Chapter 53: A Chicken

Chapter 53: Chapter 53: A Chicken

Xi Yunxui finally returned to her room after what felt like an impossibly long day.

The moment the door closed behind her, she let out a long, exhausted sigh.

"Haah..."

She walked toward the bed, dropped herself onto the mattress, and stared blankly at the ceiling for a few seconds.

Her entire body felt heavy.

She had barely had time to breathe since returning from the village.

First, there had been the journey back.

Then Madam Huo had suddenly needed her to come to Country Z.

Then there had been the cooking, the gathering, King C’s endless antics, Madam Shen’s strange reaction to the food, the mission, the lucky draw...

And somehow, she had survived all of it.

Barely.

Xi Yunxui turned onto her side.

A moment later, the mattress sank slightly.

King C climbed onto the bed.

The little white creature walked toward her and sat down, staring at her with his golden eyes.

He tilted his head.

"Hey."

Xi Yunxui didn’t respond.

King C moved closer.

"Are you really that tired?"

Xi Yunxui slowly opened her eyes.

She stared at him for a moment before sitting upright.

"Of course I’m tired."

She rubbed her temples.

"Think about it. I came back from the village and didn’t even get a chance to properly rest. I immediately had to travel all the way to Country Z to help Madam Huo prepare a meal."

King C blinked.

Xi Yunxui sighed again.

"And Country Z wasn’t even the end of it."

She leaned backward, supporting herself with her hands.

"Speaking of Country Z..."

Her expression became thoughtful.

Huo Jingchen suddenly came to mind.

More specifically, the way he had behaved after their meal.

Xi Yunxui frowned.

Ever since that day in the kitchen, something had felt different.

It was almost as if Huo Jingchen had been avoiding her.

Even after they returned to Country M, she barely saw him.

Apparently, he had returned ahead of Madam Huo and Xi Yunxui.

Xi Yunxui had replayed their conversation several times in her mind.

Did I say something wrong?

She couldn’t think of anything.

She had simply told him she could clear the dishes herself.

Then she had asked whether he needed anything else.

That was all.

There was nothing disrespectful about that.

If anything, she had been behaving exactly as she was supposed to behave.

She was a maid.

He was her employer.

There was supposed to be a certain boundary between them.

"So why is he acting strangely?"

Xi Yunxui muttered.

King C looked at her.

"Who?"

"Young Master Huo."

King C’s ears twitched.

Xi Yunxui immediately waved her hand.

"Forget it."

She didn’t want to waste more energy thinking about something she couldn’t understand.

She was just about to get up and take a bath when—

Ding!

The familiar system notification suddenly sounded in her mind.

[Host has yet to complete the Lucky Draw.]

Xi Yunxui froze.

Her hand stopped halfway toward the bathroom.

Her eyes widened.

"...Oh."

She slowly turned around.

Then she slapped her forehead.

"That’s right!"

She had completely forgotten.

With everything that had happened, the lucky draw had been pushed to the back of her mind.

Xi Yunxui immediately sat back down.

"System, I’m ready."

[Lucky Draw function activating.]

A faint golden light appeared in front of her.

Xi Yunxui’s eyes widened.

The space before her seemed to ripple.

Then a circular wheel slowly materialized.

It resembled a huge fortune wheel, except instead of ordinary numbers or prizes, countless strange symbols seemed to move around its surface.

Xi Yunxui leaned closer.

"What am I supposed to do?"

[Touch the wheel.]

"That’s it?"

[That’s it.]

Xi Yunxui hesitated.

She glanced at King C.

King C was already staring at the wheel with suspicion.

Xi Yunxui smiled faintly.

"All right."

She stretched out her finger.

The moment her fingertip touched the center of the wheel—

WHOOSH!

The wheel began spinning.

Faster.

And faster.

And faster.

The symbols blurred together until Xi Yunxui couldn’t make out anything.

She watched with growing anticipation.

"Come on..."

The wheel continued spinning.

King C leaned forward.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

"Picking my lucky draw reward."

"Can I pick it for you?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because it’s my reward."

King C looked offended.

"Hmph."

Xi Yunxui ignored him.

The wheel gradually slowed.

Click.

It stopped.

Xi Yunxui stared at it.

Nothing happened.

"System?"

Before the system could respond, the space above her suddenly rippled.

Then—

Plop!

Something dropped directly onto her lap.

Xi Yunxui froze.

She slowly lowered her gaze.

A tiny creature was sitting on her legs.

She stared.

The creature stared back.

It looked remarkably similar to a chicken.

Its entire body was covered in vivid, flaming-red feathers.

Its eyes were a striking emerald green.

But the wings...

Xi Yunxui blinked.

Those definitely weren’t ordinary chicken wings.

They were much larger and more pronounced, with an almost mystical appearance.

They resembled something between the wings of a magnificent bird and the wings of a young dragon.

Xi Yunxui carefully poked the creature.

It didn’t move.

She looked at the system.

"What’s this?"

[Congratulations, Host.]

Xi Yunxui waited.

[You have successfully won... a chicken.]

Xi Yunxui’s mouth fell open.

"A chicken?"

King C immediately looked at the creature.

Then at Xi Yunxui.

Then back at the creature.

Xi Yunxui picked it up carefully.

"System..."

[Yes?]

"What’s going on?"

[You won a chicken.]

"But this isn’t a chicken!"

[It looks like one.]

"That’s not the same thing!"

[Host picked it.]

The system’s tone became suspiciously innocent.

[It isn’t the system’s fault.]

Xi Yunxui stared at the creature.

The creature stared back.

Then, as though deciding that Xi Yunxui had been sufficiently examined, it suddenly spread its wings.

Whoosh!

Xi Yunxui’s hair fluttered from the sudden gust.

The creature rose into the air.

Xi Yunxui’s eyes widened.

"Wait!"

The little red creature flew in a small circle around the room before landing directly on her shoulder.

It rubbed its tiny head against her cheek.

"Keww! Keww!"

Xi Yunxui froze.

Her heart immediately melted.

"Oh..."

The creature rubbed against her again.

"Keww!"

Xi Yunxui couldn’t help smiling.

"You’re adorable."

She carefully lifted it from her shoulder and cradled it in her arms.

The little creature nestled against her.

Xi Yunxui gently stroked its head.

"Look at you..."

King C sat nearby.

His expression gradually darkened.

Xi Yunxui looked toward him.

"There are creatures even cuter than you."

King C said nothing.

He didn’t need to.

His entire expression screamed:

How dare you.

Xi Yunxui laughed.

"Don’t be jealous."

King C turned his head away.

He was clearly sulking.

Xi Yunxui shook her head.

"Two troublesome creatures..."

She looked at the red bird in her arms.

Then at King C.

"And I’ve only just started."

---

The Following Morning

Xi Yunxui woke up early.

After washing up, she remembered the exercise routine she had learned from the woman on the bus.

She changed into comfortable clothes and began practicing.

At first, the movements felt strange.

Her body had never been trained like this in her previous life.

But after cultivating, her flexibility and physical control had improved considerably.

She moved through each position slowly.

Stretching.

Bending.

Holding.

Breathing.

By the time she finished, her entire body felt refreshed.

She smiled.

"This really works."

After changing into her maid uniform, Xi Yunxui picked up her belongings and headed toward the main residence.

The morning was still relatively quiet.

She walked toward the entrance—

And nearly collided with someone.

Xi Yunxui immediately stopped.

She looked up.

Huo Jingchen.

He was dressed in an immaculate suit, clearly preparing to leave for work.

For a brief moment, their eyes met.

Xi Yunxui immediately stepped aside.

"Good morning, Young Master."

Her voice was respectful.

Huo Jingchen stopped.

His lips parted slightly.

For a moment, it looked as though he was about to respond.

But then—

Nothing.

His gaze shifted away.

He simply walked past her.

Xi Yunxui stood there.

Her expression slowly became confused.

She turned her head and watched him walk away.

Again?

She frowned.

What exactly did I do to offend him?

She had been thinking about it for days.

She still couldn’t find an answer.

Meanwhile, Huo Jingchen reached his car.

The driver immediately stepped forward and opened the door.

But Huo Jingchen didn’t get in immediately.

He stood beside the car.

His expression was calm.

Yet his mind was anything but calm.

Why didn’t I answer her?

He clenched his jaw slightly.

He had heard her greeting perfectly.

He had wanted to respond.

He had even opened his mouth.

So why had he deliberately walked away?

The driver, who had been waiting patiently, noticed his strange expression.

"Young Master?"

Huo Jingchen didn’t respond.

He suddenly let out a tired sigh.

The driver froze with one hand still on the car door.

Huo Jingchen finally got inside.

He sat down and rubbed his temples.

He had no idea what was happening to him anymore.

Every time he saw Xi Yunxui, his emotions became difficult to control.

When she smiled at him, he was happy.

When she wasn’t around, he noticed.

When she kept her distance, he became inexplicably irritated.

And when she greeted him that morning...

He had wanted to stop her.

Yet he had walked away instead.

It was ridiculous.

He was Huo Jingchen.

He had always been disciplined and rational.

But around one particular woman, his rationality seemed to be steadily losing ground.

He closed his eyes.

At least I’m going to the Wei Sect today.

The driver glanced at him through the rearview mirror.

Huo Jingchen opened his eyes.

"I need answers."

The Wei Sect specialized in divination and the interpretation of unusual phenomena.

If anyone could help him understand the strange changes occurring within him, it would be them.

The driver then started the engine.

As the car slowly pulled away from the Huo residence, Huo Jingchen leaned back against the seat.

His expression was composed once again.

But deep down, one thought remained stubbornly lodged in his mind.

Why does everything about Xi Yunxui affect me so much?