The little commotion caused by the waitress was soon forgotten by the crowd. When the old butler quietly reappeared in the banquet hall, she was no longer trailing behind him.
The only one who still lingered on thoughts of her was Zhong Ziyan.
But soon, Wei Hanyan, Wei Second Sister-in-law, Wei's Mother, and Old Madam Yu swarmed around her, leading her to the neglected long dining table to find something to eat, pushing the image of the waitress out of Zhong Ziyan’s mind.
Wei Hanyan: "This is my favorite caviar brand. It’s best paired with this truffle bread and dipped in fresh cream. Auntie, you have to try it!"
Zhong Ziyan took the caviar-laden bread Wei Hanyan had prepared and took a bite, thinking to herself how exhausting it must be for sturgeons to migrate every year just to spawn, only to be caught by humans for their roe.
...Hmm, the texture is a bit peculiar.
Wei's Mother: "This is a wine I had custom-made at a French vineyard. This year’s ice wine has excellent clarity—lightly sweet, not astringent, and not too intoxicating. Give it a try?"
Zhong Ziyan took a sip of the chilled wine, swallowing down the thought that it tasted about the same as the soft drinks over there.
Wei Second Sister-in-law: "This is my favorite—a signature dish from a renowned chef. Only he can pull the outer layer of silver-thread pastry so fine without it crumbling. The texture is truly unique. I have him make it for me every now and then. Here, Yanyan, try it—ah—"
Zhong Ziyan hesitated for a moment before leaning in to take a bite of the crispy pastry from Wei Second Sister-in-law’s hand. Her eyes flickered slightly when she tasted the sweet yet not cloying yam filling inside.
This was delicious, but the real star was the filling—she couldn’t quite discern the special quality of the outer layer.
"This one is impressive!" Old Madam Yu chimed in. "Fresh strawberries meticulously selected and transformed through twenty-six intricate steps into this dessert. If it weren’t for my fear of overheating, I could finish an entire plate by myself!"
Zhong Ziyan: "..." She eyed the "dessert," which looked identical to fresh strawberries in both shape and color, then hesitantly speared one with her fork and popped it into her mouth.
…………It tasted like strawberry-flavored chocolate milk candy.
What kind of trial by fire had these strawberries endured to look the same but taste completely different? Even the sturgeons would bow in defeat.
Surrounded by these four women—from the matriarch of the Wei family to the highly respected Old Madam Yu—Zhong Ziyan was showered with affection. Anyone foolish enough to approach with ulterior motives was swiftly dismissed in a few words.
Whether it was probing questions or something else, no one managed to make an impression in front of Zhong Ziyan.
Wei Hanyun, however, wasn’t so fortunate. Even with the ever-diplomatic Fang Nan by his side, he still spent a considerable amount of time engaged in social niceties.
The others in attendance aside, his half-brothers—whom he hadn’t seen in a while—still wore their usual scheming expressions.
Wei Hanyun’s demeanor remained aloof, maintaining only the barest polite distance even with his own siblings.
By the time everyone had taken their turn, the night had deepened, and Fang Nan was thoroughly exhausted. He grabbed a glass of champagne to soothe his throat, then turned to Wei Hanyun—only to find the latter’s gaze fixed on the group of women by the dining table.
Zhong Ziyan held a plate with an exquisitely crafted cake that resembled a work of art. As she listened to Wei Second Sister-in-law speak, she decisively sliced the cake in half with her fork and ate one piece without hesitation.
Fang Nan took a deep breath, suppressing the growl of his stomach.
Two hours ago, Zhong Ziyan had been eating and drinking. Now, two hours later, she was still at it!
Among all the women in the banquet hall, who else indulged like this?
Didn’t they all suffer for the sake of their figures?
Yet Zhong Ziyan stood tall and slender, her shoulders forming sharp right angles, her legs long and straight—she could have passed for a model on a fashion week runway.
Fang Nan, who had starved himself for two weeks just to fit back into his custom-tailored suit: I’m so annoyed.
"The banquet should wrap up," Wei Hanyun said abruptly.
Old Master Wei had already retired earlier, and Wei Hanyun’s eldest brother had stormed off in a huff not long ago. The remaining guests were merely using the occasion for networking.
Fang Nan snapped back to attention, adjusting his glasses with practiced composure. "Are you leaving, sir?"
Wei Hanyun gave a slight nod, placing his untouched glass on a passing waiter’s tray. "Schedule a meeting tomorrow morning. We’ll return in the afternoon."
"Understood. I’ll make the arrangements." Fang Nan nodded reflexively, only to see Wei Hanyun already striding toward Zhong Ziyan.
Left standing alone, Fang Nan stroked his chin thoughtfully.
Zhong Ziyan was undeniably stunning. Even without makeup, she embodied the internet’s favorite term—"a fairy descended to the mortal world." Dressed to the nines, she was downright dazzling, as if all the lights in the glittering banquet hall had conspired to shine only on her.
But Fang Nan couldn’t shake the feeling that Wei Hanyun wasn’t the type to be swayed by looks alone.
It must be the charm of Zhong Ziyan’s mind—always operating on a different wavelength from ordinary people, Fang Nan mused privately.
......
"Grandmother, it’s time for you to rest."
Old Madam Yu, interrupted mid-conversation, shot Wei Hanyun a displeased glare. "Do you know how rare it is for me to visit Yan City to see my daughter? Can’t I chat a little longer?"
Wei Hanyun replied calmly, "This is your fifth day in Yan City."
Old Madam Yu: "...Fine! But at least let me talk to my granddaughter-in-law!"
Zhong Ziyan, who had been quietly eating more than speaking, unexpectedly sided with Wei Hanyun. "Isn’t the right side of your lower back starting to ache?"
Old Madam Yu, who had been stubbornly ignoring her body’s complaints: "...Alright, alright! I’ll go to bed. But first thing tomorrow, I’m coming back to talk to Yanyan, understood?"
Wei's Mother covered a laugh with her hand. "Mother, I’ll escort you."
Wei Second Sister-in-law, ever quick-witted, followed suit, dragging the reluctant, rooted-in-place Wei Hanyan along with her.
And so, the little feeding frenzy around the long dining table finally disbanded.
Zhong Ziyan had been standing in heels for hours, but she didn’t feel the slightest fatigue—compared to the grueling training and life-or-death battles of her past, a few hours on her feet was nothing.
Still, she spared a thought for her cash cow, Boss Wei: "Are you hungry?"
Most of the food on the table was destined to go to waste, given how many guests hadn’t touched a single bite. Even after Zhong Ziyan’s thorough sweep, many plates remained untouched.
"A little," Wei Hanyun admitted, plucking the silver fork from Zhong Ziyan’s hand. "But I don’t want any of this. Let’s go to the kitchen."
Since the boss had spoken, Zhong Ziyan naturally agreed.
Thus, Wei Hanyun and Zhong Ziyan made their grand exit through the banquet hall’s main doors—one clad in a sharply tailored three-piece suit, the other lifting the hem of her high-end gown worth hundreds of thousands—before climbing into a vintage Morgan convertible.
With Wei Hanyun navigating, Zhong Ziyan floored the accelerator, speeding straight to the kitchen.
The Wei family’s kitchen, of course, was a separate establishment, though not too far away—likely for logistical convenience.
Even at this late hour, the lights inside burned bright.
When the banquet concluded, they still had to clean up the food and drinks in the dining hall, tidy the place, and take care of the furniture and decorations before their workday could truly come to an end.
So when Zhong Ziyan and Wei Hanyun entered the kitchen, it wasn’t at all stealthy—they immediately drew countless curious glances.
"Mr. Wei…" The Head Chef stepped forward nervously to greet them. "Was there something unsatisfactory about tonight’s dishes?"
Wei Hanyun, who hadn’t taken a single bite, glanced down at Zhong Ziyan.
"It was delicious," Zhong Ziyan offered a simple yet sincere evaluation.
"We’re glad you enjoyed it," the Head Chef exhaled in relief. "Then what brings you two here…?"
"A midnight snack," Wei Hanyun said casually.
The Head Chef thumped his chest in reassurance. "Whatever you’d like, just name it! If we have the ingredients, I’ll whip it up right away!"
Wei Hanyun seemed to think for a moment before answering. "Steamed egg custard."
Zhong Ziyan volunteered eagerly, "I can make it! I’ll do it!"
Wei Hanyun nodded. "Thank you."
The Head Chef watched as Zhong Ziyan beelined for the eggs, then turned to Wei Hanyun, who stood by the fridge with a faint smile. "…" Understood. Here for a late-night meal—and to hand out some dog food.
Might as well scatter.jpg
Zhong Ziyan deftly cracked the eggs and whisked the mixture, her superhuman arm strength making the use of a machine unnecessary. With just a whisk, she achieved a perfectly smooth consistency.
Steamed egg custard was simple, convenient, and protein-rich. On nights when Wei Hanyun didn’t specify a request, Zhong Ziyan had made it as a midnight snack several times, so she was quite skilled at it. In no time, she seasoned it to Wei Hanyun’s taste and placed it in the steamer.
A group of chefs—graduates of Le Cordon Bleu and even veterans of Michelin-starred restaurants—had initially thought they’d need to assist, but in the end, they could only stand by and watch, completely unneeded.
The professional kitchen’s high-powered stove cooked the food faster than a home setup. Just as the Head Chef was about to remind Zhong Ziyan that it was almost done, she turned back and lifted the lid herself.
A bowl of flawlessly smooth, bubble-free egg custard.
The kitchen staff hovered between wanting to watch and not daring to stare too obviously, pretending to busy themselves with wiping tables, scrubbing pots, chopping vegetables, or checking oven temperatures.
Wei Hanyun ate the familiar-tasting custard spoon by spoon, and then, true to his word, left with Zhong Ziyan.
The Head Chef: "…" So it really was just for a bowl of egg custard. Isn’t this a bit too high-profile?
Zhong Ziyan was satisfied: Today, she had successfully repaid her boss’s kindness!
As the saying goes, the poor need money, but the rich need sincerity.
A hand-made egg custard was the epitome of thoughtfulness!
Since they were staying at the Wei residence, it wouldn’t do for them to sleep in separate rooms. While Wei Hanyun was showering, Zhong Ziyan—already washed up and in her pajamas—pulled a blanket from the closet and conscientiously set up a temporary bed on the sofa in the study next to the bedroom.
When Wei Hanyun stepped out, he found only one pillow remaining on the bed.
Looking further, he spotted Zhong Ziyan lying on the study’s long sofa, phone in hand, feet kicking idly in the air. Hearing his footsteps, she turned her head and nodded at him. "Goodnight."
Wei Hanyun: "…" He sighed. "Don’t catch a cold."
Zhong Ziyan blinked. "I don’t kick off blankets." Not that it mattered even if she did—ordinary viruses couldn’t penetrate her immune system anymore.
Someone who’d survived the T-virus had nothing to fear from a little chill.
…
Early the next morning, Old Madam Yu arrived cheerfully with Wei Hanyan to knock on Wei Hanyun’s door.
At the first sound of movement, Zhong Ziyan’s eyes snapped open mid-dream. Her psychic senses swept over the door, and in a whirlwind motion, she scooped up the blanket in one hand, tucked the pillow under her arm, and dashed back into the bedroom.
Three seconds to stuff the blanket back into the closet. One second to ruffle the covers beside Wei Hanyun, creating the illusion that she had just risen from there.
Then, hugging the pillow, she went to open the door, forcing a drowsy expression. "Morning."
