"Miss An, long time no see," the manager approached with polite yet unobsequious respect.
"Long time no see," An Yiqing remembered this tactful manager and was very friendly towards him.
The manager was a bit surprised and flattered, and his fondness for An Yiqing "whooshed" upwards. He respectfully extended his hand and led An Yiqing and the others forward.
"Miss An, this is the seat you reserved earlier." The manager led them to the private room and personally poured them cups of warm water. "Please feel free to order. Someone will bring some premium Longjing tea shortly, so please wait a moment. I’ll take my leave now."
Following the manager’s departure, An Yiqing and the two elders used the ordering system to select some dishes. It wasn’t long before an elegantly dressed server came in with a set of exquisite tea ware.
"My dear, I’ve always heard of Penglai Residence but never had the chance to come. I’m fortunate to be here thanks to you," Elder Duan remarked, taking a sip of the Longjing tea and sighing with appreciation.
"Elder Duan, how can you say such a thing? If you visit Xuandu City again, this junior will definitely bring you to Penglai Residence. Actually, if I hadn’t been worried that it would be too abrupt to invite you two on our first meeting, I have another place in mind, a small eatery where the food is simply delicious." An Yiqing thought back to the meal Gu Yelin had taken her to at Chef Zhang’s small eatery and suddenly missed it.
Upon hearing this, Duan Jingning’s and Ma Tianci’s eyes lit up. These two old friends loved jade and had a passion for good food, which had kept their friendship strong for decades.
"There are places like that in Xuandu City? My dear girl, you must take me there next time!" Duan Jingning instructed eagerly.
"It’s a deal," An Yiqing said with a smile and a nod.
While they were talking, the server came in and arranged the various dishes neatly on the table, then quietly left.
"Elders, please help yourselves," An Yiqing said with a smile, scooping some Chinese yam soup into bowls for Duan Jingning and Ma Tianci with a brand-new spoon. "This Chinese yam soup is refreshing and clearing heat, and it contains more than twenty kinds of medicinal herbs, which are very beneficial to the body. You should eat more of it."
Both Duan Jingning and Ma Tianci lifted their little bowls with a smile and took a light taste, their eyes sparkling with delight.
"Excellent! Excellent! Although it’s a medicinal dish, it’s not at all bitter, and the flavor of the Chinese yam is slightly more pronounced than that of the herbs. It’s really good!" Ma Tianci kept nodding and praise flowed continuously, "I’ve been to Penglai Residence a couple of times before, but I’ve never had this Chinese yam soup. Xiao Qing, you’re so considerate!"
Duan Jingning also nodded repeatedly in agreement, sharing Ma Tianci’s sentiments.
"Grandpa Ma, you flatter me. I’m a physician, and I just have some research on medicinal cuisine," An Yiqing said with a modest smile, neither arrogant nor impetuous.
Only then did Ma Tianci and Duan Jingning remember the rumors about Xuandu City, that this young lady was not only a businesswoman and a daughter of a wealthy family but also a disciple of the Master of the Medicine Sect, a renowned Divine Doctor.
At this thought, Duan Jingning sighed sentimentally, "Back in the day, under Mr. Ye’s leadership, the Medicine Sect was so glorious. I had the fortune to meet him once, but due to some mischance, I never got the chance to greet him properly. Alas! Who knows why Mr. Ye disappeared along with the Medicine Sect, becoming silent and invisible." Duan Jingning seemed to be reminded of something and suddenly looked up at An Yiqing with hopeful eyes. "Miss, since you are Mr. Ye’s disciple and a famous Little God Doctor, I wonder if you might..." At the end, Duan Jingning found it difficult to continue.
"Elder Duan, are you asking if I can cure your thirst disease?" An Yiqing voiced Duan Jingning’s unspoken difficulty. She had noticed something unusual about Duan Jingning after entering the private room. Judging from his physical reactions, Duan Jingning was in a state of extreme thirst, evident from his cracked lips and pale corners of the mouth. The manager had poured them a cup of warm water, and normally, Duan Jingning should have drunk it all in one go. But he didn’t even touch it and even pushed the blanket far away. Furthermore, after the Longjing tea was served, Duan Jingning merely lifted the cup and gently sipped. An Yiqing noticed that he held the tea in his mouth for half a second before slowly swallowing. Such an action is only seen in those who are severely dehydrated yet extremely thirsty.