After Mo Huaiyuan's visit, life seemed to return to its previous rhythm, but with some differences.
The courtyard now has a pot of white orchids, and the tea caddy in the study has some rock tea that Mo Huaiyuan gave us. It seems that there is a bit more human warmth from the comings and goings of fellow Daoists.
Zhang Shaozhong, the "head of the household," continues to struggle between managing daily necessities and serving the two powerful figures.
Early that morning, he was preparing breakfast in the kitchen, the sizzling sound of fried eggs and the aroma of toast filling the air.
Ye Meier followed the scent and wandered in, still sleepy-eyed, wearing a silk slip dress. Without any hesitation, she snuggled onto Zhang Shaozhong's back, resting her chin on his shoulder, and lazily hummed:
"Dear homeowner, what's for breakfast this morning? I'm so hungry!"
"My lord, I want to eat meat!!!" She gently bit Zhang Shaozhong's ear!
With a soft, fragrant body against his back, Zhang Shaozhong's hand trembled, and he almost dropped the spatula used for frying eggs.
He could clearly feel the sleepy, soft, and slightly coquettish emotional fluctuations emanating from Ye Meier, which made his heart skip a beat.
"Big...Big sister, please go outside first, there's a lot of smoke! It'll be ready soon!"
Zhang Shaozhong frantically tried to push her away.
"No way!"
Ye Meier hugged him even tighter, deliberately breathing into his ear, "I love watching you busy yourself for me~ It really feels like 'home'~"
Just then, Ling Qingxue appeared at the kitchen doorway, holding an empty water glass, seemingly there to get some water.
She looked at the two people who were almost touching in the kitchen, her face calm and expressionless, but Zhang Shaozhong's clumsy "emotional radar" instantly caught a very subtle, fleeting, cold displeasure, like a small ice spike.
Ling Qingxue said nothing, only glanced at them indifferently, took the water, and turned to leave.
But that moment of low pressure still sent a chill down Zhang Shaochong's spine.
"Look at him! That hypocrite is jealous again!"
Instead of restraining herself, Ye Meier chuckled smugly and quickly kissed Zhang Shaozhong on the cheek before slipping out of the kitchen like a cat stealing cream.
Zhang Shaozhong touched the spot on his face where he had been kissed, looked at the almost burnt fried egg in the pan, and felt like crying.
The job of being a master of balancing things is getting harder and harder!
Why doesn't this chaotic energy give him the option to block emotional perception?!
Besides the minor emotional frictions, Zhang Shaozhong's chaotic energy has also recently started to show some signs of temper.
After absorbing the energy of the stone marrow and growing much stronger, the chaotic energy no longer seemed satisfied with merely passively nourishing his body.
It became... more "picky" about food.
Previously, it didn't care what Zhang Shaozhong ate. But now, if he eats too much greasy, spicy, or obviously unhealthy junk food, such as a certain brand of spicy strips that Ye Meier loves.
The chaotic energy would become somewhat sluggish, its circulation would be less smooth, and it might even give Zhang Shaozhong a vague sense of "dislike" and "discomfort".
Conversely, if he eats something light and fresh, such as the scallions that haven't grown yet in Ling Qingxue's yard, or the high-quality tea that Mo Huaiyuan brought, the chaotic energy will appear particularly "joyful" and "active," and the absorption efficiency will be higher.
This directly led to Zhang Shaozhong's tastes being changed without him even realizing it.
Now, seeing the potato chips and spicy strips that Ye Meier had hoarded, he found himself somewhat uninterested, and instead developed a stronger craving for Ling Qingxue's seemingly bland and healthy meals.
"Damn... am I being manipulated by my own 'cultivation'?" Zhang Shaozhong looked at the plump little cucumber in his hand, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
Ye Meier expressed her strong contempt for this: "Kid, you're finished! You've been assimilated by this fake high-mindedness! You've become just as bland and tasteless as her! What's the point of living now!"
Ling Qingxue, unusually, expressed her agreement (regarding the choice of chaotic energy): "Spiritual things naturally conceal themselves, while turbid things naturally abandon themselves. The chaotic energy within you is already strong, and it will naturally make its own choices. Going along with it will benefit you."
Well, even the fairy says so.
Zhang Shaozhong could only bid farewell to his "fat otaku happiness meal" with tears in his eyes and embark on a healthy and nourishing "immortal cultivation" diet.
Another headache for him was the expansion of his "consulting business".
Since resolving Mr. Wang's matter, their "Immortal Demon Agency" reputation seems to have quietly spread in a certain small circle.
People coming to them are no longer just looking at feng shui and adjusting their homes; they're starting to make some more...mysterious requests.
For example, an antique dealer mysteriously brought over a bronze mirror that was supposedly unearthed from a Tang Dynasty tomb. He said the mirror was evil, and that looking into it for too long would make people uneasy and cause misfortunes in their homes. He asked them to "take a look."
After sensing it, Ling Qingxue discovered that the mirror was simply old and had been tainted with some chaotic historical aura and a faint metallic malevolent energy, which was actually just radioactive elements? There were no evil spirits attached to it.
She instructed the man to expose the mirror to sunlight for seven days and then drew a simple calming talisman with cinnabar on the frame, thus resolving the problem.
Another author of online novels claimed to be suffering from a creative block, experiencing writer's block to the point of near madness. Hearing that their "Tales of Immortals and Demons" had real skills, he came to ask for an "enlightenment talisman" or a "flowing spring of inspiration pill"...
Ling Qingxue directly rejected this request.
Ye Meier laughed so hard she almost fell over, and almost wanted to find inspiration to cast a nightmare curse on the other person (but Zhang Shaozhong stopped her firmly).
These strange businesses, while making some money, also made Zhang Shaozhong realize that they had to be careful to maintain a proper balance.
Don't accept anything too outrageous, and be even more cautious about anything that truly involves "supernatural" dangers.
They just wanted to live a peaceful life and occasionally use their abilities to help out in small ways; they didn't want to get really involved in any trouble.
That evening, Zhang Shaozhong tallied up the month's income and expenses. Looking at his savings, which were steadily increasing but still far from "buying the courtyard," he sighed.
"The revolution is not yet complete, comrades must continue to strive!"
He muttered to himself while staring at the computer screen.
Outside the window, the moonlight was perfect.
Ling Qingxue practiced breathing exercises under the moon in the courtyard. Although the spiritual energy in this world was weak, it had become a habit for Ling Qingxue. Ye Meier was playing games in her room with voice chat enabled, shouting and yelling.
Hearing the familiar yet noisy sounds of "home," Zhang Shaozhong felt that his current troubles were nothing.
Whether it's the mundane details of daily life, the pickiness of the chaotic world, or even the open and covert struggles between two powerful figures, they are all part of the everyday life of ordinary people.
He turned off the computer and stretched.
Tomorrow will be another day where he, the "head of the household," needs to work hard to earn money and carefully manage the household finances!
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