Chapter 57 - 56: Some Dine in Fancy Restaurants, Others Grab a Quick Meal Downstairs
With no other options, Gu Heng had to make do, wearing no undershirt but a short-sleeve tee under his coat, as he turned to the two of them and said, "Let’s go, time to eat."
Lin Jiayun looked at Gu Heng’s outfit and started to exaggerate her criticism.
"No way, Mr. Gu! You are now a multimillionaire bachelor at the very least. Can you please pay attention to your image? Do you think any girl would approach you like this?"
Listening to her, Gu Heng looked down at his own appearance.
His clothes, casually discarded earlier, now looked wrinkled, and he was wearing a pair of disposable flip-flops provided by the hotel...
He somewhat resembled a cheap landlord from Dongguang...
Although he did feel it was somewhat inappropriate, by nature, he was a lazy dog and couldn’t be bothered to care too much. It was just dinner, not a matchmaking session. Why dress up so formally?
After all, they’d be coming straight back after the meal.
"Enough with the fussing. Keep it up and you can stay behind and order takeout yourself.
Besides, with you two standing next to me, how many girls would even have the confidence to come up and flirt with me? They would instantly assume I’m some unrestrained, rich young master out dining with two members of his harem!"
Hearing this, Lin Jiayun didn’t really react.
She actually wanted to be Gu Heng’s girlfriend. Although she didn’t like the term "harem", she could barely accept it.
But He Jing was a more serious girl. She instinctively wanted to argue, but seeing the two already heading out, she could only silently follow...
.....
"Good evening, Mr. Gu."
The hotel staff, upon seeing Gu Heng, promptly greeted him with respect.
Gu Heng also returned a pleasant good evening.
Though he loved to show off, he only did so within a reasonable limit, and never looked down on those in ordinary occupations just because he was wealthy. Those kinds of people were just plain sick, weren’t they?
But it must be said, the $8000 per night was indeed worth it.
From the room door to the elevator was just a dozen meters, yet three or four duty staff members had already greeted him.
Talk about a mood booster!
"Mr. Gu, which floor would you like to go to?"
"The restaurant."
"Mr. Gu, would you prefer the Western restaurant on the 48th floor or the Chinese restaurant on the 36th floor?"
Upon hearing there were two restaurants, Gu Heng turned to the two women and asked, "Do you want to eat Chinese or Western food?"
"Western!"
Lin Jiayun answered without hesitation, while He Jing seemed indifferent.
"Then let’s go to the Western restaurant."
Once Gu Heng responded, the staff member promptly pressed the elevator button for the 48th floor, the floor designated for the Western restaurant. When the elevator arrived, Gu Heng, Lin Jiayun, and He Jing ceased their idle chatter and stepped inside.
The restaurant floor wasn’t far from the Presidential Suite’s floor; excluding the wait for the elevator, it took just over ten seconds to reach the 48th floor...
When the elevator doors opened, the staff member did not move but slightly bowed, his left hand on his abdomen, and his right hand gesturing forward, "Mr. Gu, the restaurant is this way, please."
Gu Heng watched his smooth, flow-like gestures, feeling like he was watching a TV drama...
Isn’t this exactly how high-end hotel staff behave in TV shows?
Only after Gu Heng and the others had all exited the elevator did the staff member quicken his pace and exit: "Mr. Gu, the Presidential Suite has reserved dining seats during mealtime, should I take you three there?"
"Sure, that would be great, thanks."
"You’re welcome, Mr. Gu."
Seeing Gu Heng’s gracious demeanor, the staff member relaxed a bit.
While the wealthy generally had higher standards nowadays, when the forest is big, all kinds of birds can be found.
Especially for staff in low-level service industries who handled more people, of course, they’d come across those ungrateful, hot-tempered customers...
Facing such customers, one can only think of it as bad luck.
Even if scolded by them, they had to endure, especially with high-profile guests like Gu Heng, staying in the Presidential Suite, a single complaint could cost him his job.
That’s outrageous but true.
Hotels won’t risk losing any high-quality customers.
But they won’t miss one staff member, who can be easily replaced by another, no comparison at all.
Even though he felt relieved, the staff member didn’t forget his duty, guiding the way while introducing the restaurant, "Bai Yue·Chao is our Park Hyatt Hotel’s flagship restaurant, rated as the Black Pearl Two-Diamond Restaurant for two consecutive years in 2022 and 2023.
The head chef is a Michelin-starred chef from France."
Listening to the staff member’s introduction, Gu Heng was relatively unfazed. After having a $170,000 meal at a Black Pearl Three-Diamond hotpot restaurant, what was there to be excited about a Two-Diamond western restaurant?
Upon entering the restaurant, Gu Heng noticed it was quite lively...
But I guess it makes sense, it’s peak dining hours after all, so it’s normal for there to be more people eating.
However, looking at that group dressed in formal attire, lavishly dressed diners, and then at myself, I do feel a bit out of place...
Half a minute later, the waiter led Gu Heng to a window table with a view and spoke respectfully again, "Mr. Gu, this is the table we have reserved for you in our hotel.
If you are not satisfied, I will change it for you immediately."
"No need, this place is quite nice."
"Then Mr. Gu, you and your friends please have a seat, I will go and have the restaurant’s staff come to serve you."
As the waiter walked away, Lin Jiayun who had been holding back all the way finally couldn’t help but speak up, "Well, well, well, this must be the legendary presidential suite-style service, huh? Today I’ve finally seen it, tsk tsk tsk~"
Gu Heng looked at her with a bit of confusion, "You’ve never stayed before?"
Lin Jiayun: "???"
"You saying that is kind of flattering me a bit too much. A night costs tens of thousands easily, I’ve been working my throat sore in live streams to make a bit of hard-earned money, and you think I’d come here to splurge?
Do you think my brain got squeezed by a door?"
"..."
She does seem to have a point...
I guess I treat everyone like they’re just like me, as if money just blows in with the wind...
While the three of them were casually chatting, a woman holding a selfie stick nearby, perfectly made up, probably live streaming, spoke from the side: "Babies, looks like the restaurant you recommended has flopped~"
"Didn’t you tell me this restaurant was so classy? How come people wearing flip-flops and untidy clothes are also allowed in?
I think it’s really affecting the dining experience. This hotel should give all of us a free meal."
The woman was probably live streaming, speaking not so quietly...
As she spoke, diners at the surrounding tables all looked towards Gu Heng’s side...
Feeling the gazes from around, Gu Heng was taken aback, then exchanged looks with Lin Jiayun and He Jing...
All three felt a bit baffled by the situation...
I just came here to eat, didn’t provoke her, right?
Just then, seeing the waiter he had seen earlier approaching with someone else, Gu Heng stopped Lin Jiayun who was about to stand up to speak for him...
So many people watching, arguing like a street hag would probably be live-streamed instantly; after all, even a social media influencer with millions of followers needs to maintain some dignity...
He then gestured to the waiter, who hurried over and asked, "Mr. Gu, what happened?"
"Does your restaurant have a rule that says no entry for those wearing flip-flops or untidy clothes?"
The waiter had already heard the live streamer’s voice upon approaching and immediately understood Gu Heng’s question, quickly responding, "No, our restaurant treats all customers the same; there’s never been such a rule."
"Then what does she mean?"
After Gu Heng spoke, the waiter understood and said he would be back shortly before running off...
The live streaming influencer kept on babbling, but Gu Heng acted as if he hadn’t heard, still chatting happily with Lin Jiayun and He Jing.
Watching Gu Heng’s demeanor, even Lin Jiayun couldn’t help but feel a bit amazed...
Being a peer, she knew all too well the tricks of that live streaming influencer, merely stirring up some trouble to heat things up in the live stream. Usually, it’s the lesser-known streamers who pull this stunt; big-time influencers wouldn’t dare for fear of backlash.
But what surprised her was that Gu Heng was so broad-minded?
To be used as a stepping-stone for someone else’s popularity boost, yet still able to keep a light conversation going?
But soon, as the quickly departing waiter returned with a man in a suit, Gu Heng’s demeanor hardened.
"Hello, Mr. Gu, I’m the manager of the restaurant... my name is..."
Gu Heng cut him off, speaking in an even tone, "You must already know what’s going on. I would like to know what Park Hyatt’s resolution for this situation is."
Understanding immediately, the restaurant manager walked over to the live streaming influencer’s table, respectfully saying, "Madam, our restaurant explicitly prohibits live streaming. We hope you can turn off the live stream and not disturb other customers. Otherwise, we reserve the right to ask you to leave our restaurant.
Furthermore, Mr. Gu is staying in our hotel’s Chairman Suite. He just came down for a casual meal, and your remarks have already impacted our quality guests’ dining experience. We hope you can stop your derogatory comments and apologize to Mr. Gu; otherwise, we still have the right to ask you to leave our restaurant."
The restaurant manager’s response was very appropriate, but every word was transmitted through the phone into the live stream...
Suddenly, the wind changed among those who had been mocking Gu Heng.
"Yo, yo, yo, just now you were saying that someone wearing flip-flops doesn’t deserve to eat here? Why stop now? Really makes me laugh, an internet beggar mocking someone who stays in the Chairman Suite, that’s really something you don’t see every day. But I still want to ask, what’s the difference between the Chairman Suite and the Presidential Suite?"
"Some people scrimp and save to show off at upscale restaurants, only for someone else to come down for a simple meal. That’s the difference."
As for Gu Heng, he winked at Lin Jiayun.
Did this kind of situation even need his attention?
Had he been reading "How the Wealthy are Made" for nothing all these days?
The highest value of top hotel rooms like the Presidential Suite isn’t the luxury of the room but the premium services that max out your emotional value.
The happiest place for the wealthy is having these privileges, which mean that sometimes just making a simple gesture is enough for others to handle most troubles within the rules for them.
He was starting to get used to the goodwill the world always directed towards the wealthy.
And he was gradually falling in love with this goodwill.