Chapter 204: Chapter 204: There Is No Free Lunch

As he watched the flames dancing in Xu Qingsui’s hands, the corners of Shen Yan’s lips curled up slightly.

When the explosion had occurred on the third basement level, Shen Yan guessed that Xu Qingsui must have used her attribute power. He couldn’t wait to verify his theory. At the same time, he was deeply envious of her absolute mastery over her attribute power.

"How exactly does she do it?" he wondered. "And to control three attribute powers at once! Aside from the three I’ve already discovered, can she control a fourth, or even more? What other unexpected abilities is she hiding? She has far too many brilliant qualities. I must have her. I will definitely keep her by my side."

Although only a few hours had passed since they woke up that morning, everyone’s nerves had been stretched taut for every second they spent in the third basement level. After those grueling hours, they were physically exhausted and mentally drained. Upon returning to the dormitories, everyone retreated to their respective rooms to wash up and rest.

Lu Jingyu originally wanted to stay with Xu Qingsui a little longer to enjoy some quality time together. However, seeing the deep fatigue in her eyes, he urged her to go back and rest.

Xu Qingsui murmured an agreement and went straight to her room. After washing up, she fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.

By the time she woke up, it was already evening.

Xu Qingsui left her room, intending to ask Lu Jingyu to get dinner with her, only to find he wasn’t in the campervan. She couldn’t figure out where he had gone, but figuring he could take care of himself around here, she didn’t take it to heart.

Just as she was about to go grab something to eat on her own, an elegant, luxurious figure appeared before her.

"Qing Sui, are you heading out?" Zhang Yuqing looked at her with a beaming smile. Her tone was incredibly warm, as though she were an elder speaking to a beloved younger family member.

Although this wasn’t Xu Qingsui’s first time meeting Zhang Yuqing, the woman’s sudden appearance and forced familiarity made her quite uncomfortable.

"Mrs. Shen, I’m heading out for dinner. Are you here looking for Boss Shen? He’s probably in his room. You should go check!"

During their last encounter, Zhang Yuqing’s words and actions had left Xu Qingsui completely baffled and on edge. Given how that interaction went, she had no desire for a repeat performance. She immediately used Shen Yan as a shield, hoping to make a quick getaway.

"I couldn’t be bothered to look for him! I’m here for you!" Zhang Yuqing didn’t miss Xu Qingsui’s subtle attempt to retreat. Giving her no chance to escape, she stepped forward and hooked her arm through Xu Qingsui’s.

"Those smelly men only care about their experiments and their work! What’s there to talk about with them? I came here specifically for you.

"It just so happens I haven’t eaten either. Let’s go out and have a beautiful meal together! Beautiful women should eat beautiful meals!"

As she spoke, Zhang Yuqing tightened her grip. Without giving Xu Qingsui any chance to refuse, she dragged her directly into her waiting car. After ordering the driver to depart, she continued to fuss over Xu Qingsui, asking about her well-being with overbearing affection.

This excessive enthusiasm made Xu Qingsui intensely uncomfortable. But since it was hard to be rude to someone so friendly, she could only force a smile and play along.

It seemed everything had been arranged in advance. Even though Zhang Yuqing didn’t specify a destination, the driver drove them straight to the entrance of a restaurant.

"Qing Sui, you absolutely must try the food here later. This is definitely the best-tasting restaurant in the 27th District. Plus, the ingredients they use are absolutely fresh. I’m sure you understand what that means!"

Zhang Yuqing praised the place endlessly, sounding as if she had been paid for the endorsement. However, Xu Qingsui did indeed understand the point she had specifically highlighted.

In the Apocalypse, just managing to survive was an achievement in itself. Therefore, in many lower-tier safe zones, residents placed food and drink at the very bottom of their priorities. As long as they could fill their stomachs, they didn’t care about taste or quality. But in higher-tier areas, the residents lived relatively comfortable and affluent lives, so they were still quite picky about what they ate.

Yet, in today’s society, finding even a patch of unpolluted land was incredibly rare. Who would be willing to waste such pristine territory on basic farming or livestock breeding? Nevertheless, to cater to the needs of the elite and those of high status, some agricultural and breeding industries were still maintained.

Because of this, fresh dishes were exorbitantly priced. Those lacking sufficient status and power wouldn’t even have the opportunity to try them once, even if they wanted to.

And precisely because of this, Xu Qingsui was even more certain that Zhang Yuqing’s appearance today was premeditated. Due to the exclusive nature of these fresh dishes, reservations had to be made well in advance. Zhang Yuqing must have booked this dinner a long time ago.

Such meticulous planning left Xu Qingsui increasingly bewildered. There was no such thing as a free lunch—let alone such a high-end dinner. Zhang Yuqing definitely had an ulterior motive!

Xu Qingsui silently lamented that this beautiful meal would likely be hard to swallow. She had to stay on her toes, lest she end up unknowingly selling herself out.

Seeing that Xu Qingsui didn’t reveal much reaction, Zhang Yuqing wasn’t annoyed. She simply kept her arm linked with Xu Qingsui’s and led her further inside.

"Mrs. Shen, the dishes you pre-ordered are all ready. You are in your usual private room. I’ve also arranged for the kitchen to send up two complimentary dishes as a token of our gratitude for your continued support."

Zhang Yuqing was clearly a regular. Upon receiving news of her arrival, the restaurant manager had personally come out to greet her, his tone overflowing with deference.

In response, Zhang Yuqing maintained her beaming, elegantly luxurious demeanor. She didn’t voice any thanks, merely giving a slight nod in acknowledgment. Even so, the manager continued to bow and scrape, not daring to show the slightest hint of disrespect.

Under the manager’s personal guidance, the two women arrived at Zhang Yuqing’s private dining room. Zhang Yuqing simply waved a hand at the manager, who then bowed and backed out of the room.

Once the manager left, the waiters began serving the food. With every dish brought to the table, the waiter would provide a detailed introduction to its origins. The entire process was the epitome of extravagance.

Xu Qingsui had lived through two lifetimes in the Apocalypse. Although she had eventually reached a certain status and enjoyed a fair bit of luxury in her previous life, it paled in comparison to the spectacle before her now.

This made her increasingly uneasy. She felt that the grander the display, the deeper the pit Zhang Yuqing was digging for her. She absolutely refused to believe that the woman who reigned as the matriarch of the Shen family was some simpleminded pushover who would treat her this well for no reason.

She sat uncomfortably until the food was fully served and the waiters left, only for two female staff members dressed in qipao to enter. They had just introduced themselves as being there to serve the food for Zhang Yuqing and Xu Qingsui when Zhang Yuqing waved them away.

Once only the two of them remained in the room, Zhang Yuqing finally spoke. "Qing Sui, I figured you might not be used to this sort of occasion, so I dismissed them early. We can just eat by ourselves. But if you’d like to experience their service, I can call them back."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.