Ziyun Pavilion is a high-end restaurant in the capital city, with a decor that is retro in style, as if one has traveled from the world of skyscrapers to the Ming and Qing dynasties. The carved beams and painted rafters are faintly visible, with dragons and phoenixes bringing auspiciousness, an ancient charm and elegance, bamboo and trees swaying gently, creating a unique and idyllic setting.

As soon as Zhang Wei stepped through the main entrance of the restaurant, he smelled a waft of sandalwood incense, the fragrance was very light, inhaling it invigorated his spirit. The retro decor was also stunningly beautiful; in Zhang Wei's opinion, calling it a restaurant didn't quite fit.

What Zhang Wei saw was a traditional Beijing courtyard house with its unique architecture, simple and solid, dignified and elegant, featuring pavilions and elegant chambers, surrounded by lush trees, offering a new view at every step, as if he were in another world altogether.

As soon as Zhang Wei and his two companions entered the main gate of the courtyard, they were immediately greeted by someone. The greeter was a charming lady dressed in a cheongsam, outlining her beautiful figure, with a smile on her face. She approached them and said, "Hello, welcome."

"Please take us to an elegant chamber," Murong Xuan nodded to the hostess and said.

"Of course, please follow me," the hostess gestured for them to come along and then led the three inside.

"Luckily we came early today, it's not even the peak dining time yet, otherwise we might not have found a place," Murong Xuan said with a smile to Zhang Wei and the others.

"Yes! I've been here a few times, their shark fin soup is quite good."

Zhang Yuxia was clearly a regular here and not unfamiliar with the environment. Zhang Wei followed behind the two, his expression unchanged on the outside, but his heart was filled with astonishment. As an agent struggling to make ends meet, he had never seen such an ancient and rich landscape. Not to mention dining here, he had never even seen it once. Zhang Wei observed the beautiful surroundings as he walked, believing that a meal here might cost more than his monthly living expenses. If it weren't for a recent deal that brought in an extra thirty thousand yuan, just walking in this courtyard would have made him feel financially inadequate and his legs weak. This wasn't because Zhang Wei was faint-hearted, but because he lacked confidence due to his empty wallet. One could imagine that if the person who invited him to dine had to leave unexpectedly and he had to pay for himself, the money he had wouldn't be enough. Even if he used all his savings to settle the bill, he would have no money left for the rest of the month. As Zhang Wei was lost in his thoughts, the hostess led the three into the elegant private room and handed each of them a menu, bowing and waiting for Zhang Wei and the others to order. Murong Xuan first ordered three servings of shark fin soup, followed by eight other dishes: braised shark fin, stewed white fish, braised pork trotters, fish in soup, stir-fried bamboo shoots, steamed ribs with sauce, and mushrooms with vegetable hearts. Although Zhang Wei didn't order, he saw the prices of these dishes on the menu and was even more astounded. After the three finished ordering, the hostess left, and only then did Zhang Yuxia leisurely speak, 'Miss Murong, I usually don't live in the capital, and it's not convenient for me to handle store matters, so I've asked Zhang Wei to help me with them. If there's anything, you can directly contact him from now on.'

"No problem, Sister Zhang," Murong Xuan said with a smile and a nod, also understanding why Zhang Yuxia had invited Zhang Wei to dinner. She then turned to Zhang Wei and said, "Mr. Zhang, I hope you can look after me in the future." "Miss Murong is too polite," Zhang Wei replied. "Miss Murong, what kind of cuisine do you plan to serve in your restaurant?" Zhang Yuxia asked. Although the storefront had already been rented out, she was still the owner and it was best to clarify some things. "I used to run a tea house in Hong Kong, and the business was quite good. However, I want to try a new business model or, you could say, adapt to local customs by opening a Beijing-style restaurant in the capital to gain more management experience," Murong Xuan explained. "That sounds great. When I come back to the capital next time, I must come and taste it for myself," Zhang Yuxia said with a laugh. "Sure, as long as Sister Zhang visits, I will definitely give you an 20% discount."

Murong Xuan responded. The service at Ziyun Pavilion was swift; before everyone had spoken much, delicious dishes were continuously brought to the table. Under Murong Xuan's invitation, the three began to eat, and each dish was exquisitely crafted, melting in the mouth with an excellent taste. Zhang Wei, having lived for over twenty years, was experiencing such refined cuisine for the first time. Merely the appearance and aroma of the dishes were enough to make one's mouth water, and upon tasting them, the flavors were unforgettable, giving Zhang Wei his first taste of the life of the wealthy and leaving him to lament that his past twenty years had been lived in vain. 'Dinglingling...' After eight dishes were served, a phone rang suddenly. Zhang Yuxia quickly took out her mobile phone from the bag beside her, put it to her ear, and said, 'Hello, who is this?' ... 'What? I got it, I'll rush back right now.' Zhang Yuxia spoke hurriedly for a few words, then hung up the phone, and with an apologetic look, she said to Zhang Wei and the others, 'Miss Murong, Xiao Zhang, I'm sorry! I have an urgent matter and need to leave first.' 'Sister Zhang, if there's anything you need help with, just say it.' Seeing Zhang Yuxia's panicked expression, Zhang Wei couldn't help but ask. 'Sister Zhang, if there's anything, I can help too,' Murong Xuan said. 'Thank you for your kindness, I appreciate it. But there's nothing you can do to help with this!' Zhang Yuxia drained the water from her teacup and sighed, 'My daughter... she's been dating early and was scolded by her father. As a result, she ran away from home. I need to hurry back to find her.' 'Miss Murong, Xiao Zhang, let's keep in touch by phone! I'm leaving now.'

Zhang Yuxia stood up, said a few words to Zhang Wei and the others, and hurriedly left the elegant pavilion. Left behind, Zhang Wei and Murong Xuan exchanged a sheepish smile upon hearing the reason for Zhang Yuxia's hasty departure; they really couldn't help with someone else's daughter running away from home due to puppy love. After Zhang Yuxia left, only Zhang Wei and Murong Xuan, a lone man and a single woman, remained, and the atmosphere became somewhat awkward. Zhang Wei wanted to say a few appropriate words to ease the mood, but he feared it might provoke the other's displeasure, so he simply lowered his head and silently ate. Murong Xuan, seeing that Zhang Wei had no intention of initiating conversation, felt a sense of relief. She was afraid that Zhang Wei would pretend to be familiar and start chatting with her. It wasn't that she looked down on Zhang Wei, but she felt that they had no common topics, and forcing a conversation would only make the situation more awkward. Murong Xuan was nominally Zhang Wei's client, but in essence, she was the company's VIP customer, and they didn't have much contact. Murong Xuan mainly communicated with Xu Ming for any matters, so the relationship between Zhang Wei and Murong Xuan was far less casual and intimate than that between Zhang Wei and Zhang Yuxia. Under normal circumstances, Zhang Wei would take the initiative to chat with clients to improve their relationship, but after meeting Murong Xuan twice and realizing she was not someone easy to get close to, deliberately trying to befriend her might actually cause her to feel averse, and it would be more convenient to maintain a purely business relationship. A quarter of an hour later, Murong Xuan put down her chopsticks, wiped her red lips with a napkin, and said to Zhang Wei, 'Mr. Zhang, please enjoy your meal. I'm just going to the restroom.'

Watching Murong Xuan minced her steps and swayed her hips as she left the elegant lounge, Zhang Wei shifted his gaze back to the dining table, indulging himself in the delicacies on the table. He didn't for a moment believe that Murong Xuan's so-called trip to the 'restroom' was genuinely just that. Zhang Wei guessed that Murong Xuan's visit to the restroom was merely an excuse; she was likely going to settle the bill. After returning, she would probably find a reason to leave, which would conveniently end this somewhat awkward lunch. Zhang Wei didn't mind this turn of events. If Murong Xuan left first, he could pack up the remaining dishes to take back, which would also solve his dinner problem. Moreover, with Xu Ming away at a meeting in the district, there was no one to care even if he returned to the store late. Indeed, Zhang Wei's speculation was spot on. After leaving the restroom, Murong Xuan was ready to go to the front desk to pay the bill and then find an excuse to bid farewell to Zhang Wei. However, as soon as she stepped out of the restroom, she encountered someone she didn't want to see, forcing her to change her plans.