After leaving the beach, Li Jing changed into clean clothes and returned to the city district.
Getting out of the taxi, Li Jing frowned slightly, looking at his phone.
"The taxi fare wasn't reimbursed..."
Li Jing pondered to himself, "Could it be that not all expenses will be doubled and reimbursed?"
Thinking of the emotional assessment mentioned by the system earlier, he began to understand a bit: "Is it because taking a taxi didn't generate positive emotions, so there's no reward?"
To test this hypothesis, Li Jing deliberated for a moment and decided to make another purchase that could generate emotional value.
If the hypothesis is correct...
Li Jing's eyes changed slightly, and he couldn't help but breathe a little heavier:
This little nobody might just sing a song of liberation!
...
Celestial Beauty Restaurant.
A newly opened high-end restaurant in the Tianhai City District, with an average consumption of one thousand per person. As soon as it opened, many local internet celebrities came to check it out, making it quite popular.
For Li Jing, enjoying gourmet food has always been something that makes him happy.
But in the past three years of work, besides filling his stomach simply in the cafeteria, he would be out socializing.
Although the hotels for the social events weren't bad, he hadn't tasted much of the food before several glasses of liquor were already downed.
In such social events, besides the leaders and clients, no one could eat well.
This desperate work in the past three years almost made him forget that eating was originally an enjoyable thing.
Or rather, at some point, work had taken all his time, and he had long forgotten how to live.
Enjoying life has become more unfamiliar to him than obscure words.
Walking into Celestial Beauty Restaurant, a hostess dressed in a navy blue vest over a white shirt, with a pencil skirt and black stockings, greeted him with a sweet smile and quickly walked over.
"Sir, are you here to dine at Celestial Beauty, and how many people are there?"
"Just one."
Even though Li Jing had only been a project manager for a year, he had visited some high-end hotels due to socializing, so he didn't feel uneasy facing the hostess in a high-end restaurant for the first time.
"Alright, sir, this way, please."
The hostess maintained her smile, bowed to indicate, and as she was leading Li Jing into the door, she heard his voice again.
"Do you have private rooms here?"
"Yes, sir, we have special small private rooms with strong privacy and independent courtyards."
The hostess's business acumen was excellent. She quickly guessed Li Jing's needs and, without asking unnecessary questions, proactively introduced, "The minimum charge for a small private room is three thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight yuan. Would you like me to prepare one for you?"
Seeing Li Jing nod, the hostess's smile became even brighter. She led the way in front while speaking into the communication device on her collar, saying:
"VIP for small private room number three..."
...
The private room at Celestial Beauty Restaurant is styled in a Chinese manner, with paintings of landscape and calligraphy with ancient charm hanging on the walls, and a small courtyard outside the room, decorated with exquisite rockery and garden plants.
Li Jing sat by the table, looking over the menu, and the private room's dedicated waitress had replaced the hostess by his side.
The waitress was young and slender. Perhaps because she was too thin, even the tight uniform didn't show much of her figure.
Fortunately, her facial features were decent enough to barely classify her as a beauty; otherwise, she wouldn't have been assigned to serve private room guests.
At that moment, she had her hands clasped in front of her abdomen, quietly waiting for Li Jing to order.
Since the restaurant hadn't been opened long, she hadn't seen many guests like Li Jing, dining alone in a private room, making her a bit curious.
She blinked and discreetly observed Li Jing's side profile sitting in his chair.
Although Li Jing hadn't particularly dressed up, his high nose bridge and defined jawline made her rate his looks a few points higher.
This looks... at least a 7.5.
Although as a waitress, she shouldn't evaluate guests' appearances, for a girl just turned 21, noticing guests' looks is a unique joy of her job.
"Just these..."
Hearing Li Jing's voice, the waitress immediately took the menu and confirmed the dishes he ordered.
"Braised old goose head, matsutake pigeon swallow, cold garlic crispy ginseng, vinegar pepper fresh yellowtail..."
The waitress noted the dishes, feeling a bit surprised.
The guest not only ordered the most expensive items on the menu but also in quantities exceeding what a single person could consume.
After ordering, to avoid misunderstandings, the waitress asked to confirm, "Sir, are you sure you want these dishes?"
Li Jing nodded, guessing that she thought he ordered a bit much, and couldn't help but smile:
"Don't worry, I have a big appetite, I can finish it."
The waitress, worried she might have offended him by her thoughts being seen through, was relieved internally by Li Jing's amiable and sincere attitude.
After exiting with the menu, the waitress couldn't help but think to herself:
Handsome, wealthy, and gentle, his rating reached 9 points.
I must share this with Xiaoyan tonight~
...
Li Jing didn't mind the waitress's thoughts; his thinking was simple.
To enjoy the meal better, he deliberately ordered those exquisite-looking dishes, so he could gain more positive emotions after eating.
If his earlier hypothesis was correct, the more expensive the meal, the greater the reward he would receive.
If the hypothesis was wrong, and like the taxi, there was no reimbursement, with his current balance, he could afford this meal without worry.
After waiting for a bit, dedicated staff brought the dishes, and the original waitress professionally introduced each dish's features and ways to enjoy it.
The service in this restaurant made Li Jing feel very comfortable. Despite the high price, it indeed provided corresponding service quality, which improved his mood further.
Though there were many dishes, as predicted by Li Jing, most consisted of a small amount of food on large, exquisite plates.
Many dishes priced in the hundreds, Li Jing finished in a few bites, with no worry about eating too much.
Only after finishing the last dish did Li Jing feel full.
Disregarding the price, both the food and service allowed Li Jing to experience the forgotten satisfaction that dining brought and dissipated much of the depression from unemployment and breakup.
He rediscovered the joy of savoring food. Especially with a young, pretty waitress constantly serving him tea and water thoughtfully.
After settling the bill, the total was four thousand three hundred yuan, including a ten percent service charge.
[Eating worldly smoke can relieve a thousand worries, enjoy half a day's leisure to comfort the dust.
The host spent four thousand three hundred yuan on dining, rediscovering the joy of gourmet food, with a positive emotion index of three stars.
Rewarded with thirty times the consumption amount, totaling 129,000 yuan.]
"129,000?!"
Even though he anticipated it, Li Jing couldn't help but feel a little thrill at receiving an amount equivalent to his previous salary for half a year in his bank account.
Indeed, his hypothesis was correct.
From today on, this little blade of grass might grow into a towering tree!
...
After watching Li Jing leave the restaurant, the young waitress was filled with joy and reluctance.
Earlier, Li Jing, in a good mood from receiving his reward, gave her all the cash he had, totaling five hundred yuan, as a tip.
The waitress, watching Li Jing's departing figure, had bright eyes full of joy:
This handsome guy is so generous!
He's definitely the highest score my imaginary system can give, a perfect score!
Tonight I'll definitely share this dream client with my girlfriends and make them envious!!
While the waitress was privately delighted, the recently departed Li Jing's mind flashed another message.
[The host tipped the waitress five hundred yuan, earning a positive emotion index of one star.
Rewarded with ten times the amount, totaling 5000 yuan.]
Glancing at his mobile bank message, corner of Li Jing's mouth gradually turned upwards.
He looked up at the glowing clouds in the distant sky, feeling light-hearted, and couldn't help but spread his arms wide open, closing his eyes and sighing:
"My new life is about to begin!"