Chapter 44: Offending the Empress Regent

"The proprietor is that old gentleman right over there."

Xiao Hu pointed toward a well-dressed old man sitting near the window.

"Alright, Xiao Hu, you go on ahead with your work. I can go over by myself."

Following the direction Xiao Hu pointed, Shen Xuan immediately spotted An Changming. Realizing it was indeed the person he had guessed, he smiled and spoke.

"Understood, Boss. Just call me if you need anything."

With that acknowledgment, Xiao Hu went back to his tasks.

As Shen Xuan walked down from the upper floor, his gaze remained entirely fixed on An Changming, causing him to lose focus on his surroundings. Without paying attention, he accidentally bumped straight into someone's shoulder.

"I'm so sorry!"

Coming back to his senses, Shen Xuan instinctively turned around to apologize.

However, that single glance caused him to freeze in place.

Before him stood an exceptionally handsome man. His facial features seemed as though they were meticulously sculpted by the heavens—a high nose bridge, thin lips, and, above all, a pair of phoenix eyes.

What kind of eyes were these? They were as bright as stars in the night sky, yet with a single blink, they transformed into stagnant, motionless pools of water, devoid of the slightest ripple. It seemed as though nothing—not even collapsing mountains or crashing oceans—could stir the slightest emotion in this person.

"Do you have eyes or not?"

While Shen Xuan was still dazed, a rather cold voice suddenly rang out.

Shen Xuan snapped back to reality and shifted his gaze to the person who had just spoken. Although this individual was also strikingly handsome and possessed a remarkably striking appearance, having just been stunned by the first man, Shen Xuan felt a sort of immunity to this one's looks.

"My apologies, it was my negligence."

Shen Xuan took a deep breath, a flicker of complex emotion quietly crossing his eyes. After steadying his mood, he offered a sincere and formal apology to the two people before him.

Nangong Wan felt utterly baffled. She and Her Majesty had only just stepped into the Come Again Restaurant when they ran into a blind fool who didn't look where he was walking. To make matters worse, this fellow had audaciously collided with the Emperor, instantly stoking an unnamable fury in Nangong Wan's heart and sharpening her tone.

Yet, upon seeing Shen Xuan's thoroughly sincere expression, Nangong Wan's anger dissipated quite a bit, and she turned to look at the Emperor.

The female Emperor gave a slight shake of her head, clearly unconcerned with the incident.

Having received the silent command, Nangong Wan said with a trace of lingering annoyance, "Fine, just watch where you're going next time."

"Well, the two of you, I happen to be the proprietor of this restaurant. Today, whatever expenses you incur here at Come Again will be on my tab, just consider it my humble apology," Shen Xuan said after a moment of thought, glancing at the cold-faced man who had remained completely silent from the beginning.

"This..."

Nangong Wan looked somewhat hesitant, instinctively turning her gaze back to the Emperor.

"Then we thank you. May I ask the proprietor's esteemed name?"

The female Emperor shifted her gaze back and finally spoke, her voice melodious yet entirely devoid of emotion.

"My name is Shen Xuan," Shen Xuan replied with a smile.

Hearing this name, the female Emperor instinctively furrowed her brows, struck by an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

"What is it, brother? Have we met before?" Shen Xuan asked, noticing the strange expression on the man's face.

"No!"

The female Emperor shook her head, offering no further explanation.

"I still don't know your esteemed name, brother. Would you mind telling me?" Seeing that this person was reluctant to say much, Shen Xuan smiled and inquired about his name.

"My master's name is not something just anyone is entitled to know," Nangong Wan blurted out anxiously upon hearing Shen Xuan's question.

Shen Xuan's expression froze. It was just a name; surely there was no need for such an intense reaction?

"Nangong, step back."

The female Emperor's voice carried a hint of chill, clearly showing her displeasure at Nangong Wan's behavior.

"Yes!"

Nangong Wan shivered, realizing she had overstepped, and hurriedly lowered her head.

Observing the rather peculiar pair before him, Shen Xuan silently formed a judgment in his heart. The leader of the two was definitely the man in dark robes, and their status disparity was vast; they didn't look like companions, but rather master and servant.

"My surname is Huang," the female Emperor said, fixing her gaze back on Shen Xuan with a flat tone.

"Then I shall call you Brother Huang from now on," Shen Xuan said with a smile.

The female Emperor nodded, indifferent to the form of address.

"Mr. Gu!"

Shen Xuan turned his head and called out to Gu An, who was standing behind the counter.

"You called for me, Boss?"

Gu An hurried over and greeted Shen Xuan with a bow.

"These two guests are my friends. I have some matters to attend to, so please take good care of them on my behalf. Put all their expenses today on my tab."

Shen Xuan gestured toward the two people beside him and instructed Gu An.

"Don't worry, Boss. I will make sure these two distinguished guests are well looked after," Gu An replied promptly after taking a quick look at the strikingly attractive pair.

"Well then, I hope the two of you enjoy your meal. I must take my leave now," Shen Xuan said, clasping his fists in farewell.

"Safe travels, Brother Shen."

For reasons unknown, the female Emperor actually mirrored Shen Xuan's gesture, clasping her fists in return.

At this sight, Nangong Wan's eyes nearly popped out of her head. Her cherry lips parted slightly, and the gaze she cast upon Shen Xuan was filled with utter bizarreness.

"If you'll follow me this way, please."

After Shen Xuan left, Gu An did not slack off and respectfully led the way for the two guests.

"Why hasn't the proprietor of this Come Again Restaurant shown up yet? Could it be that this person truly doesn't recognize me? That shouldn't be. Even if I'm not world-renowned, here in the Great Qian, I should at least carry that much weight!"

An Changming sat at his table, growing somewhat doubtful of his own fame as he waited in vain for someone to appear.

"Excuse me, is anyone sitting here?"

Just as An Changming was having an existential crisis, a rather gentle voice sounded from right in front of him.

An Changming raised his head impatiently, only to find a young man standing beside his table.

"Little Friend Shen? What brings you here?" An Changming asked in genuine surprise.

An Changming held a profound impression of Shen Xuan—not only because of the medical skills that had saved Old Master Qin, but also because of the man himself.

The very first time An Changming laid eyes on Shen Xuan, he sensed a unique aura about the young man.

If one were to ask what kind of aura it was, An Changming couldn't quite put it into words; it was an ineffable feeling. If he had to give it a name, it felt akin to a grandmaster who had spent decades deeply studying a particular craft and achieved supreme mastery.

"Long time no see, Elder An. Are you here to dine as well?" Shen Xuan smiled, bypassing An Changming's question and returning one of his own.

"It certainly has been a few days. Don't even get me started; it's all because of my granddaughter. She's a grown young woman, yet she insists on wearing men's clothing and wandering everywhere."

An Changming made no attempt to hide the matter, speaking quite candidly.

"These past couple of days, I noticed she kept coming to this Come Again Restaurant, so I decided to come and see what was so special about this place.

"I just ordered a serving of herbal medicine priced at fifty taels of silver. I thought it was just false advertising, but after tasting it, I actually discovered something quite remarkable.

"I wanted to meet the proprietor here to see which senior scholar came up with such a recipe, but alas! I've waited here for ages without anyone coming to see me. It looks like I won't be meeting them today after all!"

An Changming poured out his grievances in one breath, spilling the details like beans falling from a broken jar. By the end, he couldn't help but let out a long sigh, his expression filled with unspeakable desolation.