This time they were not taking the ordinary elevator, but a private "lift" exclusively for Shen Yue—it was gold-gilded with carved patterns, Spirit Patterns floated across its surface, and it even had cushioned seats. Yun Pianpian silently grumbled: “...Damn capitalist.”
Arriving on the first floor, they didn't go straight out but turned into the underground garage. As Yun Pianpian stepped out of the lift, her mouth instantly dropped open—
—a full five Horse Carriages were lined up, each more Luxury than the last!
The foremost carriage was entirely crafted from dark wood, its curtains woven from mermaid silk, and the Luminous Pearls inlaid on the roof were as large as a fist. Even the horses pulling the carriage were not ordinary breeds; their manes were like snow, and they moved with wind beneath their hooves.
Yun Pianpian: "..."
The way rich people travel is truly simple, unadorned, and boring.
There are so many rich people in the world, why can't I be one of them! Yun Pianpian sighed inwardly toward the heavens.
Shen Yue only brought one Guard. That man was clad in a Black Robe as dark as ink, standing with his Weapon held, exuding a cold aura that warned people to keep their distance. Liu Ying, however, was quite familiar with strangers; she hopped into the front seat and sat right next to the cold-faced Guard, even enthusiastically offering him a piece of candied cake—only to have her hand retracted after being frozen by his glare.
A strange silence fell inside the carriage. Shen Yue closed his eyes to rest, his long lashes casting a shadow beneath them. Yun Pianpian, bored, began counting the pearls on the curtain—one pearl, two pearls... a total of twenty-eight massive South Sea pearls; taking just one would be enough for an ordinary commoner to eat for several lifetimes.
Her gaze involuntarily drifted across the way. She had to admit, handsome men were truly the treasures of the world.
Shen Yue was wearing a Moon White long gown today, his dark hair half-tied up, the silver-gold hair ornament catching fragmented light as it shifted in the shadows. The most fatal detail was that pair of Silver White Ear Tips; as the Horse Carriage swayed gently, they cast shifting spots of light near his neck...
“Wait!” Yun Pianpian suddenly pinched herself. How could she be thinking of that scoundrel again?
“Master, we have arrived.” The Guard’s voice came through the curtain, deep as ice.
Shen Yue slowly opened his eyes; his Peach Blossom Eyes still held a trace of languor. As she stepped down from the Horse Carriage, Yun Pianpian suddenly realized a cruel fact:
Even Shen Yue’s posture for dismounting looked like a photoshoot! As his Sleeves Fluttered, the blue and white sash drew an elegant arc in the air, while she... looked exactly like a clumsy little dog tumbling over.
Upon entering the main hall, the first thing she felt was the liveliness; quite a few people were dining at this hour.
The Waiter rushed over, rubbing his hands: “Esteemed guests, please forgive us, today we only have…”
“No matter,” Shen Yue interrupted gently, turning to look at Yun Pianpian, “Pian’er can decide.”
Yun Pianpian: ...Is this the composure of the wealthy?! But she still had to maintain a smile on her face: “Then... we’ll make do?”
The Waiter’s eyes lit up: “Certainly! Esteemed guests, please follow me this way—”
Yun Pianpian boldly sat down on a long bench, propping her chin up and winking at Shen Yue: “It’s nice to sit in the main hall occasionally; the common atmosphere is the most nourishing~”
Her fingertips lightly tapped the table, her eyes curving into crescent moons, “Even ordering food here tastes three parts better than in a private room!”
The Waiter diligently handed over the menu. Yun Pianpian took it and instantly her eyes widened—this wasn't a menu? It was clearly a picture book of immortal delicacies! Next to every dish name was a three-dimensional illustration drawn with colored ink made from Spirit Plants: the jade shrimp looked so crystal clear they seemed ready to jump off the page at any second; the Honey Glazed Fire Ham looked moist and translucent, even the patterns of flowing grease were clearly visible.
“This, this... and this!” Her fingers danced a ballet across the menu, then she suddenly snapped the booklet shut with a “Pa!” “We’ll take all of them!”
The Waiter’s hand shook, dragging his ink brush across the paper in a long streak. In the corner, the ice-cold expression on the Guard in black finally cracked—when did their Master ever dine without incense burning and music playing? Today, in this common marketplace...
Just at this moment of clamor, the door curtain of the Drunken Immortal Tower moved without any wind.
The instant Xuan Ye stepped in, the temperature in the entire hall dropped by three degrees. His snow-colored robes fluttered, but his gaze was sharp as a cold blade, piercing directly toward the Moon White figure who was animatedly chatting and gesturing across from Shen Yue.
Yun Pianpian was completely unaware, enthusiastically gesturing to Shen Yue: “Let me tell you, that Squirrel Mandarin Fish needs to be fried until it’s...” Suddenly, a chill ran down the back of her neck, and she turned to face a pair of eyes quenched with ice.
“Oh, isn’t this...” The Chopsticks in front of her slipped and fell apart.
“The Prince Regent who loves collecting grave taxes?”
Yun Pianpian propped her chin up, observing the scene with amused interest.
Those Noble Ladies who were usually dignified and self-possessed all smiled more brightly than the peach blossoms in March upon seeing the Prince Regent. The cloying scent of Rouge and powder floated in the air, yet it only made Xuan Ye’s cool and noble bearing stand out more sharply—he was like a Snow Pine Fragrance on a snowy mountain peak, a stark contrast to the vulgar splendor surrounding him.
“Prince Regent, what fine taste you have,” Shen Yue said, his hand holding the cup steady as a rock.
Shen Yue’s hand holding the cup had clearly defined knuckles, the white jade teacup resting steadily in his palm. Xuan Ye, however, acted as if he hadn't heard, his broad Moon White sleeves brushing across the table as he walked directly to sit down beside Yun Pianpian. The sleeve embroidered with Dark Patterns intertwined with the lotus-pink hem of her skirt, resembling Moonlight shining upon newly bloomed lotus petals.
“You…” Yun Pianpian nudged his ribs lightly with her elbow, but was met with a meaningful wink from him. Those eyes, usually as cold and still as a Cold Pool, now shimmered with tiny lights, making her Ear Tips burn.
“What are you doing? Are we that close? You insist on squeezing in next to me, don’t you?”
Xuan Ye’s lips curved slightly, and he winked in Yun Pianpian’s direction.
Yun Pianpian thought to herself, “Fine, if you won’t move, I’ll go sit somewhere else.”
Yun Pianpian immediately tried to stand up and change seats but was pinned in place by gazes from both her left and right. Shen Yue had set down his teacup at some point, his long fingers tracing the rim of the celadon cup; while Xuan Ye leaned back against the railing with feigned laziness, his knuckles tapped a dangerous rhythm on the table.
Liu Ying quietly shuffled half a step back, and the Sword Tassel of the Guard in black stirred without wind. The three people in the pavilion occupied their respective corners, and the previously noisy air was now so stagnant you could hear a silver needle drop.
“Gentlemen...” Yun Pianpian forced a dry laugh, then suddenly had an epiphany—wait! This tense atmosphere, these surging glances... could it be?!
A fierce light suddenly ignited in her eyes, her fujoshi soul cheering wildly in her Chest Cavity: The aloof Prince Regent and the gentle Young Master of the Merchant Guild? An ascetic younger top VS a beautiful, scheming bottom? Or the other way around? The back of Shen Yue’s hand, showing prominent veins as he held the cup, clearly exuded dominance...
Not long after, the exquisite dishes were served one after another. Yun Pianpian looked closely and saw they were identical to the illustrations in the picture book. Golden and glossy Crispy Roast Goose, crystal-clear Shrimp Dumplings, Amber-colored Honey Glazed Fire Ham... the aroma filled the air, making her mouth water. But the two great figures on either side sat as still as pines, forcing her to hold her Chopsticks with restraint, staring longingly at the food, not daring to start first.
“Please, eat,” Xuan Ye suddenly spoke. His long fingers held his chopsticks, steadily picking up a Shrimp Dumpling and gently placing it into her bowl. The dumpling skin was thin as a cicada’s wing, faintly revealing the pink shrimp inside, its fresh scent tantalizing.
Shen Yue’s eyebrow twitched slightly. The tip of his white jade chopsticks turned, picking up a slice of Honey Glazed Fire Ham. The Amber-colored syrup stretched into fine threads, shimmering enticingly under the candlelight: “Try this.”
Yun Pianpian: “...?”
Before she could react, her bowl was piled high with a small mountain—Shrimp Dumplings, ham, roast goose, creamy curd... layered on top of each other, almost overflowing. She buried her head and ate, her cheeks puffed out like an overfed hamster. After finally swallowing the last bite, just as she was about to raise her hand in protest, Xuan Ye suddenly leaned in close.
The crisp scent of Snow Pine Fragrance instantly enveloped her. His fingertips held a silk handkerchief, gently wiping the corner of her mouth. Yun Pianpian froze, her elbow accidentally knocking over a teacup, splashing tea across half the table with a loud *splash*.
“N-No more!” she hastily swallowed the food in her mouth, her voice muffled, “I really can’t eat anymore!”
Xuan Ye paid her no mind, slowly putting away the handkerchief and taking out a new one from his sleeve, his fingertip lightly brushing away the remaining sauce from her lip corner. His gaze was focused to the point of being dangerous; Yun Pianpian felt a chill creep up her spine under his stare, momentarily unable to move, like prey locked down by a fierce beast.
At this delicate stalemate, the Waiter approached with a beaming smile: “Guest, please try our new dish—”
“Bang!” A plate of pitch-black squares was placed on the table, and a pungent odor instantly exploded forth, akin to a biological weapon.
“Supreme Stinky Tofu—smells bad, tastes good!”
In that instant, Xuan Ye and Shen Yue both leaned back simultaneously—one frowning and covering his nose, the other subtly shifting half an inch backward. Only Yun Pianpian’s eyes lit up; her nose twitched, and she eagerly leaned closer—
That familiar smell! Wasn't this the otherworldly version of stinky tofu?!