Wang Min was livid, her face flushed with anger as she pointed at Renault’s nose and yelled, “You poor bastard! How dare you call me a fly? I swear, I’m going to make sure you regret it!”

“How dare you humiliate my friend like this!” Mu Wanqing stepped in, her voice steady but sharp. She wouldn’t tolerate Wang Min insulting Renault. How could Wang Min stoop so low as to degrade someone in public?

Wang Min’s eyes narrowed into hateful slits as she spat, “Me? You’re the whore who barely scraped through college and now hangs around with losers like this! What a joke! You’ve really lowered yourself, Mu Wanqing.”

Mu Wanqing felt a surge of anger rise in her chest but didn’t know how to respond. Just then, a man who had been sitting nearby, someone who knew both Wang Min and Mu Wanqing, stood up.

Wow, Mu Wanqing was stunning. Even compared to Wang Min, who had always considered herself attractive, Mu Wanqing’s beauty was like comparing a wild pheasant to a phoenix. The difference was stark.

The man hesitated briefly, realizing that this wasn’t the right time to act on his admiration for Mu Wanqing. He was about to intervene when he caught sight of Renault and immediately froze.

“Holy crap! Renault!”

Renault glanced at him, raising an eyebrow slightly. “Oh, Zhou Fei. Fancy running into you here.”

Zhou Fei, the man, was someone Renault had encountered before when purchasing cold chain meat supplies. He knew who Renault was and immediately felt the tension rise.

Zhou Fei quickly stepped up, a nervous smile on his face. “Renault, I didn’t expect to see you here. Are you dining here today?”

Renault looked at him coldly and then at Wang Min, who was still fuming. “Well, I guess I’m just a poor guy having dinner with my friend here, Wang Min’s words, not mine.”

Zhou Fei immediately grasped the situation. Without another word, he turned and slapped Wang Min hard across the face.

“You idiot! Do you know who you just insulted? Renault is a VIP customer of ours! How dare you make a scene like this over a dish!”

Wang Min stood there, her eyes wide with shock, holding her cheek where Zhou Fei had slapped her. “Zhou Fei, what are you doing?” she stammered, tears welling up in her eyes.

Zhou Fei glared at her and shouted, “What am I doing? I’m saving your damn skin! Apologize to Renault and Mu Wanqing right now!”

Wang Min trembled. She had never expected this kind of treatment, but the sudden realization of who Renault was hit her hard. She quickly dropped to her knees in front of Renault.

“Renault, I’m so sorry! I acted like a fool, please forgive me!”

Renault didn’t even glance at her. “You don’t owe me an apology,” he said icily. “You owe Mu Wanqing one.”

Wang Min, now fully aware of her predicament, crawled over to Mu Wanqing, her voice shaking as she begged, “Wanqing, I’m sorry! I was wrong. Please, forgive me. I didn’t know any better.”

Mu Wanqing, still upset, softened slightly at Wang Min’s pitiful state. After all, they had been classmates. She decided to let it go. “Fine, let’s just forget about it,” she said quietly.

Relieved, Zhou Fei quickly ordered Wang Min to leave. “Get out of here now before you embarrass yourself further.”

Wang Min, holding her face and sobbing, scurried out of the restaurant, her pride in tatters.

With the drama over, the other diners in the restaurant quickly resumed their meals, the show having come to an end.

Zhou Fei turned back to Renault, offering a sheepish smile. “Renault, can I join you for a bit?”

Renault glanced at Mu Wanqing, who was now visibly tired from the confrontation. “Sit down if you want, Zhou Fei, but we’re just here to have a quiet dinner.”

Zhou Fei took a seat, trying to remain as unobtrusive as possible. He then waved at the waiter and said, “This meal is on me, Renault. It’s the least I can do after what just happened.”

Renault smiled slightly. “No need for that, Zhou Fei. It’s my treat today.”

Zhou Fei laughed nervously, “Well, at least let me make it up to you by buying you a drink next time.”

Renault, not particularly in the mood for socializing, nodded absentmindedly. “Sure, maybe next time.”

The conversation then drifted toward a topic that piqued Renault’s curiosity. “By the way, Zhou Fei, what’s this whole ‘Banquet of the Seas’ thing that Wang Min was talking about? I’ve never heard of it.”

Zhou Fei’s eyes widened slightly. “You don’t know about it?”

Renault shook his head. “Not really. I haven’t been keeping up with that kind of stuff lately.”

Zhou Fei leaned in, lowering his voice. “The ‘Banquet of the Seas’ is an exclusive high-society event happening here in the city. It’s organized by some of the biggest luxury brands. Invitations are only sent out to top-tier elites, and the whole thing is as extravagant as it sounds.”

Renault raised an eyebrow. “Sounds interesting.”

Zhou Fei hesitated for a moment before whispering, “There’s a lot more to it, but I can tell you all about it later, privately.”

Renault’s interest was piqued. “Oh, I see. We’ll talk later then.”

After Zhou Fei left, Renault turned his attention back to the dinner. Both he and Mu Wanqing had worked up quite an appetite after all the commotion. The dishes were nothing short of spectacular.

“This crab casserole is incredible,” Renault said, savoring the dish. “Definitely worth the wait.”

Mu Wanqing smiled as she saw how much he was enjoying the food. “I told you this place is great. It’s one of my favorites.”

As they finished their meal, Renault wiped his mouth and turned to Mu Wanqing with a grin. “Thanks for the recommendation. This place really hits the spot.”

“You’re welcome. Thank you for the dinner, Renault,” Mu Wanqing replied.

They both laughed, the earlier tension now long forgotten as they enjoyed the rest of the evening in each other’s company.

After paying the bill, Renault noticed a series of plaques hanging on the restaurant wall. Curious, he walked over to take a closer look.

“Best Chef Award.”

“Top Culinary Talent in Seaside City.”

“International Gourmet Cup Winner.”

“Seaside City’s Outstanding Young Chef.”

Renault’s eyes scanned the accolades, impressed by the list of awards. “Wow, the owner must be some kind of culinary genius,” he thought to himself.

Just as he was lost in thought, a woman approached him from behind the counter. She was a middle-aged lady with an air of confidence and charm.

“Can I help you, sir?” she asked with a knowing smile.

Renault turned to face her, and for a moment, he was taken aback by her presence.

“Are you the owner?” he asked.

The woman smiled again, her eyes gleaming. “Yes, I am. Did you enjoy the meal?”

“Absolutely. It was one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time.”

The lady owner’s eyes sparkled as she leaned in slightly. “I’m glad to hear that. It’s always a pleasure to conquer a man’s heart through his stomach.”