Qiao Suluo didn’t expect anyone to be interested in this method.
But then she considered that this was the Beast World Continent. Although it had a certain level of civilization akin to backward ancient times, the mindset here wasn’t entirely feudal. Most people were quite open-minded; they simply lacked knowledge.
Her predecessor had been vicious and arrogant, maintaining a notoriously poor relationship with the people of the Cat Clan Village. If she could improve their relations through this method, it would be a good thing.
Qiao Suluo offered what she thought was a friendly smile. "Grandma Lin, if everyone is willing to learn, I’ll teach you all right now."
After Qiao Suluo finished teaching the crowd, she finally headed home with Bai Qianluo and Que Hongjin.
Upon returning home, she first accessed the Space Mall, using the points left over from selling Konjac to buy a packet of cold medicine and a slice of ginger.
She boiled the ginger into a hot ginger tea, brewed the packet of cold medicine, and carried them into Bai Qianluo’s room.
First, she knocked on the door. When there was no response, she noticed it was left slightly ajar. She pushed it open, only to be immediately confronted with the sight of Bai Qianluo, who had just finished bathing.
A thin veil of mist still lingered in the room. He stood tall and elegant, like a jade tree, his snow-white hair cascading down to his waist. A plain robe seemed to have been carelessly draped over his shoulders, untied and unfastened, revealing the lustrous white skin of his chest. The sash around his waist was loosely knotted, offering a tantalizing glimpse of a lean, powerful waist.
Drops of water from his hair trailed down his delicate collarbones, meandering along his well-defined chest, exuding an irresistibly sexy charm.
Barefoot on the wooden floorboards amidst the mist, he looked as aloof and ethereal as an immortal banished beneath the moonlight. Yet, due to the steaming heat, the outer corners of his eyes were faintly flushed red. The cinnabar mole near his eye seemed to shift, adding an indescribable, alluring charm.
Qiao Suluo’s face instantly burned hot. She wondered if she was even allowed to look at such a scene.
"Wife?"
As Bai Qianluo parted his lips, his voice flowed out as smooth and pleasant as a cold, clear spring. It carried the crisp chill unique to a deep mountain pool, easily plucking at one’s heartstrings.
Snapping back to reality, Qiao Suluo hastily turned around, struggling to explain. "S-sorry, I didn’t mean to look."
She had never experienced a situation like this in her original world.
"If Wife wishes to look, Qian Luo will naturally oblige."
With Bai Qianluo’s cold, emotionless voice ringing in her ears, Qiao Suluo felt she couldn’t wash herself clean of this misunderstanding.
"No, no! I poured you a cup of hot water and brewed some medicine. Drink it first so you don’t catch a cold.
"Don’t worry, I didn’t drug it."
Given her predecessor’s track record, she couldn’t help but add that extra reassurance.
Bai Qianluo replied calmly, "I know. If Wife wanted to harm me, there would have been no need to save me."
Hearing this, Qiao Suluo breathed a sigh of relief. As long as he was willing to believe her, that was good enough.
She placed the bowl of ginger water and the cup of cold medicine on a nearby table, still not daring to look at him.
"Y-you put your clothes on first."
Looking at her, a dark glint flickered past Bai Qianluo’s aloof eyes. He had never seen her like this before.
He watched her turn her back, the tips of her ears flushing red. Was she shy?
She had never been shy. Or perhaps... she had become a completely different person.
The old her didn’t know how to cook, much less use such a unique method to save someone’s life.
When he was half-conscious by the river, he had remained somewhat aware. He could feel the soft, sweet, and warm breath pressing against his lips. Her breath was as fresh and tenderly fragrant as spring peach blossoms, carrying the subtle sweetness of multifloral honey that seeped from his mouth straight into his heart.
Even after bathing, that scent seemed to linger on his lips.
"Wife saved my life. I wonder what Wife wants in return?"
Suddenly, Qiao Suluo had no idea how to react. Her tongue tied in knots. "W-what do you mean?"
Why couldn’t she understand what he was saying?
"To contract and mate?"
Qiao Suluo abruptly spun around, wanting to explain herself. To her utter shock, Bai Qianluo directly shrugged off the robe he had just put on and tossed it aside.
She immediately clamped her hands over her eyes. "N-no need!"
With that, she turned and fled the room.
She didn’t forget to leave one last instruction: "Don’t forget to drink your water and medicine!"
Because of her hasty footsteps, she nearly tripped over the threshold.
Qiao Suluo rushed headlong back into her own room and locked herself inside. She downed several cups of cold water in succession before her dry throat finally felt a bit better.
She thought, "It’s really tough on Bai Qianluo. To be able to say such things while looking at this fat, ugly body of mine."
She genuinely sympathized with him.
The system nagged in her ear. "Host, look at you. What’s there to be shy about? This is the Beast World. To contract and mate is the most normal thing here. What’s with all the blushing?
"Then again, you’ve never been in a proper romantic relationship before, so I suppose I can’t blame you for this reaction. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect! Do it a few more times, and you won’t be shy once you get used to it."
Its host was simply too pure, dedicating her heart entirely to cooking while being utterly dense about romance. Back in school, the top-scoring campus heartthrob had secretly harbored a crush on her for years. Everyone around them could see it, but she had been completely oblivious, assuming he was just discussing academics with her.
"Also, Host, although those three won’t die anytime soon, don’t forget to hurry up and earn silver to save them."
"I know, I know."
Qiao Suluo found the system terribly long-winded.
"By the way, does Bai Qianluo really have an eye disease?"
"Absolutely," the system replied. "His eyes were injured and are sensitive to light, which is why he needs to wear that white blindfold. However, he should be able to see things blurrily; he’s not completely blind."
Qiao Suluo understood the situation now. Feeling a pang of hunger, she headed back to the kitchen, lifted the lid off the pot, and took out the mushroom green rice balls.
The bright green rice balls carried a faint fragrance, exuding the essence of spring. Just looking at them was enough to whet one’s appetite.
At that moment, Bai Qianluo opened his door and walked out, holding the empty cup and bowl.
He had tied the white blindfold over his eyes once more. With natural grace, he proceeded to wash the cup and bowl clean.
Looking at him, Qiao Suluo said, "I made some green rice balls. Let’s eat lunch first."
With that, she went over and knocked on Que Hongjin’s door. "Que Hongjin, come out for lunch."
Having learned her lesson with Bai Qianluo, there was no way Qiao Suluo would open the door and walk in to call him. She didn’t want them all thinking she was trying to do something to them.
After speaking, she turned to leave. Just a moment later, Que Hongjin opened his door.
Hearing the sound, Qiao Suluo glanced back and saw him stepping out of the room.
He had restored his gentle, picturesque demeanor. His aura was mild and peaceful, making his previous hostile, razor-sharp display of disgust by the river seem like a mere illusion.
But Qiao Suluo knew better. Que Hongjin was absolutely not as gentle as he appeared on the surface. This man likely harbored a hidden intent to kill her, so it was best for her to tread carefully.
In the kitchen.
The three of them sitting together for a meal was a rare sight—in fact, it had never happened before.
Her predecessor had never eaten with them. Of course, this was also because these Beast Husbands utterly loathed her. They had never once given her a smile, always maintaining a cold, icy facade, and they certainly never allowed her to touch them. This had only fueled the original owner’s hatred for them in return.
The atmosphere was eerily quiet.
Qiao Suluo focused on eating her green rice balls. She disliked wasting energy thinking about other things while enjoying a meal.
It was delicious.
Food made from authentic, natural ingredients possessed a truly unique flavor. As she ate, she smiled, her eyes curving into happy crescents. She looked entirely content. With every chew, her cheeks puffed out, making her look just like a little hamster.
Bai Qianluo "glanced" at Qiao Suluo, catching sight of this exact expression. He hadn’t had much of an appetite, but seeing her somehow made him feel hungry.
This was their first time seeing this type of food. Its vibrant green appearance carried the unique, fresh essence of spring.
Without hesitation, Bai Qianluo took a bite. A brilliant, fractured light instantly flashed through his aloof eyes.
He carefully examined the filling inside the rice ball, finding it almost inconceivable that something could be this delicious.
Que Hongjin also paused after taking a bite. He stared at Qiao Suluo with a dark, unfathomable expression and declared, "These are poisonous mushrooms from the mountain!"