Chapter 46: Poison and Porridge

Who could tell me where this sudden ‘tsundere’ behaviour came from!

“Mo Bai, you…” Gu Qingyu began her defense.

Right then, Mo Bai actually pushed the jar of wine he was holding to Gu Qingyu. “Don’t you want to drink wine? Drink it! Even if you die from it, I will bring you back!”

“Mo Bai, I’m sorry…” Gu Qingyu did not dare to take the jar.

Mo Bai took the jar back and placed it on the ground with a huff. “Didn’t I say that your wounds have yet healed?”

“Yes…” Gu Qingyu nibbled on her lips.

“Then what do you take my words for?” Mo Bai’s eyes flared.

Seeing the Prince Charmingwas getting angrier by the minute, Gu Qingyu grew desperate and clung on Mo Bai’s arm. “I’m sorry, I’ll never do this again!”

Mo Bai was stunned and went silent.

“Waa, I really learned my mistake!” Gu Qingyu wiped her nonexistent tears on Mo Bai’s sleeve. “I’ll never do it again!”

“Really?” The anger in Mo Bai’s eyes was fading away.

Gu Qingyu nodded obediently.

“Fine.” Mo Bai stretched out his other hand and gently stroked Gu Qingyu’s hair. “Be careful next time.” He paused and sighed. “Yu’er, I’m not angry that you didn’t listen to me, I’m angry because you don’t take care of yourself, you know that right?”

Gu Qingyu nodded, “Yes, I know. There really won’t be the next time.”

Mo Bai nodded, then he chuckled. “Yu’er, are you that afraid of me?”

“Huh?” Gu Qingyu was surprised and let go of his arm. “What did you say? I can’t hear you? The wind was too loud, speak louder!”

Mo Bai thought. I should have known this would happen!

After bidding Mo Bai goodnight, Gu Qingyu went back to her room.

I can’t look for Master, but maybe I can still practice magic on my own?

She stood up straight, closed her eyes and let her internal power flow within her body. Slowly, if she broke through this blockade, her powers would be among the top masters of this land and she would easily defeat most of her attackers. Suddenly, she felt her chest tightened as blood rushed to her heart.

“Don’t rush, adjust your breathing, take even breaths.” A familiar, charming voice spoke. Then a hand was pressed gently between her shoulder blades. A rush of air was pushed into Gu Qingyu’s body, mixing with her chaotic internal powers, which calmed it down significantly.

Is it Jia Qizhe? If he’s helping me, then this would be so much easier.Gu Qingyu let herself loose, opened her heart and mind and began melding with the powers.

Jia Qizhe spoke again, “That’s it, don’t be too anxious.”

Gu Qingyu controlled the power and was slowly breaking through the blockade she always encountered. Suddenly, the power from Jia Qizhe broke loose from her control and shattered the blockade, giving Gu Qingyu a fright.

At least I still got a boost in power. This Jia Qizhe is really reckless.Gu Qingyu felt drowsy and fell asleep soon after.

When she opened her eyes again and looked out of the windows, it was the crack of dawn. Gu Qingyu rubbed her eyes and sat up, steady energy coursed through her body.

Is this how it feels to break your limits?

Gu Qingyu stood up and stretched her limbs. The pain in her chest had subsided and she felt a lot more refreshed, so she decided to go for a walk. She opened her window with a light push and leaped out of the window.

“Ah!”

Bam!

Crash!

Gu Qingyu rubbed her dizzy head. Which unlucky guy got crushed by me in the morning? Wait! It’s…

“Qi Wan? What are you doing here?” Gu Qingyu sniffed and scrunched her nose. “And with such a strong smell of alcohol?”

Qi Wan was lying on the floor, two empty jars of wine cradled in his arms. “Huh? Boss? Aren’t you… chatting with Herb Boy?”

This guy was really drunk, to even call Mo Bai ‘Herb Boy’?

“If I never came down, are you going to drink until you die?” Gu Qingyu bent down and tried to pull Qi Wan onto her back.

Despite his intoxication, Qi Wan side-stepped and dodged it. “I am in a bad mood! I want to sing!”

“Sure, sure, we can do whatever you want, but let’s go back inside first.” Gu Qingyu piggybacked Qi Wan without a second word and walked towards the door.

Qi Wan tossed the jars away and hooked his arms onto Gu Qingyu’s neck, his lips close to her ears. “Xiao Yu’er, tell me your phone number…”

Gu Qingyu mumbled a string of numbers and kicked open Qi Wan’s door. They stopped near Qi Wan’s bed. Gu Qingyu was about to toss him onto his bed, but Qi Wan clung onto her neck and refused to let go. “Little Yu’er, I want porridge!”

“Sure, let go of me and I’ll get someone to cook it for you.” Gu Qingyu patiently chided.

Qi Wan pouted. “No! I want to eat your porridge!”

“Okay, let go, I’ll whip up some porridge for you.” Gu Qingyu felt like she had a problem child on her back.

It took ages to persuade Qi Wan, but she succeeded. Gu Qingyu went to the kitchen with a dark face, then scratched her head as she examined the setup. The only thing she has ever cooked was instant noodles. What can I do, I really don’t have a choice!

The old lady in the kitchen saw Gu Qingyu and approached her. “Hey, why are you here personally!” The person was the special guest her boss told her about, it could be the future wife of her boss! Gu Qingyu’s disguise could not fool Mother Zhang.

Gu Qingyu’s lips twitched, then explained in a serious tone, “Your boss asked me to make him a poisoned porridge!”

“Huh?” Mother Zhang was taken by surprise, then realised her boss wanted Gu Qingyu to make the porridge. It was unusual, but she best not mess with her potential owner. So she bowed. “Sir, the kitchen is yours, the poison is at the third cupboard from the bottom-left of the stove! It has no colour or scent and guarantees to kill the person!”

Are you for real?

Gu Qingyu then held Mother Zhang’s hands with teary eyes. “Yes, no wonder I thought I saw a kindred spirit? Are you oppressed by that Qi Wan for a long time too? Don’t worry! Today, since I’m here, I will help you break free from your nightmare!”

Mother Zhang froze as Gu Qingyu grabbed her hands. Is this lady for real? Seriously, if the boss found out she and this lady conspired to murder him, then how would she keep her life together? Besides, for someone as powerful as the boss, is it really that easy to poison him?

Thus, she smiled awkwardly and guessed, “Sir, you don’t know how to cook porridge?”

“Yeah.” Gu Qingyu nodded sheepishly. She stuffed pieces of firewood into the stove and started a flame the old-fashioned way. She decided that using a spell would be too much of an overkill.

Mother Zhang was surprised. “Then you’re still…”

“Doesn’t he want to eat it? There’s a first in everything, if one time doesn’t work, I’ll just give him a second helping!” Gu Qingyu replied as she filled a pot with what seemed to be too much water.

Mother Zhang made up her mind. “Then, help yourself, sir, I will take my leave first…” She could not bear that person any longer! Is she really a girl? To think a young lady would have such horrifying ideas!

“Yeah, sure.” Gu Qingyu waved her goodbye as she grabbed a few handfuls of rice and tossed them into the water.

Mother Zhang thought. What can I do, I don’t have a choice either!

After Mother Zhang left, Gu Qingyu placed the pot on the stove, then added more firewood in the stove below. Whoosh. A puff of smoke hit her in the face. Gu Qingyu coughed and hacked and tried to rub her stinging eyes.

“Cooking porridge?” Jia Qizhe’s voice came from behind her, he walked to the stove and inspected the mysterious substance within the pot. “For me?”

“Dream on.” Gu Qingyu rolled her eyes while fanning the flame in the stove. She was not sure if she was doing things right, her only references were from period dramas.

Jia Qizhe’s face suddenly darkened. “Then who? That pretty face Mo Bai?”

“Cough cough!” Gu Qingyu nearly choked.

Pretty face?

Jia Qizhe looked at Gu Qingyu and was about to continue, but he stopped and burst out laughing instead.

“What are you laughing at?” Gu Qingyu rolled her eyes, annoyed.

“Your eyes.” Jia Qizhe struggled to find his words. “Is especially white.”

Huh?Gu Qingyu realized something and checked her reflection over a jug of clear water.

“That’s me?” She pointed at the reflection and asked Jia Qizhe innocently.

Jia Qizhe finally stopped laughing and dipped a handkerchief into the clear water, then carefully wiped her face. Gu Qingyu blushed hard as her eyes darted from left to right, she did not know where to look.

After a while, Jia Qizhe kept his handkerchief. “Yeah, it’s done.” That handkerchief had turned from white to black. Gu Qingyu chewed her lips. Well, that was embarrassing!

“Wait, the porridge is gonna burn!” At that moment, Gu Qingyu grabbed a tea towel and moved the pot onto a table, then rushed to extinguish the fire.

Jia Qizhe looked at the porridge with a grimace. “Yu’er, your porridge... um, looks great.”

“Can you be less ironic?” Gu Qingyu walked over and rolled her eyes yet again. Just as she expected, the rice had coagulated to a mess with black flakes on top, clearly it had been burnt. Jia Qizhe found a spoon and took a spoonful.

“Hey…” Gu Qingyu wanted to stop him but was too late, Jia Qizhe had already placed the ‘mysterious substance’ in his mouth and was slowly chewing it with his eyes closed.

Jia Qizhe critiqued. “Yeah, it tastes alright.”

“Really” Gu Qingyu looked at him skeptically and wanted to try a spoonful herself, but was stopped by Jia Qizhe.

“Who is this for?” Jia Qizhe asked, taking another spoonful.

Gu Qingyu looked at him incredulously, she could not wrap her head around how he had enjoyed that white pile of the mysterious substance. “Qi Wan.”

“Oh, it’s him.” Jia Qizhe nodded, his tone as if describing a dead man.

“Um, what do you want…” Gu Qingyu trailed off as she watched Jia Qizhe filled a bowl of ‘porridge’

“I’ll help you bring it to him.” Jia Qizhe grinned.