Finally, Lu Mingran held Xiao Jiu's hand down, finally gaining the upper hand. He nervously interrupted Xiao Jiu, speaking very quickly:
"Xiao Jiu, you absolutely cannot tell Gu He that you helped me!"
Otherwise, Gu He would have discovered the Three Killing Curse.
As for Xiao Jiu, he felt he could understand.
In Xiao Jiu's opinion, exorcising a female ghost was a simple matter for the powerful Gu He, just a flick of his finger. If Gu He knew that his brother had asked someone else instead of him, he would definitely think that his abilities had deteriorated and that he was no better than the younger generation.
And he, a man who was even more powerful than Gu He in Lu Mingran's heart, generously offered to help cover it up.
Seeing Xiao Jiu's understanding expression, Lu Mingran finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"As a reward for banging the gong, and as a reward for you helping me cover this up, Xiao Jiu, I can treat you to a long meal."
In fact, it will only take a maximum of three weeks.
"Okay," Xiao Jiu nodded in agreement.
Lu Mingran laughed: "Okay, tell me what you want to eat tonight? I'll go pay the bill."
"Hmm... barbecue."
What are you grilling?
After remembering how Lu Mingran had deceived him, Xiao Jiu felt a slight itch in his teeth.
So Xiao Jiu replied:
"Roasted cabbage."
He added through gritted teeth, "The more charred, the better."
Lu Mingran: "?" What kind of strange request is this?
——————————
Gu He and Boss Lin went into the shop and were talking about something.
When Gu He finished his business and came out, he saw his good brother Xiao Tao still sitting with that person. Strangely, while the other tables nearby were full of barbecued meat and skewers, their table was full of grilled cabbage.
It's still burnt cabbage.
Xiao Tao didn't eat anything, but smiled and handed strings of cabbages to the man, constantly asking him:
"How is it? Is it crispy and crunchy enough?"
"Take your time eating, it's on me tonight."
Gu He stopped moving.
...You invite someone to dinner, and this is what you serve?
Gu He was puzzled. In his memory, Xiao Tao wasn't this stingy, at least not to the point of only treating others to cabbage.
Looking at the young boy angrily tearing at the roasted cabbage, Gu He felt particularly sorry for him.
I'm really sorry, I never imagined my brother would behave so disgracefully.
"Xiao Tao," Gu He couldn't hold back any longer, walked over and pulled up a chair to sit next to Xiao Tao, "What else do you want? I'll get some."
He had no choice but to help his brother save face.
As he spoke, he glanced at Xiao Tao.
But both the poor young man and Xiao Tao shook their heads. The young man said he loved eating this, and Xiao Tao said he would treat him to cabbage for a week.
Gu He: "..." Are boys these days really this desperate to lose weight?
At this moment, Lu Mingran couldn't sit still any longer, afraid that Xiao Jiu would let something slip. He called someone, paid the bill, and then grabbed Gu He to leave.
"Aren't you going to stay with him?" Gu He struggled to turn around and glance at Xiao Jiu.
Continuing to accompany them will only lead to trouble.
————————
Things have gotten tricky.
Lu Mingran followed behind Gu He with his head down, maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far, while Gu He asked him:
Why didn't you tell me you were coming?
"You're busy, I didn't want to bother you."
Gu He smiled. He walked over to the car parked by the roadside, opened the door, and let Lu Mingran get in.
"Just busywork. Let's go home."
Although according to the established rules, Lu Mingran could deviate from Xiao Tao's character no matter what, Lu Mingran remained silent on the way. Fortunately, Gu He was not a talkative person either, only occasionally answering a few phone calls, not about killing ghosts or gods, but about worrying about the food and drinks in the shop.
At first glance, he looks like an ordinary small restaurant owner.
"By the way, Xiao Tao, who is that boy?"
"They're relatives. They came over this time and just wanted to visit." Lu Mingran managed to get away with it.
Gu He simply nodded and didn't ask any more questions.
Gu He's restaurant was located in a small corner of the bustling city center. The first floor was the restaurant, and the second floor was where he lived. After getting out of the car, Gu He led Lu Mingran inside, and soon they were invited over by a flustered young girl from the kitchen.
Given their relationship, Gu He didn't need to make a fuss about entertaining Xiao Tao, and Xiao Tao was completely at ease there, eating and drinking whatever she wanted. However, Lu Mingran was not Xiao Tao after all; he became nervous as soon as Gu He left, sitting in a corner of the restaurant biting his soda straw.
At that moment, the system popped up a value bar for Lu Mingran.
This time it's not a progress bar for completing a task, but... a ghost energy value?
"I'm so anxious," the system said. "Lu Mingran, although the female ghost has been eliminated, there is still residual ghost energy on you. The higher the value of this, the more likely Gu He will be to detect the Three Kill Curse on you."
"Gu He didn't spend much time with you just now, so he couldn't notice, but if you spend more time with him, he will definitely notice."
"Huh?" Lu Mingran looked around and vaguely saw Gu He's busy figure in the kitchen.
He should run now; he should still have time.
No, this would be too arousing suspicion.
Fortunately, the system had a flash of inspiration and remembered that there was a peach tree behind it.
Logically, Lu Mingran should be whipped several times with peach wood branches, the more the better, and the harder the better, for that would be effective. But there are no peach wood branches available right now, and even if there were, no one would help beat Lu Mingran.
After imagining the scene of Lu Mingran holding a peach wood branch and begging someone to beat her... System: I dare not think about it.
The system said, "A peach tree will do, or you can just make do with this."
There was indeed a peach tree behind the house, which seemed to be related to a formation designed by Gu He.
Lu Mingran saw hope.
Following the system's instructions, Lu Mingran first rubbed her back against the tree trunk to test it out.
Hmm, my back feels a bit hot.
And the ghost energy value is indeed decreasing.
……nice one!
So, in the darkness, amidst the hustle and bustle inside and outside the house, Lu Mingran stood alone at the back of the house, stubbornly clinging to a peach tree, rubbing against it not only his back but also his arms and head, rubbing it from all angles.
peach:……
Unfortunately, just as Lu Mingran was having a great time, he forgot that the kitchen window faced this direction.
Gu He paused for a moment, then pulled down the window cover and went around to the backyard. He just watched Lu Mingran hug the tree quietly until Lu Mingran turned around and noticed him.
He sensed that Lu Mingran was frightened because she had jumped very high, and it looked like she could climb the tree trunk at any moment.
"You..." Gu He hesitated, "What are you doing to the peach tree?"
"Oh, I..."
Lu Mingran quickly regained her composure and rationality: "My back is a little itchy, I want to scratch it, but I can't reach it."
Oh, I see.
Gu He laughed, walked over, and without saying a word, lifted Lu Mingran's clothes, reaching inside with his right hand to touch his back:
"Then just tell me, and I'll help you."
Before he could finish speaking, Gu He suddenly heard a scream from Lu Mingran.
A very piercing scream.
Huh? It was just a touch on the back, why are you screaming so pitifully?
Um……
Finally, seeing Lu Mingran gasping for breath from the cold, and then looking at his own hands, Gu He instantly understood and quickly pulled his hands back.
She smiled sheepishly:
"I forgot, I just touched the freezer..."
Author's Note: Peach Tree: Thank you, Mr. Gu, for helping me get revenge.
Chapter 34 Want to take care of your brother? No way (5)
What does it mean to experience both extremes of life?
For Lu Mingran, it meant that his back had just rubbed against the peach tree and gotten warm, and then Gu He placed his hand, which had been touching the freezer, on his back, and it instantly cooled down.
The sensation was too intense for him to bear.
Seeing him like this, Gu He couldn't help but laugh. After laughing enough, he urged him to go inside and eat, telling him not to have any ill intentions towards the peach tree.
Lu Mingran was very tired, so he said he would wait a while and went upstairs.
It seems that Xiao Tao lived here for a while before, and there was a room reserved for him. Lu Mingran sat on the bed to rest for a while, but then got bored and wandered out to sit at the top of the stairs and watch the people below.
Evenings are Gu He's busiest time. These past two days, he's been busy with favors and hasn't been taking any other orders, but tonight he has some free time to manage his restaurant. Lu Mingran noticed that the small restaurant was doing quite well; the clinking of glasses and the sound of chopsticks hitting plates echoed frequently, and many people had relaxed and happy expressions on their faces.
It was a very ordinary, pleasant night.
Lu Mingran shifted her gaze and saw Gu He behind the counter. At that moment, a middle-aged man came in to talk to him. Gu He first frowned and listened attentively for a while, then seemed a little irritated, rolled up his sleeves, revealing a strong and powerful arm.