Chapter 20: The Young Lady's Table Manners Are Not Very Good

Chapter 20: The Young Lady's Table Manners Are Not Very Good

Hong Xiaoduo didn't realize that someone nearby was watching her with curiosity. The meat buns were simply too fragrant and large; compared to them, the buns she remembered eating in the past seemed too stingy—too small to take in one bite, yet not enough for two bites to satisfy a craving.

These wontons were delicious too; the soup was truly savory. No wonder little Kaiyang kept thinking about them.

The soup wasn't filled with overly complex ingredients, just bright green chopped scallions and a bit of fat glistening on the surface.

"Hey, Brother Zitao, look at that young lady's eating manners. Those seven little bald heads are actually more decent," Counselor Dong remarked, looking somewhat speechless.

No sooner had he spoken than the person in front of him stood up, tossed a piece of broken silver onto the tea table, and began walking out.

"Where are you going, Brother Zitao? We've only just brewed this tea!" Counselor Dong, utterly confused, hurriedly stood up to follow him.

This gentleman had passed through here to catch up with him; for three days, he had come here to sip tea and chat, staying for the entire afternoon every time. Mainly, there wasn't much scenery worth visiting in Mopan Town.

There were many shops in town, but who had seen a man enjoy strolling through shops?

If they went, it was because they had something specific to purchase; they entered shops with purpose and selectivity.

"I've had too much tea these past two days. It cuts the grease," Mu Zitao replied as he walked.

What did that mean? Counselor Dong couldn't wrap his head around it. This gentleman loved speaking in riddles that forced people to guess; chatting with him was an exhausting mental exercise!

"And so?" Counselor Dong watched as his friend entered the bun shop.

Mu Zitao glanced at him. "And so, it makes me hungry. I'm coming over to eat a few buns."

Hearing this, Counselor Dong gritted his teeth and sat down, still muttering in confusion, "I thought you said you never had much of an appetite."

"Why are you so talkative? If you don't want to treat me, just say so. I'll pay for the meat buns," Mu Zitao said, just as the bun shop assistant approached.

"Ten buns first, then two bowls of wontons," Mu Zitao said, glancing at the food on the neighboring table.

The assistant smartly responded, "Coming right up! Ten buns and two bowls of wontons for the two gentlemen."

"Te—ten?" Counselor Dong was startled.

They had only just finished lunch; it wasn't like it was breakfast on an empty stomach, nor was it snack time. Even for a grown man, he wouldn't be able to finish five buns plus wontons right now.

If one couldn't finish, they could just leave the rest and pay the full amount. People often sat at full tables and left after just a few bites; it wasn't that they were stingy about wasting a few buns.

It was simply that he knew this gentleman's appetite better than anyone; saying he ate as little as a grain of rice per meal wouldn't be an exaggeration.

But just because he ate little didn't mean he wasn't smart, or that it hindered his growth, or his martial arts training, or his inexhaustible strength to lead thousands of troops into battle.

Sometimes, Counselor Dong even suspected that this man must be secretly consuming some kind of immortal elixir behind his back.

The buns were quickly delivered, and the wonton stall next door brought the wontons over as well. The two men sat at the table next to Hong Xiaoduo. From Mu Zitao's position, he could see her profile. Seeing her pick up another piece—it seemed to be her fourth bun—he also picked one up and took a bite in synchronization. *Ah, it really is delicious.*

Hong Xiaoduo noticed that guests had arrived at the next table, but it had nothing to do with her. The bun stall was open all day; it was natural for diners to arrive at any time.

The seven little bald heads were fully focused on eating their meat buns and had no interest in noticing anything else.

The bun shop owner had just prepared another steamer of buns. He stood there with his assistant in the gap, staring blankly at the customers at the outside table.

The afternoon guests today were a bit special.

A young lady with a sword, handsome bald boys and a bald girl, and now two elegantly dressed young gentlemen had arrived. Crucially, these two gentlemen were also exceptionally handsome.

The owner turned to look at the calendar hanging on the wall. Was today some kind of special auspicious day?

He had run this bun shop for over a decade and knew his buns were delicious, but today, looking at the eating manners of these ten diners, he felt a strange sense of... how should he put it? Oh, it was a feast for the eyes!

For the first time in his life, the owner felt a sense of regret. Why wasn't there a painter present at a time like this to capture the scene?

Steaming baskets on a roadside in a small town, a few small square tables, and these ten eye-catching diners eating his buns elegantly—what a cozy and beautiful scene!

Of course, that young lady wasn't eating particularly elegantly, but that was surely because his buns were simply too delicious. She probably hadn't tasted anything like them elsewhere, which was why she was eating just a tiny bit faster.

"Hey, young lady, may I be so bold as to ask—why are they all little bald heads?" Counselor Dong truly could not suppress his curiosity. If he didn't get a proper answer, he felt he would suffer from insomnia.

If the gentleman beside him called him stupid, he would certainly be indignant. No one could possibly guess the answer to this question, right?

*What are you looking at? Don't think I don't know you're just as curious.* While waiting for a response, she shot her companion a sidelong glance.

Hong Xiaoduo had just finished eating. She took out a handkerchief given to her by the auntie from the clothing shop to wipe her mouth. Hearing the diner at the next table ask a question, she looked over.

When meeting strangers, most people judge at first glance through expression and tone; if there is no internal resistance, the person is generally not considered bad.

Of course, she had no intention of interacting with them or forming a deep friendship, nor did she feel the need to categorize what kind of people they were.

She had eaten meat buns and was full, and she had even taught a lecher a lesson by having him treat her, without spending a cent of her own money.

She was in a good mood right now. When in a good mood, her attitude toward people who looked decent was naturally better.

Hong Xiaoduo smiled. After glancing at the circle of seven little bald heads beside her, she looked at the questioner. "Would you believe me if I said it's to stay cool?"

*Pfft—cough, cough!* Hearing her response, Counselor Dong froze, while the gentleman beside him, who was sipping wonton soup, was choked by it.

Wiping his mouth with a handkerchief, he shot a look at his companion. *It's all your fault for asking.*

Watching the handsome gentleman wipe the corner of his mouth, Hong Xiaoduo subconsciously made a comparison. She had just used a handkerchief to wipe her mouth as well, but her movements were certainly not as elegant as his.

Seeing the young lady look at him, the corners of Mu Zitao's mouth curled up slightly. He was all too familiar with this scene.

Therefore, he generally disliked going out for strolls. In certain situations, he would try his best to decline.

Counseler Dong was considered one of the top beauties in the capital, but whenever he went out with Mu Zitao, he would complain that the young ladies and married women only looked at Mu Zitao and ignored him.

Needless to say, on the way back, Counselor Dong would undoubtedly launch into another bout of grumbling.

Hong Xiaoduo watched him raise a finger to point to the left side of his chin. Mu Zitao was puzzled. What did that mean? Was it an implication?

In the past, when young ladies or married women were in such a situation, they would usually shyly cover half their faces with a handkerchief, or blush and cover their chests.

The former represented shyness or embarrassment; the latter represented excitement, where the heart would throb wildly.

What did this young lady's gesture—pointing to her chin and occasionally pointing to the center of her chin—represent?

But regardless of what it represented, Mu Zitao found it very unpleasant. The young lady he had just thought was quite special suddenly filled him with a sense of aversion. Unconsciously, his brow furrowed...

(End of Chapter)