No Need to Show Off

"Go ahead, I'm in no hurry."

Su Yang said with a smile, scanning the dining guests—most of whom appeared to be quite refined.

‘This restaurant definitely caters to a high-end crowd,’ he thought as he walked back to the waiting area near the entrance.

Lin Yiyi stood up and asked, "How did it go?"

"No need to wait, we should get a table soon."

"Huh? But I thought they were fully booked today?"

"There’s a private VIP room. I asked the hostess to check with the manager."

"Ohhh, only Su Yang could pull this off. You’ve got serious clout."

Su Yang chuckled and sat down beside Lin Yiyi.

Less than two minutes later, a middle-aged man in a suit hurried down from the second floor.

He wore glasses, stood around 175 cm tall, and had his hair slicked back.

His face was unremarkable—the kind that would easily blend into a crowd.

He jogged to the entrance, glanced at his phone, then locked eyes with Su Yang sitting directly across from him.

"Sht," he cursed under his breath, wiping sweat from his forehead before approaching Su Yang with a respectful tone. "Mr. Su, my sincerest apologies! I had no idea you were here. This is entirely my fault. I hope the hostess didn’t offend you in any way?"

Su Yang waved a hand dismissively. "No, not at all. Do you know me?"

"Of course! A few days ago, our former owner suddenly resigned without explanation. But before leaving, he informed us that you, Mr. Su Yang, would be taking over. He emphasized that we must provide the best service when you came to inspect the place."

He swallowed hard and continued, "But I never expected you’d visit tonight. I was upstairs handling some other business—otherwise, I would’ve been waiting in the lobby to greet you."

Su Yang thought to himself, ‘It’s just a restaurant. Why so much fuss?’

But he kept that to himself and simply smiled. "No worries, it’s fine. By the way, what’s your name?"

"I’m Gao Yuan. You can call me Xiao Gao, Mr. Su."

"Xiao Gao? You look like you’re in your thirties."

"Uh, yes. I just turned 33 last month."

"That makes you almost ten years older than me. I can’t call you ‘Xiao Gao’ with a straight face. I’ll just call you Lao Gao."

"Of course, of course."

"What’s your position here?"

Lao Gao’s heart raced. He feared this young new owner might fire him on a whim, even though he hadn’t made any major mistakes.

But he knew how unpredictable young people could be when they were in a bad mood.

Hastily, he replied, "I’m the restaurant supervisor."

"Supervisor? Hmm. What other positions are there besides yours?"

Lao Gao thought for a moment. "Above me, there’s the general manager and deputy manager overseeing overall operations. And then above them is you, sir."

"Then there are the servers, front desk cashiers, hosts, and the kitchen team—executive chef, head chef for Western cuisine, sous chefs, line cooks, kitchen assistants, bartenders, and cleaning staff."

Lao Gao explained in detail. Su Yang nodded. "Is the manager not here tonight?"

"Ah, no. The manager has already left for the day."

"Alright, no problem. Relax—why are you so nervous? Just act natural. Take us to the private room."

"Right away, Mr. Su. This way, please."

Su Yang stood up. Beside him, Lin Yiyi was utterly stunned, her mouth slightly agape the entire time.

She had randomly picked this restaurant—how could she have known Su Yang owned it?

"What’s with the dazed look? Let’s go."

"Oh, right. Okay."

The two followed Lao Gao to the innermost private room.

A black-and-gold plaque hung on the door, embossed with the number "1."

Lao Gao pushed the door open and bowed slightly. "Mr. Su, please."

Su Yang nodded and entered with Lin Yiyi.

The room spanned about 70 to 80 square meters—not enormous, but easily accommodating 15 to 20 people.

A large round table stood in the center, surrounded by four dark-gray sofas and smaller side tables.

At the far end was a floor-to-ceiling window, its off-white curtains veiling the city’s nightscape.

The room also had an attached bathroom. Overall, it was tasteful but not extravagant.

Su Yang didn’t mind. He didn’t plan to frequent this place—maybe just drop by for a meal if he craved Western cuisine. Managing the restaurant was the last thing on his mind. He’d rather just collect profits at year-end.

With managers and supervisors handling operations, he had no interest in micromanaging. Even if he tried, he wouldn’t know where to start.

Working a nine-to-five? Not a chance.

After ordering some signature dishes, Su Yang was curious to taste what made this place so popular.

Lao Gao personally took their order, and soon, the food arrived.

Every dish was exquisitely plated—especially the foie gras, a small portion served on an oversized plate.

Su Yang grinned. "How much does this foie gras cost?"

He hadn’t paid attention to prices earlier.

Lao Gao checked and replied, "This dish is priced at 399."

"That expensive?"

"Yes. Our pricing reflects the quality of ingredients and culinary craftsmanship. Rest assured, Mr. Su, we never overcharge."

Su Yang nodded. "Got it. You can leave us now."

"Of course. Enjoy your meal, Mr. Su. Let me know if you need anything."

Once Lao Gao left, the two dug in.

Su Yang took a bite of the medium-rare steak. "Hmm, definitely better than the ones I get at the supermarket."

"Still not as good as that M9 Wagyu I had in Lucheng, though. Let’s try the rest."

Lin Yiyi ate with refined elegance, cutting small pieces and chewing slowly.

Su Yang, on the other hand, ate heartily, polishing off his meal in no time.

"So, how’s the food?" he asked Lin Yiyi.

She smiled. "Delicious! No wonder it’s so popular. I’d come back often."

"Good. Let’s go."

"Sure."

As they stepped out of the private room, Lao Gao rushed over.

"Finished your meal, Mr. Su?"

"Yeah, we’re heading out. Let’s settle the bill."

"The bill?" Lao Gao blinked, then laughed. "You’re the owner—why would you pay?"

"Why wouldn’t I? Besides, tonight’s dinner is on her. Just treat it like any other transaction."

Lin Yiyi added, "Exactly. I’m treating Mr. Su. I didn’t know this was his restaurant, so I insist on paying."

Lao Gao scratched his head. "Well... alright then. Follow me, please."

At the front desk, the final bill came to 4,399.

Fortunately, the meal stayed within Lin Yiyi's budget. She knew Su Yang had money, so from the start, she planned to spend around five or six thousand to treat him—otherwise, she worried he might lose interest in hanging out with her if she skimped.

But Su Yang had no idea about any of this. Truthfully, he didn’t care much about food. Even if Lin Yiyi took him to a street-side stall or a humble little eatery, he’d still enjoy it just as much.

After all, he’d been poor before. Having only recently come into wealth, he hadn’t let it go to his head to the point of refusing anything less than upscale dining.

A person shouldn’t forget their roots—Su Yang always kept that in mind.

Everything he had now was given to him by the system, not earned through his own efforts.

So, there was no reason to get carried away.