Gorgeous Female Tenants

Chapter 362: Working and Eating without Compromise

Xiao Lin’s slender fingers pointed gently at Xu Xiangbei, with a look of reluctance, she advised, "Brother Xu was very hungry just now, so..."

With his mouth still stuffed with a tender and crispy milk jelly, Xu Xiangbei grinned cheekily as he escaped back into his bathroom.

From outside came the roar of Ouyang Jiahui: "Give back my crispy milk jelly, that’s too much. Each person can only have a few pieces, and you’ve eaten too many."

Soaking in the bathtub and enjoying the sensation of a thousand water streams massaging him, Xu Xiangbei actually fell asleep, only to be awakened by Xiao Lin’s anxious yet melodious voice knocking on the bathroom door.

"Brother Xu, are you okay? You’ve been in there for two hours. Your phone has been ringing incessantly."

Sure enough, it was his phone ringing. Xu Xiangbei hurriedly climbed out of the bathtub, threw on a bathrobe, and rushed out of the bathroom.

Unexpectedly, in his haste to answer the phone, a corner of his bathrobe got caught in the bathroom door.

As soon as he took a step outside, there was a ripping sound, and his bathrobe fell right off.

Completely stark naked, he bumped into Xiao Lin at the door, who let out a gasp, covered her eyes, and fled, blushing furiously.

Xu Xiangbei chuckled ruefully, quickly putting on the bathrobe again, and called out to Xiao Lin’s petite, retreating figure: "Sorry, it was not intentional; I was in a hurry to answer the call."

Xiao Lin hid in the kitchen, feeling her cheeks burning like fire, fixing her apron in front of the mirror. After calming down for a moment, she replied, "It’s okay, I didn’t see anything anyway."

Though she said she saw nothing, her face was flushed, looking as if it had been brushed with rouge, enchantingly resembling a sky bathed in sunset hues.

Xu Xiangbei picked up the phone; there were two missed calls from an unknown number, both placed consecutively, indicating urgency.

He called back the unfamiliar number, and a middle-aged man’s voice, full of enthusiasm, spoke: "Hello, is this Doctor Xu?"

"It is. Who’s speaking?"

"Doctor Xu, is it really you? That’s great. You saved my dad yesterday morning at Carolan, and I’d like to treat you to a meal to express my gratitude."

Xu Xiangbei laughed: "No need for a meal, really, don’t mention it."

"I insist, I insist. May I ask which restaurant Doctor Xu prefers? Can we meet up and become friends? Also, please bring your girlfriend along. My son, Xiao Xuan, is very grateful for her; he said it was your girlfriend who encouraged him not to cry. He really wants to thank her again."

Unable to decline the persistent offer, Xu Xiangbei had to agree: "Alright then, let’s go to Emperor’s Pavilion."

For Xu Xiangbei, if anyone invited him to a meal, he would recommend Emperor’s Pavilion since it was his restaurant and he needed to support his business.

The other person seemed to know Emperor’s Pavilion and smiled: "Emperor’s Pavilion, that hotel has great food, I’ve been there, and I like it a lot. So we’re agreed, then, at noon, don’t miss it, okay? I’ll call you again once I’ve secured a private room."

Just two minutes after hanging up, the same person called again: "Doctor Xu, we booked the Biyun Palace on the second floor. Doctor Xu, my name is Xu Jianxin, I’m probably a few years your senior, just call me Lao Xu. Make sure to come at noon, alright?"

"Alright, I’ll definitely be there."

Xu Xiangbei put on a shirt he bought yesterday, spruced himself up, looking much better than when he returned in the morning.

Xiao Lin glanced at him with a smile: "Dressed so handsomely, going to meet your girlfriend?"

"Yes, not just meeting her, but taking her for a meal; someone’s treating us to lunch."

Xiao Lin giggled behind her hand: "If you want to treat me to a meal, just say so. No need to make excuses; I would definitely accept Brother Xu’s invitation."

Xu Xiangbei leaned in cheekily towards Xiao Lin: "Someone is genuinely inviting us. It’s the elderly man who was ill at Carolan Film City yesterday and his grandson, Xiao Xuan. That little boy was charmed by you and insisted on seeing the pretty sister again."

Xiao Lin gave Xu Xiangbei a mock glare: "Stop joking. Xiao Xuan is innocent and sweet, unlike your perverted self."

"Last time Emperor’s Pavilion opened, you happened to be in Yanjing attending a press conference and missed tasting our beef and seafood balls. Perfect time to try them at noon."

Xiao Lin playfully curtsied: "Our Boss Xu, Doctor Xu, it would be an honor I can’t refuse."

Just then, Xu Xiangbei’s phone rang again, it was a call from Boss Zhou. He pressed the answer key: "What a coincidence, I was just planning to go to Emperor’s Pavilion for lunch; someone booked the Biyun Palace on the second floor. I’m heading to Biyun Palace at noon."

Boss Zhou sounded rather rushed: "Doctor Xu, there’s trouble at Emperor’s Pavilion. Someone came by to check our restaurant and said our hygiene doesn’t meet standards, asking us to close for rectification."

Xu Xiangbei frowned slightly: "Hasn’t Emperor’s Pavilion been open for many years? Why say the hygiene check doesn’t pass only now?"

"It used to be handled by Xiao Xu from the Hygiene Bureau, but now there’s a new inspector who seems to be dissatisfied with our hygiene."

Xu Xiangbei inquired: "Did you use to give Xiao Xu gifts?"

"We usually sent gifts during the holidays, but now with a new inspector, I don’t know him."

"Would it be possible to give this new inspector more gifts?"

"I suggested that, to give him around a thousand bucks, but he seemed to find it too little."

Xu Xiangbei sighed, with people these days having exorbitant demands, not valuing a thousand bucks: "Ask him to wait a few more minutes, I’ll head over right now."

Looking at the time, it was almost noon; he decided to attend the luncheon at Emperor’s Pavilion and deal with the issue at the same time.

Xiao Lin was already waiting for him in the living room, still in her T-shirt and ripped jeans from yesterday, but with a different hairstyle.

Her golden hair was tied into a ponytail at the back, paired with a black sunhat, making her look refreshingly beautiful.

Driving his silver Porsche like a silver lightning bolt, Xu Xiangbei quickly arrived at the Emperor’s Pavilion parking lot.

The street was cleared of floral displays and banners put out during the opening day, all tidied up.

From outside the restaurant to the lobby, everything was spotlessly clean, the tables and chairs were neatly arranged in an orderly fashion, and the tabletops were wiped to a gleaming polish.

Xu Xiangbei smiled at Xiao Lin: "We’ll have lunch at the Biyun Palace Hall on the second floor. You head to the private room first; I have a few things to handle in the office."

Xiao Lin smiled half teasingly, half admiringly: "You’re combining lunch with work, big boss, go ahead and attend to your work, I’ll head to the second-floor private room first."

Xu Xiangbei went to the office behind the hotel, where Boss Zhou was waiting outside for him. Seeing Xu Xiangbei, he quickly approached: "That person is waiting for you in the office."

"What kind of person is he?"

"A young guy, quite unlikeable."

Xu Xiangbei chuckled, finding Boss Zhou’s directness amusingly blunt.

Walking into the office with Boss Zhou, he noticed a young man sitting on the sofa with an arrogant expression, small nose and eyes, smoking a cigarette while scrutinizing Xu Xiangbei.