"If you don't go and deliver it, give it back to me. I'm still starving!" Xiao Man said, reaching out to snatch it back.
"This thing is edible?" Wang Wu quickly dodged, looking at the mud ball in his hand. It was still scalding hot, and a hint of fragrance wafted from the cracked seams, whetting the appetite, making one think it would be quite delicious. Su Dan Novel Network
"It's edible. Take it to him, and he'll know what to do with it. I guarantee he won't punish you."
"If the Young Sect Master punishes me, I'll be furious with you!"
"If you don't take it to him soon, your Young Sect Master will truly be furious with you!" Xiao Man warned. "Hurry, before he starves and eats you."
Wang Wu shivered, carefully placed the mud ball Xiao Man gave him into a food container, and dashed out. By the time Zheng Niangzi came out, Wang Wu had vanished.
"Xiao Qin, you're finally back. The Young Sect Master wants to eat what you made..."
"Wang Wu has already taken it," Xiao Man interrupted.
"He took it?" Zheng Niangzi was a bit surprised. "What did he take?"
"This." Xiao Man took the mud ball from Liu Han's hand. Zheng Niangzi looked at it and frowned slightly.
"Is this beggar's chicken?"
"You recognize it, Zheng Niangzi. You actually recognized my lotus leaf beggar's chicken. Would you like to try it?" Xiao Man peeled away the mud, and the fresh scent of lotus leaves immediately spread out. As she opened the leaves, the aroma of the chicken became more intense. Zheng Niangzi involuntarily swallowed.
Xiao Man tore off a chicken leg and handed it to Zheng Niangzi, then gave the other chicken leg to Liu Han. She herself took both chicken wings and sat aside, gnawing on them with great delight.
When Wang Wu returned, one chicken had already been completely devoured by the three of them, leaving only a pile of bones.
Wang Wu picked up a chicken bone. "You could have at least left me something."
"Originally, I and Senior Brother Liu were supposed to have one each. We shared one, so now the three of us are sharing one, and it's not even enough to fill our teeth," Xiao Man said, picking her teeth. "How was it, did the Young Sect Master like it?"
"He liked it very much. One chicken was reduced to bones in the blink of an eye. I was right beside him, swallowing my saliva," Wang Wu said mournfully, looking at Xiao Man. "You're not a good friend, not leaving any for me. I want to eat too!"
"Next time, I'll definitely save some for you next time!"
Yue Ran only liked food made by Xiao Man. Despite Zheng Niangzi's helplessness, she had no choice but to continue letting Xiao Man cook for Yue Ran.
Wang Wu went to deliver breakfast and saw Yue Ran squatting by his door from afar, looking like a big dog waiting to be fed. When he saw Wang Wu arrive, the light in his eyes was dazzling. If he had a tail, it would surely have been wagging, sending dust flying.
"Young Sect Master." Wang Wu stood outside the door. There was a barrier around Yue Ran's courtyard, allowing entry but not exit. If not for this, Yue Ran would have likely charged out from within the barrier to beat him!
"Who made this?"
"The new cook made it. I guarantee the Young Sect Master will like it." Wang Wu handed over the food container. Yue Ran opened the lid. Inside were congee, pancakes, and a small side dish. It was all very ordinary, yet Yue Ran liked it immensely. He sat by the door, drinking his congee and eating his pancakes.
"What was your name again?"
"I am Wang Wu, at your service."
"Has anyone bullied the new cook?"
"No, Zheng Niangzi dotes on her. She's given her a separate stove specifically for cooking for the Young Sect Master."
Hearing this, Yue Ran grinned, his eyes crinkling. His mood improved even further. "If anyone bullies her, you tell me. When I'm let out of confinement, I'll go out and beat him to death!"
Wang Wu shivered. Young Sect Master, you haven't even met her, and you're already protecting her like this just from eating a few meals she cooked?
"No one can bully her?"
"No one!" Yue Ran said, chewing his pancake. "I haven't bullied her. Anyone who dares to bully her, I'll twist their dog heads off."
Wang Wu clicked his tongue. The Young Sect Master was truly childish, protecting Xiao Qin so fiercely for a good meal. But this was a good thing; in the future, if they followed Xiao Qin, they wouldn't be afraid of being bullied.
"Seventh Brother." As he spoke, a group of people approached. The person at the head was none other than Yue Zhong.
Wang Wu quickly stood up and bowed. "Eldest Young Master."
Yue Zhong nodded, his gaze falling on Yue Ran. Yue Ran held a large bowl of congee in one hand and a pancake in the other, alternating between sips of congee and bites of pancake, not forgetting to take a bite of the side dish in between.
Yue Zhong frowned slightly. "What's going on? Is the small kitchen only sending this kind of food to the Young Sect Master?"
Wang Wu shivered. With Yue Zhong behind him, there was nowhere to retreat, so he could only brace himself and accept Yue Zhong's reprimand.
Yue Ran finished his congee, not even leaving the last piece of the side dish. He wiped his mouth and then looked at Yue Zhong. "What are you doing here?"
"Just checking on you." Yue Zhong put on a show of brotherly affection. "Seventh Brother..."
"Stop right there!" Yue Ran said impatiently. "My mother gave birth to me alone. I don't have any brothers. You should call me Young Sect Master!"
Yue Zhong stared at Yue Ran, his fists clenched. He was the legitimate son of the main wife and the eldest son. The position of Young Sect Master should have been his. But his father favored the new wife and gave the Young Sect Master position to Yue Ran. Yue Ran was inferior to him in every way, only succeeding because of his vixen-like mother!
Fortunately, Yue Zhong had always been patient. "A'ran, we are brothers."
"Shut up. I don't have a brother like you!" Yue Ran said coldly. "And you can't call me A'ran!"
Yue Zhong felt his face lose some color, and his expression immediately turned cold, even his tone becoming frigid. "Father originally asked me to see if you had realized your mistakes. Now, it seems you haven't realized them at all. Since that's the case, continue reflecting inside."
"Take back your hypocritical schemes. I won't fall for them," Yue Ran sneered. "You came to see me out of kindness? You're just here to see how miserable I am while under house arrest. But don't forget, even though I'm under house arrest, reprimanded, and punished, I am still the Young Sect Master of the Heavenly Sword Sect, and Father's most beloved son!"
A cold glint flashed in Yue Zhong's eyes. This was the difference. As the legitimate eldest son, noble and precious, he dared not be presumptuous. He had to be gentle and courteous to everyone. Among their seven siblings, Yue Ran was the youngest but also the most pampered. Forget it, he wasn't the only one eyeing the Young Sect Master position. He just needed to reap the rewards.
Yue Zhong turned and left. Wang Wu quickly took the food container.
"For lunch, I want steamed mandarin fish, braised goose feet, and braised pork knuckles," Yue Ran said as Wang Wu was about to leave.
"I will inform Xiao Qin."
"And have her prepare another pot of my favorite Peach Blossom Brew," Yue Ran said, leaning against the barrier, his eyes filled with joy. "Remember, it must be the Peach Blossom Brew she brewed herself."
"Yes, Young Sect Master."
"Also, I will only eat what she makes. I won't eat anything made by others!"
Wang Wu repeatedly agreed and fled with the food container as if escaping.