After she finished speaking, Zhou Ying dialed the restaurant's number, but after only two sentences she pouted and hung up.
She told Jiang Cheng helplessly, "They're fully booked today. They said you have to reserve through the app—morning slots open at ten for lunch, and three in the afternoon for dinner. Calling now only gets you a table after eight-thirty. I didn't expect it to be this popular…"
Seeing her disappointment, Jiang Cheng said, "Shall I get someone to secure us a seat?"
Zhou Ying shook her head. "Forget it, no need for the hassle. It'll probably be packed anyway. We're not in a rush—let's try the next place. We can book straight through the app, and there's availability…"
Zhou Ying wasn't the indecisive type; she quickly pulled up the next recommended restaurant on her phone and showed Jiang Cheng.
As she handed the phone over, she leaned her head affectionately toward him.
Jiang Cheng sensed the subtle change in her since they'd met up this time.
Before, although she hadn't resisted his closeness, it had mostly been him taking the initiative.
Today, however, her words and actions were noticeably more proactive, and everything felt natural rather than forced.
It showed that she'd truly accepted him in her heart; the two of them had stepped into the couple stage.
Zhou Ying cooed, "The reviews say this place was recommended by Principal Wang—he's eaten there loads. It's Indian, supposedly super authentic, with really high ratings."
Jiang Cheng's first mental image was of Indians eating with their hands.
He then pictured Wang Congcong slurping noodles on the street; if the guy recommended it, the food was probably decent.
Though he didn't rule out the possibility of hype.
When it came to food, Jiang Cheng had never been picky—he was fine with fancy restaurants or grabbing street-side skewers with a crowd.
"Wang Congcong—should I ask him? People use his name for clout all the time."
Zhou Ying was a little surprised that Jiang Cheng knew Wang Congcong, but not overly so.
Rich kids knowing other rich kids—wasn't that normal?
With that, Jiang Cheng picked up his phone and messaged Wang Congcong.
Wang Congcong called back almost immediately and recommended several dishes.
Fang Yuan watched Jiang Cheng quietly; the kid's social circle seemed pretty solid for his age.
After the call, Jiang Cheng checked with Zhou Ying, then turned to Fang Yuan and asked politely, "Auntie, is Indian food all right?"
When she saw him consulting her, Fang Yuan's impression of him improved another notch.
"No problem, I'm not picky. As long as Ying'er likes it."
"Thanks, Mom—I'll book it, then."
Once the reservation was done, Wang Sheng drove them to Klay Indian Restaurant according to the nav.
The décor was trendy and Petite bourgeoisie, but Jiang Cheng didn't like how close the tables were to one another.
Watching Zhou Ying and Fang Yuan sit hand-in-hand, he shook his head in regret.
He'd have loved to squeeze in between them—he wasn't picky about space—but sitting right in the middle would've been perfect.
Still, he obediently took the seat opposite them.
First meeting—better to play it cool; he worried too much enthusiasm might scare his future Mother-in-law.
Zhou Ying picked up the menu and started discussing it with Fang Yuan.
After a glance, Fang Yuan passed the menu to Jiang Cheng. "Student Jiang Cheng, we've ordered those dishes you mentioned—see if there's anything else you fancy."
"I'm not picky; I'll eat anything."
Seeing them defer to each other, Zhou Ying giggled, "Mom, I'll vouch for him on that—let me order."
In the end Zhou Ying ordered a charcoal-grilled M6 Wagyu rib-eye (¥628), Indian seafood biryani (¥288), tandoori spring chicken (¥128), pumpkin-blossom tempura with masala sauce (¥98), salmon-tata crispy balls (¥58), roasted cauliflower (¥48), truffle-cheese naan (¥48), spicy crab-meat curry (¥78)… The list looked ordinary, but once the food arrived it overturned Jiang Cheng's stereotype of Indian cuisine.
Maybe it was eating with knife and fork, or maybe the spotless dining room—whatever the reason.
At the very least, the truffle-cheese naan and roasted cauliflower blew him away.
After a bite of the cauliflower, Jiang Cheng nodded in satisfaction and forked a piece for Zhou Ying.
"This is delicious—try it."
Zhou Ying obediently stretched her neck, opened her mouth, and ate the morsel he offered, even licking her lips afterward.
The sight stirred something in him; if Fang Yuan weren't present, he'd have definitely played the 'Intimate Friends' card on Zhou Ying right then and there.
After chewing carefully, Zhou Ying praised, "Mmm, it really is good—this dish gets five stars."
"Auntie, you have a taste too." He slid the plate of roasted cauliflower closer to Fang Yuan.
Watching the two lovebirds interact so naturally, Fang Yuan felt a strange pang inside.
Once upon a time she'd been a starry-eyed girl just like Zhou Ying.
But after marrying Zhou Ying's father for money, she'd changed—and the marriage hadn't brought happiness.
After a bite she nodded. "Not bad, quite tasty—I can handle it."
Jiang Cheng then used the serving fork to add some of the cheese tofu; its flavor surprised him all over again.
It melted on the tongue with a faint milky sweetness.
Just then the System chimed in.
"Ding! Because you've enjoyed a surprisingly delightful bite of tofu, the System awards you the [Young-and-Old Tofu Card]."
"Special reminder: whenever the Host eats a piece of tofu that brings you joy, this card will automatically activate."