Salute To The General

Chapter 8 The Cloud Palace

Sean gave Benson and his family a dismissive glance and announced, “We have no tables for you in the main hall. There's a small table in the corridor that would be enough for your whole family. Tuck in now; dinner is about to be served.”

All eyes in the room turned towards Benson and his family as if they were some strange-looking aliens who had just descended on earth.

While everybody sat in the main hall, which was the Peony Hall, Benson and his family had to squeeze themselves to fit into the miserable, tiny table in the corridor.

Nothing could be more humiliating than to be treated like some downbeat outcasts. How they had wanted to walk away from the banquet, snubbing all the insults. Nonetheless, Benson and his family put up with the embarrassment with gritted teeth and clenched fists. They did not want to be seen as impertinent and rude, simply walking away from his dad's birthday banquet.

They walked over to the lone table in the corridor and sat down, under the mocking eyes of their guests and relatives.

The banquet had officially begun!

The guests at the banquet were treated to a sumptuous feast with successive delectable, mouth- watering gourmet dishes. All except for the solitary table in the corridor.

They waited till the guests had finished their last round of desserts, yet there was still no food served on their table.

When the dinner was almost finished, Samuel came over and ordered the servers to serve the leftovers to Benson and his family.

As if it was the final straw, Benson and his family could not contain their rage and resentment anymore. What do they take us for? Beggars or dogs that are only entitled to leftovers?

As if he had reached the tipping point, Benson gave an uncharacteristic scowl and stood up abruptly from the table. “Let's go,” he urged stoutly. “We're done with the banquet.”

Sean was merrily clinking glasses with some of his most distinguished guests at his banquet when Samuel approached him and whispered in his ear, “Dad, Benson, and his family have skipped the dinner and left the banquet. They'd seemed rather displeased.”

“Huh! Serves them right for giving me a rotten pill for my birthday. What are they thinking? Are they really here to celebrate or to curse me? Why should I feed them with all the wonderful food? I'd rather feed the dogs.”

The moment they exited the hotel, Leah, who was bitter, lashed out at Nathan

“Look at you and your dumb idea. We'd assigned you the task of finding a suitable birthday present for Sean. What the hell were you thinking, presenting him with an embarrassing pill as a gift? Thanks for making us look like a fool in front of everybody, making them feed us with leftovers as if we were some kind of beggars. What an ingenious idea of yours!”

Penny tried to placate her mother, “I'm sure that Nathan hadn't intended so, Mum.”

“Let's stop arguing.” Benson suggested gloomily, “We've utterly embarrassed ourselves in front of our friends and relatives today. I'm sure that dad would only find us more repulsive than ever. Our situation would only take a turn for the worse.”

"Just calm down, everybody. Soon they'll be knocking at our door, begging us for the pill,” Nathan asserted.

rueful smile, “Come on, Nathan. We've had enough of your

the pill away in front of everyone? What makes you think that they would eat their words and beg us for

sick, he has the cash and means to seek out the

“Just relax, I'm convinced they'll eat humble

when he had

befuddled by his words. What

“Queenie is hungry, Papa. When can we have our lunch? I saw them having so much food on their tables

that was served at Sean's seventieth birthday banquet. The exhaustive list was made up of glamorous and expensive dishes that had included Wagyu beef, foie gras, caviar, abalone, lobsters, and many more. Any single dish could cost them a month to even a whopping full year's salary, burning a hole in

Queenie. We can't afford them.” Penny explained to her daughter, “Mama will cook you something else when we get

that we can't afford them? Come on, let's treat ourselves to a good meal

have the money, Nathan...” Penny trailed off in a

was never obsessed with money and wealth, Nathan was pretty sure that he had a bankroll of up to tens of millions. It had all meant nothing

the most expensive restaurant

at the highest level of

boasting the most premium ingredients and the most accomplished chefs who

to only those who could boast excessive

were filthy rich but lacked the prestige and position in society

to the Pinnacle, taking the exclusive elevator to the

the place when they learned that Nathan was taking

intercepted nervously. “I

extremely costly; a simple dish could cost up to tens of thousands.” Penny stated taciturnly, “It is one of the most expensive restaurants in Channing, but

daylight robbery. Where would we find the money to dine here?

their worries with a tranquil smile, “Come on, guys. Don't be silly,

and company were on their

A man who seemed to be their supervisor gave them an unfriendly look and announced, “I'm sorry, according to our dress code, we deny entry to people who are not appropriately

said. Despite not being dressed in Gucci,

shorts, and flip-flops walked past them and strode into the restaurant casually as if he was walking into a supermarket. Nathan pointed at

magnate who owns dozens of properties. So what if he is dressed in tank tops and flip-flops?” The supervisor sneered, “What makes you

cost you over a hundred grand. This is not a place for paupers like you to dine

that she could hardly afford a decent meal in this place. “Forget it, Nathan.

first time I'm taking

want to see your

supervisor and his men cackled

which one are you referring to?”