Watching her Silly Shizun secretly cursing at her, Chen Qing placed the newly bought sword on the table.
She had just set the sword down when a clear gurgling sound came from Su Mu’s abdomen.
Su Mu shyly covered her stomach. Although she had been traveling all morning and was indeed hungry, she hadn’t expected her stomach to growl so bluntly.
“Let’s go downstairs to eat.”
Chen Qing took Su Mu’s hand and walked out of the room.
The inn wasn’t large, but there were plenty of guests inside, and the tables in the main hall were almost fully occupied.
Chen Qing led Su Mu and finally found an empty table in a corner.
“What would the guests like to eat?”
Su Mu looked longingly at the menu the waiter handed over.
However, the waiter had been working at the inn for so long that, if nothing else, he had a sharp eye for customers.
After glancing at Chen Qing and Su Mu, he handed the menu to Chen Qing first.
Chen Qing held the menu and caught the eager look in her Silly Shizun’s eyes. A faint, imperceptible smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.
“We both prefer light food. Two plates of vegetarian dishes and two bowls of rice will do.”
Su Mu was dumbfounded when she heard Chen Qing’s order.
Her stomach was practically flattened from hunger—how could two plates of veggies possibly fill her up?
The waiter hadn’t expected the seemingly dominant Chen Qing to be so stingy either.
“Eating so little won’t do. Waiter, bring all the signature dishes and put them on my tab.”
“Right away!”
Hearing someone boost his sales, the waiter pocketed the menu and hurried off.
Chen Qing frowned slightly upon hearing the familiar voice.
Su Mu also noticed the uninvited guest, and she was quite familiar with this person.
It was Wu Ran, who had held a knife to her neck last night only to get kicked flying by Chen Qing.
The dry rations extorted from her were still safely stashed in the inn room.
However, Wu Ran’s target was clearly not the seemingly timid Su Mu.
She bowed to Chen Qing and said seriously,
“Senior, we meet again.”
Chen Qing wasn’t particularly welcoming to this person who clearly had ulterior motives.
Seeing Chen Qing’s unwelcoming attitude, Wu Ran stopped beating around the bush.
“Senior, you must have encountered that Headless Giant Corpse near the Abandoned Village tonight as well. My master hopes to invite you to lend a hand, with generous rewards upon success.”
With that, Wu Ran handed a black peachwood token to Chen Qing.
Chen Qing, who had no initial intention of getting involved, grew serious upon seeing the token.
She accepted the Deputy Supervisor Token from Wu Ran.
“Tell your master I’ll give her a reply tomorrow.”
Seeing Chen Qing accept the token, Wu Ran breathed a sigh of relief.
As long as Chen Qing took the token, half her mission was complete.
Su Mu stared blankly at the two of them, clueless about what kind of exchange had just taken place.
But since Wu Ran was treating her to a meal, the misunderstanding from yesterday was water under the bridge—today’s Wu Ran was a good person.
The quick-handed waiter promptly served up all the signature dishes Wu Ran had ordered.
Looking at the delectable, aromatic dishes, Su Mu’s mouth nearly watered.
She picked up her chopsticks and instinctively said politely to Wu Ran,
“Have you eaten? If not, join us before you leave.”
Unexpectedly, Wu Ran—who wanted to probe for info on Chen Qing—didn’t stand on ceremony and sat right down on the stool.
“Perfect timing. I haven’t eaten yet.”
Seeing Wu Ran grab a bowl and serve herself rice, Su Mu was momentarily choked up.
But since Wu Ran was footing the bill for the meal anyway, Su Mu couldn’t complain.
She could only grab her rice bowl and dig in heartily.
Chen Qing had only ordered two plates of veggies originally just to tease her Silly Shizun.
But she hadn’t expected Wu Ran to barge in midway like a classic third wheel.
Moreover, the trouble they had encountered this time seemed serious—they had even pulled out the Profound Reflection Division’s Deputy Supervisor Token to ask for her help.
She was just short of an opportunity to get close to the Dynasty’s power center, and here it was, delivered right to her door.
Wu Ran, who had shelled out for the meal, was a bit depressed too. She had stayed to eat with thick skin.
Her original plan was to pump Su Mu for info on Chen Qing, but Su Mu kept stuffing her mouth full, leaving no opening.
The meal ended in an oddly silent atmosphere.
Full and satisfied, Su Mu pushed open the room door, kicked off her shoes, and flopped straight onto the soft bed.
Her soft white little feet tucked into the quilt as she prepared for a comfortable nap.
Chen Qing pushed open the door and walked in.
Upon seeing Chen Qing, Su Mu’s alert radar instantly lit up.
“Ha~ I’m so sleepy. I’ll catch some shut-eye first.”
Su Mu yawned and quickly burrowed under the quilt, denying Chen Qing any chance to do anything naughty.
However, spotting her Silly Shizun’s half-exposed white little feet, Chen Qing had no intention of letting her off that easily.
“You’ve been on the road for so long. If you’re going to sleep, take a hot bath first.”
Chen Qing’s words instantly tempted the Su Mu hiding under the quilt.
She had been following Chen Qing everywhere nonstop; if she didn’t bathe soon, she felt like her body was turning sticky.
But this hot bath was obviously a trap laid by the Villain—if she went to soak, she’d get caught again.
Though Su Mu hesitated internally about whether to go, Chen Qing had no plans to let her decide for herself.
Once the wooden tub full of hot water was brought into the room, Chen Qing directly scooped up the Silly Shizun from the quilt.
Su Mu had zero ability to resist in front of Chen Qing.
“You! What are you doing?! I’ll wash myself in a bit!”
Freed from the safety of the quilt, Su Mu instantly grew tense.
Her fair, slender legs thrashed fiercely in Chen Qing’s arms, desperate to be put down.
If she weren’t afraid Chen Qing would slice her with a sword, Su Mu would have pulled the same trick and chomped down on her shoulder.
“Hurry up and take your bath. I’ll go brew today’s Tonic Soup.”
But contrary to Su Mu’s expectations, Chen Qing didn’t toss her into the tub or pin her underwater for some bullying.
Instead, she gently set her down by the tub to wash herself.
Though Chen Qing was off to brew that nasty Tonic Soup for her again, choking down bitter medicine was far better than getting dunked and tormented in the tub.
Watching Chen Qing’s departing figure, a flicker of guilt even stirred in Su Mu’s heart.
Had she stereotyped this Villain too harshly? Maybe she just wanted her to bathe properly?
But Su Mu snuffed out that tiny guilt in an instant.
Guilt, her foot! This loathsome Villain bullied her every single day. Even if she turned over a new leaf, it was just a sudden pang of conscience rediscovering her humanity.
She couldn’t overlook the major crimes just because of one small good deed!
With that sorted, Su Mu hummed a little tune and slipped off her thin outer robe.
Her porcelain-smooth, milky-white little feet dipped first into the steaming water. The instant they met the warmth, her pinkish soles nimbly curled.
