Li Yundong's words drew the gazes of the surrounding guests, while the waiter's face fell as he mumbled, "But this is a Western restaurant..."

Zhou Qin, seized by a sudden playful mood, was entirely set on indulging Li Yundong’s antics here. She stated bluntly, "Go get three pairs of chopsticks. I know you have them here!"

The waiter, looking miserable, went and soon returned with three pairs of chopsticks.

Ignoring the various stares, Li Yundong picked up a pair, laughed heartily, and declared, "Eating French food with chopsticks—now that is East-meets-West fusion!"

Zhou Qin, usually careful and reserved, was particularly mindful of her public image. She had never encountered such an impudent rogue as Li Yundong.

Having spent so much time with Su Chan, Li Yundong had become increasingly unrestrained, paying no mind to how others perceived him. He had once demolished an entire building; eating a meal with chopsticks in a Western restaurant was hardly a big deal to him.

Zhou Qin found the situation amusing and thrilling. Smiling faintly, she used her chopsticks to pick up a piece of foie gras pâté and placed it on Li Yundong’s plate: "Try this, it’s a famous French delicacy."

Li Yundong smiled, took a bite of the pâté, and then offered it to Su Chan: "You try some?"

Su Chan took a bite and commented while eating, "Not bad, but not as delicious as what Yundong cooks!"

Zhou Qin looked at Li Yundong in surprise: "You cook?"

The waiter who was serving dishes glanced at Li Yundong, his expression impassive, but inwardly he felt disdain: These ill-mannered brutes understand fine cuisine?

Li Yundong chuckled, "I don't know how to cook French food, but I know a bit of Chinese cooking."

Zhou Qin smiled admiringly, "I can do many things, but cooking is definitely not one of them."

Li Yundong picked up a scallop from in front of him, popped it into his mouth, and said, "Girls really shouldn't go into the kitchen. For one, the smoke ruins the skin, and two..."

Li Yundong turned to glance at Su Chan, then laughed, "Two, it’s easy to cause trouble!"

Su Chan and Li Yundong exchanged a look only they could understand, shared a smile, and Su Chan stuck her tongue out at him.

Zhou Qin was sharp; she knew there was a shared history between these two that outsiders couldn't grasp. With tact, she didn't press the matter, merely using her chopsticks to eat slowly, unlike Li Yundong and Su Chan who were eating with great gusto, chatting loudly, as if they were at a street stall.

The surrounding patrons shot them looks of contempt, muttering criticisms under their breath.

A while later, the serving waiter approached with an apologetic expression and told Zhou Qin, "I am truly sorry, but our premium caviar was reserved for today and we have no more stock."

Hearing this, Zhou Qin stopped conversing with Li Yundong. She switched from French back to Chinese and said, "Get your manager."

The waiter, looking deeply troubled, fetched the manager. The manager turned out to be Chinese. He bowed respectfully to Zhou Qin and said in Chinese, "How may I be of service?"

Zhou Qin stated, "I wish to order the premium caviar. Your waiter said it was already booked?"

The manager smiled thinly, "Yes, truly regrettable. That specific caviar is extremely rare, we only receive a small amount once a month, so the orders were filled long ago. Perhaps you would care to order something else?"

Zhou Qin frowned slightly. She reached into her small Louis Vuitton bag and pulled out a slender card made of pure gold, handing it over: "Cancel the previous order. Make it for me!"

The manager glanced at the gold card, a troubled look crossing his face. He knew that the number of people possessing such a card in Tiannan City could be counted on one hand; only the elite and powerful could own one. Not only he, but even the owner of this establishment absolutely could not afford to offend such a person!

He hesitated for a moment before saying, "Very well, I will make the arrangements."

Before he could leave, Zhou Qin added, "Also, please order me a mid-length skirt from the mall next door. Your server got my dress wet."

The manager profusely apologized, inquired about the size and style of the skirt Zhou Qin required, shot a fierce glare at the offending waiter, and then cautiously departed.

Li Yundong laughed, "It’s nice being rich; people run around doing errands for you."

Zhou Qin said with a trace of melancholy, "The rich have their worries, and the poor have theirs. No one should envy anyone else. As for me, I envy you two. I hope you can continue like this forever."

Su Chan hooked her arm through Li Yundong’s and chirped happily, "Of course! We absolutely will stay like this forever!"

Li Yundong affectionately pinched the little girl’s cheek: "Hey, let go!"

Su Chan looked at him with a hurt expression: "You're tired of me already?"

Li Yundong laughed, "Silly girl, I’m going to the restroom. Are you coming with me?"

Su Chan made a face: "Go ahead, you smell!"

Li Yundong shook his head and smiled, saying to Zhou Qin, "Excuse me, I need to step away for a moment."

Watching Li Yundong leave, Zhou Qin studied the girl who was so spoiled by him. She couldn't help but muse: regardless of the aspect, this girl was the epitome of a dream woman plus a beloved pet, and with such a lively, cheerful, cute, and obedient personality, it would be strange if she wasn't adored by men.

Zhou Qin sincerely remarked, "Your boyfriend treats you so well."

Su Chan, utterly guileless, puffed out her chest proudly upon hearing Zhou Qin’s words, showing off: "Of course he does!" She then proceeded to boastingly recount every instance of how Li Yundong cooked for her, the mischief she caused, and how Li Yundong always tolerated it without ever blaming her.

The more Zhou Qin listened, the more envious and jealous she became, especially when she heard that Li Yundong once maxed out a card debt of tens of thousands just to get Su Chan beautifully dressed, which astonished her.

A boy who isn't wealthy, possessing only ten thousand, gives the girl all his money; while a billionaire with assets worth billions gives the girl one hundred thousand.

Though the latter seems like a greater sacrifice in terms of raw value, the former is a complete offering of everything he has, while the latter is mere charity—a drop in the ocean.

Buddhism teaches that a donation of ten thousand guàn by a man rich enough to rival a nation is far less meritorious than a poor, destitute family bankrupting themselves to offer a single stale bun to the Buddha!

In all her interactions with men, Zhou Qin had mostly encountered respect, politeness, flattery, or feigned depth. Regardless of the façade, they always wanted something from her. Never had anyone offered her everything without demanding anything in return!

"When will someone treat me like that?" Zhou Qin momentarily drifted into a daze.

Soon after, Li Yundong returned from the washroom. Seeing the two girls staring blankly at each other, he worried they had argued and asked, "What's wrong with you two?"

Zhou Qin glanced at Li Yundong, her eyes complex and wistful: "Nothing. I suddenly realize that what you often miss in this world is what you should cherish the most..."

Li Yundong was utterly confused by this abrupt, disconnected statement. He looked at Su Chan: "Hey, did you say something you shouldn't have?"

Su Chan pouted indignantly, "Hmph, am I the kind of person who just blurts things out?"

Li Yundong nodded seriously: "You are. I'm absolutely certain!"

Su Chan’s lips jutted out high: "Annoying!"

Zhou Qin smiled, helping Su Chan out, "Actually, Su Chan was just telling me some stories about your past. You really... treat her wonderfully."

Li Yundong smiled and went to pinch Su Chan’s pouting lips. Su Chan giggled and dodged away. While playfully wrestling with the little girl, he laughed, "When I was at my lowest, she was the only one who still believed in me and was willing to stay by my side. If I don't cherish her, who should I cherish?"

Su Chan protested, "But you still yelled at me!"

Li Yundong feigned anger, "Still daring to talk back!"

Zhou Qin watched the pair continue their oblivious playing and suddenly felt the smile on her face freeze uncontrollably. A wave of deep discomfort churned inside her; she couldn't bear to stay another second.

Fortunately, the mid-length skirt she ordered had arrived. Zhou Qin seized the excuse and stood up, forcing a smile: "I’m going to change."

Li Yundong saw that a large patch of Zhou Qin's dress was indeed wet, looking quite awkward, almost as if she’d had an accident. He nodded, "Alright, but be quick. If we finish eating before you're back, I won't wait!"

Then, Li Yundong pointed at Su Chan and winked suggestively, "This girl has a huge appetite; you’ve seen it!"

Su Chan playfully lunged behind Li Yundong, clawing and biting him: "You’re badmouthing me again!"

Li Yundong burst into laughter, and Zhou Qin smiled before quickly leaving.

The traditional French menu consists of thirteen courses. As Zhou Qin departed, a waiter pushed another trolley over, bearing a bowl of Bouillabaisse, the second traditional course.

Not long after, the waiters kept arriving like a flowing stream, pushing trolleys one after another, presenting dish after dish. In a short time, Li Yundong’s table was laden with a dazzling array of French cuisine.

Li Yundong and Su Chan were overwhelmed. Su Chan swallowed nervously and cautiously whispered to Li Yundong, "This meal must cost a fortune, right?"

Li Yundong was also feeling uneasy. He nodded, his small-town mentality surfacing, and he pretended to be knowledgeable: "It’s probably at least a few thousand!"

The nearby waiter rolled his eyes internally. Just the foie gras sauce in front of you costs thousands! This entire course will run over twenty thousand! Not to mention the top-tier caviar—that stuff is called black gold; you wouldn't even see it for less than tens of thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands! These two look presentable, but what bumpkins!

Although Su Chan was now one of the rising stars among the younger generation of cultivators, and Li Yundong was a promising newcomer just beginning his journey, even the mightiest cultivators could not escape the mundane world, nor could they escape money!

Wealth, companions, dwelling place, tools—the wealth aspect is ranked second for a reason!

The modern Chinese Daoist master Chen Yuning once said: "Before grasping the Way, the difficulty lies in the Dharma; after grasping the Way, the difficulty lies in wealth."

Even the most popular Buddhist temples rely on offerings to survive, let alone Li Yundong and Su Chan, who are navigating the mortal world!

A single coin can stump a hero, whether past or present!

Looking at the exquisite spread of French food, Su Chan suddenly asked, "Hey, Yundong, what if Zhou Qin just runs off?"

Li Yundong froze, a cold sweat breaking out on his back, and stammered, "No way!"

Su Chan looked worried, "What if she really leaves? What if we can’t pay the bill?"

Li Yundong tapped Su Chan’s forehead: "Idiot, stop talking nonsense. If that happens, I’ll leave you here as collateral!"

Su Chan gave him a mournful look: "Then you have to remember to come back and get me!"

Li Yundong burst out laughing, pulled Su Chan into a tight hug, and kissed her loudly. He whispered in her ear, "Silly girl, how could I bear to leave you here as collateral! After we finish eating, we’ll slip away while they aren’t looking!"

Su Chan’s face lit up: "Great! Then let’s eat fast, eat everything and drink everything!"

Li Yundong automatically added, "And pack up whatever we can’t finish!"

The two looked at each other and burst into laughter, as if they had just pulled off something magnificent, filled with glee and triumph.

Just as the two were plotting to dine and dash if Zhou Qin didn't return, a voice suddenly sounded nearby: "Oh, look who this is. What a coincidence! You guys actually come to a place like this? Tsk tsk—using chopsticks for French food, that's hilariously creative. Impressive, truly impressive!"

Li Yundong thought the voice sounded familiar. He turned his head and saw a handsome young man staring at him with open mockery and contempt. This young man was none other than Liu Chuan, the rich second-generation heir whom Li Yundong had previously played a trick on in the classroom.

[End of current chapter]