Chapter 45 Bamboo Shoots' Life

After finishing breakfast, Qiao Xi sat at the table, took a deep breath, and looked at Morax: "It's pretty good."

Morax frowned, looking at the girl in front of him who was eating almost twice his amount, and said, "Do you always act like this when you eat something delicious?"

Qiao Xi shook her head: "Whether it tastes good or not, I won't leave any food. I'm used to finishing everything."

Morax laughed after hearing this. He raised his hand to wipe the rice grains from the corner of Qiao Xi's mouth and said, "Go do your thing. Come back and practice."

Qiao Xi knew that Morax wanted her to help Jin Lan.

Since it was Morax's permission to skip practice time, Qiao Xi decided to dawdle a bit, but Morax quickly added, "Today's task must be completed."

Qiao Xi froze. She paused, then leaned down and stared at Morax: "That's going too far."

Morax leaned back slightly: "Thank you for the compliment."

Qiao Xi pursed her lips, gave Morax a quick kiss on the lips, then turned and slipped away, leaving only a blurry silhouette from behind.

Morax was slightly taken aback by the sudden kiss. He reached out and touched the spot on his lips where Qiao Xi had kissed him, frowned slightly, and then smiled.

*

At the camp of the 99th detachment of the Thousand Rock Army, Jin Lan had just finished repairing the roof. Wiping away his sweat, he saw Qiao Xi in the distance and waved, "I'm done repairing it—"

Qiao Xi looked up, incredulous: "How could it be so fast?"

Jinlan felt a sense of misfortune: "I've already gained experience in cultivation."

He climbed down from the roof and said to Qiao Xi, "Let's go to your place. I want to cut some bamboo to build a fence."

Qiao Xi calculated the time and said, "If you push a small cart, I might not be able to help you bring it back."

Jinlan didn't want to pull a cart over, so he thought for a moment and said, "You have a two-wheeled bicycle, right? I can borrow it then."

Qiao Xi: "That doesn't work well, I can't even ride it properly."

Jinlan: "Well, maybe I'll ride really fast! Let's just say that."

Although Qiao Xi didn't believe it, she couldn't go against Jin Lan's wishes, so she agreed.

Qiao Xi led Jin Lan to the bamboo forest near the bamboo garden. It was very close to her small courtyard. She could see into the courtyard through the open door by just glancing over her shoulder.

Qiao Xi piled the chopped bamboo aside. When she looked up again, she saw Morax carrying a chair and a cup of hot tea as he walked out of the house. Qiao Xi saw him sitting under the eaves, slowly opening a book.

"Morax is really good-looking," Qiao Xi couldn't help but think.

Just then, she felt a sharp pain in her finger. She looked down and saw bright red blood flowing down her finger. It turned out that she had accidentally cut her finger while she was lost in thought.

Qiao Xi took out a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped her face casually, then pressed it until the bleeding stopped before continuing to work.

Jinlan had already cut enough bamboo by then, and he came to find Qiaoxi: "Okay, shall we go get your bicycle now?"

Qiao Xi nodded, then asked Jin Lan, "Are you going?"

Jinlan glanced in that direction and said, "It seems the Emperor is there, so I won't go."

Qiao Xi found out and said, "I'll be right back."

After taking only two steps, Qiao Xi felt something trip her up. She looked down and saw green shoots emerging from the fallen leaves and decaying soil.

Qiao Xi squatted down and dug with her uninjured hand; it was a bamboo shoot.

She looked at Jinlan: "I said before that I would send Morax a basket of bamboo shoots when spring comes."

Jinlan also squatted down. He followed Qiao Xi's gaze to the tender green and asked, "Are you planning to make pickled bamboo shoots and pork soup?"

Qiao Xi shook her head: "I can't cook."

Jinlan got excited when he heard about cooking. He said, "Cooking is so easy! Let me tell you, to make a good braised pork and bamboo shoot soup, you have to blanch the bamboo shoots to remove the bitterness and the fishy smell of the meat. It's best to blanch the bamboo shoots with rice water. Don't you have some cured pork and salted pork at home? Then cut some small ribs with cartilage on them and stew them in a clay pot. I guarantee it will be incredibly delicious."

Just hearing this description made Qiao Xi's mouth water. She said, "I'll go get your bicycle. Don't just wait for me. Help me dig some bamboo shoots. I want the tenderest and freshest ones!"

Jinlan said, "Okay, if you really make it, remember to save some for me. I'll get it for a midnight snack after I finish my patrol tonight."

"It's wrapped up," Qiao Xi said as she walked.

*

The wind was a bit cold that day, and when the cold wind carried the damp, fishy smell of the sea, Morax couldn't help but cough lightly.

He habitually picked up the teacup beside him, took a sip, and as he put the teacup down, he saw Qiao Xi running into his line of sight, her face flushed.

Morax tilted his head slightly, wondering if she had fixed the roof for Jinlan so quickly.

Qiao Xi approached Morax, who calmly poured her a cup of tea and handed it to her.

Qiao Xi shook her head and said, "Are you still here tonight?"

Morax said, "You've already reviewed enough last night. Tonight, it depends on your mood."

Qiao Xi pursed her lips, thinking that it was best not to give her the initiative at this time.

It's rather strange to ask someone to stay overnight.

But then she thought again, it doesn't necessarily have to be an overnight stay.

Qiao Xi said to Morax, "I want to cook dinner for you."

"dinner?"

"Hmm, didn't I say before that I'd send you a basket of sprouting bamboo shoots in the spring?"

Morax thought about it and realized that was true, but he was more worried about something else: "Have you ever cooked?"

Qiao Xi honestly replied, "Never."

Morax: "Just give me the bamboo shoots directly."

Qiao Xi: "Wouldn't it be better if I cooked it for you?"

Morax glanced at her: "I have a lot to do, and I can't die at your hands just yet."

Qiao Xi blinked: "Jinlan can cook. Jinlan has already told me all the secrets of Yan Du Xian."

Morax: "And then?"

Qiao Xi was about to speak when she suddenly stopped. She frowned in thought, and finally looked seriously into Mokax's eyes: "Then I have to go deliver the car to Jinlan."

As soon as she finished speaking, she turned around and slipped away guiltily. Passing by the corner of the yard, she grabbed her bicycle and ran out of the gate.

In the bamboo forest, Jinlan had already tied up the bamboo and dug up a small pile of bamboo shoots. She stood aside, carrying a large knife, waiting for Qiaoxi.

Qiao Xi pushed the car over, surprised: "You dug all of this? So efficient?"

Jinlan said, "Thanks to Brother Wild Boar, you really honed my hands-on skills."

Qiao Xi parked the bicycle in front of Jin Lan, tied the bamboo to the back seat with a rope, and then told Jin Lan, "You've never ridden one before, you'll definitely fall. Just push it like this."

Jin Lan frowned, staring at the two-wheeled vehicle in front of him, and looked at Qiao Xi: "Give it to me."

As he spoke, he gripped the handlebars, straddled the bike, and rode away in a flash under Qiao Xi's tense gaze. Even on the rugged mountain road, the whole process was incredibly smooth, as if he were born to ride a bicycle.

Qiao Xi stood there dumbfounded, blinking her eyes in disbelief.

She bent down, picked up the bamboo shoots, and returned to the yard, only to find that Morax had already chopped and blanched the salted meat in her house, filling the whole yard with a salty aroma.

Qiao Xi walked over and stood in the kitchen doorway, saying, "Morax, are you cooking?"

Morax scooped the meat out onto a plate, turned to look at her, and asked calmly, "Is the matter resolved?"

"Let me tell you," Qiao Xi walked over, picked up a piece of meat and put it in her mouth. It was so salty that she frowned, but afraid of wasting it, she swallowed it whole.

Morax frowned at her and silently handed her a glass of water.

Qiao Xi caught her breath and took a deep breath.

Morax took the cup back from her hand, put it down, and asked, "What do you want to tell me?"

Qiao Xi: "Jin Lantian was born knowing how to ride a bicycle, and he pedals so smoothly, it's unbelievable."

Morax smiled, gently pinched Qiao Xi's cheek, and said to her, "Go practice your sword. Give me the bamboo shoots, and I'll make the braised pork and bamboo shoot soup."

Qiao Xi: "Are you really not going to eat what I made?"

Moraxton paused for a moment: "I can do this for you for the rest of my life."

Qiao Xi thought this was his exaggerated way of refusing her cooking, but she didn't have any competitive spirit. Of course, it would be nice to have someone cook for her, especially someone she liked.

She smiled and handed the bamboo shoot to Morax, squinting and tilting her head back: "Give me a kiss before you go."

Morax bent down, pressed his thumb against her lips, slipped it into her mouth, touched the tip of her tongue, then pulled his finger out, wiped it on her face, and said, "No kissing."

Qiao Xi rubbed her face and glanced at him: "You're stingy."

Morax laughed: "Yeah, stingy."

Qiao Xi smiled, then happily walked out of the kitchen, found her sword, and started practicing with it in the yard.

Thanks to the sword techniques that Morax had made her memorize overnight, coupled with Qiao Xi's physical training over several days, she could clearly feel that she had become more proficient in controlling the sword.

Qiao Xi swung her sword, jumped into the air, turned around, and landed with a sword strike. She felt that she could open a martial arts school in the future.

With that in mind, Qiao Xi practiced the sword technique again.

She has made up for most of the gaps in her foundation through her own hard work and Morax's encouragement.

As Qiao Xi sheathed her sword, she thought of what Master Liu Yun had said: if she had taken her final form earlier, he could have taken her to Guili Plain.

She wanted to see fields of blue lilies, with Morax.

Thinking of this, Qiao Xi drew her sword and practiced it again.

Morax watched her every move. Inside, the pot on the stove simmered with a fragrant aroma, and he watched as the girl's high ponytail swayed with her movements. Neat and beautiful.

Morax smiled slightly.

Qiao Xi was tired from practicing, and the aroma in the yard became stronger. She turned around and looked towards the kitchen, where she met Morax's gaze.

She asked, "Is it time to eat?"

Morax: "Soon."

Qiao Xi: "Can I pick some of the cooked ones to eat first?"

Morax said helplessly, "Why didn't you say to practice a little longer?"

Qiao Xi pursed her lips.

Morax stopped teasing her. He opened his arms slightly towards her and said, "Or maybe we could kiss?"

Qiao Xi shook her head: "Under this fragrance, the more we kiss, the hungrier we get."

Upon hearing this, Morax walked over, lifted Qiao Xi's chin, and leaned down to kiss her.

-----------------------

Author's Note: [Let me see]