Chapter 184: Chapter 184: Mo Yinhe Reveals Her Love Affair to the Whole World Part 2
On the third floor, in the seafood buffet restaurant, Si Mingjing and Ye Siyuan were picking out their favorite delicacies with plates in hand.
Ye Siyuan shared some insights with her, "Here you can find specialty dishes from all four undersea nations. Just take whatever you like to eat."
Plagued by choice, Si Mingjing asked, "Siyuan, what’s good to try here? Give me some recommendations."
Ye Siyuan was a foodie and knew her stuff when it came to cuisine; trusting her recommendations was never a mistake.
"Mingjing, try the soup. It’s made with the breast meat of a Pacific geoduck and is exceptionally delicious and beautifying. This soup would sell for six thousand a bowl on land right now."
"That expensive? Then I must try it. If I don’t have a few more sips, I’ll feel like I’m at a loss."
"The Pacific geoduck is delicious and nutritious, a high-end delicacy in the catering industry. However, you can’t eat its innards; they contain saxitoxin and may cause food poisoning. Another way to eat geoduck is raw, thinly sliced and dipped into a seasoning sauce."
Si Mingjing nodded, taking in the new information.
"And this blue lobster is delicious too. It’s incredibly rare, found only once in two million lobsters. Grab some quickly, or they’ll be all gone when it gets crowded."
Decisively, Si Mingjing helped herself without neglecting her stomach.
"Also, there’s this goose barnacle; ah, it’s my favorite. Despite its ugly appearance, beneath it lies an absolutely drool-worthy taste sensation."
Ye Siyuan, holding the tongs, picked up several goose barnacles and placed them on the white porcelain plate in Si Mingjing’s hand.
Then, just as she was about to serve herself, another pair of hands reached out and snapped up the remaining barnacles.
Ye Siyuan looked up, curious to see who was so quick. She saw a face that often intruded into her dreams.
It was Si Lisao.
Ye Siyuan bit her lip, her ears turning red as withered branches bearing persimmons, all poise from meetings lost.
"Crown Prince Lisao."
She greeted Si Lisao first.
Si Lisao cast a cold glance her way and walked off.
Ye Siyuan bit her lower lip, feeling especially embarrassed by Si Lisao’s indifference, a sourness at the tip of her nose.
"Siyuan, are you okay?"
"I’m fine."
With a forced smile, Ye Siyuan showed a cheerful face, "I just really like goose barnacles; I didn’t expect to be slower than someone else."
"I’ll give you mine," Si Mingjing offered.
"Then give me a few more."
They found a spot with their plates and sat down.
Si Mingjing divided four goose barnacles from her plate and gave them to Ye Siyuan, but she noticed that Ye Siyuan’s eyes kept darting toward the man sitting alone nearby, enjoying his lunch.
"That’s the Crown Prince from Mu Continent, right? Do you like him?" Si Mingjing asked.
"Hmm? Ah? What did you say?"
Ye Siyuan quickly averted her gaze and straightened up, like a schoolchild caught daydreaming by the teacher, nervous and flustered.
Si Mingjing thought Ye Siyuan’s reaction was too cute.
Ye Siyuan definitely liked him.
"He’s handsome, stylish, with a presence no less imposing than your brother’s. Such a man must be very popular with the girls, right?"
Si Mingjing openly scrutinized Si Lisao, who was dressed in a black suit, carefully composed, naturally calm.
He was like an intriguing game of chess, not prideful in victory nor disheartened in defeat, restrained yet forceful, aloof but so noble.
Ye Siyuan said, "He is the most renowned Crown Prince in Mu Continent, beloved by the people and highly skilled in politics, in no way inferior to my brother. Countless women desire to become his Crown Princess Consort."
Si Mingjing asked softly, "Do you also wish for that?"
Ye Siyuan, flushed with shyness, kicked Si Mingjing’s foot.
Her mood dropped again. "It’s impossible between us."
Ye Siyuan thought back to when she had desperately wanted to be by his side and shamelessly stayed there for a month, only to be dragged back by her brother...
It was a past she couldn’t bear to look back on!
Her brother was right; a girl should have her own pride!
The man who had been eating quietly from the side captured their gazes, lifted his eyes, and gave them a detached glance.
Ye Siyuan immediately withdrew her gaze and buried her head low, focusing on her food.
Si Mingjing, however, boldly met the man’s eyes.
"What are you looking at?" Suddenly, a devilish hand pressed on top of her head, forcefully turning her away, forbidding her from exchanging meaningful glances with other men.
Si Mingjing looked up.
Mo Yinhe was looking down at her.
Seeing Mo Yinhe’s lips, Si Mingjing’s mind exploded. Recalling the scene in the council hall, she knocked his hand away and also lowered her head to eat.
She said, "Nothing much, just looking around."
Mo Yinhe had come with Ye Qinghan, and the two men took seats next to them, one after another.
The four of them dined together.
Ye Qinghan, holding a glass of red wine, clinked glasses with Mo Yinhe and said coldly, "We can’t be brothers anymore. Such a big matter, and you didn’t breathe a word beforehand. Everyone was tricked by you and Si Mingjing. Although my dad has a high regard for Si Mingjing, he said he wants to whip you, and I think you deserve it."
Mo Yinhe formally apologized to Ye Qinghan.
The bond between these cousins was closer than that of real brothers.
Ye Qinghan’s gaze fell on Si Mingjing, who was chatting with Ye Siyuan, and his tone was very displeased. "So now, in your eyes, is the bond with a woman deeper than our brotherhood? On such a big matter, you only let her keep an eye on it. Do you mean I’m not as trustworthy as she is?"
This was a great disappointment to Ye Qinghan!
However, Mo Yinhe stretched out his arm, draping it over Si Mingjing’s shoulder, arrogantly and proudly asserting, "My Mingjing is now the person I trust the most. Of course you can’t compare."
Ye Qinghan: "..."
Is there really any point in continuing this brotherhood?
Si Mingjing pried off Mo Yinhe’s hand, warning him in a low voice, "Stop touching me."
"It seems like the Crown Prince has intentions, but the Goddess is heartless," Ye Qinghan teased Mo Yinhe.
Mo Yinhe didn’t care at all, talking confidently in front of Si Mingjing, "A woman should be cherished like that; how could anyone easily win her over? In ancient times, Liu Bei visited Zhuge Liang three times before inviting him out of his cottage. How much more so should one pursue my Mingjing? Without being rejected ten or eight times, how can I show my sincerity?"
Si Mingjing kicked him again, stamping on his foot.
This man, so glib!
She really didn’t want to deal with him. She forked a goose barnacle to her mouth, chewing slowly and thoroughly, finding the taste somewhere between crab and shellfish, truly delicious.
Ye Siyuan, seeing Si Mingjing feeling embarrassed, chimed in to help, "Brother, be careful not to scare Mingjing away."
In her heart, though, she was envious. If only the person she liked would pursue her like that! But alas...
Ye Siyuan sneaked another glance at Si Lisao, knowing clearly in her heart it was impossible.
This was a one-sided love destined to come to nothing.