TPATTHU Chapter 29

Shen Zhejiang couldn’t resist Xiao Zhinian, and ultimately chose to compromise. Besides, he was indeed hungry, so it wouldn’t hurt to have a meal.

As dusk approached, the restaurant was bustling with customers.

“Welcome, please come inside!”

The waiter loudly greeted the incoming and outgoing guests, busily weaving through the lively scene of everyday life. The aroma of food and wine filled the air, and both young and old raised their cups in a joyous reunion.

Xiao Zhinian followed behind Shen Zhejiang, step by step up the stairs to the second floor, gazing at the bustling scene below. For some reason, he felt a warm sensation.

In this world, there was finally a bonfire meant for him.

How wonderful.

Shen Zhejiang chose a relatively quiet private room by the window, blocking out most of the noise.

“Seresa Restaurant is the most prosperous restaurant in Luo City. Its dishes are quite different from those in the Capital City. This frozen rabbit meat is one of the famous dishes from the northern frontier, and this restaurant makes it the best. Would you like to try it?”

Shen Zhejiang had been in Luo City for three years. Although he didn’t go out often, he had heard about it and naturally began introducing it to Xiao Zhinian.

Xiao Zhinian looked at the words on the menu. What he ate wasn’t important, but who he ate with was. So he said, “Okay.”

Next, Shen Zhejiang told him about several other dishes, and Xiao Zhinian nodded in agreement to each one.

Jokingly speaking, if Shen Zhejiang wanted this vast land, he would probably hand it over without hesitation.

While waiting for the food, Xiao Zhinian naturally wouldn’t be idle and steered the conversation back: “What does Teacher think is the best way to lure the thief out of his hiding?”

“Cater to his desires, use bait to catch him.”

Shen Zhejiang said each word carefully.

Xiao Zhinian immediately asked, “What is the bait?”

Shen Zhejiang pondered for a while, and then slowly said, “Governor Yang has a nephew whose mother died of illness nine years ago. Afterwards, he was raised by Governor Yang. Although he’s not his own son, he’s treated like one. Because of this, Governor Yang dotes on him, and he’s ignorant of the world.”

“So, Teacher suspects that the thief is Governor Yang’s nephew?”

Xiao Zhinian had a slight clue and asked in contemplation.

“That’s right,” Shen Zhejiang liked tea, and a pot of hot tea was indispensable on the table, so he poured a cup for Xiao Zhinian and himself, “If it really is this person, then it will be easy.”

Xiao Zhinian was puzzled, “Why?”

Shen Zhejiang took a sip of tea, finally relieving the dryness in his throat, coughed lightly, and continued, “This person is particularly fond of women, both men and women. He has defiled many innocent women. If we use beauty to lure him, we will definitely achieve twice the result with half the effort, besides…”

“Here comes the food!”

The waiter opened the door to the private room and quickly placed the various delicacies on the table from the tray. He happily said, “Guests must try our restaurant’s frozen rabbit meat, it’s absolutely amazing! Also, our boss is happy today and is giving every table two jugs of wine. Please enjoy!”

Xiao Zhinian asked, “What’s he so happy about?”

The waiter nodded and bowed as he put down the last plate of meat soup, and then lowered his voice mysteriously, “Governor Yang’s little nephew didn’t come to cause trouble. Usually, he would come to demand a free meal before he was willing to leave. What can we common people do? We can’t fight against the officials, so we can only suffer in silence. Alright! Enjoy your meal! Our restaurant is still busy!”

In this case, the thief was definitely Governor Yang’s nephew.

Xiao Zhinian used a soup ladle to fill a large bowl of soup for Shen Zhejiang, added two pieces of ribs with alternating layers of fat and lean meat, and placed it in front of Shen Zhejiang, saying, “No need to bother, I’ll just have Huai Wu catch that person. Teacher, please enjoy your meal, come.”

“It’s useless. Governor Yang expected us to investigate and must have hidden his nephew well. He won’t easily reveal his fox tail. A rash action will definitely stir up trouble. It’s better to dig a pit and let him jump into it himself.”

Shen Zhejiang took two sips of the soup, and found that the taste was not bad, so he drank more than half a bowl. Xiao Zhinian took all of this into his eyes and filled another bowl for Shen Zhejiang.

Xiao Zhinian said, “Since that’s the case, then this bait is not so easy to find. Now is the most dangerous time. Governor Yang’s nephew can’t easily fall for our tricks. What should we do?”

The method was there, but Shen Zhejiang hadn’t thought about this aspect yet.

Who should be the bait?

How to lure the person out and strike with one blow?

At the same time, Shen Zhejiang thought that if the thief was really Governor Yang’s little nephew as they suspected, then why would that jade knife be in his hands?

Could it be that the man in black three years ago was really him?

Shen Zhejiang wasn’t really sure.

There were many doubts, and he couldn’t unravel them for a while.

Xiao Zhinian saw Shen Zhejiang’s worries, and smiled, “If Teacher has no idea, I have a good method, but I need Teacher’s cooperation.”

“What?”

Shen Zhejiang looked at Xiao Zhinian in confusion, but saw that the other’s eyes were full of deep smiles.

Just as he was about to ask, a young man flipped in through the window, colliding head-on with Shen Zhejiang.

“Shen, Mr. Shen??”

Huai Wu’s eyes widened, his jaw almost dropping to the ground.

Shen Zhejiang’s hand holding the spoon paused slightly. Fortunately, he was relatively calm, but some of the soup spilled out and splashed on his clothes.

“Who told you to come in at this time?” Xiao Zhinian was unhappy that someone was disturbing his time with Shen Zhejiang. His face immediately darkened, and the chopsticks he was holding would probably shatter in his hand if he was any later, “Get out.”

But Huai Wu was already so shocked that he couldn’t hear anything. He said blankly, “I’m not seeing things, am I, Mr. Shen? You’re not dead?!”

Shen Zhejiang woke up from his initial surprise, put down the spoon, and beckoned to Huai Wu, who was standing there, “You didn’t recognize the wrong person, come and sit down.”

Xiao Zhinian was the first to object, “No way!”

Shen Zhejiang gave him a light glance, and Xiao Zhinian’s momentum instantly weakened. He grumbled, expressing his dissatisfaction, “It’s clearly me and Teacher who are eating together, why should a third person interfere…”

It seemed that Shen Zhejiang’s words were more effective.

“Huai Wu, come here,” Shen Zhejiang asked the waiter to add a pair of bowls and chopsticks, signaling Huai Wu to sit down, and said politely, “It’s been three years, and you’ve grown a lot taller.”

Huai Wu smiled shyly, “If Mr. Shen hadn’t taken me in, I probably wouldn’t be here today.”

Hearing this, Xiao Zhinian muttered, “What nonsense, it was clearly I who took you in, okay!”

When these words reached Shen Zhejiang’s ears, he sighed inwardly, picked up a piece of frozen rabbit meat and placed it in Xiao Zhinian’s bowl, and said softly, “Your Majesty, eat your food.”

Xiao Zhinian visibly perked up, and two imaginary wolf cub ears wagged.

He secretly thought, Teacher only picks food for me, not for you, jealous to death, hmph!

Unexpectedly, the next moment, a pair of chopsticks picked up another piece of frozen rabbit meat, passed in front of Xiao Zhinian, and placed it in Huai Wu’s bowl with a thud.

“Eat.”

Shen Zhejiang knew how to keep everyone happy.

Xiao Zhinian: “……”