Whether it was Xianzong finding a beauty to assuage his woes or Consort Zhao scheming future plots, Yu Xiaoxiao forgot about them both as soon as she left the palace. As she sat opposite Gu Xinglang in the carriage and peered out the window, she grew distracted watching the colorful crowds of people passing back and forth. If possible, she would like her old comrades to see this zombie-free world. People could even walk freely in the streets while laughing and chatting. The air was filled with the scent of food and the autumn sunshine shone warmly on the streets. The trees and branches even had a few green leaves that hadn’t fallen yet.
Yu Xiaoxiao sighed. This world is too wonderful. I have to do my best to live a long life here.
Gu Xinglang was familiar with the world outside the carriage, so he simply looked at his wife instead. Although her expression was still wooden, he could sense that she felt happy.
“Let’s go eat something,” Yu Xiaoxiao said after spotting a large restaurant outside the carriage. “Since Little Seventh’s alright now, we should celebrate.” One needed reasons to visit a restaurant, Yu Xiaoxiao knew.
Naturally, Gu Xinglang could afford to spare the money to treat his wife to a meal. Without a second thought, he nodded and asked, “Which restaurant do you want to go to?”
Yu Xiaoxiao pointed out the window and said, “That one, the ‘Big Bowl Restaurant.’” What an impressive name! A meal’s only a meal if you eat it from big bowls.
Gu Xinglang fell silent. Next door to Big Bowl Restaurant was a two-storey building with lofty windows adorned with carved flowers. That was the capital city’s famous Six Dynasties Spring, but the princess wasn’t interested.
Yu Xiaoxiao’s eyes were sparkling as she looked at Gu Xinglang. “Let’s just pick that one.”
“A-alright,” Gu Xinglang nodded. Although Big Bowl Restaurant was rather well known, it wasn’t famous within the capital. Gu Xinglang had eaten many times at Six Dynasties Spring, but never at its neighbor.
Yu Xiaoxiao couldn’t see Gu Xinglang’s doubts and simply called out to Xiao Zhuang on horseback, “Xiao Zhuang, let’s eat out! My treat!”
Xiao Zhuang quickly asked, “Princess, which restaurant?”
Yu Xiaoxiao said, “Big Bowl Restaurant. Hurry, let’s turn back.”
Thus, the group backtracked until they reached the doors of Big Bowl Restaurant. Its owner was currently standing outside and couldn’t help but think that the carriage and its well-groomed horses, servants, and fine dressed occupants must have stopped in front of its restaurant by accident. Certainly they were going to Six Dynasties Spring instead?
But Yu Xiaoxiao, who jumped off the carriage as soon as it stopped, simply raised her head to look at the signboard above the restaurant before nodding her head. “Big Bowl Restaurant” was a name catering to her tastes.
The owner ran before her, but was soon stopped by two helpers from the kitchens. He bowed and said, “Your Ladyship, Six Dynasties Spring is next door.”
Yu Xiaoxiao told Gu Xinglang, who was being carried down by Xiao Zhuang and Xiao Wei, “Little Gu, this owner is honest and kind. He’s even recommending someone else’s restaurant to us.”
“Ah,” Gu Xinglang replied. It was impossible for him to follow up such a statement.
Yu Xiaoxiao then told Gu Xinglang, “The owner called me a lady. Do I look like a married woman already?” She’d been single until she died in the apocalypse, but here she was already married at 13. It was such a strange feeling that it felt like a dream.
Gu Xinglang, Xiao Zhuang, and Xiao Wei all chuckled internally. Married women have different hairstyles than unmarried ones. Your Royal Highness, don’t you even know this?!
“We’re here for the Big Bowl Restaurant,” Yu Xiaoxiao turned back to the owner. “Are all of your dishes here in big bowls?”
“Your Ladyship, no worries,” the owner replied, “This one’s dishes all come in big bowls.”
“That’s good,” Yu Xiaoxiao waved her hand in the same military gesture she used to command her soldiers. “Your restaurant’s the one.”
The sound of galloping hoofbeats soon approached as a horseback rider joined them. Gu Xinglang’s eyebrows creased at the sight. Astride his stallion, Zuo You grinned at Yu Xiaoxiao and flipped off the horse.
“Princess, are you planning to eat? I’ll treat you. May princess honor me with your presence?”
The owner was so frightened that he started to shake. There was only one princess in all of Fengtian. So this pretty girl’s Princess Linglong, ah! “This one greets Your Royal Highness,” the owner fell on his knees and began to kowtow.
Zuo You didn’t wait for Yu Xiaoxiao to speak before he hauled the man upright. “Princess, let’s have a meal together.”
Gu Xinglang spoke up, “Does Grand Marshal Zuo have words to say to the princess?”
Zuo You only felt angry whenever he saw Gu Xinglang now. First, he was injured by this man in battle. Secondly, he took the girl he liked! Perhaps that surnamed Gu was destined to be his natural enemy.
If someone was treating them to a meal, then they wouldn’t have to spend any money. Of course Yu Xiaoxiao wouldn’t miss out on a deal like that. Before Zuo You could say any words to refuse Gu Xinglang, Yu Xiaoxiao asked, “Are you going to treat all of us here?”
Zuo You didn’t even bother checking how many people Yu Xiaoxiao had with her. As the White Tiger Nation’s Grand Marshal, he might be single, but he still had money. “Treat them? I’ll treat them all.” He slapped his chest full of muscles, the sound as hearty as a drum.
“Let’s go in and eat,” Yu Xiaoxiao told her companions.
The owner led the way to bring them upstairs. Yu Xiaoxiao was so busying climbing them that she never noticed that the Gu Clan’s servants and Zuo You’s attendants discreetly chose to remain in the front hall instead of joining them on the second floor.
The owner brought them to a private room and bent forward to ask what Yu Xiaoxiao wanted to eat. Yu Xiaoxiao looked at Gu Xinglang instead. Zuo You only felt that this owner was rather bad at personal relations. He was the one paying for the meal, so why not ask him?
Gu Xinglang asked Yu Xiaoxiao, “Princess, what do you want to eat?”
Yu Xiaoxiao said, “I’ll eat anything that’s edible.”
Gu Xinglang thus told the owner, “Bring up every one of your signature dishes.”
Xiao Zhuang and Xiao Wei ended up sitting together with three of Zuo You’s attendants. They had grown out beards just like their master and accompanied him to the big stone bridge that night, then into the river after Yu Xiaoxiao tossed them in. Each of them now felt apprehensive at the sight of her. To them, the Fengtian princess’s martial arts were deep and endlessly profound. She looked beautiful, but she wasn’t someone easy to get along with.
Zuo You sat down and looked at Yu Xiaoxiao, “Princess, I just knew I like girls who aren’t picky about their food.”
Gu Xinglang had hardly picked up his teacup when he slammed it back down on the table again. I knew it, this lunatic’s harboring improper thoughts about my wife!
Comments