Meng Zhao listened attentively, nodding occasionally, and then asked, "If I want to find a place closer to the market, do you have any recommendations?" She had inquired before and found that many shops in the capital were standalone shops, and even if they had attached backyards, they were not very large, mainly to distinguish the market from the residential area for easier management.
The waiter smiled and replied, "Then let's go to Wutong Lane. It's surrounded by several markets, so it's convenient to go anywhere. It's just that it's usually crowded and noisy."
After listening, Meng Zhao had a rough idea of what to do. When paying, he took out a few extra copper coins and handed them to the waiter: "Thank you for your guidance, brother. This is just a small token. Keep it to buy a cup of tea."
The waiter took the money, his smile widening as he repeatedly thanked him, "Madam, you're too kind! It's all my duty. By the way, if you go to 'Anshun Brokerage,' just say you were referred by the waiter from Yuelai Restaurant, and I'll definitely give you a discount."
Watching the waiter's cheerful figure, Meng Zhao suddenly began to doubt the truthfulness of his words. This restaurant was located near the city gate, so many newcomers to the city must have consulted him about these things. If he had really mentioned his name, the "Anshun Brokerage" would probably have given the waiter a cut. The city was truly full of tricks. He had only just arrived in the capital and already found that the merchants there were indeed more cunning than he thought.
"Shopkeeper, please try this crispy fried fish, it's really delicious!" Yin Chun put some food on her plate after she finished talking to the waiter.
Meng Zhao picked up the fish, took a small bite, and his eyes lit up slightly. The small river fish, about the size of a thumb, was gutted, coated with a thin layer of starch, fried in a pan until cooked, and then sprinkled with some seasoning powder before being plated. Although the method was simple, the small river fish itself had a fresh and sweet taste, and the outer layer of starch was fried until very crispy. The small river fish also had few bones, so you could just chew and swallow it whole.
It seems that opening a restaurant in the capital is not something that can be done casually.
As they ate, Huang Cui and Yin Chun started arguing over a bowl of steamed egg custard, their faces turning red. Meng Zhao offered to order them another bowl, but they refused. Helpless, Meng Zhao could only shake his head and turn to look at Su Meng beside him.
She was leaning against the window, gazing at the street scene with a distant look in her eyes. Meng Zhao followed her gaze and asked, "What are you looking at? You seem so engrossed."
Su Meng came back to her senses, her eyes filled with longing, and said softly, "Shopkeeper, I used to think that Quyang was already very prosperous, but I didn't expect to see such a sight when I came to the capital. The streets are all paved with bluestone, and my shoes didn't get very dirty at all. The pedestrians on the street are dressed in bright clothes, and you rarely see any patches. Even this waiter speaks in a refined and logical manner. I also want to stay here and live a good life."
Meng Zhao nodded. "Yes, with your abilities, you'll definitely be able to establish yourself in the capital."
Looking at the street scene outside, Su Meng was even happier thinking about settling down in the capital in the future.
The ownership of the steamed egg custard had been decided, and Meng Zhao was about to rest for a bit before leaving when she heard Su Meng say, "Manager, look! I didn't expect the men in the capital to be so handsome compared to those elsewhere. Now I want to stay here even more."
Meng Zhao sighed and rubbed his forehead. "You'd better behave yourself! We've just arrived in the capital and don't know anyone here. If we offend someone, it'll be hard to clean up the mess."
Su Meng, however, disagreed. She reached out and tugged at Meng Zhao's sleeve, her tone urgent: "Shopkeeper, I'm serious! Come and see, in your words, this is a 'top-quality' piece!"
Meng Zhao didn't want to pay attention, but Huang Cui and Yin Chun, upon hearing the word "top-quality," immediately crowded around the window, eagerly asking, "Where is it? Where is it? Let me see too!"
Meng Zhao couldn't dodge in time and was squeezed between the two of them, forced to look out the window. Even without Su Meng pointing, Meng Zhao could tell at a glance who she was talking about.
The man was dressed in a dark brocade robe, the hem fluttering in the wind, revealing the delicate patterns on the fabric. His long, ink-black hair was loosely tied up with a jade hairpin, and his slender neck and shoulders had smooth lines. His fair skin contrasted with the dark robe, and he exuded a restrained and aloof aura.
She used to think that such wide-sleeved robes would make a person's proportions look off, but the silver sash around this person's waist was just right, cinching at his waist and outlining his broad shoulders and narrow waist, making his figure look even taller and more upright. Even without seeing his face, she was certain that this person would not be ugly.
He couldn't help but nod to himself; this figure was indeed top-notch.
However, perhaps their gazes were too direct, because the man who had been talking to the vendor with his back to them suddenly turned his head slightly and gave them a cold look. Meng Zhao's heart tightened, and she immediately wanted to turn around to avoid them, but Huang Cui and Yin Chun squeezed her against the window and she couldn't move.
She urged in a low voice, "Alright, alright, if you've seen enough, hurry up and close the window, don't cause trouble." But before she finished speaking, the man downstairs seemed to sense something, turned slightly to the side, glanced at the window, and then his body trembled, his gaze suddenly fixed on it.
When Meng Zhao saw those eyes, her heart sank, and she knew something was wrong. She suddenly exerted her strength and pulled Huang Cui and Yin Chun down to squat down.
Huang Cui and Yin Chun looked bewildered. Huang Cui stammered, "I... I feel like that person looks familiar..."
Yin Chun nodded and whispered in agreement, "It does look somewhat familiar... but why are we hiding?"
The two looked at Meng Zhao at the same time, only to see that her eyes were lifeless and she had a look of despair. Meng Zhao cried out in her heart, "Heavens above! Didn't they say that the capital city is so big that it would take a long time to run through it on horseback? How come I ran into him on my very first day here!"
Su Meng, still confused, peeked over and asked, "Why are you squatting down? Do you know that person?"
Seeing Su Meng's excited face, Meng Zhao couldn't help but feel an itch in her teeth. Just as she was about to say something, she heard a series of hurried footsteps coming from the stairs. However, the footsteps slowed down as they approached the second floor, becoming steady and powerful. When Meng Zhao stood up and looked up, she saw Shen Qing walking towards her step by step.
Two years had passed, and Shen Qinghe had changed a lot. Not only did his eyes and brows have become more stern, but he also exuded an aura that made him unapproachable. Otherwise, Meng Zhao would not have failed to recognize him at first. As he approached, Meng Zhao exhaled and calmed himself down before smiling and saying, "Second brother, what a coincidence that we met here."
Shen Qinghe remained silent, staring intently at her, his eyes seemingly churning with a thousand emotions. After a moment, he managed to squeeze out a single sentence from the depths of his throat: "You've come to the capital, why don't you go home?"
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