The Empress Treats

"What do you want to eat? Order whatever you like. This Empress is treating today~"

On the commercial street, Long Yue pressed a small hand to her chest, her snow-white neck held high, her pretty face brimming with bold confidence.

Ever since receiving her salary, the smile had not left her lips. She practically floated as she walked, and even her words had grown several degrees more arrogant.

Before getting paid last month, she would claim a special coupon from a public account before ordering twenty-yuan takeout, gnawing on her finger as she hesitated for ages and compared several options...

"Yanzi, is there anything you want to eat?"

Lin Fan turned to ask Zhou Yan beside him.

Tonight, he and Long Yue had originally planned to go out for a slightly extravagant meal. But thinking of how Zhou Yan had been running around for them lately and helping them immensely, Lin Fan felt that after receiving their salaries, they had to treat him to a meal first as thanks. So, he invited him along as well.

"I'm fine with anything. If sister-in-law is treating, I'll eat whatever."

Zhou Yan smiled casually, then quietly leaned close to Lin Fan's ear and asked with exasperation:

"You brat, Lin Fan. You and sister-in-law are having dinner together, so why did you call me along?"

As he spoke, Zhou Yan could not help rolling his eyes at Lin Fan.

For such a rare date where a married couple could spend time alone together, no normal person would invite someone else. Yet Lin Fan had specifically called him out too!

When he heard he was being treated to dinner, he had rushed right over. Only after arriving did he realize it was not just the two of them—sister-in-law was here too.

Such a great date for two, and Lin Fan still had to drag him over as a third wheel...

Could he be part of their play too...?

"She got paid today and is happy, so of course she has to treat you as thanks."

"You've helped us a lot during this time too, so don't worry about it."

Lin Fan waved his hand dismissively.

Zhou Yan had first lent him forty thousand yuan, then unhesitatingly paid over forty thousand yuan upfront for Long Yue's computer. He had also helped them look for work and contacted friends for assistance. Treating him to dinner was only natural.

"Sigh, fine..."

Zhou Yan sighed helplessly and said nothing more.

After all, he was already here, so it would be awkward to suggest leaving now.

Besides, Lin Fan and sister-in-law had specifically invited him and were treating him to dinner. If he made up an excuse to leave, it would seem rather tactless.

"Mmm..."

While Lin Fan and Zhou Yan whispered to each other, Long Yue lowered her head and scrolled through her phone, constantly narrowing down tonight's final target.

Ever since coming to this world, she had spent most of her time ordering takeout at home or eating meals made by Lin Fan. She rarely went out to eat.

Looking at the dazzling array of restaurants and all kinds of food in the pictures on her screen, she found herself unable to decide.

Every place looked so delicious...

"Demon... Lin Fan, what do you want to eat? Barbecue? Hotpot? Or ordering from a restaurant?"

After hesitating for a long time without reaching a decision, Long Yue simply turned to ask Lin Fan.

"How about we go to an all-you-can-eat buffet? It'll only cost two or three hundred yuan per person, and we can eat whatever we want."

Lin Fan thought for a moment before making the suggestion.

"Only two or three hundred yuan per person?"

Long Yue frowned slightly, displeasure appearing on her face.

"I said I'm treating today. There's no need to be so frugal! This Empress has money!"

Lin Fan's words made her feel as though he was embarrassed to go somewhere too expensive and was deliberately considering her circumstances. This was practically contempt for her status as an Empress!

What was her status now?

She was a woman carrying a huge sum of more than forty thousand yuan! She was no longer who she used to be!

Seeing Long Yue get so inflated that she was nearly beside herself, Lin Fan and Zhou Yan exchanged smiles, immediately coming up with an idea.

"Fine, since the Empress has said so, we won't hold back."

"Perfect. I know a restaurant with great food. I haven't been there in a long time, so I'll take you there to try it, sister-in-law."

With that, Zhou Yan went back to get his car and drove Lin Fan and Long Yue straight to the restaurant.

Before long, after getting out of the car, the three of them arrived at an extremely luxurious high-end restaurant.

The restaurant was filled with glittering lights. The diners were draped in gold and silver, dressed in fine clothes. Splendid crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, the tiled floors were spotless, and the air itself seemed steeped in luxury.

"Hello, sir. How many?"

A waiter approached Lin Fan and the others with a smile.

"Three."

"Certainly. Would you like a private room?"

"No need. We'll sit out here."

"Certainly. Please follow me."

After their brief exchange, the waiter led Lin Fan and the others to a table, then handed them the restaurant's leather-bound menu.

As the Empress of the Immortal Realm, Long Yue had attended countless banquets in magnificent palaces, so the lavish restaurant did not stir much emotion in her.

However, when she opened the menu in her hands and eagerly prepared to order, her eyes instantly widened as she pressed her face close to it in disbelief.

"Tomahawk steak... 1,988?!"

"Blanched vegetables... 188?!"

"Heavenly ice cream... 600?!"

"Even a bowl of plain congee costs 100?!"

Each time she read out a dish, Long Yue let out another cry of shock.

She had helped Lin Fan buy groceries and cook quite often lately, so she had some understanding of prices.

A pound of lettuce that cost less than five yuan was being sold here for 188!

Wasn't blanched vegetables just tossing them into water to boil, scooping them out, then drizzling them with minced garlic and oyster sauce?

She could make this dish herself now!

And that plain congee was nothing more than rice and water boiled into a bowl of porridge. She had drunk plenty of it herself. For a few dozen yuan, she could buy ten pounds of rice and eat for months!

Yet this place was charging one hundred yuan a bowl!!

Could this plain congee possibly have been cooked with immortal spring water from her Immortal Realm?

A scam restaurant!

It had to be a scam restaurant!

With just one glance at the menu, Long Yue immediately came to her conclusion.

She simply could not think of any explanation besides a scam restaurant for such blatant price gouging.

"The Empress is treating, so I won't hold back."

"I've wanted to try the tomahawk steak for ages. Let's start with three portions."

"Australian lobster is good too. Three portions of that as well."

"Oh, and let's get some salmon too."

"Yanzi, what do you want?"

"I'll just have two king crabs."

"We still need a staple. Let's get an order of black truffle fried rice too."

Lin Fan and Zhou Yan held the menu and kept ordering dishes back and forth.

Every time they ordered something, Long Yue lowered her head to check her own menu. The moment she saw the price, her little heart gave a violent tremble and her pretty face turned deathly pale.

With a few casual orders, they had already spent tens of thousands of yuan...

The more than forty thousand yuan in her pocket had not even had time to warm up before it was all about to be handed over...

No, it might not even be enough to cover tonight's meal. She might have to stay behind and wash dishes to pay off the debt...

Slap!

Long Yue abruptly shut the menu in her hands and pleaded with the two of them:

"How about... we go eat at a buffet instead...?"