Three rounds of drinks later, the atmosphere at the tables reached a small crescendo.
Gao Tianming walked over. "Tianxing, some classmates complained earlier about having to pay three yuan to eat at your restaurant. At first, they were a bit reluctant to come, but you don't need to worry about it. After all, it's a group event, and it's unreasonable for no one to chip in."
Zhang Tianxing remained unfazed. One couldn't please everyone; there would always be someone dissatisfied. He had to have his own principles and act with a clear conscience. He wasn't a twenty-yuan note, after all, unable to be loved by all.
The classmates discovered that the food at Zhang Ji Barbecue was truly delicious and praised it one after another.
"Zhang Tianxing, I never expected you to be so good at cooking as well as having good academic grades. This crayfish is incredibly tasty, utterly irresistible."
"Exactly! Your grilled skewers are also better than those outside. This spicy one is so satisfying!"
"This isn't lamb, is it? It tastes so good, with both lean and fatty parts. It feels like beef."
Hearing the classmates' compliments, Zhang Tianxing accepted them one by one. "This is beef belly. The fatty part is beef fat; it melts in your mouth and has an excellent texture!"
"Zhang Tianxing, I never realized you could make grilled skewers so fancy."
Zhang Tianxing walked in with a plate. "Prime chives and tofu. Everyone, try these vegetarian skewers, what do you think?"
"You're incredible, you can even grill this?" The classmates had never seen anything like it and began to taste.
They all gave Zhang Tianxing a thumbs-up. "This tastes really good, better than stir-fried. I want to try something new. Chef Zhang, can you accommodate our request?"
Since it was the classmates' request, Zhang Tianxing pondered for a moment and agreed. In this era, there weren't many wealthy families; most were from poor households. They rarely had extravagant meals and only had a change of diet during festivals. The opportunity to eat meat was scarce throughout the year. To say the least, everyone was extremely happy with the food. Initially, they were a bit hesitant about paying three yuan, but now they all understood.
Skewers were brought out continuously, and everyone felt the three yuan was well spent. Zhang Tianxing was also quite generous, stating, "More will be refunded, less will not be deducted," implying that he would cover any excess.
Zhang Tianxing thought for a moment, found some green chili peppers, stuffed them with minced meat, and began to grill them. This required skill and precise heat. The peppers on the outside couldn't be overcooked; otherwise, they would lose their crisp texture. The minced meat inside, however, needed to be cooked through. What if someone got sick from undercooked meat?
Zhu Dayong walked over at this point. "Tianxing, you're still grilling? Even if you grill more, it probably won't be enough for them. They can really eat."
Zhang Tianxing casually replied, "That's easy. Bring up more beer. Once they start drinking, they won't be able to eat as much. Then, just serve some grilled flatbread at the end."
"Can these chili peppers be eaten grilled? Why do I smell meat, like seasoned dumpling filling?"
Zhang Tianxing handed him a grilled chili pepper. "Try it and see how it tastes. Don't burn your mouth."
Zhu Dayong took a bite and immediately let out a yelp. The first bite was a bit hot, but the taste was indeed excellent. With one bite, he first experienced the spiciness, then the savory meat aroma, and the soup inside. It was spicy yet fragrant, leaving a lingering taste. Zhu Dayong quickly finished the chili pepper.
"This is delicious, spicy and fragrant. The filling is well-seasoned; I've never eaten anything this good."
Zhang Tianxing smiled faintly. "This is just a grilled chili pepper with dumpling filling. There's no real difference."
As Zhang Tianxing had predicted, this plate of grilled chili peppers was met with a mad scramble once it was served.
"Zhang Tianxing, you're really generous. I suggest we come here again for our next meal."
"I welcome that with open arms, but there won't be any other dishes then," Zhang Tianxing replied with a smile.
"Zhang Tianxing, we just praised you a bit, and now you're acting like this. That's not very nice. We paid to eat here, we weren't getting it for free, yet you're saying there are no other dishes! How can you be like this!"
"Yeah, Zhang Tianxing, if you can't handle it, don't play. What are you acting so proud for!"
"..."
The classmates' resentment towards the wealthy erupted at this moment. Zhang Tianxing was so rich, yet he acted this way, clearly not taking his classmates seriously. They wanted to condemn him.
Li Fang tried to defend Zhang Tianxing. "Everyone, please listen. It's not that he refuses to make them for you. It's just that Zhang Ji Barbecue only specializes in barbecue and crayfish; they don't offer anything else. Zhang Tianxing specially bought these dishes because the teacher and classmates are here."
Hearing Li Fang's explanation, everyone fell silent. They were high school students, not yet hardened by the realities of society, nor having experienced the complexities of later life.
Seeing this, Teacher Wang Mingzhong tried to lighten the mood by asking Zhang Tianxing why he didn't prepare more dishes. "Tianxing, why didn't you prepare more dishes? You could have sold more."
"This restaurant's main focus is barbecue and crayfish. We don't do anything else; we can't handle it. For me, specializing in a few things is better than doing everything," Zhang Tianxing explained with a smile.
Regardless, classmates were still classmates, and the bond between them was relatively pure. Zhang Tianxing wasn't a stingy person. How much could they eat? He saw it as publicity for Zhang Ji Barbecue.
"Oh, by the way, by turning away other customers tonight, won't that have a negative impact?"
"We put up a notice in advance. Business is about 'first come, first served.' Besides, when our classmates arrived, they all brought money. Guests are guests."
Wang Mingzhong wanted to reimburse Zhang Tianxing for the evening's meal. As a teacher, he couldn't let his student lose money. "Tianxing, how much is the shortfall? I have fifty yuan here; please take it."
Zhang Tianxing didn't say a word and pushed the money into Wang Mingzhong's pocket. "Teacher Wang, if you do this again, we won't invite you to our future gatherings. Keep your money safe."
Everyone had a rather enjoyable evening. A few classmates who didn't do well in their exams were preparing to go work. Seeing how popular Zhang Ji Barbecue was, they suddenly wanted to become chefs and open their own restaurants in the future.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Tianxing was amused and didn't know how to explain. The issue of competitors with different benefits was common, but this time, it fell upon Zhang Tianxing to explain. Everyone had their own skills. In this society, you either relied on connections or strength. There were only these two paths; otherwise, you would be eliminated. There was no such thing as easily succeeding without effort.
He then reconsidered. How bad could being a chef be? Some became five-star chefs, while others ended up as owners of street-side eateries. In essence, it was the same, just the place of work differed.