His utterly unyielding attitude made Ning Rongrong puff her cheeks in frustration. Just as she was about to say more, Su Yu gently tugged at her.
Su Yu shook his head at her, then turned to the man and took out two hundred Gold Soul Coins from his Soul Guiding Device, placing them on the wooden table with a crisp clinking sound:
"No need to bargain. We'll take this stone."
The man finally cast a sidelong glance at the Gold Soul Coins on the table, a faint, almost imperceptible smirk curling at the corner of his lips. He said nothing more, tacitly agreeing.
Ning Rongrong still felt indignant and muttered under her breath, "Brother, this is clearly a rip-off..."
Su Yu patted the back of her hand and said softly, "It's fine. What we want isn't the stone itself."
Ning Rongrong was taken aback. Though she didn't understand what he meant, seeing Su Yu's confident expression, she didn't press further.
Su Yu stored the stone in his Soul Guiding Device and led the two of them out.
The three turned and left the shop, the wooden door creaking shut once more.
Flender, lounging in his chair, watched the Gold Soul Coins on the table, picked one up to weigh it, and the shrewd smile on his lips deepened.
He'd run into a sucker today—a worthless stone exchanged for two hundred Gold Soul Coins.
Meanwhile, the three had walked quite a distance from the shop, but Ning Rongrong couldn't resist turning back to glare at it:
"What kind of person does business so arrogantly..."
Seeing Ning Rongrong's pouting expression, Su Yu reached out and gently ruffled her hair, his tone warm and amused:
"Alright, don't be angry. I'll take you both to eat the best food in Suotuo City."
Ning Rongrong's ears flushed slightly from his touch, and most of her irritation dissipated. Mumbling, "That's more like it," she took Xue Na's hand and followed Su Yu.
Su Yu led them into Suotuo City's largest restaurant. As soon as they entered, the rich aroma of food wafted over them.
Ning Rongrong seemed determined to vent her earlier frustration through eating, pointing enthusiastically at the menu.
In no time, the table was laden with an array of dishes:
A glistening whole roasted lamb, sweet and sour fish with a crispy exterior and tender interior, fragrant Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, and several delicate pastries—a dazzling spread.
She picked up her chopsticks, stuffed a Crystal Shrimp Dumpling into her mouth, and her eyes instantly lit up. Mumbling through the food, she said:
"Brother! Nana! Hurry and eat! The food here is really amazing!"
Xue Na was also drawn in by the feast on the table and picked up a spoon to taste the Bird's Nest Soup.
The delicate sweetness spread on her tongue, and she curved her eyes into a smile, nodding at Su Yu:
"Mhm, brother! The flavor here is really good."
Watching the two enjoy their meal, Su Yu's smile deepened. He picked up his own chopsticks and served them more food:
"Eat slowly. We can order more if it's not enough."
Ning Rongrong's mouth was full, but she still managed to nod, then picked up a piece of roast duck and placed it in Su Yu's bowl:
"Brother, you eat too! The skin on this roast duck is so crispy!"
The restaurant was warm and cozy, the aroma of food mingling with the trio's laughter and chatter.
The earlier displeasure in the shop had long since vanished, leaving only the present ease and contentment.
Half an hour later, Ning Rongrong leaned back contentedly in her chair, gently patting her round little belly with both hands.
"So delicious!"
Su Yu looked at Ning Rongrong's little belly and reached out to touch it. Ning Rongrong immediately pressed her belly against his palm:
"Brother Husband! I'm carrying your little baby!"
"That's not my baby - that's clearly the baby of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall! Sweet and sour fish! Roasted whole lamb! Crispy duck! And Bird's Nest Soup!"
Ning Rongrong's cheeks flushed crimson at his words. Like a puffed-up little calf, she gently butted her head against Su Yu's chest with a hint of coquettishness:
"No it's not! It's Brother Husband's little baby!"
Xue Na sat nearby, watching their playful banter with a faint smile at the corner of her lips. She brought the Yam Poria Dried Tangerine Peel Soup to Ning Rongrong's mouth:
"Alright, that's enough playing around, Rongrong. Drink a little of this - it helps with digestion."
Ning Rongrong took a small sip and mumbled something indistinct, but secretly leaned closer to Su Yu, resting her head on his arm with a contented, spoiled expression.
Su Yu smiled helplessly and reached out to tidy the stray hairs at her forehead. His fingertips brushed against her warm skin, causing her to tremble slightly.
"Rest now that you're full. We'll head back later."
Su Yu's voice was gentle, carrying a comforting strength.
Ning Rongrong nodded, nuzzling against him like a lazy kitten, muttering softly:
"Brother Husband is the best..."
Su Yu turned his gaze to Xue Na, who was sitting quietly nearby, and waved her over.
Xue Na obediently moved closer and, like Ning Rongrong, gently leaned against his other shoulder. Her hair carried a faint fragrance, and she was as quiet as an orchid blooming silently.
The three of them rested quietly for a while, waiting for the feeling of fullness in their stomachs to gradually subside before getting up to continue their stroll.
Ning Rongrong and Xue Na each held one of Su Yu's arms, walking briskly along the street.
"Brother Husband, where is the academy we're going to?"
Ning Rongrong shook his arm and asked curiously, "We've been wandering around Suotuo City for quite a while now, but we haven't even seen a glimpse of any academy!"
Su Yu glanced down at her, then looked at Xue Na who was listening quietly beside them, and smiled:
"We're going to Shrek Academy. It's not inside Suotuo City - it's outside the city. Don't worry, I'll take you there tomorrow."
"Shrek Academy?" Ning Rongrong blinked; the name sounded quite unique. "Is it very impressive?"
"You'll know when we get there."
Su Yu kept her in suspense, lightly tapping the tip of her nose with his finger, making her exclaim "Ah!"
She laughed and dodged to the side, but quickly moved back, holding his arm even tighter.
Xue Na also tilted her head slightly, her eyes showing some anticipation.
Their figures were stretched long by the streetlights as they walked slowly forward amid the faint sounds of street vendors calling out their wares.
Just then, a clear, lively voice from ahead instantly caught the attention of all three.
"Xiao San! Look at this necklace, isn't it pretty!"
Following the voice, they saw a girl in pink clothing standing at a stall not far away.
She had a playful scorpion braid, and her eyes sparkled as if containing starlight.
The girl was holding a necklace adorned with a small sapphire, holding it up against her chest to see how it looked, her face full of excitement.
The man called "Xiao San" stood beside her, dressed in a simple blue shirt, his figure slender with black hair and dark eyes.
Compared to the girl's striking beauty, the boy's features appeared rather ordinary.
Following her gesture, he glanced at the necklace, a faint smile curling at the corner of his mouth as he said earnestly:
"It looks beautiful, Xiao Wu. The color of this necklace suits you well."