From Wage Slave to Tycoon

Jinling, Xuanwu Hotel!

After leaving Tianjin, Su Chen didn’t go sightseeing in places like Zibo or Qingdao. Instead, he and Chen Fei took turns driving for ten straight hours, arriving in Jinling a little after ten in the evening.

Jinling’s nightlife was much livelier than Tianjin’s. When Su Chen and Chen Fei arrived, the streets were still bustling with people.

But unlike in Tianjin, Su Chen didn’t go out for a stroll that night. Instead, he stayed in the hotel and had a good night’s rest, saving his energy to fully enjoy Jinling.

Jinling not only boasted a rich historical and cultural atmosphere, but its culinary culture was also long and storied. Unlike Tianjin, Jinling’s cuisine was a fusion of northern and southern flavors, making its taste more accommodating to tourists from all over the country.

This was especially true of Jinling’s ducks. It’s said that no duck can swim out of the city alive. Er—not even two of them!

The famous Salted Duck and Pressed Salted Duck could both be called Jinling specialties.

Su Chen sat on his room’s scenic balcony, leisurely admiring the view of Xuanwu Lake.

Verdant greenery encircled the entire lake. Its sparkling blue waters, rippling gently, were like a pearl adorning the bustling metropolis.

"KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK~"

The crisp knocking pulled Su Chen from his thoughts. He turned his head and said softly, "Come in!"

The next second, Chen Fei opened the door and poked his head in. Seeing Su Chen lounging on the balcony, he then walked inside.

"Sir, it’s getting late. I was wondering if you’d prefer to dine in the hotel or eat out," Chen Fei asked respectfully as he walked up to Su Chen’s side.

Su Chen glanced at the time—it was already almost ten in the morning. He immediately got up from the lounge chair and said, "Let’s eat out. We can walk around a bit while we’re at it!"

The Xuanwu Hotel, being an old, established five-star hotel, naturally had its own top-tier restaurants. On the second and third floors, there was a two-star Michelin Cantonese restaurant and a Huaiyang cuisine restaurant, respectively.

The late April weather in Jinling had warmed up considerably. Su Chen threw on a jacket and left the hotel with Chen Fei.

The hotel was located near Xuanwu Gate. Speaking of Xuanwu Gate, the first thing that came to mind was Li Shimin, but alas... this Xuanwu Gate wasn’t *that* Xuanwu Gate. It was simply named for its proximity to Xuanwu Lake.

If you wanted to find the most street food, the areas around the university towns were, of course, the place to go.

As it happened, there were quite a few university campuses around the hotel. After leaving, Su Chen and Chen Fei headed straight for the food streets near the schools.

"It’s great to be young these days. The air is just full of the spirit of spring," Su Chen remarked, watching the college girls in their revealing outfits—snow-white, long legs paired with JK miniskirts. They were turning heads everywhere they went.

"Sir, you should find a girlfriend too. Look at Young Master Cong and Young Master Qin... they change girlfriends like they change clothes," Chen Fei said with a serious expression.

The weather had been quite warm today, but after hearing Chen Fei’s words, Su Chen suddenly felt a chill run through him.

He shot Chen Fei an irritated glare. ’Truthfully, I’ve thought about finding a girlfriend too, but where am I supposed to look? There are hardly any women in my social circle, let alone any suitable ones.’

’Besides, I have a few little secrets. Finding a girlfriend is something I have to be extremely cautious about.’

"GROWL~" An inopportune sound came from Chen Fei.

Su Chen followed the sound to Chen Fei’s stomach and joked, "Well now. If Cong and the others found out about this, they’d think I’m a harsh boss."

"Hehe, sorry to embarrass myself in front of you, Sir," Chen Fei said, scratching his head with an awkward smile on his honest face.

After they arrived in Jinling last night, they had just grabbed a quick bite at a random hole-in-the-wall joint. Add to that skipping breakfast this morning, and it was only normal for his stomach to be growling.

Su Chen glanced around, his gaze finally landing on a shop with a big ’M’ for a sign.

McDonald’s!

’I don’t think I’ve ever eaten at McDonald’s before. I hear their McNuggets are really good,’ Su Chen muttered to himself.

’Back when I was broke, McDonald’s was an impossible luxury. At most, I’d go to Wallace to satisfy a craving. Even if it wasn’t exactly friendly to your stomach, Wallace treats its customers like brothers—their prices are dirt cheap.’

’Now that I have money, my standards are naturally higher, and I never gave a thought to these places I once couldn’t afford.’

Hearing Su Chen suggest McDonald’s, a look of anticipation appeared on Chen Fei’s face. He had never eaten at McDonald’s either.

This particular McDonald’s was near the university town and was doing pretty good business. There were quite a few young men and women standing in line.

After waiting for about ten minutes, it was finally their turn. Su Chen pointed at the menu board on the wall and said, "One of everything."

Su Chen was very young to begin with, and anyone who didn’t know better would have mistaken him for a local college student. This bold move immediately drew the attention of many students.

The men were scornful; the women, intrigued.

Many of the guys were silently calling Su Chen a show-off, while the girls all fixed their gazes on him, as if trying to figure him out.

After all, McDonald’s isn’t cheap. Ordering one of everything would cost at least several hundred yuan, maybe even over a thousand.

Ordinary people would never do what Su Chen just did. The poor couldn’t afford it, and the rich wouldn’t bother coming here.

So, an act like Su Chen’s was bound to attract curiosity.

The staff moved quickly. In just a moment, four trays, piled high with food, appeared at the pickup counter.