Chapter 59

No choice, Xiao Shunzi had to bring Princess Gao Yang and Chang Sun Chong to the third floor.

Walking up to the private room where Chen Yan and the others were, Xiao Shunzi said with a dejected air, "Your Highness, Lord Bo and all the dukes' eldest sons, as well as the two princesses, are inside."

There were no outsiders on the third floor, so he didn't call for a miss again.

Upon hearing that, Chang Sun Chong's eyes lit up.

Earlier, saying he came to cheer for Chen Yan was just a bunch of nonsense.

His real purpose was actually that he had heard Li Lizhi was here, and having invested money in the restaurant, he wanted to come over to show support, just to increase Li Lizhi's fondness for him a little.

Princess Gao Yang gave a cold snort, reached out and pushed open the private room's door.

Looking up, she suddenly froze.

Because inside the private room, a group of people sat around together, with a bubbling hot pot in the middle, Chen Yan and Li Lizhi seated side by side.

Li Lizhi held little Sizi, while Chen Yan picked up a piece of cooked lamb and fed it to little Sizi.

All three were laughing happily.

Someone who didn't know would probably think they were a family of three upon seeing this scene.

The private room's door was opened, drawing the gaze of everyone inside.

Chen Yan's chopsticks halted mid-air as he saw Princess Gao Yang standing at the doorway, with Xiao Shunzi hunched like a quail beside her.

It seemed there was someone else behind, but he didn't pay much attention.

He complained, "Didn't you know to knock before entering?"

"Your manners and cultivation as a princess?"

"Cultivation?" Princess Gao Yang, half-dead with anger, retorted, "How dare you say that about me?"

"You......"

"Slap!"

With a dull thud, Chen Yan slammed the Death-exemption Gold Medal heavily onto the table, staring at her with a cold gaze.

Princess Gao Yang's words cut off abruptly, her momentum instantly weakening.

"You...... have you eaten your fill?"

As soon as she spoke, everyone's gazes began to turn strange.

Who doesn't know the great name of Princess Gao Yang?

Because her birth mother died early, she grew up beside Empress Chang Sun from childhood, and both the emperor and the empress doted on her greatly.

This caused her to develop an arrogant and indulgent nature.

Moreover, everyone had heard more or less of the fights between Chen Yan and Princess Gao Yang, knowing they were not on good terms.

Originally, we thought Princess Gao Yang would fling the door open in anger and immediately start arguing with Chen Yan, possibly even coming to blows.

Everyone had prepared to break up a fight.

Unexpectedly, Princess Gao Yang's thunder was loud but rain small; she was frightened by Chen Yan's Death-exemption Gold Medal and abruptly changed her words.

A hint of awkwardness gradually spread through the private room.

"Pfft! Hahaha....."

Yu Chi Bao Lin couldn't hold back and burst out laughing.

Everyone's gazes instantly focused on him.

Especially Princess Gao Yang, her gaze at Yu Chi Bao Lin could practically kill.

A chill rose behind Yu Chi Bao Lin, her smile stiffened on her face, then gradually faded as she glanced left and right.

Scratching his head, he said awkwardly, "Haha...... the hot pot...... is pretty good to drink~"

The crowd: "......"

Chen Yan's expression eased considerably, he waved at Gao Yang, "Why are you still standing?"

"Since you're here, just sit down."

He hadn't expected Gao Yang to come, but since she did, with so many outsiders present, he didn't want to make a scene, so he greeted her.

Gao Yang took a deep breath, lifted her chin, and said firmly, "Oh!"

Chen Yan: "......"

He really wanted to retort, but didn't know where to start.

You just say "oh" and strike that pose for nothing.

I thought you were going to do something.

I had even clenched the Death-exemption Gold Medal.

Gao Yang brought Xiang Lan into the private room, while the guard Fang remained outside.

She looked around, then went to Li Lizhi's side and smiled, "Elder sister Princess, could you please move a little to the side? I want to have a word with Chen Yan."

Li Lizhi blinked slightly, then after reacting, quickly moved her chair aside, "Of course, you and the Marquis of Weinan can chat; I'll feed little Sizi."

Though she said that, her heart inexplicably felt a sudden bitterness.

Gao Yang happily chuckled, "Thanks, elder sister princess."

After speaking, she had Xiang Lan fetch a chair from the corner of the private room, place it beside Chen Yan, and sit down openly.

The table was made to seat ten, so even after she sat down it wouldn't feel too crowded.

Xiang Lan then stood quietly behind her.

At that moment, Chang Sun Chong walked in from the doorway, smiling, and bowed his hands to Chen Yan, saying, "Brother Chen, I heard your restaurant opened today, so I came specially to show my support."

"I've prepared a small gift; I hope Brother Chen won't disdain it."

Chang Sun Chong lifted the gift box in his hand and handed it to Xiao Shunzi.

Then, without waiting for Chen Yan's reply, he turned his head to look at Li Lizhi and feigned surprise, "Cousin Changle and Cousin Jinyang are here too? Today is quite lively."

Chen Yan quietly watched his performance, feeling speechless inside.

Buddy, you're putting on a bit of an act.

Do you really think Li Lizhi is stupid?

However, we're all ultimately part of the same big circle, and on the surface we're here to support his tavern, so he can't very well refuse to host.

"Brother Changsun, you're being too polite; your coming makes me very happy."

"Don't just stand there, come in and sit down."

Chen Yan said to Xiao Shunzi: "Xiao Shunzi, why are you still standing?"

"Quickly prepare a chair and utensils for Brother Changsun."

"Eh, okay." Xiao Shunzi, upon hearing that, immediately ran inside, set up a chair for Changsun Chong, and then fetched a set of utensils for him and Princess Gao Yang.

Changsun Chong sat down slowly.

Li Lizhi forced a smile and said: "Cousin brother, we haven't seen each other in a while; how have you been lately?"

How could she not see through Changsun Chong's act?

Not to mention that Chen Yan and his associates rarely interact with Changsun Chong; how would they have learned about the opening of his tavern?

Just look at the expression he just put on—so fake it couldn't be faker—and it doesn't look like he's unaware of her presence here.

It's only because of their cousin relationship that she doesn't feel comfortable exposing him.

Changsun Chong waved his hand, completely unaware of how fake his expression just was, saying: "I've been fine lately, just as usual—reading at home, occasionally going out to attend poetry gatherings, exchanging ideas with classmates from the Imperial Academy; life continues as before."

"On the other hand, cousin sister, it's been days since we last met—you seem to have lost some weight."

Changsun Chong said with concern: "Don't blame me for saying this, cousin sister—you really ought to pay more attention to your diet; eat when you should, drink when you should, only then will your health be good."

"Otherwise, His Majesty, Her Majesty, and even cousin brother would worry about you."

Li Lizhi: "......"

Chen Yan found it amusing.

At such a young age, already so slick—what will become of him in the future?

Li Lizhi let out a light sigh, forced a polite smile, and nodded slightly.

Lately, Father Emperor and Mother Empress have, intentionally or not, brought up that Princess Gao Yang is to be married next month, and occasionally they've said how good Changsun Chong is in various ways, urging her to get to know him more.

How could Li Lizhi fail to guess what they meant?

As an Imperial Family princess, she understands that she has never had the right to choose her own marriage.

Just like Princess Gao Yang and Chen Yan, the two have even become like fire and water—whenever they meet they argue, sometimes even coming to blows.

Yet they still can only resign themselves to fate, can't they?

And what can she do about it?

Li Lizhi recalled that night, the drunken youth in white lying on the ground, bursting into unrestrained laughter, and casually tossing away a timeless masterpiece.

That carefree and heroic image is a scene she can never forget.

For some reason, Li Lizhi suddenly felt a twinge of envy toward Princess Gao Yang...

"......"