"Xiao Bei, what do you want to eat? Noodles? I'll make some for you right away!"
Liu Erlong's voice carried a gentle pride as she tied her hair back, her eyes faintly glowing.
"A month ago, I went to the God of Food Forest," she added with a soft smile, "and learned directly from the noodle master himself. Abalone broth noodles, pink peach sausage noodles—I know several recipes now. You'll definitely like them."
The warmth in her tone contrasted greatly with the darker mood their companions had been left in. Not too long ago, Shrek's group had been beaten half-dead, running out of both money and spirit. They didn't even know where to find Yu Xiaogang, and their grief over Ma Hongjun's situation weighed heavily on them.
Here, in comparison, the atmosphere inside the Shenyan Hall felt like another world entirely—calm, harmonious, and almost dreamlike.
A Hall Like a Fairyland
The high-end hall was a place decorated like a slice of heaven. Large round beds sat at the center beneath a ceiling painted like a shifting sky. A dining table stood nearby, and the room glittered with odd playthings—small pink, blue, and purple massage balls, indoor swings, cushions perfumed with light floral scents.
The centerpiece was nothing less than breathtaking—a millennium-old peach tree blooming perpetually in the middle of the round bed itself. Its blossoms never withered, always full, their pink petals drifting lazily through the air like eternal spring.
Beautiful women lived here, laughing alongside youths with extraordinary bearing. The whole scene gave off a surreal air—like a worldly paradise stolen down onto the earth.
Northern Jiangsu—or Subei, as the girls fondly called him—looked at Liu Erlong's graceful figure moving about the kitchen and commented faintly,
"Godmother, there are already waitresses here in Shenyan Hall who cook really well. We could just enjoy what they make."
It was true. The waitresses assigned to food preparation might not be comparable to the God of Food himself, but if judged by modern culinary standards, their meals would rate at least five stars.
If not, it would have been impossible for Subei, who had been raised amidst this palace of flavors, to stay satisfied for so many years. They always adjusted their recipes meticulously, changing methods, evolving their knowledge, all for the sake of ensuring Subei never grew tired of eating.
At first, he hadn't dared to eat too much. One lingering worry always lurked at the back of his mind:
Would his peerless, almost divine looks fade if he overindulged?
Everyone knew that excess eating brought complications. Too much food made one fat, bloated. His ethereal beauty, then, would lose its luster, becoming something at best called cute. And worse, middle-aged weight gain… greasy, sagging—it was the nightmare of all beauty.
But after Subei did his own research—and with confirmation from his reliable AI system companion "Xiao Ai"—he had his answer: xiannan, the immortal charm he carried, was absolute, unaffected. His handsomeness was untouchable.
That old saying came to mind again, perfectly verifying his belief: even the waste of a fairy smells fragrant.
Liu Erlong's determined steps pulled him back to the moment. She approached with fire in her eyes, wiping her hands onto her apron.
"How can a waitress' cooking ever taste the same as your godmother's cooking?" she asked firmly.
"Xiao Bei must eat the noodles I make today. Otherwise, I will have studied all this for nothing."
Her eyes burned brightly, like she was preparing for battle. She hadn't gone to the God of Food Forest just as a pastime. She had gone with one goal—improving her cooking for his sake.
Subei let out a small chuckle, smiling warmly: "Well, it has been a while since I've had noodles… I guess I am a little greedy."
He hadn't eaten handmade noodles in some time, and nostalgia for that bowl of hot broth and chewy strands tugged unexpectedly at his heart.
Watching Liu Erlong's back as she bustled in the open kitchen, Subei felt a faint pang of emotion. She had grown even more stunning as her cultivation realm improved; when they traveled outside, strangers rarely saw them as "godmother and son." More often, people assumed she was his big sister, while he was a striking younger brother.
Rabbit, Cat, and Radishes
"Brother, listen," Xiaowu chirped suddenly, her bright eyes turned mischievous. "Don't you think life is much more peaceful and sweet now, without those people disturbing us all the time?"
She hopped—quite literally—to the refrigerator, rummaging through with light hands before pulling out a small pink cherry radish. Twirling it playfully, she flashed it toward Zhu Zhuqing.
"Xiaoqing, do you like radishes? These are sooo sweet~"
Her behavior had changed dramatically since that incident in the hall—when Dai Mubai had coldly shouted at Zhu Zhuqing and the tragedy of her family's arrangements came to light. Learning about Zhu Zhuqing's bitter fate had melted Xiaowu's heart. Now, instead of being aloof, she spoiled her.
She was even willing to share her beloved radishes—her most treasured snack.
Zhu Zhuqing blinked cautiously. "Thank you… but do you really eat raw radishes like that?"
The cherry radishes were washed, gleaming like little jewels, but Zhu Zhuqing had never developed the habit of eating vegetables raw.
Xiaowu just puffed her cheeks, took an exaggerated crunching bite, and beamed:
"Of course! Radishes are best raw. My brother says it's called 'original ecology'—you know, natural, without pollution. Cooked radishes? No fun at all."
Her mouth filled with crisp sweetness as she chewed audibly. She then pulled out another one and earnestly offered it across.
"Here, try! It's delicious. Normally I never share these, but Sister Xiaowu likes you, so I'll give you one."
Her sincerity was touching. And so, under those hopeful rabbit eyes, Zhu Zhuqing accepted. She took the thick radish delicately between her lips, biting its top.
Crunch.
The crisp sweetness flowed out, spreading across her mouth like cold juice.
Her eyes lit up. "It really is sweet."
Xiaowu's chest puffed with pride. "See? I told you!"
Zhu Zhuqing smiled softly and nodded. It was indeed tasty, though not quite like fruit—more novel than truly irresistible. But she wouldn't dampen Xiaowu's joy. She kept her opinion hidden, letting the rabbit girl bask in her triumph.
Just then, Subei strolled up casually, plucking the radish directly from Zhu Zhuqing's hand.
"Well, Xiaowu, don't tease." He bit into it without hesitation. "Qing'er's a cat, not a rabbit. She won't like radishes as much as you."
He pointed at the fridge. "Cats like fish. See there—the lotus-filleted carp, wrapped in banana leaves, a hundred years preserved—that's what Qing'er would truly enjoy."
Zhu Zhuqing froze, a rush of heat rising across her cheeks.
Her heart leapt. He had just bitten into the exact radish her lips had touched. Clear saliva marked the edge where he had bitten—her saliva.
Didn't that mean… she had indirectly kissed Subei?
Her pulse quickened, cheeks crimson, her thoughts an incoherent mess of shy panic.
Subei, however, wasn't thinking on that wavelength at all. He only heard the cheerful chime of his System:
Ding!
[Congratulations, host. Task complete: Stir the Cat's Heart.]
[Reward options available:
① Soul power +1 level
② Agility increased by 10%
③ Entertainment product—Truth or Dare board (rare, allows intimate interaction opportunities with goddesses; caution, low EQ may backfire, recommended to combine with sweet talk).]
Without much hesitation, Subei chose option three.
Strength enhancements? He had those opportunities countless times. Entertainment products like this, however, were rare gems—things that could deepen bonds, create memories.
He smiled faintly, satisfaction flickering in his eyes.
Meanwhile, Zhu Zhuqing blinked at him, trying to mask her turmoil. When they opened the freezer, her eyes brightened at the fish inside. Indeed, her martial soul instincts rejoiced as much as Xiaowu when she saw radishes.
"I like fish," she admitted. "But I don't dislike radishes either. Both are good. I'm not picky."
"Godmother!" Subei called across the room, "can you make fish too?"
Liu Erlong turned, spatula in hand, and smiled. "Of course. Braised, steamed, roasted in oil—which do you want?"
Subei looked at Zhu Zhuqing warmly. "Which do you want?"
She blinked, thought for a moment, and answered softly: "Steamed. With broth—it's juicier that way."
"Done."
"Anything is fine," Subei added after. "As long as it's delicious, steamed or fried—it doesn't matter."
"No problem!" Liu Erlong laughed cheerfully. "You all just sit and play. It'll be ready soon."
As she watched the three youths debating foods with bright smiles, something tender and wistful filled her chest. Life was brief, often merciless—but moments like these, a small table full of food and laughter, were eternal treasures.
After Feast Warmth
After dinner, everyone was lazily sprawled about, cheeks flushed from good food.
"Mmm, Mom! That radish feast was amazing," Xiaowu sighed happily, belly full.
Zhu Zhuqing hiccuped sweetly, covering her lips.
"Brother, I'm so full," Xiaowu muttered soon after, already climbing beside Subei like a clingy rabbit. "Let's sleep."
Subei gently pinched her cheek. "Why is it you always want to sleep, huh?"
Her two rabbit teeth peeked out as she grinned guilelessly. "Not sleep in general. I mean I want to sleep with you, brother. Don't you want to sleep with Xiaowu?"
His forehead twitched. After eating so much, she was already hinting at this? Rabbits truly didn't change—even after a hundred thousand years!
He muttered inwardly: What do you mean sleep? This is clearly not innocent cuddling…
"Little dance," he scolded lightly, "you just ate. You shouldn't sleep so soon—it's bad for your health."
Then inspiration struck him. "Alright then. Instead of sleeping right away, how about playing a game together? I invented it recently."
The girls' eyes lit up at once. Even Liu Erlong's brows rose with curiosity.
"What kind of game?"
Subei's lips curled into a sly smile. "Truth or Dare."
In one elegant motion, he leapt up onto the round bed beneath the peach blossoms. From his storage space, he dragged out a shimmering iron tray about the size of a small table.
It landed with a boom, the bed dipping heavily from its weight.
In the center was a spinning pointer. Around the edges were alternating blue and red markers—one color for truth, the other for dares.
And every time the pointer stopped, the challenges automatically refreshed.
Blue: truth. Red: dare.
Subei blinked in surprise at the sturdy build—it was far better quality than what he had expected.
He waved toward the three women. "Come on over! Don't you like games like this?"
They approached hesitantly, eyes gleaming with interest.
"It's not that we don't like it," Liu Erlong said thoughtfully, "but… Xiao Bei, how does it work?"
She glanced at the spinning pointer in puzzlement. She had never heard of a game like this. For a moment she even wondered, Am I too old…? Out of touch with the times?
Xiaowu's mind worked overtime. She examined the tray carefully, circling it, pressing on its iron frame, knocking it with her tiny fist.
"Brother, when did you build this huge thing? Xiaowu is always with you—how did I never see you prepare something like this? And why does it look so heavy?!"
Her mind spun with questions, but the game board itself radiated intrigue—something big, fun, and potentially mischievous. She tugged at the edge, straining—heavy, really heavy! Several people could sit around it comfortably; clearly, this was designed for a group game.
"Don't worry about the details!" Subei smiled mischievously, reaching out to ruffle her hair.
But his hand didn't stop. It slid lightly down, fingers brushing and pinching her long rabbit ears.
Instantly, Xiaowu gasped, her face burning red as her entire body stiffened.
Her rabbit ears—her most sensitive weakness!
Subei smirked knowingly. It was his hidden weapon. Whenever Xiaowu got too mischievous, a light tug on her ears left her defenseless.
The game had only just begun, and already hearts were pounding under the eternal blossoms of the peach tree.
--
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