Ye Qingcheng walked out gracefully, but upon exiting, she realized she didn't know which establishment in Sunset Town was the best restaurant!
She urgently wanted to have a full meal now, and then buy a Wet Nurse for the two tiger cubs before going home.
Wait, there was nothing at home; she needed to buy some grain, vegetables, and meat to take back. Those who harmed the original owner should have already returned to report, so she should be safe for a short time and could stay peacefully in Taoli Village for a few days.
After wandering the streets for a while, she spotted a bustling, large restaurant with "Taoran Residence" written above it. The name sounded quite elegant, so she decided to go in and check it out. With so many people eating there, it couldn't be too bad.
Ye Qingcheng touched the more than eight hundred taels of silver on her person, then swaggered inside.
However, she was stopped at the entrance by someone: "Young lady, you cannot enter!"
The Waiter guarding the door reached out to block her and said expressionlessly.
Ye Qingcheng looked up because he was standing on the steps, requiring her to lift her head to meet his gaze. She saw that the look in his eyes was clearly one of contempt, and a nameless anger instantly surged.
"Why can't I enter? Do you run a business that turns customers away? Is that the Reason?" Ye Qingcheng, with her fiery temper, was determined to eat at Taoran Residence today.
"Young lady, you cannot afford to eat at our restaurant; a single dish might cost you a year's living expenses! I advise you to go eat at the noodle shop across the street! It's affordable and will fill your stomach!"
The Waiter raised his chin, looking down at Ye Qingcheng, and spoke with an air of arrogance.
"Heh... With my fiery temper, this Young Lady must eat at Taoran Residence today!" Ye Qingcheng put her hands on her hips, looking completely fearless.
"What is wrong with you, Young Lady? Is Taoran Residence a place commoners like you can enter? Hurry up and leave, or I'll have someone beat you out!" Seeing the little girl being unreasonable, the Waiter couldn't help but step down from the stairs and threatened her.
"Don't you know the saying, 'One cannot judge a person by their appearance, just as one cannot measure the sea with a ladle'?" Ye Qingcheng glanced sideways at the Waiter and said coldly.
She had silver, but she didn't want to show it right now; she just wanted to argue with the Waiter. Being contrary, she didn't even care about being hungry anymore.
"I don't care if it's seawater or river water; our restaurant uses well water. If you don't leave now, I'll really hit someone!" Just as the Waiter was about to raise his hand, and Ye Qingcheng was readying poison in her hand, she sharply questioned him, and a middle-aged man walked out.
"What's all the noise about?"
"Shopkeeper, this wretched girl insists on coming in to eat, but look at her appearance—does she look like someone who can afford to eat here?" Seeing the Shopkeeper emerge, the Waiter immediately jumped up to complain, his face full of smugness.
The Waiter had expected the Shopkeeper to order someone to beat this wretched girl out, but he never imagined:
"Young lady, please come in. I have already prepared a private room for you! Don't bother with these dogs!"
The Shopkeeper obsequiously stepped forward, bowing to invite Ye Qingcheng inside. This left the Waiter dumbfounded, trembling with terror. What important figure had he offended?
This little girl was clearly wearing rags, looked skinny, and although she wasn't ugly, she looked exactly like a peasant girl. Why was the Shopkeeper treating her this way?
"Shopkeeper? Offering service without reason means you're either a scoundrel or a thief. I don't need you to prepare a private room for me; I'll eat in the main hall!" Ye Qingcheng walked in with her hands behind her back, not giving the Shopkeeper a pleasant look. What was this nonsense? If it weren't for saving face, she wouldn't be eating here.
Seeing this, the Shopkeeper quickly pushed the Waiter, signaling him to go apologize. This was only because the Waiter was his relative; otherwise, he would have kicked him out long ago and wouldn't have bothered with him.
"M-Miss, it was my fault for not recognizing your stature just now. You can take it out on me, hit me as hard as you like!" The Waiter dared not delay, quickly stepping forward to mimic the Shopkeeper's obsequious apology.
Ye Qingcheng stopped and walked toward the Waiter step by step, her face expressionless. With every step she took, the Waiter fearfully retreated one step.
"M-Miss, Miss, please spare me!" The Waiter, whose legs were trembling uncontrollably, raised his hands over his head, tears welling up.
He didn't know why he was so scared, only that he was afraid this Young Lady would beat him, and he inexplicably felt that any blow she landed wouldn't be light.
"Get lost!" Ye Qingcheng kicked him away and walked straight ahead.
The Waiter, who had been kicked to the ground, froze. This Young Lady wasn't going to hit him? Had she forgiven him? He then scrambled up to look at her.
At this moment, many people were coming and going at the entrance, and they all stopped to watch. They saw Ye Qingcheng walk step by step toward a little beggar sitting across the street.
Everyone was stunned. Did this Young Lady have a problem with her mind? It was hard enough for her to get in to eat, and now she was looking for company?
Ye Qingcheng certainly didn't disappoint them. She walked up and stopped in front of the filthy little beggar. That beggar was truly dirty; just getting close brought a smell, and her messy hair made it impossible to tell if she was a boy or a girl.
"Get up, I'm treating you to a big meal!" With Ye Qingcheng's words, the expressions of those who had just been guessing changed like a palette. Several people who were about to enter Taoran Residence to eat stopped in their tracks.
"Huh?" The little beggar looked up blankly and saw a young lady standing in front of her. When told to get up, she truly stood up.
"Let's go! Time for a big meal!" Seeing the little beggar stand up, Ye Qingcheng quickly turned around, intending to lead her away.
"Miss, I... I... just giving me a steamed bun would be enough. I can't go into a restaurant to eat!" Clearly, the little beggar had seen the scene where Ye Qingcheng was stopped earlier.
"Stop the nonsense and follow me! I'd like to see who dares stop you!" Ye Qingcheng said forcefully, not allowing refusal. She stepped forward and, not minding the dirt, grabbed the little beggar's hand and walked on.
The Shopkeeper watched as this Young Lady was about to bring a beggar inside and immediately lost his composure.
He nervously looked up and saw a head peeking out of a window upstairs, nodding slightly. Only then did he wipe the cold sweat from his brow and watch Ye Qingcheng lead the beggar inside.
"Young lady, I have arranged a private room for you! Please come with me to the private room to dine. This meal is on me, entirely on me!" After Ye Qingcheng walked in, the Shopkeeper quickly followed, pleading.
The little beggar didn't dare lift her head and was pulled inside by Ye Qingcheng. The Shopkeeper dared not approach her and could only lag far behind, begging Ye Qingcheng.
He didn't know what relationship this Young Lady had with the Master. Their statuses should have had no intersection, yet she had caught the Master's eye, and he was personally ordered to entertain her, even allowing him to bring the beggar inside.
He watched as customers fled as if escaping something once the beggar entered, feeling a sharp pain in his heart.
That was silver, shining silver, running away just like that.
"A private room... In this hot weather, I feel too warm. I'll stay in the main hall! I don't need you to treat me! I have my own silver!" Ye Qingcheng walked straight ahead, found a spot near the window, and prepared to sit down.
"Young lady, Young lady, my esteemed lady, I'll have someone fan you, and I'll bring you ice basins! Two, no, how about three?" The Shopkeeper quickly forgot about the beggar and rushed forward to beg.