Chapter 44: Calling Huo Jingchen [3]

Chapter 44: Chapter 44: Calling Huo Jingchen [3]

Xi Yunxui stood in the kitchen with one hand resting against the counter, her mind completely blank.

She had already used up two stages of her cultivation just to obtain Huo Jingchen’s phone number. Now that she finally had it, she had called him without even thinking through what she was going to say.

And worse—

He had actually answered.

Xi Yunxui stared at the phone in her hand as though it had suddenly become a dangerous object.

What am I supposed to tell him?

She had originally wanted to earn enough Affection Points to unlock the food section of the System Store. The gathering was only a few hours away, and two important ingredients were still missing.

She needed Huo Jingchen’s help.

But she couldn’t exactly call him and say:

Young Master, please give me fifteen Affection Points so I can buy ingredients from my mysterious system.

That would probably get her fired.

Possibly arrested.

Maybe both.

So when the familiar voice came through the phone, Xi Yunxui’s brain had immediately gone blank.

"Hello?"

Xi Yunxui swallowed.

Before she could say anything, however, Huo Jingchen suddenly stood.

The movement caught the attention of everyone seated around the large conference table.

Huo Jingchen had been seated at the head of the table, listening to the discussion regarding the strange golden phenomenon that had appeared over the mountains several days ago.

Representatives from six major cultivation sects were present.

Among them was Qing Xi, the flight attendant who had secretly infiltrated Huo Jingchen’s circle.

Her expression remained calm, but her eyes briefly flickered toward Huo Jingchen’s phone.

Who is calling him at a time like this?

The man who had been speaking immediately stopped.

"Mr. Huo?"

Huo Jingchen glanced around the room.

"I’ll excuse myself for a moment."

His voice was calm and authoritative, leaving no room for objection.

He pushed his chair back and stood.

His phone remained pressed against his ear.

The moment he stepped out of the conference room and the heavy doors closed behind him, Huo Jingchen’s usually composed expression changed.

His lips trembled slightly.

Not from nervousness.

From the sudden, inexplicable happiness that had risen within him.

He took a slow breath.

Then another.

Only after forcing himself to calm down did he speak.

"Xi Yunxui?"

His voice was noticeably softer than usual.

On the other end of the call, Xi Yunxui blinked.

She had expected him to sound irritated.

After all, she had called him in the middle of an important meeting.

Instead, his voice was gentle.

Almost tender.

Xi Yunxui’s fingers tightened slightly around the phone.

"Yes, Young Master. It’s me."

Huo Jingchen’s lips curved faintly.

He leaned against the wall, his posture relaxing.

"How did you get my number?"

There was no accusation in his voice.

He simply sounded curious.

"And what happened? Why did you suddenly call me?"

Xi Yunxui hesitated.

"I..."

She glanced around the kitchen.

King C was sitting on the counter nearby, happily chewing on a carrot.

The little white creature paused mid-bite and looked at her.

Xi Yunxui immediately turned away.

"I got your number from one of the servants," she lied.

Technically, she wasn’t entirely sure whether that counted as a lie since the System had somehow obtained the number through means she didn’t understand.

Huo Jingchen didn’t question it.

"What happened?"

"I was calling because..."

Xi Yunxui’s voice trailed off.

Her brain went blank again.

Because what?

She couldn’t tell him about the System.

She couldn’t tell him she had sacrificed two stages of cultivation just to obtain his number.

And she certainly couldn’t tell him she needed his affection points.

For a few seconds, there was complete silence.

Huo Jingchen’s expression slowly changed.

The faint smile disappeared.

"Xi Yunxui?"

His tone became concerned.

"Are you alright?"

Xi Yunxui blinked.

"Yes."

"Did something happen?"

"No."

"Are you in trouble?"

"No, Young Master."

"Then why do you sound like that?"

Xi Yunxui opened her mouth.

Closed it.

Opened it again.

Her eyes landed on the ingredients scattered across the kitchen counter.

Suddenly, an idea came to her.

"I..."

She forced a smile even though he couldn’t see her.

"I wanted to ask if you would be eating lunch at home today."

Huo Jingchen froze.

Xi Yunxui continued hurriedly.

"I’m preparing several dishes for Madam’s gathering. There will be quite a few dishes, so I was wondering if I should prepare some for you as well."

Silence.

Xi Yunxui’s heart began beating faster.

Did I say something strange?

She was just about to speak again when she heard a faint sound from the other end.

A breath.

Then another.

Huo Jingchen had raised one hand to cover his mouth.

The corners of his lips had already risen.

He couldn’t remember the last time someone had casually called him to ask whether he wanted lunch.

Not because they needed something from him.

Not because they wanted to discuss business.

Not because they wanted a favor.

Just—

Would you like me to prepare food for you too?

The warmth spreading through his chest was almost ridiculous.

His eyes softened.

The tension that usually surrounded him seemed to disappear entirely.

"Yes."

His answer came almost immediately.

Xi Yunxui blinked.

"Yes?"

"I’ll eat at home."

There was a smile in his voice now.

"I’ll finish my meeting as soon as possible and come back."

Xi Yunxui nodded instinctively.

"Alright, Young Master."

There was another brief silence.

Neither seemed particularly eager to end the call.

Eventually, Xi Yunxui spoke.

"Then I’ll wait for you."

The moment those words left her mouth, she froze.

Why did I say that?!

But Huo Jingchen’s heart nearly skipped a beat.

His fingers tightened around the phone.

"Alright."

His voice was unusually soft.

"I’ll be home soon."

"Okay."

Xi Yunxui immediately ended the call.

The screen went dark.

She stared at it.

Then she slowly lowered the phone.

"..."

She had completely forgotten about the mission.

She had forgotten about the missing ingredients.

She had forgotten about everything.

Because somehow, she had just called Huo Jingchen to ask him whether he wanted lunch.

Xi Yunxui slowly raised both hands and slapped them lightly against her cheeks.

"What was I thinking?"

---

Meanwhile, Huo Jingchen remained outside the conference room.

He was still holding his phone.

He stared at the dark screen.

A smile remained on his face.

He didn’t seem to realize it.

For a man who was usually so disciplined that even his assistants rarely saw him display unnecessary emotions, his current expression was almost absurd.

He replayed the conversation in his mind.

I’m preparing several dishes for Madam’s gathering.

Should I prepare some for you as well?

His smile deepened.

I’ll wait for you.

Huo Jingchen lowered his head slightly.

"..."

He really needed to find out what was happening to him.

He had never behaved like this before.

Not with anyone.

Yet with Xi Yunxui, his reactions seemed to happen before he could even think.

He would notice her leaving and instinctively stop her.

He would look for her when he returned home.

He had called the Huo residence their home without realizing it.

And now, a simple question about lunch had been enough to make him feel as though he had received something precious.

Huo Jingchen rubbed his forehead.

This is getting serious.

Just then, the conference room door opened.

"Young Master?"

Zhou Rui stepped out.

He stopped when he saw his employer standing there with an expression that was far too relaxed.

Zhou Rui blinked.

Then blinked again.

"Are you... alright?"

Huo Jingchen immediately straightened.

The smile vanished.

His usual cold, composed expression returned in an instant.

"I’m fine."

Zhou Rui looked at him suspiciously.

He had worked for Huo Jingchen long enough to know that something had happened.

But he was wise enough not to ask.

"We’re waiting for you."

"I’ll be there."

Huo Jingchen walked past him.

Zhou Rui followed.

The moment Huo Jingchen entered the conference room, every pair of eyes turned toward him.

Qing Xi narrowed her eyes slightly.

She had been watching him for some time.

There was something different about him.

His aura was still powerful.

His expression was still calm.

But his eyes—

They were softer.

And there was a faint trace of happiness that hadn’t been there before he left.

Qing Xi’s fingers curled beneath the table.

Who called him?

She quietly stored the observation away.

Huo Jingchen sat down.

"Continue."

The discussion resumed.

And within seconds, Huo Jingchen had returned completely to the role of the Bureau of Cultivation’s leader.

His expression became stern.

His questions were precise.

His decisions decisive.

No one would have guessed that less than a minute earlier, the same man had been standing outside the room smiling at his phone.

---

Meanwhile, at the Huo Residence

Xi Yunxui lowered her phone and stared at the ceiling.

Then she remembered the reason she had made the call.

Her eyes widened.

"Wait!"

She slapped her forehead.

"I forgot to ask him about the ingredients!"

King C, who was still chewing his carrot, glanced at her.

This human is strange.

Xi Yunxui paced around the kitchen.

"I called him without asking anything useful."

She stopped.

"Then why did I call him?"

King C continued chewing.

Crunch.

Crunch.

Xi Yunxui’s eye twitched.

"Don’t look at me like that."

Crunch.

"You’re not helping."

Crunch.

"I sacrificed two stages of cultivation for that phone number!"

King C finally stopped chewing.

He looked at her with his golden eyes.

Then he slowly turned his head away.

Xi Yunxui stared at him.

"You don’t even feel guilty, do you?"

King C resumed eating.

Crunch.

Xi Yunxui sighed.

"Forget it."

She rubbed her temples.

She had no choice now.

She would simply have to figure out another way to obtain the ingredients.

But just as she was about to return to preparing the food—

Ding!

The familiar System notification suddenly sounded in her mind.

[Congratulations, Host!]

Xi Yunxui froze.

[You have successfully gained 18 Affection Points.]

Her eyes widened.

"What?"

She stared blankly ahead.

"Eighteen?"

She immediately checked the System panel.

Sure enough.

Her Affection Points had increased.

Affection Points: 23

Xi Yunxui’s mouth slowly fell open.

She had been worrying herself sick over how she would gather enough points.

Yet one phone call had given her eighteen.

She almost jumped.

Thankfully, she managed to restrain herself at the last moment.

Her hands clenched excitedly.

"Eighteen Affection Points..."

A brilliant smile spread across her face.

"So this is how easy it is?"

The System remained silent.

Xi Yunxui narrowed her eyes.

"Why are you quiet?"

Still silence.

She shrugged.

"Never mind."

She clasped her hands together.

King C stopped chewing.

He stared at her.

Then at the empty carrot in his hoof.

Then back at Xi Yunxui and went back to eating his carrot.

Xi Yunxui immediately said,

"System, open the Food Section."

A moment later, the familiar translucent panel appeared before her.

[Affection Points detected.]

[Host currently possesses sufficient Affection Points.]

[Food Section Store unlocked.]

Xi Yunxui’s eyes lit up.

At last!

She could finally solve the problem of the missing ingredients.

She leaned toward the glowing panel eagerly.

"Show me what you have."

The System Store began to change.

Rows of unfamiliar ingredients slowly appeared before her eyes.

Xi Yunxui’s expression became increasingly excited.

King C, meanwhile, casually picked up another carrot.

Crunch.

Xi Yunxui turned.

"Put that down."

King C froze.

The carrot remained halfway to his mouth.

"...Why?"

"Because you’re going to bankrupt me."

King C stared at her.

Then slowly lowered the carrot.

Xi Yunxui nodded in satisfaction.

"Good."

A pause.

King C suddenly whispered through their mental connection:

Can I eat it after you become rich?

Xi Yunxui’s expression went blank.

"...We’ll discuss that later."