Mu Jiahe watched Qin Shuangxue emerge with a pot of pork rib soup, "So lavish! Did you make it all?"
Qin Shuangxue turned and glanced at Xiao Xun in the kitchen. Xiao Xun nodded, signaling that she was indeed the cook.
Then, with a smile, she said to Mu Jiahe, "Just something I whipped up. Please try it, and don't mind if it's not good."
Mu Jiahe washed her hands and sat down at the dining table. She picked up her chopsticks, tasted a mouthful, and smiled, "It's not good for children to tell lies!"
Sister Mei was taken aback, but upon seeing the spread of dishes, she understood and glared at her daughter, "Be honest, who made these dishes? What has Mom always taught you? One must be truthful."
Qin Shuangxue looked wronged. It really wasn't her who made them, but the person who did cook them had asked her to say it was her.
"You child, you do whatever others tell you to do? How have you learned to lie?"
Mu Jiahe waved her hand, "Alright, Sister Mei, don't scold her." Then she said to Qin Shuangxue, "Where is the person who cooked? Did they run off after finishing?"
Qin Shuangxue turned to look towards the kitchen. Xiao Xun could no longer hide and came out from inside, remarking, "How could you tell after just one bite?"
Mu Jiahe pointed at the fish, "Although I've eaten many of your dishes, it's impossible to tell after just one bite. I judged it based on this fish."
Xiao Xun picked up her chopsticks, took a piece of fish, and carefully tasted it, "What's wrong with the fish? It tastes fine!"
Mu Jiahe began her analysis, "This fish was made at my request. It's a live fish delivered this afternoon. How could a young girl handle such a large carp? It's obvious someone else cooked it. And who else would be here cooking at this time besides you?"
Xiao Xun applauded, "Brilliant, well-reasoned, and perfectly seamless."
Mu Jiahe tasted another mouthful, "Alright, enough with the praise. Eat quickly! It will all get cold soon."
Xiao Xun beckoned to Sister Mei and Qin Shuangxue, "You two, sit down and eat too!"
The mother and daughter both backed away, waving their hands, "No, no, you eat first!"
"Let's eat together! It's almost New Year, no need for so much formality. Sit down quickly!"
Mu Jiahe also nodded, "Listen to President Xiao. Let's sit down and eat together. It'll be livelier and feel more like a festival."
Seeing the two still standing there unresponsive, Xiao Xun stood up and said to Qin Shuangxue, "Go get bowls and chopsticks for your mom and yourself. What? Do I need to formally invite you two?"
Qin Shuangxue looked at Sister Mei. Sister Mei nodded, agreeing.
The dining table was quite large, so the two sat in a corner far from them.
"Oh! Sit closer, can you even reach the food sitting so far away? These dishes I made must be eaten hot. They won't taste as good when cold. Come over here."
Under Xiao Xun's repeated urging, the two reluctantly sat down, appearing quite reserved.
As they were finishing the meal, Xiao Xun took out two thousand in cash and handed it to Qin Shuangxue. Sister Mei immediately stood up, "President Xiao, absolutely not. She cannot accept it, cannot accept it."
Xiao Xun placed the money on the table, "It's almost New Year. This year, President Mu and I are going back to our hometown, and I don't know when we'll be back. This money is for her part-time work. During the holiday, you are responsible for all the housework here, including washing dishes."
Upon hearing Xiao Xun's words, Qin Shuangxue happily accepted. But as she reached for the money, Xiao Xun placed her hand on it again, "I'm telling you now, this is your salary. If I find out you're slacking off, or if any area isn't cleaned properly, or if you get someone else to do your work, I will deduct this money."
Qin Shuangxue nodded, "Don't worry. Even if you didn't give me this money, I would still do these chores."
Xiao Xun withdrew her hand, "That won't do. It's earned income. I don't want to be labeled as an exploiter behind your back."
After the meal, the two returned to the bedroom. Mu Jiahe asked Xiao Xun, "When are you planning to leave?"
Xiao Xun knew what Mu Jiahe meant, "After the company's annual meeting. It's just around the corner. I'll give you the space ring then, and you can head back at night."
Mu Jiahe asked in surprise, "You're still using that ring?"
"I use it very little now, but it should be fine for you. That outfit can effectively resist the damage caused by spatial distortions."
Mu Jiahe nodded. For now, there was no better solution.
Previously, upon returning to the alternate world, they would spend some intimate time together before going about their own business at dawn. But now, after returning to the alternate world, they immediately left the castle.
Sailorpes' destination was the Fire Shield Divine King's Palace. Ever since the four Demon Kings had appeared simultaneously, the Fire Shield Divine King's Palace had been brightly lit every night. The various dukes and ministers had little rest, diligently handling official documents sent from all regions.
Due to natural disasters occurring in various places, many towns' houses were destroyed. Now, in the midst of deep winter, people were displaced. Some went to seek refuge with relatives in major cities, while others sought shelter in nearby caves. However, many froze to death from hunger and cold on the streets.
Fortunately, most of the disasters were offset by the elves with the help of natural forces. Otherwise, the daily casualties of refugees would have been on a steep upward trajectory.
Xiao Xun, accompanied by Aries, arrived at the arsenal. Those useful on the battlefield were kept, while the useless ones were discontinued.
The failure of the Heavenly Disaster Legion and the disappearance of Zhenhun not only inspired all of humanity but also slowed down the attacks of the four Demon Kings. This gave Saint Romann and other not-yet-fully-occupied countries a chance to breathe.
As Xiao Xun rounded a corner outside the arsenal, she overheard a conversation between two workers.
"I think this war will last for several years."
"Let it fight! Before the war, I was a mage looked down upon by everyone. Now, I'm the head of the production team. Anyone who wants a relaxed position has to give me something."
"Haven't you noticed? Since this opened up, our country is much more comfortable than before. We can eat fresh vegetables in the middle of winter, can you imagine? Before, if you wanted to go anywhere, you'd drive for half a day, or ride a broom. Now, I hear Prince Svein invented something called a 'train.' You fall asleep and you're at the seaside, so convenient."
"What's a train?"
"I don't know either. I heard them talking. We've been modifying the energy devices for trains these past few days. I heard they don't even use magic stones anymore. They just use a metal lump to collect the magic we release to power the train. It's much faster than magic vehicles."
"Prince Svein is truly amazing. He must have been sent by heaven to save us."
"Yes, during the capital defense battle, I had the honor of seeing him once. He's so young, yet so powerful. He can directly evaporate rainwater, have you ever seen that!"
"I've only heard them talk about it. I thought they were bragging. Even a Divine Mage wouldn't dare claim to evaporate rain."
"Perhaps it's because His Majesty taught him well..."
"That has to do with His Majesty? Oh..."
Seeing the two chat endlessly and their conversation veering off course, Xiao Xun could listen no longer. He coughed softly and appeared before them.
The two were smoking cigarettes and discussing heatedly. Upon seeing the sudden arrival, they were both stunned.
In the darkness, they couldn't see the person's appearance. One of them was a fire mage and lit a flame in his hand to serve as a torch. When he clearly saw Xiao Xun's pale face, he quickly lowered his head and bowed, "His Highness Svein."