After Secretly Marrying the Top Celebrity, I Fell in Love - Chapter 41

For dinner, Zhang Mingxiu hosted, treating them to Huaiyang cuisine.

In Hengdian, the Huaiyang cuisine at the International Trade Mansion was considered quite authentic. It wasn’t far from the film set, only about a ten-minute drive. The International Trade Mansion was also very close to the hotel where the crew was staying, just two kilometers away, making the return trip convenient after dinner.

In the lavish, golden private room, the crystal chandelier above cast dazzling light, illuminating the entire room as brightly as day.

Zhang Mingxiu handed the menu to Ye Manqing, asking her to order.

Ye Manqing didn’t stand on ceremony, happily accepting the menu and ordering several representative Huaiyang dishes.

The woman’s long eyelashes were slightly lowered as she quickly browsed and turned the pages of the menu. Her beautifully shaped red lips occasionally moved, and she ordered five dishes, one soup, and one pastry in one breath.

“Yangzhou Lion’s Head, Soft-Shelled Eel, Large-Boiled Shredded Dried Tofu, Three-in-One Duck, Crystal Meat Terrine, Braised Soft-Shelled Turtle.”

“And a Huai’an Tea-Twist.”

After speaking, Ye Manqing looked at Bai Yiyan who was sitting next to her and asked gently, “Xiao Bai, what would you like to eat?”

As she spoke, the woman handed the menu forward, reaching Bai Yiyan.

“No need,” Bai Yiyan gently waved her hand and said, “That’s already enough dishes.”

Ye Manqing said, “Okay,” and then handed the menu back to the waiter, adding, “We don’t eat cilantro, thank you.”

The waiter accepted the menu with both hands, desperately trying to suppress the extreme excitement of seeing their idol while maintaining a professional smile.

“Understood, please wait a moment, the three of you.” The waiter couldn’t help but quickly glance at Ye Manqing. They didn’t dare to look directly, only sneak a peek.

Teacher Ye’s eyes are so gentle! How can someone be this gentle and this beautiful!!

Although Teacher Ye wasn’t looking at them, the waiter felt they had earned something—being able to see their idol up close! A super happy day for a worker!

As soon as the waiter left the private room, Zhang Mingxiu belatedly reacted. He took a sip of hot tea, and as he put down the teacup, he looked up at Ye Manqing, who was sitting diagonally opposite him.

Zhang Mingxiu: “Manqing, since when do you not eat cilantro? I remember you used to.”

Ye Manqing, holding a white jade teacup with her well-defined, slender fingers, looked up at Zhang Mingxiu and offered an explanation.

“Xiao Bai doesn’t eat cilantro.”

Zhang Mingxiu’s gaze shifted slightly, landing on Bai Yiyan’s face. He suddenly burst into a cheerful laugh: “Xiao Bai, look at that. Your sister is so considerate of you.”

“Hmm… Did you decide to eat Huaiyang cuisine tonight because Xiao Bai likes it?”

Regarding what to eat that evening, Zhang Mingxiu had specifically sought their opinions. As a man, he didn’t care what they ate, but the priority was to cater to the preferences and tastes of the two ladies.

Bai Yiyan hadn’t expressed an opinion. In the end, it was Ye Manqing who decided on Huaiyang cuisine.

Bai Yiyan met Zhang Mingxiu’s gaze and softly replied, “I’ve never had Huaiyang cuisine.”

Ye Manqing gently smiled, still holding the teacup: “Xiao Bai’s taste is generally light, she should like Huaiyang cuisine.”

A statement that neither denied nor fully admitted the reason.

With that, Ye Manqing rested her single hand on her chin, frankly turning her head to look at Bai Yiyan. There was an obvious hint of fatigue in her eyes.

In the past few days, Ye Manqing’s schedule had been packed. She had finally managed to take a day to come to Hengdian to shoot the fitting photos. As soon as the photos were done, she immediately started filming again, with no time to rest.

They waited for the food, but not for too long.

Huaiyang dishes were exquisite, unique, and novel. The flavor was mild and harmonious, and the knife skills were highly emphasized. Furthermore, the ingredients were mostly aquatic, with attention paid to their freshness. The taste was light and fresh, stressing the original flavor, and the preparation of the broth was important.

The first dish to be served was the Yangzhou Lion’s Head.

The Lion’s Head was served in a blue-and-white porcelain stew pot, with one in front of each person.

Ye Manqing turned her head and said to Bai Yiyan, “Xiao Bai, try this Lion’s Head.”

“Mm.” Bai Yiyan lightly nodded her chin, uncovering the lid of the stew pot with one hand and picking up a small spoon with the other, reaching into the pot.

The moment the lid was lifted, a wispy stream of hot steam rose. A large, plump Lion’s Head was placed inside the pot, its color appearing very light—white with a hint of pink.

“This Lion’s Head is very particular,” Zhang Mingxiu said while opening his own pot. “The filling isn’t minced or chopped; it’s cut slice by slice. Huaiyang cuisine loves to show off its knife skills, but the taste is truly good.”

With that, Zhang Mingxiu used his spoon to cut across the middle of the Lion’s Head, then scooped up a spoonful of meat and put it into his mouth.

“Mm-hmm! So delicious!”

Under Ye Manqing’s expectant gaze, Bai Yiyan scooped a small spoonful of the Lion’s Head into her mouth. The meat was smooth, tender, and melted softly upon entry—the texture was excellent.

“It’s very delicious,” Bai Yiyan said to Ye Manqing after thoroughly chewing and swallowing.

“I’m glad you like it.” Ye Manqing’s thin, long, “snow fox” eyes narrowed slightly, her eye corners curving in satisfaction, as if she herself had eaten a very pleasing dish.

In reality, Ye Manqing had a very low desire for food and wasn’t very interested in eating; all cuisines were the same to her, and she couldn’t claim to “like” any of them.

As the dishes came and went, Bai Yiyan’s surprise gradually accumulated. Although Bai Yiyan didn’t show it overtly, the observant Ye Manqing noticed it.

This was especially true for the pastry: Huai’an Tea-Twist.

The golden-yellow Tea-Twist, shaped like golden threads wound into circles, was crispy and flaky.

Bai Yiyan first used her chopsticks to pick up a Tea-Twist into her own bowl. After lowering her head to chew and swallow it slowly, she looked up at the plate of golden, crispy twists.

The hand holding the chopsticks paused, then was put down.

Next to her, Ye Manqing noticed this subtle movement, extended her chopsticks, and picked up a Tea-Twist. The chopsticks turned, and she placed the Tea-Twist directly into Bai Yiyan’s bowl.

Bai Yiyan looked at the Tea-Twist in her bowl, her expression slightly stunned: “…”

Diagonally across the table, Zhang Mingxiu inadvertently looked up and happened to see the scene of Ye Manqing giving Bai Yiyan food.

Zhang Mingxiu looked at Bai Yiyan and teased, “Xiao Bai, your sister is so good to you.”

“This is the first time I’ve seen Manqing give someone else food.”

Bai Yiyan’s face flushed with shyness, unsure how to respond: “I…”

Ye Manqing immediately helped her out: “I can’t help it, she’s my only sworn sister.”

“I have to dote on her closely, of course.”

With that, Ye Manqing became even more unrestrained, extending her chopsticks to pick up a piece of duck meat and freely placing it into Bai Yiyan’s bowl.

Bai Yiyan lowered her gaze to look at the duck meat in her bowl, paused, and then slightly raised her eyes to look at Ye Manqing again, meeting the woman’s undisguised tender gaze.

“…” Bai Yiyan’s long eyelashes fluttered slightly, and she didn’t know how to speak.

The meal lasted over an hour.

Ye Manqing went back with them to the hotel where the crew was staying, planning to spend the night and leave the next morning.

Ye Manqing was a special guest star in Nine Heavens, so the coordinator planned to arrange her schedule two days in advance once she was ready to join the cast. Consequently, the crew hadn’t booked a room for Ye Manqing in advance.

Unfortunately, the hotel was fully booked tonight and had no empty rooms.

Several production crews had started filming recently, so the rooms in the two closest star-rated hotels near the film studio were mostly reserved.

Zhang Mingxiu frowned, then suddenly had a good idea: “Oh, right! Manqing, how about you make do and share a room with Xiao Bai tonight?”

“Or you could find Fu Yu and sleep with her.”

“The rooms arranged for the lead actors by the crew are all king-sized beds; two people sleeping together is fine, it won’t be crowded.”

Listening to Zhang Mingxiu’s words, Bai Yiyan stood still, not making a sound, and not daring to look directly into Ye Manqing’s eyes.

Ye Manqing turned to Bai Yiyan and softly asked, “Xiao Bai, can you take me in for a night?”

The woman’s translucent amber pupils shimmered with a faint, gentle light, and her voice carried a hint of weariness. Her voice was low, both pleasant to the ear and rich in texture.

Bai Yiyan was completely captivated by Ye Manqing’s eyes and voice, and she nodded without hesitation.

“…Okay.” Bai Yiyan’s heart thumped rapidly in her chest, an inexplicable feeling of excitement, and the tips of her ears instantly turned a shade of cherry red.

After agreeing, the three of them took the exclusive elevator up to the 28th floor of the hotel. Zhang Mingxiu’s room was also on the 28th floor, at the other end of the corridor.

Exiting the elevator, the three people walked towards their respective rooms.

In front of room 8866, Bai Yiyan bent down to pull the key card out of her bag and held it against the sensor on the doorknob.

After hearing a “beep,” Bai Yiyan gently rested her hand on the doorknob and opened the door.

“Teacher Ye, please come in,” Bai Yiyan entered the room first, then turned around to look at Ye Manqing, who was still standing at the doorway.

Ye Manqing had played the “good older sister” and acted out “sisterly friendship and respect” with Bai Yiyan for the entire evening. At this moment, she didn’t want to act anymore. Her gaze towards Bai Yiyan shifted, becoming intensely possessive.

The woman took a long stride and entered the room. With a reverse motion, she closed the door and immediately locked it.

A “click” sound, the sound of the door locking, echoed behind the two of them.

“…!” Bai Yiyan’s breathing caught in her throat. She stared at Ye Manqing with wide, beautiful “phoenix eyes,” her eyelashes fluttering softly in the light.

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