"Le Miroir Bleu" was the largest, most luxurious American-style restaurant in all of Alchimie City. The interior was decorated in a grand, classic style: red wooden doors, red walls, blue-tilled roof, crystal-carved windows, and dazzling palace-style chandeliers. There were even bead curtains made of colored glass. Everything looked like something from a period drama, and it made me feel disoriented, almost like I had time-traveled.
A flowing melody, as clear as mountain streams hitting stones, drifted through the hall. I looked over and saw a woman in a qipao on a round stage, she was playing the guzheng, her posture elegant, her beauty striking. Eating Chinese food in a place this high-end… truly the life of people with money.
Inside our private room, I flipped open the menu and nearly blinded myself. Too expensive, a regular stir-fried meat dish cost over a thousand. Worse, the braised pork dish was over ten thousand. As someone who grew up poor in the countryside, I honestly couldn't understand what made these dishes so valuable. It all felt like a scam. I got scared and quickly tossed the menu to Halley. "Halley, you order. You're the one treating us anyway."
Halley casually ordered a few dishes, as if spending money meant nothing to him. I stared in disbelief.
When the food arrived, I took a bite reverently.
Wow, it really was delicious. Nothing like the simple flavors cooked at home. It had a refined taste that made you want another bite the moment you finished the first. For food this good, the outrageous price tag suddenly felt justified.
Halfway through the meal, I suddenly needed to use the restroom. "Le Miroir Bleu" was huge, and after asking the staff, I finally found it. After finishing, I was walking past a corridor turn when I heard someone talking.
I couldn't hear clearly what was being said, only that the speaker was a man. His voice was clean and pleasant, like the soft flow of water, yet it carried a cold, distant tone, that coldness was the only thing that made his voice feel incomplete, as if something warm was missing.
He sounded like he was having a serious conversation, so I didn't dare walk out abruptly and disturb him. I decided to stand quietly in a corner and wait for the conversation to end. That shouldn't count as eavesdropping… right?
I didn't know how long I waited, but eventually the conversation ended. I exhaled in relief and walked out from my hiding spot.
Under the warm golden lights of the restaurant, I caught sight of the man as he moved away. Unlike everyone else, he was sitting in a wheelchair. A man with such a beautiful voice… but unable to walk. How unfortunate.
Just then, I noticed something glinting on the floor. I picked it up, it was a brooch, set with a sapphire. One look, and I knew it was expensive. Jackpot. It must belong to the man from just now.
I held the brooch and hurried after him. He couldn't have gone far. Soon, I spotted his figure again and picked up my pace.
"Excuse me, sir in front! Wait a moment!"
He jerked slightly but quickly moved his wheels again.
Seeing him continue forward made me pout in frustration. I rushed forward and blocked his way, more aggressively this time. "I told you to wait, why are you still leaving?"
Panting lightly, my face warmed under the lights; my eyes were round and bright, probably looking like some offended little white rabbit. My soft voice even carried what sounded like a hint of playful complaint.
Seeing me appear suddenly in front of him, the man, Jason, frowned. His dark eyes were deep and distant, his entire presence cold and unapproachable.
"Who are you, and what do you want?" Jason looked straight at me, evaluating every detail.
His wariness startled me. I quickly explained, my voice soft and sweet. "Sir, please don't be nervous. I'm not a bad person. I just picked up something and wanted to return it."
The man had a face carved like polished jade, eyes bright as moonlight, so beautiful it was almost unreal. He radiated a kind of purity and refinement, but also a coldness so strong it kept people far away, as if no one existed in his world. Was this how all wealthy men behaved?
"What thing?" Jason asked, still evaluating me.
I sighed and opened my hand. The sapphire brooch sparkled instantly under the light. Jason froze, checking his pocket to find it empty.
Seeing his reaction, I couldn't help smiling. "Sir, you dropped this, right? See? I told you, I'm not a bad person. I just wanted to return it."
Jason accepted the brooch, his expression complex. "Thank you."
"No need, no need. Returning a lost item is just basic human decency." I flashed him a bright smile, and for a moment, the cheerful innocence on my face shifted into something truly captivating. Under the lights, the tiny tear-mole beneath my eye gleamed, mysterious and alluring.
Seeing me clearly for the first time, Jason realized something: I was more beautiful than any girl he had ever met. A beauty that felt like an attack, one glance could shake the heart.
He quickly furrowed his brows and looked away, expression returning to cold neutrality.
"Now that the item's returned, I'll leave," I said, waving lightly. My eyes shimmered as I added with a lively smile, "Sir, see you next time."
With that, I skipped away, my ponytail bouncing behind me like a little fairy dancing through the human world.
Jason watched my retreating figure, his eyes growing darker.
Perhaps… there wouldn't be a next time. He rarely left the house, after all.
Back in the private room, I found Hezze and Halley chatting happily.
"What are you two talking about so cheerfully?" I sat down.
"Rosy, Halley was telling me about the basketball team." Hezze grabbed my wrist excitedly. "Hey, why were you gone so long just for a restroom break?"
I touched my nose. "I ran into someone. He dropped something, so I returned it."
"Ohh, I thought you got lost," Hezze teased.
I widened my eyes dramatically. "How could that happen? I have a mouth! If I get lost, I can just ask someone."
She laughed. "Fair enough."
The America dishes were incredibly delicious. I ate until I was full to bursting, leaning back in my seat and even letting out a tiny burp.
Halley looked up at me apparently even watching me burp made me "beautiful." Truly, to him, a fairy was a fairy.
He had just opened his mouth to say something when his phone rang. After answering, his expression changed instantly.
I stopped rubbing my stomach and caught the shift. "Halley, what's wrong? Did something happen?"
He slipped his phone into his pocket and smiled again. "It was my brother. He told me to go home immediately."
"Oh, then you should hurry back," I said.
Halley nodded, opened the private room door, and disappeared like a breeze. Even though he was dressed simply today, he still had the look of a beautiful young man passing by like wind.
Once he left, the atmosphere in the room suddenly felt empty. Hezze, unable to handle silence, got up and paced around the room, occasionally peeking out the window.
"Rosy, where should we go next? It's still early."