Chapter 546: I Want to Eat Your Cooking

After hearing Lu Yibei’s words, Li Xuan’s expression stiffened for a moment, and he said sarcastically, “Heh, Operator Lu, you really know how to talk!”

“Oh, stop it, you’re making me embarrassed!” Lu Yibei waved his hand.

Li Xuan rubbed his forehead and growled, “I wasn’t complimenting you!”

As he spoke, he glanced at Huá Sāng without making it obvious, signaling her with his eyes, but Huá Sāng just frowned slightly, her gaze seeming to say, “Why are you looking at me?”

Li Xuan, “……”

While he was silent, Lu Yibei looked at Huá Sāng, scratched the back of his head, and said, “So, if there’s no problem, can we set out the day after tomorrow? I still have some things to do tomorrow.”

Tonight I have to try to summon that guy Hu Chuan, tomorrow morning I need to visit Professor Ma, and most importantly, tomorrow night I’ve got dinner plans with Meow Meow-chan… Lu Yibei grumbled inwardly.

“Mm.” Huá Sāng nodded.

“Thanks, then it’s settled!” Lu Yibei raised his eyebrow at Huá Sāng, then pointed toward the office building. “I need to see our boss, got some business, so I’ll head off now. We’ll talk later.”

After saying this, seeing Huá Sāng wave her hand, he quickly walked toward the office building.

Passing by the crooked old tree in front of the office building, he suddenly felt a gaze fall on him. Lu Yibei paused, then stepped back, coming to stand before the mushroom girl, whose expression was gloomy and resentful, her small hands outstretched. He rummaged in his pocket for a while and took out two pieces of corn candy he’d prepared earlier.

“I didn’t forget, see, I brought them for you!”

Lu Yibei muttered quietly as he stuffed the corn candy into the mushroom girl’s hands. Only then did her gloomy, resentful expression fade, replaced by a smile that made people uncomfortable.

Seeing the mushroom girl slowly unwrap the candy and pop it into her mouth, chewing slowly, Lu Yibei shrugged and headed toward Office V.

In the small courtyard.

Li Xuan’s face was dark as he watched Lu Yibei leave, only retracting his gaze when Lu Yibei’s figure was swallowed by the shadows in the corridor. He looked at Huá Sāng and said irritably, “Why didn’t you speak up for me just now?”

Huá Sāng glanced at Li Xuan, giving him a look that said, “You know why.”

“But, that kid slandered our sect like that, and you can tolerate it?” Li Xuan said angrily.

“Arguing with people over such things is tiring and pointless, and besides, he’s right.” Huá Sāng replied calmly.

“‘Oddball’ isn’t a bad word. Disciples of the Great Pure Palace are not bound by worldly conventions, each unique, rare in the world.”

“Most importantly, getting angry hurts the body.”

Li Xuan, “……” Is there only me left as a normal person in this world?

For a moment, he felt that Lu Yibei’s words were indeed quite fitting for Huá Sāng.

——–

Hua City Folk Culture Administration Bureau, Office V.

Afternoon sunlight streamed through the window, casting a layer of pale gold over the room. Jiang Li sat upright at the old-fashioned desk, staring at the email on her computer screen, her expression as bland as distilled water.

[Spirit Pattern [mythical type · Xie Zhi] advancement materials have all been acquired. Hua City Midnight Watchers Society operator Jiang Li, after confirming advancement of this Spirit Pattern, please report to Jinguan City Midnight Watchers Society within seven working days…]

She read this passage over and over, her mood as complicated as a pot of seafood chowder.

An ancient book says: “Xie Zhi is like a qilin, with one horn, able to distinguish right from wrong. When it sees people fighting, it butts the unjust; when it hears people arguing, it bites the dishonest.”

Its temperament is similar to Kā róng in Greek mythology, passionate and kind, upholding justice, and Kā róng’s constellation, Centaur, also includes the Dǒu star, corresponding to the star official Doumu Xie.

Through the connection between Centaur and Dǒu star, Doumu Xie and Xie Zhi, the transformation and sublimation of the Spirit Pattern during advancement isn’t too difficult.

Moreover, Xie Zhi is gentle, steady, upright, and unafraid of the strong bullying the weak, a temperament that matches Jiang Li, allowing her to maximize the Spirit Pattern’s power.

This is indeed one of the Spirit Pattern advancement options she hoped for, even the best choice.

But until a few days ago, when she asked her superiors about the progress of collecting materials for her preferred Spirit Pattern options, the answer was still: “The whereabouts of the main materials are unknown.”

And now, just a few days later, not only have the materials been gathered, but it’s also the best option–this feels too coincidental.

In silence, Jiang Li thought of Lu Yibei asking her about the Spirit Pattern advancement not long ago. Her brows furrowed slightly, and she unconsciously shook her finger, muttering, “Could it be him?”

But through what channel did he get them?

Hopefully it wasn’t anything illegal.

If so, that would be troublesome…

It’s not a matter of trusting Lu Yibei; Jiang Li was really worried that Lu Yibei, using his Calamity identity, might do something outrageous and add a few deadly charges to her own head.

“Knock knock knock—-!”

Just as Jiang Li was worrying, a knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.

“Come in.” She looked toward the office door and called softly, then saw Lu Yibei push the door open and walk in.

“Boss, good afternoon!” Lu Yibei waggled his eyebrows.

Those eyebrows bounced, each jump seeming to announce to the world that the only thing moving on his face was his eyebrows.

Jiang Li looked at Lu Yibei with deep meaning for two seconds, then said calmly, “Is there something you need?”

Could he be here to find out whether I’ve received the Spirit Pattern advancement notice? Jiang Li wondered.

“Look at you, can’t I drop by if there’s nothing? What if some operator needs help?” Lu Yibei waved his hand.

Jiang Li frowned at this. “Help? Slacking off and shirking is more your style, isn’t it?”

[I know you too well.] As she spoke, Jiang Li silently sent Lu Yibei a look with this meaning.

“Well…” Lu Yibei scratched his cheek. “I just wanted to see you.”

“Just to see me?” Jiang Li tilted her head.

Just to see?

“Yeah, is there anything more meaningful than that?” Lu Yibei said earnestly.

“Ahem!” Jiang Li’s cheeks flushed slightly, she cleared her throat, then said seriously, “I appreciate your kindness. Now that you’ve seen me, you can go back, right?”

“Don’t be so quick to kick me out!” Seeing Jiang Li issue an eviction order, Lu Yibei hurriedly said, “Besides coming to see you, I have two other things I want to confirm with you!”

So just now, it really was just trash talk… Jiang Li complained inwardly, shaking her head helplessly. “Go ahead!”

Better not be about Spirit Pattern advancement. Jiang Li added silently in her heart.

“Hehe.” Lu Yibei gave a dry laugh. “Actually, I want to ask you for another proof document…”

“Wait, a proof document?” Jiang Li interrupted.

“For the school.”

“Didn’t I already help you with that before? What kind of proof do you need now?” Jiang Li asked in confusion.

[Up to no good again?]

[Absolutely not!]

After responding to Jiang Li with his eyes, Lu Yibei continued, “I was just thinking, I might run into all sorts of strange things later and miss classes, right?”

“So I want to prepare a proof in advance, saying I was seriously injured by criminals twice in a row, left with aftereffects, and sometimes my body spasms, so I can’t attend class normally and all that.”

Mainly just to be prepared.

With that kind of proof, plus Professor Ma covering for me, even if the Paper Cicada Immortal is at school, and I occasionally act weird at school, no one will think it’s strange, right? Lu Yibei thought.

After listening to Lu Yibei’s explanation, Jiang Li found it reasonable enough, nodded, and said, “Alright, approved. So, what’s your second thing?”

“The second thing is very important.”

Lu Yibei spoke with a serious tone, his brows tightly furrowed, eyes fixed on Jiang Li’s as if about to announce something life-changing.

At that moment, if he suddenly knelt on one knee and took out a small box with a diamond ring to propose, no one would be surprised.

Such an action made Jiang Li tense up as well, unconsciously straightening her back, then casually asked, “Let’s hear it?”

“Do you remember you made an appointment with me to have dinner together tomorrow night?”

Jiang Li, “……”

Seeing Jiang Li silent, Lu Yibei asked in surprise, “Hey, you didn’t forget, did you?”

“Of course not,” Jiang Li blurted out.

“Then it’s settled. What time tomorrow night, and where should we eat?” Lu Yibei asked.

Jiang Li was silent for a few seconds, looking into Lu Yibei’s eyes, a smile appearing on her face. “Lu Yibei, I’m leaving, so…”

[I want to eat your cooking (cat heart emoji)]

“Ah, where are you going?” Lu Yibei frowned.

“Going to headquarters for Spirit Pattern advancement. It’ll take at least a month before I can come back.”

So soon? Godmother’s efficiency is really something… Lu Yibei thought, his brows relaxing. “I see, then I’m relieved.”

[Don’t worry, leave the cooking to me!]

“But didn’t you say before that this couldn’t be rushed? Why are you suddenly going to headquarters now? Is it for some urgent Spirit Pattern advancement? Is there any risk?” Lu Yibei asked knowingly.

“……”

He really doesn’t know anything?

Well, even if he could get the materials, he wouldn’t be able to hand them over to The Midnight Watchers Society, and then have them passed up the chain to me…

Jiang Li stared at Lu Yibei for two seconds, then gave up trying to read anything from his face, and teased, “Xie Zhi, it’s a kind of divine beast that looks a lot like a Qilin.”

“As for risks, who knows… Maybe next time you see me, I’ll have grown horns on my head.”

“That’d be great! Then I could grab both horns from behind…” Lu Yibei blurted out.

Immediately after, seeing Jiang Li’s icy gaze sharp enough to kill the late spring afternoon sun, he shut his mouth at once.

This woman is too scary. That killer glare is way too lethal. It should be constitutionally banned!

After a few seconds of silence, Lu Yibei added, “If there’s nothing else, I’ll get going!”

With that, he jogged out of Jiang Li’s office.

Watching Lu Yibei’s departing figure, Jiang Li held back for a few seconds before bursting out laughing with a “pfft.”

Then.

She raised her hand to touch the top of her head, muttering softly, “He… actually likes that kind of thing…”

As she spoke, for some reason, a blush bloomed on her fair cheeks.