I Think, Ruxue, You Should Go

I think, Ruxue, you... should go.

Ever since Bai Ruxue learned that Xiao Mo wouldn't marry the county magistrate's daughter, she'd become a carefree little girl again.

Bai Ruxue was lively and cheerful every day, even humming little tunes while cooking.

As for Xiao Mo, he'd never intended to marry the county magistrate's daughter in the first place.

At the time, Xiao Mo had wanted to politely decline Magistrate Sun's kind offer, but Magistrate Sun had interrupted him and told him not to rush into answering; he could think it over.

Xiao Mo hadn't known what else to say then. He'd simply planned to visit Magistrate Sun in person in a couple of days and thank him for his kind regard.

Today, after Xiao Mo arrived at Magistrate Sun's residence, he politely declined the offer.

Though Magistrate Sun felt it was a pity, he understood. After all, Xiao Mo had said that he already had a woman he loved.

So Magistrate Sun didn't bring up the marriage arrangement again. Instead, he discussed scholarship and matters of court with Xiao Mo, intending to teach him a little about the ways of officialdom.

In Magistrate Sun's eyes, Xiao Mo's future as a court official was already set in stone.

That was because Magistrate Sun had later heard that Xiao Mo had passed the provincial examination as Jieyuan thanks to the favor of that Mr. Zhang.

That Mr. Zhang was a man of great virtue and prestige who had written many books. Though he was now merely an idle official, his influence in court was immense; even the current prime minister was his disciple.

"Xiao Mo, once you reach the capital, be sure to go straight to Elder Zhang's residence and deliver an invitation card," Magistrate Sun advised.

"Mr. Zhang?" Xiao Mo asked, puzzled.

"Elder Zhang Qianzhi. He's currently a Hanlin academician, and also a libationer at the Confucian Academy." Magistrate Sun stroked his beard. "He was the one who nominated you as Jieyuan this time."

"Then I certainly ought to pay him a visit."

Xiao Mo nodded.

"But don't try too hard to curry favor with him, or you'll only displease Mr. Zhang. Just go pay him a visit, have a cup of tea, and express your gratitude for his support." Magistrate Sun said.

"This student understands. Thank you for your advice, Magistrate." Xiao Mo cupped his hands in a salute.

"Hahaha, what advice? In the future, I'll be counting on Lord Xiao to give me a few pointers!" Magistrate Sun raised his wine cup.

Xiao Mo only smiled faintly and raised his own cup.

"Goji berries. Dried longan. Cut the shiitake mushrooms and old hen into chunks, then blanch them."

Meanwhile, back at home, Bai Ruxue was making chicken soup for Xiao Mo.

"Then simmer it over low heat for an hour, and we're done!"

Bai Ruxue happily clapped her little hands and covered the pot with its clay lid.

While tending the low flame beneath the stove, she kept an eye on the courtyard gate, waiting for Xiao Mo to come home.

Half an hour later, Xiao Mo still hadn't returned, but a woman appeared at the courtyard gate.

She looked like an otherworldly immortal, with a horsetail whisk in her hand and Daoist robes on her body. "Young lady, might I trouble you for a bowl of water?"

"Of course."

Bai Ruxue didn't refuse. She hurried to fetch a bowl of water for the female Daoist Priest.

While he drank, Bai Ruxue studied him closely, thinking how beautiful he was.

"Thank you, young lady." The Daoist Priest drained the bowl, handed back the earthenware vessel, then fixed his gaze on Bai Ruxue.

Bai Ruxue blinked and tilted her head. "Immortal, is there something you need?"

"Nothing in particular."

The Daoist Priest shook his head.

"I am Fuchen, an elder of the Tian Xuan Sect. I can see that you have exceptional talent and a touch of immortal fate. Would you be willing to come up the mountain with me and cultivate?"

"Huh? Cultivate? I'm not going." Bai Ruxue hurriedly waved her hands. "I still have someone to look after. If I'm gone, no one will cook for him."

The Daoist Priest smiled. "There's no need to answer right away. You can think it over carefully. With your Root Bone, it would be a shame not to cultivate. I'll return in two days."

With that, the Daoist Priest clasped his hands in salute, then stepped into the sky. In an instant, he vanished without a trace.

Bai Ruxue stood at the courtyard gate, her eyes shining.

It was the first time she'd ever seen someone fly.

As the sun neared the horizon, Xiao Mo returned home.

"Xiao Mo, you're back! Come over quickly. I made chicken soup for you."

As soon as she saw Xiao Mo, Bai Ruxue hurried to ladle out a bowl of chicken soup and set it in front of him.

"Mm, I was hungry too." Xiao Mo sat at the stone table and took a sip. The broth was rich but not greasy, and wonderfully savory.

There was no denying it: Bai Ruxue's cooking kept getting better.

"Is it good?" Bai Ruxue sat across from Xiao Mo, resting her chin in her hands as her alluring, peach-blossom eyes curved into crescents.

"It's good." Xiao Mo nodded.

"Then have some more." Bai Ruxue added two pieces of chicken to his bowl. "There's only this chicken soup tonight. I didn't cook anything else, so you have to finish the whole chicken."

"Then what will you eat?" Xiao Mo asked.

"I'll eat the leftovers from lunch. It'd be wasteful not to." Bai Ruxue replied matter-of-factly.

Xiao Mo: "..."

"Quick, eat up. The soup won't taste as good once it gets cold." Bai Ruxue ladled him another bowl.

"You should eat some too. I can't finish it all by myself," Xiao Mo said.

Bai Ruxue shook her head. "I'm not hungry."

"You still have to eat a couple of bites, or it'll go to waste."

"All right, but you have to feed me. Ah." Bai Ruxue opened her little mouth, revealing her pink tongue.

Xiao Mo had no choice but to pick up a piece of meat and put it in her mouth.

Bai Ruxue chewed happily. She thought food tasted even better when Xiao Mo fed it to her.

"Oh, right, Xiao Mo. A female Daoist Priest came to our courtyard earlier."

"A Daoist Priest?"

"Mm." Bai Ruxue nodded. "She was really beautiful. She said she was an elder from the Tian Xuan Sect, and that I had some kind of immortal fate. She wanted to take me away to cultivate."

"Hmm?"

Xiao Mo was a little surprised.

He'd heard of the Tian Xuan Sect.

The Tian Xuan Sect was the greatest sect in the Qi Kingdom, a reputable and upright school with an excellent reputation among mortals. He'd also heard that it taught everyone without discrimination—even the Demon Race, as long as they had a desire to seek the Dao.

There was even a female elder in the Tian Xuan Sect whose true form was a Vermilion Bird.

Xiao Mo thought that the Daoist Priest's request for water was just an excuse.

She must have been passing by, seen that Bai Ruxue was an exceptionally talented White Snake, and wanted to take her as a disciple.

"Did you agree?" Xiao Mo looked up and asked.

"Of course not." Bai Ruxue waved her hand. "If I leave, who'll look after you?"

Xiao Mo lowered his head and nudged the oily ripples in his bowl with his spoon.

"Xiao Mo, what's wrong? Why did you stop eating? There's still half a pot left." Bai Ruxue noticed that he'd set down his chopsticks.

"Ruxue." Xiao Mo looked up and met Bai Ruxue's eyes. "If you didn't need to look after me, would you go to the Tian Xuan Sect?"

"Eh?" Bai Ruxue stared at Xiao Mo, her eyes trembling. "Xiao Mo, what... what do you mean?"

"Ruxue, immortal fate is hard to come by. I think you... should go."