Zhou Xing took out his car keys.
He unlocked the car.
The distinctive crescent-shaped headlights lit up.
Zhou Xing pulled open the door and sat inside.
However, he noticed Min Sishi standing there, not moving for a long time.
"What are you dazed for? Get in."
Zhou Xing said.
Min Sishi was twisting her hands together, saying somewhat awkwardly, "I... I don't know how to open the car door."
Zhou Xing couldn't help but smile.
Even the usually poised and generous Min Sishi had a side like this.
"There's a groove under the window. Just put your hand on it, and the door will pop open automatically."
Zhou Xing explained.
mclaren's door-opening mechanism utilized touch sensors; there were no physical buttons.
Min Sishi tried following the method Zhou Xing described.
She swiped her hand over it.
The door immediately popped open and swung upwards.
Min Sishi covered her mouth and let out a small gasp; for her, this was truly novel.
She hadn't expected a car door could be opened this way.
She gingerly sat in the car and closed the door. Looking at the interior, she couldn't help but turn to Zhou Xing and ask, "Where are we going?"
Zhou Xing didn't reply.
He pressed the start button.
The car roared to life, the sound of the engine deafening.
The streamlined body... streaked across the campus at dusk, heading straight out of the school gates.
Half an hour later.
The car drove into The Bund and stopped in front of a building.
Zhou Xing parked the car, opened the door, and stepped out.
Min Sishi followed suit, standing by his side and looking at him somewhat blankly.
"Let's go."
Zhou Xing started walking, his expression calm.
"Where to?"
Min Sishi was puzzled.
"You gave me so many things during Military Training. Wouldn't it seem very heartless if I didn't treat you to a meal?"
Zhou Xing chuckled lightly.
"Are we eating here?"
Min Sishi pointed at the European-style building in front of them.
It looked a bit old.
But it had immense style... and being located on The Bund, any restaurant here clearly wouldn't be cheap.
"Actually, if you want to treat me to a meal..."
Min Sishi seemed a bit hesitant. "The Malatang in the cafeteria tastes very good. There's really no need to go through all this trouble to come here."
"Not only is it deathly expensive, but the taste might not even be as good as the cafeteria."
Zhou Xing glanced at her. "Six-yuan Malatang?"
"What?"
"Nothing."
Zhou Xing smiled and walked straight into the building.
In fact... most of the time, when choosing an expensive restaurant, one isn't eating for the taste of the food.
No matter how expensive the food is, it isn't necessarily that much more enjoyable once it's in your mouth.
The style and the elegant atmosphere are the reasons why the wealthy flock to these places.
Seeing that Zhou Xing had no intention of leaving, Min Sishi had no choice but to follow closely behind him.
They took the elevator together to the third floor.
What met her eyes was a string of French... which Min Sishi couldn't understand at all.
"Welcome to L'ATELIER-Joël Robuchon. Do you have a reservation?"
As soon as they approached the restaurant, a Waiter came to greet them.
"Yes, the name is Zhou."
Zhou Xing said.
He had already asked Zhang Yan to book the restaurant for him in advance.
This was a Michelin-starred French restaurant, headed by the famous French chef Joël Robuchon.
"Very well, Mr. Zhou. You have a reservation made this afternoon for two people."
After the Waiter confirmed, they guided Zhou Xing and Min Sishi into the restaurant. "Please follow me."
Zhou Xing walked in with a calm expression, while Min Sishi took in the surroundings.
The interior decoration was dominated by redwood colors, giving off a warm yet elegant feel.
The lighting was brilliant.
The center was decorated like a cocktail bar.
Chairs and Western cutlery were placed on all four sides.
Standing right in the center was a middle-aged foreign man with blue eyes, wearing a neatly pressed chef's uniform.
Once Zhou Xing and Min Sishi were seated, the middle-aged foreign man greeted them warmly with a smile.
It sounded like French.
Zhou Xing couldn't understand him at all.
The Waiter leaned in and translated, "Hello, Mr. Zhou. This is our head chef, Mr. Joël Robuchon, who is also the founder of this restaurant."
"He is greeting you and asking what kind of food you would like to taste. He will then go prepare the ingredients. Everything here is prepared on-site by the chef himself."
Zhou Xing thought for a moment and said, "Then let the chef decide for us and arrange today's menu."
"Certainly."
The Waiter immediately translated Zhou Xing's words for Joël Robuchon.
Upon hearing this, Joël Robuchon's eyes instantly lit up, and he couldn't help but give Zhou Xing a thumbs up.
"He says thank you for your trust, sir, and he definitely won't let you down."
The Waiter translated.
"By the way, bring me a bottle of wine to pair with the meal."
Zhou Xing said to the Waiter, "A latour will do."
Last time at the hotel, he had tried latour, and the taste was quite good.
"Sir, we currently only have the '97 latour in stock. The current price is 116,800. Is that acceptable?"
The Waiter asked.
Min Sishi's pupils dilated.
A bottle of wine.
Over a hundred and ten thousand, nearly a hundred and twenty thousand.
Just for a bottle of table wine... used to accompany the food.
Zhou Xing nodded slightly, and the Waiter turned to fetch the wine.
A moment later.
She carefully carried a bottle of latour and slowly walked toward Zhou Xing. After showing him the label and the seal, she prepared to open it and pour it into a decanter.
Seeing the Waiter bring the latour, Joël Robuchon seemed very excited and spoke a string of gibberish.
"What is he saying?"
Zhou Xing asked.
The Waiter smiled. "Mr. Joël Robuchon praises your excellent taste. This wine is perfect for a meal."
Zhou Xing burst out laughing.
"What are you laughing at?"
Min Sishi asked, somewhat puzzled.
Zhou Xing looked at the excited Joël Robuchon and said, "What 'excellent taste'? He's just happy because there's money to be made."
"In fact, so-called Michelin restaurants aren't much different from roadside stalls; they just create a high-end atmosphere."
"The so-called 'taste' and 'vision'... mean nothing in the face of money."
The Waiter who was pouring the wine paused slightly, almost spilling the wine.
She had heard everything Zhou Xing said.
However, she wouldn't choose to translate these words for Joël Robuchon; that would just be asking for trouble.
Joël Robuchon also turned around and began to get busy.
A short while later.
Two delicate small plates were placed in front of Zhou Xing and Min Sishi.
The Waiter introduced from the side, "This is the appetizer: Caviar with Lobster Jelly and Cauliflower Puree. Please enjoy."
Zhou Xing picked up his spoon and said to Min Sishi beside him, "Eat."