The huge unexpected windfall left Wang Zhifan feeling more bewildered than joyful.
He realized that the road ahead is always difficult to see clearly, as many things you've planned might suddenly be blown off course by an unforeseen wind, making predictions impossible.
After pondering a while, he decided to take a nice hot shower, then lie down and browse forums on his phone to give his brain a good rest.
But before he could enter the bathroom, two succubus maids each came up carrying a large platter; it turned out they sensed their master was back and had prepared dinner for him.
"It's already six o'clock, time for dinner."
Glancing at the evening view of Dongjiang City outside the window, Wang Zhifan welcomed the offerings brought by Yi Lin and Yali.
Yi Lin had prepared a super-sized steak with tomatoes and roasted potatoes, and judging by the presentation, it was clear she had learned from the internet and put in a lot of effort.
Wang Zhifan picked up his knife and fork, rapidly polished off the meal, and swallowed it all, leaving not even a crumb of potato on the plate.
This wasn't because he was extremely hungry, but rather his current eating and digestion capabilities far exceeded normal human levels, making slow and careful chewing seem tedious.
At home, there was no need to worry about dining etiquette.
Seeing him eat so quickly, Yi Lin asked while collecting dishes:
"Master, your appetite seems to have grown again. Do you need me to make another portion?"
Wang Zhifan had already started shoveling down the super-sized fried rice prepared by Yali, and after swallowing a mouthful, he replied:
"No need, the steak portion was perfect, along with Yali's fried rice, it's more than enough."
He continued eating with lightning speed, while both maids waited eagerly for his final review.
A minute later, he had devoured two pounds of fried rice, leaving not a single grain in the bowl. He took a napkin from the table to wipe his mouth and began his critique as a diner.
"Yali, fried rice is actually a high-skill dish, but you did quite well. A bit more effort and you could open your own restaurant; just remember to add some greens next time, as plain rice can be a bit monotonous."
"Got it, Master! I'll remember!"
Yali responded, nodding repeatedly with joy since Wang Zhifan acknowledged the high difficulty of her dish and praised it.
"As for Yi Lin, your steak is nearly professional. From my personal taste, it might be slightly undercooked, so next time you could cook it a bit more."
"You mean eight out of ten doneness? TV shows usually mention full doneness rather than eight-tenths... but I'll meet the Master's request!"
Yi Lin, clearly having studied steak preparation, thought a bit and replied.
The two maids swiftly cleaned up the dishes and utensils before leaving, while Wang Zhifan entered the bathroom to take a good bath.
Once he returned to the bedroom in his bathrobe, just as he was about to lie down, he heard his phone ringing on the nightstand.
Picking up the phone, he saw it was Chu Wei calling him.
"This busy person calling me... Probably something urgent needing attention."
Without hesitation, Wang Zhifan quickly answered the call.
"Fan, have you eaten dinner?"
Unexpectedly, Chu Wei's voice sounded relaxed.
"Just finished... But if you're inviting me for dinner, I'll definitely be there!"
Wang Zhifan responded jokingly.
"Sure! I happen to be off tonight, let's find a place to gather!"
Chu Wei laughed and replied.
"Alright, send me the address and I'll drive over right away."
Wang Zhifan followed up.
A quarter-hour later, Wang Zhifan parked his luxurious BMW in front of a rather upscale Chinese restaurant near the Dongjiang Second Bureau. Walking inside, he saw Chu Wei waving at him from a table.
Though they hadn't met for a while, Chu Wei looked the same, with short hair and a neat outfit still radiating youthful energy.
Yet the faintly visible dark circles around her eyes added a touch of a worn-out worker's vibe.
"Ah Wei, it's been days and you already have dark circles! Why not rest in the dorm instead of coming out for dinner?"
Seeing this, Wang Zhifan pulled out a chair and sat down, smiling at his old friend, trying to inquire the real reason behind their meeting.
"Actually, I've been sleeping since morning and just woke up..."
Chu Wei explained, sliding the menu towards Wang Zhifan and confidently added:
"Order anything, it's on me!"
"Wow! Looks like you've struck it rich? Shouldn't I take advantage of this situation? If you think I've eaten my fill, you'd be mistaken!"
Wang Zhifan accepted the menu, feigning comically as he started looking for his desired dishes.
Being someone with base attributes averaging over 200, his appetite is truly beyond what ordinary people can imagine. If he really lets loose, he could easily outmatch the current world champion of big eaters, without needing to induce vomiting – consuming and digesting everything completely.
"Kind of made a small fortune... Today the bureau issued me a full attendance bonus and an outstanding personal award, so I can definitely treat you to a meal."
Chu Wei, sitting across the table, replied with a smile.
"Well done! You've become a pillar of the Second Bureau... Any work matters you want to share with me? You seem extremely busy lately..."