Long Aotian’s Beautiful Butler Has Run Away chapter 13

Chapter 13: Heart and Soul Shattered

Shen Bingsi shut his mouth and sat down on the stone stool with a huff of annoyance.

Rong Xie had changed into a blue outer gown, covering his moon-white formal robes. Holding a tray with two dishes, he slowly approached the table.

He thought he saw Shen Bingsi and Cui Xingmiao arguing just now. He didn’t know why, but few people could stand Shen Bingsi’s unpredictable temper. Since Shen Bingsi hadn’t paid any attention to him until now, it was normal for Miss Cui to be unable to tolerate it.

Rong Xie lowered his head and placed the cream-colored porcelain plate on the stone table.

Cui Xingmiao looked closely and saw thin, translucent, golden-yellow slices of food in the dish. She didn’t know what it was, but it looked like something crispy fried, though there was only a small amount, arranged in a neat row.

“What is this?” Cui Xingmiao asked curiously.

“This is crispy duck skin. It’s made from the tenderest part of the duck breast, fried with the skin on. Miss Cui, please try,” Rong Xie placed a pair of azure-colored bamboo chopsticks with misty rain patterns in front of Cui Xingmiao.

Cui Xingmiao thought Rong Xie was being clever. Regardless of cooking skills, fried food generally tasted good. She picked up the chopsticks, took a piece of crispy duck skin, put it in her mouth, and couldn’t help covering her mouth with a “Mmh” sound.

Rong Xie became nervous: “Miss Cui, what’s wrong? Did you choke?”

But Cui Xingmiao suddenly sat up straight, her cheeks flushed, her eyes glistening, looking at Rong Xie with surprise and joy: “Brother Rong, what is this? What is this taste? This can’t be duck! The duck I’ve eaten isn’t like this! You must tell me how it’s made. Yes, write it down for me, I’m willing to pay for it. The secret recipe for crispy duck skin! I’ll pay whatever amount!”

Shen Bingsi, who was about to kick the stool to remind Cui Xingmiao not to act up, pulled his foot back. He put a fist to his lips, suppressing a smug smile into a light cough.

Rong Xie breathed a sigh of relief and laughed: “That’s certainly no problem. Since Miss Cui is the Second Young Master’s honored guest, there’s no need to hide a small recipe.”

“Then let’s do it now…” Cui Xingmiao was halfway through her sentence when she suddenly heard someone’s voice drill into her ear, telling her to quit while she was ahead. To stop her, someone even used the secret sound transmission technique (only audible to the designated target) usually reserved for Nascent Soul grandmasters to convey information. Cui Xingmiao had no choice but to look at the next dish.

The next dish was served in a cream-colored porcelain bowl with a lid. It was unknown what was inside.

Rong Xie lifted the porcelain lid, and instantly, a rich aroma wafted out.

“This is lamb stew!” Cui Xingmiao took a deep breath. “It smells so good, this must be freshly slaughtered lamb.”

“Miss Cui is correct. This lamb was slaughtered at Yin hour (3-5 AM) this morning. It’s very fresh, without a hint of gaminess. Miss Cui, please try,” Rong Xie smiled.

“Brother Rong, I love you so much! How did you know my favorite food is lamb stew!” Cui Xingmiao’s eyes sparkled.

“…” Rong Xie felt slightly awkward. When did Miss Cui start calling him Brother Rong? Is this okay? He couldn’t help but glance at Shen Bingsi beside him, only to see that Shen Bingsi had already picked up his chopsticks and emptied half the plate of crispy duck skin.

Cui Xingmiao grabbed her chopsticks to pick up the lamb, but the meat was so tender it fell apart at the touch. She was stunned and at a loss when Rong Xie appeared at the table again, having already fetched small bowls and wooden spoons for the three of them.

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“Please use this,” Rong Xie thoughtfully handed over the utensils.

In the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, Cui Xingmiao devoured the four dishes—two meat and two vegetable—prepared by Rong Xie. After drinking the last sip of lamb soup, she patted her stomach with satisfaction.

“Can we check the pulse now?” Taking advantage of Rong Xie going to the kitchen, Shen Bingsi leaned one arm on the stone table, turning his body towards Cui Xingmiao, urging her impatiently.

“Hey, what’s the rush? We should take a walk after eating. Otherwise, food stagnating in the stomach is bad for the health. You don’t want Brother Rong to feel uncomfortable, do you?” Cui Xingmiao wiped her mouth leisurely.

Shen Bingsi was rendered speechless again. Usually, he had a sharp tongue when dealing with others, but in front of this Divine Doctor Cui, he could only “follow the doctor’s orders.”

“Where else do you want to go? I’ll accompany you!” Shen Bingsi said irritably.

“I don’t want you to accompany me, I want Brother Rong to accompany me,” Cui Xingmiao stood up and happily ran towards the kitchen under Shen Bingsi’s death glare. “Brother Rong, don’t wash the dishes, let Shen Bingsi do it. Come for a walk and chat with me.”

Rong Xie, who had been standing in the kitchen washing dishes while secretly paying attention to the situation outside, heard Cui Xingmiao calling him. He had to put down the dishes and chopsticks, wipe his hands on his apron, and walk out of the kitchen.

“Take it off. After you send me off, let Shen Bingsi wash them,” Cui Xingmiao pointed at the apron on Rong Xie.

Rong Xie looked at Shen Bingsi. Shen Bingsi kept his mouth shut but nodded.

“Wait a moment.” Rong Xie went back to the kitchen, took off the apron, tidied up his clothes simply, and walked out again. “Is Miss Cui leaving today? Won’t you stay for a while?”

“No.” Cui Xingmiao waved her hands repeatedly. If she stayed for another hour, Shen Bingsi would eat her alive. Of course, she was also embarrassed to trouble Rong Xie further. “Brother Rong, I heard you are in charge of counting and preserving the heavenly treasures and magical artifacts in the villa. Can you take me to see them?”

“This…” Rong Xie didn’t expect Cui Xingmiao to make such a sensitive proposal. He was indeed in charge of the villa’s secret vault, but this was too confidential. Unless it was a life-and-death friendship, who would show their secret vault to others?

He looked at Shen Bingsi again. Shen Bingsi remained silent and didn’t object.

Was that… a tacit approval?

They had just met, yet they were already this close?

Or maybe they had known each other for a long time, and Rong Xie just didn’t know.

After all, Shen Bingsi didn’t tell Rong Xie everything. His life outside was so exciting, enough to fill three thousand chapters.

“Alright, I’ll take you.” Rong Xie led the way.

“What are you up to now?” Shen Bingsi continued his secret sound transmission. “Didn’t you say you weren’t interested in my heavy stuff?”

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Cui Xingmiao put a finger to her lips, signaling Shen Bingsi not to dictate the divine doctor’s actions, then whispered: “Needed for the diagnosis.”

This is also related to the diagnosis? Shen Bingsi raised his eyebrows, looking like “I’m listening to your nonsense.”

“It’ll be over after this, really.” Cui Xingmiao lowered her voice. “Do you think I want Brother Rong to get tired? After I leave, make sure you wash the dishes, remember.”

“…” For some reason, Cui Xingmiao finally started caring about Rong Xie, but Shen Bingsi wasn’t happy at all.

Because Shen Bingsi had too many heavenly treasures, and many were piled on the floor unorganized, making it very difficult to enter for a tour. Cui Xingmiao stood at the door for a while, then retreated.

Rong Xie explained somewhat embarrassedly that because his spiritual power was very limited, he could only organize a small portion at a time. These were brought back by Shen Bingsi last time and hadn’t been sorted yet.

“Hmm, organizing these must consume a lot of spiritual power, right?” Cui Xingmiao touched her chin. “Do you have any other helpers, or do you do it alone?”

“Sometimes Bingsi… the Second Young Master helps too,” Rong Xie replied.

Cui Xingmiao nodded and looked at the black iron gate on the other side: “What about over here? What is it?”

Rong Xie glanced at Shen Bingsi again: “…That’s the armory.”

“Oh, can we open it and take a look?” This time Cui Xingmiao asked Shen Bingsi directly.

Shen Bingsi didn’t speak, just stepped forward to open the door.

The spiritual pressure in the armory was extremely high. Between the gloomy stone walls, various blood-drinking weapons were displayed. Without even walking in, just standing at the door, one could feel the fierce aura rushing towards them.

Even Rong Xie rarely approached this place, unless he was accompanying Shen Bingsi to admire his newly acquired top-tier equipment.

“Wow, so many sabers, spears, swords, halberds, axes, battle-axes, hooks, and forks.” Cui Xingmiao shivered, rubbing her hands together as she cautiously walked into the armory.

Although she acted brave, she still took a step back in fright when the torches suddenly lit up with a poof.

Under the impact of Shen Bingsi’s fire spirit, the torches on the stone walls lit up one after another, brightly illuminating the armory. The crimson flames danced in the reflection of the cold weapon blades, like clusters of meteors flowing across the sky.

Shen Bingsi moved his lips, swallowing back “what axes, battle-axes, hooks, and forks, there are only sabers and swords here.” He really hated people talking nonsense in his area of obsession.

“Miss Cui is mistaken, there are only sabers and swords here,” a gentle voice came from behind Cui Xingmiao. “More than half of these sabers and swords are high-grade magical artifacts, and a small portion are famous swords passed down from ancient times. Each has drunk countless blood and is very fierce. Although they have been subdued by the Second Young Master and bound here, their fierce aura can still hurt people from a distance. Miss Cui, please don’t get too close.”

Shen Bingsi felt comfortable all over hearing Rong Xie’s explanation. With Rong Xie around, he really didn’t need to speak.

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However, Cui Xingmiao acted as if she didn’t hear it, heading straight for the sword rack directly in front.

“Miss Cui…” Rong Xie didn’t know what was wrong with Cui Xingmiao and wanted to stop her, but a strong hand held his shoulder from behind, squeezing it hard to signal him not to worry. Then, Shen Bingsi’s figure swept past him, flashing beside Cui Xingmiao in the blink of an eye, grabbing her hand reaching for the sword rack.

“?” Shen Bingsi looked at Cui Xingmiao with questioning blame.

Cui Xingmiao looked calm, not feeling she was wrong at all. She pointed at the sword rack: “Shen Bingsi, what is this?”

Shen Bingsi was suspicious. Following her gaze, he saw a small silver sword on the black iron sword rack, standing out from the dark background, shining exceptionally brightly in the torchlight.

“Although I haven’t seen it… this must be that sword!” Cui Xingmiao raised her chin, looking at Shen Bingsi provocatively. “Don’t tell me it’s not?”

“…” Shen Bingsi’s gaze darkened. “So what if it is.”

“Fine, I thought you disdained lying. I didn’t expect you to be no different from those Jianghu people. If you didn’t want to give it, just say so. Why say you gave it away!” Cui Xingmiao shook off Shen Bingsi’s hand.

Rong Xie stood confused in the back, watching the two argue. He didn’t know why they suddenly started quarreling. Was it because of a sword?

“Miss Cui, Bingsi, you…” Rong Xie stepped forward, wanting to persuade them, but as he approached, he saw a flash of silver light.

That silver light was too dazzling to ignore. Rong Xie realized in an instant that the object of their dispute was—Photoelectric White Orchid.

Photoelectric White Orchid.

Once, Rong Xie liked this exquisite and elegant sword very much, and its name sounded so unique, like a bunch of lonely orchids blooming and withering in an empty valley.

But… ever since his body was pierced by it, experiencing the pain of heart and soul shattering, Rong Xie couldn’t bear to hear this name anymore. Even similar sounds would make his fingertips numb.

He deliberately avoided it, didn’t think about it, and lived as if nothing happened. The nightmare hadn’t come knocking, and he had almost forgotten there was such a sword in the armory.

But, the Photoelectric White Orchid was here after all.

It suddenly burst into Rong Xie’s field of vision in an unexpected way. The impact of the past trauma hit him again head-on. Rong Xie was defenseless, feeling like a small boat thrown into monstrous waves, torn into pieces in an instant, with no chance of survival.

Black spots appeared in his vision. The sounds of Shen Bingsi and Cui Xingmiao arguing grew further and further away. Rong Xie fell backward. With a thud, something fell to the ground, and then he knew nothing more.