Chu Wanning couldn't force a "go away" to leave his throat. There was a long sombre pause before he changed his answer to: "Come in."
"Huh? Your door isn't locked?" They had been giving each other the silent treatment all day. But now, Mo Ran had the intention of reconciling with him, so he pushed open the door as he spoke like nothing had ever happened. Chu Wanning, on the other hand, sat expressionlessly at the table. He raised his eyes and glanced at him faintly.
In all fairness, Mo Ran was incredibly beautiful, and the whole room seemed to brighten as soon as he walked in the door. He was indeed very young. His skin was tight and seemed to exude a faint glow. The corners of his mouth were naturally slightly curled, and he seemed to be smiling even when he wasn't showing any emotion.
Chu Wanning didn't move his eyes off of Mo Ran. His slender eyelashes drooped and raised his hand to pinch out the incense burning on the table. He coldly asked:
"What are you doing here?"
"I came… to check your injury." Mo Ran awkwardly coughed. His eyes fell on Chu Wanning's shoulder and he froze. "You dressed it already?"
Chu Wanning faintly said: "Yes."
Mo Ran didn't know what to say: "…"
He really hated Chu Wanning, and he was furious that Chu Wanning had hurt Shi Mei. But, after calming down, Mo Ran wasn't completely without a conscience. Yeah, he hated him, but he didn't forget that Chu Wanning's shoulder was injured.
In the claustrophobic coffin, Chu Wanning had tightly guarded him in his arms, blocking the Master of Ceremonies Ghost's claws with his own body. His body had trembled in pain but he didn't let go…
To Chu Wanning, Mo Ran was disgusting.
But in addition to disgust, some very complicated emotions were always mixed in with it for some reason.
He was a rude person. He didn't read books when he was a child. Although he obtained some literary knowledge later, he still couldn't grasp many concepts easily when it came to many delicate things, especially when it came to feelings.
For example, when it came to Chu Wanning, Mo Ran rubbed his head and pondered. The back of his head was going to go bald, but he still couldn't figure out what this feeling was.
He can only identify certain kinds of feelings: love, hate, detest, happiness and unhappiness.
If all these emotions were mixed together, the wise and powerful cultivation emperor would get crossed-eyed and really dizzy.
He didn't understand. He couldn't understand. He didn't know. Help, my head hurts.
So Mo Ran didn't bother to dwell on it. Besides, he didn't have time to focus on any details other than Shi Mei.
He didn't hold good feelings for Chu Wanning in his heart, and while secretly plotting when he might have an opportunity in the future, he would make him pay with double the ferocity. On the other hand, he felt guilty. After an internal battle with himself, he finally knocked on Chu Wanning's door.
He didn't want to owe Chu Wanning.
But Chu Wanning was more stubborn and ruthless than he thought.
Mo Ran stared at the pile of blood-stained cotton gauze on the table, the bowl of hot water stained red with blood, and the sharp knife that was thrown haphazardly thrown aside. The tip of the knife was still coated with flesh and blood. His head was spinning.
How did he manage to heal himself?
Had he really cut off the festering flesh without so much as blinking? Just imagining it sent a chill down his spine. Was this guy even human?
He thought about when he had cleaned up Shi Mei's wound. Shi Mei had groaned softly in pain with tears in the corners of his eyes. Even though Mo Ran didn't like Chu Wanning, he couldn't help but silently give him credit——
Elder Yuheng was truly a domineering and righteous man, no arguments there.
After standing in place for a while, Mo Ran was the first to break the silence. He coughed, tapping his toes against the floor, and awkwardly said: "What happened in the Chen house… Shizun, I'm sorry."
Chu Wanning didn't say anything.
Mo Ran stole a glance at him: "I shouldn't have yelled at you."
Chu Wanning still ignored him. His face was still. As always, he had no reaction, but that didn't mean he wasn't aggravated and just not saying anything.
Mo Ran walked over. When he got closer, he saw the mess of bandages on Chu Wanning's shoulder. The cotton gauze was tied in several different ways. It looked like a group of crabs that were stuck together.
"…"
Also, for a person who doesn't know how to wash his own clothes, can he really be trusted to treat himself?
Mo Ran sighed: "Shizun, don't be angry."
"Do I look angry?" Chu Wanning angrily responded.
Mo Ran: ". ."
After a long pause.
"Shizun, that's not how you wrap a bandage…"
He retorted unceremoniously: "You want you to teach me?"
Mo Ran: "…"
He raised his hand. He wanted to help Chu Wanning untie the gauze and wrap it again, but he was observant and felt that if he dared to touch him, he might end up with a lashing, so he hesitated.
He raised his hand then lowered it, and then raised it again, repeating the action several times. Chu Wanning was getting annoyed. He squinted at him: "What are you doing? Do you still want to fight me?"
"…" He really wanted to fight him, but now wasn't a good time.
Mo Ran smiled sheepishly. Throwing caution to the wind, he suddenly reached over and grabbed his shoulders, dimples appearing at the corners of his mouth: "Shizun, let me help you re-bandage it."
Chu Wanning wanted to refuse, but Mo Ran's warm fingers had already wrapped around the bandage. His mouth felt dry and stiff. He couldn't speak, so his lips moved slightly but nothing came out.
The gauze was peeled off layer by layer. Blood had soaked through it, and when it was all torn back, the five holes were piercingly obvious and hideous.
Just looking at it, he shuddered. It was many times more serious than the would on Shi Mei's face.
Mo Ran didn't know what he was looking at. He was stunned, then suddenly asked softly: "Does it hurt?"
Chu Wanning lowered his long and slender eyelashes, and simply said lightly: "It's fine."
Mo Ran said: "I'll be gentle."
Chu Wanning didn't know what he was thinking, and suddenly his ear flushed a little red. As a result, he got angry with himself again. He thought he was going crazy. All day he had been thinking up such nonsensical thoughts. His expression grew stiff. His temper worsened, and he said dryly, "It's up to you."
The candlelight in the guest room flickered. In the dim light, he could see that he had completely missed some spots with the ointment. Mo Ran was honestly speechless. He thought it was a miracle that Chu Wanning was still alive and healthy today.
"Shizun."
"Hmm?"
"What happened to you today at the Chen house? Why did you suddenly lash out and hit someone?" He asked while applying some ointment.
Chu Wanning was silent for a while, then replied: "I was angry."
Mo Ran asked: "Why were you so angry?"
Chu Wanning didn't want to trouble his disciple, so he told Mo Ran a brief and concise version of Luo Xianxian's story. After Mo Ran listened to the story, he shook his head: "You're stupid. In this kind of situation, even if you're angry, you shouldn't confront them about it to their face. If it were me, I would've made a mess of things and lie to them that the ghost had been removed, and then pat their asses and leave, letting them fend for themselves. Just look at you making a scene over such a rotten man. You knew you probably wouldn't get through to him, and then you missed and wounded Shi Mei–"
Halfway through the sentence, Mo Ran abruptly stopped. He stared silently at Chu Wanning.
He tied the bandage carefully. He was a little forgetful and he was talking to Chu Wanning like he had when he was 32, pretty cheekily.
Chu Wanning obviously noticed. He squinted his eyes, looking coldly at Mo Ran. That look resembled a very familiar phrase - "See if I don't whip you to death."
"Uh…"
Before his brain had thought up a response, Chu Wanning has already begun speaking.
He said indifferently: "Is Shi Mingjing the one I wanted to fight?"
When Shi Mei was mentioned, Mo Ran's originally calm mental state started to shift and his tone hardened: "Isn't he the person you hit?"
Chu Wanning did regret hitting him, but he couldn't admit it. At this moment, his face was sullen and he didn't say a word.
Chu Wanning was the stubborn type. Mo Ran was the lovesick type. Their eyes meet and sparks crackled. The atmosphere that had just eased a little became hopelessly stagnant again.
Mo Ran said: "Shi Mei didn't do anything wrong. Shizun, you hurt him by accident. Don't you want to say that you're sorry?"
Chu Wanning narrowed his eyes dangerously: "Are you questioning me?"
"… I'm not." Mo Ran paused. "I just feel bad that he got hurt but never got an apology from Shizun."
Under the candlelight, the handsome and youthful teenager finished wrapping the last bandage on Chu Wanning's wound and carefully tied a knot. It may have looked like the scene was quite warm, but the mood between them had changed. Especially Chu Wanning; his chest felt like a jar of vinegar had exploded in it. The feeling of sourness was overwhelming and he felt angry and annoyed.
Apologize?
How do you even spell that word? Who'll teach him how to write?
Mo Ran said: "It'll take half a year for the wound on his face to heal. When I gave him some medicine just now, he still told me not to blame you. Shizun, he doesn't blame you, but do you think that justifies what you did?"
This sentence was tantamount to adding fuel to the fire.
Chu Wanning had been enduring it but he finally couldn't hold it back. He suppressed his voice and muttered: "Get out."
Mo Ran: "…"
Chu Wanning exploded: "Get out!"
Mo Ran was forced out and the door slammed shut in his face, almost clamping his fingers. Mo Ran was furious. Just look at this! What kind of person was this? All this just to avoid apologizing? Such cherished and treasured pride. What was so difficult about saying sorry? All he needs to do is move his mouth. This Venerable One was the Emperor TaXian, yet this Venerable One didn't hesitate to apologize to others. As for the Beidou Immortal, half of his words were inexplicable, as if he had swallowed them. What a ridiculous temper!
No wonder no one cared about such a handsome face!
It was a waste of time. He deserved to stay single for the rest of his life!
Since Chu Wanning would rather ignore him and give him a closed-door to talk to, then of course the high and mighty cultivation emperor, the emperor of the human world, wouldn't lose any sleep over this. Although he was tenacious and as hard to get rid of as a piece of sticky candy, he stuck to Shi Mei, not his shizun.
He immediately left without a care and went to join Shi Mei.
"Why are you back so soon?" Shi Mei was in the midst of lying down to rest when he saw Mo Yan come in. He froze and sat up, long strands of ink hair hanging all over the place. "How's Shizun?"
"Very good. His temper is as strong as usual."
Shi Mei: "…"
Mo Ran brought over a chair and sat on it backwards. His hand rested on the back of the Taishi chair, a lazy smile hanging on the corner of his mouth. His gaze flicked across the appearance of Shi Mei's soft and long hair.
Shi Mei said: "Why don't I go and see him…"
"Don't think too much about it." Mo Ran rolled his eyes. "He's terrible."
"Did you make him angry again?"
"He needs someone to provoke him? He makes himself angry. I think he's made of wood considering he's so flammable."
Shi Mei shook his head, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
Mo Ran said: "Get some rest. I'll borrow the kitchen downstairs and make you some food."
Shi Mei said: "What's the fuss? You haven't closed your eyes all night. Aren't you going to sleep?"
"Haha, I am in good spirits." Mo Ran laughed. "But if you can't bear me leaving, I can stay with you for a while until you fall asleep."
Shi Mei hurriedly waved his hand and said warmly: "No, if you have to look at me like this, I won't be able to sleep either. You should go to bed early. Don't exhaust yourself."
The curvature in the corners of his mouth stiffened slightly. Mo Ran was a little sad.
Although Shi Mei treated him kindly, he always maintained such a distant attitude. It was the attitude of someone who was obviously close at hand, but as the moon in the mirror and the flower in the water, he could be seen but not obtained.
"… Okay." In the end, he just tried to cheer up and laughed. Mo Ran's smile was very bright. When he wasn't completely evil, he was actually pretty silly and cute. "Call me if you need anything. I'm either right next door or downstairs."
"Okay."
Mo Ran raised his hand, wanting to touch his hair, but he held back. He spun his hand around in the air and scratched his head.
"I'm leaving."
Outside of the room, Mo Ran couldn't help but sneeze.
He sniffed.
Because Caidie Town produced incense, the price of all the different kinds of incense wasn't as expensive, so the inn wasn't stingy with it. Each room was lit with a long branch of special incense; one can ward off evil spirits, another can dehumidify, the last one can give the room a nice fragrance.
But as soon as Mo Ran smelled the incense, it made him uncomfortable. But if Shi Mei liked it, he would endure it.
Coming downstairs, Mo Yan wandered over to the innkeeper, slipped him a silver ingot. He squinted his eyes and said with a smile: "Innkeeper, do me a favour."
The innkeeper looked at the silver ingot and smiled more politely at Mo Ran: "What is this immortal gentleman's request?"
Mo Ran said: "I see that not many people come here to eat breakfast. I wanted to discuss that with you. I want to use the kitchen this morning. Please let the other guests know."
How much money would breakfast make him? It would probably be impossible to earn a silver ingot in half a month. The innkeeper immediately smiled and agreed, leading the swaggering Mo Weiyu into the kitchen of the inn.
"You want to cook by yourself? It's better to let the chef in our inn do it. He's very talented."
"No need." Mo Ran smiled. "Have you heard of the Jade Wine Building in Xiangtan?"
"Ah… Is that the famous music performance building that started getting popular more than a year ago?"
Mo Ran: "Yeah."
The boss took a peek outside and confirmed that his wife was busy and couldn't overhear. He snickered and said, "Who hasn't heard of it? It's the most famous restaurant on the Xiangjiang River. It used to have a lead musician there. It's a pity it's so far away, otherwise, I'd want to listen to her play a song."
Mo Ran laughed: "Thank you for the compliment. I'll pass it onto her."
"Pass it on?" The innkeeper was puzzled. "Do you know her?"
Mo Ran said: "More than just know."
"Wow…You don't say? But you cultivators can be… well…"
Mo Ran interrupted him with a smile: "Other than the lead musician, do you know anything else?"
"Hmm… Their food was said to be a must."
The corners of Mo Ran's mouth curled higher and he smiled brighter. He skillfully picked up the kitchen knife and said: "Before I took up cultivation, I was a cook in the kitchen in the Jade Wine Building for several years. You said that your chefs make delicious dishes. Whose is better, theirs or mine?"
The innkeeper was even more shocked, and stammered out: "You're really… really…"
He couldn't get the words out.
Mo Ran gazed at him with narrowed eyes. His smile was barely holding back his smug and cocky demeanour: "You can leave. This chef is going to cook something."
The innkeeper didn't know that he was talking to the former Lord of Darkness, and he put on a cheeky expression: "I've heard a lot about Jade Wine House's exquisite desserts. I wonder if you would let me have a bite once they're ready?"
He didn't think this was too high of a request. Mo Ran would definitely agree.
Who would've expected Mo Ran to squint his eyes and say with a smirk: "You want some?"
"Hmph!"
"Really?" Mo Ran snorted. He was bursting with pride. He scoffed: "You think I would cook for just anyone? This Venerable One is doing this just for Shi Mei. If not for him, I wouldn't even be lighting a fire to cook…"
He flipped a radish over and started to slice it, muttering.
"…" The innkeeper slumped defeatedly. He rubbed his hands and stood there awkwardly. He halfheartedly chuckled at him then left.
He was also muttering to himself.
This Venerable One? For someone this young, his spiritual core hasn't even fully formed yet. He thought about his chatter and how he was probably referring to his elder sister disciple, but there was no female cultivator among the group who walked with him today.
The innkeeper rolled his eyes.
This person must be deluded.
Mo Ran stayed busy in the kitchen for several hours. It was almost noon when the work was finished, and he rushed upstairs to wake Shi Mei up.
When passing by Chu Wanning's room, he slowly came to a stop.
Should he ask if he wanted to eat together…
Thinking of Chu Wanning's harsh temperament, Mo Ran's heart skipped a beat, his face full of contempt.
No, no, no. He only had a few portions. There wasn't enough to share with him!