Chapter 932 The Fairy's Gift?
Ouyang Rong glanced at Li Shu, then at the camellia chicken that she had just handed over.
There was silence for a moment.
Li Shu's sudden act of stepping forward to hand over something also attracted the attention of those around her.
Unlike Ouyang Rong, whose gaze was fixed intently on Li Shu and Camellia Chicken.
Most of them looked on with curiosity, and some were puzzled about the identity of this short-legged little girl.
Only a small group of people, such as Madam Chen, Madam Sun, and Madam Zhu, who were senior members of the family, straightened their expressions and respectfully clasped their hands in greeting:
"Li Xiaoxianzi".
Li Wan, Lu Jinghong, Yu Mili, and the others then realized what was happening and looked at Li Shu with expressions of sudden realization.
Song Zhian, who had been calm, turned her head to look at her, her eyes revealing a sharpness that she couldn't hide. She stared intently at the little girl.
Li Shu is the same as Liu Qing and Chen Jiaxin.
She is also a direct disciple of the Queen's Palace. If she doesn't die young, she will be the future Queen, able to enter the palace with a sword and hide her name.
The camellia chickens on the ground seemed to sense the invisible "killing intent" and spread their wings to escape.
But in the next instant, the little girl pulled him back without him even turning around.
Li Shu pushed the thin rope forward, rolled her eyes, glanced at Ouyang Rong, and gestured:
"Here you are."
Her small face was serious, and she added as if it were a matter of great importance:
"Liu Aliang, take this and make soup. Don't let my kindness and nurturing go to waste."
"..."
Ouyang Rong was somewhat speechless.
With many people around, Ouyang Rong couldn't question her, so he simply took the "ladder" that the little girl had swiftly handed over.
Li Wan stared blankly, seemingly not expecting such a thing to happen.
This is something she couldn't accomplish even after trying to bribe her with money and gifts.
Yu Mili and Sha Ergou looked at each other in bewilderment.
Lu Jinghong looked at Ouyang Rong with a complicated expression.
Song Zhian remained silent, her gaze fixed on the camellia chicken tethered by a thin thread, without uttering a word.
The dinner at Qingliang Valley Dining Hall couldn't be delayed any longer, and Madam Sun couldn't wait any longer. After some gentle urging, Ouyang Rong followed her back to the dining hall.
The group said their goodbyes temporarily outside the warehouse.
Li Wan, Song Zhian, Sha Ergou and their group left first, having other plans, so as not to disturb Brother Liu's new job.
Li Shu, who was biting her thumb, has disappeared again. I wonder if she went to catch a new friend.
About 15 minutes later.
Ouyang Rong re-entered the Qingliang Valley Dining Hall.
Upon arriving in the familiar surroundings, everything seemed largely unchanged.
But his identity has changed.
The attitude of Sun and other older women towards him also changed completely.
This is not something that can be completely reversed simply because the Sixth Lady wanted to drink the chicken soup cooked by "Master Liang".
If Ouyang Rong's guess is correct.
Someone in Lantang, who was in charge of all the miscellaneous tasks for the clan, also relented and spoke up.
The most likely explanation right now is that Li Shu will help out of loyalty.
I almost misunderstood her today. I thought she was just trying to trick her "good friend" because she was craving something sweet.
Unexpectedly, this little girl knew in advance and brought him a camellia chicken early on, so it would be convenient to make soup.
Inside the dining hall, fires were lit on the stoves, and the air began to get hot and dry.
Ouyang Rong temporarily composed himself and, together with the others, began preparing dinner.
Madam Sun kept her promise and handed over the frontmost stove, which she used frequently, to Ouyang Rong.
From then on, he took charge of cooking here, responsible for the daily meals of the Yue women in the vicinity of Qingliang Valley.
Having such a position made it convenient for Ouyang Rong to do many things.
It's just a pity that if the purchasing team goes down the mountain next month, he, as the cook in the kitchen, probably won't be able to go along using his status as a handyman.
But there's always a way out. Let's take it one step at a time. Who knows, a new path might emerge by then.
Despite not having cooked for many days, Ouyang Rong's culinary skills showed no signs of rust.
Fifteen minutes before dinner time, a pot of hot chicken soup was ready, along with a simple large pot of rice, and tonight's dinner was prepared.
Seeing this, Madam Sun, who had been watching from the sidelines, breathed a sigh of relief.
She brought Wu Cui over, packed the jar of chicken soup into a food box, and happily delivered it to Ouyang Rong, who was watching her go.
Ouyang Rong took off his dirty apron, looked around the relaxed and quiet dining hall, then glanced at the greasy stove in front of him, and narrowed his eyes slightly...
It was evening, and dinnertime had passed.
It was time for Qingliang Valley Dining Hall to close for the day.
While packing his things, Ouyang Rong chatted with his acquaintance, Madam Zhu.
Taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, Madam Zhu covered her mouth with her hand and whispered:
"Ah Liang, it seems your gamble of cooking for Fairy Li last time paid off. I heard that one of the fairies in charge of us at Lantang said something that seemed to be criticizing Sun for treating you that way... Then, news came from Qiutang that the Six Goddesses returned to Jianze and mentioned the chicken soup you made..."
At this point, Madam Zhu began to have doubts:
"This doesn't seem like a coincidence; someone must be helping you behind the scenes..." She was a seasoned veteran of the dining hall, analyzing the situation meticulously. "Plus, Fairy Li brought you camellia chicken today, so it's most likely her..."
Ouyang Rong listened quietly without saying a word.
At one point, I caught a glimpse of a short, dark figure flashing past the entrance of the dining hall.
Ouyang Rong took the initiative to end the conversation, bid farewell to Zhu, and left.
In a grove of trees, Ouyang Rong found Li Shu, who loved to wander off.
He got straight to the point:
"Did you know about what happened to me today beforehand?"
Li Shu put her small hands behind her back and looked up at the sky:
"Mmm, mmm mmm."
A proud little swan's silhouette from behind.
It seems like he's seeking praise.
Upon seeing this, Ouyang Rong couldn't help but chuckle.
Looking at her retreating figure, I thought for a moment and then praised her:
"I never expected the little fairy to have such a clever mind. Amazing, amazing."
Li Shu glanced at him and nodded her little head proudly.
A few moments later, she realized that the praise felt a little strange.
"Um?"
The little girl turned her head suspiciously and looked at him.
Ouyang Rong didn't give her time to think, and gently patted her shoulder:
"Thank you, little fairy."
Li Shu felt a little embarrassed by the praise.
She turned around, scratched her head, and said:
"Liu Aliang, actually, you should also thank someone. Luckily, she told me about it."
Ouyang Rong paused completely.
He glanced at Li Shu and asked calmly:
"Who? What did they say to you?"
Li Shu bit her thumbnail and muttered:
"I don't know if you know her. Her name is Chen Jiaxin. She is Fifth Uncle's disciple and is a bit older than me. Master Axe told me to call her 'elder sister,' but I clearly entered the sect first, before her and Liu Qing. They should be calling me 'senior sister,' um, Senior Sister Li, or Senior Sister Xiaoshu, hehe."
Ouyang Rong was quiet for a while.
She nodded slowly: "That makes sense, Senior Sister Xiaoshu."
Li Shu waved her hand: "You don't have to call me that, just call me Xiao Shu. We're just drinking buddies, loyalty comes first!" She stood on tiptoe and patted Ouyang Rong's shoulder generously, earnestly admonishing him: "Remember, if you have a bite to eat, I'll have a good meal too. That's called sharing weal and woe, weathering the storm together."
Ouyang Rong: "..."
He pondered for a moment, then tried to process the meaning: "Wine, drinking buddies?"
“That’s right!” Li Shu’s face was unusually serious, and she gave a whole set of reasons: “Master Fu said that fair-weather friends are not a good term, but I think that fair-weather friends are practically life-or-death friends, the best friends in the world, almost without exception!”
Ouyang Rong had some dark lines on his forehead.
Could you please stop using idioms indiscriminately?
He couldn't quite keep up with this little girl's train of thought; he didn't know if she was just too abstract or if he was simply getting old.
Ouyang Rong composed himself and asked seriously:
"What did Chen Jiaxin say to you?"
Li Shu tilted her head and said:
"This Xiao Chen, I don't know how she found out about you, she suddenly came to me and asked if I wanted to help you, she has an idea..."
"What idea?"
"Sixth Martial Uncle returned yesterday. I went to visit him with her and mentioned the chicken soup. That might be why you're in this situation today..."
Ouyang Rong listened quietly, his brows gradually furrowing.
He then remembered what Madam Zhu had just said.
Currently, it seems that not only Liu Nv Jun's side, but also Chen Jiaxin's side has made efforts.
On Lantang's side, Chen Jiaxin also secretly provided assistance.
Ouyang Rong recalled the respectful way Madam Chen addressed Chen Jiaxin in the warehouse that day.
As he listened, at one point, he rubbed his face and murmured to himself:
"The Nine Clans of this small town wield considerable influence within Sword Swamp... But why did she help me? She hasn't come to see me these past two days, and I thought the matter was over. Turns out she was making arrangements behind the scenes..."
What are you muttering about?
"fine."
Ouyang Rong shook his head and glanced at the little girl with her head tilted in front of him.
He said seriously:
"The little fairy is very loyal."
Li Shu nodded in satisfaction, put her hands behind her back, and walked away with her head held high in a proud posture.
He left behind a piece of advice that sounded like that of an elder:
"Liu Aliang, keep up the good work."
Ouyang Rong: ...
After Li Shu left, Ouyang Rong did not leave immediately. He stood there, deep in thought.
That night, after the accident in the warehouse, Chen Jiaxin must have inquired about his situation thoroughly when she got back.
They must be fully aware of his predicament.
That's why he was able to mobilize energy so precisely to help him.
Doing so is most likely an act of goodwill, rather than an intention to do something malicious.
Anyway, the worst-case scenario is that we make an equal exchange with him, and he comes back to ask for a price.
As long as it could solve his immediate problem, Ouyang Rong felt that it wasn't impossible to talk about it.
"It's coming."
He muttered to himself.
If nothing unexpected happens, they will come looking for us soon.
In this world, every gift comes with a price.
Unless she genuinely wants to do good deeds anonymously.
But... she is Chen Jiaxin.
Ouyang Rong shook his head, turned around and left.
...
When Ouyang Rong returned, the moon had already risen high in the sky.
It's getting late.
Back in the courtyard, as I unlocked the door, I heard noises coming from the neighboring courtyard.
"Ah Liang, you're back?"
"Brother Liu!"
Li Wan, Lu Jinghong, and their group just came out.
Song, Yu, and Sha are still alive.
They looked like they had just finished eating.
"Ah Liang, are you done with your work? Have you eaten yet?"
Li Wan smiled and said, "We just had a quick meal. We saw you were busy, so we didn't want to bother you. After all, today is a good day for your promotion."
“Yes.” Sha Ergou nodded, rubbing his full stomach.
Yu Mili asked curiously:
"Brother Liu, do you have extra delicious food when you eat in the dining hall?"
Ouyang Rong shook his head:
"No, I just grabbed a quick bite."
With Sha Ergou around, Lu Jinghong rarely spoke, but at this moment, he couldn't help but ask:
"Brother Liu, did Li Shu help you today? It seems you two are quite familiar."
Song Zhian nodded slightly, observing Ouyang Rong:
"When I heard them say that you were implicated and punished because of her, I thought she was deliberately setting you up. But now it seems that it was just collateral damage, and she still remembers your kindness."
Sha Ergou muttered, "He's still loyal enough, otherwise he'd be too mean."
Yu Mili said happily, "Now it's great! Brother Liu is back in the dining hall and has become the head chef. We're going to be in for a treat! Brother Liu, could you cook some special meals for us too? We'll prepare the ingredients."
She looked at him expectantly, and Ouyang Rong had no choice but to nod in agreement.
Li Wan, standing to the side, couldn't hide her envy in her eyes:
“Ah Liang is a blessed man. This time, he truly turned misfortune into fortune, or rather, fortune favors the bold. Not only did he get a promotion in the dining hall, but he also gained a close friendship with a direct disciple of the Queen's Palace. Although Ah Liang already has a good younger sister, so he doesn't need to focus too much on this, the more the merrier…”
In fact, they are two direct disciples of the Queen's Palace.
Ouyang Rong resisted the urge to correct him and responded somewhat woodenly, like a silent gourd.
Everyone got used to it and didn't take it to heart. Instead, they thought he was honest and reliable.
Ouyang Rong felt Lu Jinghong's gaze and turned to look at him, only to find that Lu's eyes were looking at him with some complexity.
I don't know what came to mind.
As everyone exchanged pleasantries and parted ways, Ouyang Rong, who had been nagging Sha Ergou, slowed down and fell to the back of the crowd, giving Lu Jinghong a heavy pat on the shoulder.
Ouyang Rong gave him an encouraging look.
Everyone turned to look, and Lu Jinghong was also taken aback for a moment, then clasped his hands in a gesture of respect, somewhat moved.
"Congratulations, Brother Liu. I had some mental issues a few days ago and made a fool of myself in some things, but I will be more down-to-earth from now on."
He faced Ouyang Rong and spoke solemnly.
Lu Jinghong kept his eyes straight ahead and didn't look at Song Zhian.
It's unclear whether Ouyang Rong's words were meant for others.
Ouyang Rong nodded without changing his expression.
After seeing off Song, Yu, Lu, and Sha with Li Wan, they returned to their own courtyard.
With no one around, he looked somewhat embarrassed.
Actually, the reason he couldn't help but pat him on the shoulder to encourage him was because he was reminded of the ancestral grave of Lu Jinghong's family.
This exploitation... seems a bit excessive. Seeing that Young Master Lu is currently in a slump, being tormented by Sha Ergou to the point of questioning his existence, and exuding an aura of deep resentment as he walks, Ouyang Rong couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt.
However, this feeling of guilt did not last long. After a short while, Ouyang Rong, alone in the empty courtyard, nodded with emotion and murmured to himself:
"If I don't go to hell, who will? Young Master Lu, I need to help you explore that door first..."
(End of this chapter)
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