Chapter 50: Slacking Off Day 50
“Hello…”
Wen Ying reached out, about to greet the boy, when he suddenly stood up and grabbed her sleeve, his dirty little face full of longing.
This was…
Too obvious.
Wen Ying looked at the hand clutching her sleeve. Although it belonged to a boy, and his hand was covered in dust, his knuckles were distinct, and his fingers were long.
Quite pretty.
Calling him a boy, Wen Ying realized, upon seeing him stand, that he was taller than her. Judging by his appearance, he was probably seventeen or eighteen years old.
Although his face was dirty, his features were refined, even somewhat pitiful.
Needless to say, Xu Huang’s discerning eye for people was excellent. The boy in front of her was perfect for a male concubine.
Thinking about it, Wen Ying deeply regretted it. In so many previous reincarnations, how could she have missed such a good thing…
“Meow!” The moment Xiao Hei saw the boy grab Wen Ying’s sleeve, he let out a sharp cry, instantly arching his back, assuming a defensive posture. With a low growl, Xiao Hei bared his teeth, his face menacing.
The master had indeed taken in many animals before, and as the first animal to be accepted by the master, Xiao Hei had gotten used to the master’s habit of casually picking up things.
But his intuition told him that this man was different.
Wen Ying didn’t pay attention to Xiao Hei and didn’t even turn around to look at him.
She was used to Xiao Hei’s sudden strange cries anyway.
But the boy saw Xiao Hei’s strange behavior.
He glanced at Xiao Hei almost imperceptibly.
“Meow.” Xiao Hei immediately calmed down, retracted his defensive posture, and let out a soft meow, then proceeded to lick his fur as if nothing had happened.
Wen Ying’s attention was entirely on this “male concubine sent by Xu Huang,” and she didn’t notice Xiao Hei’s change.
Besides, Xiao Hei was an extremely bad-tempered cat, a typical mischievous child; any changes were normal for him.
“You want to follow me?” Wen Ying raised an eyebrow and asked.
The boy’s eyes shone brightly, full of hope as he nodded.
“You… can’t speak?” Wen Ying noticed something unusual about the boy.
Upon hearing this, the boy’s eyes dimmed. He lowered his head and gently nodded.
He was mute.
Already looking pitiful, being mute made him even more endearing.
This kind of character design could melt the heart of even the most resolute woman.
She didn’t know where Xu Huang had found such a suitable candidate.
Could it be…
Wen Ying frowned slightly and asked, “Weren’t you poisoned to silence you?”
The boy looked up, confusion in his bright eyes.
It seemed Xu Huang hadn’t done such a wicked deed.
Wen Ying breathed a sigh of relief. “It’s okay, don’t worry, in the world of cultivation, nothing is impossible. Even without speaking, you can still communicate.”
Wen Ying wasn’t a saint, but she always insisted on not harming innocent people.
This was her bottom line, the boundary she had set for herself to stay sane through her reincarnations.
Because Wen Ying knew that although she was constantly reincarnating, this world was real. Every life in this world was real.
Whether the boy before her was innocent was yet to be determined. If he wasn’t an innocent person being used by Xu Huang but was like Xu Huang or Xu Mofeng… forget about such petty methods as poisoning his voice, Wen Ying would ensure his end wouldn’t be any better than Xu Mofeng’s.
But at the moment, they were still useful.
Without them, how could she slack off, unlock new characters, and new plots?
How… could she discover the system’s flaws?
The boy, hearing Wen Ying’s words, his eyes shone even brighter. On his dirty little face, there was a hint of joy.
Wen Ying didn’t intend to test the boy.
She was too lazy. And there was no need.
Because Wen Ying couldn’t trust him.
“If you want to follow me, then follow,” Wen Ying pulled her sleeve from the boy’s hand. “I’m going to the kitchen now. Or you can wait here.”
The boy pointed to the kitchen door and nodded, indicating he would follow Wen Ying.
“Okay, let’s go.” Wen Ying said, turning towards the kitchen.
The boy waiting here meant he knew she would be going to the kitchen. If he had been hiding it, it would have seemed suspicious.
Wen Ying often brought Xiao Hei to the kitchen, and Wang Gou’dan was used to it. But he really didn’t expect that this time, Wen Ying would bring someone else.
Could it be…
Wang Gou’dan’s heart suddenly went on high alert.
He hurriedly asked, “Master, who is this… your new disciple?”
Oh no! Could it be that there’s a disciple coming to vie for favor!
With his unpromising talent, if another disciple came to compete for the master’s favor… how could he win!
“No.” Wen Ying shook her head. “I’m not interested in taking on disciples. Having you is more than enough.”
Although it was a dismissive remark, in Wang Gou’dan’s heart, it had a different meaning.
The master wasn’t interested in taking on disciples but took him in, so it seemed… he was an exception!
The master even said having him was enough…
A blush appeared on Wang Gou’dan’s increasingly round face. He felt light and airy, as if walking on clouds; it felt like he could fly with just a step.
Seeing Wang Gou’dan’s unsteady state, Wen Ying thought, did he drink something wrong?
Fortunately, when it came to cooking, Wang Gou’dan returned to his usual serious self.
Although Wang Gou’dan’s past actions were somewhat inappropriate, since he had repented, he had been very serious in his studies. From the initial garlic porridge, he could now independently make some stir-fries and soups.
Because of this, Wang Gou’dan had visibly become rounder. Compared to his previous skinny appearance, he now looked much more amiable.
Today’s dishes were Wang Gou’dan’s stir-fried peanuts, egg pancakes, and Wen Ying’s boiled fish fillet porridge.
Wen Ying still made one dish every meal, partly because Wang Gou’dan’s skills were still insufficient, and partly because she wanted to eat it herself.
While teaching, she could prepare her breakfast and lunch.
While Wang Gou’dan and Wen Ying cooked, Xiao Hei continued to play with small objects on the ground, while the boy quietly stood aside, but his rumbling stomach occasionally betrayed his hunger.
As the boy was about to swallow his saliva for the nth time, a plate of peanuts and egg pancakes, along with a bowl of porridge, suddenly appeared in his line of sight.
Following the hand holding the plate and the bowl of porridge, the boy gratefully looked up—
It was Wen Ying. It was Wen Ying who offered the food.
The boy tried to gesture with his hands, seemingly trying to say thank you.
“It’s alright, I’m making it for the disciples anyway, there’s enough for one more.” Wen Ying was about to hand the food to the boy when she saw his dirty hands and suddenly changed her mind.
She placed the food on a nearby table. “Wash your hands and face first. Dirty hands can easily make you sick.”
Wen Ying had used her true energy to check the boy; he was indeed an ordinary person without cultivation.
Washing your hands before meals was common sense.
It wasn’t just for the boy’s sake; Wen Ying was also doing it for herself and Wang Gou’dan.
No cook wants their diners to get diarrhea after eating their food.
Seeing the boy’s somewhat bewildered look, Wen Ying added, “After you’re done, eat here.”
Speaking, Wen Ying tapped the table.
The boy nodded, seeming to finally understand Wen Ying’s meaning, walked to the water tank, scooped up a spoonful of water, and began to diligently wash his hands and face.
The dining table in the kitchen was newly added by Wang Gou’dan recently.
Next to the table was Wang Gou’dan, who was frantically sneaking food.
Sneaking food wasn’t quite accurate. Since the master arrived, Wang Gou’dan had always been the first to taste the food, eating earlier than the other disciples.
The food made by the master, a top-tier cultivator cook, was practically unparalleled; it was lucky to have a bite. Since the master didn’t stop him, Wang Gou’dan naturally had to enjoy it. As for the food he had made that was edible, it was the fruit of his labor, and Wang Gou’dan found it especially delicious.
This was why he was visibly becoming rounder.
Cultivators don’t usually get fat, but they are not too thin either. From the moment they started abstaining from food, they maintained their current figure.
But… if you eat too much like Wang Gou’dan, you will get fat…
After washing up, the boy sat at the table and began to eat as Wen Ying had said.
The boy was not only quiet and well-behaved when standing but also when eating, quietly using a spoon to eat the porridge, without any unnecessary movements.
Soon, the boy finished eating.
He stood up and tugged on Wen Ying’s sleeve again, indicating he was done.
Wen Ying didn’t expect the boy to eat so quickly.
He must have been starving for a long time.
Since the boy was blocking the table, Wen Ying didn’t think much of it. After saying goodbye to Wang Gou’dan, she left the kitchen with the boy and Xiao Hei.
Wang Gou’dan stopped eating, stood up, and watched his most respected master leave the kitchen.
As he turned to continue eating, Wang Gou’dan suddenly saw the boy’s leftover food.
The porridge was indeed eaten clean, the bowl spotless. But the peanuts and egg pancakes were untouched.
Wang Gou’dan frowned.
What a waste!
As a diligent eater, Wang Gou’dan truly despised such wasteful behavior!
He didn’t know what kind of person the boy was to the master…
Could it be…!!!
Some time ago, Wang Gou’dan had heard rumors about the master, that she was secretly meeting with a male concubine in the dungeon…
If, if the boy was the master’s male concubine…
Didn’t that mean the master already considered him as her own! She even brought him to meet the family!!
Wang Gou’dan’s face blossomed into a wide smile, his eyes squinting.
…
The boy followed Wen Ying back to the disciple’s quarters she had built.
The disciple’s quarters were indeed built at just the right time.
Wen Ying hadn’t expected that the disciple’s quarters would come in handy for the male concubine plot.
Entering the room, Wen Ying examined Xu Huang’s male concubine for the first time.
Before, because the boy’s face was covered in dirt, it was difficult to see clearly. Now that his face was clean, Wen Ying saw his true appearance.
Undeniably, Xu Huang’s eye for people was indeed good. Although the boy’s clothes were tattered, his handsome features were still undeniable.
Author’s Note:
Let’s practice the “clean plate” campaign! Hehe
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