40 mutton soup noodles as a gift for a patron
◎Want a hug◎
Over the past two hundred years, Yan Yunzhao had long regarded Cuiliang Mountain as his hometown, and besides, he had painstakingly built up his small shop there. How could he just leave? Therefore, Yan Yunzhao righteously and firmly refused Qing Le.
Upon hearing this, Qing Le simply hugged her arm and said coquettishly, "Why don't we open a branch in the capital? That way I can eat Sister Yan's cooking whenever I want, especially her steamed rice and red date cake."
This was indeed a good suggestion. Yan Yunzhao only thought about it for a moment before deciding it was feasible. Previously, the small shop was short of funds and had not yet considered the matter of opening a branch. Now that the biggest financial difficulty had been resolved, it was indeed time to put the opening of a branch on the agenda.
Qing Le was overjoyed to see that things were going well. Many people around her knew she loved red date steamed cake, but few could make it taste like her mother's. The simpler the cake, the better it was made, revealing the depth of skill involved. She knew Yan Yunzhao must have put in a lot of effort; from sifting the dates to pickling them, every step was meticulously planned and required considerable expertise.
Today was Qing Le's birthday, after all. While Yan Yunzhao was thinking about the branch store, she had already dismissed all her guards and attendants. She just wanted to stroll around the streets before leaving. Yan Yunzhao couldn't resist her coquettish pleading and took her to the street.
Although Lixi Town is a small town, it has always been famous for its beautiful scenery. In spring, pear blossoms fill the streets, and in winter, pear blossom lanterns are everywhere in the streets and alleys, bright red and hanging from the eaves, exquisite and lovely.
However, Yan Yunzhao was somewhat curious. A princess like herself didn't seem very interested in her birthday banquet. She hesitated for a while before carefully asking, "Why don't you stay a little longer with those young masters and ladies at the banquet? There's a flowing stream for poetry and wine, as well as various teas and snacks. I think it would be quite interesting."
Qing Le scattered flowers all over the street. She had just bought a string of sugar figurines on a whim. The figurines had peach-like cheeks and pink faces, and they looked quite like her.
Hearing the question, she tilted her head and thought for a moment: "Father is always busy with many things. My mother, who used to celebrate my birthday with me, is no longer here. This birthday banquet is only held to keep Father from feeling disheartened."
"Staying at home is quite boring, and staying at the banquet to listen to their empty flattery is also boring. If you ask me, this birthday celebration is not as enjoyable as having a simple meal with the whole family."
The girl ate a sugar figurine with her head down, speaking of the past in a light tone, but it would be a lie to say that she was not sad at all.
When Yan Yunzhao asked about her sad story, she quickly changed the subject: "It's better to keep it simple. Sugar figurines are too sweet, be careful not to eat too many and get a toothache."
Qing Le chuckled sheepishly, not taking it to heart, and continued happily eating the third sugar figurine in her hand. She dragged Yan Yunzhao around buying trinkets, and then ran to the lake to release lanterns. After all, the birthday girl's orders couldn't be disobeyed, so Yan Yunzhao patiently played with her all night.
They played until midnight, running around everywhere until their legs were a little numb, but Qing Le was still not satisfied.
After nearly half a year of preparation, the winding stream banquet was finally brought to a close, and Yan Yunzhao felt an indescribable sense of relief.
Winning the championship was completely unexpected, and the dozens of boxes of gold seemed like a dream, leaving him in a daze. Back in the desolate little shop, he didn't know who to tell about his joy.
Lou Su had only been ill for a little over ten days, but the house seemed to have been empty for months. Now that Lou Su had fully recovered, Yan Yunzhao had some free time and took the opportunity to visit Biyuefang.
Whether by coincidence or not, Lou Chengjing had not appeared for some time after the immortals settled in Biyuefang. This time, after Lou Su recovered from his illness, he surprisingly stayed by his bedside.
Inside Biyuefang.
"Now that your poison has been cured, my people's can certainly be cured as well. So hurry up and hand her over. What's the point of you clinging to her like this?"
Lou Chengjing chuckled and fiddled with the folding fan in his hand.
Upon hearing this, Lou Su's expression darkened slightly, and he said coldly, "I will not use her. No matter what she thinks, I just want to stay by her side."
"In that case, I'll do it myself."
"You dare."
A few strands of Lou Su's hair fell across his forehead, but his dark eyes remained sharp. He leaned quietly against the bed, not making a move, while Lou Chengjing was suppressed by a powerful magical force. He struggled desperately but could not move. The more he resisted that heavy pressure, the stronger the tearing pain in his internal organs became.
Lou Chengjing knew Lou Su's strength all too well. Even with the blood poison in his body, he had never been at a disadvantage in a sparring match. Recalling how the two of them used to be inseparable as childhood playmates, Lou Chengjing gave a self-deprecating sneer.
Lou Su glanced at him indifferently, and the oppressive feeling suddenly disappeared. Then, a girl in a pale yellow dress pushed open the door and entered.
As soon as Yan Yunzhao entered, she saw Lou Chengjing with a livid face. If it weren't for the strange atmosphere between the two, Yan Yunzhao would have thought that Lou Chengjing had suddenly come to his senses and rushed over to inquire about the patient.
Lou Chengjing sat diagonally on the other side of the bed, holding a folding fan in his hand without saying a word, while Lou Su leaned against the bed, his previous indifferent expression changed to a gentle and refined one, as if he were the smiling waiter from before.
Seeing Yan Yunzhao walking up the steps, Lou Su, holding onto the edge of the bed, was about to get off.
Although Lou Su had recovered from his illness, he was still weak. Yan Yunzhao quickly stopped him and placed a box of red bean and rice wine dumplings on the table.
"Master Jichen said that it was Miss Yunzhao who used her blood to find precious herbs that saved my life."
Lou Su looked up at Yan Yunzhao, his dark eyes clear and bright, yet with a hint of restraint than usual.
Yan Yunzhao felt a little guilty and didn't know how to answer for a while. He could only comfort him by saying, "I am relieved to see that Young Master Lou has recovered. As for anything else, it is not worth mentioning."
These words were originally meant to be humble, but when they came out of his mouth, they carried an implication of "I would go through fire and water to save you without hesitation." Lou Su's eyes lit up a little, but Yan Yunzhao didn't find anything wrong with them.
With so many things piling up these past few days, Lou Su has a lot to ask, but he finds it difficult to speak because there's an outsider here.
Upon seeing this, Lou Chengjing, with a dark face and a sarcastic tone, lifted the curtain and went out the door.
Only the two of them remained in the room. Lou Su stood up and stood in front of her, looking down at the person he had been longing for, and asked knowingly, "Why did you save me?"
Yan Yunzhao's heart skipped a beat, but he remained calm and said, "I promised to cure your illness, and I always keep my word."
"That's all?"
"That's all. You're my waiter, it's my duty to save you..."
Her words were suddenly interrupted as a pair of strong hands pulled her into an embrace.
"Zhaozhao, you're lying. I can hear your thoughts."
Two hundred years ago, Lou Sudu was caught in the calamity of heaven by chance when Yan Yunzhao stepped out of the teleportation array. In a moment of desperation, he had to temporarily seal a part of her spiritual consciousness to barely protect their lives. Since then, he has been able to hear her thoughts.
It wasn't until he came to Cuiliang Mountain in search of the person his grandfather had prophesied that he realized he had already met the person destined for him in the prophecy.
Yan Yunzhao's heart was pounding, and she didn't know how to react. Her mind went blank for a moment, and she just quietly let him hold her.
Lou Su's light breath brushed against her forehead, slightly warm. Even though it was a very light touch, she could feel the hand behind her waist trembling slightly.
Is it because of nervousness?
Blinded by desire, she reached out and wrapped her arms around his lower back. Although Lou Su was slender, his waist and abdomen were firm and strong, unlike the softness of a woman's embrace; it was warm and solid. He carried a faint scent of herbs and trees, which smelled very pleasant. Yan Yunzhao buried her head in his neck, yet couldn't help wanting to get even closer.
He had longed for this embrace for so long, but fearing to offend or be impolite, he had suppressed his feelings. Now that he knew she also had feelings for him, he no longer wanted to hold back and only wanted to hold her tightly in his arms.
The girl's fragrance lingered around his nose, and her soft, warm body was in his arms, making him feel somewhat dazed.
Yan Yunzhao nodded, a thousand words stuck in his throat, but he didn't know where to begin, so he just hugged her even tighter.
"Boss!"
Hearing Jingming's voice outside the door, Yan Yunzhao hurriedly released her grip on Lou Su, but the blush on her face had not yet faded.
Lou Su lowered his eyes and chuckled, pretending nothing had happened, as Jing Ming walked in nonchalantly.
Jingming was completely unaware of the strange expressions on the two people's faces inside the room, and simply said, "Boss, Immortal Master Jichen is waiting for you."
Yan Yunzhao nodded, feigning composure, and followed Jing Ming out of the house without looking back. After being outside in the cool breeze for a while, she sobered up a bit, but felt even more ashamed.
For some unknown reason, she was acting strangely. She tried not to recall the details of what had just happened, and walked out of the courtyard feeling dizzy and lightheaded. She solemnly thanked Master Jichen and Senior Brother Liujiang, who were temporarily staying at Biyuefang, and presented them with the spiritual herbs that had been promised.
Master Jichen glanced at the hundred-day mugwort that Yan Yunzhao handed him, took a sip of tea, and said coolly, "If you are willing to become my disciple, you don't need this hundred-day mugwort."
Unexpectedly, after all this time, the immortal master is still so persistent about this. Yan Yunzhao felt a warmth in his heart, but still refused: "I appreciate the immortal master's kindness, but I am just an ordinary restaurant owner and have no interest in immortal techniques."
"The causes and effects in this world are probably not all satisfactory. Do you know, young lady, why there is a distinction between the three realms of humans, demons, and immortals in this vast world?"
Master Jichen poured a pot of tea, and Yan Yunzhao sat on the futon opposite him, listening to him speak in detail:
"Whether they are immortals or demons, even if they do not live as long as heaven and earth, they still have a lifespan of a hundred years. Compared to them, the lifespan of the mortal beings is but a fleeting moment. The three realms each have their own rules, but the most important thing is that they do not interfere with each other."
"As a demon, one should not linger in the mortal realm and disrupt the order of mortals."
Yan Yunzhao understood the reasoning behind Master Jichen's words, but she felt that there were always exceptions.
"Although I am a demon, I do not harm people. I simply make some delicious food and run a small shop, that's all. If I don't interfere with worldly karma, I suppose staying in the mortal world is not a big deal."
"Of course." Master Jichen pushed a steaming teacup in front of Yan Yunzhao, gesturing for her to drink: "But has Miss Yan considered what would happen if, many years later, you were still young, but your ordinary customers were passing away one after another, their bodies turned to dust?"
Yan Yunzhao sipped his tea and remained silent.
Originally, Yan Yunzhao had not been completely unprepared for this situation. Adhering to the life motto of "there's always a way out," he was not planning to worry about things decades from now.
Master Jichen finished speaking. Before the group from Tianlin Sect departed, Yan Yunzhao even used the kitchen of Biyuefang to cook a lively meal for everyone.
The courtyard was crowded, and while Yan Yunzhao was instructing the servants on how to chop vegetables, she couldn't help but keep looking for that slender figure. Unfortunately, Lou Su was also looking at her each time; their eyes would meet for a fleeting moment before they quickly looked away.
Why do I feel like I've done something wrong?
Yan Yunzhao touched her slightly flushed cheeks, stopped thinking about these things, and focused on the task at hand.
When it comes to cooking large pot meals, she's an expert. She minces mutton, stir-fries it with ginger and garlic until golden brown, pours in soy sauce, and the aroma of the meat wafts out. At this point, the minced meat is a very appetizing reddish-brown color. Then, she adds half a pot of water and it's ready to cook noodles.
Following the recipe from her hometown in her previous life, Yan Yunzhao added home-cooked cucumbers and cherry tomatoes, along with a few celery leaves. She didn't like the taste of celery, but in the mutton noodles, it had a magical effect of enhancing the flavor.
Bowls of steaming, fragrant, and glistening mutton noodles were served, and the disciples' eyes widened in amazement. Master Jichen didn't touch his chopsticks, and the disciples didn't dare either, only timidly observing their master's expression.
The disciple needed to fast, but Master Jichen had already passed the fasting period, so he did not refuse and took the bowl and chopsticks to eat heartily.
As composed as the Immortal Master Jichen, he sat as still as a mountain while eating. After finishing a bowl of mutton soup noodles, he saw everyone staring at him expectantly and waved his hand, saying, "Today I'm in charge, there's no need to pay attention to the precepts."
Only after their master spoke did the disciples feel relieved, and happily scooped up a spoonful of noodles and put it in their mouths.
The mutton noodles were savory; one bite revealed a salty flavor with a hint of tomato sweetness, followed by a few more bites, and a subtle numbing sensation emerged. This faint numbing sensation seemed to possess a magical power, stimulating the appetite and making one eagerly want to take another bite.
The noodles are soft, smooth, and porcelain white; the vegetables are fresh and crisp; the broth is rich and flavorful; and when you mix in some of the minced meat from the bottom of the bowl at the end, it's incredibly delicious.
The disciples of the Tianlin Sect had easily whetted their appetites; after all, anyone who chewed on bitter pills every day would become pale and thin. If eating the "purely natural" medicinal meals prepared by the elders of the Medicine Sect every day was a blessing, then the food cooked by Yan Yunzhao was a delicacy personally appreciated by the Heavenly Emperor.
This simple bowl of rice made everyone sweat profusely and keep wiping their mouths. The return-to-the-sect formation had already been drawn in the corner of the courtyard, and the disciples were still reluctant to leave, slowly lining up.
"If any of you wish to eat here, you are welcome to come to Cuiliang's shop anytime in the future," Yan Yunzhao said warmly, waving his hand.
The disciples waved and stepped into the teleportation array. The five people in the shop had no reason to stay in the market for long. Jingming and the others went back to the Dragon King Temple to take care of it, while Yanlou and the other two went back to the shop in Cuiliang Mountain.
Normally, Yan Yunzhao had no choice but to share a room with Lou Su, so he didn't think much of it. But now that the other room was empty... if he slept in the same room again, wouldn't his intentions be too obvious?
Inside the small shop, lit by candlelight, Lou Su gently pulled her hand.
"I see the wind is strong tonight, it looks like it's going to rain."
Yan Yunzhao was puzzled as to why Lou Su suddenly brought this up. Before he could ask, he heard Lou Su say, "I'm afraid of thunder."
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