A Bit Spicy Hot Pot

After finally putting out the fire, Ye Chuan winced at the pungent smell of burning lingering in the air.

He couldn’t exactly say to the charred remains of his blanket:

"Oi, you’re looking a bit too hot there."

Hot to the point of numbness.

With no other choice, Ye Chuan began cleaning up the room and opened the windows to air it out. For the blanket that had accompanied him for years, he could only silently promise in his heart to burn a paper towel for it later—consider it a child bride.

Rest in peace alongside the TV.

May you reincarnate into something fireproof and slash-proof in your next life.

However, after gaining a trace of spiritual power, Ye Chuan also noticed how incredibly thin the spiritual energy in the air was—no, to be precise, it was practically nonexistent. The density was like a single drop of ink in a massive bucket of water.

When Ye Chuan tried circulating the First-Class Immortal Art, he found it impossible to absorb even those faint wisps of energy. It was harder than fishing for the only fish in a vast lake.

Bai Qianshuang could actually convert these minuscule traces of spiritual energy into power?

Was this the difference a genius made?

Ye Chuan glanced silently at the auto-cultivation feature in his app. It didn’t seem to require absorbing energy from the air at all. Recalling how the app had outright skipped the learning phase when he first tried the First-Class Immortal Art, he figured it was better to just let the app carry him. He clearly had no talent for cultivation himself.

Skip, skip—everything except procreation could be skipped.

……

With the room now reeking of burnt fabric, Ye Chuan didn’t feel like staying any longer. Shaking his head, he decided to head back to Luo Xi’s place instead.

On the way, he picked up a box of rice noodle rolls—she quite liked them.

"Morning."

"Uh, here to see Luo Xi?" Ye Chuan greeted the neighbor as she happened to open her door just as he arrived at Luo Xi’s apartment.

"Yeah, something like that," he replied casually, only to be met with the loud, abrupt slam of the door in response. The sound echoed sharply through the quiet morning hallway.

Rubbing his ear, Ye Chuan didn’t pay it much mind. He was used to the neighbor’s attitude.

Her son had a crush on Luo Xi, after all.

Not that Ye Chuan had done anything particularly egregious. It was just that back then, her son kept pestering him to stay away from Luo Xi, so Ye Chuan had jokingly demanded money in exchange.

How much to leave her alone?

[“A hundred bucks and you’ll stay away from Luo Xi?”

Ye Chuan: “Yep, sure, absolutely.”

Some time later…

“You said a hundred! Why’s it two hundred now?!”

Ye Chuan: “Prices went up, man. You’ve never managed a household, have you? Do you even know how expensive groceries are?”

Even later…

“You promised two hundred was enough! Now you’re asking for a thousand?!”

Ye Chuan: “C’mon, you’ve already paid so much. Backing out now would be such a waste. Other people pay millions to keep their daughters away from me—you’re just being stingy.”

In the end…

Sniffles “You liar! I’m telling my mom!”]

That was roughly how it went. Rumor had it the kid even secretly took money from his dad’s private stash and got such a beating that his backside swelled up too much for him to sit in class.

To be fair, Ye Chuan had kept his word—he did avoid Luo Xi after taking the money. But Luo Xi was the one who sought him out.

If she came running on her own, whose fault was that?

Besides, Ye Chuan had repeatedly clarified that they weren’t dating, but the kid refused to believe him.

Still, all that was years ago.

Last he heard, the neighbor’s son had gone off to university in Sichuan and even found himself a handsome boyfriend.

No idea why the neighbor lady didn’t seem too happy about it, though.

Click-clack.

Ye Chuan pulled out a spare key and let himself in, carefully closing the door behind him—Luo Xi might still be asleep, so he made sure to keep quiet.

After setting the breakfast on the dining table, he peeked into Luo Xi’s room and found the girl still fast asleep. The pillow from his makeshift bed on the floor had migrated to hers, clutched tightly in her arms, with one smooth, pale thigh draped over it.

She was sleeping so soundly she was practically drooling.

Ye Chuan wiped the corner of Luo Xi’s mouth with his finger, then, with a hint of disgust, smeared it onto her cheek.

Luo Xi’s lips twitched. With a soft mmph, she rolled over, hugging the pillow even tighter.

"Exhausting." Ye Chuan yawned and flopped onto his floor bedding, tugging a corner of the blanket under his head as a makeshift pillow. He glanced at Luo Xi one last time before closing his eyes.

Luo Xi’s room carried a refreshing lemon scent, a far cry from the burnt stench of his own place. Gradually, lulled by the steady rhythm of her breathing, Ye Chuan began to relax.

Maybe it was sheer exhaustion, but he ended up sleeping straight through till noon.

By the time he woke up, Luo Xi was already gone from the room. He also noticed an extra pillow tucked under his head—no idea when that got there.

Faint sounds of running water came from outside, so he got up and headed out, unsurprised to find Luo Xi brushing her teeth in front of the bathroom mirror.

She’d already changed into a simple white cropped tee and slightly faded denim shorts, which only emphasized her long legs. Her hair was tied into the high ponytail Ye Chuan knew so well.

Mmmph mmm mmm? Still mid-brush, Luo Xi made muffled noises at him.

Ye Chuan gave her a sidelong glance. "Eat your breakfast first. We can leave later if needed."

Mmm mmm?

"We’ll figure out lunch later. If you’re hungry, I’ll treat you to something."

At the word treat, Luo Xi’s eyes widened. Mmm?!

"Yeah, for real. Finish up first—I got you rice noodle rolls."

Luo Xi puffed her cheeks—not in anger, but to rinse her mouth. After spitting out the water, she grabbed a towel to wipe her face. "Chuan, did you brush your teeth yet?"

"Yeah, I went home earlier."

"Wait, you went back?"

"Got a tenant who doesn’t like going out. Demands breakfast delivery," Ye Chuan said with a smirk.

Luo Xi blinked. A tenant paying 2,000 a month gets breakfast delivery?

But knowing Ye Chuan, he’d never do anything at a loss, so she didn’t press further. Instead, she spun in a little circle and grinned.

"How do I look today?"

"Meh." Ye Chuan delivered his blunt verdict. "Missing fishnets."

"Fishnets with denim shorts?" Luo Xi tried to picture it. What kind of bizarre combo was that?

Still, she scurried back to her room. A minute later, she emerged in black stockings.

"Ta-da! Better?"

"Nope."

"You just said fishnets!"

"Try just the fishnets," Ye Chuan said seriously.

Luo Xi: "…"

"Pervert."