The dissatisfaction in Zhang Yuanxing's tone was clearly felt by Yuan Luoxi and the others, and they couldn't help but be surprised.
This guy is so audacious, how dare he speak to Su Xianshi like that?
Immediately, they vaguely understood that Zhang Yuanxing probably didn't know about Su Xianshi's abilities, just like when they first met Su Yi...
Yuan Luoxi's beautiful eyes showed a trace of strangeness, and she felt a sense of embarrassment and unease in her heart.
Compared to this arrogant guy, she was much more arrogant when facing Su Xianshi back then. Now thinking about it, she realized how silly she was...
Cheng Wuyong coughed dryly and explained, "Young Master Zhang, you misunderstood. We are just traveling together with Su... Su Gongzi."
As he spoke, he suddenly remembered Su Yi's previous warning not to reveal anything about Guimu Ridge, so he cleverly changed his address from "Xianshi" to "Gongzi" (young master).
"Is that so?"
Zhang Yuanxing was taken aback, seeming somewhat skeptical.
"Zhang Yuanxing, why do you care about our affairs with Su Gongzi? I actually want to ask, why are you here?" Yuan Luoxi frowned, coldly questioning.
Zhang Yuanxing quickly smiled and said, "Miss Luoxi, I heard that you have also come to Guangling City, so I inquired and learned that you had already gone to Guimu Ridge with your people yesterday, so I've been waiting here."
Yuan Luoxi's expression turned cold. "As the young master of the Zhang Clan, what are you waiting for me for? If there's nothing else, please step aside!"
In Yunhe County City, the Yuan Clan was on par with the Zhang Clan among the top four influential forces.
In terms of status and cultivation, Yuan Luoxi was no less inferior to Zhang Yuanxing, and even surpassed him in some aspects.
She wouldn't be polite to Zhang Yuanxing at all.
Zhang Yuanxing's face stiffened slightly, feeling quite puzzled. When Yuan Luoxi saw him before, she wasn't so impatient, right?
What's going on?
Just as he was about to say something, he saw Yuan Luoxi turn her head and look at Su Yi, her delicate face showing a trace of uneasiness and anticipation. She softly said, "Su... Su Gongzi, do you want to go to the city together and have something to eat?"
Zhang Yuanxing's pupils suddenly contracted, and doubts filled his mind. What's going on?
Cheng Wuyong also smiled and said, "Yes, thanks to Gongzi and Senior Guo's help at Guimu Ridge, we were able to obtain that spiritual herb. Now that we have arrived in the city, it is only right for us to arrange a banquet to express our gratitude."
Seeing this, Zhang Yuanxing was so shocked that his mouth almost fell open.
He knew very well that Cheng Wuyong was an elder of the Yuan Clan's outer sect, a top-notch expert at the pinnacle of the Gathering Qi stage. In terms of status, he was second only to Xiong Bo who was not present.
But now, even Cheng Wuyong was being so polite to Su Yi. How could Zhang Yuanxing not be surprised?
"Very well."
Su Yi nodded in agreement.
It was now dawn, and he could feel the hunger in his stomach.
Yuan Luoxi immediately revealed a bright and charming smile and said happily, "That's great! Let's go quickly. I heard that Juxian Tower is the number one restaurant in Guangling City. Let's go there!"
"Guo lao, you should come along too," Cheng Wuyong said with a smile to Guo Bing.
Guo Bing quickly clasped his fists and said, "It's my honor!"
Immediately, the group headed towards the city gate.
No one paid any further attention to Zhang Yuanxing.
"Xiong Bo, do you understand what's going on?" Zhang Yuanxing furrowed his brow, feeling quite uneasy. Just a moment ago, he, the young master of the Zhang Clan, was actually ignored!
"Didn't the information you inquired about yesterday say that when Yuan Luoxi found Guo Bing, the herbalist, Su Yi was also there and they all set off to Guimu Ridge together?" Xiong Bo, wearing a black round hat, pondered and said, "From the current situation, it seems that Su Yi and Guo Bing helped Yuan Luoxi find a desired spiritual herb, so they are grateful to them."
"Right! It seems I was overthinking!" Zhang Yuanxing clapped his hands, as if he had untied a knot in his heart. The gloom between his eyebrows vanished, and he smiled, "Xiong Bo, let's go to Juxian Tower as well!"
He regained his confidence and became lively and spirited.
Seeing this scene, Xiong Bo couldn't help but remind him, "Young Master, Yuan Luoxi is the doted youngest daughter of the Yuan Clan's patriarch. Her grandfather is the famous 'Lord Jingyuan' Gu Chenfeng, who once said with his own mouth that before Yuan Luoxi turns eighteen, anyone who dares to have ill intentions towards her will have their three legs broken."
Zhang Yuanxing's expression froze, and he instinctively crossed his legs. "What's there to be afraid of? I'm just making friends with her. If there's a chance for a formal marriage, I'll wait until she's eighteen."
Xiong Bo said, "But Young Master, you also know that Yuan Luoxi has been spoiled since childhood, with a haughty and unruly temperament. If you want to pursue her... you have to be mentally prepared in advance."
Zhang Yuanxing nodded and said eagerly, "What I admire most about her is that wildness in her. She's like a little wild horse, making people can't help but want to conquer..."
Xiong Bo didn't say anything more.
As an experienced person, he knew that young men wouldn't back down easily when it came to pursuing women after experiencing setbacks.
Juxian Tower.
Due to the early morning hour, there weren't many customers in the restaurant, and it was quite deserted.
However, when the news of Miss Yuan Luoxi, the young lady of Yunhe County, coming to dine spread, the owner of Juxian Tower, Yue Tianhe, immediately struggled out of the embrace of his concubine, Ruan Xiangxue, with her fair and fragrant white arms, and rushed to Juxian Tower as quickly as possible.
He instructed the servants to bring out the vintage wine he had treasured for many years. Following a serving maid, Yue Tianhe entered a private room on the second floor.
With a face filled with enthusiasm, he was about to bow and introduce himself when he froze in surprise and exclaimed, "Su... Su Yi?"
In the spacious private room, only Su Yi, Guo Bing, Yuan Luoxi, and Cheng Wuyong were seated.
And Su Yi was sitting calmly at the head of the table!
This scene almost dropped Yue Tianhe's jaw in astonishment.
Of course, he knew who Su Yi was, far more clearly than an average person. This young man was not just an ordinary son-in-law of the Wen family. City Lord Fu Shan and Commander of the Imperial Guards, Nie Beihu, both respected him greatly.
The news of Su Yi winning first place in the Longmen Grand Competition a few days ago had already spread throughout Guangling City, so how could Yue Tianhe not know?
But he never expected that early in the morning, the esteemed young lady from the Yuan family, a top power in Yunhe County, would entertain none other than Su Yi as her honored guest!
For a moment, Yue Tianhe almost forgot the prepared words he had in mind.
"Who are you?" Yuan Luoxi asked, as she didn't recognize Yue Tianhe.
Yue Tianhe quickly bowed and smiled, saying, "Miss Yuan, I am the proprietor of Juxian Tower. I heard of your esteemed visit, so I came specially to present a pot of fine wine as a small gesture of my respect."
As he spoke, he offered the wine in his hand.
Yuan Luoxi nodded and said, "You also know Su... Mister Su?"
Yue Tianhe hurriedly replied, "How could I, as the owner of Juxian Tower, not know such a remarkable young hero like Mister Su? He is the number one celebrity in our Guangling City, and I greatly admire him..."
He went on and on, showering Su Yi with praises, trying to demonstrate that he had a good relationship with Su Yi.
Seeing that Su Yi's expression remained cold, Cheng Wuyong sensed something and coughed, interrupting Yue Tianhe, "Alright, you can go now."
Yue Tianhe took the hint and nodded repeatedly. Before leaving, he didn't forget to greet Su Yi, "Mister Su, if you have any instructions, just let me know. I will be downstairs, ready to serve you and fulfill any requests you may have at any time."
"That guy is really shameless," Cheng Wuyong muttered.
Su Yi chuckled.
Others joined in laughter.
In short, the atmosphere during the meal was pleasant.
Back at the counter on the first floor, Yue Tianhe still felt a bit dazed, with only one thought in his mind—when did Su Yi climb up the high branches of the Yuan family in Yunhe County?
"The proprietor, where is Miss Yuan Luoxi from the Yuan family seated?" a clear voice suddenly sounded.
Yue Tianhe looked up and, upon seeing the person, couldn't help but inhale sharply. He quickly approached and greeted with a flattering smile, "So it's Young Master Zhang!"
The person was none other than Zhang Yuanxing. Surprised by Yue Tianhe's recognition, he couldn't help but ask, "Do you know me?"
Yue Tianhe warmly smiled and said, "Yesterday, I had the honor of delivering wine to the City Lord's Mansion, and from a distance, I caught a glimpse of Young Master Zhang. Your extraordinary bearing at that time left an unforgettable impression on me, so when you arrived, I recognized you at a glance."
This flattery made Zhang Yuanxing feel quite comfortable, although he retorted, "Enough with the nonsense, quickly take me to see Miss Luoxi."
Yue Tianhe hurriedly stepped forward to lead the way, bouncing along.
Zhang Yuanxing and Xiong Bo followed closely behind.
Before reaching the private room, Zhang Yuanxing adjusted his clothes and silently recalled the words he had prepared earlier.
Then, he pushed open the door, faced the astonished gazes of Yuan Luoxi and the others, and apologized with a bow, saying, "Luoxi, I misunderstood Mister Su earlier, so I came here specifically to apologize to him. Luoxi, you mustn't drive me away."
These were his prepared words, using Su Yi as a starting point to cleverly avoid the possibility of being rejected and excluded from this banquet by Yuan Luoxi.
Indeed, Yuan Luoxi's expression softened.
This made Zhang Yuanxing proud of his approach, but at the same time, he felt a sense of indescribable annoyance.
Why was it so effective to mention Su Yi in front of Luoxi?
"You said you want to apologize to me?"
Su Yi's expression was peculiar.
Zhang Yuanxing took the initiative to step forward and, after finding a seat for himself and Xiong Bo, smiled and said, "I misunderstood earlier and thought that Mister Su had joined the Yuan family. I didn't expect that Mister Su had done a great favor for Luoxi..."
He explained for a while, then lifted his drink and said, "I'll punish myself with three cups first!"
After downing the three cups in a row, Zhang Yuanxing's gaze suddenly caught sight of Yue Tianhe outside the private room, and he couldn't help but frown and say, "How can you be so clueless? Quickly close the door and leave this place!"
Yue Tianhe trembled all over and hurriedly closed the door with a smile before turning away.
However, his mind was in turmoil, and he felt somewhat lost even when he returned to the counter on the first floor.
Being treated as an honored guest by the Yuan family, and having Young Master Zhang personally come to apologize, when did Su Yi become such a popular figure?
Yue Tianhe couldn't understand.
"I've worked hard to run this restaurant for decades, and I've only become the proprietor of Ju Xian Lou. This kid is so young, yet he has connections with the top powers in Yunhe County... It's truly unbelievable!"
Yue Tianhe felt bewildered.
"I feel like I've been living like a dog all these years, compared to Su Yi."