Falling into the Capital's Radiance - Chapter 50

Chapter 50

Shen Jingni wasn’t exactly thin-skinned, but being caught in such an intimate moment by someone she knew was deeply embarrassing.

She had said she was angry, and she truly was.

As a result, from the moment they got into the car until they reached the restaurant, she didn’t let Zhao Zonglan touch her once.

Song Yanting was a meticulous man who truly appreciated the finer things in life. Since they were in Nancheng, he believed they should enjoy the local delicacies and fine wines rather than settling for a hasty meal.

Young masters from prominent families like theirs were notoriously picky.

The food didn’t necessarily have to be expensive, but it had to be exquisite and delicious. Beyond merely sating their hunger, they sought to please their palates.

As the ancient capital of six dynasties, Nancheng was a place where history and modernity intertwined. The local culinary scene was dominated by Huaiyang Cuisine.

Ziyun Mountain Villa was a restaurant that specialized in Huaiyang Cuisine, with a heavy emphasis on privacy. Their private rooms featured terraces overlooking a garden, though there wasn’t much to see in this season. However, if it were to snow, it might evoke the poetic sentiment of “watching green bamboo transform into jade branches.”

Song Yanting had arranged for the place to be cleared in advance.

He and Song Qiyu had been there for half an hour by the time Zhao Zonglan and Shen Jingni finally made their late appearance.

However, the atmosphere between the two seemed a bit off.

After greeting the two members of the Song Family, Shen Jingni took her seat with an expressionless face.

Naturally, her seat was right next to Zhao Zonglan.

But right now, she didn’t want to sit anywhere near him.

In a fit of pique, she struggled to shove the heavy solid wood chair further away from him.

A waiter behind her stepped forward to ask if she needed help, only to be frightened back by Zhao Zonglan’s chilling gaze.

“Hmph.”

Shen Jingni’s beautiful eyes widened as she shot him a glare.

Only then did she pick up the pear and osmanthus tea on the table and take a shallow sip.

Zhao Zonglan’s expression remained as indifferent as ever. He didn’t even look at her, merely lowering his eyes as he slowly and methodically rolled up his shirt sleeves with an air of noble composure.

He completely ignored her little tantrum.

This only made Shen Jingni angrier.

It felt like punching a bale of cotton-as if she were merely picking a fight with the air.

Song Yanting was a keen observer.

He could tell the two were having another spat.

Good, he thought. Zhao Zonglan needed to experience the bitterness of love too.

None of them should have it too easy.

The manager led the servers in, presenting the dishes one by one: Green Willow Spring Tea Pigeon, Soft-Braised Long Fish, Qianlong Nine Shreds, sea cucumber braised with shrimp roe and scallions…

The soup was a yellow croaker maw chowder, a nourishing dish specifically ordered for Shen Jingni’s benefit.

Whether it was because being angry at Zhao Zonglan consumed too much energy or because the food was simply that good, Shen Jingni had a massive appetite that night and ate quite a lot.

Song Qiyu seemed to know something was up.

But the moment he saw his Fifth Brother’s cold, stern face, he didn’t dare say a word.

“Miss Shen, is the food to your liking?” Song Yanting asked her warmly.

“Yes,” Shen Jingni nodded repeatedly, her eyes curving into crescents as she smiled. “It’s all delicious. You have excellent taste, Mr. Song.”

Song Yanting glanced at Zhao Zonglan and said with a faint smile, “You flatter me, Miss Shen. If you like it, you should come more often when you have time. The scenery is quite nice when it snows.”

Zhao Zonglan’s eyes darkened for a fleeting second.

He picked up his wine glass, took a sip, and said in a flat voice devoid of much emotion, “To have the heart to watch the snow after a breakup-you certainly do have ‘taste.'”

Song Yanting: “…”

Why was he taking his frustration out on him?

Hearing the word “breakup,” Shen Jingni looked at Song Yanting in surprise. “You and Sister Wen broke up? Why? Sister Wen is such a wonderful person.”

As expected, she thought, men are never constant.

Song Yanting explained, “No, we just had a fight. We’re… still in the middle of a cold war.”

A cold war?

Just hearing those words made Shen Jingni’s blood boil.

She knit her brows in displeasure.

A good man would never give his girlfriend the silent treatment.

As it turned out, Song Yanting wasn’t any better.
For some reason, Song Yanting suddenly felt that Shen Jingni was looking at him with a hint of disdain and resentment, even though she had been perfectly pleasant just a moment ago.

This was exactly what Zhao Zonglan wanted to see.

He set down his wine glass, leaning back against the chair in a relaxed, lazy posture. He glanced sideways at Shen Jingni and asked, “Finished eating?”

“Yes.”

Throughout the meal, Song Qiyu had remained incredibly low-key and silent, barely speaking as he tried his best to minimize his presence.

The undercurrents and hidden daggers flying across the table were far too terrifying.

Seeing that Zhao Zonglan was about to leave, Song Qiyu felt a pang of guilt and wanted to make amends. He spoke up eagerly, “Fifth Brother, I’ll have someone arrange a hotel for you and my sister-in-law to stay in.”

Zhao Zonglan took the coat handed over by the waiter and draped it over Shen Jingni’s shoulders, pulling it tight. Only then did he lift his eyelids to look at him. “No need. Any place you arrange would be uncomfortable to stay in.”

Song Qiyu: ?

He felt that Fifth Brother’s tongue was particularly poisonous today, dealing blow after blow.

Perhaps this was just how frustrated old men were.

***

Zhao Zonglan had a residence in Nancheng, but it was quite far from his private helipad. Since they had to head back early tomorrow morning, he didn’t mind the commute for himself, but he was afraid a pampered little thing like Shen Jingni wouldn’t be able to wake up. Thus, he chose to stay at a hotel.

However, when he traveled, security and privacy were the most important considerations for his accommodations.

To ensure Mr. Zhao’s rest wouldn’t be disturbed, the hotel had left the entire floor of the presidential suite empty and added extra security at the entrance.

Shen Jingni was still angry with him.

After arriving at the hotel, she started plotting how to sleep in a separate room from Zhao Zonglan.

At that moment, Zhao Zonglan stepped away to take a phone call.

She weighed her options and suddenly thought of a brilliant plan.

Since she couldn’t leave the hotel, she would just go and book another room herself. Once she locked the door from the inside at night, no one would be able to get in.

It wasn’t like she didn’t have the money.

Shen Jingni took the elevator straight down to the lobby.

The gentle and beautiful hotel receptionist smiled and asked how she could help.

“Hello, please open a room for me. Somewhere quiet is fine.”

Shen Jingni took her ID card out of her bag and handed it over.

The smile on the receptionist’s face froze; she didn’t even dare to take the card.

If she remembered correctly, this lady had arrived with Mr. Zhao.

“I’m sorry, I might need to consult our manager about this. Please wait a moment.”

The receptionist was just an employee; she didn’t dare make such a decision on her own.

Nervously, she reached for the phone, but her movements suddenly halted. She looked toward the elevator and called out respectfully, “Mr. Zhao.”

Shen Jingni glanced sideways and saw Zhao Zonglan striding toward her.

She was already fuming, and being caught so quickly only added embarrassment to her irritation. Without hesitation, she turned and tried to run.

Zhao Zonglan’s gaze darkened. With his height and long legs, he caught up to her in a few strides, firmly grabbing her slender wrist and pinning her into his arms.

“Zhao Zonglan, let me go!” Shen Jingni’s temper flared. She struggled wildly in his arms, kicking and hitting him as she cursed, “You old bastard!”

Two footprints appeared on his pristine suit trousers from her kicks.

With a grim expression, Zhao Zonglan pressed her into his chest and said coldly, “You’ve certainly grown bold, Shen Jingni.”

She was becoming lawless, daring to kick even him.

A local official in charge of public security had learned that Mr. Zhao was in Nancheng and had brought two of his capable subordinates over.

He had intended to see if the security arrangements needed further refinement or if there was anything else he could do for Mr. Zhao. Instead, he walked right into this scene.

The world was starting to feel surreal.

Someone actually dared to hit Zhao Zonglan?!

And it was a young girl.

One of his subordinates whispered, “Director, this… should we intervene?”

“You dare to intervene? Then you go.”

No one dared to meddle in Mr. Zhao’s family affairs.