The old man said proudly, "This is roast suckling pig, my specialty!"
Qin Xiaoyou rolled her eyes at him and said, "It just smells good, whether it tastes good or not is another matter." But she quickly picked up her chopsticks, poked a small piece of pork, and put it in her mouth. Bai Yuxiao reached out to stop her, but only managed to grab the corner of her clothes.
Mmm, this tastes amazing! After taking a bite, Qin Xiaoyou felt like her tongue was being glorified. Good heavens, how could pork taste so good? Just as she was about to reach for a second piece, she noticed everyone's eyes were on her again. Qin Xiaoyou smiled sheepishly, put down her chopsticks, and sat down, saying earnestly, "It's delicious, really, you should try it too."
The old man stroked his beard and said with a hearty laugh, "Of course, not everyone can have this dish."
"Who can eat this?" Qin Xiaoyou asked.
“Dead man!” The old man suddenly turned serious and uttered these two words.
Everyone at the table was startled upon hearing this, but their thoughts differed. Wenren Qi and Zui Linglong were worried about Qin Xiaoyou, while Bai Yuxiao was wondering what the old man was up to. Only Bai Qianqian was secretly pleased; she had gotten rid of Qin Xiaoyou, such an annoying and troublesome person, without having to put in any effort. It was truly a good thing.
Qin Xiaoyou, however, seemed completely unconcerned about what the old man said and picked up her chopsticks to eat again.
The old man asked doubtfully, "Aren't you afraid of dying?"
Qin Xiaoyou replied, "Of course I'm afraid."
"Then why are you still eating?" the old man asked, increasingly puzzled.
"I'm afraid I'll starve to death!" Qin Xiaoyou stopped, wiped her mouth, and took a sip of tea.
"Hahahaha," came a few more loud laughs, but the old man seemed to be in a good mood. He turned to Bai Yuxiao and said, "Young man Bai, this little girl you've taken a fancy to is really interesting. I've passed her test!"
Bai Yuxiao smiled faintly and said nothing. Qin Xiaoyou muttered to herself, "It's not like you're marrying me, so what does it matter whether you pass my test or not?"
Apart from Zui Linglong and Qin Xiaoyou, everyone present was a highly skilled individual. They naturally heard Qin Xiaoyou's rambling, but all chose to ignore it. At the old man's enthusiastic invitation, they all began to eat.
While eating Wenren Qi's food, he wondered to himself why this manor lord was different from the rumors. Seeing that he looked preoccupied, Zui Linglong specially went to the kitchen that evening to cook lily bulb, red date, and white fungus soup.
"Young Master Wenren, I noticed you had a furrowed brow the whole time you were eating. Is something wrong tonight?" Zui Linglong asked softly.
Wenren Qi sighed, "I just feel that this manor lord is very different from the rumors."
"How is it different?" Zui Linglong, displaying her talent as a good listener, asked at the opportune moment.
"When I first ventured into the martial world, the master of Yucheng Manor had already retired from the martial world for many years, or rather, had suddenly disappeared from the martial world for many years. However, there were many rumors about him in the martial world. Regardless of the truth or falsehood of those rumors, one thing is absolutely true: when he was still in Yucheng Manor, it was a den of iniquity that everyone feared. Once you entered the gates of Yucheng Manor, no matter how high your skill level was, you would never be able to leave. As for the master himself, some said he was the orphan of the leader of the Demonic Sect decades ago, while others said he was Yama, the King of Hell, who came to the mortal world to collect lives. Although I haven't heard much about how many people he killed or how many evil deeds he did, I guess it's because his skills were so high that he didn't bother with ordinary, low-level characters. When he first entered the martial world, he challenged nine of the greatest masters in the martial world. As for the number one ranked master, Tianji Laoren, he had never been able to find him, so he never had the chance to fight him. However, people in the martial world all say that even if Tianji Laoren appeared, he might not be a match for the master of Yucheng Manor."
"This manor owner sounds quite powerful, but he's not a bad person. Why are you all so worried about Xiaoyou today?" Zui Linglong asked, voicing a question that had been on her mind.
Wenren Qi turned his head and stared intently at Zui Linglong. "This manor lord is capricious and acts entirely according to his mood. Because we can't figure out what he's thinking, and he's been missing for so many years, suddenly appearing after learning that Xiaoyou has come, we're worried that he and Xiaoyou might have some kind of grudge."
Zui Linglong smiled and said, "You're overthinking it. Xiao You is still very young. She wasn't even born when the manor lord went into seclusion. How could she have any grudges against him?"
"I hope I'm overthinking it." Wenren Qi lowered his head, took a sip of soup, and then looked up to praise, "Not bad."
Zui Linglong blushed slightly, glanced awkwardly out the window, smoothed her hair, and stood up to say goodbye: "It's getting late, I'll go back to my room first. You should rest early too."
Wenren Qi nodded and escorted Zui Linglong to the door.
Chapter 62, Moon Appreciation
"I always thought only sentimental people like me, full of worries, couldn't sleep. I didn't expect that you, Young Master Bai, are also someone who can't sleep tonight!" Qin Xiaoyou peeled a banana and swayed out of the room.
Hearing this, Bai Yuxiao turned around and gave her a smile. *Phew*, Qin Xiaoyou clutched her heart. She must have been seeing things. Otherwise, why would she think Bai Yuxiao's smile was so beautiful? It was simply... simply... wait, what was that word again? Right, it was simply... a feast for the eyes! If she hadn't had such strong willpower, she would have pounced on him like a wolf. Bai Yuxiao, completely unaware that he had almost tempted an innocent girl to commit a crime, instead asked with a bewildered look, "Xiaoyou, what's wrong? Why are you standing under the eaves?"
"I'm standing here looking at the moon, yes, looking at the moon!" As she spoke, Qin Xiaoyou even raised her head, intending to look intently at the moon. However, all she saw when she looked up was the dark eaves of a building. Embarrassed, she turned her head and met Bai Yuxiao's ambiguous smile. Qin Xiaoyou wished she could dig a hole and disappear immediately. Making a fool of herself in front of her sweetheart was the worst thing ever.
Seeing Qin Xiaoyou standing there, sometimes pounding her chest and sometimes sighing, Bai Yuxiao approached her with some curiosity and asked, "Xiaoyou, are you alright?"
Startled by the person who suddenly appeared beside her, Qin Xiaoyou asked with a look of disdain, "Why did you come over here?"
"Don't you want to see me?" Bai Yuxiao asked, a hint of disappointment in his voice.
"Of course not!" Realizing what she had just said, Qin Xiaoyou wanted to bite her tongue. In such a wonderful atmosphere, and with Bai Yuxiao so quick to understand and take the initiative to come to her side, what had she done? To make up for her earlier less-than-ideal tone, Qin Xiaoyou smiled ingratiatingly and said, "You're so handsome, I hope to see you every day!"
"A feast for the eyes?" Bai Yuxiao's brow twitched, his expression strange as he looked at Qin Xiaoyou. However, Qin Xiaoyou's misuse of adjectives wasn't new, and correcting her now that "a feast for the eyes" wasn't a good way to describe a man was pointless. Bai Yuxiao cleared his throat: "I'd like to invite you to admire the moon together. Would Miss Qin do me the honor?"
"How could I refuse Young Master Bai's invitation!" With that, Qin Xiaoyou extended her right hand, imagining herself being gentlemanly led by Bai Yuxiao, walking together to the center of the courtyard to admire the moon. Ah, what a beautiful scene! But Qin Xiaoyou's hand remained outstretched for a while, and Bai Yuxiao didn't react at all. Just as Qin Xiaoyou was about to ask what was going on, Bai Yuxiao suddenly leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Hold me tight." Before Qin Xiaoyou could even react, she felt herself being lifted into the air, and in her nervousness, she wrapped her arms around Bai Yuxiao's neck. Tsk tsk, this position is so ambiguous, almost face to face, but Qin Xiaoyou's attention was clearly not on that. She was busy admiring in her heart: Ah, those eyelashes are so beautiful, so long, thick, and curled, like two little brushes. If only they were on my eyes. It's such a waste that they're on Bai Yuxiao; they'd only attract unwanted attention!
Qin Xiaoyou was lost in thought and didn't even notice when the two of them arrived at an open space outside the villa. Bai Yuxiao noticed that she was staring at him without any intention of looking away, and his face flushed slightly. He pretended to be calm and asked, "Xiaoyou, did you come out with me to see the moon or just to see me?"
"I'll watch them all," Qin Xiaoyou replied casually, only realizing something was wrong afterward. Oh dear, she thought she had just flirted with Bai Yuxiao. Oh no, what about her image? Her dignified, elegant, and reserved demeanor?
Seeing Qin Xiaoyou suddenly jump away from him like a startled rabbit, then look regretful and beat her chest in frustration, Bai Yuxiao couldn't understand what the girl was thinking. He shook the pot of wine in his hand, "Xiaoyou, if we don't admire the moon soon, it'll be dawn."
"Huh? There's wine? When did you bring wine out?" Qin Xiaoyou's eyes lit up when she saw what Bai Yuxiao was waving in his hand, completely forgetting her determination to create a good image for herself in Bai Yuxiao's mind.
Bai Yuxiao held up a finger and shook it, then smiled mysteriously: "It's a secret."
"Tch." Qin Xiaoyou wasn't buying it. She guessed he'd brought it with him from the start, and too lazy to ask further, she snatched the wine jug, boldly uncorked the bottle, and tossed it away. Intoxicated by the aroma alone, Qin Xiaoyou exclaimed, "Good wine!"
Bai Yuxiao smiled, her eyes crinkling, and said, "I knew you would like it."
Qin Xiaoyou blushed slightly, feeling a sweet warmth in her heart. She wanted to speak, but didn't know what to say, so she simply took a large gulp of wine to cover it up. Unexpectedly, she drank too quickly and choked on it.
Bai Yuxiao chuckled and stepped forward to pat her back, saying, "You're always so impulsive!"
"What? You don't like it?" Emboldened by the alcohol, Qin Xiaoyou asked a question that had been lingering in her mind for a long time.
"I like it." Without the slightest hesitation, Bai Yuxiao answered readily.
"Why do you like me?" Even though Qin Xiaoyou always considered herself a tomboy, when it came to questions about love and romance, she still fell into the usual girly trap and asked a question that any girl in love would ask.
Bai Yuxiao frowned. "Why do you ask that?"
Qin Xiaoyou raised her head and met Bai Yuxiao's gaze. Her face was flushed from the alcohol. She spoke slowly and deliberately, "I can't figure out why you like me. If I remember correctly, we first met at the Chunfeng Yidu Pavilion. Don't tell me that you rescued me later just because we met by chance."
Bai Yuxiao smiled, revealing his white teeth, which looked especially beautiful in the moonlight. However, Qin Xiaoyou was not in the mood for infatuation at this moment. Bai Yuxiao said, "I did go there later to save you."
Hearing Bai Yuxiao's answer, although it was expected, she still felt a little disappointed. But if Bai Yuxiao denied it, she would probably be even less likely to believe it. Shaking her head to clear her jumbled thoughts, Qin Xiaoyou continued to ask, "Why did you save me?"
Bai Yuxiao's expression turned slightly sad, and he reached out to touch Qin Xiaoyou's head with a mixture of helplessness and affection. "Qin'er, do you really not remember anything?"
Qin Xiaoyou pursed her lips, remaining silent. It was indeed related to Qin Qin, she thought with a heavy sigh. Bai Yuxiao took out a small wooden plaque from his robes, on which a childlike character "Qin" was crookedly carved. Qin Xiaoyou didn't reach out to take it, but instead asked Bai Yuxiao a question that would later puzzle him for a long time: "Did Qin Qin give this to you?" Bai Yuxiao nodded. "You two knew each other a long time ago?" Bai Yuxiao nodded again.
After confirming her suspicions, Qin Xiaoyou was overwhelmed with mixed feelings, unsure of how to react. It turned out that from the very beginning, Bai Yuxiao had loved Qin Qin, not her, Qin Xiaoyou. And Wenren Qi? He had only helped her so much because she was Qin Qin. She felt like she had lived this life using someone else's identity, enjoying the care and affection she gave to others. When would she finally meet someone who would treat her well, simply because she was Qin Xiaoyou, and not because of Qin Qin?
Qin Xiaoyou lowered her head and remained silent, as did Bai Yuxiao. The two stood facing each other, their shadows stretched long in the moonlight. After a long while, Qin Xiaoyou looked up and smiled as carefree as ever: "Didn't you say you'd take me to admire the moon? Why are you just standing here like this?"
Bai Yuxiao breathed a sigh of relief. Qin Xiaoyou had made him quite flustered just now, but seeing that she had returned to her usual self, he chuckled to himself that he had overthought things. Smiling, he took Qin Xiaoyou's hand and led her to a spot he had arranged earlier to enjoy the moon.
Chapter 63, Gathering of Heroes
Early in the morning, before dawn, there was already a commotion outside. Rubbing her still half-closed eyes, Qin Xiaoyou sat up, wrapped in the covers, and asked Zui Linglong, who was sleeping on the other side of the room, "Sister Linglong, what's going on outside?"
Zui Linglong yawned widely. "I don't know either. It's so annoying to be woken up so early in the morning."
"That's right," Qin Xiaoyou nodded, wanting to say something more, but Wenren Qi knocked on the door and asked, "Xiaoyou, Linglong, are you awake?"
"It's so noisy outside, even a pig would be woken up," Qin Xiaoyou replied, somewhat annoyed. She was a good person in every way, except for her terrible temper when she woke up, especially when she was sound asleep. Her anger usually kept people at least ten meters away from her.
Whether Wenren Qi sensed the displeasure in her words or not, he paused and then said, "You two hurry up and wash up, I have something to tell you."
"Just come in and tell me what's wrong, I'm all dressed anyway." Lying in her warm bed, Qin Xiaoyou was reluctant to get up, planning to listen to Wenren Qi's story and then go back to sleep. Zui Linglong quickly tidied up and opened the door. Wenren Qi walked in, frowned when he saw Qin Xiaoyou still in bed. Seeing this, Zui Linglong quickly said, "Young Master Wenren, is there something you need from us so early?"
"Indeed, something has happened." Wenren Qi's expression was solemn. Seeing Wenren Qi's expression, Qin Xiaoyou had to force open her almost closed eyelids and concentrate on listening to what Wenren Qi was talking about as an important matter.
"I don't know where the news leaked, but all the martial arts figures who had left before, after hearing that the Master had left Yucheng Manor, all gathered at the manor this morning," Wenren Qi said with a headache.
"Huh? What are those people doing here? Didn't we already search for the Blood Evil Manual at Yucheng Manor and not find it?" Zui Linglong was very puzzled and couldn't understand what these martial arts people were thinking.
Wenren Qi gave a wry smile. "They're not here for the Blood Evil Manual; they're here to uphold justice."
Hearing this, Qin Xiaoyou became interested. It was really strange; they were fighting tooth and nail just a moment ago, so why did they suddenly stop? She quickly leaned out and asked, "What kind of justice are they here to uphold?"
"They said they want to find the murderer for your master to comfort his spirit in heaven." Hearing Wenren Qi's words, Qin Xiaoyou's lips twitched. Shouldn't finding the murderer be the responsibility of her, his only disciple? What does it have to do with those chivalrous heroes? Why are they getting involved?
Having guessed Qin Xiaoyou's doubts, Wenren Qi explained, "Finding the murderer is just a pretext. Their main goal is to find out who Kongkongzi's disciple is, and then find a way to force him to reveal the whereabouts of the 'Blood Evil Manual'."
"Wouldn't Xiaoyou be in great danger?" Zui Linglong nervously gripped the hem of her clothes.
Wenren Qi gave her a reassuring look. "Don't worry, Xiaoyou isn't in any immediate danger. After all, not many people know her identity. The reason they went to Yucheng Manor so publicly to say they were looking for Kongkongzi's murderer was just to let Kongkongzi's only disciple hear the news. In this world, who wouldn't come to see their master in person if they heard something was wrong?"
"So what do I need to do now?" Due to lack of sleep, Qin Xiaoyou felt that her brain was like a lump of hardened paste, and she was completely unable to think.
"You? Get up first, then wash up," Wenren Qi said.
"Uh, that's it?" Qin Xiaoyou was starting to suspect that Wenren Qi's elaborate setup was just a ploy to lure her out of bed. She slid down a little, intending to ignore Wenren Qi and go back to sleep. Just then, Bai Yuxiao's voice suddenly rang out from outside the door: "Xiaoyou, are you awake?"
"I'm awake. I'm washing up, wait a moment." Qin Xiaoyou, who had been lazily lying in bed, immediately jumped out and stopped Zui Linglong from opening the door. Then, to Zui Linglong and Wenren Qi's surprise, she quickly dressed, combed her hair, and finished washing up. Wenren Qi was stunned to see Qin Xiaoyou so efficiently ready. Was this the same Qin Xiaoyou who had just looked half-asleep in bed? Zui Linglong smiled and gestured towards the door, as if to say, "The source of your energy is over there." Wenren Qi smiled and nodded, understanding.
Qin Xiaoyou glanced at the two exchanging glances, made a shushing gesture, and then quickly opened the door and slipped out. Intermittent conversation could be heard from outside.
"Is there anything in the house that I can't see?" Bai Yuxiao asked with a smile.
"Sister Linglong is still sleeping, of course I can't open the door for you to see," Qin Xiaoyou lied without batting an eye. Then she urged Bai Yuxiao, "Let's go, talking at the door will disturb Sister Linglong's sleep."
Wenren Qi glanced at Zui Linglong with a smile, "I heard you're still fast asleep in bed."
Zui Linglong said with a hint of helplessness, "I just realized that I haven't gotten up yet."
After exchanging a few casual words, and estimating that Qin Xiaoyou and Bai Yuxiao had already gone far away, Wenren Qi got up to take his leave. Zui Linglong said casually, "Speaking of which, I've never seen a gathering of heroes from the martial arts world."
Wenren Qi sneered, "Those rabble can hardly be called heroes, but treating them like clowns can provide some amusement. Miss Linglong, why don't you come with me to take a look?"
“Okay,” Zui Linglong answered readily.
"Huh? Why are there so many people?" Qin Xiaoyou asked, somewhat puzzled, looking at the dense crowd in front of her.
"That's not all. I just heard that there are still people from all walks of life heading to Yucheng Manor," Bai Yuxiao replied somewhat helplessly.
"Weren't they supposed to be all martial arts heroes? Who are those two people fighting over a roast chicken?" Qin Xiaoyou asked.
"They are the renowned Gentleman Sword Lu Rufeng and Overlord Saber Wei Yixiao," Bai Yuxiao said.
"Who is that effeminate man with a small mirror applying makeup?" Qin Xiaoyou asked, pointing tremblingly in a direction.
“He is Song Qingping, the chief disciple of the Qingkong Sect.” Bai Yuxiao sighed, rubbing his forehead.
"And who are those people dressed like nouveau riche?" Qin Xiaoyou felt that the so-called heroes in front of her had completely refreshed her understanding of the martial arts world. This was just a makeshift opera troupe.
"That's an elder of the Beggars' Sect," Bai Yuxiao said casually after glancing at him.
"What?" Qin Xiaoyou felt like she was about to faint. Why was the Beggars' Sect suddenly so rich? Wait, why weren't they wearing the beggar's clothes that marked their status? How could they beg for food dressed like wealthy landowners? What kind of martial arts gathering was this? At this moment, Qin Xiaoyou wished she could gouge out her own eyes so she wouldn't see anything. That way, she could still retain some beautiful fantasies about the martial arts world and chivalrous heroes.
Qin Xiaoyou was utterly disappointed, and Zui Linglong was no less shocked. Looking at the scene before her, a mess that resembled a bustling market, Zui Linglong could only curse: "Damn these TV dramas! They're all lies! Give me back my chivalrous spirit! Give me back my dashing young man! Why can even a cross-dresser be a knight-errant these days? This is just not right!"