Chapter 305 - 0196 The Most Important Thing is Gratification (Two-in-One)_2

"But your hands... are clean, no matter what you’ve touched." Yun Qian said earnestly, even with some stubbornness in her tone.

"Miss, you also have double standards." Xu Chang’an had a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"What does that mean?"

"Double standards."

"Double standards, is that a bad thing?" Yun Qian asked.

"Everyone is like this."

"I see," Yun Qian nodded.

"What have you understood?" Xu Chang’an’s hand holding Yun Qian’s paused for a moment, not wanting her to learn any bad things from him.

"I understand... we can wash hands together," Yun Qian grabbed Xu Chang’an’s hand and walked towards the bathroom’s Mystic Passage: "The water from earlier is still warm."

"Miss."

"Hmm?"

"You’ve really understood something extraordinary."

"Is that a compliment? Feels a bit odd."

"I suppose it doesn’t count as a compliment..." By the sink, Xu Chang’an gently wiped Yun Qian’s fair fingers, and said: "What would you like to eat tonight?"

"Entertaining guests depends on..." Yun Qian applied slight pressure, pressing Xu Chang’an’s hand into the water, and washed it for him while saying: "It depends on what the guest wants to eat."

"There’s no such reason in the world for a housekeeper to be served by the Miss." Xu Chang’an repressed Yun Qian’s hand, picked up some soap powder next to him, and quickly added: "Besides, the teacher isn’t a guest."

Xu Chang’an was too embarrassed to say ’family’, but indeed, Li Zhibai was his elder, someone he could trust.

Being held by Xu Chang’an, Yun Qian finally had no strength to resist this time, and just watched him wash her hands.

"Not a guest?" Yun Qian responded, thinking it might indeed be the case. After all, Li Zhibai was different from Wen Li and others. When she arrived earlier and found no one answering the door, she just came in herself.

Of course, that was because Xu Chang’an had previously agreed that Li Zhibai could come in, otherwise barging into Yun Qian’s residence... wouldn’t be fun.

"Alright." Xu Chang’an dried Yun Qian’s hands with silk, then said: "Even though the teacher is from the Immortal Sect, she has a peculiar temperament, and never misses her three meals a day, but her meals are relatively simple... After all, she is busy with alchemy all day and has no time to cook."

So, Li Zhibai’s requirements wouldn’t be high.

And Xu Chang’an was confident in his culinary skills, no matter what he cooked, it would certainly satisfy Li Zhibai, who despite eating every day did not eat well.

In this scenario, of course, Yun Qian’s request was more important.

"In fact, even without such a premise, Miss, your preference is more important." Xu Chang’an rubbed his fingers together in the sink and casually dried them off, saying: "So, what does Miss want to eat? I bought a lot of things today that you love to eat."

No matter what Yun Qian said, he was confident he was prepared.

Given Xu Chang’an’s words, Yun Qian began to seriously think.

She was indeed hungry.

Moreover, she indeed had something she wanted to eat.

Last time Xu Chang’an made a delicious crystal dumpling, using fresh shrimp meat crushed and mixed with mushrooms, encased in a transparent layer of clean wheat starch...

In short, it was very tasty.

Along with Xu Chang’an’s feeding, it left a deep impression on Yun Qian.

But seeing the light in Xu Chang’an’s eyes now, she thought he seemed eager to try, so she shook her head: "You decide, I like everything."

"Is that alright?"

"Hmm."

Anyway, whatever Xu Chang’an makes is something she loves to eat; what more could she ask for?

And Yun Qian’s thought made sense.

Without setting restrictions, leaving the kitchen stage entirely to Xu Chang’an was indeed the best decision.

She didn’t know how to cook, and Li Zhibai, as a young lady from a prestigious family, had no noteworthy culinary skills. Even making noodles was something she learned later at the Daoist Temple.

——

Xu Chang’an and Yun Qian walked out from the Mystic Passage, watching as Xu Chang’an took out ingredients from the Storage Pouch. She tilted her head closer and asked: "What are you planning to make?"

Xu Chang’an looked out the window, feeling curious why Li Zhibai hadn’t arrived yet.

Hearing Yun Qian’s words, he replied: "It’s the first time inviting the teacher for dinner, naturally I’ll cook my specialty."

What he was good at was, of course, because Yun Qian liked it.

"For example?" Yun Qian lowered her head.

"The green crab from Bichao Peak is glossy, with a thin shell and big claws, well-fed by Spiritual Power, rich and tender. The first dish will be tide crab," Xu Chang’an clearly put a lot of heart into today’s dinner, continuing: "Likewise, the stone perch raised on Tripod Heart Peak... these are things anyone would easily accept."

"The Xiaoqin bamboo from Shouyang Peak is also superb. Miss has tried my oil-seared bamboo shoots, right? Those bamboo shoots can at least elevate the flavor a notch. Speaking of which, from Shouyang Peak as well, the lotus seeds there, when made into dessert, are moderately warm and have a bittersweet aftertaste, which I very much like."

Mentioning cooking, Xu Chang’an’s interest was high, talking non-stop for a while.

Yun Qian watched with joy.

Having something he wanted to do, having desire, was a good thing.

Even if that desire was to feed her.

It sounded like there would be many things to make, but they would certainly be small portions, just more abundant than usual, and there was no worry about wasted food, as Yun Qian couldn’t finish it all, there’s still him.

Cultivators have no concept of being full, only whether they wanted to eat or not.

Xu Chang’an also wondered if the dishes he made would be something the teacher wanted to taste.

To sample just a little, or...

"I plan to stew some beef brisket, with a couple of boiled and cold dishes to go with drinks." Xu Chang’an twisted his fingers together, an eager look on his face: "And..."

"No, don’t say it." Yun Qian gently interrupted Xu Chang’an’s words, in his surprised eyes, she touched her lower abdomen, her gaze sweeping over the cucumbers in the kitchen, considering whether to eat something to fill her stomach.

Already hungry, and now even hungrier after hearing him talk.

"If it were usual, I’d let you have some snacks, but today... bear with it a little longer." Xu Chang’an patted Yun Qian’s hand and winked at her: "It’s not over yet, I remember how much you liked the steamed meat dumplings from last time, today’s will taste even better."

"How did you know I wanted to eat that?" Yun Qian asked calmly.

"What don’t I know?" Xu Chang’an retorted.

"My secrets?"

"..."

Hearing Yun Qian’s light words, Xu Chang’an’s smile froze on his face and then slowly faded.

He was trying to sweet-talk her, but didn’t expect Yun essentially to suddenly throw in such a line, leaving him at a loss.

Xu Chang’an gritted his teeth slightly, but had no way with this expressionless girl, silently leaving a sentence: "I’ll eventually uncover all of Miss’s secrets."

Yun Qian was relying on his reluctance to bully her, thus keeping secrets from him.

"Alright." Yun Qian nodded.

At this moment, the fire stone in the house flickered, Xu Chang’an sighed in relief, hearing the knocking, he said: "The teacher is finally here, Miss, I’ll go greet them."

"Shouldn’t I go with you?" Yun Qian thought to herself, she even went when they were welcoming Wen Li.

"The teacher addresses you as sister," Xu Chang’an adjusted his clothes, sweeping his sleeve: "If the teacher sees her beloved sister braving the cold wind outside, she wouldn’t be happy."

Having said that, Xu Chang’an left the room.

——

At the door, Li Zhibai wore the same Daoist robe as before, but also different because... she wore an entirely new one, without any of the washed-out marks.

Perhaps it made her look a bit younger.

She stood at the door, put down the hand that was knocking, with very peculiar emotions in her eyes.

Between a couple, there’s nothing strictly forbidden, and Li Zhibai could understand, otherwise she wouldn’t let the student cultivate the Yin Yang Dual Cultivation technique.

But in her eyes, Xu Chang’an was just a child, and Yun Qian was a sister, so coming across something like that was still really odd.

Foot massage?

Foot massages don’t usually go as far as the neck area, right?

Well, young couples again.

Wandering around the lake for more than a dozen laps, Li Zhibai increasingly felt that she had misunderstood earlier.

Xu Chang’an probably didn’t want her to enter by herself, but rather... he was engrossed in something, not hearing her call.

Indeed, this time when Li Zhibai knocked, there was the sound of footsteps.

After a while, Xu Chang’an opened the door, and his bright smile froze for a moment.

Evidently, the all-new Daoist robe on Li Zhibai also gave Xu Chang’an a sense of discord, but what puzzled him more was the odd look in Li Zhibai’s eyes.

Resistance? Doubt? And a bit of... relief?