C15 The Incarnation of a Hero
Guo Yong sat to the side, his heart racing and face paling as Mo Xiaoyu rapidly listed off the dishes. With such an extravagant order, the bill was sure to be astronomical, easily reaching into the tens of thousands.
Mo Xiaoyu breezed through nearly a dozen dishes in one breath, capping off her order with a bottle of '82 Lafite and two bottles of 56-proof Feitian Maotai before setting down the menu.
It wasn't that Mo Xiaoyu was deliberately trying to torment Guo Yong; she was simply treating the meal as if Lee Wei, the unsuspecting mark, was footing the bill. To him, such expenses were but a drop in the bucket, hardly worth a second thought.
Elder Mo, Elder Lin, Lee Wei, and Lei Tai, all in the know, kept silent, seeing this as an opportunity for Guo Yong to learn his lesson and bleed a little—perhaps it would prevent him from crossing the wrong people in the future.
True to its reputation as Pingnan City's finest establishment, the restaurant's service was impeccable. In no time, a parade of delectable dishes graced the table, followed by the '82 Lafite and the Feitian Maotai, completing the feast.
Guo Yong uncorked a bottle of Maotai, poured for Liu Gaang and the others, then raised his glass to Liu Gaang, saying, "Thank you, Mr. Liu, for your generosity. I offer my apologies. Here's to you—I'll drink first, and you may follow at your leisure." With that, he tipped his head back and downed the drink in one go.
Liu Gaang lifted his glass, sipping lightly, signaling the end of their dispute.
Mo Xiaoyu, witnessing the exchange, sensed she had missed out on some thrilling drama and badgered Lee Wei for details. Lee Wei, unable to resist her persistence, embellished the tale with gusto. His flair for storytelling turned the recent events into a riveting saga.
In his version, Guo Yong was cast as the quintessential villain, while Liu Gaang emerged as the heroic figure.
After listening, Mo Xiaoyu cast a look of distaste at Guo Yong before her eyes sparkled with interest as she sized up Liu Gaang.
"Handsome, you've got quite the knack for finding hidden treasures! Maybe you can teach me your ways sometime?" she said, her persistence shining through.
She batted her eyelashes as she spoke.
Liu Gaang shivered from head to toe; this girl was like a siren, formidable when fierce and lethally charming when gentle.
"Miss Zhang, you flatter me. With Elder Mo present, I wouldn't dare flaunt my modest skills," Liu Gaang replied with a hint of annoyance.
"Pfft, you're talking about my grandpa? Is he really that impressive? I've never seen him uncover a treasure worth millions," Mo Xiaoyu scoffed with disdain.
Elder Mo's cheeks flushed at her words. Finding treasures worth millions, let alone tens of millions, was no easy feat.
Thankfully, Lee Wei stepped in, providing a timely distraction for Elder Mo.
"Mr. Liu, you're not playing fair, pretending to be a rookie in front of us. Could a rookie really come across a Qing Dynasty Double Dragon stamp and an original piece by the literary master Wang Xizhi?"
Discovering the hidden words within the text was beyond the reach of a novice. Even Elder Mo had nearly missed it.
"Exactly, Liu. Calling you a rookie doesn't sit right with me. Guo has been studying calligraphy, painting, and ceramics with me for nearly three years and has good judgment, yet even he didn't notice. I myself might have missed it had I not seen your expertise in jade appraisal and suspected something amiss with that piece of calligraphy," Elder Mo chimed in.
"It was just good fortune, pure and simple," Liu Gaang deflected, attributing it all to luck.
Celestial Eternity, the finest five-star hotel in Pingnan City, lived up to its reputation with swift service. Before long, a steady stream of dishes arrived at the table.
Throughout the meal, Mo Xiaoyu enthusiastically served Liu Gaang, all the while asking confidently, "So, handsome, do you think I'm pretty?"
"Beautiful," Liu Gaang nodded subconsciously in response.
"And my figure? Is it good? Sexy?" she prodded.
Liu Gaang nodded once more.
"Am I virtuous?" Mo Xiaoyu inquired, playfully waving a large lobster in front of Liu Gaang's eyes before setting it down on her plate.
...
"Hey handsome, considering how gorgeous I am, with such a sexy figure and being so virtuous, don't you think you should teach me your skill in finding bargains?" Mo Xiaoyu finally cut to the chase.
