Surprise, Your Cousin is Here

ZiNuo Pov:

"You are good, very good." I opened my eyes slowly to see YuHan awake. Very good. What did he mean by that? Why is my heart racing so fast? "ZiNuo? Are you okay? Your face is a bit red."

"It's probably because of the sun. Maybe a sunburn?"

"Are you sure you don't have a fever? I don't want any other trouble coming from you." His hand touched my forehead. "Your temperature seems completely fine. Let's go get you some water. Maybe that would cool you down." YuHan got up and held his hand out to me. I grabbed it and followed him.

We walked to the kitchen. The kitchen is busy, cooks cooking dishes, and servants walking in and out. "Stay here. I will go grab water from the kitchen." I nodded and watched YuHan walk into the kitchen, talking to one of the servants. YuHan came out with a cup of water. "Here, if you want more water, I'll go get more water for you." I nodded as he handed me the cup of water. I quickly drank the water and handed him the cup.

"I'm much better now, thanks!" I smiled.

"Let's head out. There are many shops I like here."

"I'm glad you are willing to share the things you like with me," I laughed.

"They're just places I like, and they also happen to be great shops. I don't want to ruin the experience for anyone I bring to my mom's hometown. She wouldn't want that even if you're an enemy."

Third Pov:

"Whatever you want to say." ZiNuo followed YuHan to the front doors. YuHan told the guards that they were going to be out till it was time for dinner.

"Do you want something sweet?" YuHan asked.

"Sure, there's nothing wrong with a little sugar rush in the morning." They walked to a stand that was making sugar figurines/sugar people. There were pre-made sugar figurines on the stand.

"Oh, hello there, young fellows. Would you two like to buy some sugar figurines?" The stand owner greeted us with a smile.

"Do you have any particular design you want?" YuHan stared into ZiNuo's eyes.

"I like the premade flower one. It's very pretty." YuHan grabbed the flower-designed sugar figurine and placed a couple of copper coins on the table. He handed the sugar figurine to ZiNuo. "Are you not going to buy one yourself?"

"I used to eat them when I was little, but I don't like sweets anymore. Let's get going. Grandpa, keep up with the good art." They continued to walk down the street. They stopped at a busy restaurant. "You want some lunch?"

"Are you sure about this shop? This place seems to be a bit overflowing with people. We're not going to starve to death before getting a seat, right?"

"I made a reservation for this restaurant last year when I came here. They should have a room for me." YuHan walked into the busy restaurant, rushing over to the counter. A pretty lady in her mid-20s was calculating with an abacus.

"Hello, miss," YuHan greeted her.

"Oh, hello there. Is there anything that I can do for you?"

"I made a reservation under the name Bai YuHan."

"Let me check." She grabbed a scroll from a drawer of the counter. She unscrolled it and looked for YuHan's name. "Oh, your reservation is today, and you made it a year ago. I'll lead you to your table." The lady walked away from the counter, and YuHan and ZiNuo followed her up to the second floor. Their table was near open windows at the corner. "Here's your table. If you are ready to order, ring the bell, and a waiter will come," she smiled before leaving the two of them there.

The two of them seated themselves down. "Their wonton noodles here are really good. Their porridge tasted decent. Here, take the menu and look at it for yourself." YuHan handed the menu to ZiNuo.

"I'll just get a bowl of their best-selling wonton noodles. Do you want to share a bowl of porridge?" ZiNuo asked. He looked away from the menu to look at YuHan for a response. YuHan nodded. "I will also get a herbal jelly."

"Is that all?" ZiNuo nodded as he folded the menu. YuHan rang the bell, and minutes later, a waiter showed up. YuHan told the waiter what they wanted to eat, and the waiter took mental notes. When their food arrived, they started eating their food in peaceful silence. ZiNuo took a sip of his wonton noodle soup.

"The soup tastes delicious," he continued to eat.

"This is why I make reservations every time after I have a meal here."

"You're smart. Restaurants like this with good food probably need reservations made a year before."

"This place wasn't always a restaurant. It used to be a small stand that only sold wonton noodles. My mother would bring me and my brother here every time we visited the Su Sect. Gradually word got out about the wonton noodles, and their business went very well. They ended up opening a restaurant. Eventually, the menu went from only being wonton noodles to other dishes."

"Did they open other shops in other towns?"

"I suggested that to the owner the last time I saw her, but she said she wanted her restaurant only in this town, so more people would come and visit this town." YuHan took a sip of tea from his cup.

"Oh, interesting. Anyways, are you feeling full after that bowl of porridge?" YuHan nodded. The waiter came back with a small bowl of herbal jelly, placing it on the table before leaving. ZiNuo grabbed the bowl of herbal jelly and started eating it slowly.

"How's the herbal jelly?"

"It's pretty sweet, unlike what my teacher makes."

"What does your teacher's herbal jelly taste like?"

"Very bitter." ZiNuo made a disgusted face.

"Then why do you still eat it?"

"My teacher made it, and it happens to be the only thing she knows how to cook. Oh, do you want a taste of the herbal jelly?" ZiNuo scooped a spoonful of herbal jelly and placed it against YuHan's lips. Right, when YuHan was about to take a bite, a voice interrupted him.

"Is my dear old cousin on a date with someone special?" the man smirked.