As a Magnate, I Started Checking in at a Convenience Store

Didn’t Expect Them to Be All Old Acquaintance!

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

At the break of dawn, the orange sun quietly rose from the distant horizon, piercing through the window to illuminate Zhou Chao’s face.

“Good morning, Wang Lao. Why are you up so early?” Zhou Chao descended the stairs to find Wang Lao and Wen Bin sitting on the sofa, engaged in conversation. Wen Bin occasionally scribbled notes in his notebook.

Upon hearing Zhou Chao’s voice, Wang Lao and Wen Bin paused their conversation, smiling as Zhou Chao descended the stairs. “As one gets older, waking up early becomes a habit, especially on such an important day. We need to prepare well to avoid any mistakes.”

Zhou Chao felt a tinge of embarrassment. Although the gold mine belonged to him, he hadn’t paid much attention to it. Instead, it was Wang Lao and the others who took the matter to heart.

“Wang Lao, I appreciate your concern. Have you had breakfast? If not, I can prepare something,” Zhou Chao glanced at the time; it was only 8 in the morning.

Hearing that Zhou Chao would cook, Wang Lao’s face lit up with a smile. Even Wen Bin, who was holding a notebook, put it away. “That would be too kind of you. We don’t want to trouble you,” Wang Lao replied.

“No trouble at all. You two can chat for a bit; I’ll be done soon,” Zhou Chao said as he removed his down jacket and headed to the kitchen.

As Zhou Chao entered the kitchen, Wen Bin whispered, “It’s great to be able to eat Mr. Zhou’s cooking again.”

Wang Lao overheard and couldn’t help but tease him, “Look at you, forgetting all about the state banquets you’ve attended these past years?”

Wen Bin pursed his lips, muttering under his breath, “Oh, right. Who was it that said last night, ‘Wen, save some ribs for me, and don’t eat too much shredded meat’? Now you’re acting as if you don’t know me. Just feeling a bit embarrassed, that’s all.”

“Don’t think I didn’t hear that. Talking behind my back? Just wait until this matter is over; I’ll find a way to get back at you,” Wang Lao said teasingly.

Having worked together for over a decade, Wen Bin understood Wang Lao well. He knew Wang Lao was joking, but also acknowledged that his comment earlier was inappropriate, despite their close relationship.

“Well… I’ll eat a little less later,” Wen Bin conceded.

Wang Lao looked at Wen Bin approvingly. “Good. Your sense of propriety is commendable.”

If outsiders knew that these two were almost about to quarrel over food, they would be surprised beyond belief.

Soon, the kitchen resounded with the sound of chopping noodles. Both men turned their heads towards the kitchen, intrigued. After hesitating for a moment, Wang Lao stood up and walked towards the kitchen, with Wen Bin following curiously.

They saw Zhou Chao vigorously kneading the dough, producing noodles that grew thinner and thinner under their gaze.

When Zhou Chao finally stopped, Wang Lao noticed that the thick noodles had turned into fine strands.

“I didn’t expect you to be so skilled at making noodles!” Wang Lao, who had initially thought Zhou Chao was only good at cooking, was surprised by his noodle-making skills.

“An early start for a poor child. You know my family’s situation. Being good at cooking is the least I can do,” Zhou Chao replied.

Hearing this, Wang Lao couldn’t help but roll his eyes. Both he and Wen Bin had read Zhou Chao’s profile before coming. Witnessing Zhou Chao’s rapid development in less than two years was nothing short of a miracle. If they hadn’t seen it with their own eyes, they wouldn’t have believed it.

Wen Bin on the side couldn’t help but scoff inwardly, “You call yourself poor? Then what does that make us?”

As he spoke, Zhou Chao dropped the noodles into the boiling pot. In less than a minute, three bowls of Dragon Whisker Spring Noodles were presented before them.

“It’s a pity we’re short on time. We can only use the broth we simmered last night. Otherwise, fresh broth would enhance the flavor even more,” Zhou Chao lamented.

“That’s enough, it already tastes delicious!” Wen Bin, unable to contain his excitement, grabbed a bowl and rushed out of the kitchen.

Seeing this, Wang Lao didn’t hesitate either. He grabbed a bowl and joined in, leaving only the sound of the three of them eating noodles in the dining room.

Just as they finished eating, Lin Wu hurried in. “Boss, there’s a call from Xiao Zheng. Abdullah and his group have already headed towards the ranch.”

“I see. Is the venue set up?”

“It’s all set up overnight.”

“Alright, I got it. Let me know when they arrive.”

After Lin Wu left the room, Zhou Chao turned to Wang Lao and Wen Bin. “I’ll need your help with the upcoming tasks.”

“Don’t worry, we’re old friends,” Wang Lao assured.

With a quick tidy up, the three of them returned to their rooms to change into more formal attire.

Stepping out of the villa, they saw that the open space had already been arranged. The ground was covered with a red carpet, and a large rectangular table was set up in the center, surrounded by several chairs.

“Boss, Abdullah and his group are at the gate!” Lin Wu hurried to Zhou Chao’s side.

Zhou Chao nodded slightly and turned to Wang Lao, saying, “Wang Lao, let’s go and welcome our esteemed guest.”

“Haha, you’re right. We can’t keep our esteemed guest waiting,” Wang Lao replied with a faint smile.

With that, the three of them walked towards the ranch gate. Before they reached the gate, they saw Archie leading Abdullah and many bodyguards walking towards the ranch..