Yan Lie wagged his little tail, watching the preoccupied Ni Manxin, and quietly lay on the sofa observing her.
What’s wrong with Ni Chang? She’s been acting strange since returning last night. Did something happen to her?
Ni Manxin felt that Tang Yubo had been unusual yesterday. Although she was somewhat slow when it came to matters of the heart, even she could sense that Tang Yubo’s gaze today was particularly intense.
“Have you eaten lunch?”
Dong Yue’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts.
“Why are you here? Don’t you need to go to the shop today?” Ni Manxin couldn’t resist prying.
Dong Yue glanced at her, opened the refrigerator, randomly took out a pack of noodles, and tossed it into Ni Manxin’s hands before walking over to sit on the nearby sofa.
“Dong Yue, what are you…?” Ni Manxin stared blankly at Dong Yue, standing frozen in place with a confused expression.
Seeing her standing there, Dong Yue felt dissatisfied: “What are you doing just standing there? Hurry up and cook!”
Ni Manxin thought she must be hearing things: “If you want to eat, why can’t you cook for yourself? Why are you asking me to do it? I refuse!”
“You’re sure you won’t go?”
Ni Manxin sat down beside Dong Yue with a hint of anger: “No offense, Dong Yue, but why should I cook for you? Who do you think you are? I was just worrying about having no one to cook for me, and now you expect me to cook for you?”
Dong Yue: “Fine!”
Ni Manxin: “Fine? What’s fine? I don’t understand.”
Dong Yue: “Didn’t you say no one cooks for you? Then I’ll reluctantly cook for you every day. How about that?”
After saying this, Dong Yue marched into the kitchen and began working. The little dog Ye Yue rushed to the kitchen in disbelief, saw the Monarch wearing a pink apron bustling about, and immediately fainted on the spot.
Ni Manxin looked at the table full of delicious food, her mouth watering. If Dong Yue weren’t standing nearby, she would have likely pounced on the food like a starving wolf.
Dong Yue watched Ni Manxin’s greedy expression with amusement, feeling delighted deep down.
He had always loved Ni Manxin’s cooking skills and had secretly learned some of her techniques behind her back. Now that she had been reborn in the mortal world, her skills weren’t as good as before, but they still suited his taste.
“Dong Yue, I never knew you could cook so well. Who’s your master? I want to apprentice under them.”
Ni Manxin looked at Dong Yue with admiration in her eyes. The reason she worked at the dessert shop was partly to earn money, and partly because she hoped to make all kinds of delicious food for everyone after graduation.
“My master?”
Dong Yue’s deep eyes seemed to see through Ni Manxin’s body into the depths of her soul.
“She was a great master. Not only could she sing birthday songs and cook, but she also risked her life to save me. And I…”
Ni Manxin was moved by Dong Yue’s sorrowful expression: “What’s wrong with you?”
Dong Yue smiled bitterly, picked up a piece of rib and put it in Ni Manxin’s bowl, his expression immediately returning to its usual cool composure.
Fang Yi couldn’t find Dong Yue at the dessert shop, then noticed Ni Manxin wasn’t there either. Could this all be a coincidence? She turned and hurried to Ni Manxin’s home.
Standing outside the door, just about to knock, she unintentionally heard voices inside. She moved to stand under the window, secretly peering in.
Dong Yue noticed some braising sauce on Ni Manxin’s face, casually picked up a tissue nearby, and carefully wiped it off for her.Ni Manxin shyly lowered her head while Fang Yi glared at them fiercely. “Ni Manxin, you lied to me! Didn’t you say you didn’t like Dong Yue? What is all this now?”
A white figure promptly vanished. Dong Yue narrowed his eyes and glanced out the window, then calmly lowered his head to continue serving food to Ni Manxin.
After leaving Ni Manxin’s home, Fang Yi immediately went to the casino to discuss countermeasures with Tang Yubo.
“You’re saying Dong Yue and Ni Manxin have been together all this time?” Tang Yubo said hesitantly.
After pondering for a long while, he looked down at Ni Yuan below and said, “Keep a close watch on her. Try to create misunderstandings between them. Meanwhile, I’ll wrap things up as soon as possible during this period. I’m afraid I’ll still need your cooperation when the time comes.”
As soon as Tang Yubo finished speaking, he turned around and saw Fang Yi staring at him with a puzzled expression. Unwilling to engage further, he had just stepped out of the room when he heard from behind: “Who exactly are you, and why have you come?” Tang Yubo sneered and left the private room without a word.
Fang Yi arrived early at Ni Manxin’s home, preparing dishes that Dong Yue liked, hoping he would fall for her because of it.
Remembering the expression Dong Yue had when he looked at Ni Manxin that day, she felt extremely irritated.
In a moment of carelessness, she splattered hot oil from the pan onto her delicate arm, which immediately turned red and swollen, with blisters forming.
Hearing a scream from the kitchen, Ni Manxin rushed downstairs to check.
The kitchen was in complete disarray, with pots, bowls, and utensils scattered all over the floor.
Fang Yi was crouched on the ground, clutching her scalded arm and wailing in pain.
Ni Manxin quickly turned on the faucet and pulled Fang Yi’s arm under the running water.
“Keep rinsing it like this. I’ll go get Dong Yue to treat you—his medical skills are excellent! Wait here!”
After saying this, Ni Manxin grabbed her phone from the table and rushed to Dong Yue’s door.
At that moment, Dong Yue was reading a letter from the Great Emperor of the Northern Yin sent from the Netherworld, reporting recent matters both major and minor in the Netherworld, as well as the Buddha Demon Mountain Dong Yue had previously mentioned.
When Bei Yin asked when Dong Yue would return to the Netherworld, Dong Yue thought for a long time and was about to reply when he heard urgent knocking at the door and Ni Manxin’s repeated calls.
Dong Yue quickly opened the door and, seeing Ni Manxin’s pale face, thought something serious had happened. He immediately grabbed her left hand and checked her pulse at the doorway.
Fortunately, Ni Manxin was fine, and his anxious heart instantly calmed.
“Dong Yue, I thought you weren’t home. I…” Ni Manxin collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath.
“What happened? Why are so panicked?” Dong Yue asked.
Ni Manxin pointed toward her home and hurriedly said, “Quick, come to my house. Fang Yi is injured.”
Dong Yue’s lips twitched slightly. Injured? What kind of injury could she possibly have? A Goddess getting herself injured—wouldn’t that be a joke if word got out? He wanted to see what trick she was trying to pull today. Perhaps she was attempting the same old tactic.
He walked to Ni Manxin’s home and saw Fang Yi lying disheveled on the sofa, moaning in pain.
Seeing that her arm was indeed red and swollen, he found an excuse to send Ni Manxin outside.
“For a Goddess to injure herself like this while cooking—one has to admit, that’s quite a skill in itself.”
Fang Yi was immediately humiliated by Dong Yue’s sarcasm and lowered her head. Watching Dong Yue carefully bandage her injured arm, she felt a surge of secret delight.
“Dong Yue, I’m truly grateful you could come to treat me today. I wish to stay by your side forever, just quietly watching you—may I? I promise I won’t disturb you,” Fang Yi said meekly.
Dong Yue, today marks the last time I, Fang Yi, will ever plead with you like this. If you remain obstinate, don’t blame me for being merciless.
“I’ve said I don’t need anyone by my side, nor do I wish to be remembered by anyone. You’ve lingered in the mortal realm long enough—return quickly! Don’t waste your time on me. We were never meant to walk the same path.”