At this moment, the female server paid no attention to Zhou Chao and instead approached Gao Liang with a warm smile, saying, "Sir! I've noted that. Thank you for stopping by!" Zhou Chao immediately turned to the server and said, "What's the most expensive cuisine here? I'll have everything on the menu!" After a brief thought, the server replied, "The imperial court cuisine from the Chinese homeland, featuring eight distinct series—'Eight Treasures' (the specific items vary over time, with later traditions naming them dragon's liver, phoenix's marrow, leopard's fetus, carp's tail, bird roasted in the flame, red fox's tongue, bear's paw, and buttered cicada)—is the most costly. However, that comes to 1 million! Oh, let me check—due to the rarity of the ingredients and the rising market demand, I'll calculate it precisely." With a quick calculation using her calculator, the server smiled and said, "Based on current market prices, it comes to 1.88 million! 1.88—what a wonderful number! So auspicious!" "I'll take it! Haha!" Zhou Chao showed off his flair. The Eight Treasures from the imperial banquet were served to the table, and Zhou Chao’s three younger brothers couldn’t stop drooling at the sight. The parents of Xuebi were deeply surprised—how could the son of the mayor be so generous in hosting such a lavish meal? Moreover, they had something they hoped to gain from him. Xuebi, however, shook her head at the full table of wine and dishes, truly regretting it. How wasteful Zhou Chao was! With a budget of 1.88 million, a son of the mayor, so generous in his spending—this clearly wasn’t money earned through legitimate means. It was the hard-earned wages of the people! The very blood and sweat of the people! Zhou Chao’s constant display of extravagance wasn’t winning over Xuebi’s heart; on the contrary, it only deepened her growing disdain. A son of a corrupt official would inevitably face justice. Zhou Chao felt confident, believing he had completely outmaneuvered Gao Liang. Yet, unexpectedly, Gao Liang smiled warmly at Xuebi and invited her, “Xuebi! Come and sit down. Though I don’t have imperial cuisine, I’ve arranged a "We couldn't finish all the dishes ourselves, so if you'd be so kind as to join us, there'd be no need to feel awkward—otherwise, I'd end up wasting them!" After saying this, Gao Liang asked the female server, "Please bring this lady a platter of pomegranate and lotus seed, three varieties of honey-glazed dishes, and a traditional umeboshi soup—three vegetable and fruit dishes!" "Certainly! Certainly!" the server smiled and hurried off to the back. Xue Bi especially liked the three vegetable and fruit dishes that Gao Liang had chosen, though she was a bit reserved at first, and eventually made her way over. This week, Zhou Chao's face had lengthened with frustration—Xue Bi, such a lovely woman, hadn't been properly treated, and had wasted no less than 1.88 million yuan. The food tasted rather plain, too—court delicacies, really just a waste of money. Nothing compared to regular premium dishes. Didn't Gao Liang have a full Han and Manchu banquet reserved? Where were the dishes? Instead, a full table of 17 premium dishes was laid out—colorful, fragrant Watching Xuebi elegantly enjoying her meal and chatting warmly with Gaoliang, Zhou Chao felt a surge of jealousy—damn it, the woman I've been striving to impress, you've completely spoiled my efforts. Yet, though he was annoyed, he dared not voice his frustration. This meal was truly disappointing for Zhou Chao. On the other hand, for his three younger brothers, Luo Qi, Wang Lei, and Liu Qiang, it was absolutely fantastic. Haha! With the 1.88 million yuan imperial eight-dishes feast, they simply couldn’t miss it. They were delighted, clinking glasses, feasting enthusiastically—normally a stingy eater like Zhou Chao, they had never before dared to show off so generously. Such a rare opportunity, and they simply couldn’t resist indulging in a grand meal. The three brothers devoured their food like wolves, eagerly chewing and, even before finishing one bite, would lift the entire plate of meat with the other chopstick, and Zhou Chao, though he glared at them angrily, could do nothing to stop it. The parents of Xuebi didn't hold back either—following Zhou Chao's third brother, they enjoyed the imperial eight delicacies, continuously praising, "Excellent! Excellent! Mr. Zhou, please try!" But Zhou Chao had no heart for tasting—he was entirely focused on two people: Xuebi and Gao Liang. At that moment, Gao Liang displayed a most gentlemanly demeanor, encouraging Xuebi to sip on French red wine. Xuebi took a small sip, her cheeks turning even more endearing. It seemed as though they were perfectly in sync, and Zhou Chao felt a growing jealousy that nearly drove him mad. Finally, after enduring the wait, it was time to settle the bill: Two female servers approached Zhou Chao and Gao Liang simultaneously. Zhou Chao's total came to 1.88 million—quite a blow to his wallet—and with his card balance insufficient, he had to call his father, Zhou Quanxiong, for help. As for our protagonist, Gao Liang, what was his total? Only 10,000 yuan, yet he was thoroughly satisfied. His three close friends all looked radiant, their faces "What a blessing!" Sprite exclaimed, praising the wine, "It's so delicious—sweet, rich, and fragrant! I absolutely love it!" Meanwhile, Gao Liang took a small wine burp and deliberately turned to Zhou Chao, saying, "Hehe! I've had a wonderful meal today—thanks to the complimentary dishes we enjoyed! That's really refreshing!" Zhou Chao immediately asked the female server what was going on. The server explained truthfully, "Sir, according to our hotel's policy, your consumption of 1.88 million yuan entitles you to a gift of 10,000 yuan worth of 17 premium dishes. However, you didn't claim this benefit earlier, so we had to follow the hotel's instructions and gift these 17 dishes to another table." "What? What?" Zhou Chao gasped, feeling dizzy. Today had been a true financial ordeal—Gao Liang had ended up eating for free, and even his brother had been served free! Not to mention the beautiful lady—she too had eaten for nothing. How unlucky was he today! The chickens flew off, the eggs broke—spending money for nothing but frustration. Zhou Chao thought of this and found himself at a loss for words, pouring out all his irritation onto his three younger brothers, who were still feasting at the table. In a frenzy, he knocked over the entire set of imperial eight delicacies. Shouting like a madman, "You just keep eating! Watch me tear your mouths out!" Yet, a funny thing happened: Brothers Luo Qi, Wang Lei, and Liu Qiang, fully immersed in their meal, had fallen to the ground, ready to pick up scattered bones. This infuriated Zhou Chao completely—these young men were truly embarrassing, as if they hadn't eaten a proper meal at all. He stomped on them with one foot, then another—crunch! crunch! The imperial eight delicacies were now scattered in a heap. Honestly, Luo Qi, Wang Lei, and Liu Qiang still hadn't finished eating. After all, they had been enjoying a hearty, meat-heavy meal, and now they needed some vegetables. So their eyes turned toward Gao Qiang's table—17 exquisite dishes, each with soup and broth, rich in color, aroma, and flavor—oh, what Yet, they were hesitant to act. Today, however, Gao Liang was in a particularly good mood, offering Zhou Chao's third brother a bright, cheerful smile and saying with ease, "All these items, I'll give them to you!" As soon as the words left his lips, Zhou Chao's third brother immediately began drinking the remaining soup and eating the leftover dishes—eating and drinking like a pig rooting through its food, indulging thoroughly, even more generously than Zhou Chao himself, who had previously enjoyed the refined court dishes.