Learn to Say "Cheese"

“What are you doing here?”

Li Yingling directly reached out and smacked Li Xingtian, who was still trying to act cool.

After being hit twice by his senior sister, Li Xingtian couldn’t keep up his composed facade any longer.

Though it didn’t hurt, the now-wiser Li Xingtian still pretended to rub his chest in exaggerated pain.

He grinned. “I can’t keep missing all the major events in the sect, can I?”

Li Yingling teased, “Isn’t that your own fault? Coming back just to ambush everyone like this?”

“Call it a pleasant surprise,” Li Xingtian replied with a laugh before turning to Chu Xingchen and cupping his hands in greeting. “Master.”

Chu Xingchen gave a light chuckle and nodded.

Cui Hao walked in, carrying a sack of candies, and pulled out a stick of candied hawthorns to hand to Li Xingtian.

“Senior Sister’s orders—one for everyone.”

Li Xingtian took it without hesitation and bit into it, despite not being much of a food lover.

After savoring it, he remarked, “Sweet. Delicious.”

Li Yingling nodded in satisfaction. “Of course. You think just anyone could pick something this good?”

“Honestly, watching you all with your master-disciple affection makes me a little jealous,” Bai Xuanling mused, leaning against the railing of what used to be a VIP booth in the left corridor.

Her gaze shifted to Xie Lingyu. “Lingyu, come here to your master’s arms. Our Tianyan Sect is all about warmth and camaraderie too, you know.”

Xie Lingyu remained expressionless, as if she hadn’t heard, and instead glanced at Qinghe, who was stifling a laugh nearby.

Bai Xuanling’s eyes followed.

Soon, Qinghe wasn’t laughing anymore either.

Bai Xuanling’s tone turned playful. “Well, if not Lingyu, then Qinghe can come give me a hug.”

“N-no way!” Qinghe quickly clung to Chen Baiqing’s shoulder. “Little Baiqing can’t do without me.”

If Bai Xuanling wanted to hug Xie Lingyu, she probably meant it literally.

But if it was Qinghe… well, that might not be all there was to it.

Qinghe’s excuse earned a scoff from Bai Xuanling, though she didn’t press further.

“Since everyone’s here, take your seats. The performance will start soon.”

With that, Bai Xuanling turned and strode into the booth behind her.

Li Yingling pursed her lips and looked at her master.

Chu Xingchen smiled faintly, reaching out to ruffle her hair.

“Go pick a good spot.”

“Mm.” Li Yingling nodded softly.

Given the larger-than-usual group, Zen Forest Temple had merged two adjacent booths into one.

This was the best location, with a stage already set up.

Chu Xingchen’s request had been met with full cooperation from the temple, and now a crowd of ordinary spectators waited eagerly for the show to begin.

But clearly, the performance’s start depended entirely on whether certain people had arrived.

Yuan Kong had been waiting nearby for some time. Though he often felt like the one at a disadvantage when dealing with Chu Xingchen, deep down, he knew Chu Xingchen had helped him more times than not.

The most unscrupulous thing Chu Xingchen had ever done to him was probably using him as a test subject for pills.

Still, Yuan Kong owed him.

This time, he had gone all out to assist with Zen Forest Temple’s arrangements and had been waiting backstage early.

When he saw Cui Hao signal from the booth, Yuan Kong immediately sprang into action.

In moments, figures began appearing onstage.

Inside the booth, Bai Xuanling’s smile never faded as she started drinking from her cup right away.

She even managed to sneak a sip to Chen Baiqing when no one was looking.

Qinghe, meanwhile, was indulging freely too.

Though she didn’t look much older than Chen Baiqing, her actual age was nothing to scoff at—older than Chu Xingchen, in fact.

And being a glutton was practically her trademark, so no one stopped her.

Li Xingtian, surprisingly, also took up drinking today.

Li Junzi maintained some elegance, sipping lightly.

Lin Luoyu, on the other hand, threw caution to the wind, accepting every toast that came her way.

Cui Hao was the most unrestrained, clinking cups with anyone and everyone—even Bai Xuanling, whom he treated like an old friend.

He remembered all too well the earth-shattering power of this transcendent beauty and admired her immensely.

Bai Xuanling, for her part, showed no airs, clinking cups with him and downing her drink in one go.

Qinghe rubbed her eyes repeatedly, as if she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

Chu Xingchen spoke little today—perhaps deliberately shifting the spotlight to Li Yingling.

After all, most of those present were his disciples or close friends.

Even Bai Xuanling, who usually only had eyes for Chu Xingchen rather than his prodigious disciples, couldn’t help but focus on him whenever he spoke.

So Chu Xingchen mostly just raised his cup in silent toasts, saying little.

Li Yingling quickly realized what was happening. She understood that this gathering was likely arranged for her sake.

“Master,” she murmured, stepping closer to Chu Xingchen.

Chu Xingchen turned. “Hm?”

“You’re being too sneaky,” she whispered.

Chu Xingchen blinked innocently. “Have I ever not been?”

Li Yingling sniffed lightly. “You’re just… too sneaky.”

Instead of answering, Chu Xingchen stood and retrieved a few memory crystals from his spatial ring.

“Wow!” Qinghe’s eyes locked onto them instantly. “Those aren’t cheap—”

Before she could finish, Xie Lingyu tugged at her sleeve.

Everyone set down their cups, attention fixed on Chu Xingchen.

“Shall we take a few?” He waved the memory crystals.

Though the phrasing puzzled some, no one present was a fool.

Seeing the crystals in Chu Xingchen’s hand, they understood.

“Baiqing wants in!” Chen Baiqing scrambled to her master’s side.

“Qinghe needs a good spot too!”

Li Yingling beamed, already claiming a place beside Chu Xingchen.

Li Xingtian set down his cup and wordlessly moved closer.

Xie Lingyu smoothed her sleeves elegantly.

Bai Xuanling took a sip from her cup before standing beside Xie Lingyu.

Lin Luoyu pulled Li Junzi along toward Chu Xingchen.

Cui Hao laughed heartily but chose the outermost edge.

At Chu Xingchen’s invitation, Ning Qianqian and Ning Kun also took inconspicuous spots at the fringe.

The memory crystals glowed.

A moment later, a group portrait materialized.

Though everyone’s smiles were genuine, they looked somewhat… stiff?

Xie Lingyu and Ning Qianqian’s expressions were particularly formal.

Ning Kun’s attempt at a smile was more of a grimace.

Even Cui Hao seemed oddly restrained.

Chu Xingchen stroked his chin. “Clearly, none of you have much experience with this. Let me teach you how to pose properly. Don’t worry—it’s easy.”

Everyone stared at him, puzzled.

Chu Xingchen calmly raised two fingers in a V-sign.

“Simple enough, right?” he asked.

Xie Lingyu, having done this before, was the first to strike the pose.

After exchanging glances, the others followed suit.

Chu Xingchen gestured with a smile and said,

"Now all we need to do is say 'cheese.'"

"Cheese?" Qinghe's eyes gleamed slightly as she looked at Chu Xingchen.