Zhang left his address, letting Haidilao staff deliver the hotpot bases later. For food ingredients, he'd snag them from the Walmart warehouse when the time came. Hotpot bases, though—those were exclusive to the restaurant, way better than store-bought packs. Otherwise, no one would bother dining in.
After the meal, as Zhang was heading home, his phone rang. It was the five-star hotel manager.
"Mr. Zhang, your 500 banquet tables are ready. Can you receive them now?"
"Mm. Just send them over."
Zhang got home and waited. Those 500 tables? Enough to feed him for two or three years. With eight to nine million left in his pocket, he didn't blink at spending—he was eager to burn through every cent.
On the way back, he thought about his favorite dishes. So he placed orders with Tianhai's top restaurants, each to deliver a hundred tables. Eight major cuisines, plus Western food—thousands of tables in total.
This, he thought, would cover his meals for half a lifetime.
Soon, Hongfu Tianxia Hotel's catering trucks arrived at Yuelu Community. Twenty or thirty vehicles blocked the road, leaving neighbors stunned.
Security guard Uncle You rushed over to stop them. "What are you doing here?"
The hotel manager explained, but Uncle You insisted on the owner's approval. Too many vehicles, too suspicious.
The manager called Zhang. He went downstairs to the gate.
Neighbors, including Fang Yuqing and Lin Caining, had gathered.
Zhang approached Uncle You, grinning. "Uncle You, these are my meals. Let them in."
Uncle You's eyes went wide. "Meals? What do you eat that needs a dozen trucks?"
Neighbors buzzed. "That's at least hundreds of tables! Where's he gonna put them?" "Is Zhang hosting a big event?"
"Is he getting married? But hundreds of tables? That's crazy!" "That's Hongfu Tianxia, a five-star hotel! Hundreds of tables must cost over a million!" "My god, a million on a meal? Zhang's loaded!" "We knew his family was decent, but he's a secret tycoon!"
Neighbors' eyes lit up with greed and awe.
Fang Yuqing, watching from the side, pressed her lips. She was more determined than ever to hook Zhang. She walked over, smiling. "Zhang, what's been keeping you busy? Bought so much stuff."
Zhang ignored her, pulling out a cigarette for Uncle You.
Uncle You let the trucks in once the owner arrived. Zhang led the way.
Fang Yuqing followed, chatting away as if they were old friends. "Can't you tell me what's going on? We're friends, right?" "I hope to get to know you better. Don't treat me like an outsider."
Zhang gave her a hard look, 冷笑. "This is all for my boss. The Western restaurant meal last time? His treat too." He sighed. "Wish I was this rich."
Fang Yuqing's face fell. "You… you're not kidding, are you?"
Zhang shrugged. "Why lie? We've known each other years. You know my situation." "Parents passed, I'm just a warehouse supervisor. No money."
His explanation left Fang Yuqing's face stormy. She'd doubted if he was a true rich second-gen—real rich kids came from big business families. Zhang's parents had been gone years, leaving some assets but not enough for that label. Now that he'd admitted it, her doubts vanished.
She stepped back slightly, smoothed her hair, and forced a polite smile. "Whether you're a rich second-gen or not, we're still friends, right? I'm not a gold-digger." She emphasized "friends."
Green-tea girls never burn bridges—they need backups and simps. Zhang's mouth twisted. He said nothing more.
Meanwhile, Hongfu Tianxia staff started moving the banquets to Zhang's designated spot. He'd borrowed an underground warehouse from the property management. Packed in meal boxes, 500 tables didn't take up much space. He'd ordered top-tier dishes—abalone, shark fin, Australian lobster, truffles, caviar, everything.
Moving 500 tables into the warehouse took time. Even the hotel manager was stunned—he'd never seen such a huge takeout order.
Zhang told them to keep moving. Once they left, he quietly stuffed everything into his pocket dimension. Others might find him odd, but who had time to care about a stranger? Neighbors and staff gossiped, but no one dug deeper.
By night, Zhang got a call from Zhanlong Security's Wu Huairen.
Wu said, "We're ready to start building your safe house. When's convenient?"
"Tomorrow." Zhang planned to stay in a hotel during renovations.
After discussing the safe house, Zhang waited for the next part. He had another request for Wu—getting a "equalizer" (weapon).
Wu hesitated, then lowered his voice. "If you really need it, I can recommend a channel. But it'll cost a pretty penny."
Zhang nodded. Money? He didn't care anymore. "Not a problem. As long as it's good quality."
Wu relaxed. "Alright. I'll make the introduction. I'll let you know the meeting spot in three days."