—
Bai Yunsheng, suspecting that he was being fleeced, sat there with a dark expression and refused to say a word.
Although his face remained utterly expressionless, his heart was a remarkably honest thing!
【Intimidation Value: 1\1,00】
His intimidation value had suddenly increased!
Wu Guanyue: (★ω★)
While licking her ice cube, Wu Guanyue turned her head with uncanny precision and gazed at him with a pair of terrifying, starry eyes.
Bai Yunsheng: “……”
Bai Yunsheng: “…………”
With an expressionless face, Bai Yunsheng reached out and brushed a speck of dust from the refined sleeve trimmed with silver edging. Then, as though nothing had happened, he said, “I’m going to the back courtyard to draw some water.”
He then rose as naturally as could be, clasped his hands behind his back, raised his haughty chin, and headed toward the back courtyard with the bearing of a noble young master…
A moment later, Wu Guanyue heard a sudden whoosh from the back courtyard. Someone had taken off on a sword and fled!
Wu Guanyue: “……”
Ah… She had wanted to fleece a little more intimidation value from him! And he made ice so quickly. If she could get him to stay, wouldn’t she be able to sell iced drinks forever?
But Bai Yunsheng probably… wouldn’t be coming to the inn again anytime soon, would he?
Sigh…
Wu Guanyue felt just a little melancholy…
But Wenren Ying, sitting beside her, did an excellent job of dispelling that melancholy.
Wenren Ying was seated right next to her… His robes were rarely wrapped particularly tightly. They were always hanging open rather carelessly, allowing Wu Guanyue a clear view of his honey-colored…
Er, his manly, broad chest!
And, whenever he moved, a little of the scar crossing his chest would occasionally peek out.
What had Brother Ying’s past… been like?
Wu Guanyue stared at Wenren Ying’s… chest and pondered this question with utmost seriousness.
Wenren Ying: “……”
Wenren Ying: “…………”
Wenren Ying silently reached out and tugged his collar closed.
Wu Guanyue’s head shot up with a swish, and she fixed Wenren Ying with a sharp gaze!
Wenren Ying pressed down on the brim of his bamboo hat. He opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to say something… Earlier, the words “Little Yue” had come so naturally to him, but now he couldn’t get a single word out.
All that could be heard in the air was the sound of silent breathing, along with…
“Slurp… slurp…!”
Chu Yingfeng walked past with a bowl of fire chicken noodles, utterly unconcerned with the world around him.
Wu Guanyue shouted, “Hey! My noodles!”
They really were super, super spicy, but they were still delicious!
Chu Yingfeng turned back with an expressionless face, took a silver ingot from his robes, and placed it on the counter… Then he conveniently scooped up Wuyun, who had been crouching on the counter, and planned to return home, eat fire chicken noodles, and play Cat Mario: “Sandwiching Between Two Loaves” Edition with the cat.
Wu Guanyue: “……”
That guy really knew how to enjoy himself!
Wu Guanyue ignored him. She turned back and asked Wenren Ying in a cutesy, sing-song voice, “Brother Ying, Brother Ying, have you eaten yet? What delicious food would you like?”
Wenren Ying: “……”
Another ellipsis appeared above Wenren Ying’s head.
He cleared his throat and said, “I’m going to the back courtyard to find some water…”
He strode into the back courtyard…
Then Wu Guanyue heard another whoosh.
Someone else had leaped up and fled!
Wu Guanyue: “???”
Wu Guanyue: “!!!”
Ah?! Ah?! Why were they leaving?!
Wu Guanyue sat bolt upright in shock and sorrow, her eyes going round.
At that moment, her quest panel suddenly updated.
【Quest · Side Story: The Man Called Wenren Ying (NEW!)】
【Quest Details: Wenren Ying is a strange man. You know that he is warm-hearted and helpful, and you know that his saber skills are exceptional… But what was his past like? Little by little, you are beginning to grow curious…】
【Quest Reward: 2,000 Shop Coins】
A new side quest had appeared!
For some reason, a strange feeling welled up in Wu Guanyue’s heart… It was almost as if this side quest had been created entirely according to her own wishes.
She really was curious about Brother Ying’s past…
Hmm…
Whatever! Tomorrow, she would go to Brother Ying’s house to visit him and demand to know why he had run away today!
Wu Guanyue stood up with great spirit and determination, went upstairs to her room, and logged out of the game.
—
Early the next morning, she put on her helmet, logged back into the game, and went straight to Wenren Ying’s home!
At that moment, a young man in flowing white robes stood outside Wenren Ying’s door.
A plain veil covered the young man’s eyes. His chin was slightly lowered, and his jade-like face wore the faintest, most compassionate smile. He looked like an immortal descended from the Ninth Heaven.
When he appeared in this narrow alley, even the decrepit street seemed to transform into a celestial palace high above the clouds.
This young man was, of course, the personal disciple of the Verdant Cloud Adept—Master Chongxu.
Master Chongxu had come to pay Wenren Ying a visit.
That day, the Blood Demon Ancestor had placed a vial of strange blood into his hands and ordered him to target the person Wenren Ying cared about.
Yes, Wenren Ying was a man of feeling and loyalty… So much so that even Master Chongxu had once enjoyed his kindness.
Had Wenren Ying truly been cold-hearted, Master Chongxu would have been killed by him ten years ago.
Master Chongxu… had even been grateful to Wenren Ying. He simply did not want to lose everything he possessed now.
But neither did he want to commit such despicable acts by any means necessary.
The Blood Demon Ancestor sneered at these thoughts of his, while Master Chongxu could only endure the mockery.
Today… he honestly could not say why he had come to visit Wenren Ying.
Perhaps… all he lacked was a reason to make up his mind.
Master Chongxu stood outside Wenren Ying’s home, straight as a piece of jade-green bamboo. He extended his divine sense slightly and discovered that no one was inside.
…He had gone out.
Wenren Ying was not a particularly diligent person. He often lay around lazily even after the sun was high in the sky, yet today he had gone out unusually early.
Master Chongxu frowned slightly.
Just then, he suddenly heard an unfamiliar set of footsteps heading straight toward him.
There was not the slightest trace of spiritual power coming from this person. Judging from the footsteps, it was probably a girl—and one who walked with a curious little hop. She stopped directly outside Wenren Ying’s home.
Right beside Master Chongxu.
Master Chongxu turned his head slightly and said softly, “It seems Brother Wenren is not at home.”
The girl beside him was, of course, Wu Guanyue, who had come early in the morning to lie in wait for him!
Wu Guanyue tilted her head and looked at the man beside her whose voice was so pleasant.
A veil over his eyes, a figure as straight as jade… Wow! He was the refined, jade-like gentleman type!
Wu Guanyue very naturally took a packet of Goldenseal Tea from her robes, held it out to the handsome man, and announced loudly, “My name is Wu Guanyue! I missed you very much on Qihua Road… Ah, no, I mean, I run an inn!”
Master Chongxu turned his ear slightly toward her. When he heard her name, he paused for a moment before saying, “So you are Manager Wu. I have heard of you. I am Master Chongxu. My younger brother has caused you considerable trouble. Please forgive him, Manager Wu.”
Wu Guanyue: “…Your younger brother?”
Master Chongxu seemed to pause for a moment. Then, with a wry smile, he said, “My secular surname is She. She Wenjie… is indeed my biological younger brother.”
Wu Guanyue was stunned. “！！”
Wu Guanyue exclaimed, “Ah!”
Wu Guanyue pondered. “Could this be what they mean by, ‘Even the finest bamboo can produce a crooked shoot’…? Tsk, tsk! Tsk, tsk!”
She Wenjie had the unmistakable air of a spoiled playboy who had spent his life steeped in wine and women, yet he actually had an older brother who was so handsome and gentle!
Master Chongxu: “…………”
That wasn’t what “the finest bamboo can produce a crooked shoot” meant, was it? She Wenjie wasn’t his son.
Just imagining that horrifying possibility made Master Chongxu feel like vomiting blood!
Wu Guanyue hesitated. “…Master Chongxu, why are you bleeding?”
Master Chongxu: “………………”
Oh. So he really had vomited blood.
Master Chongxu calmly pulled a snow-white handkerchief from his sleeve and wiped away the trace of blood at the corner of his mouth. With a gentle smile, he said, “Just an old ailment. There’s no need for you to worry, Shopkeeper Wu.”
Wu Guanyue: “…………”
Suspiciously swaying her twin ponytails, Wu Guanyue cast the frail, beautiful gentleman a sympathetic look…
But of course, she still preferred tough guys like Brother Ying~
She turned her head back and stared at the door to Wenren Ying’s house, muttering to herself, “Did he leave so early today?”
Master Chongxu said, “Yes. Perhaps we should come back another day.”
Wu Guanyue said, “No need~”
As she said this, Wu Guanyue proceeded, with practiced ease, to… pick the lock!
Master Chongxu: “…………”
Master Chongxu: “………………?”
Had he just heard something he absolutely shouldn’t have heard…? Was she picking the lock? Surely not… But that sound really did sound like… No, no, no. Master Chongxu, just because your younger brother is a bastard, you can’t start assuming the worst of everyone…
With a creak, Wu Guanyue pushed open the door, packed away her lock-picking tools, and stepped inside without the slightest hint of hesitation!
Master Chongxu: “…………”
Master Chongxu stood motionless at the doorway.
By then, Wu Guanyue was already enthusiastically calling out to him. “Oh my! Why are you still standing there? Come in, come in and have a seat! Since you’re already here, you shouldn’t have bothered bringing anything~”
Master Chongxu: “………………”
…Should I go in?
Master Chongxu was utterly bewildered.
Master Chongxu’s social circle was actually quite limited. He had been devoted to cultivating the Dao since childhood and disliked socializing. After contracting Blood Poison, he had become even more reclusive, always afraid that others would discover something strange about him…
But even he knew that there was no such thing as picking the lock of someone else’s home, walking inside, and then playing host in their place!
Forget it… Since this girl had entered Brother Wenren’s house and he had witnessed it, he couldn’t very well stand by and do nothing.
Master Chongxu stepped through the door.
By then, Wu Guanyue’s attention had already shifted to the furnishings in Wenren Ying’s home!
This wasn’t her first time here, but when she had previously come to deliver gifts, she hadn’t paid much attention to the various things inside.
Now that she had developed feelings for Brother Ying beyond what was strictly necessary, she had begun unconsciously observing the details of his daily life!
His home was very simple: just three small rooms and a little courtyard. The rooms weren’t dirty, but they were quite cluttered. His sword-wrapping cloth, cloak, and clothes had all been casually draped over the backs of chairs, while the bowls and cups on the table had likewise been left wherever.
Wu Guanyue stood demurely in the room, looking around. Then, all of a sudden, she whipped a notebook out of her sleeve and began writing furiously, reading aloud as she did so—
“Tidying up for Brother Ying… will this increase his affection for me?”
Then, utterly treating herself like one of the family, she charged straight in and began a massive organizing operation!
Master Chongxu: “…………”
Master Chongxu: “？？？”
Wasn’t this taking familiarity a little too far…?
Master Chongxu stood where he was, feeling an indescribable sense of wrongness throughout his body—a sensation he did not realize was commonly known as being thoroughly creeped out.
After hesitating for a moment, he finally couldn’t help asking, “May I ask, Shopkeeper Wu… what is your relationship with Brother Wenren?”
Wu Guanyue, who had been organizing things, abruptly stopped moving upon hearing this.
She slowly turned around, fixed her eyes on Master Chongxu, and announced with a bright smile, “We’re friends!”
The kind of friends who would go on to build a great friendship together in the future (blushing)!
Then she went into the kitchen and, for some reason, suddenly began stir-frying several dishes over roaring flames. As she chopped vegetables, she muttered to herself, “If I do this, Brother Ying will definitely be happy when he comes home…”
Master Chongxu: “…………”
Master Chongxu suddenly felt a prickling sensation on his scalp…
And that still wasn’t all. Just then, the excited voice of the Blood Demon Ancestor rang in his ears:
“She’s cooking for Wenren Ying! Oh heavens! She’s cooking! That’s right! She’s Wenren Ying’s mistress—she’s the person he cares about most! Keh keh keh keh keh!”
Master Chongxu: “…………”
Master Chongxu: “………………”
Could this Blood Demon Ancestor possibly be some backwater demon who had been single for several hundred years…?
None
