It was Ren Queyue, still dressed just as sharply and handsomely as yesterday.
She chatted animatedly with the people at her table. It looked like this was the singles mixer she had mentioned.
Xiong Yibai thought back to Zhao Shutong’s distracted state at the door earlier and pieced together about seventy to eighty percent of the situation.
At that moment, the server handed over the menu.
Xiong Yibai quickly ordered for herself and Feng Miwan, then said politely to the server:
“Sorry, could we switch to that window seat over there?”
The server glanced at the empty seats and nodded. “Of course, ma’am. Please follow me.”
Though a bit puzzled, Feng Miwan obediently followed Xiong Yibai to the window seat.
As soon as they sat down, she asked, “Yibai, why did we switch seats?”
Xiong Yibai whispered to Feng Miwan:
“The view here’s great.”
“We can watch the show.”
Feng Miwan raised an eyebrow. “What show?”
Xiong Yibai nodded toward the diagonal front.
Feng Miwan looked in that direction and spotted Ren Queyue as well.
Xiong Yibai explained, Ren Queyue and Zhao Shutong are exes who’ve been involved for a long time.
Feng Miwan let out a loud exclamation: “Ah?!!!”
Xiong Yibai raised a finger to her lips, signaling her to keep it down as they waited for the drama to unfold.
Just then, Ren Queyue seemed to say something to her tablemates before standing up and heading straight toward the restaurant door—right to Zhao Shutong, who was still leaning against the railing.
Feng Miwan grabbed Xiong Yibai’s hand in excitement. “Whoa, she’s going over! She’s going over!”
Outside the restaurant, Ren Queyue approached Zhao Shutong from behind and cleared her throat. “Hey, beautiful, I spotted you from over there and thought you…”
Zhao Shutong turned around slowly, cutting her off with a mocking curve to her lips:
“…look a lot like my ex, right?”
Ren Queyue froze upon seeing who it was, her mind erupting in alarms, frantically flashing:
Oh crap!
What do you do when trying to get a friend’s WeChat leads you straight to your ex?!
Online, urgent!
Zhao Shutong eyed her. “Oh, or maybe not just an ex—could be an ex-ex.”
She deliberately looked Ren Queyue up and down.
“Or… an ex-ex-ex?”
Ren Queyue snapped out of it, embarrassed. She tugged at her lips and let out a dry laugh:
“Heh… heh heh… Your mouth’s still as venomous as ever, dipped in poison.”
Zhao Shutong crossed her arms, her gaze challenging:
“Never tasted the poison before?”
Ren Queyue waved her hands frantically. “Hey! Zhao Shutong! Public place—watch your image! Don’t go zero to sixty right off the bat!”
She tried to change the subject. “Uh… anyway, since we’re here, how have you been lately?”
Zhao Shutong arched a brow. “You said it’s a public place yourself. Can’t exactly lift my shirt to show you.”
Ren Queyue nearly choked on her own saliva, her face turning red:
“…Talk about… something that’d pass review!”
“Fine,” Zhao Shutong pointed at the restaurant. “What are you doing here?”
Ren Queyue: “Attending a singles mixer.”
Mockery practically dripped from Zhao Shutong’s tone:
“Ohhh—a disguised blind date, huh? Ren Queyue, after we broke up, have you really sunk to needing group matchmaking just to find someone?”
“And I glanced at your table earlier. The quality… well, mixed bag. You’re really that desperate?”
Ren Queyue laughed in exasperation at the roast:
“Zhao Shutong, I suggest you purse your lips at security checks from now on. I’m afraid they’ll confiscate that mouth as a controlled weapon.”
Zhao Shutong sneered. “I can tell you really hate these mixer folks. You’d rather ditch them to hit on a strange beauty.”
Ren Queyue: “…Pretty full of yourself.”
Zhao Shutong tossed her hair:
“Beautiful and knows it. What’s wrong with that? If looks and figure could pay for meals, I’d be eating free king’s feasts every day.”
Ren Queyue laughed in annoyance at her brazen attitude and pointed at the nearby Phoenix Tree Fine Rain restaurant:
“Fine then, go eat a king’s feast right now and show me. All talk, no action.”
Zhao Shutong turned and strode into the restaurant. “Watch me.”
Ren Queyue hurried after her, curious what trick she’d pull.
Zhao Shutong sat at the nearest empty table by the door and snapped her fingers at the approaching server:
“One lava chocolate cake, thanks.”
The dessert arrived quickly.
Zhao Shutong scooped it up in a few bites.
She shoved the empty plate toward the server:
“Check, please. Paying with looks.”
The server nodded. “Right away, boss. Payment successful. Come again.”
Ren Queyue stared in shock and grabbed the departing server:
“Wait! Your shop really accepts payment by looks?”
The server hesitated and glanced instinctively at Zhao Shutong.
Out of Ren Queyue’s sight, Zhao Shutong quickly flashed a “thumbs down” gesture.
The server got it and smiled professionally at Ren Queyue. “Normal payment only for you, ma’am.”
Ren Queyue felt like she’d been struck by lightning, thinking:
What? Does that mean my looks aren’t good enough?!
Zhao Shutong elegantly wiped her mouth, not sparing her a glance, and returned to leaning against the railing at the door.
At that moment, a girl from the mixer came over and whispered to Ren Queyue:
“Sis Wan, did you get the WeChat? Why’d you chat so long?”
Ren Queyue waved her off listlessly:
“No luck, and ran into some trouble. I’m out of the mixer—have fun without me.”
Without waiting for a reply, she marched back to Zhao Shutong.
“Zhao Shutong, you tricked me!”
Zhao Shutong looked up. “How’d I trick you?”
“Why could you pay with looks but not me?”
“Simple.”
Zhao Shutong leaned in close, grinning like a fox. “Because this place—it’s mine.”
Ren Queyue: “…When did you open a shop? Inherit the family business?”
“None of your business.”
Zhao Shutong arched a brow. “Ex.”
The two launched into another round of banter.
Inside the restaurant, Feng Miwan learned the story from Xiong Yibai:
“No wonder Shutong’s been so weird…”
“But this is too dramatic! Better than a TV drama!”
Xiong Yibai watched the lively argument outside, her lips curving up. “Indeed.”
Outside the window, Ren Queyue protested: “…You still can’t lie about paying with looks!”
Zhao Shutong shrugged. “I never lied. I didn’t say you could—I said I could.”
“That’s misleading!”
“So? If you’ve got the skills, open your own shop.”
Ren Queyue was speechless with anger but helpless against her.
She stared at Zhao Shutong for a moment, then noticed something. “You’re just having dessert for lunch?”
