There is a happy inn in the capital.

Chapter 254 is the first case in the court.

Li Lingxiao said blankly, "Brother Xu, I study at the academy every day, I don't know either."

Xiao Xiuyuan, who was standing to the side, suddenly spoke up: "He is a student of Hanhua Academy, and he is the top scorer in this year's academy examination."

Xu Shaobao frowned upon hearing this: "The top scholar in the academy? Xiao'er, does your elder sister prefer scholars? Not military generals?"

Li Lingxiao: "My elder sister has never said what kind of man she likes, nor has she said she likes that scholar. And why does Brother Xu call me Xiao'er?"

Upon hearing that Li Shuchen hadn't mentioned liking the head of the courtyard, Xu Shaobao was overjoyed. He fanned himself as he went upstairs, saying, "The name 'Xiao'er' sounds even better."

Li Lingxiao frowned: "Brother Xu, why have you become so strange since you came back from the battle?"

Chen Shitou shook his head: "I don't know either."

Xiao Xiuyuan, however, knew everything perfectly well. Seeing the two bewildered individuals, he smiled and said, "Let's go upstairs too."

"Good"*2

Li Shuchen led Cheng Zhian into the room. Cheng Zhian looked around and said, "I've been so busy with my studies and career that I've never been here before. If I had known this place was so interesting, I should have come sooner."

Li Shuchen poured himself a cup of tea and replied, "With such success in your career, your studies must be quite good too."

Cheng Zhi'an sat down and said, "I am unworthy, having only earned the title of 'Top Scholar of the Academy'."

Li Shuchen exclaimed in surprise, "Top scholar in the academy? You're amazing! I struggle to even understand these Four Books and Five Classics, let alone pass the exam!"

Cheng Zhi'an took a sip of tea and said, "I transmigrated before you, and it took me many years of hard work to achieve this."

Upon hearing this, Li Shuchen began his act, respectfully holding up the menu with both hands and presenting it to Cheng Zhian, saying, "The presence of the 'Head of the Academy' is an honor to our humble establishment. This is our menu; please take a look and see what you would like to order, so I can prepare it accordingly."

Seeing Li Shuchen suddenly become respectful and play along, Cheng Zhian chuckled and said, "Miss Li, just help me order. I have the money, so don't be shy."

Li Shuchen straightened up and said, "In that case, let's have a roast duck, a golden fried chicken wing, a cold noodle dish with sesame sauce, a hot and sour potato noodle dish, and a fried sweet potato ball dish. These dishes are all our restaurant's specialties and have received many positive reviews. As for drinks, 'Yuan An Shou,' may I ask which fruits you like?"

Cheng Zhian: "Green dates and white peaches"

Li Shuchen nodded: "How about I make you red date warming milk tea and crisp peach beauty milk tea?"

Cheng Zhian: "Okay"

Li Shuchen bowed respectfully and said, "'Chief Scholar,' please have a seat for a moment. I'll be right back."

Cheng Zhi replied in a deep voice, "Hmm."

Li Shuchen backed out of the room and handed the checked-out menu to Grape: "Go and tell the kitchen."

"Yes, miss"

Li Shuchen walked into the private room where Li Lingxiao was: "Sorry to keep you all waiting. What would you like to eat?"

When Xu Shaobao saw Li Shuchen arrive, he waved his pink fan and said with a smile, "Have you been waiting long? I feel like I just arrived. Shuchen, I heard from Xiao'er that the hot pot here is very delicious. I've been wanting to try it. I wonder if I would have the honor?"

Li Shuchen smiled upon hearing this. Xu Shaobao was treating everyone to hot pot? Well, she'd better squeeze him for a good amount of money, so he wouldn't keep spouting nonsense and calling people out randomly.

So he straightened up and emphasized, "This hot pot is a new dish that I painstakingly developed over a long period of time, and it hasn't been launched at the inn yet, so it's not cheap."

Upon hearing this, Xu Shaobao said tenderly, "I didn't expect Shu Chen to be so worried about me. It seems that Shu Chen still cares about me. But Shu Chen doesn't need to worry. Money is just a heavy stone to me."

Li Shuchen raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. The young man was quite wealthy; she was even more determined to extract a large sum from him. She then smiled politely and said, "Please wait a moment, I'll go prepare."

"Sister, let me help you."

Li Lingxiao got up to leave the bench.

Li Shuchen pressed Li Lingxiao down, saying, "No need, Xiao'er, stay with them."

Xu Shaobao gently instructed, "Shuchen, we're not in a rush. Take your time preparing. Just don't hurt or tire yourself out."

Upon hearing this, Li Shuchen smiled and left the room, but his expression changed after closing the door.

Grandma's leg—she didn't say anything, yet Xu Shaobao felt he was being kind to her, even telling her not to overwork herself or get hurt. Was she stupid? Xu Shaobao was truly insane.

Li Shuchen went to the kitchen to prepare everything, brought it up to the room, and placed it all out.

Xu Shaobao started acting up again, resting his chin on his hand and looking at Li Shuchen with bright eyes, saying, "Shuchen, sit down and have something to eat."

Li Shuchen said calmly, "I'm not hungry. Please enjoy your meal."

Li Shuchen turned to leave, but Xu Shaobao grabbed his sleeve: "It's already noon. Shuchen has been busy all day and must be hungry. Remember to go eat."

Li Shuchen tugged at his sleeve and said, "No need for Young Master Xu to worry about me."

He then hurried into Cheng Zhian's room, sat down, rested his chin on his right hand, and sighed.

Seeing that something was wrong, Cheng Zhian handed Li Shuchen a cup of tea and asked, "What's wrong? Did he bully you again?"

Li Shuchen lowered his right hand: "You know?"

Cheng Zhian smiled and said, "The young man in pink seems to be interested in you."

Upon hearing this, Li Shuchen exploded: "What do you mean he's interested in me? He's such a show-off, always flirting with people randomly. I think he's just asking for trouble."

Cheng Zhian: "Perhaps he really likes you?"

Li Shuchen crossed his arms in front of him and said firmly, "Impossible, absolutely impossible, never in this lifetime."

Cheng Zhian: "Okay, have something to eat with me."

"Ok?"

Cheng Zhi'an: "Ever since I transmigrated here, I've been afraid of being discovered, so I've always done things alone. It's been a long time since anyone has talked to me."

Li Shuchen understood upon hearing this, picked up his chopsticks, and said, "Then I'll take pity on you and keep you company."

Cheng Zhi'an smiled and said, "Thank you, kind-hearted Miss Li."

The two of them ate their meals separately.

Li Shuchen asked, "Did you enjoy the food?"

"It tastes exactly like the food from my hometown. Eating this food feels just like coming home."

After Cheng Zhian finished speaking, her eyes reddened.

Li Shuchen quickly comforted him, "If you're homesick, come stay with me. I'm practically family to you."

Cheng Zhian looked at Li Shuchen with sparkling eyes: "Okay, you eat too."

Li Shuchen nodded, wrapped himself a roast duck pancake, and ate it in big bites.

Cheng Zhian suddenly laughed when he saw it.

Li Shuchen stopped stuffing a roast duck roll into his mouth and asked, "What's wrong?"

Cheng Zhian: "It's nothing, I just think you're very cute."

Li Shuchen wasn't satisfied with this answer: "Cute? Don't I have any other good qualities to praise?"

Cheng Zhian thought for a moment and said, "Your roast duck is excellent. I also made an oven, but I just can't replicate the taste."

Li Shuchen: "Oh~, you also made hot pot at Kong Gongjiang's place, right?"

A glint of light flashed in Cheng Zhian's eyes: "You did it too?"

Li Shuchen: "Yes, every time I showed the blueprints to Craftsman Kong, he would say that he had done it before and it wasn't difficult. I was wondering who was so outstanding and had such a forward-thinking mind. It turns out it was you."