Transmigrating into the world of Jade Dynasty, I was targeted by the female lead in a reverse romanc

Qi Hao was the oldest and most experienced among the four, so he naturally became the leader, taking charge of everything from checking into the hotel to arranging rooms.

He walked to the front counter of Shanhaiyuan, whispered a few words to the shopkeeper, and then showed off the token of Qingyun Sect at his waist.

The shopkeeper was a capable man in his fifties. Upon seeing the token, his face immediately became extremely respectful. He nodded repeatedly and personally led the four of them to the back garden.

The shopkeeper clearly recognized the regulars and knew they were no ordinary people, so he directly arranged for them to stay in the most secluded and luxurious back garden.

This mountain and sea garden is quite large, with four independent courtyards scattered in the back garden, named according to their location.

They were led to the West Garden, where each of them was assigned a spacious and clean superior room.

The room was simply furnished, but the tables, chairs, and beds were all made of fine wood, and the bedding was dry, soft, and smelled of sunshine.

After settling in briefly, Qi Hao invited everyone to have dinner at the restaurant ahead. He said, "After traveling all day, you must all be hungry. The food and wine at Shan Hai Yuan are famous in Heyang City, so let's try them today."

The four of them left the West Garden and walked through the long corridor connecting the back garden and the front building.

Lanterns hung under the eaves, their dim yellow light illuminating the smooth bluestone slabs beneath our feet. A night breeze swept through the eaves, carrying the dampness from the garden's plants, making it slightly chilly.

The restaurant that Shanhaiyuan owns is located on the busiest street in Heyang City. It is a three-story wooden building with flying eaves and brackets, and it looks very impressive.

The first and second floors were bustling with noise, the sounds of clinking cups and plates, laughter, and the shouts of waiters blending together, creating a lively and vibrant atmosphere.

The third floor, however, presents a completely different scene. The VIP room is spacious and elegant, with fewer than ten mahogany square tables, which are slightly separated by screens or green plants.

At this time, there were about five tables of guests sitting in the hall, all talking in hushed tones, making the environment much quieter.

The four of them chose a small table by the window and sat down.

Jiang Xiaochuan naturally sat in the innermost seat, and Lu Xueqi sat down next to him, about a fist's distance away.

Qi Hao and Zeng Shushu sat opposite each other. Outside the window was the main street of Heyang City. As dusk fell, the streetlights were on, and the crowds were bustling. The light from the colorful lanterns cast a hazy, warm yellow glow on the bluestone pavement.

Zeng Shushu surveyed the elegant furnishings of the hall, then glanced at the delicate, smooth white porcelain bowls and plates beside him. He couldn't help but lean closer to Jiang Xiaochuan, half-covering his mouth with a folding fan, and asked in a low voice, "Old Jiang, the prices here... aren't they expensive?"

Jiang Xiaochuan lowered his voice and replied, "This is the best restaurant in Heyang City, so the prices are naturally high. However, Qingyun Sect still has some influence here, so the restaurant won't overcharge, and sometimes they even offer some preferential treatment."

Zeng Shushu exclaimed "Ah!" and suddenly realized, nodding repeatedly.

A quick-witted waiter trotted over, a white towel draped over his shoulder, a smile on his face. His gaze swept over the four of them, finally settling on Jiang Xiaochuan's face, his smile becoming even more genuine: "Brother Chuan! It's been a while since we've seen you come down the mountain! And who are you all today...?"

Jiang Xiaochuan smiled at him: "Bring a few fellow disciples over for dinner. As usual, start with the three main dishes, then a few light side dishes, two hearty meat dishes, and a pot of tea."

"Alright! Please wait a moment, I'll be right there!" The waiter replied briskly, turned around and went downstairs, his footsteps clattering loudly.

Before long, the dishes were served one after another.

First came several refreshing cold dishes: pickled cucumbers, mixed shredded vegetables, and braised tofu. Then came the stir-fries: stir-fried seasonal vegetables, shrimp and scrambled eggs, and stir-fried lamb with scallions, their aroma rising with the steam.

The last dish served was in a rather large blue-and-white porcelain bowl. When the lid was lifted, a white mist mixed with a fresh aroma and a faint sweet and spicy scent wafted out.

The soup in the bowl was milky white and thick, and in the center lay a long, slender fish, round in the front and narrow in the back. The fish was dark brown, and two pairs of long whiskers around its mouth trembled slightly with the soup.

"This is our shop's signature dish, 'Sleeping Fish.' Please enjoy your meal." The waiter bowed and stepped aside.

Jiang Xiaochuan picked up the serving chopsticks, first taking a piece of the fattest and most tender fish belly meat, along with a spoonful of rich soup, and placed it on the plate in front of Lu Xueqi beside him: "Xueqi, try this, it's Shanhaiyuan's signature dish, you can't get it anywhere else."

Lu Xueqi looked up at him, said nothing, picked up her chopsticks, took a piece of fish, blew on it gently, and put it in her mouth.

After a moment, she swallowed the fish, wiped her mouth with a cloth, and then spoke in a flat voice: "The meat is tender and sweet. The fishy smell has been thoroughly removed using old ginger. The sweetness comes from sugar, but not too much. The aroma of the scallions comes from the oil fried with shallots. There are flavors of pepper, five-spice, and sesame oil, all blended...just right."

She paused, then added two words, "Not bad."

The waiter listened intently, his eyes wide with admiration, and he almost clapped.

Zeng Shushu and Qi Hao were also taken aback, not expecting that this aloof junior sister would have such a refined appreciation for food.

Jiang Xiaochuan grinned, as if he were the one being praised.

Before the waiter could recover from his astonishment, he suddenly heard a clear, crisp female voice coming from the next large table, tinged with a hint of doubt:

"This 'Sleeping Fish' is a specialty of the Zhugou Mountains in the south, thousands of miles away from here. How could it be transported here? You shopkeeper, are you trying to pass off other fish as this and cheat us?"

The sound was crisp and melodious, like pearls falling onto a jade plate.

The four looked in the direction of the sound. They saw a large mahogany round table set up against the wall on the other side of the hall, around which sat eight people. Six of them were men, all dressed in uniform pale yellow long gowns, and their expressions were respectful.

There were two other women. One sat at the head of the table, dressed in a pale purple dress, with a graceful figure. Her face was veiled, revealing only a pair of calm eyes and a smooth forehead. Although her full features were obscured, her elegant and ethereal气质 (qi zhi - a kind of refined and otherworldly charm) was undeniable. The one who had spoken earlier was the other young woman sitting to her left.

The girl looked no more than sixteen or seventeen years old. She was dressed in a light green dress, with skin as white as snow, delicate eyebrows, and large, bright eyes that sparkled with mischievousness.

Her beauty was so exquisite that it seemed to rival Lu Xueqi's stunning charm, but their temperaments were completely different—one was as cold and aloof as snow, while the other was as lively and graceful as water.

Jiang Xiaochuan's heart skipped a beat.

Biyao. It really is Biyao. Indeed...beautiful. He couldn't help but let his gaze linger on the green-clad girl's face for a moment longer.

In her mind, Hong Li chuckled lazily and said, "She's pretty, but a bit too young. I don't think she's as good as Xiao Bingbing."

After the girl in green finished speaking, her gaze naturally swept over, and when it landed on Lu Xueqi, she was clearly taken aback, a clear look of amazement flashing in her eyes.

Women all love beauty, and even Lu Xueqi, when the girl in green was looking her over, raised her eyes and looked back. Her cold eyes showed no ripples, and she just glanced at her calmly.

However, Lu Xueqi immediately noticed that Jiang Xiaochuan beside her was staring intently at the girl in green with his mouth slightly open, his eyes unblinking. He seemed to be lost in thought.

Lu Xueqi pursed her lips. Her left hand, which was resting on her knee, moved half an inch to the side without making a sound, then lifted it and lowered it.

The sole of the shoe landed lightly on Jiang Xiaochuan's instep.

"Ugh!" Jiang Xiaochuan was caught off guard and groaned in pain, almost jumping up.

He turned his head, baring his teeth, and met a pair of clear, slightly cold eyes.

"???" Jiang Xiaochuan accused him with his eyes.

Dude, what did I do to deserve this?

Lu Xueqi had already withdrawn her foot, turned her face away, and lowered her head to slowly drink her soup.

Hong Li chuckled in his mind, gloating.

She put down the soup spoon and naturally used her clean left hand to gently touch Jiang Xiaochuan's ankle, the one whose foot had just been stepped on, under the table. Her fingertips were slightly cool, and she touched it briefly before letting go.

Then, as if nothing had happened, she continued ladling soup. Jiang Xiaochuan was stunned by this sudden "comfort," and the heat on his face returned as soon as it had subsided.

He took a breath, turned to the girl in green and the puzzled waiter, cleared his throat, and said:

"This young lady is unaware of the truth. A hundred years ago, this Sleeping Fish was indeed only found in Zhugou Mountain in the south. Later, when Dao Xuan, the True Man of Qingyun Sect, passed through Zhugou Mountain, he saw that the fish's flesh was delicious, but due to geographical limitations, ordinary people could not enjoy it, and he felt sorry for it. So the True Man used his supernatural powers to bring the fish fry back and released them into the Hongchuan River on the shady side of Qingyun Mountain. Not only did the Sleeping Fish survive, but it also multiplied day by day, and now it has become a scenic spot in Hongchuan. The Sleeping Fish in Shanhaiyuan are indeed taken from Hongchuan, and are by no means fake."

He spoke calmly and explained the situation in detail. The waiter, feeling as if he had been granted a pardon, hurriedly nodded and bowed, "Indeed, indeed! This young master is absolutely right! How could I dare to deceive my esteemed guest!"

Upon hearing this, Qi Hao and Zeng Shushu showed expressions of realization and a touch of pride.

It turns out that this fish has such a connection with our own Qingyun Sect.

The girl in green, after hearing Jiang Xiaochuan's words, glanced at his face with her clear black and white eyes, gave a soft "humph," and said nothing more. She simply picked up her chopsticks, took a slice of bamboo shoot, and ate it in small bites. However, her gaze seemed to drift towards Jiang Xiaochuan again, almost imperceptibly.

The little incident at the dinner table quickly passed. The four continued eating, but Jiang Xiaochuan felt that the atmosphere around him seemed a bit tense. He buried his head in his food and dared not look around anymore.

After finishing the last bite of his meal, Jiang Xiaochuan put down his bowl and let out a satisfied sigh. The waiter came over to clear away the remaining food and served some tea.

Lu Xueqi picked up her teacup, took a small sip, then suddenly turned to look at Jiang Xiaochuan and blurted out, "How does it compare to me?"

"Huh?" Jiang Xiaochuan was holding a teacup to warm his hands when he heard this, and he was stunned and didn't react. "What do you mean, how does it compare to you?"

Lu Xueqi looked at him without saying a word, her clear eyes gazing at him quietly, waiting.

Jiang Xiaochuan's mind raced, assuming she was asking about the food, and he quickly replied, "Of course yours is better! The chefs at Shanhaiyuan are skilled, but compared to yours, it always feels like something's missing... um, it's hard to describe the flavor. Yours is better."

He spoke sincerely; it wasn't a lie. Lu Xueqi's cooking was indeed exceptional.

Upon hearing this, Lu Xueqi's lips curved upwards almost imperceptibly, though she quickly suppressed it again.

She lowered her eyes, looking at the tea leaves floating in the cup, and softly hummed in agreement.

What she actually wanted to ask was who was prettier, the woman in green or herself.

But when I heard him say "You're better," that inexplicable feeling of tightness in my chest suddenly eased and I felt relieved.

Zeng Shushu, who had been listening intently, couldn't help but chuckle softly when he heard this. He quickly covered his mouth with his fan and shrugged.

Qi Hao also raised his hand to his lips, coughed lightly, and smiled.

Lu Xueqi glanced at them. The two immediately sat up straight, looking down at each other.