The abstinent and powerful minister is cold and aloof during the day, but he adores her in his dream

Chapter 70 Zhiwan: Cousin, you're so kind
Zhiwan was taken aback and looked up.

"Now that you're full, let's go," Lu Zhan said, already standing up.

Zhiwan immediately understood and stood up, saying, "I'm full."

"Mm." Lu Zhan responded, then looked at Old Madam Lu, "Grandmother, please enjoy your meal. I'll take my cousin back first." With that, he turned and walked straight outside.

After bowing to everyone, Zhiwan hurriedly followed them out.

Leaving behind a group of people with their own thoughts and feelings.

Upon exiting Fushou Hall, Zhiwan saw Lu Zhan standing outside the door, giving Chen Jiu some instructions. Chen Jiu glanced in her direction and then quickly walked away.

Zhiwan paused, walked over, and curtsied to Lu Zhan, saying, "Thank you for helping me out tonight, cousin."

Lu Zhan glanced at her and asked, "Are you full?"

Zhiwan was taken aback. Hadn't he already asked that?

She was about to nod when Lu Zhan said, "I'm not full, let's go."

Zhiwan: "..."

"What are you still standing there for?" Lu Zhan turned his head and glanced at her.

Zhiwan suppressed her doubts and had no choice but to follow.

Only after leaving the Duke of Dingguo's mansion did she belatedly realize that her cousin was leaving the mansion.

Sure enough, not long after, the coachman from the manor drove the carriage to a stop in front of the manor gate and set up a saddle stool.

Lu Zhan said to Shuang'er, who was following him, "Help your young lady into the carriage."

Shuang'er was also puzzled, but she still stepped forward and helped Zhiwan into the carriage.

Just as Zhiwan settled into the carriage, Lu Zhan bent down and walked in.

Soon, the carriage started moving.

Zhiwan twisted her handkerchief, looked at the man's cold face, and finally couldn't help but ask, "Cousin, where are we going?"

"What, are you afraid I'll sell you off?" Lu Zhan raised his eyes and looked at her calmly.

Zhiwan was taken aback. "I didn't think that way." She paused, then added, "My cousin would never sell me out."

"You trust me that much?" Lu Zhan raised an eyebrow slightly.

“My cousin wouldn’t harm me,” Zhiwan said confidently.

If her cousin wanted to harm her, he wouldn't have repeatedly come to her rescue.

My cousin may seem cold, but he has a good heart.

Hearing the girl's confident tone, Lu Zhan's lips curled slightly. "Let's go to Baiweilou."

Zhiwan was taken aback.

She quickly recalled her cousin saying that he hadn't eaten enough outside the Fushou Hall.

So they were going to eat at Baiweilou Restaurant.

"I'm full," she said quickly.

"Yes, it's because I haven't eaten enough," Lu Zhan said.

Zhiwan opened her lips, as if to say that she didn't need to go, but her cousin had already taken out a book from the hidden compartment and was flipping through it.

She had no choice but to shut her mouth.

She had never been out at night before, but hearing the lively sounds outside, she couldn't help but push open the window and look out.

The capital city at night was just as bustling and lively as it was during the day, with pedestrians jostling shoulder to shoulder on the streets, creating a vibrant atmosphere.

She couldn't help but be drawn to the lively scene before her.

Upon arriving at Baiweilou, Lu Zhan alighted from the carriage first, followed by Zhiwan.

As soon as she stepped off the carriage, a familiar voice called out, "Wanwan!"

Just as Zhiwan looked up, she saw Ouyang Zhenzhu running over.

"Pearl!" Seeing her, Zhiwan was also very happy. "What are you doing here?" Ouyang Pearl took her arm and said with a smile, "Lord Lu sent Chen Jiu to my house to say that Lord Lu is hosting dinner tonight, so I came with my brother."

Upon hearing this, Zhiwan finally noticed Ouyang Lei following behind her.

So, when we were outside Fushou Hall, my cousin instructed Chen Jiu to go to the Ouyang family to invite the two siblings.
"Cousin Zhiwan," Ouyang Lei greeted her.

"Young Master Ouyang," Zhiwan curtsied.

Ouyang Lei glanced at Lu Zhan and teased, "I was wondering why you were so kind as to invite my brother and me to dinner today. Turns out it's all thanks to my cousin Zhiwan."

Zhiwan was taken aback. "Young Master Ouyang, you've misunderstood. My cousin invited you to dinner not because..."

"It's getting late, let's go inside," Lu Zhan said calmly.

Ouyang Shaoqing immediately put his arm around his shoulder and said, "It's rare for you to treat me to dinner, so I'm definitely going to have a few more drinks tonight."

"Well, it would be best if he got completely drunk, reeking of alcohol at tomorrow's morning court, so that the Emperor would reprimand him," Lu Zhan said unhurriedly.

Ouyang Shaoqing choked for a moment, then said sullenly, "If you can't drink alcohol, then I'll order the most expensive and best dishes."

“Hmm.” Lu Zhan had no objection.

Ouyang Shaoqing looked at him in surprise.

Why is Lao Lu so easy to talk to today?
Could it be that they've prepared another trap for him to fall into?

"Old Lu, I have a feeling this dinner party tonight is a trap?" he said warily.

"Then don't eat." Lu Zhan brushed away the hand that was on his shoulder and went into the private room first.

“It’s just a meal, but you’re the one with the most cunning. You’d better not eat and just stand there and watch us eat.” Ouyang Zhenzhu pushed aside Ouyang Lei, who was blocking her way, and pulled Zhiwan inside.

Ouyang Lei: "..."

Lu Zhan had already made arrangements in advance, so as soon as the group sat down, the waiter from Baiweilou brought out all the dishes.

Looking at the table full of dishes, Zhiwan glanced at Lu Zhan with some surprise.

There are only four of them, why would they need so many dishes?

"These dishes don't suit your taste?" Lu Zhan asked calmly when he saw that she hadn't touched her chopsticks for a long time.

"No," Zhiwan said quickly, snapping out of her daze. After a pause, she whispered, "I'm sorry to have troubled you tonight, cousin."

Even though she was slow to realize it, her cousin said he hadn't eaten enough, but that was just an excuse to bring her here to eat.

To make her feel more comfortable, Chen Jiu specially asked him to bring over Ouyang Lei and Ouyang Zhenzhu, a brother and sister.

She didn't eat much at Fushoutang that evening, but she didn't expect her cousin to notice and go to the trouble of arranging this dinner.

She felt a warmth in her heart, and the embarrassment she felt at Fushou Hall that evening dissipated.

Looking at the little girl's slightly red eyes and nose, Lu Zhan said calmly, "I need to eat too, don't overthink it."

"Cousin, you're so kind," Zhiwan said from the bottom of her heart.

She doesn't need to care about other people's opinions, because her aunt, uncle, and cousin all love her very much. When others embarrass her, they will all speak up for her and protect her.

Meeting the little girl's adoring gaze, Lu Zhan was speechless.

He coughed lightly and said in a deep voice, "Let's eat."

"Yes." Zhiwan picked up her chopsticks, lowered her head and started eating. She found the food at Baiweilou to be really delicious.

After the meal, Zhiwan picked up her teacup and said, "I'll toast my cousin with tea instead of wine."

"Using tea instead of wine is too insincere; we must drink wine," Ouyang Lei jeered.

Ouyang Zhenzhu chimed in, "That's right, we have to drink."

Seeing the brother and sister who were blindly making a fuss without understanding the reasoning behind it, Zhiwan felt somewhat helpless.

Lu Zhan glanced at the brother and sister indifferently, "If you want to drink, please do so!" After saying that, he picked up the teacup in front of him, drank the tea in one gulp, and then looked at Zhiwan, "Let's go back."

Seeing this, Zhiwan quickly finished her tea and got up.

Ouyang Lei and his sister: "..."

(End of this chapter)