At seven in the morning, the faint light of dawn flooded into the hotel's second-floor breakfast restaurant through massive floor-to-ceiling windows.
The air was filled with the white steam of steamers and the fragrant aroma of rice congee. The buffet area featured a neat arrangement of plain congee, fried dough sticks, soup dumplings, and a few plates of refreshing pickles—a quintessential Chinese breakfast.
Li Zhi, carrying a plate piled with xiaolongbao and half a fried dough stick, walked straight to a square table by the window.
Shen Yuan was already sitting there, a bowl of savory soy milk topped with finely chopped scallions in front of him.
He was peeling a tea egg with nimble fingers.
Seeing Li Zhi sit down, Shen Yuan placed a freshly peeled tea egg into her bowl.
"Thanks."
"You sure took your time," Shen Yuan teased.
"Hey, hey, hey! I'm a girl! How could I be as quick and careless as you?"
"Just eat!"
