Make Him a Meal

Baiheng felt as though she was about to revert to a screaming white loaf of rye bread.

She was clearly the closest to Jingliu!

Why hadn't Jingliu told her, instead of telling the other three?

Baiheng, oh, Baiheng, do you remember what you said to Jingliu?

Her dearest friend must have been so hurt, so upset after hearing those words.

Jingliu must have been deeply conflicted when she realized she had fallen for twenty-year-old Xianyu.

Yet what had Baiheng done as her friend?

The Foxian's ears couldn't even stand upright anymore. She held her Jade Abacus dejectedly, lost in thought.

She felt guilty over what she had said and angry that the other three had kept this from her. Her emotions churned, leaving just one thought in her head.

Baiheng: I really deserve to die!

Her friend must have hesitated for a long time before deciding to take that first step.

And she had ruined everything qwq

Baiheng screamed silently and pummeled her bed.

By the time she finally recovered, her Jade Abacus chimed.

[Jing Yuan: ?]

[Jing Yuan: Dan Feng, Yingxing, you two... I honestly can't with you... cat scratching someone.gif]

Baiheng snatched up her Jade Abacus.

[The Luofu's Best Pilot: What's going on? Tell me! Never mind, let's talk in person. I'm coming over now.]

[Dan Feng: Come straight to my place.]

Once the other two agreed, an almost imperceptible smile appeared on Dan Feng's face.

This was the perfect opportunity to get together with his friends.

The High Elder instructed an attendant to tidy up the rooms the three usually stayed in and prepare fine wine and some dishes to go with it. Then he settled into the courtyard well ahead of time to wait.

He drank alone as he waited for his three friends.

Only after Dan Feng had finished a pot of wine did he hear rustling and voices outside the wall.

Dan Feng could clearly distinguish all three voices.

Baiheng complained, "Why do we have to climb over the wall?!"

Jing Yuan declared, "That's how they do it in storybooks!"

Yingxing scoffed. "It's late. Let's not disturb those terribly particular Dragon Preceptors."

At that, the three began muttering complaints again.

They often heard about the various conflicts between the High Elder and the Dragon Preceptors. As Dan Feng's closest friends, they naturally stood on his side and took every opportunity to take a jab at them.

Dan Feng set down his wine cup, his lips curving slightly as he looked up at the top of the wall.

The three climbed down one after another.

Baiheng smiled first, then frowned slightly. "Whoa, Dan Feng, how long have you been waiting?"

Only an hour, Dan Feng thought. His expression betrayed nothing as he shook his head. "Not long."

Carrying a large bag of barbecue, Jing Yuan complained, "It's all Yingxing's fault. He insisted on going to the hot pot restaurant for berry wine."

Yingxing held the wine protectively against his chest and shot back, "Sure, sure, blame me. But blame Jing Yuan even more for refusing the food at our esteemed High Elder's residence and insisting on barbecue!"

The two began bickering, their exchange so childish that even little children were probably more mature.

Dan Feng shook his head helplessly. In a rare display of humility, he took on an attendant's duties and helped Baiheng move the dishes to make room for Jing Yuan's barbecue and Yingxing's berry wine.

Once all four were seated, Baiheng put on a stern face and launched her interrogation, demanding the full story from the three.

Jing Yuan, who had been blamed for no reason, was the first to speak up. He feigned hesitation as he glanced at Dan Feng and Yingxing, then said, "I thought you already knew, Baiheng-"

Baiheng immediately saw through his attempt to shift the blame. She slammed a fist onto the stone table, enduring the pain in her hand as she kept her face stern. "Stop rambling and tell me."

The three took turns speaking, quickly filling Baiheng in on everything she had missed.

Baiheng listened, dumbfounded, then said in disbelief:

"I only got drunk! How did I miss so much? Why didn't you tell me?"

Dan Feng looked at the sky, then the ground, anywhere but at Baiheng.

Yingxing buried himself in his skewers.

Jing Yuan's eyes darted as he shifted the blame again. "Yingxing, what's wrong with you?"

Dan Feng followed right behind him. "Yingxing, why didn't you tell Baiheng?"

Yingxing practically manifested a question mark, then laughed in exasperation. "Fine, fine, fine, it's all my fault. Jing Yuan, you're not getting any grilled chicken wings."

Jing Yuan said, "Wait, the chicken wings are innocent-"

In that instant, Baiheng understood Jingliu.

She understood why Jingliu had fallen for Xianyu.

Compared to these people around her, Xianyu was downright normal! Who would turn down a normal person?

Baiheng tried to steer the conversation back on track. "Did she say what she planned to do?"

A hint of smugness appeared on Dan Feng's face as he shook his head. "Baiheng, you're a step too late. The three of us have already taken action."

Yingxing looked equally certain of their success and added, "We put together a guide for Jingliu on how a man should pursue a woman-"

Baiheng said, "...Huh?"

Had she misheard? A man pursuing a woman? And compiled by these three lifelong singles?

Unable to understand, Baiheng frowned and looked to Jing Yuan for help.

Jing Yuan nodded with a pained expression and sighed. "I tried talking them out of it. It didn't work."

Baiheng was so angry that the fur on her tail bristled.

"Did you just say a man pursuing a woman?!"

Dan Feng's voice was quiet. "What else? Can you imagine Jingliu spending all day hovering around a man?"

Baiheng said, "..."

That made so much sense that she had no comeback.

Seeing that the other two refused to trust them, Dan Feng and Yingxing immediately took out their Jade Abacuses and explained their guide to Baiheng in detail.

Baiheng listened until her head spun. They were clearly speaking the Xianzhou language, so why couldn't she understand them?

She leaned closer to examine the document they had compiled, pointing at the screen with a trembling finger.

"You just copied and pasted it! Never mind that you didn't even change the pronouns, what's this nonsense about women admiring strength?"

Yingxing thought for a moment, then said, "These things should apply universally. Isn't Jingliu strong enough?"

Baiheng took a deep breath and asked Yingxing, "Tell me, how would you feel if a woman were far better at forging than you?"

Yingxing, whose forging skills far surpassed those of the long-life species, folded his arms with an arrogant expression.

"Hmph, your hypothetical doesn't hold up. But if the Artisanship Commission really had a genius like that, of course I'd learn from her!"

Baiheng said, "..."

That was such a Yingxing answer.

As expected of the Artisanship Commission's most relentless overachiever.

"I know what you're worried about. You're worried he might resent Jingliu for the sake of his so-called pride."

Dan Feng's smile didn't reach his eyes, and his voice was icy.

"But you're underestimating our Sword Champion. Would she fall for someone like that? Have faith in her."

If that man bore a face resembling the Former Marshal's and used his name, yet turned out to be a scoundrel who toyed with people's feelings... Dan Feng wouldn't mind taking action.

Jing Yuan quietly spoke up for his friend. "Don't worry, Baiheng. Xianyu isn't that kind of person."

Xianyu didn't care at all who was stronger than him. He was just a slacker content to coast through life.

"Of course that's not what I meant-"

Baiheng suddenly fell silent, then said, "Wait, that still doesn't mean you can just copy and paste it!"

Yingxing repeated his earlier argument. "It all applies universally. Jingliu will understand."

Baiheng took another deep breath and pointed at "give flowers." "This suggestion is pretty good. I just heard from a friend today that some rich woman spent a hundred thousand Strale on flowers to propose to her boyfriend!"

Dan Feng's mostly expressionless face practically read, "Excellent taste."

Baiheng continued her critique. "This part about showering him with Strale... uh, Xianyu probably isn't short on money, is he?"

The Foxian turned to Jing Yuan for confirmation.

Jing Yuan nodded, made a rough estimate, and gave an extremely conservative figure, prompting cries of shock from Baiheng and Yingxing, who spent every paycheck they earned.

"The next one is playing the hero and saving the damsel? Xianyu works a desk job and stays on the Luofu. What danger could he possibly run into?"

Baiheng worried herself sick over Jingliu. "Showing off her swordsmanship... uh, I think that could work. Let's leave it undecided for now. How about making a meal and taking it to Xianyu tomorrow? What do you think?"

The three showered Baiheng's suggestion with praise.

They had absolute faith in the serial flirt's abilities and immediately settled on this new plan for Jingliu.

Dan Feng said it would be the perfect chance to use his Thousand-Year Ginseng.

The other three exclaimed over Imbibitor Lunae's generosity.

The High Elder made no secret of it, explaining that he had personally selected it from his private vault as a gift for General Teng Xiao, only for the general to decline.

Jing Yuan: It's just one meal. There's absolutely no need to use Thousand-Year Ginseng!

Faced with Jing Yuan's doubts, Dan Feng sighed and bluntly explained that the private vault where he kept his valuables was too large, and he couldn't be bothered to put it back.

Yingxing couldn't understand. "How big could it be?"

Dan Feng replied casually, "Not very. A thousand-odd square meters."

The three said, "..."

Damn rich people!

After they finished condemning Dan Feng, Yingxing sighed. "It would be wonderful if I could see them get together in my lifetime."

The lives of the long-life species were so terribly long. As one of the short-life species, would he get to witness that day?

At that, Dan Feng's gaze swept over the lines at the corners of Yingxing's eyes. "You will," he said with certainty.

The four ate, drank, and bantered for a while before heading with practiced ease to the rooms the High Elder had prepared for them.

The following day, Jingliu came at their invitation and raised an eyebrow after hearing their idea.

Jingliu folded her arms and asked unhurriedly:

"So, which of the five of us knows how to cook?"

The other four said, "..."

We're doomed. This is beyond the syllabus. We've hit a blind spot!