Her Cooking Was Terrible

Yang Wanqing held up her phone, her hand trembling and her expression priceless. "Hao... the Queen Mother of the West... liked you? And she called you... a blockhead?"

Li Li held the Wolf Cub, utterly stunned. "So... a Primordial Era goddess... pursued Mr. Chen? And still couldn't win him over?"

The livestream chat completely exploded:

[I Am Ying Zheng: Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit!!! The Queen Mother of the West had a crush on Celestial Master Chen?!]

[Youyou: I ship it! I ship it! Primordial Era goddess x modern-day celestial master!]

[Snow Blows at the East Gate: This gossip is too juicy. I can't handle it.]

[Jinggang Mountain: Blockhead, hahahaha! The Queen Mother of the West called Chen Hao a blockhead!]

[Little Ke: I'm dying. A Primordial Era goddess roasted Celestial Master Chen for being a "blockhead."]

[Chancheng Ye Family: ...The Ye Family patriarch has fallen silent.]

[Luocheng Wu Family: The Wu Family would like to say this is beyond our comprehension.]

[Wuling Mountain Qin Family: The Qin Family patriarch really did appear in a dream this time. He said he was baffled too.]

[Capital City University_Professor Li: As a scholar, I should be questioning this... but everything that happened today makes me feel my academic career might as well be over.]

Yang Wanqing finally burst out laughing. "Hao, the Queen Mother of the West called you a blockhead! What did you do to her?"

Chen Hao glanced at her and said flatly, "Nothing."

"Then why did she like you so much?"

"No idea."

Chen Siyao leaned closer, her eyes shining like stars. "Brother, what exactly happened between you and the Queen Mother of the West? Did you two have a history? Tell us!"

Chen Hao was silent for a moment before finally speaking. "We just... traveled together for a while."

"And then?"

"Then she said she wanted us to become Dao companions."

"And then?"

"Then I said cultivators shouldn't dwell on romantic attachments."

Everyone fell silent again.

Then—

Yang Wanqing was the first to burst out laughing. "Hahahahaha! The Queen Mother of the West confessed to you, and you told her not to dwell on romantic attachments? Hao! You really are a blockhead!"

Chen Siyao laughed so hard she couldn't straighten up. "Brother, that way of rejecting someone is just... so clueless!"

Cai Jingwen struggled to hold back her laughter, her shoulders bouncing. Clearly, it took all she had.

Holding the Wolf Cub, Li Li said quietly, "So after the Queen Mother of the West got rejected, she carved it into the wall? Is this... a heartbreak diary?"

That made everyone laugh even harder.

The livestream chat:

[I Am Ying Zheng: A heartbreak diary! I officially declare this the Queen Mother of the West's heartbreak diary!]

[Yaoyao's Little Red Riding Hood: Boohoo, I'll feel bad for the Queen Mother of the West for three seconds, but this is seriously hilarious.]

[New User 001: Celestial Master Chen: Cultivators shouldn't dwell on romantic attachments. Queen Mother of the West: I hate you!]

[New User 002: Queen Mother of the West: I'll carve this into the wall so future generations can see how infuriating this dense fool was.]

[New User 003: So Celestial Master Chen has been single all these years because he rejected the Queen Mother of the West?]

[New User 004: My horizons have expanded. They really have.]

Yang Wanqing laughed until tears streamed down her face, holding her phone up for an extreme close-up of the lines on the wall. "Everyone, remember this! This is the heartbreak diary of the Primordial Era goddess, the Queen Mother of the West! And our Celestial Master Chen is the leading man! Celestial Master Chen is dense!"

Chen Hao stood there expressionlessly, looking at the people doubled over with laughter, then at the lines on the wall. The corner of his mouth twitched.

After a long while, he said flatly, "Finished looking? Then let's go."

"Wait, wait, wait!" Chen Siyao hurriedly grabbed him. "Brother, let me look a little longer! This is a love letter the Queen Mother of the West wrote to you!"

"It's not a love letter."

"Then what is it?"

"...Forget it." Chen Hao turned and walked away.

Chen Siyao called after him, "Hao! Don't go! Tell us more! How exactly did you meet the Queen Mother of the West?"

Chen Hao didn't look back. "I don't remember."

"Liar! You definitely remember!"

Comments were still flooding the livestream:

[I Am Ying Zheng: I'm dying. Celestial Master Chen is fleeing in embarrassment.]

[Yaoyao's Little Red Riding Hood: This is the first time I've seen my brother this embarrassed, hahahaha.]

[Snow Blows at the East Gate: I recorded this. It'll be my source of happiness from now on.]

[I'm a Bad Student: So the Queen Mother of the West really exists, liked Chen Hao, got rejected by him, and carved a record of that rejection into a wall... this plot is more ridiculous than anything I could write.]

[It's Nighttime: Ridiculous but true. That's Celestial Master Chen's world.]

[Chancheng Ye Family: The Ye Family would like to say that Celestial Master Chen's level is truly beyond our reach.]

[Luocheng Wu]: Wu Family: We were going to introduce him to someone, but on second thought, forget it.]

[Wuling Mountain Qin Family: The Qin Family patriarch appeared in a dream and said: Don't compete with the Queen Mother of the West for a man. You can't win.]

Looking at the screen full of comments, Yang Wanqing laughed and slapped her thigh.

Cai Jingwen watched Chen Hao's retreating back, the smile lingering on her lips.

This man was getting more and more interesting.

The group left the stone chamber and headed back along the passage.

Chen Hao walked at the front, his pace a little faster than before.

Chen Siyao chased after him, calling, "Hao, slow down! You haven't explained everything yet!"

"There's nothing to explain."

"Yes, there is! The Queen Mother of the West liked you. Why did you turn her down? She's so beautiful!"

Chen Hao paused and looked back at her. "You think I should have agreed just because she's beautiful?"

Chen Siyao faltered. "Well, no... but..."

"For a cultivator, devotion to the Dao comes first." With that, Chen Hao continued walking.

Chen Siyao froze for a moment, then muttered, "Devotion to the Dao, my foot. You're just dense..."

Walking beside her, Cai Jingwen said softly, "Maybe he isn't dense. Maybe he has bigger things on his mind."

Chen Siyao looked at her. "Jingwen, are you defending him?"

Cai Jingwen smiled without answering.

They stepped through the stone doorway and returned to the valley, where warm sunlight spilled over them.

Yang Wanqing held up her phone. "On today's adventure, we discovered the Queen Mother of the West's ruins, found the Agelessness Elixir, and even uncovered her heartbreak diary! What a haul!"

The livestream chat:

[I Am Ying Zheng: Definitely worth it. This has elevated me to another plane.]

[Yaoyao's Little Red Riding Hood: Can't wait for tomorrow's stream! How many more secrets does Celestial Master Chen have?]

[Snow Blows at the East Gate: I'm already looking forward to the next one.]

[^_^: Even the Queen Mother of the West has appeared. Who's next? Nuwa? Fuxi?]

[Motorcycle Zone: Stop it. Keep talking and I won't be able to sleep tonight.]

They followed the path out of the stone hall and returned to the beautiful valley.

Chen Hao walked ahead.

Chen Siyao followed beside him, stealing glances at him from time to time.

Chen Hao kept his eyes straight ahead. "What are you looking at?"

"Brother, did you really... reject the Queen Mother of the West?"

Chen Hao remained silent.

"Come on, tell me. I promise I won't tell anyone."

"You're already on a livestream."

Chen Siyao froze, then looked back to find Yang Wanqing pointing her phone at them.

She hurriedly waved her hands. "Qingqing, stop filming! Cut this part!"

Yang Wanqing chuckled. "It's already gone live. No taking it back."

The livestream chat:

[I Am Ying Zheng: Thank you, Wanqing! You let us witness history!]

[Yaoyao's Little Red Riding Hood: Celestial Master Chen rejecting the Queen Mother of the West is history worth remembering!]

[Snow Blows at the East Gate: I took a screenshot. This picture will keep me going from now on.]

Chen Hao glanced over and said flatly, "As long as you're happy."

Yang Wanqing leaned closer. "Hao, do you really have no regrets? That was the Queen Mother of the West!"

Chen Hao thought for a moment, then said seriously, "None."

"Why?"

"Because..." He paused. "Her cooking was terrible."

Everyone went silent.

Then—

Yang Wanqing was the first to burst out laughing. "What? The Queen Mother of the West was a terrible cook? Hahahahaha!"

Chen Siyao laughed so hard she couldn't straighten up. "Brother, that's such a bizarre reason to reject someone!"

Cai Jingwen covered her face, her shoulders shaking violently.

Li Li held the Wolf Cub, her whole body shaking.