Chapter 11

◎"Want me a kiss?"◎

"Give me the money, give me the money!"

"A Mercedes G-Class blocks a Lamborghini, a fit of rage for a beauty; the loser, pay up!"

Supreme is a place exclusively for Beijing's elite young masters, wealthy heirs, and top celebrities to gather and have fun.

This is the third most upscale club in Beijing, and its controlling shareholder is Qi Yingjie.

Qi Yingjie's main purpose in opening the club was not to make money, but to build connections.

After all, the value of connections in Beijing's elite circles is immeasurable; opening ten "Supreme" restaurants would be more than enough.

Today, Qi Yingjie invited a group of friends to the Supreme Palace for entertainment and casually opened a betting pool to see if He Qingzhao would fight against his family for a female student.

Upon hearing this, everyone became excited and placed bets, eager to see He Qingzhao do something unconventional.

He Qingzhao, the eldest son of the He family, is a noble and refined young master who is self-disciplined and respectful of etiquette. He is the most outstanding young nobleman in Beijing.

When the elders of all the wealthy and powerful families mention him, they all give him a thumbs up and say – “He’s incredible!”

To put it more politely, this is how one should raise a child.

Whether he is a true gentleman or a hypocrite, he is genuinely capable of leading the He family to its peak, instead of being mediocre and sponging off his parents, or dragging the family downhill. Therefore, no elder dislikes him; they all wish they had a son like him—how glorious that would be!

Meanwhile, those young masters from Beijing's elite circles who had been rendered utterly worthless by him were now united in their indignation, all waiting to witness He Qingzhao, this unattainable beauty, being brought down from her pedestal.

Qi Yingjie, as the first insider to know the inside story, took the initiative to initiate the betting game. However, watching everyone laughing and discussing, he did not feel very comfortable. Instead, he felt like he had a fishbone stuck in his throat.

Because no matter the outcome, he lost; he lost to He Qingzhao.

Thinking that the tender meat he was about to eat had been snatched away by He Qingzhao, he took a big gulp of wine and, emboldened by the alcohol, shouted in a roguish tone, "Brothers, stop dawdling and pay up!"

The men present were either smoking or drinking; some were feeding the women drinks mouth-to-mouth, while others were blowing smoke from their mouths onto the women's faces.

This group of spoiled brats indulged in wine and women, and their words were incredibly vulgar. When they saw Qi Yingjie shamelessly stretching out his hand for money, they all laughed and cursed him.

"Give me a dick."

"Boss Qi is obsessed with money."

One of them flicked his cigarette ash, reached out and put his arm around the young girl next to him, kneading her as he grinned and said, "Young Master He hasn't even fought yet, isn't it too early for Boss Qi to be talking about winning and losing?"

A group of people chimed in, "That's right! Why is Boss Qi in such a hurry?"

Shen Zechuan fiddled with the dice, saying casually, "He Qingzhao stopping the car today was the maximum resistance he could muster."

The man who had just said that it was too early to talk about winning or losing, pushed the girl away from his arms, turned to face Shen Zechuan, and asked, "Does Boss Shen know something?"

Shen Zechuan pointed and laughed, "Let Director He tell you that he is also a member of the He family."

He Lin's grandfather and He Qingzhao's grandfather were brothers, and they were blood relatives within three generations. In terms of blood relation, they were not very distant.

Every year during the Chinese New Year family reunion dinner, they would eat together.

At this moment, He Lin was holding a young girl's hand and reading her palm when he was suddenly called out. He merely raised his eyelids and glanced at the crowd indifferently before lowering his head again to continue stroking the girl's palm.

"Your love story..."

Shen Zechuan laughed and cursed, "You old lecher," before throwing the dice at He Lin: "Director He, stop touching them. Give us a hint so everyone can accept their defeat and Boss Qi can win with peace of mind."

He Lin released the girl's hand, lit a cigarette, leaned back, crossed his legs, and said with a roguish smile, "You're doomed."

"Director He, please explain clearly how we're destined to lose."

He Lin rested his right hand, holding a cigarette, on the sofa armrest, and took a sip of wine from his glass with his left hand.

Smoking and drinking go down the throat, while bitterness seeps into the heart.

Under the soft glow of the lamplight, He Lin leaned back on the sofa and said casually, "Because he is He Qingzhao, he can get what he wants without having to fight against it."

-

Cheng Jiamo followed He Qingzhao into a courtyard house with blue bricks and gray tiles. After entering the gate, there was a screen wall with cloud patterns. Beyond the screen wall was a spacious courtyard with an elegant environment. The ground was paved with pebbles, and clusters of precious chrysanthemums in red, white, yellow, green and pink bloomed in the autumn sun, vying for beauty.

The walls of the long corridors on both sides are decorated like an exhibition with many calligraphy and paintings by famous people.

"Is this a place for calligraphy and painting exhibitions?" Cheng Jiamo asked curiously.

He Qingzhao chuckled: "It's not a calligraphy and painting exhibition hall, it's a place to eat. If you want to see a calligraphy and painting exhibition, I'll take you there after class tomorrow."

Cheng Jiamo mistook the restaurant for an exhibition hall and blushed with embarrassment.

"That's not what I meant. I just saw that there were a lot of calligraphy and paintings hanging here, and the environment was very elegant, so I thought it was a place for calligraphy and painting exhibitions."

It's really not her fault for being ignorant. Most people would find it hard to believe that a place as elegant as a garden or scenic area is a restaurant.

He Qingzhao said with a smile, "It's the first time I'm taking my girlfriend out to dinner, so it has to be a bit formal."

His voice was calm and clear, his tone indifferent and calm, as if he were saying, "The weather is not bad today," without any hint of romance.

However, Cheng Jiamo blushed, her cheeks burning. She didn't dare to look at him, but lowered her head and shyly pursed her lips, whispering, "It's not the first time. We already ate it yesterday."

He Qingzhao grabbed her hand, pulled her to his side, lowered his head close to her face, and spoke in a deep, seductive voice.

"Yesterday doesn't count, today is the first time."

Cheng Jiamo felt her heart pounding like a drum, as if it were about to burst out of her chest.

She kept her head down the whole time, not daring to look up at He Qingzhao at all.

He Qingzhao looked at her bright red ears in the autumn light, a smile playing on his lips. He deliberately leaned in and gently brushed his thin lips against her ear.

Cheng Jiamo's body suddenly trembled, and her ears turned even redder, so red that they looked like they were about to bleed.

She felt her ears were burning, her face was burning, her body was burning, everything was burning, so hot that her body felt numb and her heart felt itchy.

He Qingzhao saw that her face turned red all the way to her neck, and her fair and delicate neck was flushed with pink, like a ripe peach that was about to burst with juice.

He felt his throat dry and his stomach tight, but fortunately, he always had a strong will, which prevented him from doing anything indecent.

Cheng Jiamo felt lightheaded and her mind was foggy. She walked forward in a daze. When she went down the steps, she missed a step and was about to fall. Instinctively, she reached out to grab something, and by sheer coincidence, she grabbed He Qingzhao's belt.

Seeing that she had missed her step, He Qingzhao put his hands under her armpits and was about to hug her when she was suddenly grabbed. He felt a tightness in his throat, let out a muffled groan, and looked down at her.

Cheng Jiamo was stunned. She was so frightened that she hurriedly let go of his hand and stepped back, but almost fell over again.

He Qingzhao wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close, looking at her with deep eyes that seemed to hold a hidden fire.

"What are you afraid of?" His voice was hoarse and strained. "Do you think I'd let you fall?"

Cheng Jiamo lowered her head and remained silent. Thinking of what she had just grabbed, she blushed, her heart pounded, and her breathing became rapid.

He Qingzhao let go of her and took her hand as they entered the restaurant's private room.

When the boss, Zhuang Yi, saw that He Qingzhao had brought a girl over, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, but he didn't ask anything. He just smiled and said, "The usual three dishes?"

He Qingzhao said to Cheng Jiamo, "Please sit down for a while, I'll go order."

Zhuang Yi was even more surprised. Young Master He actually wanted to order the food himself. It seemed that this girl was not simple.

But he just smiled meaningfully and didn't ask anything.

He Qingzhao got up from his seat and strode downstairs.

Zhuang Yi followed behind him, and only spoke when they reached the bottom of the stairs: "Who is it, making such a formal occasion?"

He Qingzhao said calmly, "Girlfriend."

Zhuang Yi: "..."

He doubted he had heard correctly.

"What, girlfriend?"

As he spoke, he turned to look upstairs.

He Qingzhao pressed down on the back of his neck, stopping him from doing so.

"Don't look at my people."

Zhuang Yi couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Alright, alright, I won't look at Young Master He's people."

He Qingzhao let go of Zhuang Yi's hand and rubbed against him in disgust.

Zhuang Yi wanted to yell at him: "Are you even polite?"

He Qingzhao didn't argue with him and said in a low voice, "Ginseng and Astragalus Deer Soup, Half Moon Sinking into the River, Toon and Tofu, Braised Rock Carp, and a dessert, Jasmine Milk Pudding."

"Half Moon Sinking into the River" is a medicinal dish made with water gluten, dried shiitake mushrooms, winter bamboo shoots, angelica root, and celery. Originally called Angelica Gluten Soup, it is a famous dish of Nanputuo Temple.

Zhuang Yi's restaurant encompasses all kinds of cuisines from all over the country, so you can find whatever you want to eat.

Hearing He Qingzhao name these dishes, he didn't think much of it, noted them down one by one, and then asked, "Anything else?"

He Qingzhao waved his hand: "That's all. I've already sent you the names of these four dishes and the dessert."

Zhuang Yi asked in confusion, "Don't these dishes already have names? Why do they need more names?"

He Qingzhao only said three words: "Acrostic poem".

After saying that, he turned and went upstairs.

"What the hell?" Zhuang Yi muttered.

Back in the private room, He Qingzhao said to Cheng Jiamo in a serious tone, "The owner of this restaurant is an artsy young man. Many of the dishes are named after lines from ancient poems or humorous ditties."

Cheng Jiamo nodded blankly: "Oh."

He Qingzhao moved her chair closer and leaned in to her: "The dishes we're having today have names that are acrostic poems. You, a top student in the literature department, can try to guess them in a bit."

Cheng Jiamo smiled and replied, "Okay, I'll give it a try."

He Qingzhao raised the corner of his mouth, his narrow phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, and he said with a playful smile, "There's a reward for guessing correctly, and a punishment for not guessing correctly."

"Huh? There's going to be punishment?" Cheng Jiamo pouted. "Then I won't guess anymore."

He Qingzhao smiled and gently stroked her face, comforting her in a tender voice: "Don't be afraid, you'll definitely be able to guess."

Cheng Jiamo thought to herself, "It's just an acrostic poem, it shouldn't be too difficult," so she asked, "What's the reward if I guess it right?"

He Qingzhao put his arm around her shoulder, looking at her with a suave smile: "What do you want?"

Cheng Jiamo's breathing became erratic. She held her breath and shook her head. "I don't know." She added, "I was just saying, I don't really want anything."

He Qingzhao put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his embrace, then lowered his head to kiss her lips: "Want me a kiss as a reward?"

Cheng Jiamo's breathing suddenly tightened, her heart rate became completely erratic, her mind went blank, and she even felt dizzy. She felt like she was about to faint.

He Qingzhao looked at her for a moment, then let go of her hand, smiled, and patted her head: "If you can guess it, I'll take you to see the calligraphy and painting exhibition."

In just a few dozen seconds, Cheng Jiamo felt like she had been on a roller coaster.

Zhuang Yi looked at the message He Qingzhao had sent him on his phone and couldn't help but laugh out loud, cursing as he laughed.

"That old dog He Qingzhao is fucking slutty!"

Ginseng and Astragalus Deer Soup—My heart is pounding like a deer

Half a moon sinks into the river—I love her bright moon.

Toon and Tofu - A Rich Reflection of Spring at Chengmen Temple

Dry-fried rock carp – Jia carp leaping from the lake

Jasmine Milk Pudding - Jasmine Blooms Like Snow

He wrote down the names of the dishes and instructed the waiter: "When you bring them up, introduce each dish one by one, and make sure to say the name of each dish."

The waiter pushed the food cart into the private room, served the first dish, and introduced it with great professionalism.

"Hello, all your dishes have been served."

Cheng Jiamo opened her watery eyes, looked at He Qingzhao who was smiling slyly, and then looked at the waiter.

"The first one, my heart was pounding like a deer."

"The second one is about loving her under the bright moon."

"The third path, the spring scenery of Chengmen is lush."

"The fourth stage: Carp leaping from the lake."

"The fifth one, jasmine blooms like snow."

"Mr. He, Ms. Cheng, please enjoy your meal."

Cheng Jiamo's face turned red instantly after the waiter finished his introduction.

This cobbled-together acrostic poem is so obviously hidden that anyone who has received nine years of compulsory education could guess it.

Seeing her blush, He Qingzhao knew she had guessed, but pretended not to know and asked her with a smile, "Did you guess?"

Cheng Jiamo blushed deeply, her lips pressed tightly together, unable to utter a single word.

It was so obvious, how could she not guess? But even if she did, she was too embarrassed to say it.

He Qingzhao leaned back in his chair with a relaxed posture, tapping his fingers lightly on the table: "If you can't guess, you'll have to accept the punishment."

Cheng Jiamo blushed and asked, "What is the punishment?"

She would rather be punished than accept a minor punishment.

He Qingzhao curled her lips and looked at her with a smile: "Your punishment is to kiss me every day."

Cheng Jiamo felt that this meal was inedible; she was about to turn herself into a dish!

Dry-burning jasmine!

He Qingzhao raised an eyebrow and smiled, "If you can't guess, then I'll punish you."

Startled, Cheng Jiamo hurriedly replied, "I guessed it!"

He Qingzhao leaned closer to her and asked with a smile, "What is it, hmm?"

Cheng Jiamo opened her mouth, about to speak, when she saw a pen on the table. Without thinking, she quickly picked up the pen, tore off a napkin, wrote on it, and hurriedly threw it to him.

He Qingzhao held a napkin and read aloud with deep affection: "I love Cheng Jiamo."

He read very slowly, pausing between each word, and deliberately lowered his voice, making it very low and deep, which sounded sexy and magnetic.

Cheng Jiamo was completely overwhelmed. Her face flushed, her heart pounded, and her breathing became rapid. Her charming peach blossom eyes, as if she had been drinking, were slightly intoxicated as she looked at him with a watery and coquettish expression. She said reproachfully, "He Qingzhao, you deliberately teased me. You... how could you do this?"

He Qingzhao leaned closer to her again, pinched her fair and delicate face, and said in a doting tone, "I'm confessing my feelings to you, don't you understand?"

[Author's Note]

Cheng Jiamo: This scoundrel is too good at this!