"Eh? Lady Ningguang is here too?"
Hu Tao, having just run inside, looked surprised to see Ningguang sitting calmly at the table.
Why is the Tianquan here?
And the food on the table... it looked freshly conjured.
"Hello, Shopkeeper," Yanfei greeted Felix respectfully as she entered behind Hu Tao.
She was genuinely grateful for the items she had pulled from his shop; they had made her work so much easier.
"Have you eaten yet?"
Felix smiled at the newcomers. "If not, sit down and join us."
"I was planning to drag Yanfei to Wanmin Restaurant for a meal with you," Hu Tao grinned mischievously. "But since you've already brought out the Gourmet Tablecloth, this Director won't be polite!"
Felix: "..."
When has Director Hu ever been polite with me?
Hu Tao plopped down, and Yanfei followed suit.
Four people fit perfectly around the table.
Ningguang's gaze, meanwhile, was fixed on the Charmeleon.
She had heard from Keqing that Hu Tao's Charmander had evolved, but seeing it in person was different.
Compared to the cute Charmander, this Charmeleon was much more serious. It didn't look "cute" at all.
But its fierce, determined expression made it look like a warrior ready to protect its master. It exuded a strong sense of security.
"Roar."
Noticing Ningguang staring at it, the Charmeleon let out a low, dissatisfied growl.
It recognized this woman.
But her constant staring made it uncomfortable.
"I didn't expect Director Hu's Charmander to become so big after evolving," Ningguang smiled, withdrawing her gaze as she addressed Hu Tao. "Director Hu, can this dragon evolve again?"
"Mmh!"
Hu Tao nodded vigorously while gnawing on a drumstick. "The Shopkeeper said the Little Fire Dragon has three stages. It's evolved once, so the next evolution will turn it into a Big Fire Dragon!"
Felix had told her about the three stages, but he hadn't mentioned the specific names.
So, in Hu Tao's mind, the final stage was naturally "Big Fire Dragon."
Ningguang: "..."
Big Fire Dragon. What a strange name.
Still, she was curious about what the final form would look like.
The first stage was adorable. The second stage was a fierce warrior.
If it evolved again, surely its size would increase significantly.
"Roar."
Seeing its owner happily eating delicious food, the Charmeleon roared again.
It looked longingly at the feast on the table.
I want some too.
Felix: "..."
With a sigh, Felix spoke to the tablecloth again and conjured a pile of fried chicken. He handed two full buckets to the dragon, who happily sat on the floor to devour them.
"So magical."
Yanfei watched the food materialize with awe. "If Xiangling saw this, she'd be shocked."
Food usually required cooking, ingredients, and effort.
But here, you just had to speak to the table.
You could open a restaurant with zero overhead costs. No ingredients, no chefs, no fire. Just words.
And the food was dishes she had never seen before.
Coming here with Hu Tao today was definitely the right choice.
As they ate, the rich aroma wafted out of the shop.
"Sigh."
Outside, the two disguised Fatui guards, Wenqi and Doyle, sighed helplessly.
Again with the smell. It's torture.
But with Lady Ningguang inside, they didn't dare enter to mooch food.
"Damn, it smells so good! Isn't this a jar shop? Why does it always smell like a banquet?"
"I pass by here every morning and evening. It makes me hungry even if I just ate."
"It smells better than Wanmin Restaurant. It's ridiculous."
Passersby stopped, sniffing the air. The scent was divine.
If not for the shop's mysterious reputation, they would have barged in to ask for a menu.
"By the way, did you hear about the huge house that appeared opposite Mingxing Jewelry?"
"What house? I just got off work. Opposite Mingxing Jewelry is the empty lot next to Xinyue Kiosk, right?"
"It's Lady Ningguang's masterpiece! They say she conjured it out of thin air! People think she got it from the Jar Shop, like Xingqiu's domain."
"Really? Like Xingqiu's horror house? I haven't even had time to try that yet."
"Don't go to the horror house. People were crawling out of there today, scared out of their minds."
The crowd gossiped about the day's events, connecting the dots between the new building and the shop.
"That was a truly satisfying meal. I've never had desserts like that before."
Inside the shop, the group finished their dinner.
Ningguang rubbed her slightly distended belly, thinking about the Youth Retaining Pill Ganyu had pulled.
She had eaten too much. The food was just too good.
Suddenly, she noticed Felix watching her rub her stomach. Her face flushed, and her ears turned pink.
I forgot I'm not in the Jade Chamber.
She had let her guard down and shown a less dignified side.
"Phew, so full."
Next to her, Hu Tao had abandoned all image, sprawling out on Felix's recliner with her hands on her stomach. Her plum-blossom eyes were half-closed in a blissful food coma.
So full. So comfortable.
Yanfei sat quietly, her face red, trying to maintain her composure despite being equally stuffed.
On the floor, the Charmeleon lay on its back, patting its white belly and belching repeatedly. Empty chicken buckets surrounded it.
Felix looked at the dragon with a dark expression.
This thing can seriously eat.
He silently prayed for Hu Tao's wallet. If it evolved into Charizard, the food bill would be astronomical.
"Shopkeeper, thank you for your hospitality today."
Ningguang stood up, regaining her elegance. "I am full, and I understand how to use the cinema equipment. I should get going."
"Mn."
Felix nodded. "If you don't understand something later, come back and ask."
"I will."
Ningguang nodded and left the shop.
"Director Hu."
Watching Ningguang leave, Felix turned his attention to the girl occupying his chair. He reached out and pinched her cheeks, pulling them gently. "You stole my chair again."
"Woo woo woo."
Hu Tao protested incoherently as her cheeks were stretched. "My chair is right next to it. You can take mine."
She refused to move. She was too full to function.
Felix sighed helplessly but continued to pinch her soft face.
For some reason, ever since he first pinched her cheeks, he had developed a habit of doing it. It was addictive.
Yanfei watched this interaction with wide eyes.
Are Hu Tao and the Shopkeeper that close?
He's pinching her face like it's the most natural thing in the world.
Burp.
The Charmeleon let out another belch.
WHOOSH!
A jet of flame accompanied the burp, shooting straight out the open door.
"Whoa!"
Outside, Wenqi and Doyle felt a heat wave blast past them. They jumped back in terror.
So dangerous!
"Holy crap!"
Passersby screamed and scrambled back.
Why is the shop breathing fire?!
Fortunately, the flame vanished as quickly as it appeared, causing no damage.
Inside the shop.
Felix glared at the dragon. "If you can't control the fire from your mouth, I'll tape it shut."
This dragon ate so much it's burping fire. Unbelievable.
Read ahead with 100+ chapters now with daily updates!
@patreon.com/Zefyrus