C21 The Car Keys Were Pressed Against You
The Kitchen Manager, who had been chatting enthusiastically by the cash register, suddenly scowled.
"What's the matter, your phone died?"
"Can't pay, can you?"
He voiced Lin Dong's inner thoughts with a knowing tone.
Lin Dong was left speechless.
He hadn't anticipated this situation, especially since his phone had been working perfectly during his call with Wang Shenglee.
Old phones are just unreliable, prone to crashing and shutting down without warning.
"Hold on a second, boss."
Lin Dong fiddled with his phone, but the screen remained black.
He was at a loss for words.
The worst time for a phone to fail, and now he couldn't pay.
"If you don't pay for today's meal, nobody leaves!!"
The Kitchen Manager let out a mocking laugh.
He had been skeptical when Lin Dong ordered an entire menu's worth of dishes, and now his suspicions were confirmed.
A phone dying right at the moment of payment? He wasn't about to fall for that old trick.
The Kitchen Manager planted himself at the door, arms crossed, giving Lin Dong and his friends a look that said no payment, no exit.
Liu Wenming, Tian Chao, and Zhou Hengyu exchanged glances, each seeing a mix of confusion and surprise in the others' eyes.
Liu Wenming: Could it be that Lin Dong actually has no money?
Tian Chao: Quite possible. I suspect he's been overspending as a form of revenge.
Zhou Hengyu: Damn! Let's chip in, guys. We can't let Lin Dong lose face!
Liu Wenming: I'll handle it. I'll use my credit line to pay for now!
Tian Chao: Right!
Zhou Hengyu: Yeah, agreed!
With a silent understanding established.
Liu Wenming cleared his throat and stepped forward, "Let's not be so harsh. Who here can't afford a meal?"
The Kitchen Manager gave a sideways glance and spread his hands, "Fine! Pay up and I'll drop it!"
Liu Wenming pulled out his phone, ready to pay with Alipay, but then realized the small kitchen didn't display an Alipay QR code.
"Boss, can't we use Alipay here?"
Liu Wenming inquired.
The kitchen owner lifted his chin with a sardonic grin, "Sorry, we haven't set that up."
Liu Wenming felt a sudden pang in his chest.
With just a little over 200 yuan left for living expenses, how could he make a payment without access to credit services?
What a terrible place this was! In an era where everyone used credit, it was unbelievable that this establishment didn't accept such payments!
Lin Dong caught Liu Wenming's eye and quickly intervened.
Liu had hurried over to pay while Lin Dong was at a loss for words.
"Don't worry about it, Liu," Lin Dong reassured him. "I've got the money; my phone just needs a charge. That's all."
He turned to the Kitchen Manager and asked, "Do you have a charger? I'll just charge my phone and then pay you."
"Sure, there's a cable at the cashier's desk," the Kitchen Manager replied.
Lin Dong gestured towards Liu Wenming, Tian Chao, and Zhou Hengyu, saying, "Let them leave first. They have a class this afternoon, and it wouldn't be good for them to be late."
The Kitchen Manager hesitated but then considered that Lin Dong couldn't escape since he was still there. "Alright," he conceded, "but just so you know, I'm well acquainted with the school's teachers. If you try any funny business, I'll report it to them!"
"Agreed!" Lin Dong responded.
He gave Liu Wenming a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "You guys head back first. I'll catch up with you soon!"
Liu Wenming was skeptical. "Lin, there's no need to be stubborn. We can all chip in if necessary."
He suspected Lin Dong was staying behind just to save face.
Lin Dong felt frustrated. He genuinely had the money, but with his phone powered off, he was stuck!
He tugged at Liu Wenming's arm. "Come on, let's not hang around here. Go back and wait for me."
Tian Chao chimed in, "Exactly, Liu. Let's head out. Lin Dong will follow once he's settled the bill."
"Yeah, let's go, Liu!" Zhou Hengyu encouraged.
Liu Wenming glared, about to protest, but before he could finish, Tian Chao and Zhou Hengyu had already pulled him away.
With his friends gone, Lin Dong approached the cashier's desk, plugged in the data cable, and began charging his phone.
Lin Dong remained composed.
The cost of the meal was trivial to him; he wasn't concerned about it.
He expected his phone to power on after charging, but to his dismay, it still showed a black screen, which made Lin Dong slightly anxious.
"Hey, is your phone working or not? I know all the teachers at the school. If you don't pay up, I'm going to your academic advisor about this!" the Kitchen Manager declared from behind the cash register.
He eyed Lin Dong with suspicion, as if he were a potential thief.
The bill was nearly a thousand yuan—a significant sum. The Kitchen Manager was determined not to let Lin Dong leave without settling the debt.
Lin Dong observed the Kitchen Manager's demeanor and realized his phone might be out of commission. He needed to find another solution.
Without thinking, he reached into his pocket and felt a set of car keys.
Lin Dong's eyebrows lifted in recognition.
He had been awarded a Pagani Huayran sports car for completing a system mission, and the keys had been placed in his pocket.
He pulled out the keys.
The Pagani Huayran emblem was strikingly detailed.
The key itself was sleek, with a smart screen on its surface, giving it a very high-tech appearance.
After a moment's thought, Lin Dong offered the key to the Kitchen Manager, saying, "My phone seems to be dead. Hold onto this car key as collateral. I'll bring you the cash later, and then you can return the key to me."
"A car key?" The Kitchen Manager was taken aback as he examined the Pagani Huayran key in Lin Dong's hand.
The key looked impressive. Even though he didn't recognize the logo, anyone could sense its luxury—it was clearly no ordinary key.
Yet, Lin Dong was clad in bargain clothes, and his phone was chipped and worn. Could he really afford to drive such an upscale vehicle?
The Kitchen Manager was skeptical.
He retorted sharply, "Don't try to deceive me with some toy key you found on Taobao! You owe me 980 yuan for the meal, and I expect every penny!"
Lin Dong's expression tightened as he replied, "It's not a toy key. My car is in the school parking lot—you can check for yourself. I wouldn't waste time over such a small amount. You've seen my phone is broken; I might not even be able to start it today! Take note of my student ID: Lin Dong, third-year, class seven. My advisor is Yang Zitan."
"Yang Zitan! Isn't she the stunning counselor who made headlines and caused a stir at the school?"
"Yes, that's her. I've got to run now. Go check the car keys. If I'm lying, you can take it up with her!"
"Got it! Off you go!"
"Leave the packed meals. I'll pay you for them when I come back to pick them up."
"...Let's talk payment when you actually pay up!"
Lin Dong stepped out of the kitchen, breathing a sigh of relief.
Yang Zitan's reputation was significant.
Mentioning her as his counselor had the Kitchen Manager giving him the green light immediately!
If she found out he was leveraging her name like this, Lin Dong feared she might punish him severely!
But for the moment, he couldn't worry about that. Otherwise, Lin Dong wouldn't be able to leave.
Lin Dong glanced around and, with his phone's screen turned off, went to find Liu Wenming and his buddies.
The kitchen owner was toying with the Pagani Huayran key at the cash register.
He had already tested it; it wasn't a lighter.
The key featured a smart display with functions like ignition and unlocking.
"Boss, I need to settle the bill!"
A voice called out.
The Kitchen Manager looked up to see a young man with a handprint on his face approaching.
It was Wang Chengxin.
He had finished his meal and, after strategizing on how to handle Lin Dong, emerged with his cronies.
The thought of Lin Dong getting his comeuppance had improved Wang Chengxin's spirits considerably.
The Kitchen Manager, adhering to the unwritten rules of civility, ignored the handprint on his face, placed the car keys on the table, and started tallying the bill.
At that moment, the sleek car keys caught the eye of every student there.
Especially Wang Chengxin.
His eyes bulged, and he exclaimed in amazement, "WOW! A Pagani Huayran!!"
