Chapter 169
Gu Zhongtai stopped drinking tea abruptly and looked up at Fan Xiaoxiao, who was standing in front of the Celestial Venerable.
The girl was slender, and her slightly oversized clothes made her look like a bamboo shoot.
But what did she just say?
As long as wine is provided for him for one day, the Tianshan Mountains will protect him for one day.
The dryness in his throat returned, and Gu Zhongtai's mind was unsettled. He recalled Fan Xiaoxiao's muttered words as they climbed the mountain: "You don't actually like me, do you?"
His Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and his hand holding the cup unconsciously rubbed against the rim of the glass.
He thought the poison must have entered his heart; otherwise, why would he feel that he was experiencing some signs of rapid emotional fluctuation? Even his breathing was hotter than usual.
Fan Xiaoxiao was unaware of Gu Zhongtai's reaction behind her. At this moment, she was looking at the Heavenly Venerable with unwavering certainty.
The latter remained silent for a moment, staring at Fan Xiaoxiao without moving for a while, before asking with a hint of doubt, "You? Young lady, a dream of wealth and glory is not something that can be compared to mere wine. Can you handle it?"
To be honest, Fan Xiaoxiao doesn't drink much. Although she made quite a lot of alcohol when she was a content creator, she gave it all away.
However, judging from the reactions of the villagers, the wine she brews must be quite good.
The premise is... that everyone isn't being overly polite...
"I haven't tasted the Dream of Yellow Millet, but I can brew quite a lot of wine. I can keep drinking it and still get different flavors. If I exchange it for two jars of the Dream of Yellow Millet, you can decide for yourself, Heavenly Venerable."
"Tsk...this..." The Celestial Venerable tapped his fingers lightly on the table. What Fan Xiaoxiao said was indeed quite tempting to him, but it also tasted like a pipe dream...
He smacked his lips, as if savoring the memory.
Fan Xiaoxiao looked at the Heavenly Venerable with some unease; the repeated knocking made her feel an inexplicable sense of oppression.
"Xiaoxiao, come back."
Gu Zhongtai rested his face on his hand and casually called out Fan Xiaoxiao's name.
Fan Xiaoxiao glanced back at him, somewhat confused by the big boss's meaning. But she still obediently walked towards him: "What's wrong? Didn't you want the Thousand-Year Snow Lotus?"
Gu Zhongtai watched Fan Xiaoxiao's actions, a hint of a smile in his eyes.
"If the old man won't give us that stuff, he can find another way. It'll save us the trouble of getting that wine too."
Other methods... Fan Xiaoxiao raised an eyebrow, wondering if it was the kind of ruthless method she was thinking of?
The Celestial Venerable's beard twitched slightly, and he and Fan Xiaoxiao had the same thought in mind.
"Oh, fine, let's change them then. Little monkey, take them to the guest rooms. As for this lady... it's getting late, let her rest on the mountain for the night, and we'll send her down tomorrow."
Fan Xiaoxiao interjected promptly, "I still have family members down the mountain. Could you please help me find them? They came in three horse-drawn carriages, and there are two children among them, a boy and a girl. They're easy to tell apart."
The Celestial Venerable nodded and handed the matter over to Xiahou, instructing him to send a disciple to accompany Fan Xiaoxiao to choose a place to live the next day.
As for Bai Chaoyan, she was first settled in a lakeside pavilion, in a small courtyard not far from the Celestial Venerable.
Xiahou led them out of the back mountain along the original route, glancing at Gu Zhongtai several times along the way.
But in the end, he said nothing and silently led them to the side courtyard of the guest rooms. This place was located to the west of the main hall, surrounded by pine trees, and then it branched off to the left and right.
The left side is the men's room, and the right side is the women's restroom room. In the middle is a communal kitchen, with neatly stacked pieces of wood behind it.
"If you wish to take a bath, please fetch water and boil it yourselves. There is a bath tub in the room, and if you need any clothes, you can ask your junior brothers to bring you a couple of sets."
Xiahou briefly explained the situation and then arranged for his disciples to look after them. After doing all this, he said that someone would come to fetch his wife down the mountain the next day and then hurriedly left.
Fan Xiaoxiao watched his retreating figure, feeling inexplicably worried.
"Xiahou, you wouldn't go and ask the Celestial Venerable about your identities, would you?"
Gu Zhongtai glanced in the direction Xiahou had left. His face showed no worry: "That old fellow, the Heavenly Venerable, won't tell him."
"Why?"
Fan Xiaoxiao was puzzled. Wasn't the Celestial Venerable Xiahou's master? Why would he conceal the identities of Gu Chongtai and the Ghost Doctor?
"Because of that old guy's promise, he won't kill me, nor will he deliberately reveal my identity to outsiders."
Gu Zhongtai's face was expressionless when he said this. Fan Xiaoxiao had a feeling that he was unhappy.
She nodded and didn't pursue the matter further.
Without Xiahou, the atmosphere among the three became much more relaxed. The Ghost Doctor went into the kitchen and started rummaging through the drawers and cabinets, prompting Fan Xiaoxiao to follow him in with some curiosity.
"Grandpa, what are you doing?"
"Looking for something to eat, baby? Aren't you hungry? We didn't eat much for our only meal today, I'm starving."
When he said that, Fan Xiaoxiao did feel a bit hungry, and her stomach growled at just the right moment.
"Hey! I found it!"
The Ghost Doctor pulled out a few sweet potatoes from the corner. Fan Xiaoxiao raised an eyebrow and looked at the big pot on the stove.
"Let's steam some sweet potatoes and boil some water!"
In the past, when they were traveling, they could wash themselves at night when they stopped to rest. But after traveling day and night for the past few days, they were already covered in dirt. Now that they were safe, Fan Xiaoxiao felt itchy all over.
Boiling sweet potatoes didn't take much effort. After eating, Fan Xiaoxiao asked a female disciple of the Tianshan Sect for a small set of clothes and some soap.
By the time I finished showering, the moon in the sky was already full.
Fan Xiaoxiao sat in the courtyard of the side room, drying her hair. This bath was probably the cleanest she had taken in a long time.
Gu Chongtai and the Ghost Doctor both fell asleep from the fever. When Gu Chongtai came out, Fan Xiaoxiao's hair was already half-dry, and she was sitting in the courtyard, drowsy.
He looked at Fan Xiaoxiao in the courtyard, her head drooping little by little, and found it inexplicably amusing.
He walked over and gently patted her hair: "Since you're sleepy, why don't you go back to sleep?"
"Huh!? Ah? What?" Fan Xiaoxiao was startled, looking completely bewildered. Gu Zhongtai repeated himself, and Fan Xiaoxiao waved her hand: "My hair isn't dry yet, sleeping now will give me a headache."
After saying that, Fan Xiaoxiao leaned lazily against the corridor and yawned.
"Ha, I'm going down the mountain tomorrow. What are your plans after you and the Ghost Doctor have cured the poison?"
The moonlight shone on their white clothes, making them appear exceptionally gentle.
Gu Zhongtai sat down next to her, smiled, and said, "Go take care of some things."
Fan Xiaoxiao raised an eyebrow, knowing that he was referring to the treasure map.
"Then be careful. But since the Tianshan Sect has agreed to my conditions, I'll use them whenever I can. Don't waste the wine I promised to give to the Celestial Venerable."
Fan Xiaoxiao spoke with a hint of jest. Gu Zhongtai looked at her profile, remained silent for a moment, and then asked, "Why did you ask Tianshan to protect me?"
"Why?"
Fan Xiaoxiao chuckled and turned to look at Gu Zhongtai, the moonlight casting a soft glow on her.
"Because this is the only way I can protect you!"
(End of this chapter)
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