As Zheng Zheng was lost in his memories, Su Ning's rosy face gradually returned to a more normal hue, though it still looked adorably flushed. She quickly brushed aside the earlier awkwardness and exclaimed, “Zheng Zheng, we haven’t seen each other in over a decade! What a pleasant surprise to run into you today. How about we have lunch together? I really want to know how Uncle and Aunt are doing, and what’s going on with Zheng Xiaohong and Zheng Su.”

Zheng Xiaohong and Zheng Su were the children of his second uncle; they had been in the same class in elementary school, making them quite close.

Normally, Zheng Zheng wouldn't mind, but he was in a hurry to buy rice paper and vermilion ink. A hint of hesitation crossed his face.

Just then, a fashionable girl who had been standing behind Su Ning stepped forward and tugged at her sleeve, lowering her voice to say, “Su Ning, Wu Yunyi has invited you to lunch today.”

Su Ning had been quite happy, but when she heard Wu Yunyi's name, a displeased look crossed her face. “I’m not going. That guy is always pestering me; it’s really annoying.”

Seeing Su Ning's resolute tone, the fashionable girl turned her gaze to Zheng Zheng and scrutinized him briefly. Noticing his simple clothing and the aura of a country bumpkin, she felt a surge of superiority and adopted a somewhat arrogant expression. “This friend, Su Ning already has plans for lunch. How about you leave your phone number, and she can contact you when she’s free?”

Zheng Zheng rubbed his nose. Although he felt quite unpleasant being looked down upon, he decided to go along with it. Having a meal and chatting with a beautiful girl sounded nice, but prioritizing his time to practice talisman drawing was the real deal. Besides, with her phone number, wouldn’t it be easy to find a time to connect later?

“Wang Lu, my affairs are none of your business.” But Su Ning was quite stubborn and firmly refused to have lunch with Wu Yunyi.

Wang Lu felt a surge of urgency. After all, Wu Yunyi was quite well-connected; his father was the deputy director of the city planning bureau, his mother worked in the civil affairs bureau, and he had many relatives in the government. Not to mention, he had founded a clothing export company at a young age, with assets exceeding ten million. She relied on his family for many things.

Moreover, she had received numerous favors from Wu Yunyi in recent times, and this lunch was mostly facilitated by her.

Wang Lu's well-laid plans were disrupted by Zheng Zheng’s arrival, and she was furious, glaring at him. “Hey, there’s a line of people wanting to have lunch with Su Ning, stretching from the South Gate to the train station. Consider yourself lucky to be an elementary school classmate. But let me give you a heads up: Su Ning's favorites are the drunken shrimp from Bihai Qionglou, wasabi clams, and fried king prawns. They have to be wild-caught, mind you. These dishes don’t come cheap; you’ll be spending at least a thousand for each plate. If you really want to treat an old classmate, you better prepare yourself.”

After saying this, Wang Lu crossed her arms and smirked in disdain.

Zheng Zheng couldn’t help but feel a bit startled at her words. It seemed Su Ning’s foodie tendencies hadn’t changed; they had just become more refined. A helpless expression appeared on his face as he spread his hands and tentatively said, “I mean, Little Fatty, how about we save it for next time? Today, I only have enough money on me for a box lunch.”

Wang Lu nearly burst out laughing upon hearing Zheng Zheng’s words.

With his meager finances, he was simply no match for Wu Yunyi. Her mocking demeanor grew even stronger.

Meanwhile, Su Ning’s discontent was evident on her delicate face. After shooting Wang Lu an irritated glare, she turned to Zheng Zheng, “What’s wrong with eating a box lunch? I’ve eaten plenty before; are you willing or not?”

Wang Lu's smile froze instantly, and in her urgency, she cast several meaningful glances at Zheng Zheng.

However, Zheng Zheng completely ignored her. To be honest, he was thoroughly fed up with this arrogant and petty woman. Moreover, Su Ning had made her intentions clear; refusing her again would be ungrateful. With a wry smile, he said, “Since you don’t mind, why should I? Let’s go eat a box lunch.”

Su Ning’s face lit up with a sweet smile, as if she had won a victory. She waved goodbye to her companion and left with Zheng Zheng.

This left Wang Lu fuming, watching Su Ning’s joyful expression as if she were about to feast on a lavish banquet instead of a simple box lunch. She stamped her foot and pulled out a delicate phone, quickly dialing a number and saying a few words before hanging up and turning to leave.

Ultimately, Zheng Zheng didn’t take Su Ning for a box lunch but instead to Bihai Qionglou.

As they got into a taxi, Su Ning tried to dissuade him multiple times, “Zheng Zheng, don’t listen to Wang Lu. We shouldn’t go to Bihai Qionglou; the prices there are too high. It’s common for a meal to cost over a thousand, and if you go a little extravagant, it could easily reach ten thousand. You really don’t need to spend that kind of money.”

Zheng Zheng, however, didn’t care at all. He cheerfully replied, “Don’t worry, just enjoy your meal. Money is no concern.”

Seeing Zheng Zheng’s confidence, Su Ning stopped trying to convince him after a few refusals. However, she felt a sense of unease; based on Zheng Zheng’s attire, it was clear he wasn’t wealthy. A meal like this would likely cost several months' salary—how could he afford it?

While the two were each lost in their thoughts, the taxi brought them to Bihai Qionglou.

Bihai Qionglou is a well-known high-end dining venue in Wenzhou, frequented by the wealthy and powerful. Luxury cars abound, and beautiful women are numerous. The establishment is bustling with affluent patrons, making the opulence of the building and the professionalism of the security intimidating enough that most people wouldn’t even dare to step inside, let alone dine there.

But today, an unusual young man arrived wearing slightly faded jeans, a light blue long-sleeve T-shirt, and a pair of ordinary sneakers. His attire clearly indicated he was from a regular family, yet he carried himself with an easy confidence. What was even more surprising was that he was accompanied by a sweet, delicate, and innocent-looking beauty. The girl was dressed in Chanel, carrying an Hermès handbag, and was adorned in high-end brands. This prompted onlookers to speculate about the young man's background, given that it was quite trendy for rich young men to pretend to be humble.

Even the most experienced security personnel hesitated in the face of this unusual pairing.

Ultimately, Zheng Zheng’s calm demeanor, unwavering gaze, and steady steps persuaded them to back down. Their instincts told them that it was better not to provoke someone whose background they couldn’t discern. Besides, the beauty behind him seemed familiar; she appeared to be a regular patron, so there shouldn’t be any issues.

The security guard soon let them through, and a youthful, attractive hostess quickly approached them, inquiring about their needs. After understanding their situation, she led Zheng Zheng and Su Ning to a meticulously decorated private room. The environment was serene; even though the hall was already filled with five or six tables of guests, it remained quiet, with only the beautiful melodies of a saxophone lingering in the air.