Su Jingyang tried his best to get along with him peacefully but was treated like a donkey. Su Jingyang snorted, he put the teapot on the table and left angrily.

After only a few customers were left in the restaurant, Ling Li found time to prepare a birthday banquet with Su Jingyang helping in the kitchen. When he was about to serve the food, Su Jingyang suddenly grabbed Ling Li and gave him a jade pendant the size of a baby's hand studded with tassels and a depressed look. "When you give Ah-Yi your gift later, help me give this to him too."

Unfortunately, he felt bad that the guy was treated like that by his biological mother, so he bought a piece of jade that to be worn around his waist to protect against evil. Although it wasn't top-grade, it cost a lot of money.

Ling Li was stunned for a moment before looking down at the jade pendant in his hand, he then smiled. Without asking him why he did this, he agreed and stored the jade pendant on his body.

Su Jingyang carried the tray and walked out of the kitchen with Ling Li, he couldn't help asking him what he wanted to give Ah-Yi. When they were picking gifts, Ling Li was acting mysterious and didn't buy them in a shop like him. Su Jingyang was really curious.

Ling Li turned his head slightly and didn't speak. He wore a veil to cover his face, Su Jingyang couldn't see his expression, but he knew that he might've been a little embarrassed just now.

Su Jingyang let out a clear ah and laughed: "I understand, you don't need to answer."

He thought in his heart again, as expected water soothes fire, Ah-Yi's stinky temper had to be subdued by Ling Li's gentle and watery temperament. Su Jingyang discarded his prejudice against Ah-Yi and felt that the two of them were quite a good match.

Ling Li was very invested in Ah-Yi and made a table full of dishes, most of which were what Ah-Yi usually liked to eat. The enticing fragrance from the box practically overflowed.

Four stools were placed around the round table, Su Jingyang picked up Ah-Xuan and sat down beside Rong Hua. Rong Hua glanced at Ah-Xuan in his arms, hurriedly got up, and changed positions with Rong Ci on her right. Su Jingyang acted smoothly when she changed seats. He stood up holding Ah-Xuan, he pulled Ling Li who had just come in with a pot of wine to his seat while he moved to the position on the left.

Then... the arrangement became Ling Li and Rong Ci sitting next to each other, and Su Jingyang sitting between Ling Li and Rong Hua.

Ah-Xuan was hungry and reached out to grab something from the plate to eat, but Su Jingyang slapped his hand away. When Su Jingyang hit the back of Ah-Xuan's paw Rong Hua shied away and hid beside him unconsciously, her scalp numbing.

Ah-Xuan was hit and pouted his mouth aggrievedly, he hugged Su Jingyang's neck softly and cried uncle. Su Jingyang squeezed his face and let him go, patiently teaching him to use chopsticks to pick up vegetables.

During the banquet, Su Jingyang only talked to Ling Li and Rong Hua. Ling Li occasionally served Rong Ci with dishes and helped him pour wine, but Rong Ci had dark and cold eyes and never said a word.

Su Jingyang didn't want to disturb the secret interaction between the two of them, and in the end, simply talked to Rong Hua.

Su Jingyang knew that Rong Hua was from Rongcheng and suddenly thought of something, he asked her: "Murong, have you met your city lord?"

As soon as Su Jingyang's question was expressed, Rong Ci raised his eyes and looked straight at them. Rong Hua noticed his movements and smiled brilliantly at Su Jingyang, "I've worked with him, why?"

"Just... asking how he's like." Firstly, Su Jingyang couldn't restrain his curiosity about this city lord, secondly, he wanted to know about the city lord's personality and wanted to see the odds of him agreeing to let the wizard cure Ah-Xuan.

"Our city lord... we get along, I'm quite familiar." Rong Hua shook her glass, she glanced at Rong Ci calmly and replied unhurriedly with a smile. "That person's very nice, young and handsome, smart and wise, rich too. The most important thing is..." Rong Hua stared at Su Jingyang, adding a little more grandeur, "He's very good in martial arts, his strength and stamina are great! I can't count how many people in Rongcheng want to marry him!"

Su Jingyang ate a mouthful of food and listened intently with his eyes wide open, emotion colouring his face. From what he'd heard, this city lord seemed to be a good person, but Ah-Yi still said a lot of bad things about them the last time.

Look, look, this was the legendary jealousy between men! ! !

Rong Hua sighed again: "It's just that he often makes mistakes."

Rong Ci glanced at her fiercely but Rong Hua didn't seem to notice anything. She tapped her chopsticks on the bowl twice and said to Su Jingyang in a hateful tone: "If you like someone goes tell them, why bother to complicate things?! Ah!?"

Su Jingyang laughed and said: "Many people are like this, if this wasn't a problem then the road to love may not be so bumpy."

Rong Hua patted the table: "That's right! If it was me, once I see someone I like, I'll tie them up and drag them home! Courtship can go cry in a corner! The most important thing is to get them!"

Su Jingyang was shocked by her callousness and silently covered Ah-Xuan's ears with both hands, fearing that he would learn this stuff, although he probably didn't understand.

Su Jingyang said: "Actually... hehehe, I actually think tsunderes are quite cute, just don't overdo it."

"Yes." Rong Hua echoed loudly as if she was telling someone on purpose, "Don't overdo it, otherwise the people you're courting are going to run away with other men before it's even too late for you to regret."

Rong Ci hadn't eaten anything yet, staring at Su Jingyang silently.

"However, other than that, he's perfect." Rong Hua blinked playfully and said to Su Jingyang: "If you had a chance to get along with him, you might fall in love with him. Moreover, our city lord seems to like the types of you."

Su Jingyang smiled straightforwardly: "I haven't even met him yet but I already fancy him a bit, I feel that he must be a great and outstanding person."

Of course, Su Jingyang was just joking with Rong Hua. After all, he couldn't stay in this world and the city lord of Rongcheng wouldn't like an ordinary person like him. The reason why he followed Rong Hua's jokes was because he had always had an inexplicable affection for that city lord.

After speaking, Su Jingyang was about to continue picking up vegetables and eating. When he turned his head, he found that Rong Ci and Ling Li were watching him quietly at the same time. Especially Rong Ci, his eyes were deep and unpredictable, making the hair on his nape stand on end.

Su Jingyang was stunned by the inexplicable sight, he didn't know what happened to the two.

Su Jingyang touched his face but he didn't feel any start rice grains.

Rong Ci snorted, he lifted his chin slightly and said his first words since the dinner, "I don't think that city lord Rong would want you to fall in love with him."

"You're not him, how do you know?" Here we go again, did he like to ridicule him so much? Su Jingyang said angrily: "Maybe they'll really be fond of me?"

Rong Ci answered quickly: "Only if he's blind."

Su Jingyang said: "I love him, I love him! I love him to death! What'll you do about it!"

Rong Ci lowered his head slightly and raised his hand to touch his mouth, covering the corner of his lips that couldn't help but arc up, he then looked straight at him and said indifferently: "Oh, then you can love him."

At this time, Rong Hua finally couldn't help but chuckle, covering her face. She was shaking all over, making Ah-Xuan, who was sitting in Su Jingyang's arms stunned, he turned his head and looked at this, look at that, and then smiled with his big eyes all bent up.

Ling Li raised his glass, as if unaffected, his voice was soft, "Happy birthday Ah-Yi, let's all have a drink and bless him."

After drinking and celebrating, Su Jingyang was about to take the opportunity to leave the box when heard Liang Lu calling him from below. Su Jingyang thought Liang Lu had found the help he wanted to and said in amazement: "No way, so fast."

Su Jingyang left this sentence and ate quickly, hugging Ah-Xuan and dashing downstairs. When he went down, he found that Liang Lu had sent him two baskets of rare fruits, many of which weren't in his world before, he couldn't even name the ones he recognized.

Liang Lu said that some merchant gave it to him and he brought him some to eat. Liang Lu seemed to have something else to attend to and left after the delivery.

Su Jingyang took Ah-Xuan to the kitchen, he took out each item, washed them, cut them, put them into a fruit plate, and carried them to the box.

Ling Li grabbed Su Jingyang's arm and asked where it came from, Su Jingyang said it was given by Liang Lu.

Rong Ci's cold eyes glanced at him, but he didn't speak, Rong Hua said, "Master Liang's very kind to you, Jingyang."

Su Jingyang chewed the fruit in his mouth and smiled, humming vaguely, he held Ah-Xuan who was running around the box, he leaned to Ling Li's side and whispered: "Ali, when our wine's ready, let's give Young Master Liang a few bottles at home."

Every time Liang Lu came to eat, Su Jingyang didn't charge money. He insisted on giving something back but was told not to send food over. He said that there was too much at home and it would be wasted to eat, they had money in their family and didn't lack anything, but Liang Lu had a younger sister who liked the fruit wine brewed by Ling Li. Su Jingyang just wanted to send some of it, a kind gesture from the heart.

Ling Li nodded softly and said yes, Su Jingyang looked at him and smiled: "There'll be no one eating in the restaurant, for the time being, you can rest here for a while, I'll just watch the floor below."

Ling Li nodded again.

Rong Hua's eyes rolled and she stood up suddenly, picking up a piece of fruit with clean chopsticks and feeding it to Rongci, her tone was a little deliberate, "Wow, it looks expensive, eat some."

Rong Ci avoided her as Su Jingyang hugged Ah-Xuan and went out again, he pushed her hand away, suppressing the gloomy anger in his eyes, "Take it away, I won't eat."

Su Jingyang was playing with Ah-Xuan downstairs, but after a while, he saw Rong Hua wandering out. Su Jingyang thought she had also noticed something and escaped to create a chance for the two people inside to get along alone, but as she walked down the stairs with her front foot, Rong Ci and Ling Li's back feet quickly followed. Both of them were silent, each with their own thoughts.

Su Jingyang felt very strange in his heart, but he quickly retracted his gaze and continued to feed Ah-Xuan with water without asking too much.

______

After a few days, Su Jingyang never saw Rong Ci wear the jade pendant, he wasn't disappointed in his heart. Anyway, it was just a gift, how to deal with it was the receiver's decision.

On the contrary, Rong Hua ran over and asked him speciously if he had given Ah-Yi a birthday gift that day. Su Jingyang thought that she was acting very strange, she often ran to Ali for everything and only turned to him if it was convenient.

Su Jingyang was about to speak when Ling Li suddenly called him for help in the kitchen. Su Jingyang cleared his throat, he turned to Rong Hua and said, "I gave it."

Rong Hua's eyes flashed and she slightly raised her voice: "... You gave it?"

She was waiting for an answer but Su Jingyang had already left her and ran into the kitchen. Except for letting him try the food, Ling Li generally didn't actively ask him to help. Su Jingyang rolled up his sleeves and was about to get ready to follow commands after entering the battle, only to find Ling Li standing stiff in front of the stove, his face all pale.

Su Jingyang thought he was unwell and hurriedly went over to ask him what was wrong. Ling Li turned his head and saw that Rong Hua had already left. He brought Ah-Xuan who was playing by the door inside and then closed the kitchen door. He held Su Jingyang's hand with a face full of deep guilt, his voice was very soft and low, "I'm sorry, Jingyang."

Su Jingyang was shocked by his sudden apology, "What's the matter, what happened?"

"I... I dropped the gift my gift for Ah-Yi that day when I noticed it was already too late to buy a new one. I couldn't help but take out your gift and say that it was my gift. Jingyang, I... I'm so sorry..." Ling Li's light-coloured eyes looked at Su Jingyang full of tears, choking as if he didn't know what to say, his breath trembled and he finally bowed his head and apologized deeply.

Su Jingyang, who was listening with a bated breath, let out a long sigh of relief, he patted him on the shoulder and hurriedly comforted him: "What's the matter with you! You scared me to death. I..."

Su Jingyang's voice was unconsciously a little loud, Ling Li raised his hand to cover his lips, a gloomy depression hidden between his brows, tears weighed his eyelashes and he whispered: "Ah-Yi will hear it, let's keep quiet."

Su Jingyang blinked in surprise. Ah-Yi practised martial arts, his hearing seemed to be better than ordinary people.

Su Jingyang hurriedly pursed his mouth. After Ling Li moved his hand away, his voice was so small that it was almost a sigh, "It's alright, Ali, it doesn't matter if I had given him a gift or not."

Su Jingyang promised him that he wouldn't reveal anything to Ah-Yi, but Ling Li still showed worry, "I just heard you say to Rong Hua..."

"It's alright, don't worry, I can handle it." Su Jingyang promised in a low voice.

Ling Li held Su Jingyang's hand tightly, his light brown eyes stared at Su Jingyang for a moment before asking, "Jingyang, am I... very wicked?"

Su Jingyang smiled brightly and raised his hand to rub his hair, "How could you be, these are just little things, why do you need to think so seriously. As long as we're good it'll be fine."

Ling Li's expression looked extremely sad, he finally said to him with a trembling voice: "I'm sorry..."

Su Jingyang couldn't help thinking afterwards, since Ah-Yi thought the jade pendant was given by Ali, why didn't he wear it? Was it because he was afraid of breaking it and was reluctant to wear it, so he put it away?

That night, Rong Ci and Rong Hua went to Lin Ji pavilion for dinner. While Su Jingyang was serving the dishes, Rong Ci took a sip from his teacup and raised his eyes when he turned around, he asked casually, "You gave me a gift, why didn't I receive it. Is it because your memory's too bad and you forgot."

Su Jingyang turned his head and blinked his eyes, "I already gave it, it was... the fruit that day. They're all rare fruits, very expensive."

Rong Ci was stunned when he heard his words, a flash of anger appeared in his black eyes, he said in a sharp tone: "--The gift you said is that thing? Do you treat me as deaf, did you buy it? "

Su Jingyang also felt that he was a bit too much, but he could only bite the bullet and defend himself: "The fruit's very rare, you definitely can't buy it with money. I just borrowed flowers to offer Buddha¹." Su Jingyang muttered, "If you're not satisfied, I'll make one more for you, alright?"

Rong Ci's chest heaved up and down, staring at him firmly, after a moment he retracted his gaze and closed his eyes, he said indifferently: "No need."

When Su Jingyang came back to serve the last dish, he found that there was only a steaming dish left on the table, the two people supposed to be occupying the table had already left.

Su Jingyang felt that Ah-Yi didn't like him very much and wouldn't care too much about whether he gave him gifts or not. However, after that day, Su Jingyang felt that he had completely offended him, he stopped coming for breakfast and when occasionally meeting him outside he would pass by without saying anything, not even looking at him.

Ling Li also acted very strangely. Ah-Yi didn't come but didn't look affected at all. He didn't rush or ask. During the day, he worked wholeheartedly Lin Ji pavilion, in the evenings he returned to continue studying dishes until midnight. Probably because there were two more reliable helpers in the store, Ling Li wasn't as tired, the smiles on his face gradually increased instead.

Except for the fact that no one helped to share the food that Su Jingyang had to try every night till his stomach was close to exploding, life was business as usual.

When Rong Ci appeared again, Ling Li was away from home. Su Jingyang was squatting with his butt up picking up eggs in the chicken coop. Rong Ci went straight over without saying hello to him. As soon as Su Jingyang turned around, he only saw his back entering.

Then, that night he took Ah-Xuan back to Rongcheng. It was said that the wizard had left the customs, so Ah-Xuan should stay in Rongcheng for half a month.

Ling Li wanted to go together but wasn't allowed. It was said that the wizard had a weird temper and didn't like foreigners.

Apart from being robbed for a period of time after he was born, Ah-Xuan had never left Ling Li's side afterwards. Now the child was suddenly taken away. Ling Li had been tossing and turning for several days. The dishes were often wrong, either too salty or weak, causing complaints from regular customers and causing inquiries of whether they had changed chefs.

Su Jingyang understood his mood and simply hugged his pillow and went to sleep in his room, talking with him before going to bed, catching his attention instead, Ling Li could still sleep for an hour or two with him, but in the end, he would be awakened by a dream and he would be in a bad state.

Su Jingyang wanted to close Lin Ji pavilion for two days and let Ling Li take rest easy, but Ling Li shook his head and vetoed it, he promised Su Jingyang that he would try his best to avoid making mistakes. Su Jingyang sighed, he didn't blame Ling Li for making mistakes but worried more about his body.

When Ah-Xuan left for the tenth day in a row, Rong Hua specially came to Lin Ji pavilion to report to them about Ah-Xuan's condition, saying that Ah-Xuan was staying in Rongcheng fine and that his condition was quite optimistic. The curing couldn't just happen overnight, every other month he would need to go to the wizard's place and stay for seven days until he got better.

Rong Hua also smiled deeply and said, "Ah-Xuan is usually taken care of by the city lord himself. He plays with him every day and feeds the child himself, so don't worry."

Su Jingyang was amazed when he heard it, the corners of his mouth were bent and his eyes were shining brightly. This city lord Rong was really good.

Ling Li also expressed his gratitude, he sighed with relief and hurriedly got up to make tea for Rong Hua.

Rong Hua pointed at Su Jingyang again: "Ah-Yi often accompanies Ah-Xuan and accompanies him in practising his swordsmanship."

Su Jingyang immediately changed his face and snorted twice from his nose like a piglet. he won't listen he won't listen, who wanted to hear news of that jerk.