Bibi Dong: You Didn't Even Prepare Rice When I Came for a Free Meal? Forget Your Raise!

In the kitchen.

Bubble, bubble...

Over the blazing fire.

The water in the pot churned and bubbled, making a racket.

"Sister Xiao Qian, is it ready?"

Hu Liena looked into the steaming pot, feeling a little impatient.

After hearing Xiao Qian's explanation earlier.

She had grown curious about this food called zongzi.

Though she didn't think it could be all that delicious, deep down, Hu Liena still wanted a taste.

It had nothing to do with whether it tasted good or not; she was simply curious.

She had never seen this kind of food before.

"It should be ready soon."

Xiao Qian lifted the lid and peered into the pot.

The water inside was still churning.

With a single glance.

She could tell from her years of experience that the zongzi should be cooked through.

She scooped the potful of zongzi out and set them aside.

Then Xiao Qian began washing the pot, preparing to cook the other ingredients she had already prepared into dishes.

At her side, Hu Liena.

Looked curiously at the steaming zongzi that had been scooped out.

She couldn't resist poking one with her finger.

It was a little soft, but not especially so.

It was also very hot.

That was because it had just come out of the pot.

As for what lay beneath the green leaves, she couldn't see it for the moment.

Before long.

Many dishes had appeared on the round table outside.

What had originally been a standard meal of four dishes and a soup had now become eight dishes and a soup.

"Sister Xiao Qian, isn't there any rice?"

Looking at the enticing dishes on the table, Hu Liena couldn't help asking in confusion.

"Of course there is. Isn't that zongzi made of glutinous rice?"

Xiao Qian walked over with bowls and chopsticks.

Looking at the zongzi wrapped in green leaves on a plate on the table, she spoke.

"Huh? This thing is the staple?"

Looking at the green leaves on the table, Hu Liena's expression soured.

Could this thing called zongzi really serve as the staple?

Could glutinous rice wrapped in green leaves taste good?

Hu Liena couldn't help recalling the foods made with glutinous rice.

They stuck to her teeth and felt slippery and greasy in her mouth. She really couldn't call them tasty.

Although she was very curious about this so-called zongzi.

In her heart.

She had no intention whatsoever of eating it as her staple.

"Your Holiness, the meal is ready."

Li Mubai glanced at the round wooden table, laden with an abundance of dishes, and spoke up to let her know.

After chatting with Bibi Dong.

He had discovered.

That the Pope, whose face always seemed to carry a hint of coldness, was actually quite easy to talk to.

Just now.

He had brought up a raise.

He had thought Bibi Dong would refuse for all sorts of reasons.

To his utter surprise, the woman had actually agreed.

And readily, at that!

It gave Li Mubai yet another, different impression of her.

"All right, let's eat first, then."

Bibi Dong rose to her feet at that moment.

Her delicate figure, which had originally been sitting upright and straight, had at some point shifted to lean against the sofa.

Seeing this, Hu Liena's eyes revealed surprise.

There was no other reason.

She had never seen Bibi Dong like this before.

Her relaxed, contented expression, as if she had cast aside all her disguises, stood in stark contrast to her formerly dignified and cold demeanor.

Teacher can actually look like this?

Hu Liena found it rather wondrous.

In the past.

She had often spent time in the Pope's Hall.

Whenever Bibi Dong sat on the Pope's Throne, she had always been dignified and cold.

Never had she looked as relaxed and contented as she did now.

She almost felt that this Bibi Dong was the real Bibi Dong.

And that her cold, heartless expressions in the past had all been disguises.

They were for outsiders to see, and they were fake!

Rising and turning her head.

Bibi Dong spotted Hu Liena studying her.

The contentment on her face abruptly changed at that moment.

Her cold, dignified expression returned at once.

"What are you standing there for? Aren't you going to serve the rice?"

Bibi Dong glanced at the empty bowls on the dining table.

She couldn't help putting on a stern face as she instructed Hu Liena.

"Teacher, today... there's no rice..."

Hu Liena spoke timidly.

She put on a meek expression, afraid Bibi Dong would scold her again.

No rice?

Bibi Dong froze, then looked at Li Mubai, her gaze turning sharp at once:

"Elder Mubai, it seems you still don't welcome me, do you? In that case, I'm afraid your raise won't be so easy to arrange!"

Looking at Bibi Dong, whose expression had suddenly changed.

Li Mubai felt as though his head had doubled in size. His head ached.

How had the mere words "there's no rice" made her bristle?

He hadn't told Xiao Qian to prepare rice today in the first place.

The reason was:

Today was the Dragon Boat Festival from his previous life.

Though he had transmigrated, his sense of connection to the culture of his previous life had never faded.

So he had simply matched the calendar of this world to the one in his previous life.

And today,

Happened to be the fifth day of the fifth month.

By the calendar of his previous life, wasn't that the Dragon Boat Festival?

So a few days ago, he had Xiao Qian prepare the ingredients needed for zongzi.

And this morning.

While he was out eating breakfast, Xiao Qian had gotten up and wrapped the zongzi.

They hadn't actually prepared that many.

They had only made seven or eight zongzi, not a large number.

It was enough to eat them for the festive atmosphere; they weren't suitable for eating in large quantities.

So they had planned to eat zongzi today, but he hadn't expected Bibi Dong to come, much less that she would stay for a free meal.

Thus, they hadn't prepared any rice at all.

And he had been chatting with Bibi Dong the whole time and had also forgotten to tell Xiao Qian to prepare rice.

He hadn't expected.

That just because of this.

Bibi Dong would act as though she had swallowed gunpowder, assume he didn't welcome her, and blow up on the spot.

He had no choice.

Li Mubai could only steel himself and explain:

"Your Holiness, don't be angry. It's not what you think."

Who would have thought.

Bibi Dong refused to hear it and retorted:

"If it's not what I think, then what is it?"

Li Mubai felt bitter inside. He could only resort to the great art of making things up on the spot.

If he spoke his thoughts directly, leaving aside whether Bibi Dong could understand what transmigration meant.

Her first reaction would surely be that he was talking nonsense and deceiving her.

And the end result would be.

That the raise he had finally managed to negotiate would go down the drain.

Of course he couldn't let that happen.

After all, with a bigger salary, he could live a freer and more carefree life.

Xiuchun Pavilion, Manjiang Courtyard, Yixiang Courtyard... couldn't he go wherever he pleased?

And so.

For the sake of this great ideal.

Li Mubai had no choice but to start making things up:

"Actually, today is a special day."

Having heard Li Mubai's inner thoughts, Bibi Dong was now interested as well.

She wanted to see just how Li Mubai was going to patch up this lie.