Chapter 41: Just Say A Few Words

Shortly after, the door to the private room swung open, and a middle-aged man in a suit stepped in. "Master Li, Ms. Calista is dining here, and you didn't tell me? If it weren't for my staff downstairs, I wouldn't have known you two were honoring us with your presence today," he said warmly, flashing a broad smile despite the feigned reproach in his tone. Calista gave him a nod without saying a word, but Elijah stood to respond. "We're just having a casual dinner with a few colleagues, so we didn't want to trouble you, Manager Terry." "Trouble? Master Li, you're too polite!" Terry chuckled heartily, then turned his attention to George and the others. "Nice to meet you all. I'm Terry, the manager here at Kelmen. Since you're colleagues of Master Li, feel free to ask for me whenever you visit. I'll make sure you get a 20% discount." The offer delighted Jaxson and the others, making Elijah puff up with pride. George, however, remained indifferent. "I hope everything was to your liking? Were you satisfied with the food?" Terry inquired. "Very much so. Absolutely," Becker and a few others quickly chimed in. "Kelmen lives up to its reputation. The dishes were spot on," Becker added. Elijah, sensing an opportunity, leaned in with a smirk. "Well, most of us were quite pleased, but someone here thought the food was only so-so." "Oh?" Terry looked puzzled, scanning the room. "Who thought the food was average? We'd love to hear any feedback for improvement." Calista intervened, "There's no need for that, Manager Terry. My colleague was just joking around." "I don't think he was joking. Right, Mr. George?" Elijah shot George a pointed glance, his tone laced with mockery. Terry's gaze followed Elijah's, landing squarely on George. "Sir, if you have any suggestions, we'd genuinely like to hear them. We strive for perfection, and any input helps us get there." George, catching the mocking glint in Elijah's eyes, met Terry's stare. "Yes, that was me," he said plainly. "And no, I wasn't joking. I've had better elsewhere." Terry's smile faltered, though he kept up the polite act. "If that's the case, I'd be glad to know where we fell short." George noticed the subtle edge in Terry's voice but didn't flinch. He stood, gesturing towards the table. "Since you're asking, let's get into it. For starters, this dish stayed on the heat for about ten seconds too long—overcooked. This one has way too much MSG, making it unnecessarily salty. And scallions in this dish? They completely overpower the original flavor. As for the rest…" He went on, picking apart nearly every dish on the table with a sharp, discerning eye. His critique was so thorough, it was clear he wasn't just someone with an opinion—he knew his food. Every dish seemed to fall short of his standards. The more George spoke, the darker Terry's expression grew. His smile evaporated, his face now set in a grim line. But George didn't seem to notice—or care. Even when Calista gave him pointed looks, silently urging him to stop, he acted as if he didn't see. "You asked for my input," George thought to himself, "so why should I hold back? If you don't like it, that's on you." Meanwhile, Elijah was enjoying the scene, his grin widening as Terry's mood soured. When George finally finished his critique, an uncomfortable silence settled over the room. "Thank you for your... feedback," Terry finally said, his voice strained. George shrugged. "No need to thank me. I'm just offering advice since you asked. If it had been anyone else, I wouldn't have bothered." "Thank you!" Terry responded, though the gritted teeth beneath his polite words didn't escape anyone's notice. Elijah, seizing the moment, added fuel to the fire. "Manager Terry, you might not know, but George here fancies himself quite the culinary expert. Earlier, he even said his cooking is better than what was served tonight. At first, I didn't believe him, but after hearing his detailed critique, maybe he's right." "Oh?" Terry's eyes narrowed. "Since you're such an expert and have found so many faults, how about a friendly cooking challenge with our chef? It could be a great learning experience for us." Calista quickly intervened, "I don't think that's necessary. George was just making some casual remarks." But her defense only seemed to irritate Elijah further. He smirked. "Casual remarks? He seemed pretty confident to me. Kelmen is one of the best restaurants in Jiangzhou. If someone claims otherwise, it could damage its reputation. He should back up his words, or it'll seem like he's just slandering us." "Isn't that a bit much? George only said those things privately," Calista frowned. "It's no small matter!" Terry interjected, his tone sharp. "Our reputation is built on trust. We welcome feedback, but we won't tolerate anyone trying to tarnish our name." Turning to George, Terry said, "If you're so skilled, why not prove it in a cook-off with our chef?" "I don't have time for that," George replied with a dismissive wave. "Honestly, if it wasn't for this being a gathering with new colleagues, I wouldn't even be here." Elijah snorted. "You're just a PE teacher, George. What could possibly keep you so busy? No time? What are you doing, really?" "Yes, I'm quite busy," George shot back. "Unlike some people who were born with a silver spoon and can afford to sit around all day, I have to work to make a living." Calista rolled her eyes at George's jab, to which he quickly added, "And for the record, I wasn't referring to you, Ms. Calista." But his real target was clear: Elijah.