The two booked a small private room.
Before long, all the dishes were served.
Ye Feng was quite intrigued by this grilled fish restaurant because customers could grill the fish themselves here.
They offered two types of fish.
One was a large, pre-grilled fish, nearly half a meter long, with golden, crispy skin marked by charred grill lines and an enticing aroma.
The other was smaller fish that had been marinated and prepared for customers to grill themselves.
Beside the table were a griddle and a grill, allowing guests to cook their own fish and enjoy the experience.
In addition, Zhu Zhuqing had ordered some side dishes—mostly desserts like cake, ice cream, cheese, taro paste, and a large cup of milk tea.
Clearly, sweets held an irresistible appeal for girls.
However, what surprised Ye Feng was that Zhu Zhuqing had also ordered several bottles of red wine.
"You drink too?"
Ye Feng opened a bottle of red wine—its vintage unknown—and poured Zhu Zhuqing a full glass.
"Hehe~ A date has to have wine, right? It sets the mood~"
Zhu Zhuqing giggled, then raised her glass with a playful smile toward Ye Feng.
Though she hadn't taken a sip yet, her cheeks were already flushed.
After all, this was actually her first time going on a proper date with a boy.
Normal relationships usually started with dating, then progressed to commitment and beyond…
But with Ye Feng, they had done everything backward.
Only now did they finally have the chance for a real date.
"Cheers~"
Clink.
Their glasses lightly touched.
Both raised their cups and drank in one go.
After finishing her wine, Zhu Zhuqing smacked her lips, her expression slightly odd.
Clearly, she wasn't much of a drinker and wasn't used to it.
However, for a Soul Master, getting drunk was nearly impossible. Even if they drank too much, they could quickly expel the alcohol's effects with their Soul Power.
Unless it was a special "Spirit Wine" brewed from high-grade natural treasures, it was unlikely to intoxicate a Soul Master.
"Here~ The grilled fish here is really good. Try some~"
Zhu Zhuqing set down her glass and picked up a piece of grilled fish for Ye Feng—crispy skin and tender meat, dipped in sauce—and brought it to his lips.
Ye Feng took it in one bite.
Instantly, a rich, smoky flavor burst across his taste buds.
The fish skin was perfectly crispy, releasing a satisfying crunch as he bit into it, the aroma of grilled fish filling his mouth.
The moment the fish touched his tongue, its freshness became unmistakable.
With each chew, the fish's natural sweetness melded perfectly with the dipping sauce, creating an exquisite taste.
Ye Feng had eaten many delicacies before, but this grilled fish was a first—a completely new experience.
"Mmm, not bad at all. My Zhu Zhuqing has excellent taste~" Ye Feng couldn't help but praise.
Who would've thought Sky Curtain City had such a great grilled fish place?
"Rongrong was the one who found it~"
Zhu Zhuqing stuck out her tongue playfully, then helped herself to a piece as well, eating with obvious delight.
"Ah, that makes sense. Only Rongrong would discover a place like this~" Ye Feng chuckled.
Zhu Zhuqing spent most of her time training and rarely had the chance to explore.
Meanwhile, Ning Rongrong had plenty of free time every day to wander around.
Though Sky Curtain City was just a small town, it had a population of over a hundred thousand. Located near Heaven Dou City, it was fairly developed, with no shortage of delicious food and fun places to visit.
Ye Feng didn't care much about these matters, and since he spent most of his time away from Sky Curtain City, he hadn't paid much attention to them.
He never expected such a nice place had been discovered by Ning Rongrong.
As the two ate, they chatted idly.
The conversation turned to the Advanced Soul Master Tournament.
Then, they talked about Zhu Zhuqing's family background.
Ye Feng suddenly thought of something and asked curiously:
"Are both your Zhu Family and the Dai Family really so cold-blooded? You and Zhu Zhuyun both have remarkable talent, yet they force you to compete against each other, fighting to the death?"
"Besides, Zhu Zhuyun is so much older than you. Whether it's cultivation or the forces backing her, she's far stronger than you. What's the point of such an utterly unfair competition?"
This was something Ye Feng had been curious about for a long time.
Soul Masters were already rare, and genius Soul Masters were even rarer. The Martial Souls of both the Zhu and Dai Families were extremely powerful, and those chosen to be successors were the best among geniuses.
Yet, they insisted on "raising gu" among them, and the older one almost always won.
Take Zhu Zhuqing and Zhu Zhuyun, for example.
Even though Zhu Zhuqing's talent far surpassed Zhu Zhuyun's, because she was born seven years later, she lagged behind in both backing forces and cultivation.
Without something as heaven-defying as an Immortal Herb, Zhu Zhuqing would have been doomed from the start.
Her only purpose, perhaps, was to serve as Zhu Zhuyun's stepping stone, to spur her on.
Zhu Zhuqing fell silent for a moment before smiling bitterly. "This is the tragedy of great families. Nothing is fair. We're just discarded pawns. Dai Mubai chose to give up on himself, but I... I still want to struggle a little..."
"Have you ever thought about leaving the Zhu Family?" Ye Feng pressed.
"Impossible. They've given me a deadline—25 years old. Once I reach that age, Zhu Zhuyun will become the true ruler of the Zhu Family. If my talent had been mediocre, I might have had a slim chance of survival."
"But my talent is clearly stronger than Zhu Zhuyun's. Once she takes control, she'll issue a kill order. Even if I flee to the ends of the earth, the Zhu Family will hunt me down until I'm dead!"
"If I hadn't met you... my fate was already sealed..."
As she spoke, tears welled up in Zhu Zhuqing's eyes. Her gaze at Ye Feng was filled with gratitude—and boundless tenderness.
The reason she had joined Shrek was to struggle, to grasp at a sliver of hope. But it had only ever been a sliver...
Yet Ye Feng had forcibly shoved hope into her hands, pulling her out from under immense pressure and despair.
If her world had once been shrouded in darkness, then Ye Feng was the blazing sun that dispelled it entirely, banishing the cold and wrapping her in endless warmth.
This was the real reason she was willing to follow Ye Feng without hesitation.
"Don't worry. With me here, you won't have to return to the Zhu Family in the future."
Ye Feng reached out and gently pinched Zhu Zhuqing's cheek, smiling. "With your talent, it won't take long before you become someone even the Zhu Family—no, the entire world—will look up to."
"Mhm~" Zhu Zhuqing nodded firmly, her trust in Ye Feng absolute.
Just then—
Ye Feng suddenly felt something brush against his abdomen.
Glancing down, he realized it was Zhu Zhuqing's black-silk-clad foot...
The private booth wasn't large, with only a small square table separating the two of them. Combined with Zhu Zhuqing's long legs, which weren't fully extended at the moment...
"Uh, what are you doing?" Ye Feng gave Zhu Zhuqing a surprised look.
"The... the space is too small. My legs have nowhere to go. Is that not allowed..." Zhu Zhuqing's face turned slightly red as she averted her gaze, clearly not very good at lying.
She instinctively tried to pull her foot back, but Ye Feng grabbed hold of it.