Mystic Eyes: My Eyes Steal the Laws of Cultivation Chapter 596: Dinner by the Fireplace (3)

Lili shook her head and left, her steps quick as she headed toward other customers.

Kyrian opened the menu, his eyes scanning the options. It was simple, there were no hundreds of dishes with complicated names or elaborate descriptions. Just an honest list of well-prepared food. Even so, there was quite a variety, each option seeming to have been chosen with care.

Gao Ziyue rested her chin on her hand and looked at him, her eyes shining with a light he had not seen before.

"What are you in the mood to eat?"

Kyrian raised his eyes from the menu, meeting hers. He thought for a few seconds, considering the options, but also considering that she knew this place much better than he did.

Then he closed the menu, a gesture that was both a decision and an act of trust.

"You can choose."

"Me?"

"You know this place better than I do. He paused for a moment, his eyes moving over her face.

"Choose whatever is the most delicious."

Gao Ziyue’s eyes immediately lit up, illuminated by a glow of satisfaction. It was as if she had been given an important mission, a challenge she would accept with all her enthusiasm.

"Alright! She picked up the menu, her fingers moving over the options with the familiarity of someone who already knew them by heart.

"Leave it to me."

She began pointing at the dishes, her voice animated.

"Slow-roasted ribs with spiritual herbs. The meat is so tender that it melts in your mouth, and the herbs are specially cultivated for this tavern."

She turned the page.

"Golden wheat bread with honey butter. The honey comes from spiritual bees that live in a specific place in the Caravan, and the bread is baked in a stone oven."

Another page.

"Mountain mushroom stew. The mushrooms are hand-picked, and the broth is cooked for hours until it is perfect."

Kyrian listened in silence, appreciating her enthusiasm.

"Grilled fish with sour fruit sauce. The contrast between the fish and the sauce is incredible."

She continued.

"Grilled spiritual vegetables. Simple, but delicious."

Another pause, her eyes shining with a special light.

"And we need to order dessert."

Kyrian raised an eyebrow, curious.

"We do?"

"Absolutely." She pointed to the last item.

"Crystalized fruits. They are covered with a layer of spiritual sugar that cracks when you bite into it. It’s impossible to eat just one."

Gao Ziyue looked at him with an almost challenging expression, as if she were betting that he would not be able to resist.

"You’re going to like it."

Kyrian could not help a small smile, a smile that was more for himself than for her.

"Then order it."

Gao Ziyue called Lili with a gesture, her hand rising into the air with the confidence of someone who knew she would be attended to.

The waitress appeared quickly, her notebook already open.

"Have you decided?"

Gao Ziyue began listing the dishes, her voice clear and animated.

"One serving of roasted ribs..."

"Alright."

"Golden wheat bread..."

"Alright."

"Mushroom stew..."

"Alright."

"Grilled fish..."

Lili stopped writing for a moment, her eyes widening slightly.

"Are you hungry?"

Gao Ziyue answered immediately, without hesitation.

"Very."

Kyrian simply nodded, a gesture confirming her words.

Lili laughed, a light and sincere sound.

"Understood."

She finished writing everything down, her pencil moving quickly across the paper.

"I’ll send everything to the kitchen."

"Thank you, Lili."

"You’re welcome."

The young woman walked away, her steps quick and efficient as she headed toward the kitchen.

Kyrian watched her disappear through the door, the sway of her skirt vanishing into the dimness. Then he turned his gaze back to Gao Ziyue, who was resting her arm on the table.

For a few seconds, neither of them spoke. The fireplace crackled in the background, the sound of flames dancing over the wood filling the silence.

’Crack.’

A small flame rose and illuminated the hall for a moment, casting dancing shadows across the walls.

Gao Ziyue rested her arm on the table, her posture relaxed and open.

"Did you like it here?"

Kyrian looked around, his eyes moving over the hall, the tables, the people, and the light of the fireplace. Then he looked back at her.

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Yes."

She smiled, a smile of pure satisfaction.

"I’m glad."

Kyrian watched that smile for a few seconds, his eyes moving over the features of her face, the way the lantern light played across her hair.

The effect of the Celestial Lirium was still present, a soft haze that made his thoughts less careful than usual. Perhaps that was why his mind was less cautious, less filtered.

"You seem different here."

Gao Ziyue became curious, tilting her head slightly.

"Different how?"

Kyrian thought for a moment, trying to find the right words to describe what he saw.

"Happier. More relaxed. As if you don’t have to worry about anything."

She remained silent for a moment, her eyes drifting toward the fireplace, toward the dancing flames.

"Perhaps I am." Her answer was quiet, almost a whisper.

"It’s been a long time since I’ve come here. I had forgotten how good it feels."

She slowly ran her fingers along the rim of the empty cup, a gesture that was almost a caress.

"This place holds many memories. Some happy, others sad. But they are all mine."

Kyrian did not ask what they were. He simply continued looking at her, his presence a safe space for her words.

And, at that moment, he realized something he had not noticed before. Tavern Lunavinc was not merely a restaurant Gao Ziyue liked. It was a place where she could simply be Gao Ziyue, without the titles that defined her in the outside world. Just a woman sitting before someone whose company she enjoyed.

And perhaps that was precisely why she had decided to bring him there.

Before Kyrian could think any further about it, Gao Ziyue looked at him again, her eyes meeting his.

"What is it?"

"Nothing."

"You’re looking at me like that."

Kyrian answered with the utmost naturalness in the world, as if he were stating an obvious fact.

"I was just admiring your beauty."