Chapter 2101: The Joy of Watching the Excitement

Although it was a dinner invitation, Hu Tingting didn't notify too many people.

On one hand, she had only a few close friends in the company; on the other, she couldn't bear to let Dong Guoxiang spend too much.

After counting, there were only six people in total.

Even so, Hu Tingting was still distressed, estimating that this meal would cost at least one or two thousand yuan.

"Tingting, what are you thinking about?"

A colleague asked her.

"Ah, nothing." Hu Tingting quickly shook her head upon hearing this.

"By the way, where are we eating tonight? Have you asked your boyfriend?"

The speaker was the girl sitting opposite Hu Tingting, named Zhang Xin.

"I'll ask right now."

Hu Tingting glanced at the time; it was almost time to get off work, so she really needed to ask.

Taking out her phone, she began to send a text message to Dong Guoxiang.

When he received the text, Dong Guoxiang was holding a meeting with his subordinates. Zhao Fusheng had just left, and he had called in the head of the technical department to start implementing Zhao Fusheng's instructions.

"Morton's, the reservation is made."

Dong Guoxiang replied.

He actually wasn't too clear about this matter; according to Zhao Fusheng's instructions, Liu Yiming had made the reservation.

Although Liu Yiming hadn't called him yet, based on Dong Guoxiang's understanding of Zhao Fusheng, since he said Morton's, it must be Morton's.

If there was no place, Zhao Fusheng would easily buy it out and drive the guests away...

"Morton's?"

Hu Tingting was stunned when she received the text.

Morton's Steakhouse was the best steak restaurant in the capital. The chef's steaks were grilled just right and tasted great, and there were all kinds of delicious seafood air-freighted in for freshness. The main specialties included jumbo lump crab cakes, ribeye steak, Morton's signature salad, and other signature dishes.

The key point was: expensive!

The per capita cost was over a thousand, not including red wine and such.

Was this guy crazy?

Thinking this, Hu Tingting felt like calling Dong Guoxiang to ask if he intended to spend an entire month's salary on this meal.

But in front of her colleagues, she couldn't say anything, so she had to reply to Dong Guoxiang.

"Are you sure it's that place?"

The implication was naturally that she thought it was too expensive.

Dong Guoxiang didn't have much of a concept; this guy usually spent most of his time with his team of techies, and meals were just makeshift affairs.

Occasionally, when he dined with Zhao Fusheng, Zheng Yao, and others, the places they went were not picky. He really had no concept of restaurants.

Receiving Hu Tingting's text message, Dong Guoxiang was a bit puzzled, but still replied, "You've been there? Is it good?"

"I've been there twice with colleagues. It's good, but not cheap," Hu Tingting replied.

That was the truth; after all, she was a white-collar worker, and deep down she had a bit of a petty bourgeois streak. Occasionally, a few girls would pool their money for a big meal.

But a place like Morton's, they really didn't dare to go.

It easily cost over a thousand per person, and if you accidentally ordered a bit more, half a month's salary would be gone.

Living in the capital was no easy feat.

In this era when credit cards weren't common, everyone paid with cash, and few were willing to spend so lavishly.

"It's fine, Fusheng said he's treating," Dong Guoxiang recalled Zhao Fusheng's words and replied, "Don't worry, he earns more than I do."

"Isn't that inappropriate?"

Hu Tingting was a bit surprised; she hadn't expected Dong Guoxiang and that Fusheng to be so close. Even for a ten-year friendship, such a generous invitation was rare.

"It's okay."

Dong Guoxiang said, "My meeting here might end a bit late. I'll ask him whose name the reservation is under, and you and your colleagues can just go directly then."

"Okay." Hu Tingting had no choice but to suppress her doubts and agree obediently.

Dong Guoxiang continued with the meeting, casually sending a text to Liu Yiming to ask about the restaurant reservation.

When Liu Yiming received the text, he was just talking with Zhao Fusheng.

"What's up?"

Zhao Fusheng was a bit curious.

"It's President Dong, asking whose name the restaurant is under," Liu Yiming replied.

"What restaurant?"

At that moment, Dong Chenxi and Zheng Yao walked in together and asked Zhao Fusheng in confusion.

"Let me tell you, tonight..."

Zhao Fusheng chuckled and recounted the story of Dong Guoxiang inviting his girlfriend's colleagues to dinner that evening, finally saying, "I told him to go to Morton's."

"Go, we must go!"

Zheng Yao, with her troublemaking nature, was practically beaming at the news.

This woman currently had no boyfriend, and after discovering that everyone around her was in relationships, she had become increasingly gossipy. Besides work, gossiping about their romances had become her daily routine.

Now hearing about something like this, she immediately said to Liu Yiming, "Xiao Liu, go to the Regent Hotel and book the entire restaurant."

"Huh?"

Not just Liu Yiming, but even Zhao Fusheng was dumbfounded.

What was going on?

"What are you trying to do?"

Zhao Fusheng said helplessly, "Don't mess around, or Old Dong might get upset."

"What's he got to be upset about!"

Zheng Yao said irritably, "What's the point of playing the frog-to-prince game? He's got nothing better to do, if you ask me. Let's just be straightforward today and get it out in the open."

In her view, playing the fool to catch the wise was the most boring thing.

She was smart enough to know that since Zhao Fusheng hadn't objected and had even asked Liu Yiming to book a restaurant, he clearly agreed.

"That works."

Zhao Fusheng thought for a moment and said to Liu Yiming, "Go find President Xue and ask him to help inquire if we can book Morton's from five o'clock tonight until closing time. Money is no object."

Tsk, tsk!

"You two, take it easy."

Dong Chenxi, who couldn't stand it anymore, said helplessly, "No need to go through all that trouble. Just book it for three or four hours—how long can they eat?"

"Huh?"

Zhao Fusheng and Zheng Yao looked at each other, then couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Alright, from six to ten o'clock, we'll book that slot," Dong Chenxi said to Liu Yiming. "Go tell President Xue that this is a big deal concerning President Dong's future happiness. Ask him if he's free and if so, to join in the fun."

"Okay."

Liu Yiming looked at Zhao Fusheng, and after he nodded, turned and left to contact Xue Yuanfang.

"Wait, if we do this, won't Old Dong get furious?" Zhao Fusheng blinked and asked Zheng Yao and Dong Chenxi.

"That... probably not?"

The two women exchanged glances and shook their heads decisively.

At the same time, the same thought crossed their minds: Even if he gets mad, it'll be at you!

If Zhao Fusheng knew what they were thinking, he'd flip out without a second thought, but unfortunately, he didn't.

Soon, Liu Yiming returned.

"President Xue made the call himself. It's all arranged over there."

As he spoke, Liu Yiming added, "President Xue has some things to take care of, but he'll be here shortly."

The group laughed; this was getting more and more interesting.

……

……

Dong Guoxiang had no idea that his dinner invitation to his girlfriend had become a subject of idle curiosity among certain bored higher-ups at Future Group.

He received a text from Liu Yiming saying it was booked under the name Mr. Liu.

Without thinking too much, Dong Guoxiang sent Hu Tingting a text about the restaurant.

Although Hu Tingting regretted agreeing to let him treat her, since the restaurant was already booked, she decided to go. At worst, she could secretly withdraw some of her savings and give them to Dong Guoxiang.

Soon, it was five o'clock in the evening.

For the nine-to-five office workers, this was naturally time to relax.

"Off work!"

"Off work!"

A group of girls giggled as they huddled together and took the elevator downstairs.

"Tell us, which restaurant did your boyfriend book?"

"Yeah, where are we going?"

Several people asked curiously.

"Morton's."

Hu Tingting took a deep breath and said slowly.

"Where?"

"Morton's Steakhouse?"

Hearing this, everyone was astonished.

"Yeah, that's the place. Let's go, we'll take the subway now."

Hu Tingting said to her companions.

They had no objections, so the group took the subway toward Morton's.

Along the way, they pulled Hu Tingting aside to ask about Dong Guoxiang. When they heard he worked at Future Technology, everyone was impressed.

"Future Technology?"

"I know, I know—their company is huge."

"Really?"

"Yeah, the big boss is from the Northeast, and his wife is Fan Baobao, the actress who does commercials. They say he's worth tens of billions of dollars."

"Wow, that's amazing!"

Humans love gossip, especially women.

For them, as drifters in Beijing, the big boss of Future Group was an untouchable figure high above. Not to mention someone worth tens of billions of dollars—even someone worth over ten billion RMB was an unattainable existence for these ordinary white-collar workers earning just over ten thousand a month.

Society is just that realistic; wealth determines your place in the pyramid. Though many are unwilling to admit it, the facts are right in front of you, leaving no room for denial.

Hu Tingting chatted idly with her colleagues, but her mind was on tonight's dinner. She thought about ordering as little as possible—no matter what, she couldn't let Dong Guoxiang spend too much.

With this in mind, the group finally arrived at Morton's.

Right on time, six o'clock sharp.

"Where's your boyfriend?"

Zhang Xin asked Hu Tingting curiously.

"He has a meeting at his company and will be a bit late. It's already booked here," Hu Tingting said.

"Oh, that's how it is with software development—lots of overtime."

Several people nodded, knowing how hard programmers worked, especially around here.

"Well, well, if it isn't Hu Tingting."

Just then, a somewhat flippant voice rang out.

They stopped and looked in the direction of the voice, and their expressions all changed...