Chapter 219: Chapter 131: The Abstinent Male God
The dining experience was incredibly pleasant.
As it was the new boss’s first meal ordered in the room, Nata had truly poured her heart into it. Moreover, she wasn’t just meticulous during the ordering and preparation; she also went to great lengths to maximize Han Lie’s prestige by providing exceptional service throughout the meal.
Two young ladies were specifically in charge of portioning out the dishes, ensuring guests could enjoy each course without having to get up. Another two were responsible for clearing trash, bringing and taking away dishes, and offering hot towels for refreshment. A young man, wearing white gloves, meticulously handled opening and pouring the wine. Nata herself was responsible for explaining each dish.
"This Seared Alaska King Crab Leg Egg Roulade is an innovative signature dish, handcrafted by the head chef of our hotel’s Arete Culinary. The egg roulade is made from premium free-range chicken eggs and fresh pasture-fed milk, baked at a low temperature until tender and smooth, melting instantly in your mouth. The crab leg meat, sourced entirely from live crabs, is seared to lock in maximum moisture, offering a distinct texture—chewy yet not sticky. The contrasting inner and outer textures provide a layered experience: a subtle sweetness gives way to savory notes, and upon thorough chewing, the delightful aftertaste of top-quality crab meat fully emerges. It’s a truly rare indulgence. The chef’s skill is paramount to truly showcasing the essence of this dish. If Young Master Han weren’t treating, even our hotel’s mid-level managers would find it difficult to taste the original version."
"WOW, WOW, WOW..."
Captivated by Nata’s description and the sight of the jelly-like egg roulade on their plates, everyone started salivating uncontrollably. Each person took a piece, and the platter was quickly emptied. Biting into it, the outer layer of egg genuinely melted away, followed by the delightful chewiness of the crab leg meat in its sweet and savory juices—it was absolutely fantastic!
Honestly, while the Pan Family’s chef is highly skilled in traditional regional and classic Chinese cuisines, this single dish surpasses him in terms of innovation. Of course, everyone has their own specialty, so such comparisons aren’t entirely fair. Nevertheless, it highlighted the hotel’s exceptional dedication today.
Wang Xiaotian, Lou Xiaoxiao, Wang Tianqing, and the others gazed at Han Lie with admiration, feeling he truly possessed an impressive aura.
Nonsense, that was prestige bought with 6,000,000!
No, wait. Considering service charges, miscellaneous fees, meal costs, and drink costs for regular stays, it would add up to at least another 2,000,000 a year.
Only Yu Xueqin ate without savoring the food.
His head was throbbing.
Receiving an encouraging, smiling glance from her new boss, Nata became even more enthusiastic and began introducing the next dish.
"This Japanese seafood sashimi platter features the finest ingredients available: Arctic sweet shrimp, Arctic surf clams, bluefin tuna belly (otoro), and Hokkaido purple sea urchin. The preparation method itself isn’t unique, but this dish represents a special gesture from our hotel’s Yan Chuan Japanese Cuisine for Young Master Han. This block of fresh bluefin tuna belly, an exceedingly rare top-grade ingredient, was sourced from Japan just two days ago, hence it requires only the simplest culinary approach to shine. The accompanying wasabi paste and house-made sake-based condiment are proprietary recipes of Yan Chuan’s head chef. Please feel free to mix them to your liking and enjoy."
Liu Yingjun didn’t immediately reach for his chopsticks, yet he was the first to voice his appreciation.
"Damn, Han Lie, your influence is truly eye-opening! Just for one meal, we have head chefs from three different restaurants taking turns to serve us!"
The earlier appetizers, from the hotel’s Western restaurant, while not absolutely top-tier, were still the creations of a master chef.
Fang Tongzhi nodded with a smile, saying, "Indeed. I’ve had top-tier Chinese cuisine and top-tier Japanese cuisine before, but enjoying several types of such quality simultaneously? This is a first for me. We’re truly basking in your glow, Han Lie!"
Han Lie smiled. "They’ve certainly put a lot of thought into it."
"Come, let’s all raise our glasses and toast Young Master Han!"
"Yes, thank you, Young Master Han!"
"Love you, Han Lie!"
With the enthusiastic toasts and lively atmosphere, Han Lie’s extraordinary status was firmly established with that first round of drinks.
Han Lie raised his glass. "Alright, a toast to everyone!"
Only after they finished their drinks did Lou Xiaoxiao find a chance to quietly ask her boyfriend, "What’s actually so difficult about all this?"
Ma Ke, who loved to show off, genuinely knew more than the average person and explained in meticulous detail.
"Typically, top-tier restaurants only serve their dine-in customers. They neither offer takeout nor accommodate walk-in guests without reservations. Can you grasp that?"
"Um... not really."
"For one thing, the profit from alcohol sales and service charges exceeds that from individual dishes. For another, the head chef’s time is limited, making it impossible to fulfill every request. Consequently, they make choices prioritizing maximum profit and the best reputation—meaning no takeout and no walk-in orders. Understand now?"
"So... today’s situation is that uncommon?"
"It’s not exceptionally rare. There are always influential individuals whose requests the restaurant can’t refuse; I know at least four or five such people. However, Han Lie is the youngest among them. It probably means he really splashed a lot of money."
"WOW! That’s incredible!"
Lou Xiaoxiao blurted out her amazement. Noticing her boyfriend’s slightly off expression, she quickly added—
"Darling, you’re amazing too! You know so much!"
That immediately cheered him up.
However, they were mistaken about one thing. Han Lie hadn’t actually ’splashed a lot of money.’ Quite the opposite, he was dangling a large carrot in front of the hotel. The hotel management hoped to secure Han Lie’s substantial orders for the next two years, so they had to spare no effort in pleasing him. Nata earned an extra day’s service charge for every day Han Lie stayed. Thus, she was desperate to find ways to retain him, hoping her young boss would live at the hotel permanently.
If Han Lie had truly paid for four years’ worth of room and service fees upfront, would the hotel management and Nata herself still exhibit such high levels of proactive enthusiasm? It was highly unlikely.
Therefore, the privileges Han Lie could actually enjoy were far greater than what was currently being displayed.