Chapter 26: Doesn't mind that it's her leftovers
Morax raised his hand and touched her cheek without warning.
Qiao Xi touched her face and looked at him, asking, "Is there something on your face?"
“No,” Morax replied.
Qiao Xi frowned, not understanding why Morax had inexplicably rubbed against her face. She continued, "You should take this osmanthus flower away quickly, or I'm afraid I'll regret it."
She was already starting to regret it. She did feel guilty about what Morax had said and was afraid that he would be angry, which was why she thought of sending him the precious osmanthus oil.
But Qiao Xi regretted that she should have kept some before taking it out, instead of giving away the whole jar like this, which made her seem too honest and not very bright.
Morax refused, saying, "Take it back."
Qiao Xi blinked, overjoyed: "Really? You really are the best! But don't you want to order anything else?"
Morax looked at her and nodded, "You're so happy to leave the food behind." "I've already taken it."
Qiao Xi had no idea what the other person was talking about. She didn't understand what they had taken. Her gaze shifted downwards and she saw the iron pot that Morax was carrying.
The freshly washed cast iron pot was still dripping with water; apparently, Morax likes this.
She was very generous: "Take it if you want it, I don't need it anyway."
I didn't understand the "Morax" part this time.
Seeing that he didn't speak, Qiao Xi thought he was so surprised to receive the iron pot that he couldn't say a word. Her little face was full of the generosity of a hostess: "It's an iron pot, who doesn't like an iron pot? You can take it with peace of mind."
Morax was still wondering if Qiao Xi meant that he could touch her face at any time?
But hearing her say this now, I couldn't help but frown slightly, and look down at the iron pot in my hand.
"......Thanks."
He felt somewhat helpless.
Qiao Xi smiled, hugged the osmanthus jar, and ran back into the house, afraid that Morax would change his mind and exchange the iron pot for her osmanthus.
She soon came out of the house again, picked up the hammer from the ground, and continued repairing her wall.
In the kitchen, the pot had already been washed. After Morax poured water into the pot, he discovered that Qiao Xi's kitchen did not have a tinderbox.
He went out again and came to Qiao Xi's house.
Qiao Xi was hammering bamboo. Morax watched her skillfully swinging the hammer and didn't have the heart to disturb her. He waited until Qiao Xi noticed him before gesturing for her to come down.
Qiao Xi ran over: "What's wrong?"
"You don't have a fire in your kitchen," Morax gently reminded him.
Qiao Xi tilted her head and thought for a moment. Her wispy hair fluttered in the wind. After remembering something, she picked up a hoe and ran into the house, then ran out again and handed a tinderbox to Morax.
When Morax went to pick her up, he saw the wound on her wrist from the fall.
The scab on the wound has fallen off, and the newly grown skin is light in color.
He squeezed the tinderbox in his hand, then turned and walked back to the kitchen.
After lighting the fire, he put the rice and spring water into the pot together.
Logically speaking, it would be better to use a clay pot for cooking porridge, but Qiao Xi only has this one iron pot, so she has to make do with it.
After he finished everything, the scar on Qiao Xi's wrist and the scene of her repairing the house flashed through his mind again.
Morax pursed his lips slightly, but ultimately went out to help her repair the house.
*
Qiao Xi has already repaired the gaps around the bottom of the house, but she can't fix the top part with her current height.
Qiao Xi put down the hammer and went to get the ladder.
The ladder and bicycle were piled together. Qiao Xi was sweating profusely as she walked over in the cool breeze, and couldn't help but cough twice.
As she passed the snowman in the yard, she poked the bear ears on its head.
After Qiao Xi found the ladder, she dragged it toward the house. At that moment, she saw Morax walking toward her.
Qiao Xi smiled and tried to wave, but as soon as one hand left the ladder, the weight of the ladder pressed down on the other hand. She quickly pulled her hand back and placed it back on the bottom of the ladder.
"Morax, what brings you here?"
"I'll help you."
Morax walked over, his gaze first falling on the scar on Qiao Xi's wrist, and then lifted the ladder for Qiao Xi with one hand.
The weight vanished instantly, and Qiao Xi felt light as a feather.
She was a little confused about what Morax was up to, and asked, "What's wrong with you?"
Morax lifted the ladder with ease, as if he were holding a cloud. He looked down at her and said, "Go check the pots in the kitchen. I'll handle things here."
Qiao Xi asked in surprise, "How come you're suddenly so nice?"
Morax looked at her: "Wasn't it good before?"
"Okay, all is well," Qiao Xi said with a smile.
Morax saw the fawning in her smile but didn't dwell on it. He put the ladder aside and walked towards the house alone.
Qiao Xi glanced at the ladder that had been abandoned, then at Morax, and chased after him: "Aren't you using the ladder?"
"Need not."
Wow, you're really amazing.
Morax glanced at her helplessly.
Qiao Xi was very curious about how Morax would repair her house. Did he fly there instead of using a ladder?
She forgot all about going to the kitchen to check on the pots and pans, and happily followed Morax around.
In front of the house, Morax noticed her curiosity and pretended not to notice. He walked to the wall and casually stretched out his hand towards the ground. He felt the ground tremble slightly, and golden light emerged from Morax's palm. Soon, a stone platform rose from the ground, quietly supporting Morax as he moved upward.
He then leisurely reached out and took the bamboo strip from a distance, easily repairing the crack in the wall using his rock elemental power.
He didn't make any big movements throughout the entire process; even raising the rock platform was unnecessary.
Qiao Xi was stunned, but she understood some logic. She walked over and asked Morax, "But you don't need this machine at all, do you?"
"Yes, we really don't need it."
"Then why are you doing this?"
Morax didn't answer her immediately. He flicked his finger slightly upwards in her direction, and with that movement, Qiao Xi saw that she was also lifted up by the rock platform.
Her soles tingled slightly as the ground trembled, and her gaze gradually rose, as if she were riding a sightseeing elevator.
When she was level with Morax, Morax replied, "I just wanted to show you."
Qiao Xi's eyes lit up: "This is really amazing."
Morax smiled with a hint of satisfaction.
Qiao Xi suddenly said, "Morax, can you make a little person out of rocks to sing and dance?"
Qiao Xi thought of fairy tales.
Morax frowned. This girl's ideas were too whimsical, and he couldn't quite keep up. But a little person who could sing and dance must be an elemental being, something he couldn't do.
So he shook his head.
Qiao Xi was just joking with him, but looking at the platform that appeared out of nowhere, she still exclaimed, "That's amazing."
Morax seemed to enjoy her continuous praise, even though he only used the phrase "really amazing" over and over again. He still waved his hand kindly and spent a few seconds reinforcing Qiao Xi's house with rocks. Now, even if the mountain collapsed, the house would have considerable stability.
With the house issue resolved, Morax crossed his arms. Just as he was about to tell Qiao Xi something, a burnt smell wafted through the air.
Morax frowned: "Didn't I just ask you to watch the pot?"
Qiao Xi was a little embarrassed: "I just haven't had time."
*
Inside the kitchen, Qiao Xi squatted on the floor, holding a pot. She looked up at Morax and blinked innocently, "Um, do you like crispy rice crusts?"
Morax: "It's alright."
Qiao Xi pointed to the bottom of the pot: "Look, although the water boiled away, we got a golden piece of crispy rice."
Morax: "And then?"
Qiao Xi: "So, can you really eat rice crust rolled into plum blossom shapes?"
Morax: "What do you think?"
Qiao Xi said guiltily, "Yes, I think it should be possible. Look, there's rice and flowers, um."
She coughed lightly and stole a glance at Morax.
Morax looked at her helplessly and said nothing more. He simply took out the rice crust, which was bigger than his face, from the pot, stuffed it into Qiao Xi's hand, and then carried the pot out. He returned carrying the dripping pot.
Qiao Xi squatted to the side, munching on rice crusts, while Morax poured water, added rice, and lit firewood back into the pot.
The dark red light in the stove gradually brightened, and Qiao Xi watched Morax's upright figure skillfully cooking porridge.
He looks like he's a good cook.
Qiao Xi took another big bite of rice crackers, her gaze fixed on Morax's gently swaying hair. She wanted to tug at it.
"Qiao Xi." Morax suddenly spoke, startling Qiao Xi, who thought her thoughts had been seen through.
"W-what's wrong?"
"Stand up for a moment," Morax said while stirring the porridge.
The kitchen gradually filled with the fresh aroma of rice again.
Qiao Xi stood up as instructed.
A small rock bench appeared behind her.
Morax said, "Sit down."
Qiao Xi looked at the bench, then at Morax.
Morax didn't glance at her once the whole time, but the kitchen smelled so good. It was just rice, so why did it smell so good?
Qiao Xi sat down and munched on the rice crust, lost in thought.
It would take some time to cook the porridge, so Morax told Qiao Xi to practice horse stance in the yard while they waited.
The snow reflected the white sunlight.
Qiao Xi put down the rice crust and went to the yard to practice horse stance.
She asked Morax, "Aren't you going to teach me swordsmanship or something?"
Morax recalled how Qiao Xijian hadn't been able to get the hang of it on the ice not long ago, and told her, "You need to build a solid foundation first."
Qiao Xi obediently said "Oh" and continued squatting.
Morax didn't wait with her; he went to Qiao Xi's room to read.
I'd also like to see what books this girl got all that nonsense from.
When he walked into Qiao Xi's bookshelf and saw that most of the books were about how the Geo Archon established Liyue, he fell silent, which was unusual for him.
*
Qiao Xi was still squatting in a horse stance.
When Jinlan patrolled the mountain and passed by, she saw Qiao Xi, who looked like a figurine, and grinned from afar.
Bamboo Garden was the last stop on his mountain patrol. Whenever time allowed, Jinlan would come in and talk to Qiaoxi.
"Qiao Xi! You're acting like a complete idiot!"
Jinlan, wearing a woolen hat, walked in and giggled around Qiaoxi.
Qiao Xi practiced her horse stance diligently, not forgetting to taunt Jin Lan: "Once I've mastered it, I'll kick you flying first."
"Hahahaha! Just you wait, bro."
Jinlan suddenly stopped talking. He sniffed the air a few times like a squirrel.
"You actually started a fire and cooked? That's really unusual. What delicious food did you make? Is it even edible?"
Qiao Xi's brow trembled as she practiced her horse stance; she didn't want to pay any attention to Jin Lan.
Jinlan assumed that Qiao Xi was the only one in the courtyard, so he said without any hesitation, "I'll go check on her. Oh, and here, this is for you."
As she spoke, Jinlan stuffed a hot meat-filled sesame seed cake into Qiaoxi's pocket.
The moment the sesame seed cake was taken out of Jinlan's pocket, Qiao Xi was overwhelmed by its aroma. Now that the sesame seed cake was on her, the fragrance made her feel overwhelmed. She really wanted to eat it, but Morax was still there, so she dared not slack off.
Morax could hear everything that was happening in the courtyard. He flipped through a pile of books about his own life on Qiao Xi's bookshelf and found a book on the geography of Liyue.
He sat in Qiao Xi's chair, watching and listening to the conversation between the two people in the courtyard.
After a while, he heard Jinlan come out of the kitchen and say to Qiaoxi, "Can you eat this rice crust?"
Morax paused on the book, recalling how Qiao Xi had been affectionately munching on rice crackers just moments before.
Qiao Xi replied to Jin Lan, "I've already eaten that."
"Hey! Why didn't you leave me any? I even left you some sesame seed cakes."
"Why don't you just eat the part you haven't bitten yet?" Qiao Xi replied impatiently.
Morax frowned slightly. Qiao Xi didn't mind Jin Lan eating her leftovers.
He stood up and walked out.
Jinlan was just about to take a bite of the rice cracker when she saw Morax walk out of Qiaoxi's room. She paused, and the rice cracker fell directly from her hand.
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Author's note: Here's an early update, see you tomorrow!
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