Chapter 35: A Chance Encounter, James the Brave

Half an hour later, Qin Zhe sat in a high-end restaurant in Haicheng called "The Land of Abundance," his forehead streaked with dark lines.

Although he had mentally prepared himself to be fleeced, the pit before him was unimaginably deep.

When he first walked into The Land of Abundance, Qin Zhe hadn't thought much of it. It was just a meal, after all; how much could it cost? Yao Jing was a difficult woman to deal with, but at least she was easy on the eyes, so treating her to a meal wasn't a big deal.

However, his regret set in the moment he saw the menu. The items were common dishes, yet the prices were outrageously high. A simple snack cost over a hundred Dragon Coins, and the specialty main courses easily ran into the thousands.

This wasn't dining; it was highway robbery! Yao Jing was clearly planning to bankrupt him with a single meal.

Qin Zhe felt like he was sitting on pins and needles, but Yao Jing gave him no chance to escape. She sat right down beside him, effectively pinning him to his seat. The beautiful Miss Yao was currently browsing the menu with a look of pure delight, her long, shapely legs crossed under the table, swinging back and forth.

While she hadn't officially ordered yet, Qin Zhe glanced at the empty seat across from them and offered a dry smile.

"Minister Yao, aren't you going to sit over there? Wouldn't it be inappropriate for us to sit together like this?"

"What's the matter? Are you shy, or are you trying to run away?"

Yao Jing looked up with a charming smile, closed the menu with one hand, and said, "Don't worry, I won't skin you too badly today. I don't have much of an appetite. Let's just go with a standard four-course meal and a soup—keep it under three thousand, how about that?"

Before the words had even left her lips, a group of over twenty people marched into The Land of Abundance.

"Boss, give us a VIP suite, the kind that can fit three tables."

The man in the lead spoke with undeniable opulence. The familiar voice made both Qin Zhe and Yao Jing, who were sitting in the main hall, look up simultaneously.

"Huh? Isn't that the President? Why did he bring the exchange students here?" Yao Jing asked in surprise. Without a second thought, she waved her hand and called out, "President!"

Indeed, the man radiating the aura of a wealthy tycoon was none other than the Student Council President, Li Zongheng. Behind him were fifteen exchange students from Eagle Nation, along with a few other members of the Haicheng University Student Council.

Hearing his name, Li Zongheng instinctively looked toward the source of the sound. Seeing Yao Jing sitting so closely with Qin Zhe, he froze for a moment. Then, he silently looked away, pretending he hadn't seen them, and offered no response.

Qin Zhe watched the change in Li Zongheng’s expression and his mouth twitched uncontrollably. He had intended to stop Yao Jing from bothering the group, but seeing the Student Council President—the man at the very top of Haicheng University—essentially chicken out left him stunned.

It was clear to Qin Zhe that Li Zongheng wasn't ignoring them to avoid trouble; he was genuinely afraid and wanted to avoid any interaction with her whatsoever. He was truly impressed. As expected of the famous "witch" of the Student Council, even the President himself had to bow his head when he saw her.

What caught Qin Zhe’s attention more, however, was that he spotted Tang Xiaoyou in the group, chatting with a handsome blonde man among the exchange students. By some strange coincidence, that man was none other than Qin Zhe’s rival, James.

Yao Jing, displeased that Li Zongheng hadn't acknowledged her, didn't bother to make a scene while he was "entertaining guests." Instead, seeing Qin Zhe staring intently at Tang Xiaoyou, she asked with a hint of suspicion, "Do you know that woman?"

"You mean Tang Xiaoyou?" Qin Zhe withdrew his gaze and replied, "We're friends, I suppose. Why is she with the exchange students?"

"Tsk tsk, your expression tells me you two are more than just friends," Yao Jing said, a meaningful smirk playing on her lips. "If you've got designs on her, I’d advise you to pull back. Her family background isn't simple; her parents run wineries in Eagle Nation that serve the royal family and have ties to many nobles. James is here on this trip, and her parents specifically arranged for her to be his guide and translator. That’s the official story, but I’m sure you don't need me to spell out what her parents are really after."

Qin Zhe didn't respond, merely looking at Tang Xiaoyou with surprise; he hadn't realized her background was so prominent.

Meanwhile, Tang Xiaoyou, who was standing by the front desk, had noticed the commotion from Yao Jing’s earlier call. When she caught Qin Zhe’s gaze, her expression turned slightly unnatural, and she averted her eyes. At that moment, James pulled her aside and whispered something to her. Whatever he said, Tang Xiaoyou’s expression stiffened, and she hesitated before walking over.

Reaching them, she ignored Qin Zhe and spoke directly to Yao Jing. "Minister Yao, what a coincidence to see you here. Prince James hopes you might join us in our private room for lunch. Would you be willing to do us the honor?"

"Not a chance!" Yao Jing refused flatly. Then, acting on a whim, she leaned into Qin Zhe and giggled. "I have to accompany my boyfriend for this meal. Go back and tell Prince James that I thank him for his kind offer."

Qin Zhe, caught off guard by her leaning against him, felt a sense of dread. She really could just say anything! With Li Zongheng and the rest of the Student Council right there, wasn't she afraid of being misunderstood?

As it turned out, Qin Zhe was overthinking it. Even though Yao Jing hadn't lowered her voice, everyone in the group—including Li Zongheng—could hear her clearly. Yet, aside from the exchange students led by James looking surprised, Li Zongheng and the others acted as if they hadn't heard a thing. Clearly, they were well-acquainted with Yao Jing’s unpredictable "witchy" temperament and didn't take her words seriously at all.

Tang Xiaoyou, however, looked genuinely stunned, as if she truly believed the two were a couple. Seeing the invitation rejected and the presence of a boyfriend, she didn't press the issue, cast a strange look at Qin Zhe, and walked away.

As she rejoined the crowd, Li Zongheng finished his arrangements with the staff, and the group headed upstairs to the second floor.

Qin Zhe watched them go with a strange expression. He didn't care much about Tang Xiaoyou—they had only shared one meal, after all—but he was troubled by the hostility in James’s eyes. Especially after Yao Jing’s claim, James looked like he wanted to tear him apart.

My god! Was this guy actually interested in Yao Jing? Qin Zhe was shocked, and he couldn't help but admire James’s courage. Anyone who dared to set their sights on Yao Jing had to be a warrior. She was undeniably beautiful, like a vibrant, exquisite flower, but this flower was "poisonous." Even Li Zongheng retreated in fear when he encountered her; James must have no idea what he was getting into!

Then again, Qin Zhe thought, James and his group were guests. Yao Jing wasn't stupid; she likely hadn't shown her true colors during the morning reception, so it was natural for someone to be attracted to her.

Beside him, Yao Jing watched them head upstairs with a look of disgust, muttering, "Damn it! This James is like a persistent leech. Even though there were so many beauties from the Protocol Department this morning, he acted like he was blind and kept trying to curry favor with me. I specifically asked the President for leave just to avoid him, and I never expected to run into him here. He has no self-awareness at all—does he really think he’s all that?"