As the weather gets colder, fewer traveling merchants are coming and going, and many people are checking out of the inn to prepare for the New Year. Compared to the past, the inn is much quieter.
However, this is only relative to the past; attractions such as the Holy Spring still require queuing.
Many guests are used to the life in the guesthouse, especially the spring-like temperature all year round, and simply move their whole families here to celebrate the holidays.
"Wow, it's going to snow the day after tomorrow!" An Ge said with some surprise after looking at the weather forecast. She had lived in the south in her previous life and had never seen snow before, so she couldn't help but look forward to the day after tomorrow.
"Hu Jiu, let's go out and take a look tomorrow. The heavy snow will continue from the day after tomorrow, and it will be too late if we don't go out now."
An Ge felt somewhat annoyed at the thought of her trip being interrupted. She had originally thought that she could leave once Gu Wen was arrested, but it turned out that the Shadow Pavilion still had a considerable amount of remaining power. For her safety, An Ge had no choice but to abandon her plans.
Now that Lu Yan is watching over the inn, there's nothing to worry about even if I leave.
Hu Jiu also wanted some time alone with An Ge, so he readily agreed, "Then I'll have the kitchen prepare more food?" He remembered that An Ge wasn't used to eating out, and now that they had space, he wasn't worried about carrying food.
Unexpectedly, An Ge shook her head. "I'm not that delicate. Besides, Yun Mo said that many inns in Huai Xi City sell things and their cooking skills have improved a lot. I'd like to try them out."
Hu Jiu found Chang Jin and arranged matters related to the inn. Just as he was about to return, he thought for a moment and found Chef Wei, asking him to prepare several dishes that An Ge liked and put them in his space.
After the inn was upgraded, his alchemy space became usable again. Although it was not as big as before, it was still enough to store some things.
Lu Yan watched Hu Jiu busily packing his things and was somewhat surprised. "You're only going out for one day, are you planning to empty the entire inn?"
Hu Jiu rolled her eyes at Lu Yan, ignoring his sarcasm, and said while packing, "The shopkeeper will find it difficult to get used to many of the items if they are changed, so we're bringing them along just in case."
"Considering that the young master of the demon race is so thoughtful, if those you have harmed were to see you like this, they would definitely think you have been possessed."
Hu Jiu threw a pillow at him, "What do you mean by 'I've ruined you'? I haven't done anything immoral."
"Why are you taking this so seriously? You used to never care what others said, didn't you?" Lu Yan snatched the pillow, his eyes darting around, a mischievous smile on his face. "Are you afraid the manager will find out about your past misbehavior and how you were a troublemaker?"
Hu Jiu, his secret exposed, looked at Lu Yan with displeasure.
"No, really? Just because of this? Hahahaha!" Lu Yan laughed wildly, tears streaming down his face. "I really can't believe that the unruly Lord Hu Jiu would be afraid of this. This is even more unbelievable than finding a divine artifact in an inn."
"Have you laughed enough?" Hu Jiu said through gritted teeth.
"Cough, cough!" Lu Yan saw Hu Jiu's increasingly dangerous gaze and quickly suppressed a laugh. His injuries hadn't healed yet, and he really didn't dare to provoke this man whose secret had been exposed.
Lu Yan coughed twice and asked seriously, "Are you serious?"
"I've never been more serious than this!"
"Hehe, if you become powerful because of your wife, you'll have to protect your brother!"
"Get out of here. Now is not the time to think about this. I don't want her to know my thoughts, so as not to cause her any trouble."
Lu Yan curled his lip. Don't think he didn't know; Hu Jiu had already put all the males who approached the store manager on a danger list. "Just keep being stubborn!"
He'd heard that the store manager had been praising Chi Mu a lot lately, saying that she was truly gentle and kind inside and out. Given the store manager's personality, she wouldn't suspect anything unless pointed out directly. Hu Jiu, that pretentious guy, would get what's coming to him later.
Chi Mu walked into the field and, unsurprisingly, saw An Ge again. After a while, he lost his initial restraint and, knowing that she was cultivating, stood at a distance, not wanting to disturb her.
"Huh? Chi Mu, when did you get here?" After some time, An Ge came back to her senses from her cultivation and saw Chi Mu's figure. "Why didn't you call me in this cold weather? You're just feeling a bit better, don't catch a cold again."
Chi Mu's gentle voice rang out, "I just arrived too. I heard that the store manager is going out with Manager Hu tomorrow, and I happen to have some things I'd like to discuss with you."
As An Ge and Chi Mu walked towards the inn, An Ge asked, "What's wrong?"
"The store manager mentioned that the Winter Solstice and New Year's Day are approaching. Originally, Manager Hu's idea was to give everyone dumplings for free, but I think we could add some more."
Hearing this, An Ge became interested, as she was wondering how to make the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays more lively in a way that suited local conditions.
"Huaixi City is located near the northern lands, and the winters are cold with little entertainment. Many people use ice to carve things, which has gradually become a craft. The shopkeeper might as well hold a craft competition, which can also liven up the whole of Huaixi City."
An Ge became more and more excited as she listened: "Ice sculptures!" She had seen many videos of ice sculptures in her previous life, but always regretted not being able to see them in person.
"What the store manager said isn't wrong. Ice sculpture is a good name. What do you think, store manager?"
An Ge and his brother playfully punched Chi Mu on the shoulder. "That's a great idea! It'll start snowing the day after tomorrow, and the ice will be really thick then. Let's hold the 'First Immortal Inn Ice Sculpture Competition.' You're such a top student, your thinking is so ahead of its time."
Chi Mu didn't know what a top student was, and he was used to the shop manager occasionally using words he didn't understand, but they were always meant to praise him. Thinking of this, Chi Mu was overjoyed.
"I approached the store manager this time because I wanted him to take advantage of his absence to promote this event."
"Don't worry, leave it to me. I'll have Chef Sun print some flyers. By the way, I heard you still tutor Xiao Chen and the others regularly?"
Chi Mu nodded. "Those children haven't received much education, and they sometimes fall short in their conduct and behavior, so I'll try to teach them more when I have time. These children are all very smart, especially Xiao Chen. If he studies hard, he might excel in the imperial examinations... It was my own initiative."
"How could that be? Just do what you think is right. I'm just worried that you'll get tired because you're busy with the supermarket every day and have to teach in your spare time."
"These don't require too much mental effort."
An Ge paused for a moment. She had been overthinking things. This person wasn't just a top student, but a genius. Thinking of the library that hadn't been set up yet, she mysteriously tilted her head back and said, "You can work at the supermarket for a while longer. Later, I'll give you a different job that I guarantee you'll like."
This reward was obtained because of Chi Mu. An Ge plans to place it when the inn is upgraded, and then it would be better to hand it over to him for management.
Chi Mu was a little curious, "Then I'll have to look forward to it."
When Hu Jiu found An Ge, he saw the two of them chatting and laughing.
Since Hu Jiu came to his senses, he stopped interfering with An Ge's friendships. He knew that with An Ge's personality, she wouldn't have any ulterior motives towards them.
But Chi Mu is different.
Based on his understanding of An Ge, he knew her to be gentle, refined, and a true gentleman—qualities she admired. He had tried to emulate these qualities, but a facade was a facade; no matter how he tried to disguise it, he couldn't fake genuine humility.
Chi Mu undoubtedly gave him a great sense of crisis!
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