The landlord has multiple personalities and wants everyone to pay him.

Although Ye Shu was still wondering what this place, Chen Chui was, since Sister Xia Qing had already let him in, Ye Shu followed her inside.

As soon as you enter, a rather unique fragrance wafts up.

The scent is hard to describe; it's somewhat like the faint sandalwood incense from a temple Ye Shu once visited, but not as strong, more delicate.

In addition, there is a unique woody smell, with a subtle hint of food flavor.

Ye Shu secretly took a deep breath and found it smelled quite nice.

He glanced at the interior design again and thought to himself, "Wow, there's something special about this place."

From the outside, this little building looks like a brick, but I didn't expect it to be so well decorated inside. From the inside, the space seems even bigger than it appears from the outside.

The interior design is also typical of modern Chinese style, with wooden furniture everywhere you look.

There were some calligraphy and paintings hanging on the wall, such as Tang Bohu's paintings of beauties, Mi Fu's landscapes, Liu Shi'an's fan paintings, Tie Bao's couplets, Zheng Banqiao's bamboo paintings, and Song Zhongtang's single-stroke "tiger" character... Ah, none of those were there.

Although the paintings and calligraphy hanging there are some, they look like the kind that you can buy several for 9.9 yuan with free shipping on Pinduoduo.

Ye Shu was reciting a tongue twister in his mind when a waitress in a cheongsam came to greet him.

The young lady bowed slightly, her voice gentle and soft:

Good evening, both of you.

As they spoke, she very tactfully took the umbrellas from Ye Shu and Xia Qing. A waiter dressed in the same uniform took a towel, wiped the rain off the umbrellas, and then put the two umbrellas on a nearby umbrella stand.

Look at their service... but the better the service, the more it proves...

While Ye Shu was marveling at the attentive service, he couldn't help but start making calculations.

After the two young ladies put the umbrella back in its holder, they smiled at the two men and asked:

"Welcome to Chenchui. Do you two have a reservation?"

"have."

Xia Qing nodded, gave her phone number, and then took out her phone to show the young lady the appointment message and payment receipt.

The waitress glanced at the computer behind the reception desk, then slightly turned to the side and raised her arm:

"Ms. An, Mr. Ye, this way please."

She led the two to a carved wooden door and gently pushed it open.

The private room wasn't large, but it was very elegant.

There was a round mahogany table in the center, surrounded by chairs, but only tableware for two people was provided on the table.

There was a traditional Chinese ink painting of orchids on the wall, and next to it was a display shelf with several porcelain vases, the authenticity of which was unknown.

The waitress pulled out chairs for the two of them, and after they sat down, she brought them two cups of hot tea and a plate of small snacks, saying softly:

"Please have a seat, gentlemen. If you need anything, please press the bell."

After saying that, he left and gently closed the door behind him.

The private room quieted down. Ye Shu took off his coat and hung it on the coat rack by the door. Then he casually moved his set of cutlery next to Xia Qing and sat down next to her.

Xia Qing smiled with satisfaction at his initiative.

Ye Shu didn't think much of it. He just felt that it was too formal for the two of them to be eating together and sitting face to face... Actually, he subconsciously wanted to be closer to each other.

Ye Shu picked up the cup of tea and took a sip. It was a little hot, so he finally asked the question he had been holding back all the way:

"Sister Xia Qing, what are you doing here when it's not a holiday or anything?"

In Ye Shu's understanding and experience, this level of decoration and service basically means expensive, small portions, and not enough to eat; you're paying for the environment and service.

It's the kind of place you see other people's reviews and check-ins on your phone, and you can just say "it's so exquisite" and "it's a waste of money," but you would never actually go there yourself.

A meal like that could easily cost four figures, equivalent to a month's living expenses, and all that might be a few dishes that look good in photos but are gone in a single bite.

With that money, he could take Xia Qing to eat her way through the entire food street, until they were so full they could barely walk home.

Xia Qing, who was also drinking tea nearby, turned to him with a raised eyebrow when she heard his question, and asked confidently:

"I want to eat here, is that not allowed?"

"OK."

Ye Shu replied instantly, without the slightest hesitation.

What else is there to say?

If you want to come, then come. If you want to eat, then eat.

As for Ye Shu, although she is usually a bit stingy and just makes do, she is happy to spend money on them and doesn't talk about being thrifty or anything like that.

After all, reality is what it is.

Although the two people, or rather the two families, were tacitly aware of the difference in their family backgrounds and never mentioned it, Uncle An and Aunt Shen did not look down on Ye Shu because his family was not as well-off as theirs, and Sister Xia Qing and the others never cared about it either.

But some things don't cease to exist just because they're not mentioned.

Ye Shu has always had a clear understanding of the gap between the two companies.

My family is just an ordinary family. My parents worked hard for half their lives to support my education. They have some savings, but they are by no means rich.

As for the An family, there's no need to say more. Although he had never cared about how much wealth Uncle An actually had, he could tell a thing or two just from their clothing, food, housing, transportation, the education Xia Qing and the others had received since childhood, the world they had seen, and the taste and habits they inadvertently revealed.

However, Ye Shu would not feel inferior because of this, and there was no need for her to feel ashamed.

After all, this is his world, his life, and he is already very content. He earns his living through his own abilities and takes care of the people who like him. What's shameful about that?

However, this perception of the gap remains an objective reality.

For people of his social class, experiencing a place like Chenchui once in a while might be a luxury, a way to commemorate, or a necessary ritual, but it would never be the norm, and they would definitely feel heartache when they leave, seeing it as flashy but impractical.

But in Xia Qing's life, is it just like a small roadside restaurant?

If that's the case... then are they suffering because they're with me?

As soon as this thought came to mind, Ye Shu sighed inwardly.

This sigh wasn't out of self-pity or a feeling of inferiority; it was simply a regret that he hadn't given them enough.

Actually, it's not that Ye Shu is being pretentious, but when he's in a place that's clearly not part of his usual social circle, there's always a subtle feeling that's constantly reminding him.

Ye Shu picked up the cup of tea and took a big gulp. The slightly hot tea felt good to drink and strengthened Ye Shu's resolve to give them something better.

Just then, Xia Qing, who was watching him in a daze, reached out and poked his temple.

"Hey, Comrade Ye Shu, what are you thinking about all this time, all bitter and resentful? Were you just thinking about how expensive this place is, and then you started imagining some kind of tragic drama about 'I made the princess suffer with me'?"

Ye Shu turned and glanced at her, a little embarrassed, but still stubbornly insisted:

"No, I was just thinking that the environment here is quite unique."

"Come on, do you think I don't know what you're thinking?"

Xia Qing rested her chin on her hand and raised an eyebrow at him:

"You really don't know what day it is today?"

What a day this is!

Ye Shu quickly went through all the dates related to the two of them in his mind: Xia Qing's birthday, the day they first met, and even the anniversary of the first time Ye Shu accompanied her to the hospital after Xia Qing dislocated her arm. But none of these were it.

He thought and thought, but couldn't come up with a solution, so he shook his head.

Seeing his completely oblivious and silly expression, Xia Qing finally couldn't resist reaching out and pinching Ye Shu's nose, giving it a little shake.

"You're so stupid! Today is your birthday, Comrade Ye Shu. How can you forget your own birthday so completely?"