The courtyard house was open, and two waiters in long gowns greeted guests at the door.
Meng Wan stepped forward, with three people behind her staring intently at her. A waiter approached and said something to Meng Wan.
"Oh no, oh no, am I going to get kicked out?"
"No, look at how respectful the waiter is, he obviously knows Meng Wan."
Sure enough, as soon as Lin Mi finished speaking, the waiter nodded to them and made way for them. He said something into the walkie-talkie, and soon someone rushed out from inside.
"manager."
"Manager? Just who is this young lady?" The waiter's voice surprised them even more.
"Miss Meng! Why didn't you tell us in advance? We could have prepared it for you ahead of time."
"Just grabbing a quick bite with my roommate."
"We've reserved a private room for you. This way, please."
Meng Wan nodded, but then noticed the others still standing there whispering amongst themselves.
"Not leaving?"
"Let's go! Let's go!" Guo Qingqing reacted, took Xu Jiaojiao's hand with one hand and Lin Mi's arm with the other, and pulled the two of them inside.
The interior layout made the three of them feel as if they had arrived in Jiangnan. The small bridges, flowing water, and elegant Lingnan-style architecture were breathtaking.
"So beautiful," Guo Qingqing exclaimed.
Ahead, Meng Wan stood under the bridge waiting for them, showing no sign of urging them. She said something to the manager, who then left after listening.
Lin Mi was the one who reacted first, and awkwardly tugged at Guo Qingqing's sleeve.
"Sorry, do we look like we've never seen the world before?" Guo Qingqing scratched her head.
"It's normal for people to come here for a walk after dinner to digest their food."
Meng Wan pointed to the side, and there were quite a few people taking a walk, and some sitting in your courtyard drinking tea, very leisurely. No one noticed their side.
The group breathed a sigh of relief, and their goodwill towards Meng Wan increased considerably.
"Where is the manager?"
"I told him to go prepare first. Do you want to stay and watch for a while longer, or are you going to eat?"
"Let's eat!" the three said in unison.
Meng Wan nodded and led them forward.
Some of the men hesitated to order, since one dish could cost them several months' worth of living expenses. Meng Wan didn't say anything, but after asking them if they had any dietary restrictions, she ordered several of their signature dishes.
When they heard the manager checking, the group gritted their teeth, as if they were the ones suffering a massive hemorrhage, but they dared not say anything, afraid of embarrassing Meng Wan in front of the manager.
Only after the manager left did Xu Jiaojiao speak, her voice trembling.
"Meng Wan, isn't this too much?"
"If you can't finish it, you can pack it up and take it home for a late-night snack."
"Do you young ladies also pack up leftovers?" Lin Mi asked curiously. Although she kept calling her "young lady," she no longer had the prejudice she had at the beginning.
"I'm not some rich girl. I'll still save money when I need to," Meng Wan chuckled, not feeling offended by her words.
"This meal must have cost 50,000 yuan, and she's not even a rich girl?" Guo Qingqing exclaimed as exaggeratedly as ever. "She's beautiful and rich. In my next life, can I experience the life of a winner without lifting a finger?"
Meng Wan heard her wailing, smiled, and said nothing.
The phone rang; it was Yan Nian.
"I'm going to take this call. Someone will be serving the food in a bit. You can start eating right away. Don't wait for me. I've already paid the bill, so don't worry. I'll be right back."
After saying that, she left without waiting for the three of them to say anything.
The three looked at each other, unsure of what to do for a moment.
"Have you paid the bill?" Guo Qingqing asked softly.
Xu Jiaojiao shook her head; she only saw the manager order the food and leave.
"It's just a phone call, there's no need to worry so much." Compared to that, Lin Mi wasn't worried at all.
"Hey, isn't this Meng Wan?" Before the food was even served, Guo Qingqing was browsing the school's official website when she saw a photo of Meng Wan and Yan Nian arriving at school together that morning.
"Who's that next to me?" Xu Jiaojiao asked.
"His boyfriend seems to be rich and good-looking. I'm so envious."
Upon hearing this, Lin Mi also came over.
"Our school has this senior? No way, someone this handsome must have been posted on the confession wall before, how could there only be this one photo?"
“He’s a freshman. Someone saw him registering at the Finance Department.” Lin Mi handed the two photos she had found to them.
"A perfect match, absolutely stunning."
"And this too!" Xu Jiaojiao blushed and patted their arms. It was a photo of Yan Nian and Meng Wan kissing each other at the school gate.
The caption reads: Who understands? I was fed dog food on the first day of school.
The three were chatting enthusiastically when a knock on the door interrupted their conversation.
They are the waiters who serve the food.
The group immediately quieted down and returned to their seats.
"Why hasn't Meng Wan come back yet?" Guo Qingqing looked towards the door.
"I'll go out and take a look," Lin Mi volunteered.
Lin Mi followed the path she had come from and tentatively asked the waiter if he knew where Meng Wan was. Unexpectedly, it seemed as if everyone knew her, and she quickly found Meng Wan with the help of the waiter.
Meng Wan had already hung up the phone; a man was standing in front of her.
"What a coincidence, I didn't expect to meet you again." Hu Lou greeted Meng Wan with a smile, making it seem as if they had known each other for a long time.
Meng Wan nodded in response and was about to leave when Hu Lou blocked her way.
"Have you forgotten me? Hu Lou, I saw you this morning."
"Is there something you need?"
"Did you come alone? I didn't see Yan Nian. By the way, is he your boyfriend?"
The three questions in a row, with their extremely unrestrained questioning, made Meng Wan frown.
"Is it related to you?"
"You're so cold. Girls are cuter when they smile more."
Faced with Meng Wan's indifference, Hu Lou did not back down but instead pressed on.
Meng Wan lost her patience and reached out to call for help. There were surveillance cameras everywhere in the area, and someone would arrive quickly if anything happened. It wasn't that she didn't want to take action, but it was her own restaurant, and she didn't want to cause trouble and ruin her reputation.
The next second, a voice interrupted the two people whose emotions were running deep.
"Meng Wan!"
Meng Wan turned around and saw Lin Mi. She walked over calmly and took her arm in a seemingly intimate manner.
Meng Wan wasn't used to getting too close to people she didn't know well, but she didn't push her away, intending to see what the other woman wanted to do.
Hu Lou was also looking her over, but Lin Mi didn't look at him.
"Let's go, the food is served. Qingqing and the others asked me to come and find you."
"Okay." Meng Wan nodded, and the two left hand in hand. This time, Hu Lou did not follow.
"Interesting," Hu Lou chuckled.
"Young Master Hu, the old master is calling for you."
Hu Lou raised an eyebrow, composed himself, and turned his head, looking like a cheerful young man.
"good."
He agreed and left with Mr. Hu's assistant.
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