Chapter 31: Chapter 28 The Three-Year Late Response
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Because the dishes required such finesse, actually, when Luo Wenle himself cooked, the speed of serving the dishes became much slower than before.
Yet, everyone was willing to wait patiently.
As they savored dishes that couldn’t be found on any menu, they drank and chatted, while the hotel had somehow found a violinist, making the atmosphere in the private room even more harmonious.
As Young Master Zhang prepared to pour more wine, he suddenly noticed something and couldn’t help but laugh, “Lu Jin, that kid is so funny; it’s one thing to take unopened wine, but he even took the half-opened Year of the Rabbit Moutai!”
Although it was indeed Lu Jin who brought the wine, it didn’t stop the Northeast guy, Young Master Zhang, from despising such behavior… truly tasteless, and it’s not like it’s worth much money!
...
“That jerk followed the waiter out with the dishes. He thought he left quietly, but I saw him long ago. If I wasn’t afraid of ruining Ding Yi’s mood again, I would have scolded him a few more times!”
“Ha, Young Master Lu really lost face today. He usually acts quite genteel when we interact. Who knew two shots of piss would reveal his true colors…”
“He, you’re not right there, Little He. Character has nothing to do with alcohol. Instead of saying he lost his mind from drinking, it’s more like his true nature was exposed.”
“Exactly, a gross underling!”
“Hey, who is this Mr. Zhou that Chef Luo mentioned? Does anyone know?”
At this moment, Little He looked around, not seeing Ding Yi, and curiously asked.
“I think it’s that Zhou Wang their classmates mentioned…”
“I know, I know. He is indeed a classmate of Ding Yi, but I remember his family background was quite ordinary. I didn’t expect him to have so much influence. Listening to Chef Luo, he was willing to cook personally, actually out of respect for Zhou Wang.”
Another girl, who was a childhood friend of Ding Yi, expressed her puzzlement.
“During school, never underestimate anyone. Because of family education, not everyone likes to be flashy… speaking of which, didn’t that rich kid of Wanda only think he was a poor kid until graduation?”
Young Master Zhang laughed.
“But what if what Lu Jin said was true? If Zhou Wang really knew about it before…”
“That’s unlikely. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have needed Chef Luo to step in, and Chef Luo just explained that it was a misunderstanding caused by coincidence. If Zhou Wang really wanted to show off, he should have appeared with Chef Luo.”
“Yeah, especially since he once made Little Ding’s heart flutter. His character must still be reliable. I’m quite curious about what kind of person he really is…”
Inside, people were chatting and laughing, while the atmosphere outside the table was a bit strange.
When they heard from Li Cheng that “Mr. Zhou” equaled “Zhou Wang,” a group of classmates had complex feelings.
Even if they had no concept of power, the fact that even the head chef whom Lu Jin couldn’t invite came over with a word from Zhou Wang, apologized, and even stayed back to cook was a strong mental shock.
Unlike Young Master Zhang and others, who were merely guessing, they had genuinely spent four years with Zhou Wang, and the key was…
“I really couldn’t tell!”
To confirm, Fang Lu even started flipping through old photos on her phone.
She had been the class president for four years, having many group photos on her phone. In the freshman and sophomore years, Zhou Wang was quite eye-catching due to his handsome face, but as time went by, he became more unremarkable.
“Miao Xiaoling, did you know all along that Zhou Wang had a hidden identity, and that’s why you secretly admired him for so long?”
Another girl jokingly asked Miao Xiaoling.
“Say that again, and I’ll tear your mouth apart. When did I ever secretly admire him!”
Miao Xiaoling first retorted, then said with an unnatural look, “Besides, it’s obvious he’s never forgotten Ding Yi. Otherwise, could today’s events really be a coincidence?”
“That’s true… Hey, Li Cheng, why haven’t you said a word since just now? You should be the one with the most say about Zhou Wang, right?”
Fang Lu suddenly looked at Li Cheng, who was daydreaming.
“Shh, let him rest for a bit. He’s feeling down!”
Yu Peipei, his girlfriend, made a gesture and giggled.
“Ridiculous, why would I be down!”
Li Cheng snapped back, protesting, “It’s great that Brother Dog made it. I’m just confused. I’ve even met Brother Dog’s parents once; they really seemed like a regular family. Moreover, with us being dorm brothers, there’s no need to pretend to be poor, right?”
“What if he feels there’s no need to show off, isn’t there a real Magic City rich second-generation Guo Nansheng in your dorm? Maybe he didn’t want to cause tension?”
“Nonsense, is Lao Guo that kind of person…”
As everyone discussed, Jiang Mo just quietly listened on the side.
But no one noticed that her expression became dazed at some point.
On the ever-bright screen in her hand was the message Zhou Wang had sent not long ago: “Zhou Wang.”
It was just a name, yet in the midst of tonight’s events, it seemed particularly special.
So Zhou Wang and Junior Sister Ding…
Jiang Mo didn’t know why learning the two knew each other caused her a slight discomfort.
Liking was out of the question, but Jiang Mo couldn’t lie to herself; deep down, she felt a bit of melancholy that couldn’t be explained.
But that didn’t stop her from discreetly pricking up her ears, capturing every mention of “Zhou Wang” in their conversations.
“Hmm?”
At this moment, Li Cheng glanced at his phone and suddenly stood up with a “swish.”
…
At the entrance of Jinxiu Hall.
Holding the edge of her dress, Ding Yi had already been standing here for a while before she finally psyched herself up and pushed open the private room door.
But to her disappointment and oddly a breath of relief, Zhou Wang was nowhere to be seen in the brightly lit private room.
She walked in and approached the dining table.
On the table were three previously prepared dishes and a bunch of White Roses still dewy.
“What the—so, the gift prepared for me is just these three dishes?”
Ding Yi glanced around the empty private room, pouting discontentedly.
But seeing the three excellently presented dishes, she quickly beamed a smile, sat down at the table, and grabbed a piece of squab from the “Phoenix among a Hundred Birds,” stuffing it into her mouth.
“No need to pretend to be a lady, so blessed!”
The satisfaction from the flavors made Ding Yi happily stretch her arms.
Honestly, if anyone should talk about being tired and hungry, she was the most exhausted and famished tonight.
Constantly attending to everyone’s feelings, even the early-serving kitchen dishes she barely tasted, and now, having such a private space to relax was the best gift for her at this moment.
And it at least proved Lu Jin was just spreading gossip; she hadn’t misjudged Zhou Wang back then, which was what mattered most to her…
After a few more bites and feeling a bit revitalized, Ding Yi picked up the bunch of White Roses and discovered a finely crafted white card tucked within.
She picked it up, and when she saw the words on it, her bright face under the light froze.
“May your future bloom, Ding Yi, with sunshine every day!”
“So, does this count as your response, three years overdue?”
With a hint of doubt, Ding Yi murmured, her emotions complex.
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