After being flatly rejected by Mu Qingyun, Su didn't insist. He continued munching on his grilled fish, looking completely satisfied.
After a while, the two of them packed the leftover fish and lobsters and followed the path back to the cave.
As soon as they entered the semi-sealed space of the cave, the aroma from the food they carried filled the air. The rich scent instantly awakened Fan Xuanye's appetite, and he couldn't help but turn his head to look at them.
"Want some?"
Noticing Fan Xuanye's gaze, Mu Qingyun lifted the basin in her hand. "Blackfish and lobster."
"No."He glanced at the contents of the basin, then promptly turned around and shut his eyes, clearly avoiding further temptation.
Seeing his blunt rejection, Mu Qingyun merely raised an eyebrow and said nothing more.
"I'm going to rest for a bit. Keep an eye out for Xiong Ruoyou. When she returns, make sure she eats something."She handed the basin over and sat down in her spot, closing her eyes to recover.
This body hadn't been trained much in abilities or spiritual energy. Combined with the excessive exertion during the battle with the insectoids, she was physically drained and running on empty.
After this recovery period, she was determined to start training seriously. Strength was the foundation of survival.
The scent of blackfish and lobster gradually filled the entire cave. Fan Xuanye, who had been meditating with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them and angrily slammed his tail against the ground.
Damn it. He wasn't even hungry before, but who could resist this smell?
Swallowing instinctively, he looked back and forth between the basin of food and the two people with their eyes closed. His pupils narrowed into slits as he locked onto the basin.
Screw it.
Unfurling his tail, he slithered as quietly as possible toward the food. Soon, he was right beside the basin.
Something moved.
Mu Qingyun's eyes snapped open. But upon seeing Fan Xuanye's sneaky actions, her eyes narrowed.
She was always on high alert, even in her sleep.
What's he doing?
Curious, she silently observed him.
Fan Xuanye carefully reached a hand into the basin and pulled out a piece of fish. His tail instantly recoiled, and in the blink of an eye, he was back in his original position.
…Was he… stealing food?
Realization dawned on Mu Qingyun, and amusement flickered in her eyes. He had been so stubborn earlier, refusing when offered. Now he was sneaking bites when they were supposedly asleep?
Tsk. What a strange quirk.
[Whoa, that snake-bodied guy is stealing food!][Unbelievable! He's actually sneaking snacks!][Can he turn around while eating? I want to see his face!][I bet his face under that mask is drop-dead gorgeous.][Ugh, you fangirls need to chill. He's stealing—that's the point!][Nah, I think he's just a tsundere. Probably didn't want to accept kindness, but the food smelled too good, especially after days of just eating protein powder.][Agreed. I love this tsundere vibe. I swear his face is insanely hot under that mask.]
"Is it tasty?"
A cold voice suddenly came from behind him, startling Fan Xuanye so much that he froze. The fish in his mouth got stuck in his throat.
Cough cough cough—
Mu Qingyun watched calmly as he struggled to cough. She made no move to help."Little brother, why are you stealing food?"
Having finally cleared his throat, Fan Xuanye flushed red. His vertical pupils darted away, clearly avoiding her gaze.
His face, now exposed, was indeed quite handsome—sharp, refined features, flawless skin, and a small face. The vertical pupils added a dangerous edge to his otherwise attractive appearance.
[OMG he's so handsome!][I can't—I need him in my bed right now.][Told you! Knew he'd be hot under that mask.][Wait, he looks kinda familiar… Have we seen him somewhere before?][Husband! Come to mama!][Stop it, he's been cuddling me ever since you made that comment!]
Seeing that he wasn't saying anything, Mu Qingyun took the initiative."Care to explain?"
Fan Xuanye closed his eyes, as if making a decision. Gritting his teeth, he said hoarsely, "Sorry… I stole your food." His voice carried a cold, eerie tone, befitting his serpent-like nature. "I can compensate you."
He then took off the storage pouch from his waist and dumped its contents onto the ground. "Take whatever you want."
Mu Qingyun didn't hesitate. She rummaged through the pile and finally picked up a laser gun.
She tested the weight in her hand, a flicker of excitement in her eyes. She came from an era of cold weapons—she had never seen anything this advanced before.
She knew this laser gun was incredibly valuable. Trading it for a piece of fish was far from fair.
"I'll take this. From today until the end of the first trial, you can eat my food—no need to sneak around."
"Oh."Fan Xuanye glanced at the laser gun, then packed the rest of his items back into the storage pouch.
[OMG she just traded a piece of fish for a laser gun?! Highway robbery!][Did you not hear? She said he could eat all her food from now on. That's a fair deal!][Still kinda excessive. He's got protein powder and he's a beastkin. He can eat raw meat. That laser gun's way more useful.][Why are you all bickering? Both parties agreed. You're just noisy bystanders. Mind your own business.]
Hmm?
What does that mean?
Mu Qingyun casually glanced at the screen, then noticed one comment in particular:"The emperor isn't anxious, but the eunuchs are."
She instantly tapped the screen. "What emperor?"
[What do you mean "what emperor"?][It's just a saying! Wait... Mu Qingyun doesn't know this?][Oh no... I think we've found someone who's illiterate.][What? Has she never had an education? Doesn't everyone know this idiom?][It's not even about education. Anyone who understands spoken language should know that one.]
Idiom?
Mu Qingyun frowned. She knew what idioms were, but she had never heard this one before. After all, who among the common folk would dare joke about the emperor?