The Birth of Shanghai's First Conglomerate

Chen Lu began to feel lost again. Even the family's charity work was the result of his father's decades of hard work.

What does he need to do to make his life feel even slightly more meaningful?

The next day.

When he went to work, Zhang Qing specially brought him some homemade snacks from home.

This is a way of thanking him for helping his daughter.

Zhao Kai and his colleagues applauded for him.

"Chen Lu, I didn't expect you to be so capable. You really helped Sister Zhang Qing solve her child's medical problem."

"Yes, Chen Lu, you've been so quiet at the company, yet you have such great abilities."

"Chen Lu, I can't find a boyfriend. Do you want to be my boyfriend?"

"That's going too far."

Zhao Kai quickly stepped forward to stop his female colleagues from being overly enthusiastic. He knew that it was just a joke between colleagues.

However, Su Xiaoxi had just given birth not long ago, so such a joke was actually inappropriate.

"Chen Lu is married, and his wife is the most beautiful goddess in our school. If you see Xiao Xi even once, you'll know what it means to be breathtakingly beautiful."

"That's such a pity. It's not easy to meet a man as good as Chen Lu, and he got married so young." A pretty, well-mannered girl with big glasses said.

"It's a pity, but Chen Lu promised to treat us to a meal with our colleagues yesterday. We couldn't make it yesterday, so we can't break our promise today."

"Okay... let's go to the Underwater Dreamland together tonight."

There was a noticeable pause in the crowd for a few seconds. They asked you to treat them to dinner, not to go to the Underwater Dreamland.

What level is that?
The most popular restaurant in Shenzhen is not located on a main road, but built underwater.

While you're eating, you might just encounter a few big sea fish.

Zhao Kai coughed first, "Chen Lu, it's just a meal, we don't need to go to such a nice restaurant, it's not worth it for so many people."

"Yes, yes, yes, having some hot pot and beer is fine, going to Huanmeng is still not appropriate."

“I don’t even dare to look at that place twice, for fear that my wife will go crazy and want me to take her there to experience it.”

"It's okay, you can bring your families if you want, I'll pay for whatever you spend."

Chen Lu wasn't joking; he knew he wouldn't be able to stay here for much longer.

Perhaps he will leave after hosting this dinner.

Before leaving, he still hoped to part ways amicably with his colleagues.

If, after he leaves, one or two people will still remember him, that would be wonderful.

"Fourth brother, are you kidding me? The average cost per person over there starts at ten thousand. If our department has so many people and they can bring their families, it'll easily cost hundreds of thousands."

Zhao Kai pulled him aside and quietly reminded him that this was no joke; if they all went, the bill would cost at least 500,000.

Five hundred thousand! That's more than two years' salary for him to afford this meal.

Newly hired employees typically earn between 150,000 and 200,000 yuan per year.

As work skills improve, performance evaluations increase, and years of service accumulate, income will continue to rise.

In the first two years, he had a hard time earning 500,000.

"It's just a small amount of money. I was just thinking of inviting Xiaoxi to experience it there."

Modern trendy restaurants are not like they used to be, where you could just throw anything in and get a photo op.

The trendy restaurants of this era are all built with real money.

For example, cliffside restaurants and underwater dream restaurants all require an initial investment of over 50 million yuan.

It's imaginative and incorporates the whimsical ideas that young people love.

Only in this way can it be considered a qualified internet-famous restaurant.

Small workshops can no longer become internet-famous restaurants by relying on one or two videos.

These colleagues said they didn't want to spend money, but when someone invited them and they could bring their families, nearly a hundred people showed up that evening.

Half of them brought their families, including quite a few children.

Zhao Kai's face darkened. He had specifically asked his department head in the afternoon to remind his colleague not to bring his family.

Chen Lu's invitation was well-intentioned, but everyone bringing their families is a bit unfair.

Nearly a hundred people, if there were no spending restrictions and they went to places like Fantasy Dream, 500,000 would definitely not be enough, not even 1 million.

"Fourth brother, there are too many people here," Zhao Kai said worriedly.

"It's alright, it's more fun with more people. I won't be staying here for more than a few days, so this is a good opportunity to get together."

Why do you insist on leaving? Isn't the job here quite good?

"I have my reasons, but I can't tell you right now."

Chen Lu said, "Xiao Xi should be here soon. Let's wait for her here for a while."

On the coastal highway, Chen Lu and Zhao Kai stood quietly waiting.

Su Xiaoxi's appearance was that of a true goddess; you couldn't tell at all that she was a young woman who had just given birth.

I just felt like this was some kind of stunningly beautiful woman.

She was dressed in red, her hair was flowing, and she was wearing a pair of white Nike sneakers.

She's definitely a vibrant and beautiful young woman.

"Xiao Xi..."

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. I just put Xiao Wuyou to sleep."

Su Xiaoxi offered an explanation, then took Chen Lu's arm and followed everyone to the Underwater Dream Restaurant.

They don't need to make reservations in advance to come to places like this, unlike those places that claim you need to book a table half a month or a month in advance.

It's just a gimmick for ordinary people to show off.

In the habits of these truly wealthy people, which restaurant would dare to require reservations made two weeks in advance to secure a meal?

Then there won't be many people going there to spend money anymore.

Ordinary people are excluded.

Are you kidding me? It's just a meal, why should I accommodate your schedule? How could that be?

Therefore, many of the booking models that are widely circulated are just ways to fool ordinary people and make them want to try them out of a false sense of security.

After experiencing it, posting it on social media to show off is probably the normal mindset for many young women.

If you're really rich, even if you're wearing a tank top and flip-flops, the staff will treat you like royalty.

What ordinary people consider a prestigious restaurant, a must-visit destination, is nothing more than a casual meal for Chen Lu and Su Xiaoxi.

As for the large number of people who came this time, that doesn't matter.

Underwater restaurants have become very popular in recent years, not because the food is particularly delicious, but because of the novelty of the environment.

Most people come here just for the ambiance.

If you really want to compare, it's not much better than those roadside snacks that have a particularly good business.

It's quite novel to come to a place like this for the first time, and most people unconsciously lower their voices.

The saying "a big store can bully its customers" probably refers to this situation.

"Hello Mr. Chen, your reserved underwater private room is ready. Would you like to order à la carte or choose our restaurant's multi-person set menu?"

Ordering food is a free choice for everyone, while set meals keep the price within an acceptable range.

To avoid awkward situations when it's time to pay the bill.

Chen Lu glanced at the menu briefly, then said, "Let everyone order whatever they like. Also, please have a bottle of 1980 Moutai and a bottle of Romanée-Conti on each table."

The average price of a typical vintage Romanée-Conti is around 200,000.

In special years, such as 1945, a single bottle can cost 370 million.

His second sister loves this vintage the most, so there's no need to invite his colleagues.

As for the price of 80-year-old Moutai, it is over 20 yuan per bottle.

It uses the award-winning wine from 1915 for blending, and is packaged in a luxurious rosewood box with a 24K pure gold coin, indicating its exceptional quality.

The two bottles of wine on each table alone are worth 500,000 yuan.

"Xiao Chen, isn't this going too far?" The department head couldn't help but remind him. He had never drunk this kind of wine before, but that didn't mean he hadn't heard of it.

It looks very expensive. If you know it costs hundreds of thousands of yuan per bottle, I guess many people would want to buy it all.

"It's alright, thank you all for taking care of me these past few months."

The colleagues who came along were quite surprised. They already felt embarrassed to bring so many people to freeload a meal.

Who knew he would also treat everyone to Romanée-Conti?

Only Su Xiaoxi chuckled, seemingly unfazed. She even reminded everyone, "There are quite a few children here, so bring out some of the snacks your restaurant's kids like. Since we've already served wine, please don't drive later; we'll arrange for someone to take you home." She was quite considerate.

Seeing her attitude, her colleagues could only think to themselves.

Chen Lu did marry an extremely considerate wife, but he just doesn't know how to save money.

Somewhat wasteful.

If they knew that her grandfather had gifted her a shopping mall worth over 24 billion yuan after she was born, they would know that her grandfather had given her a shopping mall in the ocean.

I doubt anyone will ever think that way again.

The amount of food and drink we eat and drink in our daily lives is far more than just this.

Zhao Kai couldn't stop him, "Fourth brother, have you struck it rich?"

"No, I didn't. I made a little money from stocks last month. You know, the stock market was doing pretty well last month."

"How much is this? Can it withstand your abuse?"

"Not much... a little over twenty million!"

Chen Lu is good at making small money, but he's clearly not good at making big money.

She's nowhere near as good as her two older sisters.

"Holy crap... no wonder you dare to switch jobs so easily."

Zhao Kai was incredibly surprised. When did his fourth brother acquire this money-making skill? He had no idea.

Chen Lu really wanted to say that there was nothing to exaggerate about the little money he made; it was nothing compared to the small amount he had casually lost in the past.

Nearly a hundred people came here, so we need to arrange eight tables, with 13 people at each table.

Since no set menu was selected and everyone was allowed to order à la carte, no one knew what to eat for a while when the menu was opened.

None of the dish names listed above are familiar to me. It seems that in places like this, even the most ordinary vegetable dish has to be given a fancy and sophisticated name.

As for the price, it starts at 798 and goes up to 59800.

This isn't the price of a whole table, but the price of a single dish.

Spending over 10,000 yuan per person is no joke.

Chen Lu's table was still occupied by people who were closest to him, including himself, seven men and six women.

When it came to ordering, none of the others had been here before, so Chen Lu ordered for himself: "I'll have Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, Eight Treasure Turtle, Boiled Conch Slices, Fish Maw, Shark Fin, and a Giant Salamander weighing over six pounds, and Braised Goose with Lion Head. You guys can see what else you want to eat and order whatever you like."

The amount he just ordered is already no less than 40,000 to 50,000; if the others add a little more, it'll easily be 70,000 to 80,000.

"Chen Lu, we owe you so much today. We're all here to enjoy a big meal at a place like this because of you."

"Yes, with our meager salaries, how could we dare come to a place like this? We'd probably get our legs broken by our husbands when we got home," a married woman said with a laugh.

"Chen Lu is so great, he can eat whatever he wants. He's probably going to eat up half a house in Shenzhen!"

"It's not just half a house, your house costs five or six million?"

It's obvious that these dozen or so tables, plus the drinks, would cost at least five or six million.

The food was secondary; the main problem was the expensive drinks.

Everyone stood up and took photos everywhere. Coming to a place like this and not taking a picture would feel like a wasted trip.

When the dishes were served, each item was served in small portions, emphasizing a refined presentation.

Chen Lu even took the initiative to serve Su Xiaoxi her favorite dishes, saying, "Xiaoxi, you don't drink alcohol, would you like some drinks?"

"I'd like a serving of caviar!" Su Xiaoxi said softly, wiping her mouth with a tissue.

Chen Lu asked the waiter, "Do you have any white sturgeon caviar?"

The waiter shook his head. "I'm sorry, we have caviar here, but we don't have white sturgeon caviar. Sir, would you like to look at our other caviar?"

The waiters, including the restaurant manager, had long realized that of the hundred people who came, only this young couple could truly be considered wealthy.

Even though this is already one of the top trendy restaurants in Shenzhen, it still doesn't serve world-class dishes like white sturgeon caviar.

Su Xiaoxi had only ever eaten this dish with her second sister, Chen Xinyi, in Hong Kong, and she was extremely familiar with this rare delicacy from all over the world.

The price of this one caviar dish alone is equivalent to their entire table's expenses, including a bottle of 1980s Moutai and Romanée-Conti.

"No, thank you. My wife doesn't really like other caviar either."

Chen Lu said, "Let's wait until we get back. I'll have the housekeeper prepare it for you in advance."

"Sure, it's fine if it's not available. I don't absolutely need it."

Su Xiaoxi had long since adapted to life in a wealthy family, gradually getting used to it after she started getting to know her second sister.

The second sister, Chen Xinyi, is the one with the most extravagant spending in the family; she can easily spend hundreds of thousands on a single afternoon tea.

As for dining out, restaurants have to lay out a red carpet for her in advance and even clear out a large portion of the customers.

Even top celebrities can't hold their heads up in front of her.

If you spend enough time with her, money becomes meaningless, just a string of numbers.

Fortunately, she had many such numbers, so many that she didn't need to care about the price at all.

"Just wondering, how much is a serving of that white sturgeon caviar?"

A female colleague sitting by the door asked the waiter curiously.

The waitress in the cheongsam replied, "The Beluga caviar is made by dehydrating and grinding the roe of rare albino sturgeon from Austrian farms, and then mixing it with edible gold leaf powder. Such a serving of caviar costs no less than US$11 overseas, and starts at 120 million yuan in China."

"120 million... just for one dish?"

"Yes, just one dish."

To be precise, it's not just a dish; there are many benefits to eating it, as those who can afford it naturally know.

Explaining that you can't afford it won't help.

Zhao Kai and the others overheard this, and he almost cried out in surprise.

"Chen Lu, what's going on with your family? How can you eat vegetables worth over a million yuan so casually?"

"It's nothing. As long as Xiaoxi likes it, she can eat whatever she wants."

Holy crap... What kind of domineering CEO talk is this? Dude, you're just a lowly HR guy.

A monthly salary of no more than 20,000.

You can eat this?

If these people still treat Chen Lu as an ordinary colleague, they'd be out of their minds.

His family must have started with a billion-dollar fortune. Would your family dare to eat a billion-dollar meal like that?

Su Xiaoxi is capable of making money on her own, though she can't compare to her second sister Chen Xinyi, nor does she have the ability to manage more than a dozen listed companies like An'an.

But she has the Hong Kong Teng Hui Capital given to her by Chen Pingsheng.

If calculated on a daily basis, Tenghui Capital's daily profit is roughly between 20 million and 30 million.

If calculated on a 24-hour day, she could earn millions just by lying still for an hour.

If we break it down further, in the time it takes to have a cup of tea with you, most people have already earned several months' salary.

With that kind of financial strength, isn't it normal for her to eat more expensive food?

The reason why wealthy families are called wealthy families is because they have a constant stream of profits flowing into their accounts, whether they are eating, sleeping, taking a bath, or watching TV.

Chen Pingsheng works sixteen hours a day, including lunch breaks and the occasional time he rides his electric scooter to pick up his son, Xiao Jiye.

The working hours advertised by the wealthy include everything except sleeping.

This is completely different from the average worker.

When it was time to pay the bill after the meal, Zhao Kai went with Chen Lu. The card rang, indicating that there were fourteen tables in total.

The price per table is no less than 500,000 yuan, including a bottle of baijiu and a bottle of Romanée-Conti, which alone cost more than 400,000 yuan.

The food and dishes together only make up a tiny portion of the meal, which shows that everyone is actively avoiding those ridiculously expensive dishes.

Even so, this one dinner party cost more than eight million.

It was incredibly exaggerated; Zhao Kai's legs were trembling. The sight of a knife stabbing his buttocks was truly eye-opening.

There was a large group of bodyguards in black waiting outside, clearly not arranged by the restaurant.

Instead, Chen Lu called them over specifically to take everyone back.

As for the cars, they are all the top-of-the-line Longteng MPVs under Tengfei New Energy.

It truly delivers on emotional value to the fullest.

Not only did they treat them to a meal, they also arranged for a driver to take them home.

A colleague who treats you to a meal like that is someone you can brag about for the rest of your life.

(End of this chapter)