Chapter 127
Hearing Lingsha's soft voice, Qing Que blinked in confusion, Fu Xuan covered his face in resentment and pain, while Bai Jun couldn't help but show a look of astonishment, as if asking, "What nonsense are you talking about?" Lingsha, who was tightly hugging his arm, happily revealed a bright smile, announcing the end to the two defeated dogs in front of her:
"That's my relationship with A-Bai. If you two have nothing else to do, you can go now. My silly junior brother and I still have so much to talk about tonight."
"Wait, Dan Zhu, what exactly have you been saying since just now—uh!?"
Facing the slow-witted man beside her, a man even Flamecourt Lord would sigh over and Elder General Huai Yan would want to kick, Lingsha sighed softly, pinched the soft flesh of Bai Jun's waist, first gently, then pinched it hard.
Bai Jun remained silent, looking troubled, but his last words could be used as a good opening for Qing Que to exploit.
"There's nothing to be ashamed of. Don't run away from these feelings. You need to know that there's no hierarchy in love. If you like someone, just go for it! Remember how your mother went through so much trouble to win me over?"
Her mother's encouragement and her father's earnest teachings seemed to echo in her ears, so Qing Que made up her mind. Fu Xuan's astonished and confused expression beside her, she pointed at Lingsha with a flushed face and said, "Nonsense! Bai Jun is not your fiancé with those pointy ears! Don't you dare threaten him!"
"Miss Qing Que, please don't try to sow discord between me and A-Bai. Besides, our affairs are none of your business."
"My relationship with Bai Jun is beyond your understanding, and ultimately you're not Bai Jun's fiancée, so what right do you have to make demands of me? Since he's free, Miss Pointy Ears must have heard the saying 'A fair maiden is sought after by a slender gentleman,' right?"
"... You really dare to say that, Miss Qing Que."
Although Lingsha is usually all smiles and gentle demeanor, her expressionless eyes are the most terrifying when she's angry!
However, Qing Que looked up at her diamond-shaped eyes with an aura no less imposing than Lingsha's. Just as the atmosphere was about to become tense and about to explode, Bailu skipped and hopped out of the backyard of the clinic.
Completely oblivious to the atmosphere in the hall, Bailu, holding freshly picked flowers, opened her little arms and rushed into Bai Jun's arms, rubbing her face against his neck, and happily said, "A-Bai, come and see the herbs I planted in the backyard a while ago, the flowers that have grown are super pretty... Oh, have we had guests?"
It was only then that Bailu noticed something was off about the atmosphere in the hall.
The aloof Qing Que, the hesitant Fu Xuan who seemed unsure of what to do, and the beautiful, never-before-seen Vidyadhara sister... She was now staring at Bai Jun's profile with a resentful gaze, her fingers quietly resting on his waist once more.
"A-Bai, you scum, even now you're going after the child...?"
"How could that be! What kind of person do you take me for?"
"Bai Jun, who is she? I remember you said before that you didn't know any other women Vidyadhara of 'Lady Bailu'... Wait, Bai Jun, you didn't spend those few days away from Luofu flirting with countless women and spending the night in their homes, did you?"
Before Bai Jun could explain, Qing Que appeared again and delivered a precise blow.
As night falls, the clouds outside the window are about to dissipate in the approaching colors of summer, and the moon gradually casts a pale blue glow over the streets.
Faced with the increasingly chaotic scene before him, Bai Jun suddenly felt an urge to roll his eyes and faint on the spot.
Chapter 157: The feeling of powerlessness, like being bullied face-to-face.
"Since it's so late, let's have dinner here before we leave!"
After finally calming down the chaotic situation, the clock on the wall gently announced the arrival of 7 PM. The first to set an example was Lady Bailu, whose face was bright and cheerful, a stark contrast to the gloomy mood of the other women.
Ignoring the objections from others, she insisted on persuading everyone to stay and have dinner at the clinic.
"Don't worry, it's just dinner. It won't take up too much of your time. After dinner, we can have tea, chat, watch TV, and so on. Besides... it's been so long since the house has been this lively."
Bailu was fiddling with the hem of her clothes, spoke in a slightly lower voice this time, with a hint of pleading in her tone.
The cheerful smile that once feigned maturity had quietly faded away, replaced by a heartbreakingly lonely past. Seeing this, no one could bear to refuse the lovely girl's request, and they all nodded in agreement.
Unable to bear the heavy atmosphere of the people in the hall any longer, Bai Jun abused his position as a guest and forcibly took over the head chef's power from Bailu, taking charge of all the cooking himself and dispelling any attempts by others to help him.
"I'm sorry, I'm not used to cooking with others. For the sake of tonight's meal, the three of you can just sit there. I know it's difficult, but it's an order, especially for you. Don't show that kind of smile—"
Bai Jun skillfully rolled up his sleeves, talking as he walked towards the kitchen behind the clinic. As he was about to leave, he gave a helpless look to remind a certain beautiful woman with ulterior motives.
The object of his gaze was a gentle woman with long, ink-black hair. Upon hearing Bai Jun's words about her, Lingsha pouted angrily, turning her head away from Bai Jun's pretty face as if to say, "As if anyone wanted this, you idiot junior brother!"
"Although there's still some goat milk in the clinic, it definitely won't be enough if everyone shares it... Dinner needs to be balanced; having only good food without drinks is unbalanced! I guess I'll go to the street and buy some drinks. Master Diviner Fu, you all sit down first, I'll be right back. Ah, of course you don't need to follow me. After all, I'm not a child anymore, you don't need to worry about me all the time!"
While Bai Jun was busy in the kitchen and Bailu was running out of the clinic with her money bag, busily preparing for the night, the clinic's lobby fell into an unusual silence. Lingsha, Qing Que, and Fu Xuan sat quietly under the soft orange light, waiting. It was easy to imagine just how bad the atmosphere in the lobby was.
"Don't think I'll forgive you just like that, you pointy-eared bastard who takes advantage of other people's kindness to satisfy your own desires!"
"Hmph, I don't understand what Miss Qing Que is saying. Or perhaps Miss Qing Que doesn't understand the explanation and needs me to share some amusing stories about my junior brother? Oh dear, I remember that was so long ago. Back then, A-Bai was always staring at me with a lecherous look, and once he even dared to peep at me while I was bathing!"
"I don't think Bai Jun would stoop so low as to spy on a woman who is outwardly glamorous but inwardly rotten to the core."
"Oh dear, if only a certain part of Miss Qing Que's body were half as impressive as her mouth~ Of course, I'm not talking about her chest or anything like that!"
As Qing Que grumbled about what had happened earlier, her smile became somewhat stiff. The veins bulging on her forehead and her quietly clenched fists seemed to silently express her anger. Sitting opposite her, Lingsha, with her legs casually crossed, still had an exquisitely beautiful face, but her slightly upturned smile lacked warmth, and her pale expression carried a chilling coldness.
There was no conflict over money or interests in their words or glances; it was purely a tit-for-tat exchange.
I doubt anyone wants to experience the feeling of having their body and soul torn apart by two cold gazes.
The only one who seemed completely out of place in this atmosphere was the pink-haired little girl sitting upright in the corner. Her gaze lingered between Lingsha and Qing Que, unsure of how to speak, but she also felt superfluous if she didn't, so she could only maintain this awkward, hesitant posture.
Ah, I should have made an excuse to leave... No, what if I left and those two tried to take advantage of Bai Jun? But even if they did, what right would I have to stop them?
With this conflicted and complicated feeling in her heart, Fu Xuan sighed restlessly until she noticed out of the corner of her eye the traditional pastries on the table in the hall, their flaky crusts studded with glistening sugar granules.
So, without making a sound, Lady Fu Xuan moved to a different spot, munching on pastries and drinking sweet medicinal tea, finally finding something to pass the time.
As the fragrant aroma of oil and salt wafted into the hall, Qing Que and Lingsha, who had been staring intently at each other, each snorted and turned away with defiant expressions, no longer looking at each other, instead focusing their attention on the kitchen.
"The ingredients in the kitchen are limited, so I only managed to make a few dishes this time, but it should be enough for us."
As Bai Jun left the kitchen and entered the living room, he carried a plate of steaming food that emitted an enticing aroma.
Next, in order, were placed on the table --
Bitter melon and wood ear mushrooms, drizzled with soy sauce, sugar, and aged vinegar, and sprinkled with roasted dried chili peppers, make for a refreshing appetizer with a perfect balance of sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy flavors; braised pork belly, made by hollowing out a winter melon to resemble meat, filling it with vegetarian ham, and then drizzling it with a thick sauce and simmering it over low heat; and golden rice crust, fried until golden and crispy, filled with tender meat juices.
The mouthwatering delicacies were enough to stun Fu Xuan, who was busy sneaking snacks. Unfortunately, Bai Jun also happened to witness this scene. He casually snatched the snacks from the table and scolded him for the improper behavior of eating snacks before a meal.
"Please, Master Diviner Fu, show some respect for the chef's hard work."
"I'm so sorry..."
Fu Xuan didn't bother wiping the crumbs from his mouth. He lowered his flushed cheeks with a hint of shame, though it wasn't shame in the literal sense.
When Bai Jun stared at her with a lecturing look, Fu Xuan even felt a strange sense of happiness for a moment. She might even like his attitude towards her. However, she really didn't know how to deal with this feeling. She felt a little shy and was surprised by herself.
After Bailu returned, everyone began their dinner.
"Wow, A-Bai, the food you made looks delicious!"
Bailu returned carrying a large bottle of juice. Her eyes lit up when she saw the delicious food on the table, and she praised it in a simple and sincere tone.
Fu Xuan's small body trembled immediately after he opened his mouth and took a bite of the food on the table.
"Delicious, so good...!"
Fu Xuan had to handle many matters of the Divination Bureau every day, and the calculation and divination itself consumed a lot of energy. In order to make up for the energy consumed by the calculation, she would eat desserts and other things to replenish the lost energy after working hard day and night.
Over time, enjoying delicious food became one of the few moments of joy for Fu Xuan outside of her tedious and heavy work. Now, she was feeling happy and relaxed because of the wonderful taste she had never experienced before, and she was enjoying the aftertaste of the food with a sweet smile on her face.
The saying goes that the way to a person's heart is through their stomach, but Fu Xuan didn't know that this was also the beginning of his downfall...
While Fu Xuan and Bailu enjoyed their dinner, Bai Jun and Lingsha had a long-awaited chat.
"I never expected that you, Dan Zhu, would become the Cauldron Master of the Luofu Alchemy Commission."
"Perhaps this is fate's cruel joke. The former Cauldron Master of Yunhua, who was expelled from Luofu, has become the Cauldron Master of the Alchemy Commission again after many years, and what's more, he's the Cauldron Master the Pill Refining Department in Luofu... Mmm, so delicious! A-Bai, your cooking is even better than before!"
Upon learning that Lingsha was actually the newly appointed Cauldron Master, Bai Jun couldn't help but exclaim with emotion. The new Cauldron Master herself didn't seem to care much. She picked up a piece of rice crust and put it in her mouth, savoring the taste she hadn't been able to enjoy for many years. A look of ecstasy appeared on her face. Then, as if remembering something, she solemnly put down her chopsticks.
"By the way, A-Bai, there's something I want to tell you, and it's very important; I have to emphasize it!"
Lingsha stared at Bai Jun with a serious expression, and then, amidst Bai Jun's confused gaze and Qing Que's nervous eavesdropping, she gently flicked his forehead with her slender fingers.
"Remember to call me Senior Sister, and don't you dare call me by my real name!"
"I thought it was something important, but it turns out to be just another of your peculiar quirks... However, I need to emphasize one more point: you are a disciple of the Golden Scales and Burning Rhino Horn lineage under Flamecourt Lord, while I am merely a junior apprentice temporarily serving Flamecourt Lord. In terms of status, I can't even be considered Flamecourt Lord's disciple, so how can I be your junior brother?"
"Understood, I'll consider it."
Seeing Bai Jun's familiar look of disgust, Lingsha's gentle face once again showed a faint smile.
Perhaps this could be considered Lingsha's little quirk; she liked it, or rather, she absolutely loved the expression on this big boy's face when he looked so reluctant to call her "senior sister."
After the pleasantries and banter, the conversation turned to serious work—the handover between Cauldron Master his agent.
"First, there's a tangled web of interests and cronyism; second, there's a lack of focus and buck-passing; third, inappropriate rewards and punishments lead to discontent; fourth, research is looked down upon, and clinical practice is neglected; fifth, those with power and influence take advantage of everyone, discouraging ambitious individuals, and over time, this breeds numerous problems..."
Mentioning the true state of affairs within the Alchemy Commission made Bai Jun feel a dull ache in his stomach. Whether it was the Dragon Master's feigned sincerity or the Alchemy Commission's physicians' false accusations, the squabbles with other departments were all quite troublesome. One or two incidents might be bearable, but a large number of them would probably be unbearable for anyone.
The problem of the Alchemy Commission was not created overnight, nor can it be solved in a day.
After several days of work, Bai Jun sincerely felt that the best solution for Alchemy Commission's dissertation defense was to simply disband the company on the spot.
Lingsha was neither surprised nor puzzled; in fact, one could say she had anticipated it, because the Alchemy Commission was already in this state when she left Luofu. Hearing this now was hardly surprising, and she had naturally made ample preparations for it long ago.
"In my opinion, the fundamental problem of the Alchemy Commission lies in internal strife. The physicians are neither enthusiastic about treating patients nor devoted to academic research; they are only concerned with vying for power and profit. Over time, this will naturally lead to numerous drawbacks."
So what are you going to do?
Bai Jun took a sip of juice, curious to hear what strategies his senior sister could come up with.
"That's easy, just beat them all up!"
Upon hearing this, Bai Jun nearly choked on his juice. Lingsha smiled and explained, "Hehe, just kidding. That's just a last resort. If possible, I'll try to handle things more gently."
"So you really want to take action against those old guys?"
Who knows?
"Never mind, let's eat first, otherwise the food will get cold..."
Lingsha remained noncommittal, smiling gently as always. Bai Jun could only shrug and put the issue aside for the time being.
"That's true, but you're the one who should really be eating—hmm?!"
Just as Lingsha was about to serve Bai Jun some food, she inadvertently caught a glimpse of the ring on Bai Jun's left ring finger from the corner of her eye.
(A ring!? And it's on the ring finger of my left hand... If I remember correctly, the left ring finger is the standard way to wear a wedding ring, right?)
Lingsha's expression gradually shifted from gentle to cold and sharp. Her crimson eyes, seemingly covered by a thin layer of frost, stared intently at the ring on Bai Jun's left ring finger. Then, she spoke in an icy tone:
"A-Bai, there are different meanings to wearing rings in different ways, and this is no joke!"
The truth will eventually come out; this is a very simple truth. There's no such thing as a truth that can be hidden forever, especially something as precious as marriage as romance. However, Bai Jun never intended to hide anything, and that's why he was wearing a ring.
"I'm not kidding. Come to think of it, I don't think I've talked to you guys about this yet... Actually, I got married a while ago."
Bai Jun looked directly into those coral-red eyes, placed one hand behind his head, and frankly, yet embarrassed, told the truth.
As those words fell, everything around seemed to freeze instantly; all sound was sucked away, leaving only a suffocating silence.
Everyone except Bai Jun seemed to have been put on pause. Fu Xuan, his eyes wide open, didn't even bother to swallow his food. All eyes were focused in the same direction, filled with disbelief, confusion, anger, resentment, or... extreme sorrow.
Qing Que stood up, losing control of her emotions, and in the next moment, she unleashed her loud voice. "Bai Jun, you, you, you, you're already married!?"
Before Bai Jun could nod in response, he suddenly felt a chill all over his body, specifically because he was facing Lingsha's red eyes, which had lost their light and warmth.
"Why? It shouldn't be like this, but... what is going on? Am I hallucinating? Why would A-Bai, who always followed me so obediently, betray me? We promised to live together, we promised to never abandon each other, why, why, why... I guess I should break your limbs and lock you in the basement, you womanizer!"
The wooden chopsticks were broken, and the rising heat from all around almost set the hall ablaze.
Her demeanor and expression seemed to have completely changed. Her red pupils widened slightly, like bottomless icy pools, exuding a chilling aura. She had transformed from a gentle woman into an unapproachable presence filled with danger and Destruction.
Qing Que, who should have appeared to stop it all, now hugged her shoulders like a helpless child, muttering to herself in confusion, "Why is this happening? No, that's not right. Why has my Bai Jun become another woman's possession...?"
Bailu hugged Bai Jun's arm from the side, her face brimming with tears, her expression pitiful, as if she were saying "Don't abandon me," like a small animal.
As for Master Diviner Fu... his clever and intelligent mind fell into a prolonged state of malfunction.
Despite having prepared for all eventualities, the scene before him still made him feel dizzy. Even Bai Jun himself couldn't remember much of what happened afterward. In short, Bai Jun, who felt as if he had burned out his life force, finally left the clinic late at night, close to 10 p. m.
If I had to use a word to describe what just happened, it would be chaos.
With a resentful expression, Qing Que bit Bai Jun's arm hard. Fu Xuan was stunned and didn't know what to say. Lingsha, who reacted the most strongly, could only bite her lip and say, "Let's talk alone tomorrow." Then, muttering, "Don't let me find out who that woman is," she punched and smashed the stone wall outside the clinic.
Ultimately, however, they did not express any substantial opinions or attitudes.
"I'm so tired, I don't want to think about it anymore. I'm going to go back, take a hot shower, and then get some rest."
On the street illuminated by the moon and stars, rows of windows emitting orange light lined both sides. Bai Jun let the cool night breeze blow through his silvery-white hair, looked around, and then sighed deeply.
As Bai Jun walked to the streets of Exalting Sanctum, he suddenly stopped, his eyes widening in surprise at the presence of something quite familiar.
In the distance, a Foxkin stood leaning against a wooden railing, easing the strain on her shoulders. Her hand supported her chin, and her fair and delicate face was exceptionally beautiful. Her dark eyebrows framed a pair of captivating eyes that hinted at a touch of melancholy.
PS:
There will be another chapter tonight, but it's unlikely that I'll release one tonight.
Chapter 158 So, let's start as lovers.