Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife – o

35: Chapter 35 I Believe in You 35: Chapter 35 I Believe in You Gu Yelin chose the place, and naturally, it couldn’t be lacking.

It was a standard quadrangle courtyard, with no sign at the door, yet the vehicles parked in front were all top luxury cars.

An Yiqing followed Gu Yelin into the courtyard and felt the pure old city charm.

Unlike the one Tang Lin had taken her to last time, this quadrangle had a more humane touch.

The courtyard was not large, and there weren’t many rooms; it was without much noise and clamor.

Occasionally, one could hear the sound of waiters in embroidered jackets and long pants, with small caps moving around in the hall, and the crisp sound of beaded curtains colliding as they fell.

As soon as Gu Yelin set foot inside, someone notified the owner.

Shortly after, an elderly man came out from the inner hall.

“Has Third Young Master Gu arrived?” The old man’s face was kind, and although his eyes seemed murky, from time to time, a sharp glint flashed through them.

His back was a bit hunched, his hair half gray, and the wrinkles on his face revealed the hardships he had faced in the past.

Gu Yelin took a few steps forward, his expression slightly respectful, as he nodded slightly, “Old Master Zhang.”
“You haven’t been here for some days, and you didn’t think to check on this old man,” Old Zhang was about to tease Gu Yelin a bit when he saw the girl beside him.

Surprise flickered in Old Zhang’s eyes; Third Young Master Gu had never brought a woman here before, “Third Master, who is this young lady?”
“Old Zhang, her name is An Yiqing,” Gu Yelin gave a simple introduction to Old Zhang, well aware that the old man in front of him understood quite well, “Qing, this is Old Zhang.”
“Hello, Old Zhang,” An Yiqing greeted him with a smile, polite yet not submissive.

Old Zhang looked at the girl in front of him.

Her appearance was stunningly beautiful, her demeanor graceful yet not worldly, her gaze firm and clear.

His heart silently nodded in approval; such a girl was certainly not mediocre.

Third Young Master Gu had a good eye.

“The young lady is quite impressive.

You, boy Gu, should treat this young girl well.

I, the old man, won’t intrude on your excitement.

Don’t be polite with this boy; he has plenty of money,” Old Zhang instantly accepted An Yiqing as one of his own.

He liked the girl; she had the right spirit.

An Yiqing nodded with a smile, finding Old Master Zhang to be quite refreshing.

She wondered if it was her good fortune or something else that all the elderly people around her were so open-minded.

Old Master Zhang exchanged a few words and then went back inside.

It was better for an old man like him not to meddle in young people’s affairs.

Gu Yelin led An Yiqing into a private room.

To call it a private room was actually just an enclosed partition.

The entire room felt cozy and intimate, with several water ink screens adding an ancient charm to the room.

Gu Yelin and An Yiqing ordered a few dishes and then sat down.

The table in the room wasn’t big, just enough for four people.

An Yiqing sat quietly, and the man across her considerately poured her a cup of fragrant Longjing tea.

The transparent tea water was held in a lustrous white teacup, and the slightly curled tea leaves slowly sank to the bottom, filling the room with a fresh aroma of tea.

“Old Zhang is a descendant of Imperial Chef Zhang Manlou from the Imperial Palace and also a good friend of my grandfather,” Gu Yelin gently placed the teacup in front of An Yiqing and took the initiative to tell her about Old Master Zhang’s background.

An Yiqing blinked her eyes in surprise, her mouth slightly open.

She knew about Zhang Manlou, a famous top-tier imperial chef from the previous dynasty.

However, after some imperial court changes, he gradually withdrew from society.

It was said that even an incomplete recipe left by Zhang Manlou could sell for a sky-high price, and many people in the martial arts world had made a name for themselves using the title of “descendant of Zhang Manlou,” but their authenticity was unknown.

An Yiqing naturally believed Gu Yelin’s words and knew that Old Zhang was indeed a true descendant of the Zhang Family.

“Do others know about Old Zhang’s identity?”
“Only a very few people know, and Old Zhang finds his identity burdensome, so he rarely mentions it,” Gu Yelin patiently answered every question An Yiqing had.

“Then why are you telling me all this?” An Yiqing looked at Gu Yelin, her eyes showing confusion.

Did he really trust her that much?

Gu Yelin’s dark eyes were focused as he looked at the conflicted young woman opposite him.

His thin lips parted slightly, and the words he said were soft yet firm, “I trust you; you deserve my trust.”
An Yiqing was somewhat shocked inside.

They hadn’t interacted much, yet he trusted her so much.

It felt really good.

Gu Yelin was actually a bit nervous inside; he feared his straightforwardness would scare away the small white rabbit.

But to his surprise, An Yiqing quickly calmed down and then gave him a big smile.

This smile was clean and clear, with the unique warmth and radiance of a young girl.

Gu Yelin’s gaze was fixed on the smiling girl in front of him, and the heat barely concealed in the depths of his dark eyes was suffocating, as if once this passion erupted, it could never be retracted.

It would either ignite her or destroy her, so persistent, so pure.

An Yiqing really liked this pure trust.

She was a simple person.

After seeing so much deception in the world, she actually preferred straightforward people and things.

Gu Yelin’s unconditional trust had caught her eye, entered her heart, and then slowly took root and blossomed beautifully.

It must be said that, in some ways, Gu Yelin and An Yiqing were very much alike.

Equally persistent and firm, equally ruthless and merciless, and at the same time… both could give up everything for someone worth it.

From this moment on, An Yiqing felt she genuinely understood the man before her, profound and unfathomable.

He was lonely and cold, yet hot-blooded inside.

He would only give his affection to those worthy of it.

At this moment, something between the two seemed to have changed.

It was a bit ambiguous, a bit pure.

The dishes at Old Master Zhang’s place were not served quickly, and only after Gu Yelin explained did An Yiqing understand that Old Zhang, in his pursuit of perfection, demanded his disciples to not cut corners with ingredients and techniques.

So indeed, from harvesting to cooking, the process did require some effort.

But good things are indeed worth waiting for.

When An Yiqing tasted the first dish, she felt that the food she had eaten before, although rich in flavor, lacked the spiritual energy of Old Zhang’s place.

A successful dish should also be lively.

“How does it feel?” Gu Yelin looked at An Yiqing’s expression; even though he knew the answer, he still wanted to hear her elaborate.

“Hmm, the dishes here are spirited.

This is the most delicious meal I’ve ever had.

I think I won’t have an appetite for anything else after today,” An Yiqing’s eyes sparkled with satisfaction, dazzling as stained-glass.

Upon hearing An Yiqing’s response, Gu Yelin’s thoughts became certain.

From then on, Old Master Zhang had a mysterious disciple who never cooked for the public because everything he did was for the woman he loved.