"Don't stop until I've left the restaurant. And before the semester ends, I want to receive a transfer of five hundred thousand Star Coins. Figuring out my Academy account number shouldn't be too difficult for you.
Once the money arrives, I'll apply to the Academy to cancel your punishment." After saying this, Zhao Chen led Sun Wan'er and the others out of the restaurant.
Before this, Zhang Haoran had obediently knelt on the ground, continuously shouting, "Grandfather Zhao Chen... I was wrong..."
Looking at the messy scene and Zhang Haoran's pitiful, beaten-down appearance.
Han Tianwang said gravely, "This Zhao Chen has some skill, but Haoran, you must remember, a gentleman can wait ten years for revenge. Staying at the North Star Starship Military Academy is the most important thing."
"I will make that Zhao Chen pay a thousand, no, ten thousand times over! I, Zhang Haoran, swear it!" Zhang Haoran knelt on the ground, his entire face twisted with rage.
"Actually, I think... you'd be better off giving up. You're no match for that Zhao Chen." Another handsome young man who had remained silent until now spoke for the first time. He seemed like a mere observer of this gathering.
But he didn't consider his time wasted; it had been quite a show.
"Sun Shao, where there's a will, there's a way. And I think that Zhao Chen truly went too far; he deserves to be taught a lesson." A cold glint flashed in Han Tianwang's eyes. That Zhao Chen had shown him no respect, and right in front of Su Lan too.
That Sun Shao just smiled and said nothing more.
"Um... who will be settling the bill..." A restaurant manager approached at that moment, looking somewhat surprised to see Zhang Haoran kneeling on the floor.
"How much." Zhang Haoran stood up, his legs still trembling slightly.
"The total is fifty-three thousand Star Coins. We can round it down for you." The restaurant manager said with a professional smile.
Zhang Haoran's legs nearly gave way, and he almost collapsed. He stared at the manager in shock. "Fifty thousand Star Coins? How is that possible? How could our table possibly cost fifty thousand Star Coins?"
"This table alone was only twenty-five thousand Star Coins. But the guest who just left, besides the wine, also took two additional portions of the same meal to go.
So... it's fifty thousand Star Coins..." the restaurant manager explained with a smile.
Took to go?
Fury surged through Zhang Haoran's heart, and he directly spat out a mouthful of blood. He roared, "Zhao Chen!"
——————
Watching Zhao Chen carrying two or three bags in his left hand and two or three in his right was quite a comical sight.
"Wan'er's brother, you were absolutely hilarious just now. This meal... burp... was definitely worth it. Not only did we eat and drink our fill, but we also got to watch a great show.
And now you're even taking leftovers... I took a glance at the bill earlier—a full fifty thousand Star Coins. I bet Zhang Haoran's face turned green when he had to pay." The twin-tailed Xue Xiaoxiao patted her little belly as she spoke.
"Don't call him 'Wan'er's brother.' Just call him Zhao Chen." Zhao Wan'er rolled her eyes, then fixed her gaze on Zhao Chen. "You targeted Zhang Haoran like that, and you even showed Han Tianwang no face.
Aren't you worried they'll seek revenge later?"
"You talk as if, had I kindly negotiated with them, they wouldn't seek revenge in the future anyway.
Since it can't be changed, why shouldn't I thoroughly beat the drowning dog?" Zhao Chen replied with a carefree laugh.
Su Lan covered her mouth with a light laugh. "Wan'er, your brother really is special. He's not at all like you said before, someone who only knows how to study rigidly. If someone like him counts as a dull bookworm, then I guess there aren't any smart people left in the world."
"How was I supposed to know he was hiding so much?" Zhao Wan'er pouted.
Senior Su Lan looked at Zhao Chen. "Junior Zhao Chen, but I still have to remind you.
Today, you've thoroughly offended Zhang Haoran and Han Tianwang.
I'm not sure about Zhang Haoran, but Han Tianwang is a smiling tiger, a petty and narrow-minded person.
Since you didn't give him face today, he'll definitely try to trip you up in the future over something."
"Mm, I'll be careful," Zhao Chen nodded.
"What are your plans for this holiday?" Xue Xiaoxiao, with her twin ponytails, asked curiously.
"Wan'er and I are going back to our territory. After all, I'm the nominal Baron, and there's a whole pile of things waiting for me to handle," Zhao Chen said helplessly.
"A whole pile of things? Isn't everything in the territory already arranged by Sister?" Zhao Wan'er rolled her eyes.
"Speaking of your sister, I remember she's serving in the Stellar Glory Empire's Imperial Army. I heard she's performed excellently and even became a Starship Captain in Her Highness the Princess's Guard," Senior Su Lan said.
Zhao Chen thought of this sister.
Truthfully, his impressions of her were few. From the time he could remember, their parents were gone, and his sister was already studying at the Starship Academy. After graduation, she joined the Imperial Army.
The time she spent back at the territory was less than a month a year, and even during that month, the number of times they met could be counted on one hand.
But what Zhao Wan'er said was right. If it weren't for this sister arranging matters in the territory, Zhao Chen's territory would be in who knows what state by now.
"Oh right, this year you don't need to book tickets. We'll take my starship back," Zhao Chen said to Zhao Wan'er.
In previous years, Zhao Chen and Zhao Wan'er would always book Starship Tickets to return to their territory.
"Traveling back by starship costs dozens of times more than booking tickets," Zhao Wan'er leaned close to Zhao Chen and whispered.
Zhao Chen smiled. "Don't forget, your brother is loaded now."
Thinking of those 500,000 Star Coins, Zhao Wan'er rolled her eyes. "Alright then."
To be honest, returning on one's own starship was indeed at least three times faster than buying Starship Tickets.
"Go back and pack up. We'll depart the day after tomorrow. Let me know if you have anything to move.
I'm heading back now. With all this food, it won't taste good if it gets cold." With that, Zhao Chen bid farewell to Senior Su Lan and the others and quickly left.
"Is your brother a foodie? With so much food, how long can he eat it all by himself back home?" Xue Xiaoxiao, with her twin ponytails, couldn't help but swallow her saliva as she spoke.
Because the smell of that food was really good.
Zhao Wan'er watched her older brother's retreating back. She truly felt he had changed a lot; it was as if she didn't even recognize him anymore.
"Your brother is very interesting," Senior Su Lan commented.
Both Zhao Wan'er and Xue Xiaoxiao were surprised, because men who could be described as "interesting" by Senior Su Lan were rarer than rare animals.
...
Zero Blizzard
Zhao Chen, panting heavily, walked into the Starship Cabin. Deputy Captain Charlotte, following Zhao Chen's instructions, had been waiting here early.
"Quick... help me... take these..." Zhao Chen handed several food containers in his hands to Deputy Captain Charlotte.
He looked at his own arms and wrists, both marked with red lines; several of his fingers had even turned purple from lack of blood flow.
"Captain, what's inside these?" Deputy Captain Charlotte asked, looking at the two bags in her hands.
"A secret. Notify all Starship Crew to assemble in the Dining Hall!" Zhao Chen replied with a mysterious smile.
Deputy Captain Charlotte didn't ask further and relayed Zhao Chen's orders as instructed. Then, the two of them headed toward the Starship Dining Hall.
"Do you need me to help you carry those?" Zhao Chen asked, watching Deputy Captain Charlotte effortlessly holding so many items without showing any strain.
"Is it heavy?" Deputy Captain Charlotte replied calmly.
Zhao Chen was taken aback. Well... this must be the strength of the Half-Beast White Tiger Clan.