Calamity Messenger

Chapter 348 - 283: Kitchen Maid

"Get lost! Even if I drug you, it’d be with a laxative to make you crap yourself to death, you jerk!"

Shang Xinlei chuckled and took a sip of tea, "I’ve eaten a lot before, and I’m a bit tired of it now. You can have it all."

"Then I’ll take it back with me."

"Nope, why take it back? Just eat it here, I need the plate cleaned anyway."

"But it feels weird."

Shang Xinlei raised an eyebrow, "What’s weird about it? Do you feel uncomfortable staying with me?"

"That’s not it." Yan Qing hesitated momentarily, "How should I put it—if you’ve observed ordinary families, you’d often see when the mother gets some rare treat, she lets her children have it first and just sits by watching them eat. When the child asks why she isn’t eating, she’ll say she’s full or tired of it."

"You sitting there watching me eat, with that motherly look, makes me feel like I’ve gained a mother."

"You’ve got a point," Shang Xinlei nodded thoughtfully, "How about you call me ’Mom’ and let me hear it?"

What, it’s Junior Wa!

"I’ll take it back to eat."

Shang Xinlei immediately grabbed his arm, "Actually, I have something to discuss with you."

"If you had something, you should’ve said it earlier; so much time wasted," Yan Qing said, "Red Snake, you really are laid-back."

"It’s not wasting time..." Shang Xinlei murmured softly.

"What did you say?"

"I said are you in such a hurry because you’re rushing to reincarnate!" Shang Xinlei sure knew how to throw out cheerful words.

"So what’s the matter?"

"It’s just... I saw on the trading board that your order has changed. Before, it was trading Earth Demon Wind Leaf for an Earth Demon Exorcism Bell. Now, it’s Earth Demon Wind Leaf and Continuation Skull for the Exorcism Bell." She paused, "Is that Exorcism Bell meant for me?"

"Yes." There’s nothing to hide here; once I get the Exorcism Bell, it can form a Perfect Dao Foundation together with the Celestial Spirit Mountain-Whipping Stone-Moving Seal.

"But you’re using two Earth Demons to trade for one Earth Demon..." Shang Xinlei glanced at Yan Qing, "Don’t you think you’re giving too much?"

"Indeed." Yan Qing acknowledged it, "Exorcism Bells are rare among Earthly Fiends, and maybe even two Earth Demons aren’t enough. If no one trades in a few days, I’ll put up an order for three Earth Demons."

"Three Earth Demons, plus a Celestial Spirit, even I don’t feel worth that much." Shang Xinlei tilted her head, "Do you really think I can repay your current investment in the future?"

"Are you unwilling to accept it?" Yan Qing retorted.

"If I don’t accept, you’ll give these Celestial Spirits and Earthly Fiends to support White Fox, right?"

"Of course, there’s no platform in this world to sell extra Celestial Spirits and Earthly Fiends at high prices. Instead of letting them go to waste, it’s better to use them to boost your abilities, to handle the next thief mission better."

Shang Xinlei replied immediately, "Then I surely want it; if you give them to me, you can’t give them to someone else!"

"Think about it differently, you can’t pay back one Earth Demon, and you still can’t pay back three Earth Demons, so what’s there to worry about? Anyway, you owe me for your whole life."

"That’s so disgusting..." Shang Xinlei rested her chin on the stone table, looking defeated, "You’ll surely demand I do all sorts of nasty stuff to pay off that debt! Owing you so much, I have no dignity left and can only comply with whatever you say, no matter how embarrassing or humiliating it is, I can’t refuse; I see you for who you are, you lure people into becoming your slaves step by step!"

Yan Qing’s forehead was throbbing, "Fine, whatever! If not, I’ll go find White Fox!"

"I want it, I want it, but... I don’t want to owe you so much." Shang Xinlei cheekily leaned in, "Maybe we could come to some agreements to lessen my debt."

"What agreements?"

"Currently, with the debt of two Earth Demons and one Celestial Spirit, if I help you in future thief missions, it should repay one Celestial Spirit. Fair?"

"Fair."

"For future Thief’s House rewards, whatever you want, I’ll try my best to help you win, clearing one Earth Demon debt. Fair?"

"Fair."

"As for the last Earth Demon, I just thought... you seem to quite like the dishes I make." Shang Xinlei hesitated, "So... how about I be your kitchen maid in the future, cooking for you to repay that Earth Demon... fair?"

"Is it fair...?" Yan Qing questioned, "Even if you cook Dragon and Phoenix Banquet every day, you still couldn’t pay it off, could you? Besides, you don’t even cook Dragon and Phoenix Banquet."

"I could win by sheer volume; the more I cook, the sooner I repay it!"

"Alright, alright, if you think it’s okay then it’s okay." Yan Qing wasn’t too concerned and picked up a dessert to eat.

"I’m serious, at worst I’ll cook for you for life!" Shang Xinlei said earnestly, eyes glimmering with indefinable emotions, "Black Wolf doesn’t owe you, and I don’t want to owe you either!"

Yan Qing glanced at her unexpectedly, and after a brief silence, he smiled slightly, "Then I’ll be very picky about your cooking, little kitchen maid."

"Bring it on!" Shang Xinlei seemed to relax entirely and turned to look at the pastries on the stone table, "Let me have one too... huh?"

Shang Xinlei suddenly grabbed Yan Qing’s right hand, pulled up his sleeve, revealing an arm full of scars, hideous like centipedes, stretching from his palm to his arm.

She pulled up Yan Qing’s left hand to inspect it, equally full of scars, and her face changed drastically, "Who did this?"

"They died on the spot." Yan Qing pulled his hand away, "This happened many days ago; the wounds have healed."

"Why didn’t you mention it before? I could’ve lent you the Green Grass Bracelet!"

"It’s not a serious injury; a Blood Replenishing Pill was enough."

Indeed, it wasn’t a grave injury, just wounds left by being pierced by retaliatory powers. Yan Qing recovered mostly on the spot with medicine, but the scars remained. This highlights a difference between reality and game: in games, characters fully heal and look as good as new once their health points recover, in reality, scars are indelible even after full recovery. For Yan Qing, not being facial scars, they mattered little.

"Wait here!"

Shang Xinlei rushed back to her room and quickly returned with a small porcelain bowl filled with ointment resembling milk.

"Hold your hand out."

"I can do it myself—"

"Hold your hand out!"

Staring intently at Yan Qing, Shang Xinlei’s momentum was overwhelming, as if she were the creditor. Yan Qing, with ample medical experience, knew to follow all the doctor’s instructions during treatment and obediently extended his hands.

Shang Xinlei applied the ointment to Yan Qing’s arm, explaining while doing so, "This is White Jade Flawless Ointment. Besides beautifying the skin and slowing aging, its main effect is smoothing scars. You’re a Third-Turn Messenger; applying it every three days, three applications should almost restore it to its original state."

She spread Yan Qing’s hand, the palm was the most scar-laden area, crisscrossed as though skewered by thorns. She applied the ointment delicately to his palm, carefully smearing every finger and line, gently massaging his fingers as this area was severely scarred.

Only when the ointment pot was nearly empty did Shang Xinlei release Yan Qing’s hand. She looked down at his hand, her hair hanging down obscuring her face, "Alright, don’t wash your hands for the next two hours; I’ll help you apply more in a few days."

Yan Qing blinked and didn’t insist on applying the ointment himself this time.

The Thief Hall suddenly fell quiet. After a while, Shang Xinlei lifted her head, her face still glowing faintly. She casually brushed her hair behind her ear and turned her head, "It’s almost night..."

"Want to have dinner together?" Yan Qing finally realized Shang Xinlei’s reluctance—she wanted to bum a meal off him.

"I didn’t cook tonight."

"Shall I order from the Kitchen God Building?"

"Then I want braised lion’s head, golden soup shrimp balls, stir-fried yellow eel..."