After finally persuading his companions to leave, Wang Li went to Tianfu Restaurant alone.
Seeing the familiar decor and familiar faces, Wang Li quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
"Brother Wang, you're back from sea!" The waiter spotted him at the entrance and greeted him enthusiastically. He was a regular, after all.
"I'm back. To start, get me a steaming bowl of lamb noodle soup."
"The usual then? With extra braised lamb?"
Wang Li replied, "That's right. And half a catty of Shaodaozi liquor."
The waiter looked at him in surprise. Brother Wang never used to drink. 'Something's different about him after this trip,' he thought.
"Don't just stand there gawking. Go on, hurry up," Wang Li said.
The waiter smiled and immediately led him to a table. "Please wait a moment, sir. I'll go place your order with the kitchen."
It wasn't the dinner rush yet, so the main hall was fairly empty. Wang Li called the waiter over. "Is Store Manager Ming Nian not in today?"
