Chapter 12 Visiting the Mountain Villa:
Inside the flower hall.
Rong Xie stood inside the small painted screen, brewing tea, and the aroma of herbal tea filled the air.
He couldn't help but think that Cui Xingmiao's current appearance and future appearance were very different, not in terms of facial features, but in terms of temperament.
The future Cui Xingmiao, dressed in flowing white robes, is otherworldly and resembles a Guanyin Bodhisattva untouched by worldly affairs; she is clearly a cultivator of extremely high spiritual attainment.
Because she was so detached from worldly affairs, Rong Xie found it hard to imagine what it was like when she was with Shen Bing Si.
Now, this imagination has a reference base.
The quirky girl patted a bunch of wildflowers into the arms of the young man beside her, a light smile on her face, and spoke to him without turning her head. There seemed to be a relaxed and tacit understanding between the two of them that no one else could penetrate.
Rong Xie's fingers tightened slightly around the teapot handle. He should be happy for his best friend. It was truly fortunate that he had made a lifelong companion so early in his journey through the martial world.
But for some reason, he just couldn't be happy.
This depressed mood has lasted for three days. From the moment he heard the name Fairy Xingmiao until Cui Xingmiao actually appeared in front of him, Rong Xie was in a state of turmoil and had to distract himself by busying himself with preparations for welcoming guests.
"Hiss." Rong Xie felt a prick in his hand holding the teacup and realized that the hot tea had overflowed. He quickly made a talisman to wipe the water from the teacup and the table, and carried three cups of hot tea to the flower hall to serve tea to Shen Bingsi and Cui Xingmiao.
The flower hall was quiet. Shen Bingsi and Cui Xingmiao hadn't spoken since earlier, but Rong Xie didn't notice anything amiss; he was too preoccupied with his own thoughts.
In fact, Cui Xingmiao and Shen Bingsi had just exchanged brief physical gestures, which, although not very friendly, conveyed their meaning to each other.
Shen Bingsi added a last-minute rule forbidding Cui Xingmiao from touching Rong Xie. Cui Xingmiao found it hilarious and planned to start touching him during the pulse diagnosis, exploring all of Shen Bingsi's private parts.
"Manager Rong, there's really no need to be so polite. I'll pour the tea myself... Hmm, what kind of tea is this? It smells so good!" Cui Xingmiao picked up the teacup and was immediately filled with the refreshing fragrance of flowers and herbs.
"Be careful, it's hot," Rong Xie said with a smile.
"Hmm, perhaps Manager Rong could tell me about the origin of this tea? It seems to be flower tea," Cui Xingmiao asked, looking at the small flower petals floating up and down in the tea.
"It's a herbal tea made with spirit cage grass and jasmine flowers," Rong Xie stated the recipe directly.
Once the tea had cooled slightly, Cui Xingmiao eagerly took a sip. Her brows relaxed, and a look of surprise and delight appeared on her face: "This taste is amazing! Manager Rong, you're truly remarkable. How did you know that spirit cage grass and jasmine flowers could create such a wonderful flavor!"
“Miss Cui is skilled in herbs and likes this flavor; she will be able to make a concoction for you sooner or later,” Rong Xie said with a smile, but inwardly sighed.
Because this recipe comes from the comments section of the novel "Offering the World to the Overlord" from my dream.
Rong Xie glanced at it and saw that a reader named "Fairy's Lackey" had compiled a list of Xingmiao Fairy's preferences, one of which was a herbal tea made with Linglong grass and jasmine flowers.
No other teahouse in the world today can replicate this flavor, because this is a herbal tea that Cui Xingmiao blended according to her own taste at some point in the future.
When Rong Xie first heard that "Fairy Xingmiao has come to visit Huanxue Manor," he had to exert a lot of effort to keep himself standing. He used his strong self-control to deal with the call, and only after the golden light on the jade pendant faded did he slowly squat down, leaning against the wall.
Just as Rong Xie was about to work hard to cultivate and take that dream as a reminder from the Heavenly Mirror to urge Shen Bing Si on, reality ruthlessly slapped him in the face.
Why, why did Shen Bingsi, who never brings anyone home as a guest, bring someone home?
Why Xingmiao Fairy in particular? She was the most extraordinary and ethereal of Shen Bingsi's confidantes, and the one who occupied the most significant place in his remarkable life.
During the fifteen days that Rong Xie worried about Shen Bingsi's potential danger after leaving in anger, Shen Bingsi spent the time happily with Fairy Xingmiao, and didn't even bother to answer his calls.
Rong Xie drifted from the study to the bedroom like a ghost, then back to the study, not knowing what he was doing or what he should do next... until two high-ranking disciples who came to take the livestock back knocked on the door barrier.
After three busy days, Rong Xie felt that he had calmed down.
But I still couldn't resist the masochistic act of brewing the recipe from my dream, wanting to verify if even the details of this future were exactly the same.
"Manager Rong?" A clear and melodious female voice came from beside him, and Rong Xie suddenly came back to his senses, meeting a pair of curious eyes.
"Um?"
"How did Manager Rong know I was good at herbs?" Cui Xingmiao tilted her head curiously.
“Uh…” Rong Xie immediately tensed up. Didn’t Cui Xingmiao mention that she was good at herbal medicine? Sure enough, you can’t talk about things in dreams. Luckily, he had a quick idea. “Because the Second Young Master said that you are a medical cultivator, I guessed that you should also be good at herbal medicine.”
“I see,” Cui Xingmiao glanced at Shen Bingsi with a smile. “I thought he would talk about me in private too.”
Shen Bingsi gave Cui Xingmiao a strange look.
Watching the two interacting in secret, Rong Xie felt that subtle bittersweet feeling well up in his heart again.
After enjoying tea and chatting about life at Huanxue Manor, Cui Xingmiao suddenly became interested and talked about how she and Shen Bingsi met in the Dragon Cave. They each had another name, and although they recognized each other, they pretended not to know each other, which was quite funny.
Cui Xingmiao smiled with tears welling up in her eyes, glancing frequently at Shen Bingsi, before turning to Rong Xie and saying that it was at that moment that she first met Rong Xie.
“Seeing is believing,” Cui Xingmiao said with a smile. “Shen Bingsi always talks about how his best friend is, how knowledgeable and reliable he is. I thought he was just a bookworm, but I never expected him to be such a considerate and beautiful woman.”
"Really?" Rong Xie thought, so this is how Shen Bingsi evaluates him in other people's eyes. It's a very normal evaluation, the kind of evaluation Shen Bingsi would give to her best friend: "Your life outside sounds very exciting."
“It’s really interesting! Actually, I’ve always been curious why Shen Bingsi doesn’t take you with him. You know so much, deciphering ancient cryptic texts is as easy as eating and drinking. If you come with our expedition team, we’ll treat you like a treasure.” Cui Xingmiao turned back to look at Shen Bingsi again, as if seeking his opinion.
Shen Bingsi... indeed never mentioned taking Rong Xie out.
The adventures outside were only mentioned in the stories told during their nightly chats after returning home, as well as the batches of antiques and rare treasures that Shen Bingsi brought back. When Rong Xie sorted through these "specialties" that Shen Bingsi brought back, he couldn't help but imagine where they were stored.
It wasn't until the last time the images were transmitted from one heart to another that Rong Xie saw such a large dragon cave for the first time, along with the dusty and disheveled exploration team and the mysterious cave revealed behind the stone gate... He had no idea what was inside.
"That's because... my magic power is weak, I can't be of much help, and I might even be a hindrance," Rong Xie explained himself. "Besides, I don't like going out myself."
"Oh, is that so?" Cui Xingmiao said with a hint of regret. "But Huanxue Manor is indeed very nice. If I had a manor like that, I wouldn't want to leave. By the way, Steward Rong, could you show me around the manor?"
Rong Xie breathed a slight sigh of relief: "Of course."
It was said that Rong Xie was leading the tour, but in reality, Cui Xingmiao was just looking around and stopping to ask Rong Xie questions whenever she encountered something that piqued her curiosity.
The villa was kept spotless and in perfect order by Rong Xie, and the flowers, plants and trees in the courtyard were also trimmed just right. Cui Xingmiao praised it every time she went there.
As she walked, Cui Xingmiao turned into a small courtyard. Weeping crabapple trees grew under the eaves, like flower-made tassel curtains, half-concealing two wooden doors facing each other behind them.
"Huh, this porch is interesting. What is this place?" Cui Xingmiao lightly leaped up the steps, looking to the left and then to the right.
"This is... the bedroom." Rong Xie was slightly embarrassed. Although people from the martial arts world are generally bold and unrestrained, it was still a bit inappropriate to visit the bedroom of a woman.
His reminder had an effect. Cui Xingmiao didn't go any further. She turned around, put her hands behind her back, jumped down the steps, and laughed, "Then I won't tour it. But you guys are sleeping in separate rooms?"
"Huh...?" Rong Xie was caught off guard by the question.
"I thought you would follow the example of those famous figures of ancient times, eating at the same table and sleeping in the same bed with your close friends," Cui Xingmiao said with a meaningful smile.
"..." Rong Xie's ears burned slightly, and he subconsciously denied it, "I'll be able to rest better if we're apart."
"So, sleeping together means you won't get a good rest?" Cui Xingmiao suddenly leaned closer and whispered in Rong Xie's ear.
Rong Xie was startled, realizing that he had said something with a big flaw, and his body went cold. By the time he came to his senses, Cui Xingmiao had already walked away with a grin.
Rong Xie couldn't help but glance at Shen Bingsi with concern.
Shen Bingsi frowned the whole time, remaining silent, and her gaze towards Cui Xingmiao was also very strange. Rong Xie felt that he might have misunderstood; it was like... a case of hysteria?
Perhaps this is how people who are close to each other look at each other.
Turning out of the backyard, the three of them followed a path to the front yard.
“I just saw it,” Cui Xingmiao exclaimed, looking up at the tall, weeping plum tree in the courtyard. “It’s magnificent.”
Although the blooming season has passed, one can still glimpse the splendor of the past from the remaining flower branches.
"Living in a place like this, what an idyllic life!" She stretched out her arms, enjoying the moment. Suddenly, a fragrant aroma wafted to her nose, and Cui Xingmiao perked up. "What's that smell? Is there a food stall outside?"
Rong Xie replied, "The kitchen is just ahead. If Miss Cui is hungry, please sit in the courtyard for a while."
"It's the kitchen." Cui Xingmiao looked slightly embarrassed.
"Miss Cui, would you like to dine here?" Rong Xie asked. "You can dine in the flower hall as well."
"Ah...no." Although Cui Xingmiao had a good impression of Rong Xie, looking at his frail appearance and his thin, delicate fingers, he didn't seem like someone who could cook. Even if he was clever, it would be difficult for him to prepare a large banquet. That would require real skill. The chefs who were in charge of cooking were all strong and muscular, wielding iron woks with ease. It didn't seem like the clean-cut and elegant young man in front of her could do that.
Even someone who can't cook can manage if they try, it's just a bit more work for the person eating. Before she came, Shen Bingsi had told her to eat as much as possible and finish the food, regardless of whether it suited her taste or not.
"..." Just thinking about this task made Cui Xingmiao feel immense pressure. "I'm not very hungry right now, how about we eat later?"
Before she could finish speaking, her stomach started growling.
The atmosphere became somewhat awkward.
“It’s already noon, time for lunch.” Rong Xie didn’t know what Cui Xingmiao was worried about, so he gave her a way out.
“Well… alright, let’s do it there!” Cui Xingmiao pointed to the stone table under the weeping plum tree.
Rong Xie went into the kitchen, and Shen Bing Si tried to follow, but Cui Xing Miao grabbed the hem of her coat.
"Where are you going?" Cui Xingmiao asked Shen Bingsi in a low voice. "No private communication allowed."
"How long are you going to play? Finish your meal and get your pulse checked, then you can leave." Shen Bingsi had been holding back from speaking to Rong Xie, and seeing Rong Xie's pale face and unsteady gait, she was about to explode. This time, she finally got the chance and unleashed her anger on Cui Xingmiao.
"Cough cough..." Actually, Cui Xingmiao also felt a little reluctant, but she had her reasons for doing so. If she wasn't mistaken, Rong Xie had a serious problem.
The atmosphere was tense when Cui Xingmiao suddenly looked up: "Manager Rong, what is this? It smells so good!"
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