Exile at the start? The princess is no ordinary woman.

Jun Yanchen didn't hesitate for a second; in fact, his "okay" inexplicably stirred a sense of excitement and anticipation within one...

One lowered their head, the other tilted it back, and they kissed again. This time, there was no fierceness, only a tender, lingering kiss that was intoxicating...

------

The next day, Gu Nanzhi began to consider preparing the equipment for Madam Xu's surgery. She did have a spatial storage space, but those items were really inconvenient to show.

Therefore, she could only use traditional, primitive methods to create the necessary conditions.

During this time, she also had Bai Zang buy back a lot of seemingly random things, and then she fiddled with them all by herself...

Because she was busy with those things, she didn't go to the Cooking Smoke Pavilion today. Since she didn't go, Jun Yanchen naturally didn't go either.

Therefore, just before dinner, the two young masters and the second young lady of the Xu family, along with Xu Huanshan and his wife, a total of five people, appeared at the Cooking Smoke Pavilion.

Others might not recognize Xu Huanshan and Madam Xu, but they would know the two young masters and ladies of the Xu family.

Upon seeing the newcomer, Cang Ling stepped forward to greet them.

"Gentlemen, Miss Xu, please come upstairs,"

Of all the people he knew best, it was Xu Ruilin. He stepped forward familiarly and said...

"Brother Cangling, these two are my parents. We've come here today to ask Lady Gu for a favor. Is Lady Gu inside right now?"

Cang Ling glanced at Xu Huanshan and Madam Xu, and greeted them.

"Greetings, Mr. Xu and Mrs. Xu. My name is Cang Ling."

Although Xu Huanshan and Madam Xu had never met the others, they had already learned from their children that everyone in the Chuiyanlou, apart from the waiters, were people close to Jun Yanchen and Gu Nanzhi.

Moreover, this Cang Ling is someone who follows Jun Yanchen closely.

Therefore, Xu Huanshan did not underestimate this person.

"You're too polite, young master."

Then Cang Ling addressed the group,

"Gentlemen, my mistress and master are not in the shop today. Mr. Xu, Mrs. Xu, gentlemen and ladies, since you have something to discuss with my mistress, please ask me to come. My mistress and master's residence in the city is not far from here..."

"Alright, then I'll trouble you to lead the way, young master."

"Brother Cangling, then I'll trouble you to lead the way,"

"You're welcome, please wait a moment."

Cang Ling spoke to one of the others, then returned and led the group into the building.

Please come with me.

This puzzled the Xu family. Wasn't Gu Nanzhi supposed to be out of the shop? Why were they leading the way into the shop?

But seeing that Cang Ling didn't seem to want to joke, he had no choice but to follow.

It wasn't until they entered the backyard and saw the back door that they realized, "So that's how it is! There's a hidden world behind this cooking smoke tower."

"Please come in, everyone. My wife and master live in Biyue Lane behind here. Just walk a little further ahead."

"Alright, Brother Cangling, I didn't expect there to be a courtyard behind your Chuiyan Tower, with a back door leading to Biyue Lane. Not bad at all!"

“It’s time to work”

Apart from Xu Ruilin, the other members of the Xu family were generally polite, except for Xu Ruilin, who seemed carefree and only cared about morality and friendship...

"Yes, that's why Madam decided to buy this shop,"

"Ms. Gu has excellent taste."

"My wife has always had a discerning eye..."

As Xu Ruilin and Cang Ling spoke, the group quickly arrived at the residence. Cang Ling opened the door and invited the Xu family inside.

Not seeing Jun Yanchen and Gu Nanzhi, they led the people to the main hall.

"Mr. Xu, Mrs. Xu, young masters and young ladies, please take a seat. Please wait a moment. My master and mistress should be in the backyard. I will go and inform them."

"Okay, okay, thank you for your trouble."

"Brother Cangling, hurry, hurry!"

The Xu family members took their seats in the main hall and waited, while Cang Ling went to the backyard. Upon entering, she indeed saw Jun Yanchen and Gu Nanzhi.

The two were drinking tea in the pavilion at that moment.

“Master, Madam,”

"Cang Ling, why are you back?"

Wasn't this guy helping out at the Kitchen Smoke Tower? Why is he back? It should be busy right now.

Gu Nanzhi sighed with emotion. A trusted lieutenant of the powerful Prince Yan, now he was reduced to serving dishes at her tiny, humble kitchen every day...

"Madam, Master, the Xu family of five has arrived. They came to the Cuiyanlou restaurant saying they had something to ask of you, so I took the liberty of bringing them home."

"Oh?"

The Xu family has arrived? So quickly?

Where are you now?

"Your subordinate will escort you to the main hall to wait,"

To Gu Nanzhi's surprise, the Xu family arrived even faster than she had anticipated.

Chong Junyan raised an eyebrow.

"The Xu family arrived quite quickly, Huaiqing, let's go and greet our guests,"

"Um"

"Oh dear, no one's home. Cangling, could you go make some tea?"

"Yes, ma'am"

That's the downside of having no one home. It's quiet as it is, but when guests come, there's no one to make tea or serve them.

There's nothing they can do about their circumstances; if anyone wants to complain or find fault, they'll just have to turn them away.

"Mr. Xu, Mrs. Xu, gentlemen, Qingning, I apologize for the poor hospitality, it's truly impolite..."

The Xu family members were all seated, but upon seeing Gu Nanzhi, Jun Yanchen stood up in unison.

"Young Master Jun, Madam Jun, I'm so sorry to bother you,"

"Young Master Jun, Beauty Gu, it's nice to meet you again."

"Sister Nanzhi"

"Hey, please sit down, everyone. I'm so sorry, this is just a temporary place to stay. There's no one home here either, so please excuse the poor hospitality."

"It's alright, it's alright, we're the ones who have bothered you..."

"Lady Gu, there's no need for such formalities. We assumed you were at the Chuiyan Tower, so we went straight there, but we didn't expect you to be absent today. So Brother Cangling led us here instead. Why didn't you tell us earlier? You live in Biyue Lane..."

"Well, I stayed home today and didn't go to the shop. There's no one home. Please sit for a while. If you don't mind, we can go back to Chuiyanlou and have dinner together?"

Before anyone else could speak, Xu Ruilin had already agreed.

"Of course, Miss Gu, we came here thinking of stopping by the Cuiyanlou Restaurant for a meal..."

"Alright, everyone, if you don't mind, please sit here for a while before heading to the Cooking Smoke Pavilion..."

The two exchanged polite pleasantries until Cang Ling brewed the tea and served it.

"please"

"please"

"Thank you, thank you very much."

"Please have some tea."

After taking a sip of tea, Gu Nanzhi took the initiative to steer the conversation towards the main topic.

"Mr. Xu, Mrs. Xu, the two young masters, Qingning, if I'm not mistaken, you've come here because of yesterday's events, haven't you? Have you discussed it?"

Since Gu Nanzhi had already spoken up, they didn't need to lay the groundwork any further.

Xu Huanshan put down his teacup.