Xiao Lie withdrew his paw with a pitiful expression, gazing eagerly at Shen Ci. The young girl suppressed her laughter and handed him a pair of chopsticks, “Senior, shall I teach you how to use these?”
He nodded vigorously like a pecking chicken. Though he was a wolf, he was also a centuries-old cultivator—learning to use chopsticks was child’s play.
Imitating Shen Ci’s movements, Xiao Lie picked up a slice of meat and put it in his mouth.
“Ah-woo~”
“Awoo!”
The young girl’s eyes curved into crescent moons, “Is it delicious, Senior?”
Xiao Lie nodded frantically, “Awoo!”
But he scratched his head restlessly—eating with chopsticks was too inefficient. He wanted to hug the pot and devour it directly, then turned his pleading eyes toward Mo Cheng.
The latter chuckled lightly, “Don’t even think about it.”
Watching him panting with his tongue out from the spiciness while still desperately stuffing meat into his mouth, Shen Ci felt a warm current surge in her heart. She smiled again, “A-Ci will make you a separate pot another day, alright? Using the largest iron pot!”
Xiao Lie’s tail instantly wagged like a palm-leaf fan.
Shen Ci laughed even more joyfully. Someone enjoying her cooking made her so happy, incredibly happy!
She suddenly remembered her time at Shangyun Sect, especially after her Dantian was damaged and she could no longer cultivate. Shen Ci had become increasingly devoted to studying culinary arts, but people in the cultivation world didn’t pay much attention to earthly pleasures like food.
Once, she developed a special Spirit Dew, and Rong Yuan and Luo Xingyao unexpectedly praised her: “Little Ci shows some talent as a culinary cultivator.”
Shen Ci was overjoyed and delivered Spirit Dew to them every day.
Until one time, when Shen Qingyao visited Luo Xingyao and accidentally consumed his Spirit Dew, immediately suffering severe abdominal pain.
As punishment, Ye Shuyin and Rong Yuan made her kneel in the snow for an entire night…
Plop!
A tear fell onto the stone table. Shen Ci raised her hand to her cheek, only to find it damp with moisture.
Amid the rising steam, the young girl quickly wiped the corner of her eye with the back of her hand, smiling brightly, “If Senior enjoys it, A-Ci will cook for you every day.”
Xiao Lie’s nose suddenly twitched, his wolf ears alertly perking up. He leaned close to her cheek and sniffed, then unexpectedly extended his tongue.
“Senior!”
His warm tongue licked her moist eye corner, carrying the sweet fragrance of milk tea.
Xiao Lie frowned, “Salty. Not tasty.”
Shen Ci: “…”
Did he think she’d forgotten how he said she smelled delicious during their first meeting? Was he actually considering stewing her?
He pushed the entire hot pot toward her: “You eat! After eating, you won’t be salty anymore!”
Mo Cheng’s plain veil fluttered slightly, the corners of his lips lifting as he silently permitted this crude form of comfort.
Before the mist in Shen Ci’s eyes had cleared, Xiao Lie began scratching his head restlessly again. With an “awoo,” he transformed into a snow wolf and dashed back to the Back Mountain.
Shen Ci stared blankly, still processing what happened, then turned to Mo Cheng, “Senior?”
The latter leisurely picked up a mushroom slice, “It’s nothing. He’ll return shortly.”
Noticing his movements—extremely slow and elegant—Shen Ci frowned slightly. She took a clean bowl and utensils, picked various meats and vegetables from the pot using serving chopsticks, and pushed them toward Mo Cheng.
“A-Ci has served Senior, so you don’t need to worry about staining your clothes!”
She added quietly, “…I used serving chopsticks.”
Mo Cheng’s hand paused slightly, “Thank you.”
With Xiao Lie absent, the atmosphere grew somewhat silent. Shen Ci obediently continued serving him food, and when she noticed his milk tea was empty, she refilled it for him.
The corners of Mo Cheng’s lips unconsciously lifted, “How did you know I value cleanliness?”
Shen Ci glanced up at him briefly before quickly averting her gaze, murmuring softly, “I’ve been wondering why you wouldn’t let me approach last night. Later I realized it must be because I had blood on me…”
Mo Cheng’s brow furrowed slightly. “You’ve been thinking about this all along?”
She nodded honestly.
His voice remained cool and detached. “It was merely an insignificant matter. Why do you care so much?”
Shen Ci froze.
Yes, why indeed?
She unconsciously bit her lower lip—a familiar gesture, reminiscent of her days at Shangyun Sect. Whenever her senior brothers and sisters frowned, whenever Shen Qingyao wore a hurt expression, she would anxiously bite her lip like this, turning every subtle expression and casual remark over and over in her mind.
It had become a habit.
A habit of speculating about others’ moods, a habit of interpreting every indifferent glance as her own fault, a habit of remaining anxious for days over the slightest disturbance.
Shen Ci offered a strained smile. “Probably because I’m too useless…”
A gentle breeze passed by, carrying the fragrance of Moon Glow Flowers and lifting the light veil over Mo Cheng’s eyes, a few strands of silver hair fluttering in the wind.
He suddenly turned and reached out to pat the young girl’s head. “Little one, you’re still so young. What need is there to be so useful?”
Mo Cheng didn’t understand why this young girl before him always appeared so timid and fearful. At her age, she ought to be bold and unrestrained, just as he had been in his youth…
As the warmth from his palm spread through her, Shen Ci stood rigidly in place. She instinctively wanted to touch that hand, but Mo Cheng had already withdrawn it into his sleeve.
Her eyes began to grow warm again. She took a deep breath—so this was how it felt to have someone pat your head. Such a simple thing could bring such happiness.
In the past, whenever Shen Qingyao was upset, Ye Shuyin would hold her close, gently stroking her hair while comforting her. Once, Shen Ci had tried to imitate this, shedding a few tears and nuzzling her head toward Ye Shuyin’s embrace, but…
Ye Shuyin had only frowned tightly. “Shen Ci, what kind of appearance is this—so weak and prone to tears?”
“Awooo!”
A clear wolf cry interrupted their thoughts as Xiao Lie leaped down from the eaves, landing in his half-human, half-wolf form.
His eyes shone brilliantly as he bounded up to Shen Ci, his furry hand suddenly opening wide:
In his palm lay several golden Spirit Crystals and lustrous immortal fruits, all radiating enticing Spiritual Qi.
Shen Ci’s eyes widened. She pointed at herself. “For me?”
Xiao Lie nodded vigorously. “Don’t… don’t cry. Salty…”
A lump formed in Shen Ci’s throat, and the bitterness she had suppressed earlier welled up in her eyes again. She blinked hard and forced a bright smile. “Thank you, Senior!”
Xiao Lie scratched his head restlessly. “Senior… not good. Change it.”
The young girl’s eyes darted thoughtfully before she ventured, “Then… Brother Xiao?”
Xiao Lie’s eyes lit up, and he nodded enthusiastically. “Awooo~”
Despite his tall, robust build and sharp, blade-like brow bone, his round nose and moist eyes held the innocent charm of a young pup.
Almost unconsciously, Shen Ci reached out and ruffled his furry head. “So adorable~”
The moment she spoke, all three froze. Shen Ci suddenly realized what she had done and quickly withdrew her hand. “S-sorry.”
“Awooo!” Instead, Xiao Lei pushed his head forward, rubbing against her palm. “Smile… smells nice when you smile.”
Shen Ci felt a tickling sensation in her palm and a warmth in her heart, bursting into hearty laughter.
Mo Cheng seemed to sense something, turning his head and clearing his throat lightly. “Did you steal this Spirit Crystal and immortal fruit from Jun Quxiye?”
Xiao Lie puffed out his chest proudly, exclaiming excitedly, “Yes! He didn’t guard against me today!”
Mo Cheng: “…”
Shen Ci: “…”