29 The Longevity Hall of Enduring Love

he was in the wrong, and secondly, his furious brother was truly terrifying. His expression when angry could rival their father’s when displeased. He pursed his lips tightly and ran to call for a driv...Chapter 29: The Everlasting Bower of Love

When Yan Luoxi got up, she felt a sudden tightness around her waist. She thought that surely Li An must have woken up and turned back to see him with his eyebrows slightly knitted together, half-closing sleepy eyes while murmuring unconsciously, "Luoxi, where are you going"

Seeing Li An's childlike anxious and helpless expression, Yan Luoxi felt heartache. She gently grasped the hand he had around her waist and said softly, "I'm going to the bathroom. You just stay here and sleep properly. I'll be back soon to keep you company. Be good."

When she spoke like this, Li An seemed relieved and closed his eyes lightly. But a few seconds later, he suddenly opened them again, watching Yan Luoxi walk into the bathroom before he finally let out a breath of relief and closed his eyes to continue sleeping.

By the time Yan Luoxi returned to the bedroom, it was already midday with bright sunlight outside. The light in their room was exceptionally clear as Li An's exquisite face shone with a subtle yet dazzling glow.

Thinking back to before when so many girls pursued Li An, those girls would do anything for him, while she always pretended to be indifferent toward him. In truth, this man's appearance really was bewitching and irresistible, causing one’s heart to sway uncontrollably.

Yan Luoxi smiled happily, her face filled with sweetness and joy as she couldn't help but carefully reach out a hand to gently caress Li An's cheek. Her palm felt infinitely warm at this moment; she had to admit that unconsciously, both her body and heart were captivated by Li An.

When Li An woke up from his nap in the afternoon, it was already close to noon. On a whim, he told Yan Luoxi that there was a genuine Huaiyang private restaurant here and wanted to take her there for a taste.

Yan Luoxi is not interested in what to eat; she only wants to stick around Lei An like a little assistant, wherever Lei An goes, that's her happy place.

This Huaiyang cuisine restaurant is hidden on a bustling street. As soon as you enter, you can see flowing water and a corridor made of bluestone with lush green trees shading the area. The walls are covered with ever-blooming roses, creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene. Music drifts in from behind the garden, adding to its poetic charm.

Under the shade of the trees, several redwood tables and chairs are casually arranged. On each table is an elegant linen cloth printed with ink-wash lotus flowers that hang down to the ground, swaying gently in the breeze. Not far away stands a stage reminiscent of old Shanghai in the 1930s, its delicate carvings clearly indicating it’s no cheap item.

The owner of this establishment warmly greets Lei An upon his arrival, calling him Second Master Lei An. Lei An smiles and calls the man Uncle Wen. Later, Yan Luoxi learns that this man is the cousin of Wen Yimo, a good friend of Li Haonan’s, which explains why he has such grandeur at home.

Uncle Wen reads people well; seeing Lei An bring a female guest and not introduce them properly, he avoids unnecessary small talk. He asks Lei An what dishes he wants to eat and then inquires about the music Lei An would like to hear. Lei An laughs and says he’d like "Palace of Eternal Youth."

Yan Luoxi doesn’t understand anything about lyrics or songs. While watching Lei An chat with Uncle Wen, she didn’t dare ask much out of shyness. After Uncle Wen left, a gentle-looking middle-aged woman in white came to set the tableware for her and Lei An.

The tableware is typical Chinese style small bowls and plates made of delicate white porcelain that glimmers like jade. Yan Luoxi, having grown up among the wealthy Li family since childhood, can easily discern the quality of things just by looking at them. These pieces are obviously very valuable.

The dishes come quickly: a clear-stewed crab roe lion's head and chicken soup with tofu—two seemingly ordinary dishes emit an enticing aroma. Lei An laughs as he hands Yan Luoxi a spoon, cautioning her like one would to a child, “This soup is very hot; don’t rush when eating it.”

Yan Luoxi listened to Li An and cautiously took a sip of the soup. She couldn't help but widen her eyes; this dish was absolutely delicious, so much so that she wanted to shout out in delight.

Seeing her expression, Li An smiled and gently stroked her hair: "I thought you didn’t like Huaiyang cuisine, otherwise I would have brought you here long ago."

At this moment, Yan Luoxi was too engrossed in the food to talk to Li An. She kept eating until she heard the intimate and melancholic music from ahead, causing her to look up from the delicious dishes with surprise.

The stage had been set up at some point, with soft lighting illuminating a famous performer adorned with jewels, who walked gracefully onto the stage under the spotlight.

As the performer moved, her embroidered skirt and hair ornaments jingled softly. Her sleeves fluttered like willow branches swaying in the breeze, as if she was about to take flight at any moment. She cast a sidelong glance at Li An with flirtatious eyes, smiling slightly, making her already beautiful face even more captivating.

"...Ah,緣分向生前種金籠花下開巧賺娟娟鳳燭花紅隻見弄盞傳杯傳杯處驀自裡話兒唧噥..."

The performer’s voice was melodious and enchanting, with a mix of coquettishness that mesmerized Yan Luoxi, making her unable to look away.

Yan Luoxi had lived for over twenty years, watching TV and movies, but this was the first time she experienced such real-life dramatic flair. She found herself involuntarily immersed in it.

"Don't just stare, eat your food. It will get cold soon," Li An reminded Yan Luoxi gently as he scooped some crab meat for her.

"Ah." Only then did Yan Luoxi come to her senses and looked at Li An with a mixture of surprise and reproach. "She's so beautiful, and she sings well too. Why didn't you bring me here earlier"

"I thought you wouldn't like it," replied Li An, clearly a regular patron here, showing indifference towards everything around him except for the gentle and sincere smile he gave Yan Luoxi.

The performance on stage had ended, leaving Yan Luoxi still wanting more. At this moment, two exquisite dishes were brought out from the kitchen. Thinking of the famous opera performer she just saw, Yan Luoxi became distracted while eating.

"Eat well. Everything else is fake; only what you eat and digest is real," Li An said softly as he carefully picked out the carrot strands that Yan Luoxi didn't like from her plate.

Yan Luoxi turned to look at him with a smile, "Haha, would your kindness towards me also be fake"

The expression on Li An's face changed slightly. Before he could respond, a voice as clear and melodious as jade greeted them: "Hello, Young Master Li."

Li An didn't react when he heard the voice, but Yan Luoxi quickly turned to look at her. She couldn't help admiring how beautiful this woman was, definitely not inferior to any of the popular movie stars and actresses.n Luoxi's arm."I'm willing," Yan Luoxi glared at Li An."Even if you are willing, I am not," Li An looked hurt as he stared directly into Yan Luoxi’s eyes.Thinking about Ran Xu in the private room and...