My Manor

"Huh?" After hanging up the phone with Jiang Hai, Qi Li couldn't quite decipher what she was feeling. Happy?

Maybe a little! Angry? Maybe a bit... but more than anything, a little sweet feeling lingered.

Of course, she knew this was just wishful thinking. It wasn't easy to change her position in Jiang Hai's heart. Qi Li tucked her phone into her pocket and took a deep breath.

No matter Jiang Hai's attitude, she knew she had to focus on making her restaurant a success first.

"Congratulations!" Just as Qi Li tried to gather her thoughts, a mocking voice broke through. She turned to see none other than her greatest rival, the An family.

This time, several members of the An family were present. Not only was the head of the family, An Dexun, here, but also his two sons, An Changyong and An Changwu. When they saw Qi Li, the three of them couldn't help but narrow their eyes, though their expressions revealed different emotions.

An Dexun's gaze was cold with intense killing intent, while An Changyong's eyes burned with hatred. An Changwu, on the other hand, seemed torn—there was a mix of affection, fear, and perhaps even jealousy.

Yes, jealousy—but not toward Qi Li. It was directed at the man Qi Li had just hung up with, Jiang Hai.

"What are you doing here? Have you solved your backer problem yet?" Qi Li asked, her voice cool, as she slowly walked up to meet them. She knew that the An family's recent troubles were far from over.

Since their backer's son had been taken down by Jiang Hai, with evidence of his crimes sent back to the country, their position had weakened. However, in the complex world of politics, the loss of a position rarely meant an end. You might be moved to a senior nursing home or an isolated prison, but the connections remained.

So, although their powerful ally was gone, the An family had been scrambling to find a new one.

During this time, Qi Li had to contend with their tactics. Various departments had been inspecting her accounts and hygiene every few days, while they also attempted to suppress her market share. Within a short time, at least one-third of the An family's assets had evaporated. Thankfully, they weren't a publicly traded company, or the losses would have been worse.

Qi Li knew that leaving them an opening for future alliances wasn't an option. If she was going to fight, she would destroy them.

That's why she had opened her restaurant now. The hatred in their eyes was deeply satisfying.

"Niece Qi, both of our families come from aristocratic backgrounds. It's not polite to speak to your uncle like this," An Dexun said, narrowing his eyes as he glared at her. Never before had he been mocked by someone so much younger.

"Polite? Sorry, when you die, make sure to let me know. I want to see how you die. Please, excuse me." Qi Li sneered, her tone cold and unbothered.

"You!" The fury was evident in An Dexun, An Changyong, and An Changwu's faces.

"Hey, guests are guests. We're running a business; we can't just kick people out. Let them in," a voice interrupted. Zhao Jianping, the vice president of Qi Li's faction, had approached, sensing the rising tension.

He whispered to Qi Li, who understood that it was her opening day. Any personal dissatisfaction could affect the restaurant's image, so she chose to ignore the An family's provocations.

With a sharp glare toward them, she moved to greet other guests. As for the An family, Zhao Jianping would take care of them—though he was far from fond of the family that had caused the death of his old friend. He only exchanged a few words with them before guiding them to their seats.

Today, Qi Li was opening four Western restaurants at once. Three of them were operating as usual, while the main one was reserved exclusively for distinguished guests.

Unlike typical banquet halls or wedding venues, this restaurant was designed for a more intimate experience. Each table seated no more than six guests, and they were all placed in private, partitioned rooms. The atmosphere was elegant, and despite the tension with the An family, everyone else seemed to enjoy their time.

Upon seeing the An family, the happy chatter of the other guests quieted. It was well-known in these circles that the An family and the Qi family were bitter rivals.

Chinese culture places great importance on harmony, so most guests preferred not to get involved directly in conflicts. They would simply pretend not to notice the situation.

But even so, no one approached the An family. They all kept their distance, subtly avoiding the tension.

"What a bastard, a tiger in the plains is being bullied by a dog!" In the private compartment, An Dexun slammed the table in frustration. He had never been humiliated like this in his life.

In fact, he had initially come here to consider a possible reconciliation, but after this treatment, he realized that was no longer an option.

"Dad, since we can't achieve our goal here, why don't we leave?" An Changyong, clearly unhappy with the situation, spoke up. Since turning 30, he hadn't been insulted like this.

"Leaving would be a waste. We're also in the catering industry. To understand our competitors, we need to know both ourselves and our enemies. I want to see why Qi Li, that little girl, has decided to meddle in our business and open a high-end restaurant," An Dexun said, his cunning mind at work.

"Changwu, go and ask them to start serving the dishes," he added, his eyes narrowing as his plan took shape. He couldn't leave empty-handed. Seeing other tables already being served, An Changyong nodded to his brother.

"Ah? Oh!" An Changwu, lost in thoughts about Qi Li, was momentarily stunned. After a beat, he stood up and signaled the waiter to begin serving.

Opening a Western restaurant is different from a Chinese one. While Chinese restaurants thrive on liveliness and crowds, Western restaurants are generally more subdued, with elegant decor. Qi Li had tailored her restaurant for the upper class of the capital city.

She avoided anything too loud or ostentatious. Aside from some flower arrangements at the door, the interior was chic and minimalist.

Guests sat in private booths, and instead of ordering à la carte, they were served a set meal—simplified to five courses.

Today's menu featured frozen appetizers like foie gras, French thick soup, French baked snails, red wine steak, and a truffle cake for dessert.

As the appetizers—foie gras and French baked snails—were served, the An family looked on with disdain.

While the An family had their own Western restaurant, with a Michelin three-star chef, they couldn't help but feel that Qi Li's offerings fell short. After all, their own restaurant boasted the best of the best.

But Qi Li wasn't worried. Her trump card wasn't in those ordinary dishes.

When the main course, French red wine steak, was served, the aroma filled the air, immediately piquing the An family's interest.

They exchanged looks. This wasn't looking good.

When An Dexun took a bite and the taste hit him, he immediately realized the situation was far worse than expected.