As Mu Anxiao thought of that time, her heart sank, and she continued bandaging Shen Xian’s wounds.
A moment later, Mu Anxiao gathered the bloody rags and empty medicine bottles from the table. "Are you hungry?" she asked.
Shen Xian gently tugged at his sleeve and looked up at Mu Anxiao. "A little," he replied.
"I'll go get you some food."
"Have you finished cooking?"
"No, I'll go... fetch something ready-made," Mu Anxiao said, turning towards the door with the pile of things.
Shen Xian's eyes deepened. "If it's cooked by my junior brother, I won't eat it."
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao paused at the door, turning her head to say, "It's not from him." With that, she freed one hand and opened the door, stepping out.
Shen Xian sat at the table, watching the open door, his eyes darkening. He pointed a finger towards the door, and it automatically closed.
Then, the Vine Demon reappeared beside Shen Xian. "You're ruthless," he said, clutching his chest.
Shen Xian glanced at the Vine Demon. "If I hadn't been genuine, she would have been suspicious."
"True," the Vine Demon nodded, swallowing. He pointed at Shen Xian's arm. "She bandaged you."
"Don't ask the obvious."
"She really did?"
"....." Shen Xian looked up at the Vine Demon, frowning. "Weren't you here the whole time? Wouldn't you know?"
"No, I just went to the kitchen."
"What were you doing in the kitchen?"
The Vine Demon smiled. "If it weren't for Shen Yan, I wouldn't be where I am today. Of course, I had to go see him. Although," a smirk touched his lips, "he's not Shen Yan anymore."
"What exactly are you trying to say?"
"I'm trying to say, he's actually a very good cook."
"What?" Shen Xian frowned.
The Vine Demon said, "He's cooking for you in the kitchen. I'm very sorry to tell you, but Mu Anxiao lied to you."
"She lied to me?" Shen Xian exclaimed.
"I told you long ago she was crafty. You just had to trust her. If you get hurt in the end, don't come crying to me."
Crying to him? Shen Xian certainly wouldn't do that. The Vine Demon was being rather self-indulgent.
However, he was genuinely angry now.
"She actually lied to me," Shen Xian said, standing up directly.
The Vine Demon feigned concern. "You're injured, you shouldn't move." He reached out.
Shen Xian glanced at the Vine Demon. "You should leave and make preparations. Don't mind me." He walked towards the door.
The Vine Demon said, "Alright."
After Shen Xian left the room, the Vine Demon immediately sat at the table, then lowered his head and disgustingly sniffed the residual scent of blood on the tabletop, letting out an evil chuckle. "What a... good show." He then looked up at the antique-filled room.
In the kitchen, Mu Anxiao leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching Feng Qi Shi busy himself inside. "I never thought you could cook," she said.
Feng Qi Shi: "....."
"Why aren't you speaking?"
Feng Qi Shi stopped his movements, turned his head to look at Mu Anxiao, who was standing leisurely at the door with a supervisory air. "There's no need to state the obvious," he said.
"I said you could cook, and you..." Mu Anxiao stopped midway, suddenly remembering Feng Qi Shi's harsh mother. She nodded. "True, with a mother like that, it's impossible you wouldn't know how to cook."
"It's good you know," Feng Qi Shi said, turning back. He noticed Xiang Nang staring at him and asked, "Why are you looking at me?"
"Did you really reincarnate?"
"...." Feng Qi Shi didn't want to mention it and continued stir-frying.
Xiang Nang: "...." She furrowed her brow and turned to Mu Anxiao. "I heard you went to a place called the present world and brought him back. Is that true?"
Mu Anxiao's trip to the present world was rarely mentioned after her return.
Xiang Nang was the first to bring it up.
So, she deliberately teased Xiang Nang. "What do you think?"
"I think it's true. He..." Xiang Nang glanced at Feng Qi Shi. "Compared to that year, he's certainly changed a lot."
Feng Qi Shi was taken aback by this. He turned to Xiang Nang. "You've seen me before?"
"Yes, but my impression isn't deep," Xiang Nang said, her gaze clearly flickering.
"Alright." Feng Qi Shi didn't pay it any mind and turned back.
Mu Anxiao observed Xiang Nang's profile. Just as she was about to speak, Shen Xian stopped beside her. "You lied to me," he said, grabbing Mu Anxiao's arm.
Mu Anxiao stiffened, then looked up at Shen Xian. "How did I lie to you again?"
"You said he wasn't cooking, and now what is this?" Shen Xian deliberately glanced at Feng Qi Shi, who was stir-frying.
Hearing this, Feng Qi Shi casually dropped his spatula and turned to Shen Xian. "Senior brother, isn't that a hurtful thing to say?"
"Say less."
Feng Qi Shi: "......"
Shen Xian shot Feng Qi Shi a fierce glare, then looked down at Mu Anxiao. "If he cooks, I won't eat."
"What do you mean?"
"You cook, and I'll eat. If you don't, I'm going tonight."
A threat?
Mu Anxiao looked at Shen Xian's childish demeanor with helplessness. She then glanced at Feng Qi Shi, who was staring this way. "Whether I cook or not, you'll eat, no matter how bad it tastes?"
"Yes."
Shen Xian had no sense of taste. To him, it didn't matter who cooked.
Mu Anxiao sighed. "Then I'll go. You should go back."
"No, I'll watch you cook."
Mu Anxiao had intended for Feng Qi Shi to continue helping after Shen Xian left. Now, however, she was truly cornered by Shen Xian.
"It won't look good," she made one last plea.
"Hurry up."
"I..."
"I'm going."
"Go."
As the saying goes, one can evade the New Year's Day, but not the fifteenth.
Mu Anxiao had planned to have Feng Qi Shi help her cook again tomorrow. But now that Shen Xian had shown up directly, it was quite strange. He was so injured, yet he had the leisure to be suspicious. She wondered if someone had tipped him off.
But that didn't make sense. Most of his subordinates were injured and not in the manor. If he suspected her connection with the Vine Demon, that was also unrealistic.
Thus, she could only accept.
A few minutes later...
Feng Qi Shi watched in astonishment as Mu Anxiao used a water-ladle to scoop oil into the wok. "Don't put it in," he quickly said.
However, it was too late!
"It's poured in," Mu Anxiao said, holding the empty ladle and turning to Feng Qi Shi.
Feng Qi Shi frowned and quickly pulled Mu Anxiao away.
Immediately, the oil began to sizzle and splatter.
Shen Xian was startled. "What's going on?"
Mu Anxiao hopped around in a panic. "What should I do?"
Feng Qi Shi glanced at Mu Anxiao, then at Shen Xian behind her. "This guy can't cook at all. If she continues, either she'll get hurt, or the kitchen will be destroyed."
Seeing this, Shen Xian conceded. "Fine, you do it."