Chapter 157 Then I'll Have a Little Bit
"I'm not thirsty, Daniel. I don't need tea!" James waved his hand.
"James, since you haven't eaten, we should have something first. I happen to have some food with me." Noah sat down and said lightly, "We'll talk about things after you're full."
"What are you saying, Noah?" Daniel's face turned cold. "How could you let James eat those leftovers? Even an ordinary person like me wouldn't eat it. How can you expect James to eat it?"
He then looked at James, putting on a smile. "James, I apologize for my useless son-in-law. He doesn't understand etiquette. Please don't be angry. You haven't eaten, so I’ll ask the housekeeper to prepare something for you!"
"No need, it's okay. Eating leftovers is nothing!" James also sat down, smiling, "As an official, frugality and integrity are my principles. You should know that many children in impoverished mountain areas don’t even have leftovers to eat!"
Saying that, James opened the takeout box and froze. "Noah, are these the leftovers Daniel mentioned?" James' voice trembled.
"haha, what else can this be if not leftovers?" Daniel snorted. "Look at that black lump, like cheesy mashed potatoes, what is this? And those frog-like things, so disgusting, who would eat them? And those things, are they small steamed buns?
"Noah, that useless person, dares to bring this stuff home, completely disregarding his dignity! If this gets out, people will laugh at us for eating things like this, even though our family lives in Summit Retreat Oasis!"
"You couldn't be more wrong, Daniel!" James sighed.
"What?" Daniel was stunned.
"This is not just leftovers, it's clearly a feast of delicacies and gourmet food! I estimate this is worth two to three hundred thousand!" James exclaimed, his eyes shining.
"Two to three hundred thousand?"
Daniel's eyes widened in disbelief, "James, are you joking? These leftovers are worth two to three hundred thousand?"
"Of course," James nodded, "that thing that looks like cheesy mashed potatoes is not cheesy mashed potatoes at all, but extremely precious caviar. Just a pound of it costs forty to fifty thousand! There's probably five to six pounds of it on this table!
"And that thing is not a frog, but an extremely precious snow clam. In ancient times, it was a tribute to the imperial court, and something only the emperor could eat! It costs four to five thousand per pound, and there's probably five to six pounds of it too!
"And those round things are not little steamed buns, those are white truffles! It’s an absolute luxury, and the price is around $10,000 per pound!”
"It’s so expensive!"
Daniel's mouth dropped open in shock. He could hardly believe that these leftovers were worth so much money.
"James, are you sure you're not mistaken?" Daniel said. "These are just ordinary leftovers."
"Mistaken? How could I be mistaken!" James shook his head. "Although I haven't tasted these precious delicacies myself, I still have some knowledge about them."
He rubbed his hands together and looked at Noah.
"Noah, can I really eat this?" he asked.
This table of food must be worth two or three hundred thousand!
But once again, he gained some insight into Noah's wealth.
The leftover food was worth a couple hundred thousand, so the meal that Noah had been enjoying must be worth at least a million!
"Rich people are really different," James sighed.
"Of course, you can eat," Noah said lightly.
"Great, then I won't hold back!" James picked up a spoon and scooped up a piece of caviar, chewing it slowly with a satisfied and ecstatic face.
"Delicious, it's truly delicious! I've never had something this good before!"
Daniel couldn't help but salivate as he watched.
"Daniel, you should have some too. I shouldn’t enjoy this alone," James said. "Caviar contains a large amount of protein and has the effect of nourishing the body and calming the mind, which is especially suitable for someone of your age.
"And this snowbird nest can nourish the yin, moisten the lungs, regulate the liver, and strengthen the stomach, among other things. It's also very suitable for you.
"And the truffle, it can supplement amino acids, fight aging, and enhance resistance. If you don't eat it, it would be a waste!"
"Is that so?"
Daniel smiled and sat down. "Then I'll have a little."
Daniel didn't care about the effects of those things. He only knew that the food on the table was worth two or three hundred thousand and was very expensive. He had never eaten such good food in his life.
If he ate the food, he could also boast to his relatives in the future, which would definitely impress them.
As for what he said earlier about not touching these dishes, it had long been thrown out of his mind.
In less than fifteen minutes, Daniel and James had finished the whole table of food.
"Great! This caviar is really delicious!" Daniel had a big smile on his face. "I feel much more energetic after eating it! It’s truly a precious supplement!"
James reluctantly put down his utensils, feeling somewhat unsatisfied, and looked at Noah.
"Noah, this is definitely the best and most expensive food I've ever eaten in my life. Thank you for treating us!"
"It's no big deal," Noah said casually.
"Noah, you said this was leftovers from dinner with your friends," Daniel wiped his mouth and looked at Noah suspiciously, his face filled with doubt. "Heh, I think you're lying! Can your buddies afford such good food? Did you sneak into a fancy restaurant and steal this food?"
Noah smiled and remained silent. He knew that explanations would be useless. There was no way his father-in-law would believe that he could afford such good food.
"Noah, let's get down to business," James said, his expression serious.
Noah nodded, clasping his hands behind his back and walking toward the stairs. James immediately followed.
"haha, who does he think he is, acting all high and mighty?" Daniel snorted, watching Noah go upstairs. "James came to see Lisa, not a useless guy like you."
Then, his gaze fell on the table, where there was still some leftover caviar in a take-out box. Daniel checked that there was no one around, picked up a spoon and started scraping it off.
...
On the rooftop terrace of the villa, Noah stood by the railing, his hands behind his back, looking at the night view of Oceanbridge City.
The cold wind brushed against his face, giving him a pleasant and comfortable feeling.
"Noah."
James stood behind him, his voice respectful. He had changed his tone.
"I came to see you firstly to thank you for your outstanding contribution to the construction of the medical facilities in Oceanbridge City. There are now 236 community clinics in the whole city, and construction has begun. It's all thanks to you!
"This is a great thing for the people's livelihood and solves the problems of difficult access to medical treatment, registration, and long queues. On behalf of the hundreds of thousands of residents, I want to express my gratitude to you!"
James finished speaking, bowing sincerely to Noah.
"The second thing is, these projects are the biggest achievement I've made in my ten years as the director of the Health Bureau. Even the higher-ups attach great importance to this matter. Coincidentally, the election for the top position in the city is happening this year. The current leader is about to take up a new position in Beijing, and the city has started to select the next leader.
"And because of this achievement, I am currently the strongest candidate for the next leader. Today, at the work report meeting, the current leader praised me highly and hinted at supporting me to take over as the top leader."
With that, James suddenly burst into tears, deeply moved.
"Noah, all of this is because of your contributions! Even though I’m the Director of the Health Bureau, I don't have much actual power. I have to lower my head in front of other leaders at the same level!"
In his forty-year career, James thought that he would never rise higher than one of the core positions of power in Oceanbridge City. However, in just two more days, the next election conference would be held, and he would make the leap to become the city's leader! James truly felt indebted to Noah for his recognition and support.
