Treat to a meal, Fengming Tower?

"Shang An, are you two just arriving in the Imperial Capital?"

Dugu Yan looked at Shang An and his group with some curiosity. She had lived in the Imperial Capital for over a decade; if such a handsome man had appeared in the city, it would have been impossible for her not to know.

"Yes, we came from the Bala Kingdom. This is my first time visiting the Tiandou Imperial Capital."

Spirit Hall was located right next to the Bala Kingdom, so saying they came from there was perfectly fine.

"Then let me show you around. I grew up here, so I know Heaven Dou City better than anyone."

Dugu Yan said with a hint of delight. It was rare to find someone who caught her eye, and she wanted to chat with him more.

"Then I shall thank you, Miss."

Shang An did not refuse; he was, after all, very interested in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Afterward, Dugu Yan led Shang An and his group around Heaven Dou City. Along the way, she was captivated by Shang An's knowledge and demeanor. His temperament and intellect were not something an ordinary youth could possess, so he must have come from a prominent, wealthy family. If she were to... well, her grandfather surely wouldn't object to that.

However, Xiao Wu was feeling rather sullen the entire way. Previously, only she and Ni Huang had been by Shang An's side. Since there was such a large age gap between Ni Huang and Shang An, she was clearly a guardian or elder figure, leaving Xiao Wu as the only person of similar age near him. This gave her the illusion that Shang An belonged solely to her.

But now, Dugu Yan had appeared, and the two seemed to be hitting it off quite well. Dugu Yan would burst into laughter at Shang An's jokes from time to time, or look at him with a gaze full of admiration.

Furthermore, because Shang An was quite tall, Dugu Yan appeared to be a better match for him based on their outward appearances.

Yet, she was only Shang An's pet and had no standing to criticize anything, so she could only sulk on the side, muttering things like, "I was clearly here first," or "I am the Master's pet."

Because her voice was soft, Dugu Yan didn't hear her. Shang An heard it, but he remained composed, finding it quite amusing in his heart—this little rabbit was actually jealous.

"It's noon, Shang An, let's go eat. Sister Ni Huang must be hungry."

Xiao Wu tugged at Shang An's hand and then said to Dugu Yan:

"Sister Dugu's family must be waiting anxiously, you should hurry back for lunch."

How could Shang An not see through Xiao Wu's little schemes? The girl had even brought up Ni Huang and stopped calling him Brother Shang An, all just to separate him from Dugu Yan as quickly as possible.

However, Shang An had his own motives for accompanying Dugu Yan. Since her impression of him wasn't deep enough yet, how could they part so easily?

"Miss Dugu helped us out of a predicament today and showed us around Heaven Dou City. I wonder if I might have the honor of inviting you to a casual meal to express my gratitude?"

"You can just call me Yan Yan. I don't usually eat lunch at home anyway."

Dugu Yan said with a touch of shyness.

"Then I shall be bold and call you Yan Yan."

"Yes, that's fine, Brother An." Dugu Yan clearly didn't know yet that Shang An was younger than her; after all, his height and temperament were very misleading.

Shang An naturally wouldn't volunteer that information. He accepted the title of "brother," chatted happily with Dugu Yan, and walked side-by-side toward Fengming Restaurant.

"Yan Yan, do you have any restaurant recommendations?"

Shang An was unfamiliar with Heaven Dou, so it was better to let Dugu Yan make the choice.

Dugu Yan said, "I heard a place called Fengming Restaurant opened not long ago. Shall we go eat there?"

Only Xiao Wu followed behind with a look of confusion and annoyance, thinking, Why is it like this? and Why won't this woman leave?

"Xiao Wu, stop muttering and hurry up."

"Coming!"

Xiao Wu immediately smoothed her expression and quickened her pace; she didn't dare give Shang An a cold look.

The group stepped into Fengming Restaurant.

While the quality of the food remained to be seen, one had to admit that the decor of Fengming Restaurant was truly luxurious. It featured an antique, Chinese-style aesthetic reminiscent of his previous life, with golden brilliance everywhere and jade accents; it didn't feel like walking into a restaurant, but rather an imperial palace.

A woman dressed in palace maid attire greeted them with a warm and sincere attitude, making them feel right at home. And that sales pitch—wait, this seemed to be one of his own businesses.

Shang An suddenly recalled that in his plans, he had dedicated a small section to the establishment of restaurants and gambling dens, primarily to consolidate funds and gather intelligence. One of them was indeed called Fengming Restaurant.

He hadn't expected this restaurant to be built so quickly, so it took him a moment to process it.

But thinking about it, a fantasy world was different from an ordinary one, and as the most prosperous city in the Heaven Dou Empire, it was only natural to establish the first Fengming Restaurant here.

Soon, Shang An and his group booked a private room. Xiao Wu walked in first and picked up the menu on the table. The menu featured exquisite pictures that made one's appetite soar, but after flipping through it for a long time, her face fell.

"Shang An, let's change to a different place."

"What's wrong?"

Dugu Yan was puzzled. Could there be something wrong with the place she recommended? She had only heard people mention this restaurant occasionally and hadn't paid much attention to it.

"See for yourself."

Xiao Wu tossed the menu to Dugu Yan, who took it and browsed through it, her brows also furrowing slightly.

"Let's go somewhere else."

"Haha, no need. Are you afraid you'll eat me into poverty?"

Shang An knew what was going on with the two of them. He had participated in the design of this Fengming Restaurant, which focused on price and prestige. At these prices, a basic meal of two dishes and a soup would cost over a thousand Gold Soul Coins.

This restaurant was never intended for commoners; it was meant to earn money from nobles, serving as a place for them to entertain guests. What did nobles want? They wanted status. A meal costing over a thousand Gold Soul Coins was inconceivable to ordinary people, but for these high-ranking nobles, it really wasn't a large sum.

Were the nobles short on money? No. What they wanted was to show how they were different from the common folk.

The head chefs at Fengming Restaurant are all food-system spirit masters, and its luxurious decor is undoubtedly the finest in Heaven Dou City. Its service is also top-tier; few restaurants put so much effort into these aspects, so the unique Fengming Restaurant is certainly eye-catching enough.

Dugu Yan certainly couldn't afford not to eat here, but if someone else is treating you to a meal, spending several thousand gold soul coins of their money on a single dinner would be quite impolite.

"This, this, and this... did you get that?"

Shang An spoke to the waitress dressed like a palace maid, ordering several dishes that were relatively inexpensive. The smile on the maid's face did not fade, and she still asked enthusiastically, "Sir, will that be all for your order?"

"No, besides these few dishes, bring me one of everything else."

Shang An shook his head. These few dishes all contained celery, and the thing he hated most was celery. He hadn't expected this wretched thing to exist on the Douluo Continent as well, even if it went by a different name.

"Sir, what did you say?"

The waitress thought she had misheard and asked again.

"Go on, bring me everything else except for these few dishes."

"Sir, are you sure?"

The waitress felt stunned, and the smile on her face became difficult to maintain.

She was certain that no one who had looked at the menu would dare to say such a thing. The total price for every dish at Fengming Restaurant would likely reach hundreds of thousands of gold soul coins; even dukes and princes wouldn't be so extravagant.

"Shang An, there's no need for that."

Dugu Yan tugged on Shang An's hand, fearing he was forcing himself to save face. If he couldn't pay the bill later, the Fengming Restaurant was rumored to have an extraordinary background. Xiao Wu, however, saw how calm Shang An was and felt no worry at all.

"Relax."

Shang An placed his hand over the back of Dugu Yan's fair hand. It was just ordering a meal; why was everyone acting like they were heading to the battlefield?

"Do as I said."

"Very well, please wait a moment, sir."

The waitress finally took the order and retreated.

Once outside the room, the waitress immediately ran to the back to find the manager.

"Manager, manager, the guest in Earth Room Three placed a massive order."

"If they ordered, just take it to the kitchen. Do I need to teach you that?"

The manager felt this waitress was making a mountain out of a molehill; given their prices at Fengming Restaurant, every order was a big one.

"But, but he ordered almost every single dish on the menu."

"What!"

The manager was also shocked. Fengming Restaurant had a wide variety of dishes, totaling one hundred and twenty-eight items. Ordering them all would cost hundreds of thousands of gold soul coins.

Was this person truly wealthy, or just putting on a brave face?

After hesitating for a moment, the manager made a decision.

"Send it to the kitchen."

The manager knew the background of their establishment and wasn't afraid of anyone trying to dine and dash.

"Yes."

Seeing that the manager had agreed, the waitress naturally had no objections. In any case, if something went wrong, she wouldn't be the one taking the blame.

Consequently, the entire kitchen became busy, and exquisite dishes were continuously delivered into Earth Room Three.

"Brother Shang An, try this, it's delicious."

Xiao Wu picked up a piece of a dish called Jade Dragon Terrace for Shang An, which was actually just vinegar-pickled Crystal Radish. The implication was self-evident, but Shang An acted as if he didn't understand.