Chapter 13 Heartbroken:

Shen Bingsi shut her mouth and plopped down on the stone bench in a huff.

Rong Xie changed into a light blue blouse, covering his moon-white formal dress. He carried a tray with two dishes on it and slowly walked to the table.

He thought he had just seen Shen Bingsi and Cui Xingmiao arguing. He didn't know why, but he figured few people could tolerate Shen Bingsi's unpredictable temper. Even now, Shen Bingsi hadn't paid any attention to him, so it was normal for Miss Cui to be unable to stand it.

Rong Xie lowered his head, holding a beige porcelain dish, and placed it on the stone table.

Cui Xingmiao looked closely and saw that the porcelain dish contained thin, translucent, golden-yellow pieces of food. She didn't know what they were, but they looked like they were fried crispy, though there were only a few of them, arranged in a neat row.

"What is this?" Cui Xingmiao asked curiously.

"It's duck crisp, made from the tenderest part of a duck breast, deep-fried with the skin on. Please try it, Miss Cui." Rong Xie placed a pair of sky-blue bamboo chopsticks with misty rain patterns in front of Cui Xingmiao.

Cui Xingmiao thought to herself that Rong Xie was being clever by doing this. No matter how good his cooking skills were, fried food was never too bad. She picked up her chopsticks, took a piece of duck pastry, put it in her mouth, and couldn't help but cover her mouth and make a "mmm" sound.

Rong Xie became anxious: "Miss Cui, what's wrong? Are you choking?"

Suddenly, Cui Xingmiao sat up straight, her cheeks flushed and her eyes glistening with tears. She looked at Rong Xie with surprise and delight: "Brother Rong, what is this? What does it taste like? This is definitely not duck! The duck I've ever eaten is never like this! You have to tell me how it's made. Yes, write it down for me. I'm willing to pay for it. The secret recipe for crispy duck! I'll pay any price!"

Shen Bingsi, who was about to kick the stool to remind Cui Xingmiao not to cause trouble, withdrew her foot, clenched her fist and put it to her lips, suppressing her smug smile and turning it into a light cough.

Rong Xie breathed a sigh of relief and smiled: "Of course, there is no problem. Since Miss Cui is the Second Young Master's honored guest, there is nothing to hide from her regarding some of the recipes."

"Then now..." Cui Xingmiao was halfway through her sentence when she suddenly heard someone's voice enter her ears, telling her to stop while she was ahead. In order to stop her, the person used the secret transmission technique (which only the designated person can hear) that is only used by Nascent Soul cultivators to transmit information. Cui Xingmiao had no choice but to look at the next dish first.

The next dish was served in a beige porcelain bowl, with the lid on, and I didn't know what it was.

Rong Xie opened the porcelain lid, and instantly, a rich fragrance wafted out.

"This is mutton jelly!" Cui Xingmiao took a deep breath. "It smells so good, it must be from a freshly slaughtered sheep."

“Miss Cui is right. This sheep was slaughtered this morning at the hour of Yin (3-5 AM). It’s very fresh and has no gamey smell at all. Please try it, Miss Cui.” Rong Xie smiled.

"Brother Rong, I love you so much! How did you know that my favorite food is mutton jelly?" Cui Xingmiao's eyes sparkled.

"..." Rong Xie felt slightly awkward. He didn't know when Miss Cui had started calling him Brother Rong. Was that alright? He couldn't help but glance at Shen Bingsi next to him again, only to see that Shen Bingsi had already picked up her chopsticks, and the plate of duck pastries was half empty.

Cui Xingmiao picked up her chopsticks to pick up the mutton, but the mutton was so tender that it didn't fall apart. When she tried to pick it up with her chopsticks, she couldn't. Cui Xingmiao was stunned and at a loss when Rong Xie reappeared at the table, having already retrieved the small bowls and wooden spoons for the three of them.

"Please use this." Rong Xie thoughtfully handed over the cutlery.

In the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Cui Xingmiao devoured the four dishes—two meat and two vegetable—prepared by Rong Xie. After finishing the last sip of mutton soup, she patted her belly contentedly.

"Can we take her pulse now?" While Rong Xie was in the kitchen, Shen Bingsi rested one hand on the stone table, turned her body to face Cui Xingmiao, and urged her urgently.

"Hey, what's the rush? You should take a walk after eating, otherwise the food will stagnate in your stomach and it's not good for your health. You don't want your older brother to feel uncomfortable, do you?" Cui Xingmiao slowly wiped her mouth.

Shen Bingsi was once again rendered speechless. He was usually eloquent when he argued with others, but in front of this Dr. Cui, he could only "follow the doctor's orders."

"Where else do you want to go? I'll go with you!" Shen Bingsi said impatiently.

"I don't want you to keep me company, I want Brother Rong to keep me company," Cui Xingmiao stood up and ran happily to the kitchen under Shen Bingsi's death stare. "Brother Rong, don't wash the dishes, let Shen Bingsi do them. Come and take a walk with me and chat."

Rong Xie, who had been standing in the kitchen washing dishes while secretly observing the situation outside, had no choice but to put down his chopsticks and wipe his hands on his robe when he heard Cui Xingmiao call him. He then walked out of the kitchen.

"Take it off. After you send me away, let Shen Bingsi wash it." Cui Xingmiao pointed to Rong Xie's robe.

Rong Xie looked at Shen Bingsi, whose mouth was tightly closed, but she nodded.

"Wait a moment." Rong Xie returned to the kitchen, took off his robe, tidied his clothes briefly, and came out again. "Miss Cui, are you leaving today? Won't you stay overnight?"

"No, thank you." Cui Xingmiao waved her hands repeatedly. She was going to stay overnight, and if she stayed for even an hour longer, Shen Bingsi would devour her. Of course, she was also too embarrassed to trouble Rong Xie any further. "Brother Rong, I heard that you were the one who inventoried and preserved all the rare and precious materials and magical artifacts in the manor. Could you take me to see them?"

"This..." Rong Xie didn't expect Cui Xingmiao to make such a sensitive suggestion. It was true that he was in charge of the manor's secret vault, but this was too confidential. Unless they were friends who had risked their lives, who would show their secret vault to others?

He looked at Shen Bingsi again, but Shen Bingsi remained silent and did not object.

Is that... a tacit agreement?

Have we become this close after only knowing each other for a short time?

Or perhaps they already knew each other, but Rong Xie was unaware of it.

After all, Shen Bingsi didn't tell Rong Xie everything. His life outside was so exciting, it was a full three thousand chapters long.

“Alright, I’ll take you there.” Rong Xie led the way.

"What kind of trouble are you causing now?" Shen Bingsi continued telepathically. "Didn't you say you weren't interested in my clunky gadgets?"

Cui Xingmiao raised a finger to her lips, signaling Shen Bingsi not to interfere with the divine doctor, and then said softly, "It's necessary for the consultation."

Is this also related to the consultation? Shen Bingsi raised her eyebrows, looking at him with a "I don't believe your nonsense" expression.

“This will be the end after this, really.” Cui Xingmiao lowered her voice. “Do you think I’d let Brother Rong suffer? After I leave, you must wash the dishes, remember.”

"..." For some reason, Cui Xingmiao finally started to care about Rong Xie, but Shen Bingsi was not happy at all.

Because Shen Bingsi had too many rare and precious materials, and many of them were still unorganized and piled on the ground, it was very difficult to go in and visit them. Cui Xingmiao stood at the door for a while and then came back out.

Rong Xie explained somewhat embarrassedly that his spiritual power was very limited, and he could only organize a small portion at a time. These were the items that Shen Bingsi had brought back last time, and he hadn't had time to organize them yet.

"Hmm, organizing all this must have taken a lot of spiritual energy, right?" Cui Xingmiao stroked her chin. "Do you have any other helpers? Are you doing it all by yourself?"

“Sometimes Bing Si… the Second Young Master will also help,” Rong Xie replied.

Cui Xingmiao nodded and looked at the black iron gate on the other side: "What's this side? What's there?"

Rong Xie glanced at Shen Bingsi again: "...That's an armory."

"Oh, can I open it and take a look?" Cui Xingmiao asked Shen Bingsi directly this time.

Shen Bingsi remained silent, but stepped forward to open the door.

The armory exudes extremely high spiritual pressure. Between the gloomy stone walls, various bloodthirsty weapons are displayed. Even without going inside, just standing at the entrance, one can feel the overwhelming murderous aura.

Even Rong Xie rarely comes near this place unless he comes in with Shen Bingsi to admire his newly acquired top-tier equipment.

"Wow, so many swords, spears, halberds, axes, hooks, and forks!" Cui Xingmiao shivered, rubbing her hands together as she cautiously entered the armory.

Although she acted very bravely, she was still startled and took a step back when the torch suddenly ignited with a "bang".

Under Shen Bingsi's fire spirit impact, the torches on the stone wall ignited one after another, illuminating the armory. The crimson flames leaped in the reflection of the cold weapons, like clusters of meteors flowing across the sky.

Shen Bingsi moved his lips, but swallowed back the words, "What axes, halberds, hooks, and forks? There are only swords and knives here." He really hated it when people made irresponsible remarks about his area of ​​expertise.

“Miss Cui, you are mistaken. There are only swords and knives here,” a gentle voice came from behind Cui Xingmiao. “More than half of these swords and knives are high-grade magic weapons, and a small part are famous swords passed down from ancient times. Each one has drunk countless blood and is extremely ferocious. Although they have been subdued and bound here by the Second Young Master, their fierce aura can still injure people from a distance. Miss Cui, please do not get too close.”

Shen Bingsi felt much better after hearing Rong Xie's explanation. With Rong Xie around, he really didn't need to say anything.

But Cui Xingmiao acted as if she hadn't heard him and headed straight for the sword rack in front of her.

“Miss Cui…” Rong Xie didn’t know what was wrong with Cui Xingmiao and wanted to stop her, but a strong hand pressed down on his shoulder from behind and squeezed it hard, indicating that he didn’t need to worry. Then, Shen Bingsi’s figure swept past him and appeared next to Cui Xingmiao in the blink of an eye, grabbing her hand that was reaching for the sword rack.

"?" Shen Bingsi looked at Cui Xingmiao with a questioning yet reproachful expression.

Cui Xingmiao, however, remained calm and showed no sign of feeling she had done anything wrong. She pointed to the sword rack and asked, "Shen Bingsi, what is this?"

Shen Bingsi looked on suspiciously, following her gaze. On the sword rack made of black iron, a small silver sword stood out from the dark background, shining brightly in the torchlight.

“Although I’ve never seen it before… this must be the sword!” Cui Xingmiao raised her chin, looking at Shen Bingsi defiantly. “Don’t tell me it isn’t?”

"..." Shen Bingsi's gaze darkened. "So what if it is?"

"Well, I thought you wouldn't stoop to lying, but I didn't expect you to be no different from those江湖人 (jianghu people). If you don't want to give it, you don't want to give it. Why say you gave it away!" Cui Xingmiao shook off Shen Bingsi's hand.

Rong Xie stood behind them, puzzled, watching the two argue. He wondered why they had suddenly started arguing, as if it was because of a sword.

“Miss Cui, Bing Si, you…” Rong Xie stepped forward, wanting to persuade the two to stop, but as he got closer, he saw a flash of silver light.

The silver light was so dazzling that it was impossible to ignore. Rong Xie realized in an instant that the object of their dispute was—the light-emitting white orchid.

Photoelectric white orchid.

Once, Rong Xie was very fond of this exquisite and elegant sword, and even its name sounded so unique, like a cluster of orchids that bloom and wither on their own in a secluded valley.

But... ever since it pierced his body and he experienced the excruciating pain of being shattered in body and mind, Rong Xie could no longer hear that name. Even similar sounds would make his fingertips go numb.

He deliberately avoided thinking about it and lived as if nothing had happened. Nightmares never came knocking, and he almost forgot that there was such a sword in his armory.

However, the Michelia alba is right here.

It suddenly burst into Rong Xie's field of vision in an unexpected way, and the shock of the past trauma came at him once again. Rong Xie was defenseless and felt like a small boat thrown into a raging wave, torn to pieces in an instant, with no chance of survival.

Black spots appeared on the screen before him, and the sounds of Shen Bingsi and Cui Xingmiao arguing faded into the distance. Rong Xie fell backward with a thud, something fell to the ground, and then he knew nothing more.