novelraw Chapter 305 - 285: If the Boss Doesn’t Show His Power, Do You Really Think I’m a Push-Over?
Chapter 305 - 285: If the Boss Doesn’t Show His Power, Do You Really Think I’m a Push-Over?
"Thank you, Aunt Li, I’m really sorry for the trouble."
Dong Yuantao carried a full stainless steel tray and expressed his gratitude to Aunt Li, then said to Liang Yinqiu, "Director Liang, please go ahead, I’ll find a seat first."
Having said that, he walked towards the dining area with his tray, leaving Liang Yinqiu and Aunt Li exchanging silent smiles and shaking their heads.
Tsk tsk tsk~
This Assistant Dong is really something...
He’s gone through so much trouble just to eat a little more of the kitchen’s meals...
As soon as Dong Yuantao arrived at the dining area, he saw Huang Jun and Qian Guoxiang sitting in a corner enjoying their lunch. He enthusiastically approached them and greeted, "Chef Huang, Assistant Chef Qian, you’re eating too."
"Yo, it’s Assistant Dong..."
Qian Guoxiang nodded with a smile, his gaze involuntarily drawn to the food in Dong Yuantao’s hand, which was noticeably more than what he had. Curiously, he asked, "Assistant Dong, did you ask Aunt Li to give you extra food?"
Dong Yuantao waved his hand with a smile, denying, "Not at all, Aunt Li is just too kind. I kept saying it was enough, but she kept adding food as if she was afraid I wouldn’t be full."
If Aunt Li’s ears were long enough to hear these words...
She would probably show a three-part denial expression of "It’s not me, I didn’t do it, don’t talk nonsense."
She might even silently retort in her heart: Pff, what a joke! Kind, my foot! It was you who wouldn’t let go of the spoon, frantically adding food for yourself, and now you’re blaming it all on her?!
Aunt Li says she won’t take the blame!
She won’t carry this blame!
"Really? Aunt Li sure takes good care of you."
Qian Guoxiang felt there was something fishy in Dong Yuantao’s words, but without evidence, how could he confront Aunt Li about it?
Besides, he did vaguely hear Dong Yuantao’s courteous "enough, really enough," which sounded normal, so he didn’t suspect anything and didn’t connect Dong Yuantao with being a "drama king."
Huang Jun didn’t think much about it, just politely smiled and invited, "Assistant Dong, why don’t you join us?"
"Sure!"
Dong Yuantao readily agreed and sat down beside Huang Jun, gently placing his loaded tray on the table.
Then...
Like many young "foodies," he habitually took out his phone, ready to let the camera lens "taste" this sumptuous lunch first.
With a "click"!
Dong Yuantao pressed the shutter, capturing the tempting food in an instant on his phone screen.
He smiled slightly, swiped his finger across the screen, and uploaded the photo to his friend circle, accompanied by the caption: "Assistant Dong’s daily life: Came to Dorami Kindergarten today to inspect the renovation progress, Director Liang was too kind, insisted on treating me to lunch, delicious food and scenery, I’m truly grateful!! Picture jpg"
Though Qian Guoxiang was somewhat puzzled by this behavior, he understood.
After all, this is a way for modern young people to share life’s moments and spread happiness.
Huang Jun seemed accustomed to it and continued enjoying the food in front of him.
Dong Yuantao put away his phone, ready to start eating.
Understanding the healthy habit of drinking soup before meals, he picked up the bowl of vibrant Tomato Basa Fish Soup before him, gently stirring with a spoon, seeing the surface ripple, with red tomatoes and white basa fish intermingling, exuding an enticing aroma of fish and the sweet and sour scent of tomatoes...
His throat involuntarily moved again, exclaiming, "This Tomato Basa Fish Soup, just one word... it’s really fresh, really sweet and sour..."
Scooping up a spoonful of Tomato Basa Fish Soup, he placed it directly into his mouth...
At that moment...
The thick soup and tender fish meat bloomed in the mouth, the sweet and sour taste of tomatoes spreading across the tongue with a hint of freshness.
The basa fish in the soup was perfectly stewed, retaining the tenderness of the fish meat while perfectly blending with the tomato’s sweet and sourness, presenting a complex taste profile.
As the fish meat was chewed, the fine fibers and rich soup interwove in the mouth, every bite revealing the tender texture of the basa fish, melting in the mouth,
A sparkle of satisfaction flashed in Dong Yuantao’s eyes as he savored the delightful taste, couldn’t help but praise, "This Tomato Basa Fish Soup is amazing, unbelievably delicious, perfectly balanced, and the texture is delicate, truly memorable."
"Chef Huang, your skills are really unmatched, every time you bring me such a delicious experience, leaving me wanting more..."
Qian Guoxiang laughed and echoed, "Of course, Chef Huang’s skills are indeed exceptional. I can taste his cooking almost every meal here and never get tired of it, let alone you, who only have a taste from time to time, you must be craving it?"
So true, leaving Dong Yuantao speechless.
However, he seriously doubted that Assistant Chef Qian was showing off that he often gets to enjoy Huang Jun’s food, but alas, he had no evidence!
What can he do now?
Just endlessly envy!
He never expected, one day, to envy the kitchen staff at a kindergarten so much.
Breakfast, lunch, afternoon snacks, not a single meal is missed, there’s always something to eat at meal times,
The key is, they don’t have to worry about having to eat!
Who wouldn’t dream of such a life?
Listening to their praise, Huang Jun smiled modestly, "If you like it, have more soup, have a few more bites, don’t stand on ceremony."
Hearing this, Dong Yuantao replied with a smile, "Don’t worry, Chef Huang, I won’t be shy! I’ll definitely have a few more bowls of this soup, and I’ll eat a few more bites of these dishes."
With that, he picked up his chopsticks, picking up a chicken leg glazed in a glossy honey sauce, and brought it to his mouth.
The outer skin of the chicken leg had a subtle crispness, giving a slight crunch as he bit into it.
Immediately, the sweet and slightly salty honey glaze spread in his mouth, a perfect blend of the honey’s sweetness and the soy sauce’s richness.
Inside the chicken leg, the juicy, tender chicken meat burst with flavor, and the honey glaze made everything just right, with no trace of greasiness.
The chicken’s texture was clearly visible, neither too firm nor too soft, the meat full and elastic; every bite let you distinctly feel the chicken’s elasticity and tenderness.
Due to the marinating process, every fiber of the chicken leg was infused with the aroma of spices, making every chew full of complex textures.
Moreover, every fiber of the chicken was filled with the sweet honey aroma, rich and lingering, with a slight fruitiness.
And the honey flavor was like a gentle stream, slowly flowing in the mouth, making you want to savor it slowly...
In short, the rich sweet aroma was not overwhelming, the chicken’s tenderness and the honey’s sweetness perfectly blended...
Delicious!
Truly delicious!
Initially, Dong Yuantao wasn’t too keen on sweet and sour, or honey-glazed dishes, but after tasting this honey-glazed chicken leg, he was utterly captivated by its deliciousness.
It must be said, this dish completely changed his view on this type of cuisine.
He couldn’t help but exclaim: "Delicious! This honey-glazed chicken thigh is so tasty, much better than any I’ve had before!"
Ah!
Young people these days are easily surprised.
Eating doesn’t even stop their chatter.
Qian Guoxiang smiled slightly and continued enjoying the delightful food in front of him.
...
CEO office.
This is an extraordinarily luxurious office, filled with the scent of high-class cologne and cigar smoke.
At the center of the office is a large mahogany desk, behind which stands a wall-height antique rack carefully displaying various exquisite porcelain collectibles.
On the other side of the office is a huge floor-to-ceiling window with a panoramic view of the city perfect for overlooking.
Sunlight poured through the glass into the room, shining on the high-end imported sofa.
At this moment, Liu Shiwei sat at the desk, eating the steak specially cooked for him by the company’s kitchen, yet a vague sense of unease arose in his heart.
This unease stems from his concern for Dong Yuantao, wondering why Dong Yuantao hasn’t returned to the company, and worrying if he is busy and hungry, even fearing he would miss the company’s meal if he returns too late.
He chuckled, self-mockingly saying: "In this era, a caring boss like me in Huaxia who cares about employees’ meals and living conditions is indeed rare."
Thus...
He couldn’t help but pick up his phone, open WeChat, hoping to find a message from Dong Yuantao.
Unfortunately...
The screen was blank, with no messages at all.
Liu Shiwei hesitated about whether to send a message or make a call to Dong Yuantao to inquire, but he thought it might disturb him if he is busy, so he dismissed the idea.
Bored with nothing to do, he couldn’t help but start browsing Moments again.
In the next moment...
He stumbled upon his assistant’s food photos.
He couldn’t resist enlarging the food photos.
The alluring honey-glazed chicken thigh, bright red tomato tilapia soup, and slick shredded cabbage and meat dishes, even through the phone screen, were mouth-watering.
He lightly chuckled, talking to himself: "Hey, I was worried this guy might be hungry, but looks like he’s already eating well..."
Upon close examination of the photo details, he suddenly realized these were not company meals.
By the way!
Where exactly is this guy eating now?
Could it be... eating in Dorami Kindergarten’s cafeteria?
As soon as this thought arose...
He quickly exited the food images and carefully examined Dong Yuantao’s Moments text.
Just looking at it confirmed his assumption...
This instantly dampened his mood.
Originally, he kept worrying whether Dong Yuantao was eating on time, afraid he might work too hard and go hungry, not expecting him to be enjoying a lunch carefully prepared by Huang Jun at Dorami Kindergarten, completely forgetting that President Liu in the CEO office was still concerned about him.
He couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed, thinking: "Even with delicious food, he doesn’t think of me as the boss, this guy really lacks consideration."
"Haha, if the boss doesn’t show his authority, do you really think I’m someone’s fool?"
He snorted lightly and clicked on Dong Yuantao’s profile picture, quickly sending a message.
After sending the message, he still felt somewhat unsatisfied: "No way, such a great chance to freeload on food, how can I miss it? Tomorrow... I have to visit the kindergarten to oversee."
What?
What about the morning meeting at the company?
What else... delay it!
If the company’s leadership finds out he delayed the meeting for food, they would probably be shocked with their jaws dropping, showing expressions of "Are you still the workaholic President Liu we know?"
...
In Dorami Kindergarten’s dining hall, Dong Yuantao was engrossed in the delightful food in front of him, each bite making him completely satisfied and exceptionally cheerful.
Unfortunately, the joy lasted only a few seconds...
The WeChat notification sound suddenly chimed in his ear.
He instinctively picked up his phone for a look...
Just one glance was enough to surprise him.
Only to see his screen showing a greeting message from his boss — President Liu.
His heart suddenly sank, two thoughts flashed through his mind: The first being "Oh no, forgot to block the boss"; the second being "Oh no, forgot to switch to the alternative account."
Ah, let’s just say happiness often leads to sorrow...
If he’d known earlier, he wouldn’t have bragged by posting those food photos on Moments; if he’d known earlier, he would’ve been more cautious and shared it using his alternative account.
Now it’s too late!
Caught red-handed by the boss.
He’s surely in for a reprimand back at the office...
Forget it forget it!
With gourmet food at hand, enjoying the moment is most important!
As for other matters, they’ll deal with those later.
If worst comes to worst, I’ll quit...
If worst comes to worst, just change the environment...
Working over at Dorami Kindergarten, I can enjoy Huang Jun’s cuisine every day...