“We got to know each other through him.”
Being a “Lei Feng” counted, right? Whether it was how Bai Mo arrived in this world or how he had helped blow up the giant snake today, it was all done out of the goodness of his heart. It was clear to Jun Wuye now that Mo Luo’an was not a fellow transmigrator, and it was always better to keep his secrets to himself.
Meanwhile, after half an hour of frantic physical exertion, Bai Mo finished his daily workout drenched in sweat. Task complete; time to clock out.
Grumble.
Bai Mo patted his stomach. “Stop growling, stop growling. I know you’re empty. We’re going to eat right now.”
Before starting his workout, he had instructed the waiter to prepare some snake soup porridge. It should be ready to serve by now. Grabbing a cloth to wipe his sweat, he headed down to the lobby.
“Is the porridge I ordered this morning ready?” Bai Mo asked, picking an empty table and sitting down.
“It is ready, guest! This servant will fetch it for you immediately,” the waiter replied.
A moment later, the waiter emerged carrying a massive basin of porridge, setting it before Bai Mo with a broad grin.
The guests at the neighboring tables stared in disbelief at the sheer size of the basin. That portion was easily enough to fill eight to ten bowls! They hadn’t expected this slender young man to be such a bottomless pit. Eating like this every meal, they wondered what kind of wealthy family could actually afford to feed him.
Noticing the lingering stares from the crowd, Bai Mo casually adjusted his collar to make himself look a bit more dashing. “Ahem. Go call my two friends downstairs to join me.”
Oh, so it wasn’t a single person’s portion. The surrounding guests let out a collective breath of relief and quietly returned to their own meals.
The waiter bowed slightly. “Guest, your two friends, Mr. Mo and Mr. Jun, have already had their breakfast. In fact, Mr. Jun already finished a bowl of this very porridge earlier.”
“They ate already?” Smelling the incredibly fragrant porridge, Bai Mo reminded himself that he needed to build his physique, not just get fat. He couldn’t overeat. Oh well, lucky you guys then.
“Go fetch me a normal-sized bowl. One bowl is enough for me. You guys can take the rest downstairs and share it.”
“Of course! But regarding the bill.”
As inn employees, their daily meals rarely had much oil, let alone meat. In just two days, this young master had generously shared meat with them twice. He was truly a saint!
Bai Mo replied as a matter of course, “Put it all on my tab. Well, actually, put it on Mr. Mo’s tab.”
“Understood! Please wait a moment.” The waiter happily ran off, brought back a normal bowl, and thoughtfully scooped a generous, piping-hot serving for Bai Mo before taking the rest away.
Watching the basin leave, Bai Mo smacked his lips. What a waste. Tutu missed out on a great meal.
Halfway through his bowl, Bai Mo found himself unable to eat another bite. Staring at the remaining slices of snake meat, he sighed. “Alas… no matter how delicious something is, it loses its charm if you eat too much of it.”
Setting his chopsticks down, Bai Mo headed upstairs. He knocked on Mo Luo’an’s door first, but there was no response. Where had the doctor gone so early in the morning? With Tutu currently asleep and having no desire to sit alone in his room, he wandered over to Jun Wuye’s room. Seeing the door slightly ajar, he pushed it right open.
“What are you guys doing?”
Seeing Jun Wuye lying there practically transformed into a silver-needled porcupine, Bai Mo gasped. “Whoa! Little An’an, what on earth did he do to make you deploy such a cruel hand? Tsk, tsk, tsk. being poked like this must cost him at least half his life!”
Bai Mo scurried over to the side of the bed, inspecting Jun Wuye’s bare back with sheer curiosity. Frankly speaking, this guy’s skin was incredibly fair and smooth. He wondered how it felt to the touch. And that perky behind, he really wanted to give it a pinch.
And so, he did exactly that.
“What do you think you are doing?!” Jun Wuye roared in sheer, unadulterated fury. If he hadn’t retained a thread of sanity reminding him of the delicate acupuncture process, he would have flipped over instantly to dodge that rogue hand.
Mo Luo’an’s face darkened. He grabbed Bai Mo by the collar and yanked him backward. “Get out!”
Seeing that Mo Luo’an was also angry, Bai Mo blinked, looking at his own hand. He hadn’t pinched Mo Luo’an’s behind, so why was the doctor throwing a tantrum?
Without another word, Mo Luo’an pushed Bai Mo out the door and slammed it shut with a loud thud.
Being kicked out didn’t dampen Bai Mo’s spirits in the slightest. He stared at his hand, still savoring the tactile memory. It was exactly as bouncy as he had imagined. Hehehe~ pinched a beauty’s behind. Time to make a run for it!
For the next two days, Bai Mo was strictly banned from entering the treatment room. Left with no other choice, he spent his days wandering aimlessly around town.
The day for Jun Wuye’s formal detoxification was tomorrow. Mo Luo’an had spent three solid days preparing, successfully gathering all the necessary herbs and refining the required medicinal pills.
Looking at the array of ingredients before him, Jun Wuye remarked, “The efficiency of Medicine King Valley is indeed impressive. To think you gathered so many rare herbs in just three days.”
“I will have someone bring up a wooden bath barrel shortly. Get some proper rest today,” Mo Luo’an instructed. After finishing his preparations, he picked up his medicine chest and departed.
Meanwhile, Bai Mo stood right in front of the Lichun Courtyard, watching the scantily clad women waving their handkerchiefs and calling out to passersby. Over the past few days, he had explored every single shop in town; this was the only place left untouched.
In all his ninety-nine previous lives, his disastrous finances had never permitted him to step into a brothel. In his last modern life, he had visited nightclubs a couple of times, but he despised how the hostesses aggressively clung to him, so he had quickly stopped going.
Still, his curiosity was piqued. He genuinely wanted to see what an ancient brothel looked like. Besides, with so many women around, maybe he would finally encounter his fated tribulation. Yet, he was torn.
Before leaving the inn, Mo Luo’an had sternly warned him not to set foot in such places. If he angered his golden goose, what would he do for pocket money?
Scratching his head, he muttered, “I’ve been standing here for ages. Do I go in or not? This is so frustrating. Oh, wait!”
Bai Mo stepped aside to a decorative flower bush, plucked a flower, and began tearing off the petals one by one. “Don’t go, go, don’t go, go, don’t.”
Looking down at the final petal in his hand, it read: “Go!”
After a fierce mental battle, curiosity ultimately triumphed over his fear of his financial benefactor. Bai Mo strode confidently toward the entrance.
The moment he stepped through the doors, the overwhelming scent of cheap cosmetics and powdery perfumes made him wince. Even in his previous life, he had hated the strong smell of heavy perfume. He used his hand to fan the air, trying to disperse the stifling scent.
An older woman wearing a massive peony in her hair and a flamboyant red dress came swaying over, a wide grin on her face. “Oh my, What a handsome, fresh face! Is this your first time visiting us, young master? What kind of beauty are you looking for? This mama will fetch her for you!”
Looking at her gaudy attire, Bai Mo couldn’t help but find the classic madam’s getup incredibly tacky. “Find me a quiet room with a window first.”
“Right away, young master! Please follow me.”
The madam led the way. It had been a long time since she had seen a young man this drop-dead gorgeous. Frankly, if she were the one serving him, she would gladly do it for free. She couldn’t help but steal glances back at Bai Mo, sighing internally over why she couldn’t be a few years younger.
She led him into a room. “Young master, are you satisfied with this room?”
Bai Mo glanced around. The room was draped in peach-colored silk, and a suggestive painting of a man and a woman hung prominently on the wall.
The room was practically dripping with suggestive hints, but Bai Mo was in no mood to appreciate them. He walked straight to the window, pushed it wide open, and took a deep breath of fresh air. Once his lungs cleared, he felt much better. He strolled over to a luxurious chaise longue, flopped onto it, and ordered:
“Bring up your finest food and drinks. And call the prettiest girl in your establishment over for me to inspect.”
“Right away, right away! Please wait a moment, young master.”
The madam’s heart leaped with joy. This was clearly a wealthy, pampered young master. If they served him well, a massive tip would definitely be heading their way.