Chapter 406: Roping In

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

“Zhou, do you really not want me to drive you back?” At this moment, the two of them were standing at the restaurant’s entrance. Norman appeared relaxed with a faint smile on his face.

“No need, my people will be here to pick me up shortly,” Zhou Chao gently shook his head.

As expected, just as he finished speaking, three black Mercedes-Benz cars rushed over from the distance and came to a smooth stop right in front of them.

The car doors opened instantly, and several men in black suits got out. Seeing this, Norman quickly grabbed Zhou Chao’s arm and took a few steps to the side. “What’s wrong, Norman?”

Norman had a serious expression as he said, “These people are not ordinary; there might be some important figures arriving. Let’s stand aside to avoid causing any trouble.”

Zhou Chao chuckled upon hearing this.

Subsequently, Lin Wu, Todd, and the others also got out of the cars. Miles, who was sitting at the back, kept complaining, “I suggest the boss buys a luxurious business car next time. This car is really uncomfortable!”

Norman, looking at the people who had just arrived and Miles’ incessant grumbling, couldn’t believe his eyes. He stuttered, “Zhou, are these people… yours?”

“Yeah, how about that? Not bad, right?” Zhou Chao looked at Norman with a smile.

Norman swallowed hard and nodded blankly, “Indeed, not bad.”

“Then I’ll head back to the hotel first. I’ll be there on time for the evening banquet.” With that, Zhou Chao got into the car.

Norman stood there, watching Zhou Chao get into the car. It was only after the car had driven away that he came back to his senses.

“1 didn’t expect Zhou’s identity to be so extraordinary. It should be considered fortunate for me.” Norman sighed and then left the restaurant.

At this moment, Zhou Chao and his entourage were on their way back to the hotel.

“Lin Wu, what did you guys eat?”

“All, Boss, don’t even mention it!” Lin Wu looked helpless when he heard Zhou Chao’s question.

“What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

“Nothing happened, but the restaurant we went to had a lot of dishes on the menu, but the quantity of each dish was small. We had to order two menus just to barely satisfy our hunger!”

Sitting in the passenger seat, Todd turned around and said, “Yeah, that’s right. Talking about it now, I’m starting to feel hungry!”

“I haven’t had enough to eat either. It’s just not as comfortable as back home. So, Todd, why don’t you inform the lead car to find a Chinese restaurant for us? We’ll grab a meal there.”

“Really? I’ve been craving Chinese food for a long time. It’s just that 1 never had the time to go!” Todd was visibly delighted.

“Of course, make sure it’s satisfying!” Zhou Chao said with a smile.

Todd quickly picked up the radio and made a call to the lead car.

“Change course to Paris’s 13th district!”

“Received!”

“Zhou, you might not know this, but the Chinatown in the 13th district of Paris is the largest in all of Europe. It’s home to over ten thousand Chinese people, and both sides of the streets are filled with various Chinese shops and restaurants!”

“Oh, the way you describe it, I’m quite curious now!”

Soon, the convoy arrived at Chinatown in the 13th district. The buildings on both sides of the road were relatively tall, and the ground floors were filled with various Chinese-style shops and restaurants. As they passed by a store with a sign that said “Teochew Cuisine,” Zhou Chao halted the car.

“Let’s go to this one. When 1 was in China, I always wanted to try Teochew cuisine, but I never had the chance.”

After parking the cars, the group of 11 people proceeded towards the Chaozhou-style restaurant with a sense of purpose. Passersby quickly gave them a wide berth, and curious onlookers couldn’t help but turn their gaze towards Zhou Chao and his companions.

As they walked further, Zhou Chao noticed that many Chinese people were whispering and pointing at them. It was only then that Zhou Chao realized, apart from himself leading at the front, behind him, Lin Wu, Miles, and Todd followed in the second row, while a line of individuals in black clothing followed closely behind.

“Todd, tell them to split up and choose whatever they like to eat. We’ll reimburse Miles for the expenses, no matter how much it is, as long as they’ve eaten!”

Todd was about to explain, but he saw Zhou Chao’s serious expression and simply nodded. He turned to the seven people behind him, conveyed the message, and they dispersed.

Zhou Chao nodded in satisfaction and then led the three of them into the Teochew-style restaurant.

“Hello, welcome!” Upon entering, a somewhat mechanical voice came from a Maneki-neko (beckoning cat) figurine placed next to the door.

The middle-aged Chinese man standing at the counter greeted them in Mandarin with a strong Cantonese accent, “How may I assist you?”

After looking at the menu on the wall for a while, Zhou Chao ordered, “Taro Sea Cucumber, ‘Da Leng’ (a cold dish), Dry-braised Goose, Kirin Abalone Slices, four portions of Seafood Congee, and four portions of Beef Balls!”

Zhou Chao’s fluent Cantonese surprised the owner, who glanced at him but didn’t say much. He just gestured for them to find a seat.

Taking a look around, Zhou Chao noticed that the restaurant still retained many of the Teochew-style decorations. There were also old photos on the walls, which he guessed were taken when the owner was still in China.

The restaurant was efficient, and the Beef Balls and ‘Da Leng’ were quickly served. Zhou Chao allowed his companions to start eating.

Todd and Miles weren’t used to using chopsticks, especially Miles. He struggled to pick up a Beef Ball with chopsticks, and it ended up flying off his plate, bouncing several times on the floor before coming to a stop.

“Oh my, these Beef Balls are incredibly bouncy!” Miles couldn’t believe his eyes.

“Don’t be surprised, Miles. These Beef Balls are made using a unique method, hammered with iron rods by skilled artisans in China. The result is Beef Balls that bounce like ping pong balls!” Lin Wu explained with a smile.

“Is that true, boss?” Miles asked skeptically.

“Of course, it’s true. If you have the chance, you should visit China to see for yourself!” Zhou Chao replied.

While they chatted, the remaining dishes were served one by one. Each person had a small serving of Seafood Congee in front of them, and they enjoyed their meal, savoring the flavors.

“I’m so full now. The best thing I had was the Beef Balls. I want to come here again!” As they strolled through Chinatown, Todd was still reminiscing about the meal, and Zhou Chao and Lin Wu couldn’t help but laugh.

Chinese cuisine had a way of captivating everyone’s taste buds.

After exploring Chinatown and indulging in a variety of Chinese delicacies, Miles and Todd were the main contributors to the purchases, with Todd explaining that it was a way to share good food with their friends.

By the time they returned to the hotel, it was already three in the afternoon. Thinking about their evening appointment, Zhou Chao began to feel a bit tired.

Todd had arranged to stay in rooms adjacent to Zhou Chao’s, ensuring that he could respond promptly if Zhou Chao needed assistance.

Lying on his hotel room bed, Zhou Chao felt the fatigue settle in. Meanwhile, Lin Wu and Todd sat on the room’s sofa, chatting quietly. Miles had taken a stroll outside, claiming he was going to enjoy the beauty of Champs-Elysees.

A crisp knocking sound interrupted Lin Wu and Todd’s conversation.

Hearing the knock, both of them furrowed their brows. They knew that the knock wasn’t from someone they knew, as Todd had a set of specific codes for knocking on the door. Additionally, Miles had gone out to enjoy himself, so there were no acquaintances of Zhou Chao in Paris.

The two of them exchanged nods, and Lin Wu approached the door, while Todd discreetly placed his hand under his armpit.

Upon opening the door, Lin Wu saw three foreigners standing outside. One of them, a middle-aged man, appeared to be the leader of the group.

“Excuse me, is Mr. Zhou Chao here?” The man who seemed like a bodyguard asked Lin Wu in somewhat imperfect Chinese.

Lin Wu partially opened the door and cautiously inquired, “Who are you?”

“We’re from Lei Du Group and would like to talk to ATr. Zhou,” the middle-aged man replied.

“I’m sorry, but the boss is currently taking a nap. If you have something important, please come back later.” When he returned to the room, Zhou Chao briefly explained the situation to the others, so Lin Wu understood the nature of these visitors.

However, Lin Wu couldn’t help but wonder how they found out where the boss was staying, as only a few people were aware of it.

“Is it possible to wake up Mr. Zhou? We indeed have an important matter to discuss with him,” the leader of the group asked, furrowing his brow slightly, but maintaining a calm demeanor.

“I’m sorry, but the boss doesn’t like to be disturbed while he’s sleeping. Could you leave a contact number, and I’ll call you when he wakes up?”

The leader hesitated for a while and finally nodded, saying, “Alright, please take this.”

He took out a business card from his pocket, and underneath it, there was a bank card.

“There are 200,000 euros in the card. Please take it seriously.”

Lin Wu accepted it with a smile.

“I understand. Don’t worry.”

The leader of the group watched as Lin Wu put the business card and bank card into his pocket and smiled before leaving with his two bodyguards.

After they had walked away, Lin Wu closed the door, and Todd, who had been behind it, finally relaxed.

“Here, take this.” Lin Wu handed the bank card to Todd.

Todd received it somewhat bewildered and curiously asked, “Why are you giving me this bank card? Wasn’t it meant for you?”

“Hahaha, just accept it. Consider it a reward from the boss for your expenses during this period.”

“But how can 1 accept it? This is 200,000 euros, and I’d have to work for a long time to earn this much. 1 can’t take it, especially since it was given to you by someone else. I don’t want it!” Todd said and prepared to return the card to Lin Wu.

“Todd, just take it. You’ll realize that 200,000 euros isn’t that much when you’ve been with the boss for a while.” Lin Wu smiled and shook his head. After all, he had seen the elite members under Todd’s command, and each of them was among the best of the best. If they could be recruited, it would be a great opportunity to strengthen the boss’s security force.

After all, the boss’ business was gradually expanding overseas, and foreign countries were not as safe as the domestic environment. Firearms were widespread, and there was always a risk of being attacked. Having a team like Todd’s could save a lot of worries and ensure the boss’s safety.

Todd hesitated for a long time before finally saying, “Alright, I’ll accept it. I’ll report to the boss later.”

“Okay!”