Chapter 70: A Dispute at the Restaurant & First Encounter with Shang Jinzhi

True to her word, Xu Nian took Xu Ling and Xiao Liuzi to the restaurant the next day.

For Xiao Liuzi, it was his first time visiting a restaurant, and he was fascinated by everything around him. He stood at the entrance, eyes wide with curiosity, taking in the grandeur of the establishment.

Xu Nian didn’t rush him. She led the group at a leisurely pace until a sharp voice suddenly rang out.

“Where did this country bumpkin come from? Standing in my way—hurry up and move aside!”

Xu Nian turned to see a group of well-dressed individuals behind her. Leading them was a young girl in a pale yellow ruqun (traditional Han attire). To her surprise, among them stood Shen Yan.

“My apologies, everyone. I got lost in thought for a moment and blocked your way. Please, go ahead.” Xu Nian stepped aside, pulling Xu Ling and Xiao Liuzi with her. Then, she turned to Shen Yan with a polite smile. “Sister Shen, are you feeling better?”

Though her last visit to the Shen residence had been far from pleasant, Xu Nian wasn’t petty enough to ignore Shen Yan completely.

The young lady in yellow turned to Shen Yan and sneered. “Shen Yan, is this another one of your poor relatives?”

Xiu’er, Xu Nian’s maid, fumed at the remark and immediately stepped in front of her mistress.

“You are incredibly rude! My lady stepped aside out of courtesy, yet you continue to insult her.”

The maid accompanying the young lady in yellow wasn’t one to back down either.

“You were the ones in the way. What do you mean by ‘stepping aside’? Even a well-trained dog knows better than to block the road.”

Xiu’er was about to argue back, but Xu Nian gently pulled her aside.

Shen Yan, looking somewhat embarrassed, gave a small, apologetic smile. “Miss Han, you must be joking. This is Xu Nian, the daughter of the county magistrate—not some poor relative.” Then, she turned to Xu Nian and introduced the other girl. “Xu Nian, this is Miss Han, the daughter of the prefect.”

Han Xiyin gave Xu Nian a once-over, her eyes filled with disdain. So what if she’s a magistrate’s daughter? It’s still just a small county position—how arrogant.

Shen Yan lowered her head, saying nothing more, lost in thought.

Xu Nian wasn’t particularly interested in why a prefect’s daughter was in Wansheng County, nor did she care to find out. She only hoped that this rather haughty young lady would leave quickly. However, she couldn’t help but feel disappointed in Shen Yan. It seemed they would only remain acquaintances who exchanged polite nods in the future.

At that moment, the restaurant manager noticed the commotion at the entrance and hurried over with a welcoming smile.

“What an honor to have such esteemed guests visit our humble establishment! Please, do come inside.”

Han Xiyin shot a glare at Xu Nian and her companions before letting out a huff and striding into the restaurant.

Not wanting to cause any further trouble, Xu Nian waited until the group had entered before taking Xu Ling and Xiao Liuzi inside.

What she didn’t notice was the mocking smirk curling at the corners of Shen Yan’s lips as she watched Xu Nian back away.

Both Xu Ling and Xiao Liuzi were silently fuming. They felt that the young lady from earlier was far too domineering. There had been plenty of space on the road—why had she insisted on making them move?

But they had always listened to their eldest sister, so they kept their displeasure to themselves.

Inside the restaurant, Han Xiyin led her group to the counter. “I want the best private dining room you have.” Just as she finished speaking, she glanced toward the staircase and her eyes lit up with excitement.

“Cousin, you’re really here?” Han Xiyin exclaimed, delighted, as she ran toward a young man descending from the second floor.

Shang Jinzhi, seeing her approach, felt a headache coming on. Behind him, Yu Guan couldn’t contain his amusement and stifled a laugh.

“Yinyin, shouldn’t you be staying with Aunt instead of running around everywhere?” Shang Jinzhi sighed.

“Cousin, Mother was worried about you, so she brought me along to check on you. But you’re never around—always off somewhere!” Han Xiyin pouted.

Shang Jinzhi sighed again. His late mother had dearly loved this younger cousin of his, and because of that, he had always been extra patient with her.

Behind Han Xiyin, the other young ladies in her group caught sight of Shang Jinzhi standing elegantly on the stairs. They immediately lowered their heads in respect.

“Young Master Huifeng, we wish you well.”

Shang Jinzhi gave them a slight nod in acknowledgment but remained silent.

As Xu Nian entered the restaurant, she overheard the respectful greeting and curiously glanced over.

She saw a young man dressed in a light moon-white robe, exuding an air of elegance and refinement. The most striking feature about him was his almond-shaped eyes, which naturally curved even when he wasn’t smiling, giving off a gentle and affectionate aura. So, this is the famed Young Master Huifeng that my younger brothers admire so much, she thought.

Shang Jinzhi seemed to sense her gaze and looked in her direction. When he saw her nod politely before heading toward the main hall, a flicker of surprise crossed his face.

Han Xiyin, noticing where her cousin’s gaze had landed, followed his line of sight and immediately pouted in displeasure.

“Cousin, do you know that county magistrate’s daughter? She’s just a country bumpkin! Just now, she—”

“Han Xiyin.”

Hearing her full name spoken in such a tone, Han Xiyin immediately fell silent. She knew that whenever her cousin addressed her this way, punishment wasn’t far off.

“Please don’t be upset, Young Master Huifeng,” Shen Yan interjected gently, bowing slightly. “Miss Han was simply upset over a minor dispute at the restaurant entrance earlier, which led her to misspeak.”

Shang Jinzhi had matters to attend to and had no time for idle chatter with a group of young ladies. He simply nodded before descending the stairs with Yu Guan. Han Xiyin, seeing her cousin about to leave her behind again, stomped her foot in frustration.

At that moment, Shen Yan handed a wooden box to Han Xiyin.

“Miss Han, this is what you prepared.”

Han Xiyin’s eyes lit up. How could I have forgotten about this? Without another word, she grabbed Shen Yan and rushed after her cousin.

“Cousin, wait a moment!”

Shang Jinzhi was just about to step into his carriage when he saw his cousin chasing after him. His brows furrowed slightly.

“Cousin, I made this for you myself. Do you like it?”

Shang Jinzhi hesitated for a moment before opening the wooden box. Inside lay a beautifully crafted orchid—meticulously woven from silk threads. His expression softened slightly. Such exquisite craftsmanship… but this definitely wasn’t made by her.

“Yinyin, did you really make this yourself?”

Han Xiyin stiffened, then stammered, “Shen Yan taught me… but I did make it myself.”

Seeing his cousin’s reddening eyes, Shang Jinzhi sighed, took the box, and stepped into the carriage without further comment.

As the carriage disappeared into the distance, Han Xiyin’s feigned grievance vanished in an instant. She turned to Shen Yan and instructed, “Looks like my cousin really likes it. Make more of these for me. Don’t worry—I won’t take them for free.”

“Zhen’er, give her the silver note.”

Now that Shang Jinzhi had left, Han Xiyin saw no reason to stay. She boarded her carriage with her maid and left.

Shen Yan clutched the silver note tightly, determination burning in her eyes. I will climb over all of these people to win Shang Jinzhi’s favor and become the future lady of the house. No one will dare look down on me again.

She cast a deep glance toward the restaurant before turning and heading back to the Shen residence.

Meanwhile, in the main hall of the restaurant, Xu Nian was enjoying a hearty meal with Xu Ling and Xiao Liuzi, having already put the earlier conflict out of her mind.

“Big Sister, the grilled lamb ribs here are amazing! I want to eat them every day,” Xiao Liuzi said, his mouth greasy from the feast.

“No matter how delicious something is, eating it every day will make you grow tired of it. A balanced variety is what allows our taste buds to truly enjoy food,” Xu Nian replied.

Xiao Liuzi thought for a moment, then reluctantly nodded. “Then… I’ll eat it once every three days.”

Xu Nian was secretly relieved that she had never made grilled lamb ribs at home. Otherwise, given Xiao Liuzi’s obsession with food, she might have ended up becoming a full-time cook just to satisfy his cravings.

After finishing their meal, they packed up some of the restaurant’s signature dishes to bring back for Father Xu and Madam Wang.

To help with digestion, Xu Nian took Xu Ling and Xiao Liuzi on a slow walk home, followed closely by Xiu’er and Chen Xiao, who carried the food boxes.