Crossgate Seal Chapter 459

Lin Wan had changed into casual clothes.
Summer had arrived, and the weather was getting warmer. Knowing what Lu Zheng liked most and aware of her own charms, she wore a fitted, waist-cinched beige dress that accentuated her graceful curves and slender waist. Paired with white sandals adorned with rhinestones, her long, straight legs were even more striking.
Standing at the entrance, holding her phone, she pictured Lu Zheng stuck in a taxi, helpless in traffic, and couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
Then, she saw a figure dart around the corner in the distance, sprinting toward her at the speed of a hundred-meter dash.
Lin Wan burst into hearty laughter, immediately raising her phone to start recording.
Moments later, the figure reached her. Beaming with a radiant smile, Lin Wan stepped forward to meet him.
But… Lu Zheng showed no signs of slowing down?
“What are you… oh!”
Without decelerating, Lu Zheng scooped her up by her slim waist, spinning her around as he slowed, lifting her feet off the ground until she felt like she was flying.
“What are you doing~”
As Lin Wan touched the ground, she playfully swatted Lu Zheng, then glanced around, noticing several passersby watching them.
“Kissing, hugging, and lifting you high,” Lu Zheng said with a teasing grin. “I saw you recording, so I thought I’d make it memorable.”
“Get lost, I don’t want that~”
Saying that, why was her smile so bright and sweet?
“I booked a table at Wangjiang Pavilion,” Lu Zheng said as Lin Wan tucked her phone away with a grin. “Six o’clock tonight, so we’ve got two hours.”
“Then let’s go shopping first,” Lin Wan said, linking her arm with his. “The pedestrian street near Wangjiang Pavilion will do.”
…
They drove straight to the underground car park of the commercial complex where Wangjiang Pavilion was located. Lu Zheng and Lin Wan strolled through the nearby pedestrian street, buying two short-sleeved shirts and a pair of running shoes for him, and a pair of jeans for her, before leisurely heading to the restaurant.
“Welcome, good evening. Do you have a reservation?”
“Yes,” Lu Zheng nodded, giving his surname, and they were led to a window-side table.
“Please, have a seat!”
As soon as they sat, two hot towels were brought over, along with two glasses of chilled tea.
“Not bad service, I must say,” Lu Zheng said with a smile.
Lin Wan’s lips curved slightly, and the two waiters offered genuine smiles.
Of course the service was good; it was factored into the price of the dishes.
After they wiped their hands, the waiters promptly took the towels and presented an exquisitely designed menu with vivid pictures and descriptions.
Lu Zheng picked up the menu, casually asking, “It’s our first time here. Any recommendations?”
“Sir, we offer set menus. May I ask if you have any taste preferences?”
Flipping through the menu, Lu Zheng saw it was indeed composed of set menus, divided into appetisers, soups, main courses, staples, and desserts.
There weren’t many options, mostly variations of appetisers and main courses.
Lu Zheng and Lin Wan each ordered a different set menu, planning to share and try each other’s dishes.
“That’ll do,” Lu Zheng said, handing the menu back to the waiter.
“Very well, please wait a moment!” The waiter retreated with the menu.
As the waiter left, Lin Wan fiddled with her phone, and Lu Zheng’s phone pinged with a new message.
“What’s that?”
“It’s the promotional booklet for the San Miguel auction,” Lin Wan said with a smile. “Take a look. There’s also a link to the auction items; you can check them out online.”
“No reaction from Spain?”
“Of course there was. They protested, but Florida’s state government shut them down,” Lin Wan said with a scoff. “Then they backed off, though I heard they’re urging collectors worldwide to boycott the auction.”
“Did it work?”
“Of course not. Many established museums and private collectors from the Americas and Europe have already confirmed they’ll participate.”
“Also, some nosy media ranked the value of this treasure haul,” Lin Wan said, her eyes sparkling. “Guess what the most valuable item in the collection is?”
Lu Zheng raised an eyebrow. “The most valuable items are all in my gourd.”
After all, when they retrieved the treasure, they spent three full days selecting the finest and most valuable pieces for their private collection.
“Guess properly!” Lin Wan said with a beaming smile.
Lu Zheng raised his brows, rubbing his chin. “Could it be that pair of gold earrings strung with a dozen red diamonds?”
“Nope!”
“Then the Blue Ocean necklace? The one paved with dozens of variously sized blue diamonds?”
“Not that either!”
“What is it then?” Lu Zheng was genuinely stumped. “Those two pieces have the most and most valuable coloured diamonds, don’t they?”
“It’s that crown,” Lin Wan revealed. “The one with a red diamond in the centre and three pink diamonds on each side.”
“Why?” Lu Zheng blinked. “That red diamond isn’t even that big. We kept the largest one, didn’t we?”
“Because that crown was meant to be worn by the Spanish king at his coronation, and it has a blessing from God engraved on the inside, making it highly significant,” Lin Wan explained. “Apparently, the Spanish royal family has secretly commissioned a collector to bid on it.”
“Saying no with their mouths, but their actions are quite honest?”
Seeing Lu Zheng’s teasing glance, Lin Wan’s cheeks flushed, and she shot him a playful glare.
“Here are your appetisers and soups, please enjoy.”
Two waiters arrived with trays, placing two small dishes and a bowl of soup in front of Lu Zheng.
Such large plates!
Such small portions!
Exactly like the photos shown on the website!
Lu Zheng and Lin Wan exchanged smiles, unbothered, thanked the waiters, and began eating slowly with chopsticks.
“Western dining etiquette, Chinese-Western fusion dishes, and both Chinese and Western utensils provided. This is really… a fusion of East and West…”
“Quite ceremonial, though,” Lu Zheng said with a chuckle. “Appetisers, soups, main courses, staples, desserts… aren’t those just cold dishes, starter soups, hot dishes, staples, and post-meal sweets?”
“Just eat~” Lin Wan picked up a slice of smoked fish and placed it in Lu Zheng’s mouth.
“Mmm!” Lu Zheng ate it in one bite. “Tastes good, not purely Western. It’s got a hint of Suzhou-style smoked fish.”
With Lu Zheng’s current culinary skills, earning his praise was no small feat.
Lin Wan said, “Well, it’s one of Haicheng’s top restaurants. They can’t just rely on ambiance and service to fool people.”
Lu Zheng smiled lightly, picking up a shrimp ball and bringing it to Lin Wan’s lips. “Ah—”
Lin Wan’s lips curved, her mouth opened slightly, and her delicate tongue gently drew the shrimp ball into her mouth.