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Chapter 79: Won’t Pay no Matter What
“No! You guys stay and enjoy!” Gu Yunlan smiled at the others apologetically. She said to the surprised woman carrying the food, “Continue distributing the food! If they want more, adding more orders is fine!”
“Yes!” The woman nodded her head, and started giving instructions to distribute food to the girls behind her.
Taking advantage of everyone being struck into a daze, she walked towards the door. As she got to the entrance, she turned her head to smile wanly, “Oh! Right! You guys can pay for the food yourself! Everyone pay for yourself! Aiyo, those who didn’t come with your money, too bad!”
After that, she turned and closed the door on the way out.
At the soft sound of the door closing, everyone snapped back to consciousness. They looked at one another in dismay, they were fucked over?
Xuanyuan Meng still smiled indifferently, she said to Zhangyu, “Zhangyu, I heard there will be flower lanterns for show soon. Why don’t we take a look after eating? I didn’t bring any money, so you pay my share!”
Zhangyu didn’t speak, and just accepted it. He took a sip of the tea in his hand.
“Gu Yunlan!” Zhang Ziyan, who was held back by Zhang Qiyang, finally snapped back to consciousness from her spot on the stool. She shattered the wine cup in her hand in anger!
“Oh! Showing your power! It’s one of the most expensive things you’ll see in your life! You’ll have to pay for it!” Xuanyuan Meng took a sip of tea in disdain.
“Xuanyuan Meng!” Zhang Ziyan roared at Xuanyuan Meng, gnashing her teeth.
“Shut up!” Zhangyu slammed his cup heavily down on the table. He stood up, pulled Xuanyuan Meng up, and directly walked out!
Xuanyuan Meng looking pitingly at the table full of food. Right before leaving, she said, “Tche, tche! You guys finish eating! Otherwise I’ll take back the discount!”
Gu Yunlan followed behind Xuanyuan Ying into a neighboring room and sat down. Hearing the sounds from next door, the corners of her mouth twitched. Especially Xuanyuan Meng’s departing words; they were even more cheating than hers.
“Is there a need to be so happy about that?” Xuanyuan Ying slid her a side glance unhappily.
“No need! Let’s order some food too! The foods Luolan has here are all very new, they taste quite good!” Gu Yunlan flipped open the menu in her hand, taking up a pencil to start drawing.
“You won’t want us to also pay for ourselves right?” Xuanyuan Ying lifted his brow. After he left, he’d heard what she had said.
“You can pay if you want!” Gu Yunlan tossed the menu at him angrily.
“All my budget is in your hands, you can do as you wish!” Xuanyuan Ying easily caught the menu and thumbed through it a few times. He put it down, “Just this much then! Any more can’t be eaten anyway!”
“The purple gold card is so much better!” Gu Yunlan fished out another card and put it on the table.
“You!” Xuanyuan Ying looked at her helplessly; this girl is getting more and more mischievous. She clearly has a purple gold card, yet still brought him, having him pay. However, he likes it.
Seeing him not objecting, Gu Yunlan patted him a few times. The door creaked open as the same woman from before walked in, “Miss Gu!”
Gu Yunlan passed over the menu to her, instructing, “Just these!”
The woman lowered her head to take the menu, but when she saw the purple gold card on the table, her mouth twitched. If the owner knew the Gu Family’s Eldest Miss was saving money for her, she’d probably laugh unrestrainedly.
The food arrived at the table quickly. Gu Yunlan didn’t order that much food, only four dishes and soup, yet each and every one of them were the finest. They were impossible to make without time and control of heat.
“Try it out, how do you like the flavor?” Gu Yunlan picked up a piece of meat and reached it over. But before it could be put into his bowl, it was eaten by Xuanyuan Ying in one bite. She stared blankly, looking at her empty chopsticks. This person had actually eaten directly from her chopsticks…
“Tastes pretty good!” Xuanyuan Ying nodded his head in satisfaction.
“Hey!” Xuanyuan Ying! How can you be like this? Isn’t it dirty?” Gu Yunlan looked at the chopsticks in her hand detestingly.
“You gave it to me to eat yourself, if you dare change chopsticks then try it!” Xuanyuan Ying’s voice sounded a bit menacing.
Gu Yunlan’s hand paused, immediately took back her chopsticks whispering, “Rascal!”
“Uh-huh?” Xuanyuan Ying’s voice was a bit louder this time.
“Xuanyuan, you chased all the people away. Our New Years celebration is pretty cold, don’t you think?” Gu Yunlan helplessly picked up a meatball and put it in her mouth.
“Would you really be willing to see those people around everyday?” Xuanyuan Ying used his chopsticks to grab another of the same meat and put it in her bowl. Seeing her glaring at him, he explained innocently, “I didn’t use this chopstick! Eat some more, you’re too skinny. It’s so bony everytime I take you to fly!”
Gu Yunlan looked at the meat in her bowl, speechless, she’s skinny? How come she doesn’t think so? his bowl is full of meat, she won’t be able to finish it!
By the time the two of them finished all the food, Gu Yunlan leaned back lazily on her chair, “Luckily I only ordered this much, those people next door aren’t as lucky!”
“Why’s that so?” Xuanyuan Ying moved to sit next to her. Reaching out his hand, black energy appeared at his fingertips. He gently brought the black fog to her stomach and turned a few circles.
“So much better!” Gu Yunlan released a sigh. The four dishes were pretty much all put into her bowl by Xuanyuan Ying. Other than those she gave him, he wouldn’t eat anything. Thinking of the food, she laughed behind her hand, “Luolan’s restaurant has rules!”
“What rules are making you laugh so much?” Xuanyuan Ying took back his hand, and looked at her smilingly.
“There’s an unwritten rule that card carriers, including those of the purple gold card, cannot waste any of their food. Otherwise the buyer must pay full price!” Gu Yunlan pushed the purple gold card forward when she thought of this.
Xuanyuan Ying reached out his hand to lift up the card, flipped it around to see that the rule she talked about really was there. He fiddled with the card in his hand as he asked, “Every card has this rule written on it?”
Gu Yunlan nodded her head.
“No wonder Mengmeng left when she saw us leaving!” Xuanyuan Ying hooked up the corners of his mouth cheerfully. Seeing Gu Yunlan still laying there without lifting a finger, he asked, “Still not feeling well yet? It’s getting dark, if we don’t go it’ll end soon…”
“My stomach is fine!” Gu Yunlan sat up and looked out the window at the sky. It’s getting dark, she asked puzzled, “What will end?”
“You say you are from Gu City, yet you don’t even know of the Lantern Festival!” Xuanyuan Ying tapped her forehead.
“Today is December sixteenth on the lunar calendar! Oh, it really is! Then let’s go take a look!” Gu Yunlan hurriedly took back the card in Xuanyuan Ying’s hand and yelled towards the outside of the room, “Bill!”
“Aiya!” At once, the door was pushed open and that woman walked in with a maid. She received the purple gold card and passed it to the maid behind her instructing, “Register it!”
“Uhm, have those people next door left?” Gu Yunlan asked curiously.
“Miss Gu, it’s possible they can’t leave tonight…” The woman looked at the two hesitatingly, after all, they were friends.
“Hah!” Gu Yunlan laughed out loud. Looking solely at what Bai Nightspring ordered, they’d probably eat until they throw up!
“Extravagance is a waste!” Xuanyuan Ying stood up and started to leave.
The woman was startled. She gave back the purple gold card to Gu Yunlan. What he meant was, don’t let them leave until they finish?
Gu Yunlan though, was a bit bothered. She hesitated a bit, then looking at the leaving Xuanyuan Ying immediately said, “Put their bill on the purple gold card! I’d guess they wouldn’t even have any time to pay after they finish eating!”
“Yes! Take care!” The woman nodded her head.
Gu Yunlan walked out the door, catching up with Xuanyuan Ying at the entrance to the restaurant. Xuanyuan Ying stood with his back facing her as he watched the flow of people through the streets.
“Let’s go!” Xuanyuan Ying turned his head to glance at the woman by his side.
“En! It’s at just the right time of the night!” Gu Yunlan nodded her head, taking the lead.
“Slow down! There are a lot of people!” Xuanyuan Ying grabbed her hand. Gu Yunlan was walking forward, but with his grasp, she became unbalanced.
Xuanyuan Ying supported her by the waist, “Slow down!”
Gu Yunlan complained, “If you didn’t pull on me, I wouldn’t have almost fallen!”
Just as she said that, a crowd of people swarmed in their direction.
Xuanyuan Ying reacted quickly, guiding her in turn, the two speedily brushed past that crowd.
Gu Yunlan looked at that crowd in surprise, only to hear them chatter, with one person going, “Hurry! The flower lanterns are lighting, missing out on it is ominous!”
Lighting flower lanterns? Gu Yunlan’s eyes lit up; lighting flower lanterns is an old Gu City tradition. Unmarried young ladies would light lanterns on the Gu River, on each lantern would be written the first half of a poem. Unmarried men would be downstream to receive the lanterns. They’d bring the lanterns to the bridge over the river and loudly yell out the last half of the poem. When the lady hears the correct half, she can go on the bridge if she feels moved. If the two are satisfied with their pairing, they can directly propose to their family.
“You want to set a marriage lantern!” Xuanyuan Ying looked at her in surprise, a shred of displeasure stirred beneath his heart. He pulled on her hand, “Let’s go! Let’s go pull red ribbons over there! Those lanterns don’t suit you!”
“Pull red ribbons?” Gu Yunlan stared blankly. Isn’t that the test to see if a couple was bound by fate? A couple could go to the other side of the bridge and pull on ribbons hanging on the large tree. If the two pulled on the same string, then it means the two are indeed connected.
Except why would they do this? Gu Yunlan looked at him in confusiont. It’s not like they’re unmarried lovers.
“Let’s try it out, it’s just for fun anyways. Unless you want it to be real?” Xuanyuan Ying’s hand stayed on her waist. He suddenly found himself unwilling to take it away. He smiled wanly, guiding her towards the middle of the night market.
Gu Yunlan shook her head. Of course she wouldn’t want that! The Gu River Bridge, called the Lover’s Bridge, is on the other side of the night market. The tree on the other side of the Lover’s Bridge is called Fated Love Tree. She remembers that she used to envy those who could become a couple by coming to this tree.
The closer to the middle of the night market, the more people there’d be. She was basically entirely covered by Xuanyuan Ying’s embrace.
“Xuanyuan! I didn’t think you’d be willing to mill around in a crowd!” Gu Yunlan’s face was relaxed. She felt as if her feet didn’t even touch the ground; her entire body was held up by him!
Xuanyuan Ying looked at her unhappily. If he knew there weren’t so many people, he would’ve just flown over them.
By the time the two finally got to the middle of the bridge, they could catch their breath. Lover’s Bridge was practically void of any people; the young men and women were probably still by the river with the lanterns.
Gu Yunlan happily pulled Xuanyuan Ying down Lover’s Bridge and to the Fated Love Tree. She really did want to try out whether this thing really worked or not.
Compared to the liveliness on the other side of the river, this side was incomparably quiet. Fated Love Tree was completely surrounded by tables. Piles of red ribbon wrapped around the tree with three bundles placed neatly on different tables. A man and woman would go on opposite sides and pull the string to tell fate.
“Two for the Fated Love ribbon?” An old voice sounded from behind the tree, after which, they saw an elderly hunchback walking out. From the light of the lanterns from across the river, they could just barely see his face.
“En!” Gu Yunlan let go of Xuanyuan Ying’s hand, and bowed towards the old man.
“Fate is heaven’s decision, be true to your heart!” The old man left these words before turning to leave.
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