Teacher, You're Amazing

Lin Feng looked at those glittering gold coins, and his mind began turning again.

He took out ten gold coins, planning to have Ning Rongrong run errands and purchase supplies herself. But then he remembered just how rich this little heiress was...

So, as naturally as could be, he slipped those ten gold coins back into his own pocket and put on a kindly smile. "Well, Rong Rong, your master suddenly remembered that I have some other matters to attend to. I'll leave the arduous task of buying supplies to you! Remember to get a few more sets of bedding and daily necessities, along with enough ingredients for three days' worth of meals."

He casually added, "Oh, right. Front the money yourself for now, and come to me for reimbursement when you get back!"

As for whether he would reimburse her, and how much, that could be discussed later.

Ning Rongrong was instantly dumbfounded.

What? Her teacher was not going? Then what was the point of going into the city to shop by herself? If she could not stick close to her teacher, would she not be spending this money for nothing?

She had truly shot herself in the foot!

She almost wanted to take out another hundred gold coins and have Zhu Zhuqing go shopping in her place.

But when she turned around, she found that Zhu Zhuqing had already very conscientiously picked up a broom and begun cleaning, giving her no chance to bribe her senior sister a second time.

"Hmph!"

Ning Rongrong stomped her foot in anger, puffing out her cheeks with a look of having suffered a huge loss as she grudgingly headed toward the city.

After confirming that Ning Rongrong had gone far away, Lin Feng sidled up to Zhu Zhuqing, who was cleaning, rubbed his hands together, and grinned as he negotiated, "Good disciple, how about I help you clean, and you split the hundred gold coins you just received with me? Fifty-fifty, very fair!"

Zhu Zhuqing's lips could not help twitching slightly.

This teacher of hers truly loved money as much as his life. He would not even spare this little bit of hard-earned money.

She sighed, but was quite straightforward as she handed all one hundred gold coins back to Lin Feng. "Teacher, you can have all this money. I still have a few dozen gold coins on me, enough for now."

After all, how could the cultivation method her teacher had given her be measured in money?

Lin Feng's eyes lit up. He snatched the coins without the slightest courtesy and tucked them into his clothes, still speaking with lofty righteousness. "Ahem, I'll keep them for you first! Whenever you need money in the future, just come ask me for it!"

After putting away the money, he did keep his word. Picking up another tool, he said, "Hurry and clean up! I'll take care of the courtyard outside, while you clean the rooms indoors."

He did not put on any airs as a teacher. After saying that, he promptly got to work.

Naturally, Zhu Zhuqing would not argue with him over such things. There were only four or five rooms inside altogether, so they were quick to clean.

Master and disciple worked together, and by the time they had cleaned everything inside and out until it looked brand-new,

the sky had already grown late, and the setting sun cast a warm golden glow over the courtyard.

Just then, light footsteps sounded outside the courtyard gate as Ning Rongrong came bouncing back.

She looked at the freshly cleaned little courtyard, as well as the youth and maiden sitting across from each other beside the stone table.

The lingering glow of the sunset fell over them, painting an exceptionally warm and peaceful scene.

For some reason, Ning Rongrong felt a pang of sourness in her heart. How wonderful would it have been if she were the one sitting beside her teacher?

"Teacher! I'm back!"

She called out loudly, breaking that harmony that made her a little jealous.

Then, as if she had suddenly remembered something, she raised the Lotus Seed Bracelet on her wrist and said in an exaggerated tone, "Oh, right, Teacher! Why didn't you tell me this Storage Bracelet has a full hundred cubic meters of space inside?"

She blinked her big eyes in utter amazement. "If this were put up for auction, it would be worth at least a million gold coins! Teacher, you're far too generous. You just gave away something this precious..."

Those words were like little knives stabbing repeatedly into Lin Feng's heart.

Did he not know the bracelet was valuable?

He had just never imagined it could be worth this much!

And if that damn tracking function were included, its value was simply incalculable.

Unfortunately, the system had said it was exclusive, so no one else could use it.

"Hmph!"

Lin Feng snorted irritably and forcibly changed the subject. "You were gone so long that we're almost starving to death! Where are the supplies?"

A trace of nervousness flashed across Ning Rongrong's face.

She really had wandered around the city for too long. She had even secretly bought plenty of snacks and eaten her fill before coming back.

"Uh, I-I'm new here, so I wasn't familiar with the roads. I wandered around for ages before finding where they sold things."

She hurriedly made an excuse, while also laying the groundwork in advance. "Teacher, considering how hard I worked, even if you get angry, you can't hit me, okay?"

Lin Feng rolled his eyes at her. He had no time to be angry over something so trivial.

"Stop talking nonsense. Put all the ingredients in the kitchen. Today, I'll cook personally and show you what I can do."

Zhu Zhuqing looked at Lin Feng in some surprise. She had not expected her teacher to know how to cook.

The image of this man in her heart gained another touch of warmth, becoming even more substantial.

Ning Rongrong, meanwhile, tilted her head as a strange thought popped into her mind. Show them what he could do? Did that mean some kind of sticky thing?

In order to see for themselves whether Lin Feng could truly cook, all three of them eventually squeezed into the kitchen.

Fortunately, the village house was spacious and the kitchen was not small. Otherwise, they would have been too crowded to move.

"Are you two here to help?" Lin Feng looked at the two girls who had followed him inside.

The two nodded in unison, feeling that working together seemed quite nice.

"Fine, then we'll divide the work. One of you peels garlic, the other washes vegetables, and I'll handle the meat and the cooking!"

Before long, the kitchen filled with the rapid clatter of chopping and the sound of spatulas striking the wok.

Smoke curled up outside the house, while waves of tempting food aromas drifted out from the kitchen.

Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong both watched in a daze. Lin Feng's movements flowed as smoothly as clouds and water; tossing the wok, seasoning the food—every motion carried an indescribable skill and elegance. He did not look like a beginner at all.

"Teacher, you're amazing!" Ning Rongrong could not help exclaiming.

Lin Feng merely smiled without speaking, inwardly enjoying his disciple's admiration.

Zhu Zhuqing was more observant. She softly asked, "Teacher, your skills don't seem like those of a novice. Did you have a difficult childhood?"

Her words inadvertently stirred Lin Feng's memories.

"Ah, it's too painful to look back on. Poverty forced me to learn," he replied vaguely.

These cooking skills were actually survival skills he had brought over from his previous life, and had nothing to do with this life.

In this life, he had spent almost all his time cultivating and traveling about, with no fixed home. Aside from Shenma Village, which he had not returned to in five or six years, he had hardly had any permanent home at all.

Before long, four dishes and a soup were placed on the table.

The dishes, perfect in color, aroma, and taste, gleamed enticingly. Even Ning Rongrong, who had secretly stuffed herself in the city, could not help feeling her appetite stir.

"Stop staring. Your drool is about to drip into the dishes. You're all hungry, right? Then eat!" Lin Feng urged.

Looking at the steaming home-cooked dishes before her, Zhu Zhuqing's nose suddenly stung, and she had the urge to cry.

Though the man before her was her teacher, at this moment, he felt more like a warm and dependable family member.

She had been born into nobility, yet had never experienced such simple, pure warmth.

She realized that she was becoming more and more attached to this feeling.

Ning Rongrong had been pampered in luxury since childhood, but when she tasted Lin Feng's cooking, her eyes lit up as well.

She had never experienced such a unique flavor before.

She suddenly regretted eating so many snacks earlier. Her stomach was terribly full now, but she could still manage another bite or two.

"Teacher!"

Ning Rongrong suddenly called out, her eyes sparkling. "Will you cook for us every day from now on? I love this flavor so much!"

She immediately brought out the power of money. "Teacher, I'll pay! I'll cover all our future food expenses!"

Lin Feng had wanted to refuse, but when he heard the word "pay," the words at his lips immediately went back down.

It was hilarious. He simply could not refuse that kind of temptation!

"No problem."