Chen Ze quickly took out his phone and dialed Zhang Guoheng's number.
"Hey, Lao Zhang, what are you busy with?"
Zhang Guoheng's voice came from the other end of the phone: "Just came back from a stroll around the company. What's up?"
"Old Zhang, you don't need to go to the company tonight. There are still a few security guards on duty there. Hurry up and come to my house for dinner at Villa No. 3 in Chiwan."
Zhang Guoheng raised his wrist and glanced at the time. It was only four o'clock in the afternoon. He wondered to himself, "Is it a bit early to eat now?"
However, since the boss had extended such a warm invitation, he couldn't refuse and readily agreed.
When he stepped into the villa and entered the dining room, he was surprised to find the dining table completely empty, without even a single plate. He was filled with doubt. Wasn't he invited to eat? Why was there nothing on the table? Was he supposed to eat air?
Just then, Chen Ze walked over.
"Hey! Old Zhang, you got here so fast! I haven't even had time to go buy groceries yet!"
Zhang Guoheng's lips twitched slightly, and he said irritably, "Boss Chen, I thought I would be able to eat a hot meal as soon as I arrived, but there's nothing on the table. Did you call me here to be the cook?"
Chen Ze replied with a forced smile, "Old Zhang, some things are better left unsaid. You understand the saying 'see through it but don't say it'?"
Chen Ze tossed him the Audi car keys. "You can drive?"
Who do you think you are!
After taking the keys, Chen Ze quickly drove the Audi to the gate, opened the door, and got in.
"Let's go to the market to buy groceries."
Zhang Guoheng skillfully drove the car towards the market. Along the way, the two chatted idly about trivial matters at work.
Upon arriving at the market, Zhang Guoheng was astonished by the sight before him. There were so many people shopping there today; the market was filled with the incessant squawking of chickens, ducks, and geese, along with the chatter of the crowd, making it extremely noisy.
The stalls were filled with a dazzling array of fresh vegetables, and Chen Ze moved about like a seasoned pro.
He stopped in front of a vegetable stall run by an older woman, picked up a bunch of greens, and asked, "Auntie, how much are these vegetables?"
The older woman enthusiastically responded to the price, but Chen Ze suddenly started bargaining.
Zhang Guoheng stared wide-eyed, thinking to himself that the big boss actually knew how to bargain.
After some selection and negotiation, they bought a bunch of ingredients. Back in the car, Zhang Guoheng joked, "Old Chen, I never knew you had this side to you."
"You haven't realized that haggling can actually be a kind of fun."
"You're a billionaire boss, wouldn't it be better to eat at a fancy hotel? Why do you have to come and wander around this stinky wet market?"
"You don't know anything. We Cantonese people worship our great-grandparents on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. On New Year's Day, we can't sweep the floor, wash our hair, or visit relatives."
The two walked and talked, and soon came to a chicken stall. After some bargaining, he spent more than 300 yuan to buy several good roosters, which he would use as offerings for worship.
Next, there were pig's feet, duck, goose, fish, and shrimp—nothing could be missing. He filled the entire Audi to the brim.
While helping to move things, Zhang Guoheng muttered, "Old Chen, you've made quite a fuss here."
Chen Ze smiled and said, "Traditional customs cannot be taken lightly; it is a matter of respect for our ancestors."
Back at the villa, the two got to work. Zhang Guoheng was in charge of washing the ingredients, while Chen Ze began arranging the ritual implements.
Before long, a delicious aroma wafted from the kitchen.
After everything was prepared, Chen Ze solemnly placed the rooster and other offerings on the altar, lit incense and candles, and began to worship while chanting incantations.
Zhang Guoheng, standing to the side, was also affected by the solemn atmosphere.
After the worship ceremony, they took firecrackers to the door and lit them, and soon the courtyard was filled with the crackling sound of firecrackers.
"Woof woof woof!"
The little treasury buzzed in fright and ran straight to Wang Siyu for comfort.
After the firecrackers finished, Chen Ze handed two red envelopes to the two security guards at the door, said "Thank you for your hard work," and then turned and went back into the villa.
Seeing that the boss had returned to the villa, the security guard squeezed the red envelope in his hand and said dejectedly, "Why is this red envelope so flat? Could it only contain a hundred yuan?"
Upon hearing this, the security guard at the gate quickly opened his red envelope and found that there was only 10 yuan inside. He was so angry that he almost fainted.
At the same time, he muttered under his breath, "This boss is so stingy. He lives in a multi-million dollar villa, but only gives out ten-yuan red envelopes for Chinese New Year."
The security guard chuckled, “Our boss is probably a local from Guangdong. I heard that during the Lunar New Year, his closest relatives only receive 50 yuan in red envelopes, while everyone else receives 5 or 10 yuan.”
Upon hearing this, the security guard exclaimed, "Oh my... so our boss is most likely a local from Guangdong province."
At five o'clock in the afternoon, Chen Ze and his two companions began to enjoy their meal. He picked up a piece of poached chicken and put it in his mouth to taste. He thought it was pretty good. Zhang Guoheng made Guangxi-style poached chicken, which is quite different from Cantonese-style poached chicken.
Immediately afterward, Chen Ze tasted all the dishes and praised, "Not bad, Lao Zhang, you have the makings of a chef. I'll send you to the culinary industry for some training, and you'll definitely succeed."
Zhang Guoheng nodded repeatedly as he chewed his food: "You want me, a top student, to be a chef? Is that reasonable?"
Chen Ze said meaningfully, "Do you believe that college graduates like you will have a hard time finding a decent job in ten years?"
Zhang Guoheng rolled his eyes at him: "College students are a scarce resource nowadays. As for your claim that college students won't be able to find jobs in the future, I certainly don't believe it."
Chen Ze smiled faintly, without offering any further explanation.
This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
