Ya Fei and Young Master Aoba

Xiao Ze and Xiao Xun'er walked side by side down the street.

The pairing of a golden boy and jade maiden drew frequent looks from passersby.

However, neither of them paid any attention to the gazes of the pedestrians as they headed straight for their destination.

By the time they arrived at Shengde Restaurant, the lanterns had just begun to light up.

Inside the restaurant, the lights were brilliant and the voices of diners filled the air.

"What a lively restaurant. It truly deserves to be called Wu Tan City's finest!"

Looking at the crowds coming and going, Xiao Ze said to Xiao Xun'er.

"We may have to wait for a while."

"Don't worry, Brother Xiao Ze. Xun'er arranged everything long ago. We can go straight in."

Xun'er revealed a mysterious smile and pulled Xiao Ze into Shengde Restaurant.

Before long, a waiter led them to a private room upstairs.

The design of the private room was quite ingenious.

Looking inward, they could see the singing performers in the restaurant hall and the diners enjoying their meals.

Looking outward, they could see the marketplace, still brightly lit amid the night.

"Xun'er, this private room you chose is quite nice!"

"Hehe, I specifically reserved this room so that certain blind fools wouldn't come disturb us."

Xiao Ze nodded in agreement. He knew that with Xun'er's beauty, there would always be people trying to approach her.

Dining in a private room spared them a great deal of trouble.

"By the way, how much does this private room cost?"

Xun'er raised a fair, slender finger and said with a light smile, "Including the Monster Beast Feast we're having today, the total is one thousand five hundred Gold Coins!"

"Hiss! That's expensive! If I remember correctly, the Xiao Family's annual profits are only around one hundred thousand Gold Coins!"

Xiao Ze could not help saying, "Tsk tsk, the Xiao Family's yearly profits would only be enough to eat at Shengde Restaurant for a little over two months!"

"What do you think? Was Xun'er's grand meal sincere enough?"

"More than sincere enough!"

As they spoke, dishes from the Monster Beast Feast gradually began to arrive.

These were edible monster beasts, specially bred and prepared. After humans consumed them, they offered many benefits, enriching the blood and qi and strengthening the body.

Though they could not compare to the pills made by alchemists, they were still enough to make people flock after them.

After all, this was the Dou Qi Continent, a world where the strong reigned supreme!

Anything capable of increasing one's strength could inspire people to pursue it.

The aroma of meat filled his nose. Xiao Ze took a deep breath, looking at the table full of monster beast meat as his mouth watered.

"Brother Xiao Ze, stop staring and hurry up, eat!"

"Together!"

The two chatted and admired the view while savoring the delicious Monster Beast Feast.

Happy times were always short. Xiao Ze picked up a cup of icy blue fruit juice and clinked it against Xun'er's.

The instant it entered his mouth, it felt incomparably cold. Yet when he swallowed it, he felt as though a blaze were burning fiercely within him.

This novel sensation made Xiao Ze look at the cup in his hand.

"This fruit juice is quite peculiar."

Xiao Xun'er explained, "This is a low-grade medicinal herb cultivated by Shengde Restaurant. Drinking it regularly can increase one's dou qi by a tiny amount..."

Xiao Ze froze upon hearing this and carefully sensed the condition within his body.

Fortunately, he now had a thorough grasp of his body's condition, allowing him to detect that sliver of dou qi growth that was less than a thread.

"...So it really only increases one's dou qi by a tiny amount if drunk regularly. Still, with that gimmick, it can make everyone rush to buy it."

Xiao Ze emphasized the words "tiny amount," making Xiao Xun'er laugh repeatedly.

"Still, Shengde Restaurant can offer so many things that people flock after. The force behind it must be far from simple, right?"

Xiao Xun'er nodded. "It actually has a slight connection to the Xiao Family. The force behind Shengde Restaurant is the Nalan Family!"

"The Nalan Family! One of the Jia Ma Empire's three great families, the family that used to be on good terms with the Xiao Family?"

Xiao Ze was somewhat surprised. He had not expected the entity behind this restaurant to be the Nalan Family.

However, as one of the Jia Ma Empire's three great families, it was only natural for the Nalan Family to have influence throughout every part of the Jia Ma Empire.

"No wonder Shengde Restaurant can operate peacefully in the heart of Wu Tan City with such profits. So the Nalan Family is behind it."

"The fiancée my Third Brother was betrothed to before birth is also the Nalan Family's eldest daughter."

Xun'er took a sip of fruit juice and spoke meaningfully.

"In previous years, the Nalan Family often kept in touch with the Xiao Family. Starting this year, though, things may not be so certain."

Xiao Ze also understood what Xun'er meant.

Xiao Yan had become a good-for-nothing. Whether the Nalan Family would still associate with the Xiao Family as before remained uncertain.

However, judging from the original work, the Nalan Family Head kept his promise. Even after Xiao Yan became a good-for-nothing, he did not cancel the engagement.

"But perhaps not. Maybe the Nalan Family Head doesn't care about such things?"

Xun'er nodded. Who could say for certain what the future held?

"Young Master Aoba! Please show some respect!"

Just as the two admired the scenery outside the window, an angry feminine rebuke suddenly rang out from within the restaurant.

They could not help looking downstairs. A beautiful woman dressed in a cheongsam stood there, her figure exceptionally alluring.

However, her face was covered in frost, and her voice was stern!

Standing opposite the woman was a short, fat youth around thirteen or fourteen years old.

Yet it was clear that he had indulged excessively in pleasure. His eye sockets were sunken, his skin pale, and his eyes somewhat vacant and lifeless.

The youth seemed startled, but once he recovered, his eyes became even more lecherous as he looked at the woman with a wicked grin.

Not long after the argument began, the restaurant's manager arrived before them.

He prevented the conflict from escalating and warned the youth not to cause trouble in the restaurant.

Perhaps wary of the restaurant's many people, the youth did not act out. Instead, he found a seat in the hall and sat down.

The beautiful woman went upstairs and chose to dine there.

Xiao Ze and Xiao Xun'er, who had watched the entire scene, exchanged a glance.

"That seems to be Miss Ya Fei, the chief auctioneer of the Mitel Auction House?"

Xiao Xun'er was stunned. How did Brother Xiao Ze know Ya Fei?

"Brother Xiao Ze, how did you know that was Miss Ya Fei?"

Xiao Ze glanced at Xiao Xun'er and noticed the doubt in her eyes.

"What are you thinking? Didn't the Xiao Family invite Miss Ya Fei to observe the coming-of-age ceremony last year?"

"Oh, oh! I remember now... As for the other one, according to what Miss Ya Fei said, he seems to be from the Aoba Family."

Xiao Xun'er stuck out her tongue, then hurriedly changed the subject.

"Although the Aoba Family is one of Wu Tan City's three great families, it doesn't seem qualified to provoke Miss Ya Fei of the Mitel Auction House."

Xiao Ze nodded and said with feeling, "That's what they call being blinded by lust! And judging by the way he looks, he doesn't seem ready to give up."

Xiao Ze gestured for Xiao Xun'er to look downstairs. Sure enough, while eating, the young master of the Aoba Family kept glancing toward the staircase.

"Good thing we came early and reserved a private room."

Xun'er patted her chest and said thankfully.

"Otherwise, if we ran into that fellow, even if we weren't afraid of him, he'd ruin our good mood."

"True. I imagine Miss Ya Fei isn't in much of a mood to enjoy her dinner right now either."

Xiao Ze thought for a moment, then suddenly said to Xiao Xun'er, "How about we wait a while before heading back and watch a good show?"

Xiao Xun'er was clever and quick-witted. She soon understood what good show Xiao Ze meant.

She tilted her head in thought, then agreed. The two ordered several more desserts.

During that time, Xiao Ze checked the price of this feast.

It was just within what he could afford. But after today, he would be broke again!

Dear readers, please keep reading! Recommendations are now entirely based on continued readership, so please lend a hand and scroll to the very last page of the book. My sincere thanks!