Min Sishi followed suit and picked up the spoon beside her.
She took a scoop.
She put it in her mouth... with lobster jelly as the base.
Alaskan king crab meat paired with Oscietra caviar.
It tasted incredibly fresh and clean; the original deliciousness of the three extremely fresh ingredients immediately melted in her mouth.
"Mmm..."
Min Sishi suddenly felt a bit flushed and ashamed of what she had just said.
Such ingredients, even with simple preparation,
produced a flavor that the cafeteria could not even hope to compare to.
Especially the environment, which was worlds apart.
Sitting here, eating high-end ingredients from all over the world, looking at the exquisite decorations in the shop, and being able to see the view of The Bund outside the window just by looking up.
It was a dual enjoyment for both the spirit and the body.
She suddenly had an epiphany... there was a reason why these restaurants could be so expensive.
She used to be completely baffled by it.
Why the wealthy were like suckers; if she were rich, she would definitely never be so extravagant and wasteful.
It wasn't until now... that she began to understand a little.
The wealthy are not fools.
Chilled cherry soup with pistachios and frozen milk cheese.
New Zealand scampi ravioli.
Roasted black cod with Malabar black pepper sauce, cabbage, and coconut foam.
Slow-cooked egg with Parmesan mousse.
French foie gras cooked in grape juice, Port wine sauce, and beef consommé... Min Sishi looked at these dishes, whose names she couldn't even fully recite.
It was a real eye-opener.
So... eating could be this elegant.
No need to rush through the food in a noisy environment.
Only when they had almost finished the previous dish would the chef start preparing the next one and present it to them.
It was always the freshest, allowing them to taste the food just as it came out of the kitchen.
Soothing piano music played in her ears.
The food danced on her taste buds.
Min Sishi ate the food on her plate in small bites, appearing somewhat restrained, and glanced sideways at Zhou Xing.
Zhou Xing's clear profile, illuminated by the lights.
His young, fair skin and indifferent expression.
It made one involuntarily intoxicated by it.
The only fly in the ointment was that he showed no sense of appreciation or care for these exquisite foods.
He speared a piece of foie gras with his fork, stuffed it into his mouth, chewed twice, and found it a bit greasy.
Then he tore off half a piece of bread and chewed it in large mouthfuls.
He did as he pleased.
He didn't have the slightest thought that he had to follow etiquette just because this was a high-end restaurant.
She originally thought the chef would be displeased upon seeing this.
To her surprise... the chef was all smiles, repeatedly giving Zhou Xing a thumbs-up and nodding with satisfaction.
The Waiter explained from the side, "The chef says that seeing Mr. Zhou eat with such gusto is an honor... He is very satisfied that his food can please Mr. Zhou, and he feels a great sense of accomplishment."
Min Sishi: "..."
Rich people weren't like how they were portrayed in TV dramas, strictly following cumbersome etiquette for everything.
Everything was done according to their heart; whatever made them happy was the way to go.
She didn't dare to overstep in the slightest in this restaurant, simply because it was her first time here and she was afraid of being seen as inexperienced.
In contrast, Zhou Xing had enough confidence that a so-called Michelin restaurant was no different from a roadside food stall in his eyes.
He didn't need to put on an act; he only needed to present his true self.
She suddenly felt a sense of inferiority.
Before, she thought that the life of the rich was just about having better things to eat and use.
It was just like a farmer imagining that the Emperor plows the fields with a golden hoe.
Her outlook was too narrow.
That extreme composure and confidence rich people had when facing anything was something that people like her could not learn.
Min Sishi gave a self-deprecating laugh.
She laughed at herself for being too naive, and for being like a frog in a well, unable to recognize what was good for her.
No wonder so many people wanted to marry into wealthy families and fly onto the branch overnight.
No wonder, when she took the initiative to pursue Zhou Xing,
Zhou Xing remained indifferent.
It wasn't because she wasn't good-looking, nor was it because Zhou Xing had no interest in girls.
It was simply because she had thought of Zhou Xing too simply.
A person like him had seen everything... looks were probably the least valuable thing in his eyes.
The reason those good-looking girls could move rich men, whether becoming mistresses or wives, was only because those men weren't rich enough.
Truly wealthy people were like Zhou Xing.
Kind on the surface... but in reality, what he inadvertently revealed was enough to keep people a thousand miles away.
Throughout the evening,
Min Sishi's dining experience felt like a dream.
It didn't feel quite real.
Until Zhou Xing swiped his card to pay the bill.
She saw the figure on the bill—an amount close to two hundred thousand, with an additional ten percent service charge.
Only then did Min Sishi snap out of it.
"Let's go."
Zhou Xing wiped his mouth and stood up.
"Back to school?"
Min Sishi asked instinctively.
"No, let's go for a walk."
Zhou Xing said, "The night view of The Bund is quite nice, and I've had a bit to drink, so it's a good time to go out for a walk and get some fresh air."
He could not bring himself to drunk drive and drag a traffic policeman for several kilometers.
The more prominent a Second-generation rich person was,
the more cautious they had to be in their words and actions.
You can be unconventional and do as you please, but all of this must be on the premise that you do not cross the bottom line.
Otherwise... even if your wealth could reach the heavens, you wouldn't last long before the state machinery.
The more arrogantly you act, the harder you will fall.
Min Sishi nodded and followed behind Zhou Xing.
The Waiter personally escorted them to the elevator and pressed the button for them.
After the elevator doors opened, the Waiter bowed to them before returning to the restaurant.
They arrived downstairs.
In Shanghai at night, the neon lights of The Bund were brilliant.
The heat had dissipated slightly, replaced by a cool breeze.
Min Sishi looked up at the laughing crowds on the cruise ships by the riverside; she still felt that all of this was incredibly distant from her.
Just as Zhou Xing stood before her, Min Sishi felt that he was no longer so familiar.
Instead, there was a sense of strangeness.
They walked a few steps along the riverside.
The two of them were somewhat silent.
Zhou Xing didn't speak.
Min Sishi kept her head down, lost in thought, and remained silent.
She lacked her initial liveliness.
"What are you thinking about?"
Zhou Xing suddenly stopped, rested his hands on the riverside railing, and asked while looking at the river view ahead.
"Thinking that... I seem to have been dreaming a bit of a fool's dream."
Min Sishi brushed back a strand of hair blown by the wind and gave a frank smile.
Zhou Xing turned his head and looked at Min Sishi for a moment: "Now... can you tell me what's on your mind?"