After buying the liquor, Wu Jun drove back to his small supermarket.
"You’re back so early, Wu Jun." Xu Fei was surprised to see him walk in.
Lately, Wu Jun had been leaving early and returning late, so he rarely came back at this hour.
"I have something on tonight. Xu Fei, you..." Wu Jun was about to suggest she close up shop and join him for dinner, but then he remembered what his sister-in-law, Duan Xiangyan, had said and immediately dismissed the thought.
Tonight’s dinner was a family affair, just relatives and close friends. Bringing Xu Fei along could easily cause a misunderstanding, and besides, it wouldn’t be appropriate.
"What is it, Wu Jun?" Seeing him trail off, Xu Fei asked, her face full of confusion.
"It’s nothing," Wu Jun said. "Just close up a bit early later. Don’t overdo it."
After giving Xu Fei her instructions, Wu Jun went into the bedroom he let her use, opened the closet, and rummaged through it for clothes. The closet, which used to contain nothing but black and white, now held a few more colors.
He found a white dress shirt and a pair of black trousers and changed out of the casual clothes he had been wearing all day.
Tonight’s event was very significant. Even though it was just family, he needed to pay attention to the details of his attire.
This outfit was a birthday gift from Ma Siyu from last year. She had lamented that it cost her a whole month’s salary.
Back then, although Ma Siyu wasn’t earning as much as she was now, she was still making over ten thousand a month. This was Wu Jun’s best outfit for going out, and he rarely wore it.
After changing, he went to the bathroom to wash his face, adjusted his collar and cuffs in the mirror, and only then did he open the door and step out.
Seeing the meticulously dressed Wu Jun, Xu Fei froze for a moment, her gaze lingering on him.
Wu Jun was 182 cm tall. Although she had fattened him up quite a bit recently, it was limited to a small belly, and his figure was still just as good.
A white shirt, black trousers, handsome features, and a neat haircut—in Xu Fei’s eyes, Wu Jun was exceptionally charming tonight.
’Is he dressed up so nicely for a date?’
At this thought, Xu Fei couldn’t help but feel a pang of disappointment.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Seeing the way Xu Fei was staring, Wu Jun instinctively glanced down to check if his fly was undone.
"Ah, it’s nothing, nothing. Wu Jun, be safe on the road. Drive carefully." Xu Fei’s face flushed as she spoke, her gaze flickering away.
"Okay, got it." Wu Jun made an OK sign with his hand and walked out of the supermarket.
He went out front, opened his car door, and drove his pickup truck toward the Shimen Grand Hotel.
After announcing in the group chat that morning that he was treating everyone to dinner, Wu Jun had called the manager directly and booked the best private room.
As soon as the manager of the Shimen Grand Hotel heard Wu Jun wanted to make a reservation, he promised to hold the room for him.
The Shimen Grand Hotel was now using the Hongyun Rice supplied by Wu Jun. Having witnessed its superior quality, the manager already considered Wu Jun a VIP.
Twenty minutes later, the pickup truck was parked in the lot in front of the Shimen Grand Hotel.
The Shimen Grand Hotel was a five-star establishment, one of the most famous in Shimen City. Its clientele was made up of CEOs and business owners.
The parking spots in front of the hotel were filled with Mercedes, BMWs, and Audis. Wu Jun’s pickup truck stood out conspicuously.
Several other drivers who were parking at the same time saw Wu Jun get out, lift a case of Guojiao 1573 from the back seat, and assumed he was a delivery boy bringing liquor for his boss.
"Look, look! That guy in the white shirt is so handsome," a girl getting out of an Audi A4L said to her friends after seeing Wu Jun.
"No matter how handsome, he’s just a delivery guy. Didn’t you see his pickup truck? Stop looking, Beibei. He can’t afford you."
"His monthly salary probably isn’t even enough for one of your meals here."
The girl’s friends all laughed and teased.
Overhearing them, Wu Jun thought, ’Getting looked down on by a bunch of young girls... I have a "son of a bitch" on the tip of my tongue. I guess once I’ve made some real money, a new car should be the first priority...’
Entering the hotel just after the girls, Wu Jun was immediately greeted by a manager in a skirt suit.
"Mr. Wu, a warm welcome to you," the manager greeted him eagerly. "I’ve held the Prosperity Room for you upstairs. Please, follow me."
"Thank you, Manager Lu," Wu Jun nodded and followed the manager toward the second floor.
The girls behind Wu Jun, who had just been looking down on him, were amazed to hear how Manager Lu addressed him. ’That guy in the beat-up pickup truck is a "Mr." something?’
"I’ve seen everything now. Anyone can be a ’Mr.’ these days..." one of the girls muttered under her breath.
"LuLu, you’re wrong about that," said the girl who had first called Wu Jun handsome. "I’ve been to the Prosperity Room in this hotel a few times with my dad. The minimum charge is 19,999. That case of liquor he’s carrying must be worth several thousand, and those two simple pieces of clothing he’s wearing probably cost no less than ten thousand."
After hearing their friend’s analysis, the others gasped. They had completely misjudged him. Turns out he was a low-key rich guy!
Wu Jun waited in the private room for a while. Seeing it was about time, he got up and went downstairs to greet his arriving relatives.
His younger uncle, Ma Chaoyun, arrived in his old Jetta with Wu Jun’s eldest aunt and her husband. His cousin-in-law, Bian Xuedao, brought his wife, his second aunt, and her family. Ma Siyu and her husband, Chen Xingyang, came by taxi with their daughter, Chen Meng.
As they all got out, they gazed at the magnificent hotel, their faces a mixture of expressions.
This group of people was very frugal in their daily lives. They had never even been to a starred restaurant. This time, they were skipping all the steps and going straight to a five-star hotel.
"Uncle Wu Jun, you’re even more handsome!" his little niece Chen Meng cried out, skipping over to grab his arm as he came out the door.
Wu Jun ruffled Chen Meng’s hair and said with a laugh, "Little Meng Meng is getting better and better with her sweet talk. Uncle will give you a big red envelope later."
Ma Siyu put a hand to her forehead and said dramatically, "Chen Meng, you’re just like your grandma. Your grandma’s farsighted, and you’re nearsighted. What part of him is handsome?"
"The eyes of the masses are sharp and clear. The one with eye problems is you, Ma Simai," Wu Jun said with a laugh, completely unbothered by Ma Siyu’s attempt to tear him down.
This pair of clowns started bickering the moment they met. Their antics instantly eased the atmosphere, and smiles appeared on everyone’s faces.
"Little Jun, how much will a meal here cost? Why don’t we switch to another place and just eat something simple?" his First Aunt, Ma Chunmei, asked Wu Jun, her voice tinged with worry about the expense.
His Second Aunt also chimed in, "That’s right, Little Jun. At a place like this, you’re just paying for the name. It’s a waste of money. Why don’t we go to your sister’s place? With her connections, we can even get a discount."
"The room is booked and the food is ordered. We can’t cancel it now. Everyone, just eat to your heart’s content today. Follow me upstairs," Wu Jun said with a smile, turning to lead the way.
"Wu Jun, are you crazy? Isn’t this a bit too extravagant? I messaged you to change the place, but you didn’t reply. Can you not type, or can you not talk?" Ma Siyu came forward, linked her arm with Wu Jun’s, and whispered.
"Eh? Why are you here? I remember kicking you out of the group chat this morning. You weren’t on the guest list," Wu Jun said, tilting his head to look at Ma Siyu as if he’d just noticed her.
"When it comes to fleecing a big shot, no summons is needed. It’s a national activity, everyone’s responsibility! I offer you kindness and you treat it like dirt. I’ll give you a punch in the lung!" Ma Siyu elbowed Wu Jun, snorted coldly, and yanked her arm away, drawing a clear line between them.
Wu Jun rubbed the spot where his lung would be. ’Damn, she really hit hard...’
Wu Jun glared at Ma Siyu, who completely ignored him. He then led the group inside and straight to the Prosperity Room on the second floor.
As they entered, they saw a huge round table covered with all sorts of exquisite dishes: things that flew, things that ran, things that swam, and things that grew from the earth. There were many dishes they couldn’t even name.
On the table were several bottles of Guojiao 1573. The men who regularly drank had never tasted it, but they had all heard of it—a single bottle cost around 1,000 yuan. The extravagance of this meal was off the charts.
Among them, his cousin-in-law Bian Xuedao was the most shocked.
Bian Xuedao worked in the government system, holding a secure "iron rice bowl" job. Although his salary wasn’t high, the benefits were excellent. He had always looked down on the Ma family’s poor relatives, feeling they were from a different world.
He had once accompanied his boss to the Shimen Grand Hotel on a chance occasion—to this very room, in fact. He roughly estimated that with the food, the bottles of liquor, and the room fee, the bill for today’s meal would be no less than 30,000 yuan.
’Isn’t my wife’s cousin just a small supermarket owner?’ he thought. ’When did running a small supermarket get this profitable?’
Bian Xuedao and Huang Zili were having the same misconception...
"Everyone, take a seat, don’t be shy. Eat up, drink up, make yourselves at home," Wu Jun gestured for everyone to sit down.
Everyone took their seats, leaving only the one next to Wu Jun available for Ma Siyu.
Ma Siyu sat down quite naturally, but she immediately turned her head away, showing him only the back of her head.