When Fang Xiaonuan heard that they were going to order, she immediately ran over and leaned against Ji Lingchen. She leaned against his side and when she saw the menu, her eyes lit up. She pointed at a fish and said, “Hubby, I want to eat this!”
Ji Lingchen nodded at the manager, and the manager quickly noted it down.
Ji Lingchen patiently flipped through the menu while his wife ordered. Suddenly, she paused, seeming to have realized something. “Bring some of this soup for Dad. Dad’s stomach isn’t good.”
“Okay, order this for yourself, hubby. And this. You like subtle dishes. This would suit you.”
“I love meat. Order two more meat dishes…” Fang Xiaonuan mumbled as she ordered.
Ji Lingchen looked at her serious expression and chuckled. “When did you learn my tastes?”
Fang Xiaonuan hugged Ji Lingchen’s arm and said softly, “I’m your wife. How can I be considered a wife if I don’t even know this?”
Fang Xiaonuan was right. He liked subtle dishes, and he disliked food that was too oily or salty. However, very few people knew about this. His own family had yet to realize it, yet his new wife had picked up on it. He could not fight his answering smile and his mood instantly lifted.
Fang Xiaonuan ordered a total of six dishes and a soup. Ji Lingchen hurriedly stopped her from ordering more dishes, or else she might have ordered dozens more.
Fang Xiaonuan said unhappily, “Hmph, hubby, we have enough, but there are still so many delicious dishes we haven’t ordered.”
Ji Lingchen comforted her. “Be good. Next time, you’ll get the chance to order again.”
Fang Xiaonuan’s eyes lit up and she hurriedly asked, “When will that be?”
“As long as it’s not today, any day is fine. We can come here whenever you want,” Ji Lingchen promised.
“Okay, got it.” Fang Xiaonuan looked at the manager obediently and reminded him, “Please ensure that there isn’t any chili in any of our dishes!”
After checking the orders, the manager left.
After the manager left, Ji Lingchen put his arm around Fang Xiaonuan’s waist and asked, “Is this your first time eating upstairs? Haven’t you and dad come up here before?”
Fang Xiaonuan nodded and replied, “Dad didn’t bring me here. When I ate here with my family, we just sat in the lobby downstairs.”
Seeing that Ji Lingchen did not understand, she explained, “Dad said that the upstairs seating is for business discussions. He said that the family would find the downstairs seating more comfortable.”
Ji Lingchen raised his eyebrows and said, “That sounds reasonable. I’ll try sitting in the lobby next time.”
Fang Xiaonuan blinked and felt annoyed. ‘I’m so stupid. Why did I have to run my mouth like that?’ However, it did not matter where they sat. She would be happy as long as they could eat delicious food.
After a while, the news that Ji Lingchen was eating at Shuxiang Garden spread. It was said that he had brought his wife along.
A few minutes later, many people came to greet Ji Lingchen, claiming that it was a chance encounter.
When they saw Fang Xiaonuan, everyone asked, “This must be Mrs. Ji, right?”
Ji Lingchen looked at the girl who was leaning on him obediently and introduced her with a smile, “This is my wife, Fang Xiaonuan.”
Fang Xiaonuan would also greet those people with a smile. She was graceful and she was not shy. This calmness made Old Master Ji very satisfied. Although this girl was sometimes childish, she was still very courageous. She was not petty at all. He thought of the first time he had met Fang Xiaonuan. Although she deliberately pretended to be ugly, her temperament and the look in her eyes had already set her apart from ordinary people.
Thinking of this, Old Master Ji took a sip of tea and nodded in satisfaction. He seemed to be very satisfied with the tea, and he also seemed to be satisfied with his daughter-in-law.
After the acquaintance left, Fang Xiaonuan’s expression returned to normal. She opened her big, sparkly eyes and said, “Hubby, I feel that these people aren’t here by chance. What do you think?”
“Yes.” Ji Lingchen replied casually, reaching out to stroke Fang Xiaonuan’s hair. His actions were meticulous and serious, like he was stroking his beloved pet.
A moment later, a waiter began to serve the dishes. Several steaming dishes were placed on the table. Fang Xiaonuan’s eyes immediately lit up. She said, “Dad, let’s eat. This all smells so expensive!”
Old Master Ji could not help but laugh. “Doesn’t it smell good?”
“Yes, it smells really good! That must be why it’s so expensive.” After saying that, Fang Xiaonuan picked up a whole prawn and stuffed it into her mouth. The prawn meat was fresh, sweet, and tender. She only chewed a few times, then hurriedly swallowed it. Then, she quickly scooped up a large mouthful of cheese and corn and stuffed that into her mouth. Instantly, a sweet and rich fragrance filled her mouth. She squinted and said, “Wow, it’s too tasty. Hubby, try it! It’s very delicious!”
Ji Lingchen smiled dotingly, then picked up his chopsticks and started eating as well.