As things stood, Qin Jing and her friends were in a pinch.

She refused to make another reservation, as it would be as good as giving up the room they had originally booked.

But if they discarded the offer now, they might not get another chance to dine in the hotel restaurant in the future.

"Someone else booked the room?" Lin Xinrepeated, looking shocked and dejected.

She was well aware of the restaurant's popularity, and it wasn't unusual for patrons to make reservations months ahead of time.

Even so, Qin Jing's brother had promised to take care of this matter for them, so she had been hopeful. This unexpected turn of events disappointed her beyond words.

Qin Jing, on the other hand, was feeling rather indignant. A little voice in her head told her that something else was afoot.

It was his ever-reliable brother who had handled the reservations for them. Given his power and influence, he would have been able to secure a room even on short notice.

How come their reservation was suddenly voided?

It was too suspicious to be a coincidence.

"Are there really no available private rooms left? The mix-up is due to your staff's mistake. Instead of inconveniencing us, shouldn't you find ways to take responsibility and come up with appropriate compensation?"

Despite her assertive words, Lin Xin's tone was mournful. It was obvious that she wouldn't press for any further demands.

Her attitude only made the waiter belittle them some more.

"What kind of place do you think our Chunlai hotelis?" he sneered. "People queue up for months, yet you think you can just show up and demand service without a prior reservation? I'm telling you, if you don't book a room with me now, you won't be eating here any time soon."

He looked Lin Xinup and down with blatant condescension.

Just as he had expected—she wasn't carrying any branded item on her person. She probably bought all her clothes from cheap malls and roadside stalls.

The man rolled his eyes and scoffed.

Lin Xin's last thread of hope snapped. Her eyes dimmed, and she subconsciously took a step back.

Her defeated expression fueled Qin Jing's ire. She could no longer hold back.

"This is your mistake," she reiterated as she drew close to the waiter, her eyes blazing. "You said so yourself. We're already here, and you're only telling us now that you've mishandled our reservation. Why didn't you even bother to notify us in advance?"

They were the ones who were being inconvenienced in the first place.

How dare this waiter act arrogant and rude toward them?

"In any case, there are no rooms available, so there's no point in you staying here." The waiter raised an eyebrow at Qi Jing haughtily.

"If you have the time to pester us, why don't you just go and find somewhere else to eat? There should be a place for you at the fast food chain across the street."He wasn't fazed at all, and had no qualms about sending a handful of teenage brats away.

What could go wrong, anyway? They were dressed in plain clothes and didn't look like they knew anything.

"Now, you're simply being unreasonable. We came here expecting a sumptuous meal, only to find out that the room we have reserved was given to someone else. We have every right to demand compensation!"

Qin Jing was livid. This arrogant waiter was treating them like they were foolish children that he could simply bully out of the picture.

Lin Xin had been talking about the hotel's restaurant since noon, and they were all looking forward to an enjoyable dinner.

"As I said, you would do well to leave the premises. If you insist on making trouble here, I will have no choice but to call security. Look at you bumpkins, do you think you can act as you please just because you've managed to set foot in Beijing? You still reek of the countryside."

Seeing that the girls weren't backing down easily, the waiter resorted to personal attacks.

Qin Jing gnashed her teeth together in outrage.

It was one thing to be cheated out of their reservation. It was another thing entirely to be humiliated by this pompous prick.

She was determined to seek justice there and then, one way or another.

Just as she was about to lash out again, she saw the arrogance on the waiter's face disappear. It was replaced by a broad smile and a pandering expression.

Without another word, he strode past them and headed in another direction.

He had just seen a rich and classy woman walking into the restaurant. She was a huge client, and the manager had specifically instructed him to cater to her needs since she had a lot of connections in the capital.

As part of the service staff, he naturally had to curry favor with her.

This madam might even give him a generous tip later on. The man naturally preferred to assist her instead of those crummy girls.

His smile turned up a notch brighter as she stopped in front of the rich lady.

Madam Meng's heels clicked loudly against the floor as she sauntered into the hall. She was carrying the latest purse released by an international brand, and whiffs of her luxury perfume lingered on her trail.