As customary, Meiying would arrive right on time. Her personal carriage would pull up toward the front of the Elderflower, and the attendant riding up front with the driver would jump down to open the door for her. If Lieutenant Abbott had not yet arrived, the attendant would offer his hand to help her step down, but as Aldrich had indeed beat her to the restaurant, she waited for him to do so instead.

She'd step down in a modest, but well-fitted gown of navy blue, the corset-top beaded with an intricate, floral design that screamed of wealth and privilege if the thick fur cloak she wore draped over the dress didn't. "Lieutenant Abbott, I'm happy to see that you were on time. You look wonderful, and it's a rather nice night for dinner, isn't it?" She asked with a smile. As they stepped away from the carriage, though, another man would appear and exit. Once he was out, he would motion to the attendant, who would climb up and move the carriage forward and away.

"You know my brother, Huan, don't you? He'll be my chaperone tonight as is customary, but he'll give us plenty of space."

"I have no intention of minding my sisters business," the somewhat less polished reply from Huan was indicative of his priorities. The military was what mattered, and people didn't have to be all uppity all the time in the military as long as they were respectful. Still, he wasn't too loud or too blunt. "Just consider me another patron of the Elderflower." He said with a smile, his hands held neatly in front of him. Though he wasn't there for a date, he was still dressed very nicely and held himself upright and confidently.

Mei eyed her brother for a moment, a mild smile, before turning back to Aldrich. "Shall we?"

When the carriage pulled up, Aldrich took a step forward. The driver opened the door and Meiying exited the carriage. He smiled at her. She looked very beautiful. The dress looked great on her, and which Nevermerean didn't like a good navy blue?

"Thank you, lady Meng, but compared to you, my looks are nothing special." He smiled again and then frowned for a second when someone else appeared in the opening of the carriage door. He recognised Meiying's brother and the frown disappeared. Aldrich bowed too. "Good evening, lord Meng." He was confused for a second but before Meiying even explained her brother's presence, he had connected the dots and come to the conclusion that her brother must be here as a chaperone. Her family seemed to be very traditional, which he actually liked, so it wasn't surprising that the woman would have a chaperone. "Congratulations on your promotion", he added with a small smile. There were never enough drill instructors.

He nodded in reaction/response to the man's words, and then turned his attention towards Meiying. "Yes, mylady", he said. He would offer her his arm before he would walk towards the door, holding it open so Meiying and also her brother could enter before he did.

Aldrich had made reservations for them, and a table had been prepared for them near a wall, to have some privacy and coziness, but it wasn't tucked away in the back or the shadows, so it didn't look like they were hiding. A candle burned in the middle of the table. Aldrich turned to Huan. "Enjoy your night, lord Meng." After that, he would hold out his hand to gesture at/to show Meiying the way to the table, and to let her go first.

Meiying nodded her head in thanks as he returned her compliment, but the true smile appeared when she first saw the look on his face as Huan exited the carriage. She was curious how he would respond. Many of the old ways had been left behind. It was still more common in personal spaces, such as private residences, but when already out in the open for people to see, what taboo exchanges could possibly occur without word spreading?

Longwei, Meiying's father, disliked that logic. He felt men with lesser motives liked to utilize it for their own gain. No daughter of his would be galavanting out and about without a chaperone, and that was that. One of her four brothers just made for the easiest choice, and Huan was the biggest of them all. Surely, if any man was to take his daughter seriously, they would have no issue with it and though Aldrich did seem to be surprised at first, he moved quickly into realization and acceptance. Huan nodded to him with a wide smile. "Thank you, Lieutenant, I look forward to working with you more."

Mei took his arm as they entered the establishment, happy to see that Aldrich had held the door open for her brother as well. Mei's family was important to her, and her brothers were ever-present in her life. If anyone hoped to court her, they would have to treat her family just as well as they treated her. But as they walked through, he wished Huan a good nod and he nodded. Winking at his sister, he took a slight detour, settling down at an empty table that he, too, had reserved. It was three or four tables away, with other tables and people in between, but within sight.

As Aldrich gestured to their table, Meiying moved toward it and examine the set up with a smile. "A wonderful choice of location, my lord," she said, though she didn't sit down. She waited.

Aldrich walked behind Meiying to the table. He smiled at her when she complimented the table, but remained standing. The man was confused for a second and then quickly moved forward to pull out a chair for her to sit on. He wasn't used to being I this formal and well-mannered, but was quick to catch on to what was expected of him. "Your seat, mylady", he said, resting his hands in the back of the chair so he could push it forward a bit again as soon as she lowered herself onto the chair.

If/when Meiying sat, he would take a seat as well. The Elderflower was pretty modern and had menus on the table instead of a big chalkboard above the bar on which the dishes and drinks were written. Although they were in the middle of the table, Aldrich still picked one up to hand it to lady Meng. "Should we get a drink and talk a bit before we order something to eat?" he asked her. He didn't want to rush into eating, or anything really. He wanted to take it slow and let Meiying tell him what she would like.

Although it seemed to take him a moment, Aldrich did hurry over to pull her seat out for her. She nodded to him as he did so, sitting down without putting too much weight into the chair until after he had helped to slide it under the table. "Thank you kindly," she replied. He had not helped her out of her jacket, which might be something that her brother would notice, but Meiying didn't mind. She was no spoiled noble lady, huffing and puffing when everything wasn't followed to a tee. In fact, she would have preferred a much more casual encounter. But her family, her position, and her standards set the bar much higher. Many people in Nevermore had stopped following many of these traditions long ago, anyway. It was much less common-place in today's courting, and easy for her to excuse.

Her father, on the other hand, might not be so happy, but in the end, she liked to think her brother would report back only what Mei wanted him to. She was more than capable of removing her own coat, twisting somewhat to drape it over the back of her chair before returning her attention to him. Then she crossed her legs and rested her hands in her lap. The offered menu was taken with a smile and rested in front of her. She eyed the drink selection, then nodded. "Yes, I think a drink to start us off would be pleasant. I would love a glass of white wine."

She would allow Aldrich to order the drinks when their waiter arrived, instead taking the time to let her eyes wander the place more properly. She recognized a few people at other tables, and when she met eyes with another woman a few tables away, the two nodded politely to one another. Through Kennet, Mei had come to know most of the nobles in the kingdom - even if they didn't know her. Some others she dealt with on a more regular basis. "Do you come here often, Lord Abbott?" She asked, a bit curious but more so just taking the easiest route to beginning their conversation. "I last visited with one of my cousins. She's very fond of their chocolate desserts. But that was some time ago, three or four seasons past."

Aldrich wondered what his parents would think of they had still been alive. He wouldn't have had to ask permission and report back to them like a woman had to with her parents, but he believed they would have liked the fact that he had been granted permission to take a daughter of the Meng out to dinner. They had always valued reputation, and the Meng were a respected family. Aldrich himself had never paid that much attention to influence and a name. He had never really considered courting someone and settling down either. Now he was getting older, he did think about it every now and then. He didn't have a strong wish for children, but if it were to ever happen, he wouldn't complain either. He already considered the military his child, but at the same time it was also a parent to him. He learnt every day, and he taught at the same time.

So what was the reasoning behind asking lady Meng out to dinner? He wasn't sure himself. She was a very beautiful woman, and he liked being around her. He didn't know if he saw a future with her, but it was too soon to think about such things, and it also wasn't fair to think about them. It wasn't up to him to decide what would happen. Meiying had a say in it too, and so did her parents. For now, he just wanted to enjoy an evening out with an old acquaintance, and if their connection was more of a platonic one, then so be it.

So far he was enjoying the night though. It felt nice to be a gentleman for once, and to do all these traditional things that were expected of a man. He had handed her a menu, and she said that she'd like a glass of white wine. "A fine choice", he responded with a kind smile.

Aldrich ordered two glasses of white wine. He would get the same drink as her. Wine was more sophisticated than ordering brandy or any hard liquor, and it showed that he was interested in her choices as well. "I must day I haven't been here in a while either. We must keep that chocolate dessert in mind for layer", he responded. "I last visited with my brothers, but that must also have been more than a year ago."

The waiter arrived with their wines, and he placed the first glass in front of Meiying, and the second in front of Aldrich. He thanked the waiter and returned his attention to the woman. "You don't need to address me as lord Abbott, I would be fine with Aldrich too", he said while smiling. He knew it was polite to refer to each other with their titles, but if they wanted to get to know each other, or be more comfortable, she could just call hi by his first name. He would still call her lady Meng though, because that was what he was supposed to do, unless instructed otherwise.

"Yes, should we not fill up on dinner, the dessert does sound rather good," she replied, and watched his interaction with the waiter. The glass was sat in front of her, and she glanced at it, waiting to see if he would drink first or allow her to do so. He made no move for the glass, and to that she smiled. Taking the stem in her fingers, she drew the wine to her lips and inhaled the smell first. It had a fruity scent to it, and once she had sipped it, she found the taste to match. "Ah, that's delicious," she said, sitting the glass back down. Although it was fruity, it wasn't quite as sweet as many red wines could be, which was exactly why she'd chosen it. It also didn't feel quite as heavy as red wine, at least to her.

His invitation to call him by his first time had her lifting those prominent brows of hers, her lips pressing into somewhat of a thoughtful pout. She glanced across the room to her brother, who was smiling at the waitress who was taking his order. "Aldrich it is, then," she agreed. "And as long as you still refer to me properly in less personal spaces, I welcome you to call me by my given name as well." The only person who had ever really called her by her first name were her family, her former partner, and Kennet. It would take some getting used to, but it wasn't as if she didn't like it. It was merely what was expected of her, and those around her.

"You spoke of your brothers a moment ago. They're both in the military as well, are they not? Have they found it difficult to take orders from their younger brother, given that you are now their lieutenant?"

Drinking wine first was a double sided sword. On one hand, you'd be tasting the wine to see if it was good enough for a lady, but on the other hand he also found it to be somewhat condescending. Like he would know more than she ever could. He wasn't actively thinking about this though, and simply didn't reach for his glass because he was responding to her question. Only when she brought the glass to her lips, he realised he should have asked if she wanted him to taste the wine. He mirrored the process to which she subjected the wine, and came to the same conclusion. "Indeed", he affirmed. It was an interesting flavour. He didn't know much about wines but he did know that he liked this one.

For a moment he thought that he had really messed up by telling her she could call him by his first name. But calling each other by their last name just seemed so stiff, given the fact they were here to get to know each other a little better. "But of course", he said, bowing his head a little to sow that he would never behave informally in a public space. She had worked for her title and status, and he wouldn't want to ever appear as if he didn't take those things seriously. Ambition and achievements were something that was to be respected. "Meiying", he then said, a little smile forming on his lips as he tasted the letters of her name. It was an interesting name, and it sounded good when said out loud.

"They are, yes", he said. He then laughed softly. "I think they're not too happy about it, but they also don't really mind it all that much. They're satisfied with the positions they currently have. And after the recent situation, I think they're happy they don't have all that many responsibilities." He had lost quite some sleep by having to keep an eye on the soldiers and the witches after the ball. "Has your brother mentioned anything about me?" he asked, more as a joke than a serious question, and he added an eyebrow wiggle to the question to make his intention clear. It was unavoidable to come across siblings of family and friends when you were in the military. "I'm looking forward to sit in on one of his drill sessions soon. I'm sure he'll do great. After all, the Meng's are known for their excellence."

Meiying.

Yes, it would take some getting used to. It felt strange to have any man outside of her family refer to her by her name. She was far too used to Lady Meng, but this was not an occasion where she was surrounded by courtiers or people in a professional sense. The man before her had now become a potential candidate for courting and marriage, and it was only natural they would need to get used to using one another's name if they were ever going to be husband and wife.

Marriage. A family. Children. Meiying was not a young woman anymore. She'd had time to do this and kept putting it off. Yet the idea of devoting her life to someone other than the King and the Kingdom was one she still felt oddly resistant to. Perhaps because she knew that so much more was expected of women, or maybe because marriage would force her to become someone other than a Meng. Her children would not be Mengs. Only her brothers would be given that priviledge. Regardless, that was the way of the world.

Looking down, she rested her index finger lightly upon the rim of her wine glass and circled it idly. At his admission that his brothers might not have been too happy about it, she smiled widely, and then laughed quietly. Dark eyes looked back up to him, fond remembrance reflected in them. "I understand your meaning," she said, a roll of her eyes in her brothers direction. "My brothers have their owns paths as well, but it cannot be denied that my position trumps theirs. There's rarely a time when it matters, but occasionally they irritate me and it is rather fun to hold it over their heads. I'm not sure that's quite the same as abuse of power. I believe it is the expectation of siblings to give one another a hard time."

In keeping with the more light-hearted tone of the conversation, he asked if her brother had mentioned him. It was possible he had, but Mei couldn't recall anything specific. "Oh yes," she spoke in an exaggerated tone that made the false story she was weaving obvious. "He told me that you storm around the military wing, glaring down your nose at everyone. That should anyone even dare to look you in the eyes, you force them to the ground to do push-ups and you stand on their backs as they do it. What a shame," she said, clicking her tongue against her teeth in a sort of 'tsk tsk tsk' sound. "There really should be more officers willing to dole out such punishments to those so brazen."

She could barely keep speaking the story without laughing further, and when she was done, she took a sip of her wine. "In truth, I'm sure he has spoken fondly of you and the other officers. My brothers respect you all greatly, I'm simply not home to discuss it with them often enough. Huan did say on the ride here though, that he hoped he would be able to speak with you soon regarding the drills. He had some ideas, I believe. I think together the two of you would do a wonderful job."

He didn't like talking about his brothers. @nadinemachenet had looked for his older brother while he was away, which was flattering in a way, but it had definitely made the relationship between Aldrich and Grayson more difficult.

He laughed bitterly when she started telling her story. It was far too close to the truth for his comfort. He had to pretend to not let it get to him, but if it was socially acceptable, he would have wiped the sweat from his brow in a comedic way. But he didn't say anything and instead just pretended like the story amused him. "I would love to work together with your brother", he said.

Then, when it wouldn't be obvious that he tried to change the conversation, he would wave down the waiter so they could order something to eat.

"Did anything catch your attention, Lady Meng?" Aldrich asked, referring to her by her last name again now the waiter was present. It only seemed right to be polite.

Although he had laughed along, his laugh hadn't sounded quite as genuine as it had before. Perhaps she'd said something that had unknowingly touched a nerve, so she considered her made-up story and put it to memory. If nothing else, she would avoid repeating anything she'd said. Furthing that line of conversation seemed unlikely, as even his statement about her brother left little room to continue. He hadn't asked if she knew anything about what her brother had planned, so with that she only gave the slightest nod and moved on.

But they could not converse any further before he called the waiter. The speed with which he had gone back on his own plan and then promptly referred to her by her family name again was a bit jarring. Maybe this was why the nobility didn't generally allow anyone outside of their family to refer to them by their first names. It left her feeling strangely vulnerable. "Oh, um, yes," she turned her eyes up to the waiter and smiled. "I'll have the steamed salmon and vegetables, please." She answered, and then remained quiet so that he could order his food as well.

Once the waiter had gone, she returned her smile, though milder now, to him. "It may be too soon to speak of," she said, finding another subject to venture into. "But do you aspire to another promotion? I'm aware Captain Woodwick was only just promoted, but I believe the men in the other Captains positions are not quite as strong as they could be. Have you ever considered the navy? With your adaptability, I'm sure you'd make a strong candidate."