0p0 Chapter 121 Table Sharing
Chapter 121 Table Sharing
Yuan Xu arrived on time, holding a tourmaline and emerald flower hairpin in his hand. He said casually, "When I came here, I saw a vendor selling something, and it reminded me that I haven't given you anything precious. This hairpin is perfect for you."
"It's really beautiful." Helan Xuenuo took the hairpin and admired it for a while before handing it to Xiaozhu, "Put it on for me." Xiaozhu took the hairpin and inserted it into Helan Xuenuo's bun. The hairpin set off her look, making her look more noble. Xiaozhu couldn't help but admire, "Mr. Yuan has a good eye. This hairpin looks like it should have belonged to a girl."
"Hey... this hairpin is indeed a treasure. I seem to have seen it somewhere..." Wen Jing just walked out of Wenxianglou. He likes to collect some treasures and things. He can tell at a glance that something is extraordinary and familiar. He tapped his forehead and thought about it carefully. After tapping his forehead, he said, "I remember, I saw it in the pawn shop where Zeng Ji was..."
Before he could finish his words, Yuan Xu interrupted, "Wen... Shopkeeper Wen, right? I didn't have a proper conversation with you during the August meeting. I'm really sorry."
Wen Jing threw what he was about to say behind his mind and replied, "You're welcome, Master Yuan. I'm just a businessman. Don't take it to heart."
"What's the point of being a merchant? I'm just a warrior. It's not right to say that there are different levels of society."
Helan Xuenuo couldn't help but laugh. How could she not know Yuan Xu's jumping behavior just now? The moment she saw the hairpin, she knew it was not something you could buy on the street. Yuan Xu must have spent a lot of money on it.
Yuan Xu was always like this, brushing off whatever he did with a casual air. He could have added some words to describe how precious it was, how hard it was to come by, but he just wouldn't...
How can he pursue girls like this? Helan Xuenuo couldn't help but worry for him. She couldn't let Yuanxu become a lonely man like in his previous life.
Seeing Yuan Xu looking away with a slightly embarrassed expression, Helan Xuenuo changed the subject and said, "Shopkeeper Wen, do you have any new dishes today?"
"You've arrived just in time. Today we have a five-flavor goose dish with apricot cheese. I'll also prepare a few pots of fragrant wine for you. It's the perfect pairing." Wen Jing was in a dilemma again, "It's just that... the private rooms are all booked today, so I might have to let you eat in the lobby."
"It's okay." Helan Xuenuo and Yuan Xu said at the same time and smiled at each other.
Wen Jing welcomed them in, his eyes drifting towards Xiao Zhu, and he said with a shy smile, "Xiao Zhu, please come in."
They followed Shopkeeper Wen to the inner lobby and sat down. Xiao Zhu glanced at them, but before sitting down, she asked, "Shopkeeper Wen, do you need any help lately? Are you researching any new dishes?"
Wen Jing smiled faintly, understanding Xiao Zhu's meaning, and replied, "Yes... I just remembered that I've been worrying about a dish these past few days, wondering whether to add sugar. You've come just in time, why don't you come with me into the kitchen and help me make some decisions?"
"What a coincidence! What else is there to say? Let's go now."
The two of them left together. Wen Jing instructed the waiters to serve the dishes. The waiters also realized that they were distinguished guests and treated them more carefully. Xiao Zhu smiled and praised Wen Jing in the kitchen, "You have such good eyes. I was afraid that staying there would bother the young lady and the young master."
Wen Jing lowered his head and smiled, then picked up a dish and handed it to Xiao Zhu, "Try it for me."
The cooks in the kitchen smiled at each other, not daring to interrupt the two, pretending to be busy. They also found it difficult to see the shopkeeper grinning all the time, as he was usually quite silent.
By the time the waiter had served the dishes, Helan Xuenuo had already been captivated by the aroma of the wine and was ravenous. Yuan Xu poured her a glass, and after a gulp, she felt incredibly comfortable, the aroma of the wine lingering in her mouth.
Yuan Xu poured another glass, and Helan Xuenuo drank it again. Yuan Xu smiled and said, "Alright, alright, if you drink any more, you'll be drunk. Wenxiang wine is delicious, but don't drink too much. Eat some food."
Helan Xuenuo finally gave up and tried the five-flavor apricot and cheese goose, which was also delicious. She took a bite and felt that eating it plain was not tasty enough. She looked at Yuan Xu eagerly. Yuan Xu smiled helplessly and poured her another glass. She drank this glass of wine in several sips, and paired it with the apricot and cheese goose, she finally felt comfortable eating it.
Yuan Xu followed suit and ate, "Have you finished the Golden Crow tea I gave you a while ago?"
Helan Xuenuo immediately waved her finger and said, "It's a rare thing. I don't dare drink it every day. I only dare to drink a teaspoon every day, brewing it repeatedly until the taste is diluted. I have to say it's really good tea."
Yuan Xu chuckled, "I think you're not just a wine lover, you're also a tea lover. Just drink it, and I'll send you another can in a while."
"How can such a precious thing be obtained so easily?" Helan Xuenuo was really curious. Jinwu tea is produced in extremely cold places. Not to mention how difficult it is to collect, it is also very expensive and the production is extremely small. How can Yuan Xu just give it to her?
"Although Golden Crow Tea is a rare variety,... it's cultivated by the Linghan tribe. It's extremely difficult for them to cultivate Golden Crow Tea every year, and it takes a lot of effort. I also accidentally saved their leader, and I owe them a life-saving favor, so it's not too much trouble for me to ask for this tea..."
"So...that's how it is." Helan Xuenuo's admiration for Yuan Xu grew stronger and stronger. Before, she hadn't cared about him, let alone looked down on him, treating him like nothing. Now, Yuan Xu made her look up to him and admire him.
As the two of them were eating, a familiar voice came from behind them, "What a coincidence? Can I share the table with you two?"
Helan Xuenuo's hand holding the wine glass stopped in mid-air, her hand trembling slightly, her brows unhappy. She didn't dare to guess it was him. Without turning around, she looked around. The place was full, and she said coldly, "I'm afraid it's not convenient."
Yuan Xu stood up and bowed politely, "Prince Ding'an, what brings you here?"
Gu Shicheng did not answer. Instead, he stared at the back of Helan Xuenuo and said in a gentle tone, "Helan?"
Helan Xuenuo was extremely reluctant to get up, but due to the etiquette of her aristocratic family, she stood up and saluted, "Prince Ding'an." However, her eyes did not meet his.
From the time Gu Shicheng sent them supplements yesterday to the time he asked them to share a table for dinner today, she couldn't figure out what Gu Shicheng was trying to do. She looked up at Gu Shicheng. Next to him stood Zhufeng, the good subordinate who followed Gu Shicheng's orders. She was also extremely annoying.
She didn't dare to do anything to Gu Shicheng, and glared at Zhufeng fiercely.
Gu Shicheng pursed his lips and smiled. Her skin swelled up, and before she could figure out what was going on, Gu Shicheng asked, "Did you take the supplements?" He then explained, "The Concubine was at fault for the August meeting, and I am also to blame for your drowning. You've always been very susceptible to colds, so you need to take more nourishing medicine to recuperate."
Helan Xuenuo's eyes widened, staring at Gu Shicheng in disbelief. Gu Shicheng paid no attention, his lips curling ever more. Was Gu Shicheng under a spell? He'd only ever shown this expression when looking at Qi Didi.
Did he feel relieved after getting it? Or was he possessed by a ghost?
How could he know that she was susceptible to colds? Even in their previous life, when they were husband and wife, he still didn't know. It turns out that wanting to know something isn't difficult; it's just a matter of whether you care...
She was filled with disgust. What was he doing? Was he trying to show his affection for Qi Didi? Or was he planning something else, plotting to eat her alive?
Just as she was lost in thought, Yuan Xu said in a bad tone, "Prince Ding'an, don't worry. I will take good care of my fiancée. But the one in the palace is even more frail, so she deserves more attention."
Master Gu Chengquan treated Yuan Xu as air, his eyes lingering on Helan Xuenuo, as if he felt so much pity for the person in front of him.
Helan Xuenuo wasn't used to him being like this. She turned away and replied, "Thank you, Prince Ding'an, for your concern. I guess it's all thanks to the Concubine. I've forgotten what happened that night and won't tell anyone about it. You don't have to worry too much. I'm definitely not someone who would use that incident as a pretext, and I certainly won't ruin the Concubine's reputation."
She continued coldly, "I really don't have much to worry about the affairs of the prince and the concubine. I am just the daughter of a military officer, so please don't bother with me."
"You... misunderstood..." Gu Shicheng said this a little cautiously, like a hesitant big child.
If she hadn't lived with him for so long in her previous life, she wouldn't have understood his expression so well. But... why did his eyes look so pitiful at this moment?