Chapter 527: Big Boss Meeting!
“Ah, it smells amazing! Brother Chao, what dish did you guys prepare? I could smell it even upstairs. When can we eat? My stomach is growling just from the aroma.” Jiang Li leaned against the kitchen doorframe, curiously watching the two busy men.
“You’ll be able to eat in a moment. Give Ling Chen a call and ask when he’ll arrive; once he’s here, we can start eating,” Zhou Chao replied while stir-frying another dish.
Jiang Li hurriedly went to the living room, picked up the phone placed on the table by Zhou Chao, and called Ling Chen.
The phone rang several times before Ling Chen answered, “Boss, I’m on my way, should be there in about ten minutes.”
“Ling Chen, you’ll be here in about ten minutes. Make it quick! Brother Chao has personally prepared a lot of delicious dishes today.”
While driving, Ling Chen paused for a moment upon hearing Jiang Li’s voice and quickly responded, “Lady Boss, it’s you? I thought it was the boss. I’ll be there as soon as possible.”
“Alright!” Jiang Li hung up the phone and loudly called in the direction of the kitchen, “Ling Chen said he’ll be here in about ten minutes!”
“We know, we’re almost done here. Lin Wu, start bringing out the dishes,” Zhou Chao instructed, and Lin Wu began to carry out all the dishes that had been kept warm in a cabinet.
Once Zhou Chao finished his tasks in the kitchen and came out, he saw Ling Chen pushing open the door and entering. “Oh, you’re here early, and what a coincidence. Boss, you’ve worked hard.”
“I didn’t work hard; I just have a hard life. I need to prepare so much delicious food for all of you. Can you believe our suffering it is?” Zhou Chao gave Ling Chen an exasperated look.
Looking at the table filled with over a dozen dishes and the enticing aroma, Jiang Li and the other two couldn’t help but salivate. Jiang Li sent eager glances Zhou Chao’s way, silently urging him to allow them to start eating.
Even Ling Chen and Lin Wu, though close friends, maintained their respect for Zhou Chao, waiting for his signal.
“Let’s eat. Lin Wu, you’ve been drooling all afternoon,” Zhou Chao said with a wave of his hand, giving them the green light to start.
As soon as Zhou Chao gave the go-ahead, Ling Chen and Lin Wu wasted no time. They each grabbed a large lobster and began feasting. Even Jiang Li, without any hesitation, joined in, her actions swift and her appetite voracious. They resembled starving souls finding salvation. Zhou Chao shook his head helplessly at their reactions.
“Can you three slow down a bit? There’s no need to rush; there’s enough for everyone,” Zhou Chao said, somewhat exasperated.
“Boss, you have no idea how delicious your food is. It’s a rare treat, so we can’t help but eat quickly in case it’s all gone later,” Lin Wu replied while stuffing a large abalone into his mouth, finishing half of it in just a few bites.
Initially, they had thought of discussing matters over dinner, but given the current scene, they decided to put that off until after they finished eating.
In less than half an hour, both Ling Chen and Lin Wu gave up, leaning back in their chairs, unwilling to move a muscle. Their bulging stomachs were almost bigger than Jiang Li’s.
“Ah, who knows when we’ll have the chance to eat the boss’ cooking again after this. Such a pity.” Ling Chen sighed, looking at the remaining dishes on the table. However, he couldn’t eat any more and felt like he had reached his limit.
“Yeah, if only we could have the boss’ cooking everyday,” Lin Wu chimed in.
Observing their unanimous consent, Zhou Chao gave them a quick glance and suggested, “Now that you both have enjoyed your meal, take a short break, and afterward, you can pitch in with some post-meal chores – washing dishes, tidying up the kitchen, and putting away the utensils.”
Ling Chen and Lin Wu exchanged a look, but before they could speak, Zhou Chao continued, “What’s with those expressions? Don’t tell me you’re not willing to help. Do I need to take care of your daily life as well as cook for you?”
Ling Chen hurriedly said, “No, Boss, we’re just dividing the tasks. Lin Wu will wash the dishes, and I’ll take care of the trash. Isn’t that right, Lin Wu?”
“Yes, that’s right!” Lin Wu nodded repeatedly.
Jiang Li, who had been watching the exchange, burst into laughter. “You three are really amusing. If the employees from the company saw this, they might not be able to contain their laughter at how relaxed their leaders are.”
“Alright, you’ve all eaten. Now go tidy up. We have some matters to discuss later,” Zhou Chao said, prompting Ling Chen and Lin Wu to get to work. Jiang Li also headed upstairs.
After the two finished cleaning the kitchen, they returned to find Zhou Chao sitting on the living room sofa, sipping tea. There were two tea cups placed nearby, clearly prepared for them.
Ling Chen and Lin Wu sat down on the sofa, waiting for Zhou Chao to speak.
“Ling Chen, how are the preparations for the foundation going? How did those individuals I asked you to invite respond?”
“All three of them have agreed, and they’ll definitely attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony. I heard that the representative from Yida has already arrived in Modu today.”
Zhou Chao nodded thoughtfully upon hearing this. “He might be coming to meet me. Si Cong contacted me before and expressed the desire to meet in person. Perhaps he wants to have an early meeting. Tomorrow, please arrange a meeting for me. Additionally, have you confirmed all the arrangements for the ribbon-cutting ceremony the day after tomorrow? I hope there won’t be any issues.”
“Boss, everything is set for the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The only uncertainty is who will be the representative.”