At this time, although the diners in the hall couldn’t be called numerous, they were definitely not few. Even with her veil on, as Qin Yining walked forward slowly attended by her maids, she still felt everyone’s gazes.

Madam Lu was now seated at a window position in the hall. Though she raised her chin arrogantly with a mocking smile on her beautiful face, if one looked carefully, it wasn’t difficult to detect the jealousy and hatred flickering in her eyes.

Madam Lu was an extremely beautiful woman who most enjoyed having men’s gazes linger on her.

But the moment Qin Yining came downstairs, she heard all the talking and chewing sounds in the vast first-floor hall stop. Not a single person continued picking up food. Even her usually respectful second cousin beside her stopped his wine-pouring motion.

Youth is wonderful! If she were ten-some years younger, she believed these people’s eyes would be glued to her, with no mind to look at others!

Qin Yining met Madam Lu’s contemptuous and challenging gaze and smiled slightly. The light gauze concealed the dimples on her cheeks, but her pair of bright almond eyes curved into crescents, looking brilliant with a touch of playfulness.

“I didn’t expect to encounter Madam Lu here. The Fushun Restaurant shopkeeper must have provided poor service to make Sister Lu’s maid create such a commotion. I could hear the disturbance downstairs even from my private room on the third floor.”

Madam Lu snorted coldly: “You needn’t try to get close to me. Didn’t you disdain associating with our Lu family before? I can’t bear your calling me sister. Hurry and take your people away—I’ve already reserved this restaurant.”

Qin Yining raised her long eyebrows slightly, her bright eyes sparkling: “Sister Lu has already reserved this place?”

“Yes! Do you need me to repeat it? Leave quickly and don’t make yourself unwelcome here!” Madam Lu’s tone was extremely rude.

Qin Yining nodded: “Sister Lu’s memory might not be very good. When I arrived just now, I specifically asked the shopkeeper, and precisely because the third floor was empty, I reserved it. Now Sister Lu says you reserved it early? Then may I ask Sister Lu, why didn’t the shopkeeper mention this?”

“That old fool has a bad memory. Are you leaving or not?!” Madam Lu was already agitated.

Qin Yining laughed mockingly, her laughter clear and pleasant like silver bells: “How interesting. Sister Lu has a bad memory herself but insists the shopkeeper has a bad memory. I only ask you—if you truly reserved this restaurant early, how did all these diners on the first floor get in? Even if the shopkeeper’s memory is poor, letting one person in would already be a mistake. Could all these diners have been let in because of the shopkeeper’s bad memory? Sister, don’t say these are all your guests.”

Qin Yining glanced at the diners of various heights and builds, wearing clothes indicating different levels of wealth and poverty.

Given Madam Lu’s temperament, she would never lower herself to associate with such people.

Madam Lu was immediately speechless upon hearing this.

She had only thought of embarrassing Qin Yining but forgot this detail.

Qin Yining couldn’t help but laugh softly, showing no anger at being made difficult for. Her delighted laughter caused the surrounding diners to laugh along, and the atmosphere in the hall that had been disrupted by Madam Lu’s maid became relaxed again. Everyone’s impression of Qin Yining was ten thousand times better than the unreasonable and domineering Madam Lu.

As Qin Yining laughed softly, her beautiful eyes swept over the young man beside Madam Lu, sizing him up imperceptibly.

This person was about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, with an outstanding and graceful temperament. His sitting posture was lazy and comfortable, and his every gesture revealed an air of elegant nobility. Though his temperament was exceptional, it carried no aggression, giving people a feeling as gentle as water. Upon first seeing him, one wouldn’t notice his features—just his temperament alone would make people involuntarily lower their eyes, not daring to meet his gaze.

An inexplicable phrase welled up in Qin Yining’s heart—aristocratic heritage, naturally noble bearing.

Madam Lu was now blushing from everyone’s laughter. Someone who was used to being proud and domineering, whom even Princess Anyang would call sister upon seeing her, was now being laughed at in public like this!

Madam Lu said through gritted teeth: “I see you’re clearly determined to be enemies with my Lu family!”

Qin Yining blinked her long lashes and smiled: “The foundation of aristocratic families never lies in using power to pressure others, but in the grace and sophistication accumulated over years, like the gentleman beside you. As for you… self-love and self-respect are what earn love and respect, not through loud voices and intimidation.”

Madam Lu angrily slammed the table and stood up in fury, cursing: “What are you? Nothing but used trash that people are tired of playing with. Instead of hiding in some corner, you dare walk around outside. Since you’re dirty goods, don’t embarrass yourself in public and make people disgusted!”

Qin Yining’s gaze turned slightly cold.

Xiaoman and Xiaoxue had already stepped in front of Qin Yining. Jiyun and Bingtang also glared angrily, as if they could tear Madam Lu apart and feed her to dogs with just one word from Qin Yining.

Just when the situation was tense, unexpectedly, it was the young man who spoke.

“Cousin Huan, you’ve gone too far. Apologize to this young lady immediately!”

Madam Lu was stunned, then looked at the young man in shock, saying incredulously: “Second Brother Heng! How can you help an outsider!”

Lu Heng stood up. His tall, lean figure and naturally imposing presence made Madam Lu unable to say another questioning word with just one sweeping glance.

How had she forgotten that Lu Heng wasn’t her blood brother, but a clan cousin? Her family was just one branch of the Lu family’s side lines, while Lu Heng was the legitimate second son of the main Lu family’s eldest branch. Even her own elder brother would respectfully curry favor when meeting Lu Heng.

She must have eaten a bear’s heart and leopard’s gall to dare shout at Lu Heng like this!

Glaring at Qin Yining who was watching the show, if she hadn’t deliberately provoked her, how would she have lost composure like this?

Madam Lu became even more resentful.

Lu Heng frowned: “I didn’t expect you to act so arrogantly outside. What this young lady said earlier was correct—aristocratic family foundations never rely on oppressing others with power. Acting like this outside, aren’t you afraid of ruining the Lu family’s reputation built over hundreds of years? Your father and brothers don’t know to control you, letting you act wildly and even daring to twist facts to trick me into coming.”

Even when reprimanding someone, Lu Heng’s voice remained elegant and gentle. He didn’t raise his voice or quicken his pace, and anyone standing slightly farther away couldn’t hear what he was saying. But his naturally imposing presence made Madam Lu break out in cold sweat.

“Second Brother Heng, don’t be angry. I was rash.” Madam Lu rarely lowered her head.

Lu Heng then looked toward Qin Yining. Inadvertently meeting Qin Yining’s water-like gaze, Lu Heng’s eyelashes flickered as he lowered his eyes. Seemingly feeling that avoiding her gaze was inappropriate, he quickly raised his eyes to look again, smiled slightly at Qin Yining, then turned to Madam Lu:

“It’s not me you should apologize to, but this young lady whom you insulted.”

Upon hearing this, Madam Lu’s face immediately turned purple with anger. She said incredulously: “Second Brother Heng, you, you actually want me to apologize to this slut? Do you know who she is? She’s that Qin woman who seduced Prince Zhongshun the moment she arrived in the capital and was taken to the prince’s residence to serve him for several days!”

Qin Yining really wanted to curse Madam Lu’s entire family. If it were her previous temperament, she would have slapped her long ago.

But this wasn’t her home. Acting like this in public would invite criticism and inevitably cause trouble for her father. With the Qin family’s foundation still unstable, she could only endure and not explode.

Instead, Lu Heng was even angrier than her, saying sternly: “Your manner of speaking… Forget it. First apologize to Miss Qin, and I’ll speak with your father and brothers later.”

It was an unquestionable command, and he would even approach Madam Lu’s father and brothers!

Madam Lu’s face turned purple, glaring at Qin Yining with both shame and hatred. Her lips moved for a long while before she squeezed out: “I’m sorry.”

Qin Yining smiled slightly and only said: “I don’t dare accept it.” She then curtsied to Lu Heng and led her people back upstairs.

Watching Qin Yining’s slender figure slowly disappear around the stairway corner, Lu Heng finally withdrew his gaze that had involuntarily followed her. He couldn’t help but be shocked at his own loss of composure.

He actually had a time when he felt favorable toward a woman at first sight, when his eyes didn’t dare meet hers openly, yet still stared at her figure…

Lu Heng, oh Lu Heng! You’re living more and more backwards!

Lu Heng turned and walked outside.

Seeing Madam Lu hadn’t followed, he said sternly: “What, still not leaving?”

Madam Lu didn’t dare disobey. She could only stomp her foot hard and take her maid out of the restaurant. She had originally thought that with Lu Heng present today, she could severely dampen Qin Yining’s arrogance, but unexpectedly, she was the one who suffered!

Qin Yining and Madam Liao sat by the window on the third floor, watching the Lu family carriage gradually drive away through the window gap.

Madam Liao said: “The Alliance Leader may not know, but that Second Master Heng is quite a remarkable figure. He comes from the main branch of the Lu family aristocrats and is the legitimate second son. Though he’s only twenty-six this year, he made his name in business circles ten years ago. Not relying on family power, he started from nothing anonymously, only revealing he was Lu family descendant after his business grew large.”

Qin Yining nodded: “He seems to be someone with excellent skills. A prestigious family like the Lu family with such foundation would naturally cultivate extraordinarily talented individuals.”

“Exactly. That Madam Lu actually wasn’t like this originally. Though she came from a side branch, she was still a legitimate daughter. But in his early years, when the current emperor led peasant uprisings, he cooperated with the Lu family aristocrats. To consolidate relations, one of the emperor’s capable generals married a Lu family side branch daughter—that was General Mi and this Miss Lu Cuihuan.

“This Miss Lu was outstandingly beautiful and proud of her status, naturally looking down on the rough commoner of ordinary appearance. Over time, she began keeping male favorites. The marriage was arranged by the emperor and Lu family elders, and General Mi was quite fond of Miss Lu. One thing led to another, and General Mi met his end.”

Listening to Madam Liao’s explanation, Qin Yining smiled and nodded: “It seems our Azure Sky Alliance’s intelligence system isn’t bad after all.”

Hearing this, Madam Liao’s face reddened, thinking the Alliance Leader really held grudges! She quickly smiled ingratiatingly: “From now on, whatever the Alliance Leader wants to know, just give me orders.”

“Thank you for your trouble then.”