Record of the Restaurant

As soon as Chen Yage finished speaking, Master Xu Yu’s expression changed dramatically. His eyes flashed coldly, sending a chill down her spine; her own aura diminished instantly. Yet she knew that if she showed weakness now, she would not be able to help Xu Ziyan, so she forced herself to remain calm.

Master Xu Yu suddenly let out a cold laugh. “You want to claim merit? You certainly have done something noteworthy. What do you expect me to reward you with? Silver? Or an official post?”

He advanced on her step by step, forcing Chen Yage to retreat until she could go no further. She halted and met his gaze, seeing hatred in his eyes—a fact that baffled her. “You hate me? Why?”

Immediately, Master Xu Yu’s face twisted into disdain, his voice dripping with contempt. “It’s not hate, but loathing. I loathe the greedy, and I despise those who are thankless and ungrateful.”

Chen Yage already felt guilty about the events, though she had no regrets. In Taoyuan, it was only Yue Ji who had repeatedly tried to harm her; the others had never hurt her directly, but they had harmed countless commoners. She had never felt any fondness for Master Xu Yu and cared little for offending him now. So she replied, “Some evils are sown by certain people themselves, and I merely helped clear up the mess. But now some wish to push the blame for their own mistakes onto others—how can that be considered the act of a true man?”

“Get out!” Master Xu Yu roared. “Someone, throw her out for me!”

Seeing he was truly angry, Dujuan rushed forward and clung to his hand, pleading, “Father, please don’t send Sister Yage away!”

The servants hesitated, and for a moment, Master Xu Yu wavered as well. At last, he barked, “I won’t hold you to account for what happened today, but you must leave the Xu residence at once. I cannot allow you to corrupt my daughter.” With that, he gently raised Dujuan to her feet, his gaze suddenly soft and kindly.

Knowing that it would be unwise to argue with him now, Chen Yage signaled to Dujuan and followed the servants out of the Xu residence.

Unsure where to go, she lingered for a while at the gates. Suddenly, her stomach began to rumble noisily, almost rhythmically. She couldn’t help but regret not having filled her belly while she still could. Truly, one should never go against one’s appetite—always eat when given the chance.

Drawn by the rich aromas wafting from nearby, Chen Yage followed her nose and soon found herself before a large tavern, bustling with patrons and lively chatter.

She stood quietly on the street, gazing longingly inside. She desperately wanted a hearty meal, but she had no money, and it was not in her nature to dine and dash. After much hesitation, she remained in limbo—unable to decide whether to enter or leave—until her stomach grumbled again. Steeling herself, she squared her shoulders and strode boldly through the doors.

Fortunately, the treatment she’d received in Taoyuan meant her clothes, though not of the finest silks, marked her as someone of the middle class. She selected an empty table in a corner and sat down, glancing out at the busy street. The waiter, ever polite, greeted her warmly. “Welcome, miss! What can I bring you today?” he asked with a cheerful smile.

Chen Yage settled onto the bench, one foot propped up, right hand resting on her knee. She looked about with exaggerated air, feigning the demeanor of someone wealthy, then declared loudly, “Bring me all the best food and drink you have!”

At least she remembered to keep her tone feminine, though her behavior left much to be desired. The waiter, accustomed to all sorts of customers, was not fazed by her posturing. Chen Yage couldn’t help but wonder if she had given herself away.

Once the waiter left, she quickly lowered her foot and waited patiently for the food to arrive.

After the time it takes to burn half a stick of incense, the waiter returned with a beaming smile and a laden tray. “Miss, your dishes are here! This is our signature dish, Everlasting Fish—please give it a try…”

“And bring me a jug of your finest Nu’er Hong,” she added, determined to keep up appearances. Wine and food were both necessary for the proper effect.

The waiter dutifully brought her a jug of wine. She poured herself a cup and tossed it back in one gulp, the strength of it making her face flush red, but she forced a composed smile. “Excellent wine, truly excellent!”

Just as she set her cup down, someone behind her called the waiter over to settle their bill. At that table sat four men—the one who spoke was burly, with thick brows and a dark complexion, while two of medium build set down their chopsticks. The fourth, a thin, gaunt man, was still eating when suddenly he cried out, “What is this?”

The burly man leaned in for a look and shouted angrily, “Isn’t this a cockroach? Waiter, how can there be a cockroach in your food? Do you take us for fools, feeding us this filth?”

The waiter was utterly baffled by this sudden turn, protesting, “I swear, sir, I did nothing of the sort!”

But the men ignored him, growing even more incensed. “I don’t care—get your manager out here to explain this, or we brothers won’t let the matter rest!”