Chapter 4
Edward Quan ·
A few minutes later, a man in a suit came downstairs.
He looked to be in his forties, with a calm air about him.
Everyone assumed he was me.
But the moment my aunt saw him, her face turned deathly pale.
The man stood in the middle of the hall and spoke evenly.
“I’m Lin Yuan, the owner of this restaurant.”
“But I’m not your nephew.”
The dining hall fell silent.
My aunt’s lips trembled several times.
“You… you’re not Xiaoyuan?”
The real Manager Lin glanced at her.
“Is the Xiaoyuan you’re talking about the man who supplies your roast meat?”
“He’s my supplier.”
“We happen to have the same name.”
“But I’m not him.”
My aunt still refused to believe it.
“That’s impossible. How could two people have exactly the same name?”
Manager Lin smiled. “There are plenty of people in the world who share a name.”
An employee showed my aunt the business registration.
“Ma’am, the legal representative is Lin Yuan, but he isn’t your nephew.”
My aunt stared at the document, dazed.
“He’s really the legal representative?”
“That’s right.”
“But he isn’t your nephew.”
One of the relatives asked quietly, “Then where’s Xiaoyuan?”
The employee explained, “The young Boss Lin who supplies roast meat has three roast-meat shops. He doesn’t own our restaurant.”
My aunt grew paler by the second.
“What about the flower basket?”
“It said Lin Yuan on it.”
Manager Lin remained calm.
“The flower basket was sent by a supplier.”
“Whenever we open a new branch, our suppliers send flowers to congratulate us.”
“We happen to share a name, so you misunderstood.”
My aunt muttered, “How could something like this happen…”
The employee brought over the bill.
“Ma’am, please sign to acknowledge it.”
My aunt instinctively stepped back.
“No way.”
“No way.”
The bill was unfolded.
The employee read through each item clearly.
“Twenty tables at ten thousand yuan each: two hundred thousand.”
“Forty bottles of Moutai at two thousand yuan each: eighty thousand.”
“Three cases of liquor: twelve thousand.”
“One hundred abalone gift boxes at five hundred and fifty yuan each: fifty-five thousand.”
“Two Australian lobsters and two king crabs packed to go: about forty thousand.”
“That comes to three hundred and eighty-two thousand yuan.”
“We’ll waive the extra two thousand and charge three hundred and eighty thousand.”
My aunt’s knees buckled. She nearly fell to the floor.
“Three hundred and eighty thousand?”
Just then, I walked into the dining hall.
Everyone turned to look at me.
I glanced at my aunt and said evenly, “Your two hundred yuan wouldn’t even buy half an Australian lobster.”
The moment she saw me, my aunt grabbed my arm as if I were a lifeline.
“Xiaoyuan, you’re here!”
“Tell them this is all a misunderstanding!”
I pulled my arm free.
“What did I tell you before?”
My aunt’s eyes darted around in panic. “You… you said the restaurant wasn’t yours.”
I nodded. “Did you listen?”
She stammered, “That was… you were just being polite.”
I took out my phone and played the recording.
My aunt’s voice came through clearly.
“Twenty tables will cost at least a hundred thousand yuan.”
“Once I’ve called all the relatives, they can sit there as long as they like after they’ve eaten. Does he really think he can ask us to pay?”
My aunt’s expression changed.
“When did you record me?”
“From the first time you came to make trouble, I started recording.”
She trembled with anger. “How can you be so devious?”
I laughed. “I’m just keeping evidence.”
“You booked the banquet. It has nothing to do with me.”
“I already told you I wouldn’t take your money and that you should stop coming to me about this banquet.”
My aunt immediately changed her tune.
“Then… I won’t take the money back, okay?”
I looked at her. “It’s too late.”
Manager Lin spoke beside me.