35 Immortals

◎The Domineering Immortal Falls in Love with Me◎

The waiter was so shocked his jaw dropped.

Is this something an outsider like him can hear?

The others clearly shared the same thought, exchanging awkward glances but reluctant to leave. They scratched their faces and touched their noses, secretly straining their ears to listen carefully.

Du Zhijin was an exception. She squeezed through the crowded throng, gripped the handle of the cleaver, and asked Huo Bai, "Need any help?"

Her intention was to ask if anyone needed help slaughtering the pig, since Li Wan was complaining that no one would want to work without him. If she stepped forward, wouldn't that prove that if Li Wan wasn't willing to do the work, there were plenty of others who would?

But why is everyone looking at her with such fear? Is there something wrong with her?

Thinking this, she simply used the cleaver's blade as a mirror. The cleaver was stained with blood, making it difficult to see clearly, so she exhaled and wiped it with her sleeve.

After wiping it clean, her face was reflected on the blade, and she couldn't find anything unusual, so she frowned slightly.

Little did she know how terrifying her actions were in the eyes of the onlookers! A woman with a blank expression suddenly drew a knife, and even breathed on it like an executioner spitting out wine before an execution. Especially her chilling question, "Need help?" sent shivers down everyone's spine!

Even Li Wan was stunned, frozen in place. Huo Bai was the first to react among the group. She stepped forward, shielding Du Zhijin behind her, and sneered, "You're scared of this? Pah! It's a good thing I didn't let you stay. Otherwise, even a mouse could scare you to death. Now get lost!"

Huo Bai was shorter than Du Zhijin and even shorter than Li Wan, but she possessed an overwhelming aura. Li Wan was already weak-willed, and her commotion was merely an attempt to win her back. In the current situation, not only was Huo Bai unlikely to change her mind, but she might even lose her job as a maid.

A mountain-like shadow once again enveloped her, but Huo Bai showed no fear, coldly meeting his gaze.

Upon closer inspection, one would notice a hint of disdain in her eyes.

Li Wan was hurt by her gaze and completely lost confidence. Before leaving, he didn't forget to say something harsh: "You'll regret this."

Huo Bai spoke, his voice devoid of any warmth: "Your mother regrets giving birth to a coward like you."

"You!" He was about to turn back and say something more intimidating when his gaze swept over Du Zhijin behind Huo Bai, and he felt a chill run down his spine in the middle of summer.

She was a very unremarkable woman, tall and thin, wearing a gorgeous dress that was completely out of character for her, and exuding a calm and serene aura.

But no one knows what kind of turbulent undercurrents lie beneath the seemingly calm surface.

The woman noticed his gaze, glanced at him lightly, and then casually looked away. That single glance sent a chill down Li Wan's spine, making him tremble uncontrollably.

Before becoming a servant at Huo's restaurant, he had been an apprentice at a renowned martial arts school, where he acquired considerable martial arts skills. Without this, he wouldn't have caught Huo Bai's eye, much less become entangled with her. Even after joining Huo's restaurant, he never forgot his master's words: there are two kinds of martial arts. One is the martial arts of mortals, limited to physical strength, merely training muscles and bones; the other is the martial arts of immortals, moving like thunder, still as deep water.

The woman in front of me is the latter.

Having figured this out, he completely lost his fighting spirit and stumbled through the crowd to run away. Everyone, including Huo Bai, was puzzled as to why he suddenly acted as if facing a formidable enemy, and began to whisper among themselves.

Taking advantage of the large crowd, Huo Bai gestured to Du Zhijin to cooperate with her actions, cleared his throat, and shouted, "Folks! You've all seen it, Li Wan is a coward, short-sighted, all talk and no action, he's just a wimp! You can't believe a word he says!"

Immediately, someone below started jeering: "Which line? The one about only loving him?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the hall was filled with a joyful atmosphere, interspersed with a few vulgar and offensive remarks. Du Zhijin unconsciously stopped chopping meat and wiped the bits of meat off his cheek.

Oh no, I think I got my clothes dirty. I hope Amo won't scold me if he finds out...

Ugh, so annoying.

Unaware of her true thoughts, the crowd only saw a sullen-faced god of war chopping meat with great force. As a result, the noisy scene immediately became as quiet as a chicken's nest, and no one dared to breathe loudly.

Seeing this, Huo Bai suppressed a laugh and continued, "Go away, you can't expect anything good to come out of a dog's mouth. What's the point of hiding such a small matter? What I'm saying is that Li Wan is spreading rumors that our Huo family is short of money and has a lot of trouble. Once I have some free time, I will definitely take him to the authorities!"

Du Zhijin chimed in from behind, "Take it to the authorities."

That wasn't all. Huo Bai picked and chose from the people below, pointing at one and saying, "You, you're from the Wang family's butcher shop next door, right? Tell me, how much do you earn a month?"

The Wang family's servant was reluctant to speak, but there were people all around him, and he couldn't squeeze out, so he had no choice but to tell the truth.

Huo Bai nodded, then asked another, "How much do you earn a month as a worker for the Yang family?"

Yang, the shop assistant, quoted a number similar to Wang's. After listening, she held up a number on her finger and showed it to everyone: "Our Huo's shop pays more than both of them combined. Everyone, please be the judge, is this wage too low?"

"Quite a few!"

"So, is Li Wan like a dog biting Li Dongbin's dog?"

"yes!"

In fact, the villagers might not have believed Huo Bai's words, but unfortunately, she had Du Zhijin behind her who remained silent but worked hard. What other choice did she have but to go along with them?

Huo Bai was satisfied and continued, "Alright, the rumors about low pay are false, and the claim of excessive work is utter nonsense. As everyone knows, our family shop has been passed down from my great-grandfather's generation to me, spanning four generations. Calling it a 'century-old shop' wouldn't be an exaggeration, would it? So why has Huo's shop stood out from Wang's and Yang's? Of course, it's because our meat is better than theirs, and our processing methods are more meticulous! From slaughtering the pig, it goes through eighty-one steps..."

For the next fifteen minutes, Huo Bai spoke at length, praising his own family while subtly belittling the other two families watching the show. As for Du Zhijin, he was completely immersed in the sorrow of chopping meat.

She thought with a sense of resignation, "Whatever, my clothes are already dirty, so it doesn't matter if they get a little dirtier."

When she came to her senses, a long queue had already formed in front of her. She looked at Huo Bai next to her in confusion, and he returned her a smug smile.

Any kind of excitement can be turned into business.

Ultimately, this bustling business lasted for two hours, which is why Du Zhijin was delayed in returning.

She came to her senses and wanted to say goodbye, but Huo Bai stopped her: "I'm so sorry to have kept you up for so long. I'll treat you to dinner tonight!"

She was about to refuse, saying she had bought braised meat and was waiting to eat it with her friends when she got back. But when she looked down, the braised meat was nowhere to be seen.

It must have been squeezed out of the store, costing quite a bit of money.

Before she knew it, Du Zhijin had also started to feel the pinch when it came to money, which she attributed to spending too much time with Ying Jianhua.

Speaking of Dr. Ying, his clothes are dirty and the braised meat is gone. What kind of storm will he face when he gets back?

Huo Bai noticed her embarrassment, and with a quick glance, he guessed the reason: "Afraid your family will worry? It's okay, invite them to come along. I'll cover them all, no matter how much they eat!"

The young master was wealthy and powerful, and Du Zhijin couldn't refuse his hospitality. More importantly, what if, considering she had done a good deed, Doctor Ying would let her off the hook?

As she pondered how to use subtle language to gloss over certain matters, Ying Jianhua and Jiangwei, wearing veils late at night, were subjected to the scrutiny of countless eyes.

Jiangwei thought that bloodletting was the most painful thing in the world, but she didn't expect that what was even more painful was accompanying Young Master Amo to go shopping.

Along the way, countless people pointed and whispered about him, as if he were some kind of freak. On the other hand, Young Master Amo even had the leisure to haggle with the shopkeeper.

"Fifty coins, plus a bottle of Jade Dew." "Oh no, no! The lowest price is forty coins, not a penny less." "Forty coins? If you don't sell, I'll go to that shop on the street. The quality there is better, and it's only thirty coins, plus a free bottle of Jade Dew. If it weren't for the fact that we share the same surname, why would I go for the expensive? Sell or not? If not, Xiao Hong and we—" Before she could finish the last "go," Jiangwei had just stepped across the threshold when the shopkeeper's exasperated voice came from behind her: "No, no, no! Forty coins it is! Oh dear, we've lost out big time!"

Ying Jianhua's lips, hidden behind his veil, curled slightly upwards, though his expression remained impassive. He didn't push things too far, wishing the shopkeeper good business before leaving.

After confirming that they were far away from that shop, Jiangwei couldn't help but ask, "Young Master Amo, that shop on the street clearly asked for fifty coins, why did you say thirty?"

Ying Jianhua walked ahead, holding a small bottle of the jade dew that had been given to him. Upon hearing this, she casually pointed and said, "Do you think he doesn't know? We're all on the same street. He just doesn't want his competitors to make money. Besides, does he think he can just say he's lost money? In my opinion, we left too late. If we had been more decisive, we might have been able to get it down to thirty coins."

Jiangwei listened, counting on his fingers in a daze, a sight that reminded him of Du Zhijin.

They are equally untouched by worldly affairs.

"She and you..." "Huh? What happened between me and my benefactor?"

He changed the subject abruptly: "She's nothing like you. She's very clever; the moment I say she's leaving, she's far away."

What's wrong with this fox? He's usually so dull and stupid, but he becomes incredibly cunning when Du Zhijin is mentioned.

His pointed remark did not offend Jiangwei; on the contrary, Jiangwei was even proud of it: "Yes, my benefactor is very clever."

Ying Jianhua: I thought he was faking it before, but I didn't expect him to really be a fool. How come Du Zhijin attracts so many idiots?

Even through the veil, he could still feel the joy on Jiangwei's face, which only intensified his irritation.

What does his praise of Du Zhijin's intelligence have to do with this fool? Du Zhijin's intelligence is entirely due to his miraculous healing skills.

That nameless anger that had been simmering within him ever since she saved Jiangwei surged up again. He tucked Yulu back into his sleeve, his voice as cold as ice: "Stop grinning like an idiot. Your benefactor is nowhere to be seen yet. Aren't you afraid she'll pick up some other cats and dogs along the way?"

Jiangwei blinked and looked at the two people who were getting closer and closer behind him, saying, "Young Master Amo, our benefactor didn't pick up cats or dogs, she picked up a person."

"What!" Ying Jianhua turned around, only managing to utter a short syllable before being interrupted by Du Zhijin's sudden lunge.

His pupils contracted, and he froze on the spot, completely at a loss.

Why did she suddenly hug him? Could it be that she...?

Du Zhijin's next words made him even more flustered: "I miss you so much."

I miss you so much.

Miss you.

you.

————

"Ahem, gentlemen, let me introduce myself first. My name is Huo Bai, the young master of Huo's Butcher Shop. Today, thanks to Miss Mu's help, I've settled an old matter. This cup is for Miss Mu; please feel free to drink as you please!"

Huo Bai bowed to the three sides and was about to drink when Ying Jianhua suddenly spoke up: "'The uterine vessels are damaged, and the uterus is weak and cold,' Miss Huo should drink less wine."

She paused for a moment, and Ying Jianhua glanced at her before continuing, "Coldness causes blood to congeal, so one should avoid wind and cold, and be careful with raw and cold foods."

These words are exactly the same as what the old Chinese medicine doctor said?

Huo Bai looked at him with more respect and immediately cleared away all the wine on the table and replaced it with tea: "Alright, then I will use tea instead of wine to toast you all."

After saying that, he drank it all in one gulp, and this time Ying Jianhua did not stop him.

After finishing their tea, Huo Bai invited them to have a meal. Her small feast was exquisitely prepared, with both meat and vegetables, and a feast for the eyes and the palate. Even Ying Jianhua, who was suffering from summer heat, picked up her chopsticks and ate until she was half full.

While eating, he observed Du Zhijin's expression, trying to deduce something.

What did she do to help Huo Bai? Huo Bai seemed to have something to say.

Unfortunately, Du Zhijin didn't understand his meaning. Noticing his gaze, she gave a smile tinged with crab roe.

Ying Jianhua: "...This place is dirty."

Never mind, she's had a long day, we'll talk about these things when we get back.

As expected, after everyone had almost finished eating, Huo Bai spoke up: "Actually, I have a favor to ask."

Ying Jianhua put down her chopsticks, and Du Zhijin also looked up.

Jiangwei blinked in confusion and then sat up straight as well.

"Is Miss Mu a descendant of the immortal sect?"

Upon hearing this, all three eyes turned to her. Du Zhijin felt somewhat uncomfortable, and Ying Jianhua retorted, "What makes you say that, Miss Huo?"

Huo Bai: "My maid came from a martial arts school, and ordinary people can't scare him at all."

She did not miss Li Wanru's terrified expression, as if he were a mouse encountering a tiger.

Du Zhijin nodded, acknowledging her identity. She suddenly breathed a sigh of relief and said, "That's great, my sister is saved now... Miss Mu, to tell you the truth, the reason I was at the Worry-Free Tavern that day wasn't because of the men's rivalry, but because my sister was being haunted by a monster."

Haunted by a demon?

According to Huo Bai, her older sister, Huo Qing, went to Huzhou a year ago to explore trade routes. Huzhou was a prosperous place, and it was difficult for outsiders to integrate into the business. Huo Qing spent a lot of effort to gain a foothold there. However, just as things were turning around, Huo Qing was suddenly haunted by a monster, screaming and weeping every midnight.

"...My mother has passed away, and my father only cares about asking us for money and never cares about the shop. My only support now is my older sister. I beg Miss Mu to save my sister!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Huo Bai bent his knees as if to kneel down, and Jiang Wei, who was standing to the side, quickly reached out to help him up.

Du Zhijin also said, "Miss Huo, there is no need to worry. We were already planning to go to Huzhou anyway, and this matter is just something we did along the way."

"Really?" She burst into tears of joy, wiping them away with the back of her hand, but her voice was full of laughter. "That's wonderful... wonderful... Miss Mu, I really don't know how to repay you."

The word "repay" instantly triggered a certain string in Jiangwei's mind. He exclaimed "Ah!" and, ignoring Ying Jianhua's disapproving look, pulled out a book from his pocket: "The Overbearing Immortal Falls in Love with Me: The Mortal Chapter".

With a sincere expression, he enthusiastically recommended, "Do you also want to repay a debt of gratitude? You can take a look at this book."

Ying Jianhua: He wants to report this to the authorities so the author of this series can be arrested and beheaded!

[Author's Note]

The stupid author forgot to apply for the rankings! [Clown][Clown] Lost a week on the rankings! [Crying][Crying] Next week will probably see double updates, please comment and give me some nutrient solution! [Pity][Pity]