When the trio consisting of Ning Lingyu, Cao Shanshan, and Zhang Ling left the school, Ling Yun and his group of friends had already arrived at Savant's Restaurant.
If one was to believe that Savant's Restaurant opened just to cater to the students of Qingshui High School, he could not be further from the truth.
As the capital city of Jiangnan Province, Qingshui City had a population of over six million. The city's prosperity was no less than that of Beijing.
This could be seen from the property prices, where the average cost of owning a house was around thirty thousand dollars. In the central region of the city, prices started from fifty thousand dollars and above. However, the most expensive area of the city was at Qingshui Lake District, where the scenic and touristy Qingshui Lake was located.
Houses with a land area of above 21,000 square meters could only be found in the suburbs.
In Qingshui High's vicinity, only prestigious schools were present. This included Jiangnan University, Jiangnan Medical School, Jiangnan School of Engineering, Jiangnan Institute of Education, Qingshui Institute of Technology and so on. These institutes were located at Xuefu Road of Qingshui district and were within a radius of two kilometers.
Thus, the reason Savant's Restaurant was located so close to Qingshui High School was due to its prime location. With a steady stream of people and a huge crowd, it was easier to attract more guests to the restaurant.
As soon as Ling Yun reached the entrance of Savant's Restaurant, he had the sudden urge to run away.
"How can this be a place to treat others? This will simply burn my money!" He muttered while looking at the restaurant.
Compared to the school's canteen on the second floor, there was a world of difference!
Tang Meng glanced at Ling Yun, whose facial muscles were trembling. He actually sympathized with Ling Yun, albeit jokingly. Even if you don't spend a thousand dollars, you'd have to spend at least eight hundred.
"Which room should we go to?" Tang Meng sniggered. He quietly embraced Ling Yun's arm in order to prevent this stingy guy from escaping.
"Err… I don't think this is a place for students to dine in! The dishes are so overpriced! Let's go to a different place!"
In his mind, Ling Yun was secretly cursing Zhang Ling. He was unable to stand the thought of her smile. She went a little overboard, didn't she?
Ling Yun initially thought that Savant's Restaurant was a small restaurant, one that was similar to the school's canteen but was located outside the school.
Tang Meng smiled sheepishly while dragging Ling Yun into the restaurant's majestic hall.
"Good day, sir, may I know if you have a booking?" The slim and well-dressed waiter enquired. He took a glance at Ling Yun, who was still wearing his school uniform. He was evidently uncomfortable with the Fatty's dress code but he still remained extremely polite.
Since Ling Yun had already been dragged in, he knew he no longer had a choice. He glanced at this relative good-looking waiter and replied, "Yes, Kuixing Pavilion."
"Alright sir, please head to the second floor!" The waiter answered before proceeding to speak on his portable microphone.
"Kuixing Pavilion room. The second floor, please receive the guests."
Although Ling Yun displayed an uncomfortable look, he remained confident on the inside. He still had the twenty thousand dollars that he got today with him.
Since this was unavoidable, he might as well stay cool and be confident.
He frowned and shoved Tang Meng's hand away from his arm then led the group up to the second floor.
Tang Meng followed him side by side. He disregarded Ling Yun's unhappiness and said, "This is the best restaurant along Xuefu Road. The first floor is the function hall, the second and third floor are all private rooms, roughly 80 in total."
It was evident that Tang Meng was a regular at Savant's Restaurant as he knew the place like the back of his palm.
With the waiter's help, the four of them soon arrived in the Kuixing Pavilion Room. Upon arrival, Ling Yun immediately took a seat facing the door, without much courtesy. That was also the seat where the bill was usually footed.
Tang Meng disregarded all formalities and sat opposite Ling Yun without any discussion. His back was facing the door.
Why did he sit there? It was obvious that Ning Lingyu would take the seat beside Ling Yun. Thus, he wanted to have a clearer view of his dream girl.
As soon as everyone had settled down, Tang Meng whipped out a pack of cigarettes. After fishing out a stick, he tossed the packet on the rotating table.
"Want some?" he asked casually, facing Zhang Dong and Chai Hanlin who were both by his side.
Even though he did not know the both of them, Zhang Dong and Chai Hanlin knew him.
Both of them shook their heads to reject his offer.
"Ling Yun, you created such a shock today. We're going to graduate soon. You'll probably have the limelight." Tang Meng said while exhaling a puff of smoke. He waved his long hair around and habitually shook his finger to get rid of the ash on the tip of his cigarette.
Tang Meng was not fond of many people. But Ling Yun's performance today, especially with Gou Junfa, changed how Tang Meng viewed him.
Although Tang Meng disliked both Gou Junfa and Lu Chengtian, he would not provoke the both of them unnecessarily. Thus, they always avoided each other.
Tang Meng knew that although Ling Yun did not have a strong background or support, yet, he had the courage to do something that Tang Meng always wanted to do, but never dared to. That earned Tang Meng's respect.
It was the mark of a true winner. Respect could be earned by doing something that others would not dare to. Only then would others approve and follow you.
Ling Yun smiled but didn't say much. In his eyes, the rebellious Gou Junfa did not mean much. He was as insignificant as an ant.
"But let me warn you, Gou Junfa and the rest of them aren't going to let this slide. You must be prepared. They aren't easy to deal with!" Tang Meng said in a serious tone, sensing Ling Yun's apathetic attitude.
"What's there to prepare?" Ling Yun replied softly, raising his eyebrows and evoking a faint smile.
"Two things. The first is that you punched Gou Junfa. He is definitely going to bring a group of people to deal with you. Secondly, based on my experience, he is going to use his dad's influence. It's possible that you can get expelled from school."
Expelled? Like getting chased out of a sect? Ling Yun thought to himself. Yet again…
Back in Cultivation World, Ling Yun had been chased out of multiple sects countless times. Therefore to him, this was normal.
Knowing that Ling Yun was in deep trouble this time, Chai Hanlin's face turned pale immediately.
Zhang Dong asked with a serious face, "How are we going to deal with this? There are only two more months before finals. If you're going to get expelled…"
Tang Meng smiled and answered, "However, based on your academic performance, Gou Junfa will realize that it is meaningless to get you expelled. You won't be able to get into university either way… Hence, it's most likely that Gou Junfa wants you to stay in school while finding someone to deal with you."
After listening to Tang Meng's analysis, Ling Yun smiled. It was as if he had a different thought. Regarding Gou Junfa, he had never taken it seriously. However, Tang Meng's crude analysis moved him. Tang Meng was actually able to analyze the problem with such accuracy.
What is most often lacked in establishing one's own force? Talent!
Tang Meng looked at the three guys in front of him and proclaimed proudly, "Even though you're in deep trouble, as long as I'm here, Gou Junfa won't dare to touch you… But when you're all alone, all the best to you…"
When everyone finished talking, Tang Meng slouched in his chair quietly and began fiddling with his ZIPPO lighter.
Knowing that the Little Gambling God was on Ling Yun's side, Chai Hanlin heaved a sigh of relief. It did not take long for him to start panicking again.
He glanced at Ling Yun, then proceeded to ask Tang Meng in a cowardly tone, "Is there a better idea?"
After contemplating, Tang Meng replied, "I can actually talk to them and tell them to not touch Ling Yun. However, that wouldn't mean much. They can easily find someone else to beat up Ling Yun and not be physically present themselves. If they are to feign ignorance and push the blame, there wouldn't be much I could say…"
After he finished talking, Tang Meng frowned and shook his head.
Looking at Tang Meng, Ling Yun burst into laughter. He had a smile so wide that his dimples, made almost invisible by facial fat, came out.
You little brat! You thought of everything that can be thought of without leaving out anything. Such a talent!
Ling Yun did not expose his thoughts. He acted as if nothing had happened and stayed extremely calm. It was as if Tang Meng's comments had nothing to do with him.
Ling Yun would be able to utilize the Shichiyou Herb to reach Physique Tempering Stage Level 1 tonight. Reaching Level 2 was a possibility too. When he reaches that stage, he was confident that even ten people would be no match for him.
That was why he did not seem to care.
Ling Yun was not afraid of a fight. As for being expelled, it's a regular occurrence for him. Thus, he could not be bothered!
If he was still in school, he would take the exam to go to university. If he was not in school, he would not take the exam. Once his training reached the peak of Level 2, he would learn divine sense. At that point, even hundreds of books with thousands of content knowledge would be absorbed into his brain instantaneously.
To Ling Yun, in this world, he had yet to find anything that was currently more important than his training! Since Ling Yun did not speak, the room naturally became silent. It did not take long before the door opened. The silhouette of the three pretty girls appeared at the doorstep.
"Oh, you guys are already seated? Have you guys ordered the dishes?" Zhang Ling asked excitedly as she entered the room. It was obvious that Ning Lingyu had done a pretty good job as a mediator. Even Cao Shanshan was no longer as furious as before.
When the three beautiful girls entered the room, there was a sudden change in the atmosphere. Tang Meng did not want Ning Lingyu to have a negative impression of him, so he immediately put out his cigarette and stood right up.
"Lingyu, come and sit beside me!" Ling Yun used his two hands and caringly ushered Ning Lingyu.
"You three gorgeous ladies weren't even here yet. Who would dare to order?" Zhang Dong answered Zhang Ling in gentlemanly manner.
Since Zhang Dong had placed Zhang Ling in the same league as the two prettiest girls in school, her pride skyrocketed. She beamed, "That's good, please order a dish of Fried Butter Prawn, Sichuan Boiled Fish, Quanjude Roast Duck, and…"
Ling Yun received a shock. He quickly interrupted, "Wait, wait… Can you even finish eating everything? What about the rest?"
Ning Lingyu looked up and giggled to herself. She then gently proceeded to take a seat to the left of Ling Yun.
Cao Shanshan felt a sweet taste of revenge after witnessing Ling Yun's agony. However, looking at Zhang Ling's blabbering, she thought that Zhang Ling might have gone a little overboard. No one can truly understand how a woman thinks, pretty girls included!
Zhang Ling took a quick glance at all the seats. She smiled to herself and naturally took the seat to the left of Zhang Dong. She waved at Cao Shanshan and while patting the seat on her left, she said, "Shanshan, sit here! "
Cao Shanshan looked at that seat and could not help but think to herself, "What an evil friend…"
Tang Meng glanced at that seat. He was filled with envy and jealousy in his heart. How lucky can this Fatty get? Ling Ningyu on the left, Cao Shanshan on the right… The two prettiest girls in school! No one has ever enjoyed such treatment!
Cao Shanshan was unable to control herself. She darted in Ling Yun's direction. Ling Yun was so busy chatting with Ning Lingyu that he did not listen to anything Zhang Ling said.
Do you think that I'm afraid to sit beside you? I'll do exactly that!
Cao Shanshan reluctantly walked towards the empty seat between Ling Yun and Zhang Ling. Without flinching, she gently sat down in a natural and elegant manner.
Although she was still angry, she had to maintain her status as an elegant, upper-class lady. At this moment, the waiter handed her the menu. Zhang Ling immediately took the menu over and did not share it with anyone else. Without hesitation, she started ordering, "Including the three dishes just now, we would like to have Braised Pig Trotters, Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs, Sliced Beef and Ox Tongue in Chilli Sauce…"
Cao Shanshan felt ashamed. Zhang Ling, can you even finish all that food? Also, all the dishes are above fifty dollars…
Before Zhang Ling could finish ordering, Cao Shanshan snatched the menu. She ordered a plate of Sour and Spicy Potato Strips without even looking at the menu, then proceeded to place the menu in front of Ling Yun.
"I wasn't done with ordering…" Zhang Ling murmured to express her dissatisfaction, which caused Cao Shanshan to glare at her angrily.
Ling Yun noticed that Cao Shanshan only ordered one dish and he looked at her with a rather surprised expression. Ling Yun did not bother looking at the menu and passed it over to Ning Lingyu. He said in a warm voice, "Lingyu, order whatever you'd like to eat."
Ning Lingyu stuck out her tongue playfully at Ling Yun. She, too, ordered a plate of Fried Lettuces with Roasted Garlic and Stir Fried Broccoli without looking at the menu. She then proceeded to pass the menu to Chai Hanlin. Similar to Ling Yun and Ning Lingyu, this was Chai Hanlin's first time in Savant's Restaurant. Chai Hanlin did not know what dish to order and so, he passed the menu to Tang Meng.
As of now, there were already nine dishes. Tang Meng gave it a deep thought. He looked over at the three beautiful girls beside Ling Yun and then decided to get three bowls of Sugared Bird's Nest Soup with Dates. He proceeded to place the menu on Zhang Dong's hand.
Tang Meng had always been a very thoughtful guy who paid attention to details. By using Ling Yun's treat to order Bird's Nest Soup for the three ladies, he received praise from all three of them.
Even Cao Shanshan, who had always been crude to Tang Meng, replied with a smile.
Tang Meng pretended not to see Ling Yun's killer stare from the opposite side, but instead looked at the three beauties. He was secretly proud of himself. Treating the two prettiest girls in school to some Bird's Nest Soup without spending a single dollar? Such a good deal! Only an idiot wouldn't do it.
After receiving the menu, Zhang Dong returned it directly to the waiter. He looked at Ling Yun, then at Tang Meng, and ordered, "Half a dozen beers and three cups of fruit juice."
Zhang Dong was influenced by his father who loved to drink beer. His whole body was sweating since he had played basketball just now and he needed a drink to quench his thirst. Beer was the obvious choice.
The waiter went to process the order. While everyone waited, the entire Kuixing Pavilion became almost like a news conference for Ling Yun.
"Ling Yun, I heard that you knocked down your hostel's door last night and punched both Wei Tiangan and Jia Meng. Is it true?"
"Ling Yun, how did you manage to persevere running eleven laps while carrying the sandbag in the afternoon? You even vomited blood but you still seem perfectly fine!"
"Ling Yun, how did you train your memory? How did you become so powerful? Do you still remember the text? Why don't you repeat it for us again?"
"Ling Yun, did you really beat up Gou Junfa? Aren't you afraid that he'll get someone to deal with you? What if he uses his connections to get you expelled?"
Zhang Ling, who had a natural potential to be an excellent reporter, acted as the main interviewer. She was followed up by Tang Meng and the others.
Ling Yun remembered the words 'be super lowkey' by heart. He acted as if he was a big shot being interviewed. He gave random answers and beat around the bush. His mouth was full of sh*t. His main purpose was to avoid answering the questions properly.
Although he was lying, his answers were hilarious. This greatly amused Ning Lingyu, who could not stop laughing. Even though Cao Shanshan disliked Ling Yun, she, too, started to simmer with laughter.
Fortunately, Savant's Restaurant was not too busy. The first dish was served not long after and that was when Zhang Ling's rigorous questioning stopped. When the waitress brought in the beer, Zhang Dong told her to leave the bottle-opener and politely asked her to leave.
Zhang Dong, being a tall guy, stood up and bent towards Ling Yun. He filled his beer glass then took a seat. After a quick contemplation, Zhang Dong faced Ling Yun and said sincerely, "Ling Yun, to be honest, you used to be a coward. Although we did sympathize with you, we couldn't really help out much. But now that you've changed, from the bottom of our hearts, we are truly happy for you. Cheers to you!"
Everyone was touched by Zhang Dong's sincere words. They joined in the toast together while looking at Ling Yun with a complex gaze. For a moment, the private room became silent.
This included Ning Lingyu, who had been happily laughing just now. Her pair of big eyes turned moist as she nipped her lips and stared at her brother. Her eyes were filled with pride and expectation. It was a truly indescribable moment.
Although Cao Shanshan did not look at Ling Yun, her pair of slender hands, which was holding a cup of juice, trembled slightly and uncontrollably. Her gaze was unstable as she didn't know where to look.
Ling Yun slowly glanced over the crowd while smiling. Finally, he stopped at Zhang Dong.
"Thank you," Ling Yun said while raising his cup and finishing the drink.
Ling Yun was calm and collected, but as soon as he drank the beer, he no longer felt so. What the hell is this taste?
If not for the people here, he would have spat out the whole glass of beer. Ling Yun frowned and grit his teeth. He gulped down the glass of beer as if it was poison. It tasted bitter and left a weird taste on his tongue. The expression on his face was turning weird.
Tang Meng was a little surprised. He giggled, "Ling Yun, you've never consumed alcohol before?" Although this was his first time, Ling Yun was not about to embarrass himself. He forced a smile and replied, "Of course I have! But there's always this weird taste…"
Ling Yun's explanation successfully covered his lie. Tang Meng smiled in return, "This is the taste of beer. If it doesn't sting, it ain't alcohol. You'll get used to it quickly. Go ahead! Tuck in!"
After the first dish was served, the remaining dishes came very quickly. Zhang Ling flashed a wide smile at the dishes that she ordered. She gobbled the food ferociously, paying no attention to Cao Shanshan, who was seated beside her.
Cao Shanshan was also starving. It was something that she was not used to. Everyone was her classmates except for Tang Meng and Ning Lingyu. Thus, she ate happily without many reservations.
The only thing that made her unhappy was that Ling Yun kept passing Ning Lingyu more food, but did not pass any food to her. This made her a little upset.
Would you die if you gave in to me? Even if you do give me some food, I wouldn't cherish it!
As soon as they were done eating, the waiter immediately served the Bird's Nest Soup to the three ladies. Without any hesitation, Zhang Ling immediately gulped down the whole bowl of soup.
"I'm so full! My stomach is so bloated…" Zhang Ling giggled to herself. Zhang Ling lifted her head and realized that everyone was staring at her, which made her a little embarrassed. She smiled back awkwardly. Cao Shanshan also ate quite a huge portion. However, she was full of elegance, hence, she took her time to consume the soup, acting like an upper-class lady.
A woman's stomach is a unique thing.
As soon as Cao Shanshan was done eating, she glanced at Ling Yun and felt that he was not that hateful after all. You're lucky that you're quite interesting!
Although it was a huge feast, Ling Yun and Tang Meng consumed the least. In the afternoon, they had shared five to six dishes between the both of them and as a result, they were rather full. In Ling Yun's head, he was thinking of a way to get some useful information from Cao Shanshan. He never treated people to meals only to get nothing in return.
At this moment, Zhang Ling wiped her mouth and stood up. She announced embarrassedly, "You guys continue eating. I have to head to the washroom…"
Ning Lingyu also stood up. She smiled and said, "Let's go together!"
Ning Lingyu did not need to use the washroom. Instead, she wanted to use this opportunity to speak with Zhang Ling privately. After all, Zhang Ling was going to be her brother's 'tutor' in the coming two months. If Zhang Ling was not satisfied, her brother's treat would have been wasted.
After the two of them left the room, Ling Yun tried to start a new conversation, "Who here has been to The Great Wall of China?"
Zhang Dong and Cai Hanlin could not help but look at each other. The Great Wall of China was located in the North, but they were in Jiangnan. They had obviously never been there before.
Tang Meng was using a toothpick to pick his teeth, but when he heard this, he laughed, "The Great Wall? I've been to Yan Jing's Ba Da Ling many times before. Why? Do you want to go?"
Ling Yun was afraid that no one would continue the conversation and so he nodded his head and said, "I've heard that the Ba Da Ling section of The Great Wall is both magnificent yet imposing. I would love to go there."
"Go then! You can head there via train or airplane. Once you reach Yan Jing, you can purchase a ticket to go up," Tang Meng replied casually.
Ling Yun feigned his curiosity, "How did they even build this two thousand years ago? How did they manage to carry those big pieces of stone up to the mountaintop? How did they even manage to stack it up?"
Since Ning Lingyu had left, Tang Meng had already stopped paying attention. After picking his teeth, he drew out a stick of cigarette and replied, "How the hell would I know? I think the ancient Chinese are actually smarter than us though."
Cao Shanshan's lips moved as if she had something to say. However, she immediately shut her cute little mouth and did not say a word.
As Ling Yun's eyes swept the room, he sighed to himself uncontrollably.
"What do you want!" A high-pitch and irritated scream came from outside the room.
Ling Yun and the rest knew that this voice belonged to Zhang Ling. Their faces turned black. Tang Meng rushed out of the room while yelling, "Sh*t!"
Since his dream girl, Ning Lingyu, was also outside, he was definitely alarmed. Although he was fast, Cao Shanshan was faster. She left her seat in an instant and she rushed ahead of Tang Meng.
"That's fast!" Ling Yun murmured as he looked at his surroundings. His pupil contracted and his eyes narrowed slightly. However, this was not the right time to think about this. He noticed that everyone had dashed out and he followed suit.
When he arrived outside the room, Tang Meng and Cao Shanshan were already standing in front of Ning Lingyu and Zhang Ling. Facing them were three men in their twenties. They seemed like university students. Their drunk faces were red from alcohol.
"Oh, this new girl is also quite pretty… We can't find such a beautiful girl in our school…"
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