After wandering around the market for half a day, both Bai Yu Yan and Xiao Fan were hungry. The capital had many famous restaurants and street food stalls. They decided on having lunch in a nearby tavern.
Although the tavern looked small from the outside, there were many people inside and had a relatively large space to accommodate everyone. Bai Yu Yan and Xiao Fan settled on the furthest table in a corner.
Seeing the customers arrive, a waiter immediately came to their table to take the order. Although Bai Yu Yan's clothes gave her away as a noble, her petite figure showed she did not eat much. So the waiter pulled out small paper to note down their order. However, looking through the menu, Bai Yu Yan ordered crab rangoons, vegetable spring rolls, salt and pepper spare ribs, pickled cabbage, beggar's chicken, mapo tofu and at last for dessert, osmanthus cake.
The rich nobles sure like to show off their money even if they can't eat it all. The waiter sighed inwardly and took out a bigger paper to write down the order knowing how they are going to be wasted at the end.
Actually, Bai Yu Yan was one hell of a glutton. Even in the modern world, there was no such delicacy that she had not tasted. To her, the best thing about coming to this world was food. Here, they had fresh organic ingredients and food contained their original flavor. Sure, there were not many dishes developed at this time but it was also true that some exotic dished existed only during this age and had been improved many times till it reached the modern age, resulting in the loss of original flavor. So she could say that she was quite satisfied with the food of this world.
The food in this tavern must be really good seeing how every table was occupied by customers. At the opposite corner of the room, Bai Yu Yan noticed a single man occupying a table. In front of him, there was a cup of tea he was drinking from and nothing more. He was wearing a plain white robe without any embroidery or accessories. But at one look she could tell that the material of his robe was not a normal one. It was one of the expensive linen extracted from only a certain plant. With a bamboo hat covering his head, she could not see his face but his exposed fingers holding the teacup was long and beautiful.
Their order came in a short time and Bai Yu Yan saw the waiter giving sad look to the food before going away. With a laugh in her eyes, she bowed her head to look at the table full of food and started digging on it without wasting any minute.
Humm, not bad! Feeling the taste explode in her mouth, her taste buds were doing a happy dance. Swallowing the last drop of sauce from the place, Bai Yu Yan closed her eyes in bliss.
Feeling satisfied after finishing the entire table of food, she elegantly dabbed her lips with the handkerchief and flashed her canines towards the little waiter. With a look of horror in his eyes, the little waiter immediately turned elsewhere to hide the shame for being caught. Don't women usually eat like a bird? Who could have guessed that a delicate lady could eat this much...that too a noble one!!!
As they were getting ready to leave after paying the bill, there was an angry voice of a man.
"Hey you, I'm asking you once again, hurry and pay for your tea. Ordering just a cup of tea and occupying the whole table. You shouldn't have come to this tavern if you can't afford to eat here." The manager was huffing with anger as he pointed his finger to the man wearing a bamboo hat.
Bai Yu Yan was watching at the scene and saw that the manager had pulled the green jade knot pendant hanging from the man's waist.
"Don't even think about leaving this place without paying. If you don't have money, then I'm going to keep this as a payment". Seeing the other person flinch when he pulled it, the manager held the jade knot pendant feeling this must definitely be worth a lot.
The whole tavern had become quiet and everyone's head was turned towards the man's table. While some snickered thinking how he deserved it, some were giving him a sympathetic look, but no one approached for help. Of course, they needed some entertainment in their boring life, and watching the show of other's misfortune was definitely the best one.
After having her fill, Bai Yu Yan calmly stood up to walk towards the entrance. Seeing the man's predicament, Xiao Fan shook her head in sympathy but this was not a new event. Although the guy did not seem like those ruffian who eats and does not pay, a book cannot be judged by its cover.
Bai Yu Yan walked without looking caring for the commotion. Just as they reached the man's table, Bai Yu Yan suddenly stopped. She slowly bent and reached her hand to casually pick something from the foot of the table.
"Gentleman, it seems that you've dropped your money".
Opening her palm under the gaze of everyone, Bai Yu Yan slowly let the handful of silver taels slide on the table in front of the man. She then turned to look at the manager who was still holding onto the jade pendant.
As she had already worn her veil, nobody knew who this lady was. The onlookers watched as the manager did not know whether to hold the pendant or put it down. The manager could just glare at Bai Yu Yan for butting in his business.
Not looking at the silver taels on the table or the red face of the manager, the man's deep gaze lingered on the departing figure of Bai Yu Yan. The wind at the entrance of tavern blew her veil, giving him a glimpse of the tiny red mole at the tip of her ear. As the view of her back completely disappeared, corner of his thin lips slowly tugged upwards