"Xiu'er, when the teacher came to find us, didn't she say our classmates were waiting in the first-floor lobby? How come they're all up on the fourth floor now?" Chu Lian asked, holding Li Xiu'er's small hand and swinging their arms lightly.
"When the teacher went to get you, they really were waiting downstairs," Li Xiu'er replied softly, her voice as gentle as a kitten, easy to stir the heart.
"But after a short while, Cai Ya suggested we head up to the fourth floor to have breakfast while waiting for you. The teacher originally wanted everyone to eat together, but after hearing her suggestion—and thinking about the extra funds you secured—she decided a little extravagance would be fine. So, breakfast on the fourth floor it was. Since I'm closer with you, they had me wait downstairs. But if you hadn't come soon, I wouldn't have waited any longer."
Her words were a little contradictory, and Chu Lian noticed it, storing it away in her mind without calling her out. Instead, she murmured, "Well, we had to change clothes and explain some things to Inori, so we were delayed. Don't be mad, Xiu'er-chan. We still made it, didn't we?"
Chu Chu nodded in agreement. She knew they had wasted over an hour and felt a little guilty, so she'd stayed quiet until now. "Cousin Xiu'er, do you know the differences between these restaurant floors?"
"The second floor is mostly Mainland Chinese restaurants, but there are also some from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, and Japan. People here mostly prefer lively atmospheres and aren't used to other cuisines, so it's usually the most crowded."
"The third floor is Western restaurants—quiet and leisurely, catering to successful types. Fewer people go there. Not everyone can visit a restaurant without actually eating. Even for business talks, lively surroundings are often better."
"The fourth floor is mixed—both Chinese and Western, but mostly buffets where all kinds of dishes are laid out for you to try yourself. The seating is in private rooms, so the number of people is more than the third floor but fewer than the second." Li Xiu'er found it hard to refuse when asked for help, so after organizing her thoughts, she explained as they walked.
To Chu Lian, it felt like they'd walked quite a distance. They hadn't taken the elevator but climbed the stairs, passing through the lively, cozy second floor, the quiet third floor, and walking further on the fourth.
Li Xiu'er stopped in front of a door. Chu Lian looked up and saw the plaque: Private Room 4027. No pretentious poetic name, no obscure characters—just straightforward and clear. She liked that style.
Before opening the door, Li Xiu'er turned to the two girls. "We're here. Come in. Just be ready—they might be a bit displeased with you, so keep your attitude in check."
Chu Lian and Chu Chu nodded together. Even if they were popular in class, they couldn't act recklessly.
But once inside, their classmates' warmth was unexpected. Even while moving between dishes, everyone smiled at them, greeting or nodding. The scene puzzled even Li Xiu'er.
"Teacher, they're here," Li Xiu'er said softly to Ning Zhiyuan, who was sipping tea at the table.
"Thank you. Go have breakfast first…" Ning Zhiyuan smiled, dismissing her.
Li Xiu'er glanced between Chu Lian, Chu Chu, and Ning Zhiyuan, then nodded and left without a word.
"I told you to come down earlier, yet you still dragged it out. Look at the time—it's almost ten," Ning Zhiyuan sighed, gazing at the two girls standing before her.
"Ah, that's because I wanted to be with Big Sis…" Chu Chu blurted out in response to the teacher's question. Luckily, Chu Lian quickly reached out, pressing a hand over her mouth before she could say anything too outrageous. "Ahem, we didn't mean to be late. We just had other things to take care of," Chu Lian explained.
"Other things meaning changing clothes and flirting?" Ning Zhiyuan was no fool. From Chu Chu's words and Chu Lian's behavior, she could guess enough—especially since both of them were wearing new outfits she'd never seen before.
"Nothing like that. I was just telling Inori to be careful. I don't feel at ease leaving her alone here," Chu Lian replied smoothly, steering the topic away so Ning Zhiyuan wouldn't pursue it.
"That girl—she's the other partner in your twin-lotus act, isn't she? I saw her mentioned on Weibo. Inori Yuzuriha, right?" As expected, Chu Lian's diversion worked. She'd already noticed that Ning Zhiyuan seemed interested in Inori's appearance, so she decided to probe.
"Mm. She's a new member of our family. I brought her along this time because there's no one at home, and I didn't want to leave her alone. I also wanted to give her a chance to get out and see the world. So I worked with the school to make arrangements," Chu Lian said, offering no further personal details about Inori. Instead, she shifted the subject again. "By the way, Teacher, with us being so late, shouldn't the others be upset? They all seem fine."
Ning Zhiyuan gave her a knowing look—clearly aware she was changing the subject again—but still answered. "That's because Young Master Zhao arranged for us to have this private room. Haven't you noticed? The dishes here are rare and exquisite. People who eat in rooms like this are almost always wealthy or influential; very few ordinary folks can get in. Of course, your classmates don't know that. But one thing he said changed their attitude."
Chu Lian knew exactly who she meant: Zhao Ziming, the Zhao family heir and relentless pursuer of Ayase. Thinking of Ayase made her heart sink for a moment. Without her, both her motivation and her smile felt diminished.
But she was someone who could let go of such thoughts, knowing Ayase would return soon. Pushing aside those feelings, she asked, "What did he say?"
"Young Master Zhao said this was all arranged by you—not just to make amends, but to give everyone a better meal." Ning Zhiyuan's expression turned odd. She couldn't understand why he was so good to Chu Lian. Could it be… he was a lolicon?
Yes, that must be it! She'd heard that people from such prominent families, despite their refined education, often had eccentric, even perverse tendencies. If this Zhao heir had a peculiar fetish, it wouldn't be surprising. But to go so far as to target a flat-chested little loli who hadn't even developed yet?
No wonder he was so generous. No wonder he granted her every request. No wonder he reminded Ning Zhiyuan before leaving to speak well of him in front of Chu Lian! It was all to make her grateful and then infatuated—a tactic almost impossible for a young girl to resist. She'd have to warn Chu Lian to stay far away from him, lest she fall into his clutches.
If Zhao Ziming could hear Ning Zhiyuan's wild imagination, he'd probably cough up three liters of blood and end up hospitalized from blood loss.
Heaven knew, most of his kindness toward Chu Lian was really aimed at wooing Ayase. After months of effort, he'd finally made some progress—of course he was pleased.
Chu Lian might be adorable and charming, but compared to Ayase, she lacked a certain mature allure, the queenly air, the classic beauty, and the striking elegance of a woman in crimson.
Compared to Ayase, Zhao Ziming's feelings for Chu Lian were far less intense. For him to take real interest in her, she would need to grow a few more years. For now, her charm was not even a tenth of Ayase's.
While Ning Zhiyuan's wild guesses weren't entirely accurate, she wasn't completely wrong either. If Chu Lian knew about them, she'd probably be secretly delighted—serves Zhao Ziming right for constantly pestering her Ayase.
"Oh? That's what he said? He even knows I was late? His information-gathering skills aren't bad," Chu Lian murmured at Ning Zhiyuan's words. Then she lifted her head. "Teacher, you don't have any other questions, do you? We're going to have breakfast now. We'll talk later."
Without waiting for a reply, she grabbed Chu Chu's hand and dashed off. Truthfully, this was her first time in a place like this, and it all felt fresh and new.
Pulling out her phone, she snapped a few photos of the food, then one with Chu Chu, another with Li Xiu'er, and finally a couple of half-body and side-profile selfies.
She opened Weibo and typed: "In this unfamiliar city, my first day began with being over an hour late, followed by eating and eating. I wonder if seeing all this will make you drool? If you want to eat like this too, then follow in my footsteps. Someday, I want to travel the world and taste every delicacy. When that time comes, I'll make a documentary—just for those of you who love food like I do. Lastly, do you like our Gothic outfits? wink" With exactly 86 words and nine photos attached, she posted it.
Many people in her previous life had enjoyed posting like this, though it inevitably drew both teasing and insults. But Chu Lian didn't care—she was a foodie, she loved to eat, and she would do as she pleased. Who could stop her?
Meanwhile, on the 37th floor, Inori, eating breakfast alone, saw Chu Lian's post. The corners of her lips seemed to lift slightly as she replied: "I'm eating alone now, but I hope someday I can travel the world with you, tasting every delicacy." It was her first time doing such a thing, yet it felt strangely familiar, as though Chu Lian were an old friend she'd known for years—speaking with her carried no awkwardness, only easy familiarity.
Soon after, a user named "Electromagnetic Muscleman" commented: "Gothic lolis are the best! Long live Gothic lolis! Big-bust Gothic lolis forever!" This guy had clearly switched sides—after seeing Chu Chu's impressively developed figure, he'd gone from liking flat-chested lolis to adoring busty ones.
Plenty of people knew him, and some even chimed in to support his words.
Chu Lian's post, landing in that prime morning-to-noon window, stirred quite a commotion among her fanbase. She now had nearly 250,000 Weibo followers, and every move she made drew attention.
Naturally, the most eye-catching reply was Inori's. This was her first public comment outside of singing, so curiosity was only natural.
Chu Lian noticed it too, but she only smiled quietly. She knew that aside from herself, hardly anyone could make Inori speak on her own. All those questions people sent her were a waste of effort.
With that done, Chu Lian dug into her breakfast in earnest. Though she ate in small bites, her speed was astonishing. She wanted to eat as much as possible while it was still warm, replenishing the energy she'd burned the night before.
But before long, a loud bang from outside, coupled with a sudden sense of dread, snapped her out of it. Looking out the window, she saw a cascade of glass shards falling from above.
Her heart tightened. Inori… please, don't be hurt… Without another thought, she set down her food and ran for the door, ignoring everyone else as she raced outside…