Chong Han could not help but feel puzzled.
Could it be that she was too focused on admiring the moon and hadn't seen him?
He walked back again, this time stealthily glancing at Qiao Ci. She was truly watching the moon the entire time, with not a hint of desire to look at him.
After going back and forth more than ten times, His Majesty the Demon Lord became angry!
"Cough, cough..." He cleared his throat, trying to attract Qiao Ci's attention in other ways.
???
Qiao Ci was a little confused. Didn't the cub say he didn't want to see her in the Demon Palace? She had already deliberately ignored him, so why was he making a commotion to lure her?
She figured he was testing her patience.
Adhering to the principle of "out of sight, out of mind," she simply leaned against the pavilion pillar and closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep.
This time, Chong Han truly understood that she was deliberately avoiding him.
He walked up and leaned against the table in the center of the pavilion, his long legs crossed, his gaze fixed on Qiao Ci.
Slowly opening her eyes, Qiao Ci looked at him inexplicably, not knowing what he wanted to do.
It wasn't until Qiao Ci's gaze fell upon him that Chong Han realized how foolish his actions had been.
Forcibly maintaining his posture with a calm demeanor, he mumbled for a moment before awkwardly speaking, "Cough, cough, I wanted to ask how you've been living here lately. Have there been any shortcomings in my hospitality... Don't misunderstand, after all, you are this Venerable Lord's savior."
Qiao Ci shook her head.
No.
"Really none?" Chong Han seemed intent on making her speak, and continued to ask, "For example, the environment of your sleeping quarters, whether the servants are pleasing to the eye... whether the food is to your liking?"
Qiao Ci shook her head, "These are not important. I will be leaving in a few days anyway."
Chong Han, who had intended to indirectly ask if she needed to adjust her food preferences, was stunned by her response.
"Your master and junior sister abandoned you, so why are you still insistent on returning? You have been left in the Demon Realm for so long, and your sect has shown no sign of activity. It is evident they have given up on you."
He thought Qiao Ci had been staying in the Demon Palace for the past half month to attract his attention, but she had not taken him seriously at all. He asked, feeling a little lost,
"I have things to do when I go back." Qiao Ci looked at Chong Han strangely. Why did he seem so abnormal today? "Didn't you think I had ulterior motives? You should be happy that I'm leaving."
Chong Han suddenly felt a bit awkward and, trying to save face, said, "You saved my life, and I apologize for my inappropriate remarks at the time."
"It's alright, I understand." Qiao Ci was very understanding.
"Around when will you be leaving?" Chong Han felt a bit embarrassed by her easy forgiveness of his malicious speculation.
Calculating the time, by now Chang Yan and Feng Fuling should have finished their sweet marital life and be on their way back to the sect.
"I'll depart the day after tomorrow." Qiao Ci could leave now, but she wanted to eat the cub's cooking for a couple more days, as the food in the cultivation world would not have the cub's taste.
"So soon? Weren't you supposed to stay for half a month? The day after tomorrow will only be twelve days." Learning that she was truly leaving made Chong Han feel a bit uncomfortable. He felt that everything about her was not going according to his expectations, which made him very frustrated.
"Actually, I could have left today, but I just felt that the food at your restaurant was very delicious and wanted to eat it for a couple more days." Qiao Ci looked at him with a smile, teasing him.
Here it comes, here it comes!
Chong Han's long-awaited feedback on the food was finally here!
He couldn't help but ask cautiously, "Which restaurant's food? Is it very, very delicious?"
"Jun Lai Restaurant's. It suits my palate very well." Qiao Ci gave him a meaningful glance. "I really want to kidnap that chef. Then I'll have someone to make delicious food for me every day."
Hearing this, Chong Han's ears turned slightly red, and his cheeks flushed. "W-well, it's not impossible. After all, you are this Venerable Lord's savior. This small request, this Venerable Lord will try his best to satisfy you."
"Truly?" Qiao Ci looked at him curiously. Could it be that he intended to go with her? But from his appearance, he didn't seem like someone who would abandon his pride and admit that he was the one cooking these past few days.
"This Venerable Lord keeps his word. It is indeed true." Chong Han waved his hand. "Tell me in advance when you plan to leave, and I will make arrangements."
"Mhm, mhm." Qiao Ci nodded.
The next day, when Qiao Ci went to eat again, the dishes were served by a handsome, rosy-cheeked, and well-behaved young boy.
While Qiao Ci was eating, he stood by her side, constantly asking about the taste of the food and whether there were any areas for improvement.
Seeing his eagerness to learn, Qiao Ci offered a few suggestions. The young boy seemed enlightened and took notes in a small notebook, appearing very professional.
After the meal, he introduced himself to Qiao Ci, stating that the food was all personally prepared by him. His Majesty the Demon Lord had already instructed that from now on, he would only cook for her.
After Qiao Ci left, several guards emerged from the shadows, unable to bear watching the Demon Lord disguised as a cook.
He cooked for the girl but didn't tell her directly. Instead, he went through all sorts of trouble to hide his identity. They had no idea what his intentions were.
"This Venerable Lord will be staying in the cultivation world for a while. You all maintain order in the Demon Realm. Unless it's a major issue, do not bother this Venerable Lord; resolve it yourselves." In the blink of an eye, the little cook transformed back into the mighty and imposing Demon Lord Chong Lou.
"Yes, Your Majesty the Demon Lord!"
"Yes, Your Majesty the Demon Lord!"
"Your Majesty the Demon Lord, are you going to accompany Miss Qiao back?" The second guard suddenly blurted out, asking what was on his mind.
"Hm?" Chong Han furrowed his sword-like eyebrows and cast a cold glance at him. "What do you mean?"
The second guard realized he had said something he shouldn't have and immediately scrambled to kneel, crying, "Your Majesty the Demon Lord, I beg your pardon! Your subordinate was suffering from delusions just now, woo woo woo..."
The other guards broke out in a cold sweat for him. Fortunately, he reacted quickly, or he would have received another kick.
Chong Han said with disdain, "Since you are suffering from delusions, appear before Qiao Ci less often from now on. If you say anything you shouldn't, this Venerable Lord will punish you by sending you to the extreme cold to dig for wild vegetables."
The second guard gloomily covered his mouth, looking terrified and as if his lips were sealed shut.
Qiao Ci had already left, and there was no longer any fun in staying at the restaurant.
Chong Han turned and returned to the Demon Palace, coincidentally encountering her again as he had the day before.
Qiao Ci didn't say much, so he thought of various ways to ask her questions, such as whether the cultivation world was fun.
How was her mental strength so strong?
He discovered that no matter what question he asked, she could patiently answer him, her tone unhurried, and her expression calm. In the moonlight, he was momentarily captivated.
Soon, he transformed into the cook Han Cong and set off with Qiao Ci from the Demon Realm to the cultivation world, a place he had never set foot in before.
As the Lord of the Demon Realm, he was busy with cultivation and governing the Demon Realm every day, with no time to travel around. This time, he could be considered to be rewarding himself.