Chapter 103: Eating

Chapter 103: Chapter 103: Eating

By the time Xi Yunxui reached the staff quarters, the strange feeling she had experienced in the main residence had faded considerably.

However, the moment she opened the door, three pairs of eyes greeted her.

Hui sat on the bed, her little legs swinging over the edge as she waited patiently. Biyu perched beside her, while King C sprawled across the floor with an expression of profound suffering.

The sight of the food in Xi Yunxui’s hands made his suffering vanish. He sprang to his feet.

"You’re back!"

Xi Yunxui barely had time to close the door before King C hurried over.

"What did you bring?"

"Didn’t you just say you were hungry?"

"I was hungry before. Now I’m extremely hungry."

Xi Yunxui stared at him. "Is there a difference?"

"Of course." King C looked at her as though she had asked the most unreasonable question in the world. "Being hungry is one thing. Being extremely hungry is another. The latter requires immediate action."

Xi Yunxui could not help laughing. "You’re really shameless."

"I’m simply being honest."

Hui had already climbed off the bed and joined them. "Big Sister, what did you bring?"

"I brought lunch for everyone."

Xi Yunxui placed the food on the table, immediately lighting up Hui’s eyes. Biyu fluttered down from the bed and landed beside her, chirping excitedly as she inspected the dishes, while King C reached for the vegetables.

Xi Yunxui caught his paw before it reached the plate.

"Wait."

King C froze. "Why?"

"Because you haven’t even washed your paws."

He looked down at them as though they had betrayed him. "They aren’t that dirty."

Xi Yunxui gave him a flat look. "Go wash them."

"But the food is getting cold."

"It will survive the few moments it takes you to clean yourself."

King C glanced between the dishes and the washing area, apparently calculating whether he could somehow eat and wash at the same time. Xi Yunxui pointed toward the corner.

"By yourself."

His ears drooped. "You’re making me do everything."

"You’re the one who wants to eat."

With a dramatic sigh, King C trudged toward the washing area.

Hui watched him go, then looked up at Xi Yunxui. "Should I wash my hands too?"

"Yes. You can do it yourself, can’t you?"

Hui nodded seriously. "I can."

She followed King C, while Biyu fluttered after them, chirping as though she had appointed herself their supervisor.

Xi Yunxui watched them disappear around the corner before arranging the food. A moment later, King C’s voice rang out.

"How much water is enough?"

"Enough to wash your paws."

"That doesn’t answer the question."

"Use your judgment."

After a brief silence, Hui said, "King C, you’re splashing water everywhere."

"I’m washing thoroughly."

"You’re washing the wall."

Xi Yunxui closed her eyes for a moment. "King C, keep the water in the basin."

"I am keeping it in the basin."

A loud splash followed.

Hui gasped. "Now it’s on the floor."

"That was intentional."

"Why?"

"So the floor could be clean too."

Xi Yunxui could not help laughing. "Just dry yourselves and come back."

After a few more suspicious splashes, King C and Hui returned. Hui’s hands were clean, while King C’s paws remained damp, several droplets clung to his fur, and his tail looked as though it had been involved in a separate battle.

Xi Yunxui handed him a cloth. "Dry your paws."

King C obediently wiped them, then tried to use the same cloth on his face.

"That’s for your paws."

"My face is attached to me."

"That doesn’t make it clean."

Offended, King C used the cloth properly.

Once everyone was seated, Xi Yunxui began serving the food. King C, however, immediately destroyed any hope of a peaceful meal. He climbed onto his seat and stared first at the dishes, then at Xi Yunxui, before returning his attention to the food.

Xi Yunxui noticed. "What?"

"Nothing."

"Why are you looking at the food like that?"

"I’m admiring it."

"You’ve been staring at that carrot for almost a minute."

"It’s a very beautiful carrot."

Xi Yunxui burst out laughing. "Just eat."

King C needed no further encouragement. He grabbed the carrot and took a large bite.

Crunch.

He froze.

Xi Yunxui raised an eyebrow. "What now?"

King C chewed with great seriousness. "This carrot is suspicious."

Hui blinked. "Why?"

"It made a sound."

"Food usually does that when you bite it."

King C considered this. "Then it is a very noisy carrot."

Xi Yunxui shook her head. "Keep eating before it starts arguing with you."

King C took another bite, this time with exaggerated caution, as though the carrot might retaliate. Hui giggled and began eating as well, while Biyu pecked happily at the food Xi Yunxui had prepared for her.

When King C reached for another piece, Xi Yunxui slapped his paw away.

"That one is mine."

He stared at her. "I was only checking whether it was safe."

"You already checked three pieces."

"Safety requires consistency."

Hui pointed at his plate. "You have more food than everyone else."

King C immediately pulled it closer. "That is because I am the most vulnerable."

"To what?"

"Starvation."

Xi Yunxui nearly choked on her tea.

For a while, the room filled with the sounds of eating, interrupted only by King C’s suspicious commentary about the vegetables.

"This mushroom is looking at me."

"It doesn’t have eyes."

"That is exactly what it wants you to think."

Xi Yunxui watched him argue with his lunch while Hui tried not to laugh and Biyu pecked happily at her food.

After everything that had happened that day, the ordinary scene felt surprisingly comforting.

She leaned back in her chair, her gaze drifting toward the window as afternoon sunlight streamed into the room and cast a warm glow across the floor.

For a moment, she thought about the mountain, the ancient creature, Jianshan, the arriving cultivators, and the barrier. Everything had happened so quickly that she still had not fully processed it.

She had originally thought that receiving the mountain from the system would simply give her another place to explore. She certainly had not expected it to contain an ancient creature powerful enough to frighten an entire group of cultivators.

Xi Yunxui sighed. "Things really don’t stay peaceful around me for long."

King C paused halfway through hiding a mushroom beneath his plate. "Did you say something?"

"No." Xi Yunxui shook her head. "Keep eating."

King C glanced at the mushroom, then quietly placed it back on his plate.

Xi Yunxui smiled faintly.

At least some things were simple.

She had a mountain, a strange ancient familiar, three companions who were constantly hungry, and a system that apparently enjoyed giving her problems and calling them opportunities.

As she thought about it, the translucent system panel suddenly appeared in front of her.

Xi Yunxui’s smile disappeared. She stared at it.

"What now?"

The panel flickered.

[Host has received a new system notification.]

Xi Yunxui put down her chopsticks as a bad feeling settled in her chest.

"Can’t I have one peaceful afternoon?"

The system did not answer. Instead, another line appeared.

[New task has been generated.]

Xi Yunxui stared at the words while King C continued eating, completely unaware of the approaching trouble. Hui was busy feeding Biyu, leaving Xi Yunxui to watch the system panel with growing suspicion.

’Please don’t be another mountain.’

For the first time since arriving in this world, Xi Yunxui sincerely hoped that the system had finally learned some restraint.

She had a feeling she was about to be disappointed.

The panel flickered again.

[Mission: Ensure Huo Yuning returns home safely tonight.]

Xi Yunxui blinked. "Huo Yuning?"

[Mission objective: Accompany Huo Yuning through the night and ensure her safe return home.]

[Mission reward: Beauty and Eye Strengthening Pill.]

Xi Yunxui’s eyes widened slightly.

A beauty and eye strengthening pill?

The name alone sounded suspiciously useful.

She glanced toward the sunlit window. "Why does she need someone to escort her home?"

The system remained silent.

Xi Yunxui narrowed her eyes. "Is there danger?"

[Mission details will be revealed upon acceptance.]

She stared at the panel for a moment. The system was clearly withholding information again.

Still, the reward was too tempting to ignore, especially since her eyes had been strained recently and giving her issues.

Xi Yunxui sighed. "Fine. I accept."

[Mission accepted.]

[Please locate Huo Yuning before nightfall.]

King C finally looked up from his food. "Where are you going?"

Xi Yunxui stood and walked towards the door. "To make sure someone gets home safely."

Hui tilted her head. "Are you coming back?"

"I will."

Xi Yunxui glanced at the system panel one last time. Since she and Huo Yuning had only just met at the main residence, she could not simply wait until evening and hope to find her by chance. She needed a concrete plan.

First, she would return to the main residence and locate Huo Yuning. Once she found her, Xi Yunxui would stay by her side for the rest of the day instead of letting her wander off alone. She would accompany her wherever she went, keep track of the people around her, and make sure they ate together before nightfall. If Huo Yuning had to leave the residence, Xi Yunxui would go with her. If she returned to her room, Xi Yunxui would wait nearby. She would not lose sight of her until Huo Yuning was safely home.

A mission to escort Huo Yuning home sounded simple, but with the system involved, Xi Yunxui had a feeling the night would not be peaceful at all.