Chapter 8: The Landlady

Su Xiaoyu didn’t say anything particularly special, just expressing some apology to Wen Wanru. After all, the original owner’s attitude when rejecting her had been overly cold.

Besides, the rent was about due.

After sending the message, Su Xiaoyu put down her mobile phone.

By this time, the water in the bathtub was ready. She braced herself to leave the wheelchair, sat on the ground, and slowly removed her dress. Her flawless, pure-white skin was exposed inch by inch to the air.

Once her clothes were completely removed, she used both arms to climb into the bathtub and sat down in the slightly cool water, letting the water submerge her body.

The bath didn’t take too long.

Su Xiaoyu was preoccupied with the diorama box. So she washed quickly, dried her body, changed into a prepared black nightgown, returned to her wheelchair, and came to the side of the diorama box.

At that moment, silence reigned within the Qixi Festival Sect. Everyone had entered a state of cultivation.

Seeing this, Su Xiaoyu turned around and went to her bed.

Everyone in the Qixi Festival Sect was cultivating. She should sleep too. Going to bed early meant waking up early to continue observing the diorama box.

…

The next morning, Su Xiaoyu got up early to observe the diorama box.

The many cultivators of the Qixi Festival Sect had also woken early and begun doing various tasks.

Alchemy Masters started making elixir pills, Artifact Refining Masters started refining artifacts, the Spiritual Plant Master went to the Spirit Field, Talisman Crafting Masters began crafting talismans…

Within the Qixi Festival Sect, secondary professions were highly valued. Because of their mediocre aptitude, advancing in cultivation was difficult. They could only rely on secondary professions to indirectly improve themselves. Moreover, the elixir pills, magical artifacts, and talismans produced by these professions could also be sold at the Market in exchange for Spirit Stones to fuel their cultivation.

It was a virtuous cycle.

Su Xiaoyu hadn’t been watching for long when she heard the doorbell ring. She couldn’t help but be startled.

“I don’t think I ordered any takeout yet?”

Su Xiaoyu immediately grew tense.

Listening to the echoing doorbell, Su Xiaoyu pursed her lips but still pushed her wheelchair to the door.

She asked through the door, “Who is it?”

A female voice came from outside: “It’s me, Xiaoyu. Open the door, please.”

Hearing this voice, Su Xiaoyu paused. It was the voice of Wen Wanru, her landlady.

Why had Wen Wanru come?

Though surprised, Su Xiaoyu felt relieved and opened the door.

Standing in the hallway outside was a woman who looked barely twenty years old. Her soft, black hair was gently draped over her shoulders. The gentle sunlight fell on her delicate and beautiful face, making her facial lines appear especially soft, her eyes also revealing a sense of warmth.

She spoke with a gentle smile: “Good morning, Xiaoyu.”

This was Wen Wanru, someone who seemed very gentle and approachable, like a kind older sister from next door.

Su Xiaoyu asked curiously, “Sister Wen, what brings you here?”

Wen Wanru smiled and said, “I brought you a little breakfast. Look, steamed buns and milk.”

As she spoke, she lifted a bag and handed it to Su Xiaoyu.

This left Su Xiaoyu a bit flustered. Although her own personality wasn’t as withdrawn as the original owner’s, as a long-term shut-in, she wasn’t particularly eloquent either. Facing the bag, she didn’t know what to say for a moment.

After taking the bag for a good while, Su Xiaoyu finally asked, “Why bring me breakfast?”

Wen Wanru blinked and said, “Oh, this… I got distracted buying breakfast today and accidentally bought an extra portion. I can’t eat two portions by myself, and since I knew you were next door, I brought it to you. That’s all.”

The excuse was way too obvious.

But faced with Wen Wanru’s kindness, Su Xiaoyu found it hard to refuse.

The original owner had already rejected her too many times. In the memories she had merged with, there was also the image of the other woman sadly walking away. She truly did not want to see that expression appear on this gentle older sister’s face again.

“Th… thank you.”

Su Xiaoyu said softly.

Seeing that Su Xiaoyu had accepted her kindness, Wen Wanru was also very happy: “You’re welcome, you’re welcome.”

The first time she saw Su Xiaoyu, a young lady confined to a wheelchair, a sense of pity had arisen in Wen Wanru’s heart. When she learned that this disabled girl had no one to take care of her, the desire to look after her grew even stronger. It was probably her maternal instincts kicking in.

Much like how, upon seeing a stray cat, many people can’t help but want to feed it.

Holding the bag with breakfast, Su Xiaoyu was still feeling awkward when she suddenly seemed to notice something. “Wait, Sister Wen, you live next door?”

In the original owner’s memory, there was no information about where Wen Wanru lived.

Wen Wanru smiled brightly: “That’s right, I live right next door to you.”

Su Xiaoyu understood. “So the neighboring apartment is also Sister Wen’s property.”

She didn’t quite know what to say. Wen Wanru had been living next door all along, but the original owner had known nothing about it. She was truly too isolated from the world.

Wen Wanru said, “If you need anything, sending me a message or just coming directly next door is no problem. Living alone is tough. If you encounter something you need help with, just say it directly. Don’t force yourself to struggle alone, okay?”

Her voice was gentle, like a spring breeze blowing through, calming one’s heart and mind.

Su Xiaoyu nodded obediently.

Wen Wanru: “Alright, I won’t keep talking. Eat your breakfast well. I’ll go now.”

Su Xiaoyu: “Goodbye, Sister Wen.”

Watching Wen Wanru leave, Su Xiaoyu closed the door.

Back in her bedroom, looking at the breakfast Wen Wanru had given her, she was silent for a moment before opening it and slowly starting to eat.

The steamed buns had thin skins and large fillings, the soup was delicious, and the texture was tender and fresh. One bite made Su Xiaoyu narrow her eyes in contentment.

The milk was also exceptionally tasty, carrying just the right amount of sweetness.

Su Xiaoyu was very satisfied with this breakfast, but suddenly she detected an unexpected situation.

She had previously opened the lid of the diorama box when observing it. And now, not far from the diorama box, a cockroach had appeared at some point, poking its head around as it approached the box.

“Oh no!”

Seeing this, Su Xiaoyu was greatly alarmed.

She knew that objects entering the diorama box would undergo certain mutations. If a cockroach got inside, it might transform into some kind of ancient Ferocious Beast. Whether the cultivators could handle such a cockroach would then be a very big question mark.

Su Xiaoyu quickly put down her breakfast and pushed her wheelchair closer to the diorama box, trying to drive the cockroach away.

But as soon as she moved, the cockroach seemed to sense something and immediately sped up, charging straight for the diorama box.