Upon hearing Li Wuling’s words, Ye Chuan turned in surprise. “What did you say? Aunt?”

 

This woman, though mature and graceful, appeared to be no older than thirty. Could she really be Li Wuling’s aunt?

 

“She’s my grandfather’s brother’s daughter…” Li Wuling quickly explained, his face flustered. “Big brother, cover for me, I’ll hide for a bit!”

 

Before he could make a move, the woman had already walked to the counter. She spoke calmly, her voice even and composed.

 

Li Wuling’s whole body stiffened. Reluctantly, he turned back, his head hanging low like a child caught in the wrong.

 

“Aunt…”

 

“Your uncle asked me to make sure you stay on top of your studies,” she said with an unreadable expression. “You’ve already skipped classes for three days. Care to explain?”

 

Her tone held no anger, no reproach—only a calm, quiet pressure that made Li Wuling shudder.

 

Ye Chuan and Ye Ying’er exchanged glances, both of them thinking the same thing: this woman radiates authority!

 

Even Lin Zhao couldn’t help but be slightly taken aback.

 

“Well… uh… that is…” Li Wuling stammered. “Oh, right! My friend!” He scratched his head awkwardly, trying to cover his tracks. “The restaurant’s new, you know? They’re short-staffed, so I came to help out. I forgot to tell you, Aunt. Hehe…”

 

The woman’s gaze remained steady, her eyes unwavering as she silently looked at Li Wuling, waiting.

 

For a moment, the air felt thick with unspoken tension…

 

Damn…

 

Ye Chuan thought to himself, unable to stop his inner monologue.

 

Who on earth would marry this woman? She’s a force of nature! If I brought her home, it’d be nothing but cold war every day!

 

“Aunt, I was wrong…” Eventually, Li Wuling couldn’t handle the pressure and gave in.

 

“What was your mistake?” The woman’s voice was calm, unyielding.

 

“I shouldn’t have lied. I shouldn’t have skipped classes…”

 

“And?”

 

“That’s it. Honestly, that’s it…” he muttered.

 

“No,” she shook her head gently. “Your greatest mistake is in choosing the wrong friends.”

 

“What?” Li Wuling blinked, confused.

 

“Everything else is beneath you, but only studying matters.”

 

“Only by studying hard can one pass exams and achieve success.”

 

“You come from a prestigious family. How could you associate with merchants and traders, spending your days mingling with them?”

 

“Scholar, farmer, artisan, merchant—there’s a hierarchy. You must always remember that.”

 

Li Wuling was stunned, his mouth hanging open, unable to respond.

 

Meanwhile, behind the counter, Ye Chuan wore an odd expression.

 

Wait… what did I do?

 

Lady, who are you even talking about?

 

You’re blaming me for this?!

 

Even Ye Ying’er, with her usual good nature, couldn’t help but show some irritation.

 

It doesn’t matter how pretty you are—if you insult my friend, you’re the villain!

 

“Well said!”

 

Suddenly, Lin Zhao, who had been listening to the exchange, chimed in, pulling on Ye Chuan’s arm and grinning mischievously.

 

“Ye Chuan, listen to this! ‘Everything else is beneath you, but only studying matters!’”

 

“Why? Because only studying can lead to success, enter the exams, walk the path of glory, and reach the peak of life!”

 

Ye Chuan nearly lost it.

 

Here’s this martial artist, and now he’s quoting parallel structures like a scholar…

 

If you’re going to show off, at least do it with some decency!

 

“You see me? I’m just a martial artist, and now I regret it, but it’s too late!” Lin Zhao continued, his grin widening.

 

“But you, Ye Chuan, you…”

 

Ye Chuan couldn’t hold back a roll of his eyes. “Do you want me to spit in your face?”

 

Lin Zhao was clearly annoyed, but shut up, rolling his eyes dramatically.

 

Despite their back-and-forth, the woman showed no reaction. She remained calm, indifferent to the world around her, her aura commanding and detached.

 

Li Wuling, having snapped out of his shock, suddenly became serious. “Aunt, I admit my mistakes, but…”

 

“Ye Chuan is my brother! Even if you’re my aunt, you can’t belittle him!”

 

With that, he straightened up, bravely meeting her gaze.

 

Wow.

 

Ye Chuan was genuinely surprised.

 

Turns out, he has some backbone after all!

 

“Oh? You’re not admitting your fault?” The woman’s eyes pierced through him.

 

“No!” Li Wuling stood firm.

 

“Alright then,” she replied nonchalantly. “Since you refuse to admit, come with me. You’ll be punished doubly.”

 

The casual tone with which she spoke made it sound like an everyday occurrence.

 

Li Wuling’s face turned pale.

 

Clearly, this punishment was more than a little intimidating to him.

 

“Hey, don’t rush off just yet!” Ye Chuan suddenly spoke up, grinning as he waved at her. “Whether Li Wuling and I are friends or not, it doesn’t change the fact that I’m running a restaurant here.”

 

“It’s almost dinner time, so how about this? Why don’t I treat you to a meal first? We can chat and eat before you leave. What do you say?”

 

The woman stopped, but didn’t even spare him a glance. “No need.”

 

Before Ye Chuan could persuade her further, Lin Zhao spoke up.

 

“Miss, it’s just one meal. It wouldn’t hurt to show some courtesy to your nephew’s friend, would it?”

 

She glanced at Ye Chuan briefly but didn’t react, but when her eyes landed on Lin Zhao, there was a slight pause.

 

This person seemed vaguely familiar…

 

After a brief thought, she seemed to recognize him.

 

He’s one of the guards from the palace!

 

She then glanced back at Li Wuling, who nodded slightly in confirmation.

 

The woman’s eyes narrowed for a split second.

 

A palace guard? What’s he doing here?

 

Could it be… Ye Chuan has some special background?

 

After a moment of contemplation, she spoke again, her tone colder.

 

“Fine, but I’ll decline your offer. Since you’re Li Wuling’s friend, I’ll treat you to this meal instead.”

 

“Your straightforwardness is admirable, Miss,” Ye Chuan replied with a smile. “No need to hold back. Allow me to lead the way!”

 

Turning to the manager, he added, “Watch closely, and learn this level of service.”

 

“And the storyteller you’ve been looking for, is he ready? Have him come over; I want him to observe closely as well.”

 

“Yes, boss!” The manager replied, excited.

 

Ye Chuan was always keen to set a good example for his staff.

 

“Hey, what about me?” Lin Zhao asked, somewhat stunned, watching Ye Chuan eagerly usher the woman.

 

Really? After all that help, and now you’re leaving me out?

 

“You, sir,” Ye Chuan replied, unbothered. “You’re welcome to join us, if you don’t mind.”

 

The woman turned slightly toward him, then nodded.

 

“Sure, why not.”

 

Lin Zhao chuckled, “Well, then, I’ll take you up on that!”

 

Ye Chuan rolled his eyes at Lin Zhao’s shamelessness.

 

They found a quiet table, and Ye Chuan seated the three of them, handing out the menus.

 

“I must ask, Miss, what’s your name?”

 

“Li Zhiqing.”

 

“Li Zhiqing, it’s a pleasure to have you here. You’ll find everything we offer on the menu. Take your time.”

 

Li Zhiqing flipped open the menu, but her eyes immediately caught sight of one section.

 

“What’s this ‘set menu’ about?” She couldn’t help but ask.

 

“This is a special feature of our restaurant,” Ye Chuan explained earnestly. “We offer a wide variety of dishes, and the set menu is designed to provide balanced meals, combining different dishes at a fixed price.”

 

“By comparison, the set menu is more affordable than ordering individual dishes, and it saves time on choosing.”

 

“I see…” Li Zhiqing nodded thoughtfully. There was a flicker of interest in her eyes, something Ye Chuan hadn’t expected.

 

“Since there are three of you, I recommend the ‘three-person meal.’ It’s more affordable than ordering three separate individual meals.”

 

“Oh?”

 

Now Li Zhiqing’s interest was fully piqued. She turned the menu over and started comparing prices.

 

“Hmm, it’s about a 10% discount…”

 

“No… actually, with the set menu, it’s more like 20% off!”

 

“Well, that’s exactly what I’ll have!”

 

Her voice had noticeably risen, but she quickly caught herself.

 

Li Wuling and Lin Zhao exchanged astonished looks.

 

This woman… actually excited over a discount?!

 

Lin Zhao, ever the schemer, couldn’t help but laugh inwardly.

 

Who cares if she’s an ice queen or a freezer? When it comes to discounts and deals, every woman is the same!