109 is meant to be unaffordable.

Sang Qingye first nodded at Zhou Xiaobai, then replied, “You busy man probably don’t know, but Xiaobai and I meet often. She told me a while ago that the new store would open today. Xiaobai even wanted me to do a live broadcast for the opening to attract some attention, and I’ve already agreed. I’m now a free promoter for Xunwei Zhai. As the owner, don’t you want to offer something in return?”

Xiao Yao chuckled and said, “Having a popular streamer like you promote the place, I, as the owner, should definitely show some appreciation. How about this: whenever you come to Xunwei Zhai for a meal, it’s on the house?”

“That’s very generous. The offer is too good,” Sang Qingye said. “If I get greedy and bring ten or eight friends every day to feast here, I wonder if I could bankrupt your Xunwei Zhai?”

“You could bring all your fans from the livestream here and still wouldn’t bankrupt my Xunwei Zhai. I’m a tycoon; you know that. If you did manage to bankrupt me, would I still be a tycoon?” Xiao Yao said proudly.

“I’m speechless,” Sang Qingye admitted. “I was going to say that whether I bring friends or not, just one free meal for me would be enough. But since you’re a tycoon, if I don’t take this chance to rob from the rich and help the poor, I’d really be betraying the common folk.”

After a few jokes, Xiao Yao shifted his attention to the other three people present.

He shook hands with Gu Weiwei and the others in turn, then said, “It’s just the opening of a small, humble restaurant, yet it’s drawn all of you out.”

Gu Weiwei, sounding quite familiar and at ease, replied, “You really are a big spender. Calling a 3,000-square-meter space in Taigu Tower a ‘small, humble restaurant’—it seems we poor folks really do live in a different world from someone like you.”

Zhao Weidong chimed in from the side, “We all have some spare cash and dream of starting our own businesses, but haven’t found the right project yet. We came here today to learn from you and to grab a free meal while we’re at it.”

“The old Xunwei Zhai location was tiny. Every time we went, we had to sneak in through the back door. We even had to trouble Zhou Xiaobai to reserve seats for us, which made us feel embarrassed. Now that the new store has opened, I’m determined to come here every day. Ever since I tried the ‘Mandarin Duck Five Delicacies Platter’ a few days ago, I can’t stop thinking about it—even dream about that taste,” He Jiayi babbled excitedly.

“Today I want to order two servings of the Mandarin Duck Five Delicacies Platter. I’ve been craving it so badly these past few days that I’ve barely had the appetite for anything else,” Gu Weiwei agreed deeply.

“To make sure everyone has a great meal today, the kitchen has been preparing for days. Ordering two servings of the Mandarin Duck Five Delicacies Platter shouldn’t be a problem. I promise you’ll eat to your heart’s content,” Xiao Yao assured.

Xiao Yao had put a great deal of effort into perfecting the Mandarin Duck Five Delicacies Platter, revising the recipe three times before achieving the result he wanted.

The final dish perfectly matched the description in the original recipe. Even gourmets and food connoisseurs who tasted it would surely remember it fondly.

Just thinking about the dish made Sang Qingye’s stomach growl. She said, “Every dish in the Hero’s Banquet is delicious, but the newly introduced Mandarin Duck Five Delicacies Platter is especially amazing—at least a hundred times better than any dish I’ve ever had! Luckily, you promised me free meals; otherwise, if I couldn’t control my appetite and came here every day for that dish, I’d probably go bankrupt in no time.”

“The dish is excellent in every way, but it’s just too expensive. Ordinary people like us can’t afford it,” Sang Qingye added with a slight complaint.

“That’s exactly the point—it’s meant to be unaffordable. If everyone could afford this dish, then you probably wouldn’t be able to get it,” Xiao Yao offered a powerful justification. “The dish takes an enormous amount of time—three full days to complete the entire process. That alone ensures the Mandarin Duck Five Delicacies Platter remains a delicacy only a select few can enjoy.”

“That makes sense. So I think the current price isn’t too high but actually too low,” Gu Weiwei agreed with Xiao Yao’s reasoning. “At 9,800 yuan per serving, it’s expensive. But it’s so delicious! Anyone who can afford it wants to eat it—and wants to eat it every day. There are quite a few people with that spending power, and since so many want this dish and it takes so long to prepare, prices will likely rise soon or reservations will become very hard to get. Either way, it will remain hard to enjoy regularly.”

He Jiayi stuck out her tongue and said, “I’d rather the dish be more expensive than have to wait in line.”

The group’s enthusiasm for food was so strong that Xiao Yao quickly interrupted, “While others might not get to try it, you definitely will. When the time comes, just call Zhou Xiaobai; she’ll make sure you don’t have to wait in line.”

Gu Weiwei was Sang Qingye’s close friend, and recently Zhao Weidong and He Jiayi had also grown close to Sang Qingye. Out of respect for her, Xiao Yao was happy to offer this small convenience.

After greeting Chen Xingwen, the group noticed more guests arriving. Sang Qingye said, “Since you still have other guests to attend to, we won’t keep you. My opening live broadcast is about to start, and my fans are really looking forward to it, so I need to get busy.”

Once Sang Qingye and the others entered the building, Xiao Yao welcomed new guests.

“Mom, Director Liu, why are you here so early?” Xiao Yao greeted them.

Bai Yuzhen smiled without speaking. Director Liu warmly shook Xiao Yao’s hand and said in a loud voice, “We’re soldiers under President Xiao too. Of course we should come early to help. President Xiao, just tell us what you need us to do—we’re here to work, not to visit.”

To be a provincial bank director, one must not only have outstanding professional skills but also strong emotional intelligence. Director Liu spoke with genuine sincerity and warmth, treating Chen Xingwen and Zhou Xiaobai like family, radiating a rare kind of affinity.

After Sang Qingye and the others entered the building, she originally planned to film in the eighth-floor lobby, but Zhao Weidong suggested, “There aren’t many guests yet, the lobby is still empty, and the staff are busy. Filming there won’t be very engaging. It would be better to film here, capturing the guests as they arrive.”