Although he did not quite understand why Lu Xunji's favorability kept bouncing around, it was rising overall.
At least it had gone from -200 just now to -145.
That was enough.
As for why it had risen.
Xie Ji had never figured that one out. After all, Lu Xunji's favorability bar bouncing around was perfectly normal.
As for Xie Ji's snake speaking human language, the official explanation eventually given was that the black snake Xie Ji owned was actually a bionic snake implanted with a high-end chip, which was why it could talk.
Most viewers accepted this explanation.
That made Xie Three Whips using a snake to whip someone perfectly understandable.
Blue Bandanna went to the hospital for an examination and did not have so much as a patch of broken skin anywhere on his body. After learning that the snake Xie Ji had hit him with was not a real snake, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. After leaving the hospital, he accepted compensation from the production team and quit his NPC job.
[The biggest victim of this incident might be the director. Not only did he lose a tea set, he also lost an NPC!]
[If we're talking about the biggest victim here, I think the award should go to Lu Xunji. I'm sure everyone understands the shock of suddenly becoming a dad.]
[Wrong, our poor little Ji Shi was the biggest victim!]
That evening, Ji Shi returned from working in the fields and was about to gleefully find Xie Ji to tell him all about the agony of missing him during their half-day apart. His left foot had only just entered the courtyard when Lu Xunji's cry of "the kid's mom" scared him into pulling it back.
And Xie Ji actually went along with it, answering, "the kid's dad."
Ji Shi's whole world came crashing down.
Only after asking around repeatedly and learning the whole story from other passersby did he breathe a sigh of relief.
He knew Xie Ji liked money, and he also understood that Xie Ji would spout any nonsense for money. So Xie Ji must have done it to protect his starting funds, not because he actually had any feelings for Lu Xunji!
Ji Shi secretly ground his teeth. Still wearing his rubber outerwear for working in the fields, he did not even have time to take it off before hurrying off to find Xie Ji.
If he had known this would happen today, he would have taken Xie Ji along even if he had to tie him to his waistband! He would never have let that brat Lu Xunji take such a huge advantage!
"Xie Ji, come here a second." Ji Shi sprayed himself with the courtyard hose. "I can't get the mud off my back. Give me a hand."
Of course Xie Ji was more than willing to help his big spender. He quickly trotted over to rinse the mud off Ji Shi's back.
Ji Shi stood straight in front of him with his back to Xie Ji, then suddenly asked, "Are you... close with Lu Xunji?"
Xie Ji tilted his head. "If I remember correctly, haven't you asked me this before?"
Ji Shi spun around in agitation. The powerful stream of water struck his chest, splashing quite a bit onto his handsome face, but he paid it no mind. He stepped closer to Xie Ji and said quietly, "I just want to ask. A few more times. Xie Ji, you wouldn't have any feelings for Lu Xunji, right?"
Xie Ji pursed his lips and said casually, "Of course not."
He really had no interest in men's asses.
[System notification: Target [Lu Xunji]'s favorability toward you has decreased by 5. Current favorability: -145.]
Xie Ji turned his head warily and found Lu Xunji standing in the doorway three meters away, watching them with the ghost of a smile.
Was this guy All-Hearing Ear in his past life?
He could even hear that?
What kind of innate spy physique was this? He should be recruited by the Federation military, not standing here giving me that snide smile.
Ji Shi stepped forward and took his wrist. Xie Ji snapped out of staring at Lu Xunji, and the hose dropped beside Ji Shi's feet.
Xie Ji bent down to pick up the hose, but Ji Shi quickly stopped him. "Leave that. Xie Ji, don't spend tonight in Lu Xunji's room. Promise me."
"No can do." Xie Ji rejected him outright.
Ji Shi's fingers tightened around his wrist. In the end, he pressed his lips together and said nothing more.
Because Lu Xunji's room was the only fully furnished room in the entire courtyard residence.
As long as Lu Xunji agreed, given Xie Ji's conviction that passing up a bargain meant taking a huge loss, there was absolutely no way he would give up that perk.
"I trust you, Xie Ji," Ji Shi said earnestly. "Don't lie to me."
Xie Ji knitted his brows and was just about to thump his chest and say, "In all my life, I, Xie Ji..."
The next instant, he heard a piercing blast from the system-
[Value aberration! Value aberration! Program execution error! Unknown values intruding. Running self-repair program!] [Self-repair progress: 1%!] [Self-repair progress: 50%!] [Self-repair progress: 80%!] [Self-repair progress: 99%!] [Self-repair progress: 99%!] [Self-repair progress: 99%!]
Huh? Did it crash?
Unable to spare Ji Shi any attention, Xie Ji hurriedly pulled Little Black out of his pocket.
Little Black was burning hot all over. Its forked tongue drooped crookedly to one side, and its body hung limp, looking as though it was about to kick the bucket.
Xie Ji shook it. "No way. I only used you for three lashes. Don't tell me I broke you just playing around?"
Ji Shi's eyes instantly widened as he watched Xie Ji shake the little black snake back and forth in his hand, chanting something like, "Nooo, Little Black, don't gooo! How am I supposed to live without you, Little Black? Little Black-"
"Wait." Ji Shi's brow twitched. "Stop shaking it for a second."
"You don't understand. This is my ultimate treatment-the Qiong Yao shake! It cures everything!" With a solemn expression, Xie Ji kept shaking the half-dead Little Black. "Ziwei! Ziwei, open your eyes and look at me, Ziwei! It's me, Erkang! Ziwei!"
"But," Ji Shi sucked in a breath, "it looks like it's already smoking."
Wisps of pale white smoke rose from Little Black.
Clutching the little black snake, Xie Ji hurriedly stood up and shouted, "Quick! Quick!"
Ji Shi instantly panicked too, scrambling to his feet. "What is it? What is it? Does it need first aid? What do you need me to do? Ask if there's a vet nearby?! No, Little Black is a biochemical snake. Should we find a repairman-"
Xie Ji flung Little Black into a nearby basin. "Since you're already done for, let's not waste you. Hurry, put on the pot and boil some water! Three handfuls each of pepper and star anise, no chopped scallions, and extra cilantro!"
Ji Shi: "..."
Fucking lunatic.
[Self-repair failed. Aberrant values intruding. Compatibility request denied! Compatibility request denied! Compatibility request denied! ...Compatibility request accepted! Integrating! Value integration successful!]
Little Black instantly revived at full health, leaped out of the basin, and smacked Xie Ji across the face with its tail. "Stop right there!!!"
As the blow sent blood streaming from both of Xie Ji's nostrils, he heard the system notification.
[Value integration successful. Activating a new value bar. Ding-dong, Ji Shi's favorability progress bar successfully activated. Target [Ji Shi]'s favorability toward you is 100.]