Chapter 150: I Never Liked Him at All

Gao Xueluo glanced at him. "There's no need for you to tell me that. I'm very familiar with this place; I’ve already wandered through it several times."

"Alright then, I'll leave it to you."

Shen Nanyuan: "..."

Why did she suddenly have the strange feeling that she was being treated as their big customer?

Sure enough, a moment later, she saw Liu Yuli continue with a grin: "I'm counting on you to bring Young Master Shen here."

Shen Nanyuan: "...???"

Meeting her puzzled gaze, Liu Yuli gave a light cough and said with a straight face, "I heard that Young Master Shen frequently patronizes the Bright Moon Restaurant and is a VIP guest there, so I was thinking of poaching him for our side."

"Our dishes are quite good as well. If Miss Shen has time some other day, you could bring your younger brother over to give them a try."

Shen Nanyuan couldn't help but smile. "Alright."

That was fine.

To do business and immediately think about poaching people from one's own circle—he certainly had a good sense for it.

However, after Liu Yuli finished speaking, he showed no intention of leaving. Gao Xueluo glanced at him, a half-smile on her lips. "Manager Liu, you aren't planning to stay here for dinner, are you?"

"That is exactly my intention," Liu Yuli replied with a frank smile. "This private room you're sitting in was reserved by me for you. Is it too much to ask for a meal in return?"

"Fine," Gao Xueluo said. "But I’m not paying for it."

As if he had expected her to say that, Liu Yuli nodded slightly, his eyes filled with a tenderness even he hadn't noticed.

Before long, the dishes were all served.

Gao Xueluo leaned in toward Shen Nanyuan, smiling. "You must try this. I’m the one who had them improve the recipe!"

As she spoke, she tilted her chin, looking rather proud. "It’s delicious."

Shen Nanyuan picked up a piece of the dish, chewed it, and after a moment, looked up with a faint smile. "It is indeed excellent."

Gao Xueluo raised an eyebrow at Liu Yuli across the table and called out to him, "Did you hear that? If this restaurant does well, you’ll have me to thank."

"And if the business goes poorly, would that also be your fault?"

"That would only be because you didn't manage it well! What does that have to do with me?"

Liu Yuli shrugged helplessly and picked up his chopsticks at a leisurely pace. "Miss Gao is truly the best at shifting responsibility."

"What responsibility have I shifted?" Gao Xueluo looked completely innocent. "This is your restaurant, not mine. If you don't manage it well, of course, it's your own fault."

"Miss Gao seems to have forgotten that, in the future, this restaurant will also be yours."

Gao Xueluo froze instantly, her face flushing red. She became tongue-tied, unable to speak, and even Liu Yuli’s expression turned slightly unnatural.

Shen Nanyuan: "..."

She had come here to eat, not to be fed dog food.

"What?" Liu Yuli acted as if nothing had happened, though his hand hidden under the table tightened. "I didn't say anything wrong; in the future, this restaurant will indeed be yours."

Gao Xueluo’s expression grew even more awkward. She lowered her head and gave a perfunctory response, though she refused to be outdone in words.

"That's not certain. Neither of us likes this betrothal anyway. If some change occurs later and the engagement is broken, this restaurant won't be mine."

Liu Yuli bit his lip, his jaw tightening.

He forced a stiff smile. "Yes, Miss Gao is right. Our marriage is not yet a certainty."

The atmosphere, which had been quite pleasant, suddenly turned cold. Shen Nanyuan was at a loss for words. She could only bury her head in her food and sigh silently.

It was so difficult being caught between two stubborn people.

Liu Yuli didn't eat much before standing up. Looking at Shen Nanyuan, a faint, barely visible smile appeared on his face. "Miss Shen, I’ve just remembered I have some matters to attend to, so I shall take my leave."

Shen Nanyuan looked up. "Very well, Young Master Liu, please go ahead."

The room fell into silence. Gao Xueluo looked unhappy. She took a bite of her food, set down her chopsticks after a moment, and drank her tea in a gloomy mood.

Shen Nanyuan sighed helplessly. "It was going so well just now. Why did you have to say those things?"

"..." Gao Xueluo muttered, "I couldn't help it. I'm just used to bickering with him..."

She huffed. "Besides, he was being unreasonable too. He said the marriage might not happen. It’s not like I have to marry him! There are plenty of noble young masters waiting to propose to me!"

After saying this, her voice grew weaker, and her face clearly showed her unhappiness.

"Forget it, let's not talk about him."

The more she talked, the more stifled she felt.

Shen Nanyuan was at a loss. She sighed and said, "If you like him, you shouldn't say such things to him. Otherwise, in the future..."

Before she could finish, Gao Xueluo shook her head frantically and in a panic. "Who likes him? I don't like him at all!"

Fine.

Either way, there would come a day when she would admit it.

After the two finished their meal, Gao Xueluo led her downstairs and walked familiarly toward the garden in the center.

The crowd was bustling, with people coming and going, looking around with curiosity. By a river not far away, people were sitting and reciting poetry. Gao Xueluo whispered, "There are mostly scholars here. Later, I'll take you somewhere else. There's Cuju, wooden archery, and pitch-pot. I don't know if you like archery, but there's also an area for that."

Shen Nanyuan couldn't help but look shocked.

"Just how big is this place?"

"Smaller than the Duke's Mansion, anyway."

Gao Xueluo continued, "This place can't compare to the Duke's Mansion."

Shen Nanyuan: "..."

The building behind them was slightly smaller than the restaurant in front, but the interior was well-planned and filled with noise and excitement. One could tell at a glance that this place would be incredibly popular in the future.

As her eyes wandered, Shen Nanyuan’s peripheral vision suddenly caught a familiar figure playing Go. His expression was calm, and he didn't seem to have noticed her.

It was Jun Ci.

He had lost quite a bit of weight, yet he still possessed that same gentle, jade-like demeanor. With a few moves, he had completely overwhelmed his opponent.

Come to think of it, Shen Nanyuan hadn't seen him in a long time. Ever since he said he wouldn't come looking for her again, she hadn't seen him once—not at the royal hunt, nor at any banquets. Seeing him now, she felt a strange sense of unfamiliarity.

Gao Xueluo had not seen Jun Ci and poked her head over curiously. "What are you looking at? Let's go, I'll take you to shoot some arrows."

"Alright."

Shen Nanyuan pulled back her gaze.

...

"Enough, stop looking. They've all gone to the archery range in the back."

Liu Yuli walked over leisurely and sat down opposite Jun Ci. He picked up a piece and placed it on the board. "Shall I begrudgingly accompany you to the archery range?"