Chapter 279 Report Him
“Where are we going?” Matthew asked upon seeing Veronica walk out of the store.
With a flick of his finger, he sent his cigarette flying into the rubbish bin.
“Any suggestions?”
As she asked that, she walked over to the car, pulled open the door, and sat in the passenger seat.
“Whatever the host wishes.”
“We’ll go to One Piece Restaurant then,” she replied.
After all, she could not just dine with Matthew wherever she liked due to his status.
She did also win big in the Alpine Ski Resort. If splurging on a meal once was enough to return the favor, she would happily do so.
He got back into the car and began driving toward One Piece Restaurant.
“You haven’t visited Grandma for a few days. She missed you. Visit her when you are free,” he said as he drove.
“Okay,” she responded, looking out the window the entire time.
They seemed to be experiencing more snow this year.
It was a sunny day yesterday, but it was now beginning to snow again.
Bloomstead was a bright and colorful place with lights everywhere. With snowflakes drifting in the air, the city looked extraordinarily gorgeous.
“Do you love snow?” he asked upon noticing her focused attention on the world outside.
However, her reply surprised him.
“I like everything except for you.”
After pondering on what she had just said, he found it to be true.
She liked way too many things when he was not in the equation.
Even so, he was rendered speechless by her ability to kill off all conversation with one sentence.
One of his hands reached up to run through his hair as exasperation shone in his eyes.
What should he even do about this darned woman?
“You actually hate me that much?” he asked after a pause.
Stunned, she turned to look at him as though he was a fool. “Have I not been obvious enough?”
He was speechless.
Thus, the conversation ended.
Soon, the car pulled up to One Piece Restaurant.
The two got out of the car and were seated in a private room.
As a member of the restaurant, Matthew did not need to line for a table.
Within the room, a server handed Veronica the menu before asking, “Good day. What will you both be having today?”
Veronica looked up and pointed at the man seated opposite her. “Ask him.”
“I’m fine with anything,” he calmly stated as he took a sip of water.
“Fine,” she said before replying to the server. “Give me a few servings of the cheapest items on your menu.”
The server was stunned. “Miss, the cheapest item on our menu is plain water.”
The corners of her mouth were twitching hard as she was suddenly hit by the thought that their server was kind of an idiot. “I want two servings of the cheapest mains you have along with some appetizers. Remember, they must be the cheapest items.”
“Is that all you’re going to order when you’re treating me to dinner?” Matthew could not help but ask.
She nodded. “This is One Piece Restaurant. Even though I have brought you here, I am still poor. Do I look like someone who can afford to pay for a feast? Anyway, a feast is unhealthy for you. There will be too much fat, and that will lead to all sorts of issues like high cholesterol and high blood pressure. You might even die an early death because of that. Considering the billions you have yet to spend, would it not be a waste?”
She spoke with such a straight, no-nonsense face that it almost convinced him.
“As you say.”
He dropped his forehead to his palm before massaging his temple with his fingers.
If his memory served him right, the last meal she treated him to was breakfast, where she bought two tea eggs and a cup of warm milk.
He remembered that meal very well.
“Yes, madam. The food will be out shortly,” the server said with a nod before turning away with the menu in hand.
During the wait, Matthew was ignored while Veronica paid full attention to scrolling on her phone.
A few minutes later, the server was back.
“Wow, this place has really fast service,” she commented with a gleam in her eyes.
However, just as she finished speaking, her face stiffened.
On the cart being pushed by the server were two plates of plain bread and a bowl of mushroom soup that was the size of a teacup.
“Enjoy your meal,” the server politely said once the dishes were moved to the table.
“Wait. That’s… it?”
Veronica knew food at One Piece Restaurant was expensive. It was why she immediately asked for the cheapest dishes they had with barely a glance at the menu.
In fact, if she was not mistaken, the total cost of the food that was currently displayed on the table was barely less than 60 dollars.
However, the two plates—no, saucers—before her…
Only contained a small block of butter.
“Yes, madam. The first dish is called the ‘Cloud Bread’ and is well complemented by the second dish, ‘Tastes of the Wild’. These are all dishes that required extensive and careful preparation.”
The server was very professional and solemn in introducing the dishes served.
Hearing the introduction, Veronica pursed her lips. “I see. Thanks.”
“Enjoy your meal,” the server said once more before pushing the cart out of the room.
The moment the server left, her face drooped. “How dare they cheat us like this! Did the owner of this place die from poverty in his last life? How could they swindle us like this? ‘Cloud Bread’? It’s just normal bread for Pete’s sake? Besides, they only served us butter without any other condiments. Also, this soup is a joke. What did they call it again?”
She stirred her spoon through the liquid. “There’s literally only mushrooms in it. Oh, my goodness, there isn’t even texture to chew at this point.”
Her spoon clattered against the plate as she dropped it to point at the bread. “This bread is the worst. The moment it touches the soup, it disintegrates completely. How do people even eat…”
Bang!
She slammed her palms against the table. “No way! I have to report them to the Bureau of Consumer Protection. This place is a con.”
She pulled out her phone as she said so and began to look up the number to the bureau.
Meanwhile, Matthew merely raised an eyebrow. He silently watched her as he took a sip from his glass.
As she kept searching, she said to him, “Hey, you dine here often. That means you are familiar with their boss, right? My advice is that you stay away from fools like him. Wait, no. He will be the one taking you for a fool, constantly lusting over the money you have. We need to report businesses like his. The earlier they close this place down, the better.”
Hearing that, he could feel the vein on his forehead throbbing. He stroked his chin and was about to say something when she held a hand up. “Wait. I have to make a call first.”
“Is this the Bureau of Consumer Protection?” she said into the phone. “I’d like to report a complaint with One Piece Restaurant…”
She blabbered on for a long while before eventually getting off the call. “Well, they say they will investigate tomorrow.”
“At this hour, everyone should have clocked off already. Let us focus on our dinner first and listen to the good news tomorrow,” she solemnly said to him.
He nodded, remaining as silent as he had been since the moment the server returned with the food.
