As the private room's door gently closed, only four people remained inside: Young Master Hai and his guard, Zhao Yuman and her maid.
Young Master Hai's gaze fell on Zhao Yuman, a barely perceptible hint of appraisal flashing through his triangular eyes.
Then he plastered a deliberately gentle smile onto his face, raised his hand in a slight wave, and said with a smile, "Miss Zhao, thank you for making the journey. Please, sit."
As he spoke, he gestured for Zhao Yuman to take the seat directly opposite him at the table.
Zhao Yuman walked over and slowly sat down with dignified poise, keeping her back straight.
She paid no attention to the delicate refreshments on the table, merely lifting her eyes to Young Master Hai with a composed expression.
Her gaze was calm and unruffled, without a trace of unnecessary emotion. Neither warm nor distant, she simply waited quietly for him to speak, making it clear that she had no desire to indulge in hollow pleasantries.
Once Zhao Yuman was seated, Young Master Hai sat down as well. Only then did he look at her again, his smile growing broader. "Miss Zhao, I went to the prefectural city on business some time ago. By a fortunate coincidence, I managed to obtain some excellent exotic beast meat through my connections. It all came from rare species found deep in the mountains. The meat is delicious and nourishes the body."
He deliberately paused. Seeing that Zhao Yuman merely listened in silence without interrupting, he continued, his tone carrying both a touch of boastfulness and a desire to please. "The finest and rarest of all this exotic beast meat is two jin of prized spirit crane meat.
"Spirit cranes are rare to begin with. Their meat is exceptionally tender and succulent, and