Amor bajo las estrellas lejanas

Capítulo 95

Interestingly, they didn't order anything, nor did anyone ask them to. Long Ming deliberately avoided the topic, and Xi Ri ignored it, simply waiting to see what tricks Xue Zhu Ge would pull. Sure enough, the dishes were served one after another, and soon everything was ready.

The table was set with three meat dishes, four vegetable dishes, and a soup. The dishes were exquisitely presented and well-matched, with no two ingredients being the same. Xi Ri was quite satisfied. She tasted a few dishes, which were even more delicious than what she usually ate here. It seemed that Long Ming's status here was indeed extraordinary, and the chef must have put in a lot of effort.

Strangely enough, one would expect a man and a woman eating alone together to be a little awkward, but these two showed no embarrassment whatsoever. As soon as the food was served, they didn't stand on ceremony and each picked up their chopsticks to eat, which was quite impolite.

He had only taken two bites when he heard a voice from the doorway say, "Young master, do you have any other instructions?"

"That's all, you can go now," Long Ming said.

The person outside the door replied, "Yes."

The voice was familiar; it belonged to Tong Jia, the head manager of Xuezhu Pavilion. She recalled seeing him several times when she and her four brothers came here for drinks, and she'd witnessed him interacting with them. But compared to him, this manager of the capital's largest restaurant didn't treat the four young masters of the capital with the same respect he showed Long Ming. It seemed he wouldn't dare enter without permission. He was more respectful than a servant than a master.

Xi Ri finally asked, "Is your family really just the richest in Suzhou?"

Long Ming laughed and said, "That goes without saying, everyone knows my family is the richest in Suzhou."

Xi Ri dismissed it: "You must have other identities. You can talk about them if you want, or not if you don't."

Long Ming seemed to think about it seriously for a long time before saying, "I just don't want to talk about it."

Unfortunately, the Japanese man who came with an expectant look was furious upon hearing this.

Long Ming continued, "Don't be angry. Getting angry while eating is bad for your health. It's not that I don't want to tell you, but it's no fun if I just tell you everything. Isn't it better for you to figure it out slowly? How about this, I'll give you some clothes first, so you can eat and drink here for free. Would you like that?"

Xi Ri was secretly delighted upon hearing this, but seeing Long Ming's expectant expression, she felt it might be a trap and couldn't help but ask seriously, "If someone is being overly solicitous, they must have ulterior motives! Tell me, Young Master Long, what tricks do you have up your sleeve!"

Upon hearing this, Long Ming sighed deeply, "You're really hard to fool. Why are you so smart? Can't you be a little slow on the uptake like other women?"

Upon hearing this, Xi Ri realized that this guy was indeed plotting something, and he glared at him, saying, "Tell me! What kind of scheme are you up to!"

Long Ming said helplessly, "The two gold-edged orchids represent my identity."

She was right after all; the golden orchid on Long Ming's collar was indeed a secret. She then asked, "Two golden orchids can represent one's identity? Aren't you afraid someone will impersonate you?"

Long Ming said, "It's not that easy. First, not many people know about this. Second, no one dares to impersonate me; the consequences would be dire. Third, do you think anyone can impersonate me? I look so… (hundreds of words of Long Ming's self-praise omitted here)." Just as Xi Ri was about to smash a soup bowl over his head, he wisely changed the subject: "Even you wouldn't be entirely capable." Long Ming disdainfully looked Xi Ri up and down.

Xi Ri swallowed her anger, knowing that he said although he knew how to disguise himself, his height and build were far inferior, and he couldn't do *that* with him.

Seeing that Xi Ri was speechless, Long Ming continued with satisfaction: "Fourth, the golden orchid is just a symbol. The real things that represent identity are not just this."

Young Master Long looked arrogant and haughty...

Looking at him like that, she really wanted to... She didn't know why, but every time she saw him looking so smug, proud, and arrogant, she would think... Maybe she had a dark side and violent tendencies.

Xi Ri endured it again and again, and after constantly despising herself, she couldn't help but ask out of curiosity, "What else?"

Long Ming's eyes flashed and she said, "You want to know?"

Seeing Long Ming's bright eyes, Xi Ri hesitated for a moment, but still nodded.

Long Ming asked, "Do you really want to see it?"

Why did she feel like he was tempting her? She glanced at him sideways, always feeling that his smile was somewhat...malicious. So she slammed her hand on the table and shouted, "If you want to see, then see; if you don't, then forget it."

"Let me see, let me see." Long Ming said as he reached out and began to unbutton the Chinese knot buttons on his outer robe.

"Hey, what are you doing!" Xi Ri exclaimed in surprise.

"You know, there's always a certain distance between men and women, right? I didn't want to show you, but you insisted, so I had no choice but to sacrifice myself and show you." Long Ming looked helpless.

"Stop! Stop it!" Xi Ri shouted to stop Long Ming, but it was obviously not very effective.

Amidst Long Ming's uncontrollable laughter, Xi Ri covered her eyes and ran out of the private room, but after only one step, she suddenly bumped into someone's arms.

The man exclaimed with delight, "Oh my, this is the first time you've ever thrown yourself at me!" Then, he launched into a tirade of punches and kicks. Then another man chuckled, "I told you not to hit my face! You're always jealous that I'm more handsome and dashing than you. That's not good. You'll have to get used to it."

The second floor of Xuezhu Pavilion is cleverly designed. The private room where Xiri and Longming dined is located at the very back, a very quiet place, with a long sky corridor leading to the front.

Presumably following instructions, no one served them while they ate; only Manager Tong came up to greet them briefly, and then no one else came.

But at this moment, Manager Tong downstairs, thinking that the young master might have already finished his meal, felt he should go up again to inquire and see if there were any instructions, so he hurried up to the second floor. After passing the front hall and walking up the corridor, he turned a few times and heard arguing not far away. He wanted to stop, but then he felt that someone was fighting, so he quickened his pace until he saw... the young master was hugging that handsome, unruly young man, their clothes disheveled, twisting together, and sweetly saying, "I told you not to hit my face, you're always jealous that I'm more handsome and dashing than you..."

At this moment, in Manager Tong's eyes, the handsome young man seemed to be desperately trying to break free from the young master's clutches, while the young master's clothes had been unbuttoned, and he was trying to subdue the young man, as if afraid of hurting him... Finally, he tightly hugged the young man in his arms and refused to let go... At this moment, even the battle-hardened Manager Tong was stunned. The young master... the young master, could he be a man?! In broad daylight, such dissolute behavior, what kind of behavior is this! What kind of behavior is this! Suddenly, he saw the young master's gaze drift towards him, and Manager Tong was struck as if by lightning. His old face turned red with shame. Just as he was about to turn away, he was shocked to hear the young master chuckle and say, "If you repay me with your body, I will show you." Manager Tong quickened his pace to leave, but he still heard the handsome young man roar, "Go to hell, who cares to see!" Manager Tong walked back quickly, his steps slightly unsteady... pretending that he hadn't seen or heard anything. Unexpectedly, he didn't notice a vase around the corner, and his arm bumped into it with a loud crash. Immediately afterward, someone downstairs shouted, "Who's so blind as to throw a vase at Prince Xi! Don't you want to live? Come out and face your death!" At that moment, Manager Tong felt like dying.

When Long Ming and Xi Ri casually came downstairs, they saw the somewhat tired-looking Manager Tong. People were coming and going downstairs, and Manager Tong treated Long Ming like any other customer, the only difference being that he didn't charge her for her meal. It seemed the two golden-edged orchids had indeed worked; at least they didn't have to pay for the meal.

As Manager Tong saw Long Ming off at the restaurant, he glanced at Tian Xiri beside Long Ming, seemingly hesitant to speak. Long Ming noticed Manager Tong's hesitation and said, "Just say what you need to say. She's not an outsider."

The phrase "not an outsider" reminded Manager Tong of the scene in the corridor just now... and her face flushed slightly.

Long Ming noticed it, but didn't point it out.

Manager Tong asked in a low voice, "Is the young master satisfied?"

Long Ming nodded and said, "Not bad. The food is exquisite but not extravagant, the waiters are quick-witted and calm, and the environment is elegant and quiet. Manager Tong of Xuezhu Pavilion has run it very well."

Upon hearing this, Manager Tong's eyes subtly lit up with joy, but he became even more respectful and said, "Thank you for your kind words, young master."

Long Ming nodded.

Shopkeeper Tong added, "Young master, Prince Xi, along with Military Commander Zhao and Commander Xu of the Left Wing of the Vanguard Battalion, are also dining here. Would you like to go and meet them?"

Cousin? My cousin is here too? Remembering the entanglement between my cousin and Xi Ri… Long Ming subconsciously glanced at Xi Ri first, only to see that Xi Ri was looking up at the second floor… Long Ming followed Xi Ri's gaze and looked in the same direction. There was a person standing in the second-floor corridor, also looking in their direction, with slightly furrowed brows, having been watching for who knows how long.

That man was none other than Prince Xi... Suoge.

Long Ming always respected his cousin, so he stepped forward first to pay his respects to Suo Ge. Suo Ge accepted the greeting and asked, "When did you arrive in the capital?"