gloomy expression.

“I thought it would be similar to the night markets in Xingcheng, but it was quite disappointing.”

“Alright, don’t worry. How about we find a good restaurant to make up for it?”

“Sure, after a few hours of walking, I’m getting hungry. But I want something with strong flavors!” Jiang Li perked up when she heard the mention of food.

“Okay, it’s your choice!” Zhou Chao smiled and agreed.

The car quickly merged into traffic and headed towards a place known for its culinary delights..