"Thank you, Principal Meng! I have a lot going on at home and need to get back tonight. Perhaps later..." Lu Fan hesitated. It was the first day of trial operation for his fruit supermarket, and he already felt guilty for not being there as the owner. He thought he should go back and check on it in the evening.
"Then... since you don't have anything else to do today, why don't we go for a meal now? I'll find you a car to take you back tonight. Alright, it's settled!" Meng Jun turned and went to make arrangements without waiting for Lu Fan's agreement.
The banquet was arranged at a mid-range hotel next to the academy. After booking a private room, Meng Jun immediately called Lu Fan and asked him and Jiang Ruoxin to come out. Also present were several teachers from the Traditional Chinese Medicine department, totaling eight people, including Xu Hongye.
As they sat at the table and everyone was introduced, Jiang Ruoxin suddenly felt something was off. This wasn't a welcome for her; it was clearly a gathering for the Traditional Chinese Medicine department! She was the only one from Western medicine among the entire group.
The spread of dishes was very generous. Meng Jun was also in high spirits and ordered several good dishes! They were drinking Wuliangye liquor, priced at over a thousand yuan per bottle. The bill for this table was easily over three thousand yuan.
"Lu Fan! Teacher Jiang! Welcome today. You are both pillars of Traditional Chinese Medicine and elites of Western medicine, destined to be future leaders of our medical school! On behalf of the teachers and students of the medical school, I welcome you!" Meng Jun raised his first glass and said.
"Thank you, Principal Meng!"
"Thank you, Principal Meng! Thank you, all teachers!"
Lu Fan and Jiang Ruoxin quickly raised their glasses, and the other teachers around them also raised theirs. Everyone took a sip. Jiang Ruoxin merely touched her lips to the rim of her glass and then set it down. Perhaps she didn't like baijiu.
"Lu Fan! You've never been to such a high-class hotel before, have you? Try some of these dishes; you can't get them in the mountains!" Xu Hongye appeared very enthusiastic, but his words carried a hidden barb. He was unhappy that Lu Fan hadn't been ousted today and had even stolen the spotlight.
"Are these dishes very good? I really haven't eaten them before!" Lu Fan, as if not catching the underlying meaning in Xu Hongye's words, picked up his chopsticks and tasted a squirrel-shaped fish dish placed in front of him.
"Mmm! It really is delicious! It's truly delicious!" Lu Fan nodded continuously.
"Hahaha! Lu Fan! You haven't eaten this at home before, have you? You should thank Principal Meng for this; he's treating today!" Xu Hongye burst into laughter, his face full of disdain. He thought, what a poor kid with no experience!
"Oh? Am I the only one thanking Principal Meng? You guys don't often treat Principal Meng to meals, do you?" Lu Fan suddenly tilted his head up and asked, looking into Xu Hongye's eyes.
"Uh???" Xu Hongye's old face flushed red, and he was momentarily speechless. To be honest, Xu Hongye couldn't recall if he had ever treated other teachers or principals to a meal. It was usually others who treated, and he was the one freeloading.
"Principal Meng! It's too much for you to spend so much. How about we split the bill? When I eat out with classmates, we always split it!" Lu Fan, catching a hint of evasion in Xu Hongye's flickering gaze, guessed half of the situation and said with a simple smile.
Xu Hongye's expression changed slightly, and then he suddenly laughed heartily, "Hahaha! Lu Fan! Do you know how much this meal costs? It's almost half your monthly salary! Have you brought enough money for a split bill?"
"Wow! So much for one meal? Isn't that too extravagant and wasteful!" Lu Fan exclaimed with feigned surprise.
"Lu Fan! It's alright! Everyone, let's drink and eat! Come, eat!" Meng Jun said hastily, urging everyone to eat.
"Teacher Jiang! You don't seem to like baijiu, do you? You haven't touched your glass." Suddenly, Lu Fan said, looking at Jiang Ruoxin's wine glass.
"Oh...! I... I'm not very good at drinking!" Jiang Ruoxin hesitated and said.
"Then... how about a bottle of red wine for you? I've heard that girls like red wine, and it's tastier! I'll go get it." Lu Fan said, standing up and walking out.
Gulp... Meng Jun swallowed. He was just happy and wanted to treat Lu Fan to a meal, but he hadn't intended to spend too much money. Never mind... another thousand or eight hundred for a bottle of red wine, he could accept it. He was the principal, after all!
A moment later, Lu Fan returned, holding a bottle of decanted red wine and two wine glasses.
Seeing the red wine in Lu Fan's hand, Meng Jun almost collapsed. It was a 1982 Lafite, which cost over ten thousand yuan a bottle. His heart bled instantly!
"Teacher Jiang! I don't know what kind of wine you like. They recommended this one as good, so I got a bottle. You should drink this!" Lu Fan said with a smile, pouring a glass of red wine and placing it in front of Jiang Ruoxin.
Jiang Ruoxin blinked her large eyes, looking at Lu Fan, then at the people around her, seeming to want to say something but remaining silent.
"Teacher Xu! Would you like to try some of this wine? The waiter said it's very good!" Lu Fan poured a small amount into another glass, just a small sip of red wine, and offered it to Xu Hongye.
"Good... good! I'll try it!" Xu Hongye's eyes lit up. He had seen this wine before; it was displayed on the shelves for over ten thousand yuan a bottle. But he had never tasted it. How could he miss this opportunity to try it?
Lu Fan handed the red wine to Xu Hongye, who immediately poured it into his mouth. Then he savored it, smacking his lips, "Mmm! It's delicious! It really is delicious!"
Lu Fan's lips curved upward into a sly smile. Damn it, being limited by money makes everyone think the same way; how much better are you than me?
"Come... let's drink! Drink!" Meng Jun gritted his teeth. It was too late to say anything now. Let's just drink!
The group no longer stood on ceremony, eating, drinking, and chatting. Before long, the bottle of Wuliangye was finished. Meng Jun didn't dare to order another bottle. As Jiang Ruoxin's red wine was still half full, he poured a glass for everyone.
The bottle of red wine was also finished, and the dishes were almost gone. Lu Fan suddenly called out to the waiter standing by the door, "Miss! The bill!"
The waitress walked in with a slight smile, "Sir, the total is twenty thousand and forty-eight yuan. We've waived the odd change, so it's two thousand."
"So much?"
The people around them couldn't help but swallow. Their gazes unanimously turned to Meng Jun. His month's salary was gone?
Meng Jun also took a deep breath. Alas! He'd have to go home and wait to be scolded by his wife!
At this moment, Lu Fan calmly took out a wad of cash from his pocket.
"The total is twenty thousand! Split eight ways, it's exactly two thousand five hundred per person! Oh dear... I only have seventeen thousand five hundred here. Principal Xu! Could you please pay your share yourself!" Lu Fan took out a wad of cash from his pocket, counted it, and placed it on the table, then looked at Xu Hongye.
Gulp... Xu Hongye immediately swallowed! He only had five hundred yuan in his pocket! How could he pay two thousand five hundred?
The people around them were stunned again.