"Old monk? Banshee? River God seeking a son-in-law? Abnormal People hijacking a shipment?"
Liu Qingyan looked at Lu Zheng, her small mouth forming an âoâ shape, an expression of surprise on her face.
Lu Zheng chuckled, reached into his cloth bag, took out a Liao Flower Candy, and placed it in Liu Qingyanâs mouth, "Eat the candy, stop gaping like that, you look like someone whoâs never seen the world."
"Crunch!" Liu Qingyan bit into the candy, chewing while licking her lips with her tongue, "I never expected that Lu Lang would encounter so many things just on a trip to the State Capital."
"Indeed," Lu Zheng nodded, "The main thing is, Iâve gained a lot. I traded the Cold Condensation Curse for a set of the Water Avoidance Technique."
"Water Avoidance Technique?"
Lu Zheng nodded, "The Water Avoidance Technique, and also a Water-Repelling Pearl."
As he spoke, Liu Qingyan suddenly felt something more in her hand. She quickly raised her hand to look, only to find it was a pearl about an inch in size, glowing with a faint blue light, "Water-Repelling Pearl!"
"Itâs for you, do you like it?" Lu Zheng smiled.
"I like it." Liu Qingyan nodded, then shook her head, and was about to return the Water-Repelling Pearl to Lu Zheng, "You keep it first, itâs not too late to give it to me when youâve learned the Water Avoidance Technique."
"Just keep it, Iâll learn the Water Avoidance Technique in just a few days, so I wonât need this Water-Repelling Pearl." Lu Zheng said.
Liu Qingyan giggled, knowing that Lu Zheng had a talent for cultivation, but learning the Water Avoidance Technique in a few days did seem like bragging to her.
Still, bragging so confidently, Liu Qingyanâs eyes twinkled as she accepted the Water-Repelling Pearl.
"Lu Lang."
"Hmm?"
"Was the wedding banquet at the Lu River Godâs Mansion lively?" Liu Qingyan asked.
"It was quite lively." Lu Zheng nodded.
"Thenâ" Liu Qingyan bit her lip, "Do you prefer a lively wedding or a quiet one?"
"I like them all." Lu Zheng smiled, "Which do you like?"
Upon hearing Lu Zheng, Liu Qingyan pursed her lips into a smile, looking up at Lu Zheng, "I like the kind thatâs with Lu Lang."
Wow! It seems being around me has made her bold enough to speak out!
The two strolled leisurely, walking and browsing, and when they returned to Tongyi Lane, they happened to run into Elder Liu, who was closing up shop and heading home.
Seeing the two just arriving at the entrance of the lane, Elder Liu was also dumbfounded, "You two are really... Alright, itâs a good thing I had Hu Zhou come back in advance and instructed him to cook, otherwise thereâd be nothing good for dinner tonight."
"Donât worry." Lu Zheng smiled, "Even if Auntie Liu hasnât prepared anything, what I brought back is more than enough."
Then he turned to Liu Qingyan and said, "Qingyan, you head back first, Iâll go home to get some things, Iâll be quick."
"Okay." Liu Qingyan nodded obediently, "Iâll go home and prepare, you come quickly."
...
Lu Zheng returned home and immediately traveled to the modern world.
Though he was out of town those days, every night when he stopped and rested, heâd travel back to the modern world, visit the supermarket, reply to messages, talk for hours on the phone with Lin Wan, and then rest well on the soft bed, returning to the ancient times the next morning.
So he hadnât neglected anything in the modern world, and since he knew Liu Qingyanâs identity, while traveling through Li Family Town last night, he went out and prepared some items to store in the fridge.
One five-spice roast chicken, plated!
One white-cut chicken, plated!
One smoked chicken, plated!
Then he took some snacks and pastries he bought in Yizhou City, and only then did he knock on the Liu Familyâs door.
"Brother Lu! Youâre back!" Liu Qingquan came up while sniffing, then naturally took the items from Lu Zhengâs hands, excitedly opening the food box.
"Wow! Itâs chicken! It smells delicious!" Liu Qingquan exclaimed in surprise, "Did you buy it in Yizhou Prefecture? I didnât know Yizhou Prefecture had such delicious chicken!"
"Lu Lang, sit down, we were just waiting for you." Elder Liu also naturally took a ceramic bottle exuding the fragrance of wine from the food box.
Lu Zhengâs wine bottles didnât have a sealing effect, so the aroma filled the air. With Elder Liuâs nose, he could smell it through the courtyard walls, let alone when it was right under his nose.
Looking at the old and young in front of him, Madam Liu shook her head helplessly, while Liu Qingyan pulled Lu Zheng to sit beside her.
...
Hu Zhou didnât know the Liu Familyâs identity, so at dinner, no one mentioned anything about the Southern Border Wizars and the Anomaly Suppression Bureau. They only talked about recent happenings in Tonglin County.
After dinner, Hu Zhou went home, and then they ate snacks and drank tea, talking about Lu Zhengâs recent trip to Yizhou Prefecture.
Liu Qingyan had already heard about it once, but she still listened with great interest as Lu Zheng recounted it, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him.
Liu Qingquan listened with surprise, mainly curious about the River Godâs Mansion seeking a son-in-law, asking Lu Zheng repeatedly about what those of the aquatic race looked like, clearly showing sheâs never seen water spirits before.
Elder Liu and Madam Liu, having seen a lot themselves, were relatively calm. The River God seeking a son-in-law, Abnormal People hijacking a shipment, were just curiosities to them.
Until mid-7 PM, as the night deepened and the conversation ended, Lu Zheng finally realized Liu Qingquan had slowly but surely eaten all the remaining chicken from dinner, now licking her fingers.
Elder Liu also drank a fair amount, story accompanying the wine, until Lu Zheng finished, and he too was almost done drinking.
"Look at me." Madam Liu said, a bit annoyed, "Lu Lang, youâve been traveling for days, you must be exhausted and should rest early, yet you kept us company chatting."
"Itâs quite late now, Lu Lang, you should go rest. Let Qingyan see you out. I need to get this old man home; every time he drinks a little, heâs out of it, occasionally reverting to his true form, truly getting more childish."
Madam Liu instructed Liu Qingquan to go to her room to sleep, then helped Elder Liu, supporting him as they headed to the back house.
Lu Zheng shook his head with a smile, got up, stretched, and prepared to head home.
Liu Qingyan walked with him, her face flushed, looking shy but with no hesitation in her eyes, rather with a hint of anticipation.
Lu Zheng stepped out, glanced around to see no one was there, and quickly kissed Liu Qingyanâs cheek, then waved, expecting to see her run back home with a bashful face.
But... Liu Qingyan didnât move.
Lu Zheng: ???
So Lu Zheng said goodbye with a smile, turned to leave, but after taking a couple of steps, heard footsteps behind him. Turning back, he saw Liu Qingyan following him.
Lu Zheng: ???
Liu Qingyan lightly bit her lip, looking at Lu Zheng with her beautiful eyes, "Lu Lang, you must be tired from your journey, I know a little about massage techniques, why donât I give you a massage to relieve your fatigue?"
The words she spoke made her breath heavier.
Lu Zheng couldnât help but swallow.
Under the moonlit sky, Liu Qingyanâs bright eyes, white teeth, snow-skinned neck, slender body, as graceful as a startled swan, enveloped in a silver radiance, resembled a moonlit elf, graceful as an immortal.
Lu Zheng took a deep breath, then seriously twisted his neck and rolled his shoulders, "Hmm, you know what, I am feeling a bit tired..."