Chapter 92 Eating, Your Silly Tiger is Getting Tried and Driven Mad. ...
Crossing the towering city gate, Bai Ye and Jiao Jiao, who was hidden in his arms, were like two country bumpkins who had just arrived in the city. Their eyes were almost not enough to take it all in, and they stared at everything around them, feeling only novelty and shock.
The scene before them was unlike any other city they had seen along the way.
The street beneath my feet was wide enough for ten carriages and horses to travel side by side, and the road surface was clean and there was not a single piece of litter in sight.
Shops lined both sides of the road, with carved beams and painted rafters. Even the most ordinary tavern signs were made of spirit wood with gold patterns, practically exuding extravagance.
The pedestrians on the road were all well-dressed, walked with ease, and exuded a restrained aura, indicating considerable cultivation.
Even the air seemed to be filtered by this rich atmosphere, making it fresher and more pleasant. Every breath contained a rich spiritual energy far exceeding that of the outside world, which was refreshing and invigorating.
"Good heavens." Bai muttered to himself in a low voice, "No wonder my mother told me not to come. Looking at it this way, I really do look like a poor relative who came to freeload."
Jiaojiao didn't think as much as she did. She clung to Bai Ye's clothes with both hands, poked her little head out, and excitedly pointed to a very grand restaurant at the end of the long street.
The message was a subtle hint: "Hey kid, hey kid! Look ahead, there's a restaurant~ I wonder if the food there is good?"
Bai followed the direction her little paws were pointing and looked over. Goodness, this stinky turtle really knows how to pick a restaurant. Just by looking at it, you can tell it's one of the most expensive places on this street.
She glanced down at the little turtle's expectant eyes and thought, "Well, I should have enough money. If not, I'll just rob some from the Bai family."
"Let's go!" Bai waved his hand with great enthusiasm. "No matter what, food is the most important thing! Let's fill our little Jiaojiao's belly first, and then we'll think about how to find Mother."
"Yay~" Jiao Jiao waved her little paws happily, "Ye Zai, you're my best, best baby again!"
Bai couldn't help but laugh and scolded, "So whether I'm good or not depends entirely on whether I invite you to dinner, right?"
"Mmm! That's right!" Jiao Jiao nodded her little head vigorously, counting on her little hands, "Sister Zhong has made so many delicious things for us, and Sister Huo has also treated us to meals, so I like them all, and Grandma Jiang, who cooks super delicious food..."
As she recounted the names of everyone who had fed her along the way, she couldn't help but swallow hard.
Looking at her greedy and shameless little face, Bai couldn't help but laugh and feel a little touched. No matter how much delicious food others gave her, she would always consider him the best friend in the world.
From birth, Jiaojiao has been by her side. Even though she is incredibly clumsy and has the mind of a child, she always has the heart of a mother, following her around every day and calling her "baby" incessantly, as if she really is her mother.
Now that she's grown up, Jiao Jiao is still as silly as ever, so it's time for her to take care of this idiot.
"Alright, wipe your drool." Bai Ye's tone was full of doting. She pinched Jiao Jiao's mouth and wiped it on her raincoat. "I'll order you a whole table full of food later. I guarantee you'll eat until your belly is round."
"Really? Can I order a super, super lot?" Jiao Jiao pressed on, her little eyes sparkling as she looked at Bai Ye.
“Of course, you can eat as much as you want,” Bai said in a low voice. “Anyway, we’re here to cause trouble. If we don’t have enough money to pay the bill, we just need to run fast enough.”
Jiaojiao giggled and laughed, "Yezai, it's so shameless of you to talk like that, haha, you're clearly just trying to dine and dash."
"Shh! No laughing, or the whole street will know we're going to dine and dash," Bai whispered a warning.
She had already noticed the subtle glances from the passersby around her, and quickened her pace as she hurried toward the luxurious restaurant with the words "I am very expensive" written on it.
The closer you get, the more you can feel the extraordinary grandeur of this restaurant.
Two jade-carved Qilin beasts stand guard at the entrance, one on the left and one on the right. The Qilins are majestic and their scales are clearly visible, showing that the sculptor was a master craftsman.
Two rows of servants, dressed in matching long gowns, stood neatly in front of the gate. Each of them was tall and upright, with handsome features and gentle smiles on their faces.
Bai Ye's gaze swept over the people standing in front of the door. These people had a calm aura and inner spiritual light, and the lowest level of cultivation was the Foundation Establishment stage.
With such cultivation, one would be qualified to become an inner disciple in some small sects, yet here one can only serve as a waiter to greet and see off guests.
The profound history of Baidi City is indeed unfathomable.
As she approached the door, the head waiter, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, came forward with a friendly and courteous smile, saying, "Fellow Daoist, please come in."
Bai followed the waiter into the restaurant and was almost overwhelmed by its magnificent interior.
Spirit lamps hung from the high ceiling, their soft light falling on the gleaming sandalwood floor, filling the air with an enticing aroma of sandalwood and exquisite spiritual delicacies.
Bai suddenly chuckled, as if he had thought of something happy.
Although the waiter was a little curious about what the customer was laughing about, he didn't say anything and silently led the way.
Jiaojiao asked curiously, "Yezai, what are you laughing at?"
Bai lowered his voice and said, "I just feel that if I pried up all this sandalwood, took it back, made beads into bracelets, and sold them, I could become rich."
After she finished speaking, she looked at the waiter and said, "Please arrange a private room for us, and bring us one of each of the restaurant's signature dishes."
Upon hearing this, the waiter bowed slightly with some difficulty and said, "I'm really sorry, fellow Daoist, all the private rooms in our shop require advance reservations and are currently full. There are only a few empty seats left in the corner of the main hall."
"Let's go to the main hall then," Bai said nonchalantly. "Please hurry up with the food, we're all starving."
"Alright! This way please!" The waiter led Bai Ye to a relatively quiet corner on one side of the hall. After she sat down at a carved wooden table, he quickly left.
After Bai sat down, his gaze subtly swept over his surroundings. The hall was almost full, with cultivators sitting in twos and threes, chatting and laughing in hushed tones.
In addition to the aroma of food, the air was filled with the delicate fragrance of tea and wine, as well as the spiritual energy emanating from the bodies of cultivators as they ate.
It seems the food at this restaurant must be quite good, otherwise it wouldn't attract so many cultivators to dine here.
As Bai Ye looked around, a group of people were also quietly observing her outside a private room on the second floor.
The leader was a young woman wearing a light purple fringed dress. She stood casually by the railing, her eyes filled with undisguised contempt.
"Looks like he's really poor. How can someone like that compete with Qingji?" Her voice clearly reached the ears of the group behind her.
The other young men and women surrounding her were all renowned geniuses in White Emperor City, and at this moment, they too were focusing their attention on Bai Ye.
A young man dressed in a gold-embroidered blue robe, with an air of arrogance in his eyes, spoke first, his tone flippant, "Is that her? She looks so ordinary, doesn't she? And she's carrying that silly-looking turtle."
Before he could finish speaking, a lively young girl in a light pink dress beside him frowned and retorted, "Cai Yuanxiu, I advise you to watch your words. You can't judge a book by its cover. If you look down on people, you'll be in big trouble."
Cai Yuanxiu glared at the woman who had spoken and sneered, "Hmph, what? Has Miss Sun taken a fancy to a country bumpkin from out of town?"
"you!"
"Alright! Sun Xi, Yuan Xiu, both of you should say less." Another male cultivator who looked more composed spoke up to smooth things over.
"Hmph, do you think you, Liu Dahai, can pretend to be a good person?" Sun Xi muttered discontentedly.
The man called Liu Dahai lowered his voice and said, "The main person is still eating downstairs. Why are you making such a racket? Are you afraid that people won't find you?"
The two who had been arguing finally shut up and temporarily ceased their bickering.
The gazes of the group seemed to drift unnoticed downstairs, watching the man and the turtle devour their food with great gusto.
Downstairs in the lobby, Bai seemed to be focused on the spiritual food in front of him, but in reality, he was keeping a close eye on everything around him.
She had a nagging feeling, as if someone was secretly watching her. She casually raised her eyes and quickly scanned the noisy lobby, instantly catching dozens of gazes that were either curious, inquisitive, or even a little disdainful.
All right...!
Bai sighed inwardly. There were quite a few people paying attention to them; no wonder she always felt uncomfortable.
Anyone would feel something if they were being secretly watched by dozens of people, right?
She lowered her eyes and looked at Jiao Jiao, who was standing upright on the table, her two little paws dancing in afterimages. She probably knew why she was being noticed.
It's normal for the people of Baidi City to be curious about such a big-eater turtle, as they've probably never seen one before.
Bai relaxed and focused on the delicious food in front of him.
On the third floor, outside a more secluded and elegant private room, two graceful women stood by the railing, taking in everything that was happening below.
A woman in a fiery red dress leaned lazily against the railing, a captivating smile playing on her lips. "With that silly look, she was watched all the way from the ancient city to here without even noticing. And she actually dared to venture alone into this treacherous White Emperor City? She's incredibly stupid."
Beside her stood a woman dressed in white, her entire demeanor as serene and aloof as moonlight, yet her bright eyes were filled with a gentle smile.
My gaze lingered on the figure downstairs, dressed in a tattered raincoat, vying for food with a little turtle, as if I couldn't get enough of looking at him.
The woman in white spoke softly: "She wants to grow up, she wants to learn to face and solve problems on her own. That in itself is already a kind of growing up."
The woman in red raised an eyebrow and turned her head to ask, "So we're really just going to ignore it? Let those brats below trip her up?"
The woman in white shifted her gaze slightly, landing on the group of young geniuses whispering on the second floor. "They're just a bunch of spoiled brats, their ambitions are sky-high, but their methods are limited. Using them as whetstones to hone their skills is just right."
"Alright~" the woman in red drawled, her smile growing increasingly alluring and mischievous, "But let me warn you, if your precious darling really gets bullied by these 'whetstones,' don't secretly feel sorry for her later~"
"I still remember that day when I received a gift from someone—that little tiger... "
"Liu! Xian! Yue! Shut up!" The woman in white interrupted the other person's unfinished words.
Two faint blushes appeared on her cheeks as she said, both ashamed and angry, "I should have brought Jiang Zhiming along too, so she could teach you a lesson."
"I was wrong, I was wrong, don't mention her." Liu Xianyue quickly admitted her mistake and muttered under her breath, "Speaking of which, how did this little tiger get herself into such a mess? She should have had some spirit stones in her pocket."
"She might have some plans," Zhong Jiuli said in a low voice.
Downstairs in the lobby, Bai Ye and Jiao Jiao finally put down their chopsticks with satisfaction. The two of them, one human and one turtle, moved in unison, letting out a long sigh of relief, and then raised their hands to touch their round bellies.
"Hiccup~" Jiao Jiao squinted her eyes with a look of intoxication and said in a smug tone, "Ye Zai, if I eat here every day, I feel like I can break through to the eleventh level very soon. The spiritual food here is so nourishing."
Bai nodded in agreement, then lowered his voice and teased, "Then we'd better loot the Bai family's treasure vault first, otherwise we won't have enough to eat here every day."
"Let's go, let's rob someone now!" Jiao Jiao cheered excitedly, and darted into Bai Ye's clothes, leaving only her little head sticking out for some fresh air.
Bai chuckled softly, amused by her. "Just kidding. Pay the bill first. Such delicious food shouldn't be eaten without paying. Otherwise, it would be a disservice to the chef's skills."
As soon as she stood up, the waiter who had led the way earlier greeted her with a smile, bowed slightly, and asked, "Fellow Daoist, have you had your meal? Are you satisfied?"
"Satisfied, very satisfied." Bai nodded with a smile, praising sincerely, "The taste is excellent, and the spiritual energy is abundant. I will come again next time. Please help me calculate the price."
"Thank you for your patronage. The total is 960,000 mid-grade spirit stones," the waiter said clearly and loudly.
"Young Master Duo?" Bai Ye stared wide-eyed in shock, somewhat doubting whether she had misheard. She even picked at her ear.
"Nine hundred and sixty thousand mid-grade spirit stones," the waiter repeated without changing his expression.
Bai also looked incredulous. She had thought it might be a bit expensive before she came, but she figured she had over a million low-grade spirit stones in her pocket, which should be enough for a meal.
The price was far beyond her expectations. Could this be a rip-off? A place that specializes in overcharging out-of-town customers?
The waiter, who was in charge of attracting and sending off guests, naturally had exceptional eyesight.
Seeing Bai Ye's shock, he patiently explained, "Fellow Daoist, you have ordered all of our restaurant's signature dishes, including nine dishes that use spirit beasts of the eighth rank or above as the main ingredient."
"There are six dishes made with the meat of tenth-level spirit beasts. The last dish, Silver Meat Soup, is made with the back meat of an eleventh-level flood dragon, supplemented with dozens of rare spiritual ingredients. It was carefully simmered by the master chef for a whole day. This one dish alone is quite valuable."
Of course, what the waiter didn't mention was that the guests in the main hall definitely couldn't order these dishes.
But this person was someone Miss Qin specifically requested to be treated well, so naturally... whatever she wanted was served to her.
Bai silently closed her open mouth. She looked around and then belatedly realized that most of the other diners' tables only had two or three dishes, accompanied by spirit wine and fragrant tea, which they ate slowly and carefully.
Their table was piled high with more than twenty empty plates.
Oh no.
Bai's heart skipped a beat. He really hadn't planned to dine and dash.
"If I said I'd pay a small deposit first, and then settle the rest once I get the spirit stones later, would you be very angry?" Bai Ye forced an awkward but polite smile and asked tentatively.
Upon hearing this, the waiter's professional smile vanished instantly, replaced by a chilling murderous aura.
"Guards! Someone's trying to dine and dash!"
That shout was earth-shattering.
A series of hurried footsteps came from all directions, and in an instant, dozens of guards surrounded Bai Ye from top to bottom.
The diners in the hall all cast gossipy glances. When they realized that the person surrounded was the straw-cloaked cultivator who had devoured his food with such gusto, everyone wore expressions of delight at the spectacle.
"See, I told you she couldn't afford to pay the bill. She really did come here to dine and dash."
"Tsk tsk, even if you get a beating after a meal like this, it's still a win. I'm just afraid you'll lose your life here..."
"Dare to dine and dash at the Bai family's restaurant? They're really courting death."
Whispers filled the lobby, and even Bai, who considered himself thick-skinned, couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed under everyone's gaze.
She cupped her hands in a gesture of respect to those around her and explained, "Gentlemen, there's a misunderstanding. I really didn't intend to dine and dash. It's just that I just arrived in Baidi City and don't have enough spirit stones on me to pay the bill. Could you please wait a few hours while I get the money and come back to pay?"
"Fellow Daoist, even if you were to use these words to deceive a three-year-old child, I'm afraid it would be hard to believe them, would it?" A deep male voice came from outside the crowd.
The crowd surrounding Bai Ye automatically parted to make way, and a middle-aged cultivator dressed in a dark blue brocade robe and wearing a jade crown stepped through the crowd and appeared in front of Bai Ye.
Bai also looked up at the newcomer. The man had a refined appearance, a smile on his lips, and a restrained aura. He seemed like a very approachable person.
"Are you the shopkeeper?" Bai asked.
“Not bad.” The shopkeeper nodded slightly, his smile unchanged, but his eyes turned cold. “Young friend, you have quite the nerve. You’ve just arrived in Baidi City and you dare to come to my Bai family’s restaurant to freeload.”
After saying that, he waved his hand lightly and ordered, "Take it down."
At his command, the auras of the surrounding guards instantly erupted, rushing straight towards Bai Ye.
On the third floor, two figures, one in red and one in white, still stood by the railing.
Looking down at Bai Ye, who was surrounded by people and whose face was red, Liu Xianyue chuckled and asked, "Aren't you going to help her? Your silly tiger is about to be tricked into a stupor."
"No rush, let's see what those people are up to first," Zhong Jiuli said calmly.
As the two were talking, a clear and melodious female voice came from the direction of the private room on the second floor.
"stop."
"It's just the cost of a meal, why make things difficult for her? Put it on my tab."
The guards who had rushed to Bai Ye's side suddenly stopped. They immediately suppressed their murderous aura and retreated to their previous positions like a tide, but still surrounded Bai Ye in the center.
Bai also looked up, his gaze fixed on the second floor.
Seeing the woman who had spoken earlier slowly emerge from the private room, standing gracefully beside the white jade railing, her eyes slightly lowered, looking down at Bai Ye who was surrounded by people, a faint smile playing on her lips.
"Judging from your appearance, fellow Daoist, you must have encountered some difficulties." Her voice was clear and melodious, carrying a natural sense of superiority. "It is fate that we meet today. Why not become friends? This simple meal is just a small token of my appreciation."
"It's Miss Qin! This person is really lucky." A diner recognized the woman and exclaimed in a low voice.
Even if Bai was slow to realize, he would have noticed something was wrong at this point.
She's not some Mary Sue heroine; she would never believe that someone would spend nearly a million mid-grade spirit stones just to befriend a stranger who looks poor and down on his luck, wearing a tattered straw raincoat.
In that instant, she quickly pieced together the whole story in her mind. From the moment she stepped into this restaurant, she must have fallen into someone's trap.
The inexplicably expensive ingredients, the sudden appearance of guards, and the person who came to their rescue were all likely orchestrated by someone.
I just don't know what these people are planning to do.
"Oh~ you're going to pay the bill for me?" Bai asked, tilting his head back.
Before the woman on the second floor could reply, she continued, "Can I order another one? My friend and I weren't full yet."
These words shocked everyone present.
The crowd erupted in disbelief and laughter.
Everyone was stunned by the shamelessness of this cultivator in the straw raincoat. He had eaten a meal worth a million spirit stones and then ate without paying. When someone came to his rescue, he not only showed no gratitude, but also dared to ask for another serving.
They... really want to try it too. Damn it, why doesn't this kind of good thing happen to them?
Qin Yanjing, on the second floor, twitched her lips slightly. She had anticipated all sorts of reactions from the other party, whether it was gratitude or suspicion, and they had made plans accordingly.
But I never expected them to give such a reply, shamelessly asking for another serving.
Does this country bumpkin think a million mid-grade spirit stones is a small sum? He even dares to order another one.
Seeing that the other party didn't respond for a while, Bai said in a voice that seemed very soft but could be heard by everyone: "So, you're not that rich after all."
These words, spoken lightly, carried a strong sense of provocation in Qin Yanjing's ears.
The group of young geniuses standing behind her were also dumbfounded, unsure of how to react.
The group had long been accustomed to being the pride of heaven, being fawned over and flattered all day long.
As they had envisioned, the poor monk downstairs, having received such a great favor, should have been moved to tears of gratitude on the spot, wishing he could become their lackey, obeying their every command and being eternally grateful.
Thus, their mission was half accomplished.
The next step is simply to bring this person to the Bai family so that the wise and powerful head of the Bai family can see him for himself.
How can someone who fawns over others for a little benefit be compared to Bai Qingji, the number one genius of Guzhou, who possesses innate integrity?
It's conceivable that someone as insightful and discerning as the Bai family head would look down on a descendant so easily bought off by petty gains, someone who can't even stand up straight.
Sun Xi, who had previously spoken up for Bai, couldn't help but chuckle. She looked down at the straw-cloaked cultivator who had been spouting nonsense, a hint of appreciation flashing in her eyes. "This person is quite interesting. She can even turn the tables on us. I really want to be friends with her."
"Sun Xi, are you crazy?" Cai Yuanxiu exclaimed. "She's our enemy, and you still want to be friends with her?"
“You’re wrong!” Sun Xi shook her head, her head full of jewels jingling. “She’s not my enemy. She has no grudge against us, so how could she be an enemy?”
“She came to Baidi City to seize Bai Qingji’s position as the young master, so naturally she is our enemy!” Cai Yuanxiu retorted.
"Fool! The Bai family isn't ruled by Bai Qingji!"
"Stop arguing, what time is it? Why are you still arguing?" Qin Yanjing said impatiently in a low voice.
She frowned slightly, pondering how to retort in a way that would maintain her composure and dignity as the eldest daughter of the Qin family.
Bai downstairs was too lazy to argue with them.
She turned her gaze to the shopkeeper beside her and said in a relaxed tone, "Hey, shopkeeper, now that someone has generously donated, shouldn't you take this place down? With so many people gathered around, the air isn't fresh anymore."
The innkeeper chuckled dryly and waved his hand behind his back. Upon seeing this, the guards immediately scattered and disappeared into various parts of the restaurant.
Bai nodded in satisfaction, then looked up again and waved to Miss Qin, who was standing on the second floor with a rather unpleasant expression, "Thanks, friend."
She smiled and added, "I'd like to treat you again next time, remember to bring more spirit stones."
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