CH 23

On the way back from the supermarket, passers-by felt like they saw a well-matched couple heading home, with a handsome man and a pretty woman who looked pleasing to the eye. The man was carrying big and small bags, which seemed to contain things like pajamas, oil, salt, and other items. He was covered in things from head to toe, while the woman looked clean and fresh, carrying only a bag of rice.

At first glance, it seemed normal. But upon closer inspection, something was off…

Who carries rice?

It wasn’t even a small bag of rice, it seemed like a big bag weighing around twenty pounds. Did the man’s belongings add up to this weight?

Before people could think further, the couple had already briskly walked into the residential area and disappeared from view.

“You’re not ashamed?” Qiu Wuji looked straight ahead and said.

“Well, you said I was useless anyway.” Chu Ge retorted fearlessly, “For you, carrying twenty pounds is as easy as carrying a needle. This is called ‘the capable handle more.'”

Qiu Wuji asked, “Can I make money if I have the strength to fight? Or does that also require an ID?”

“Yes, you can earn money and even become a boss, but you need ID. Unless you go to a war-torn area beyond the border, it’s a bit difficult at the moment and unnecessary.” Chu Ge hesitated for a moment. He actually wanted to say, “Stop working, I’ll support you,” but he had already said some pretentious words a few days ago, so he couldn’t take them back. He could only sulk in silence.

Of course, Qiu Wuji didn’t want to depend on others either. She was already trying to break free from the “will of the creator” and become an independent individual, so equal exchange was necessary.

Therefore, cooking was considered labor and could be used to offset rent. Teaching him how to cultivate didn’t count, because the cultivation method was also given by him, it was just returned to him. Qiu Wuji had her own stubborn judgment about what counted and what didn’t.

Of course, doing someone’s cooking was embarrassing for Qiu Wuji…She could only tell herself that she needed to eat too, and the other party was her creator, so he was qualified…she reluctantly accepted it.

The two of them carried big and small bags and arrived at the small kitchen that was never used. Chu Ge’s face darkened slightly, and he quietly slipped away. Qiu Wuji looked at the dirty kitchen that not even a dog would crawl into, feeling annoyed and funny at the same time. The seasoning box had solidified into lumps, and she didn’t know which tenant had left it there.

Speaking of which, Chu Ge and Zhang Qiren’s rooms were still relatively clean and tidy, and the living room and balcony were also okay. It seemed like they were cleaned occasionally. Qiu Wuji didn’t know why the kitchen was such a mess… Maybe because neither of them had ever used it?

Seeing Chu Ge run away with a red face, Qiu Wuji’s eyes showed a little fox-like cunning smile. She flicked her fingers, and a white light flashed, making the whole kitchen look brand new.

“I am a cultivator…cleaning stuff is just a small thing,” she thought to herself.

This creator was so cute in his foolishness.

Outside, Chu Ge was making a call to have someone deliver a gas cylinder, while peeking into the kitchen. The sparkling clean kitchen made him slightly stunned, but he quickly understood. However, his gaze was more focused on Qiu Wuji’s back in her office lady outfit, who was busy dividing the seasonings into the seasoning box. She looked…

Chu Ge hated himself for being a lousy writer who couldn’t describe this kind of scene and emotion.

It was like a small stone had been thrown into the lake of his heart, causing ripples that spread out endlessly.

Qiu Wuji turned her head and asked, “Who are you talking to?”

“Someone who is sending over the gas cylinder.”

“Then why did you stop talking halfway?”

“Because I was looking at you.”

Qiu Wuji showed an expression that made Chu Ge want to run away, so he did.

She scoffed and continued to tidy things up. When everything was in order, Chu Ge was sitting on the sofa holding his phone, and Qiu Wuji took a peek, only to see that he was in the book review section of his app.

Qiu Wuji tried to suggest, “Since you’re getting so much critisism, why don’t you just…?”

“There’s no need for that!” Chu Ge looked up at her seriously. “I just don’t want to write like that anymore.”

Qiu Wuji pursed her lips and said sternly, “What are you thinking? I mean, why don’t you just stop reading the comments altogether?”

“I still want to read them.” Chu Ge smiled. “Some people are starting to argue.”

“Huh?”

“The ‘No female lead readers’ group has arrived on the scene, saying it should be like this. ‘Haven’t you seen a woman before?’ ‘You’re just a loser who can’t get a girl.'”

“… ” Qiu Wuji shook her head speechlessly. “I don’t understand your world. Why do people want to fight over how to write for someone else’s book? Why do they care so much?”

“You guys also argue over different interpretations of the Tao. It’s pretty much the same thing. Everyone has their own thoughts, so it’s hard to unify opinions.”

Although Qiu Wuji found it hard to accept the idea of comparing novels and the Tao, she understood the reasoning and could only feel one thing in her heart: people in this world are really idle.

Chu Ge stared at the book review section in a trance and murmured to himself, “It’s really strange. I’m just a new and unknown author with a recently popular book. Where did this sudden surge of influence come from? According to reason, readers who don’t prefer harem novels wouldn’t even know about my book. So why are so many people suddenly coming to argue about a controversial point that’s not even that serious?”

Qiu Wuji immediately asked, “Did someone help you?”

“That shouldn’t be the case…” Chu Ge flipped through his site messages in confusion, but there were no recommendation messages, which ruled out any promotion effect. He also checked third-party forums, but there were no relevant discussions. This was normal since the issue was trivial, and he had only written about avoiding romantic ambiguity, so getting criticized in his book review section was expected. However, why did others hear about it and come to argue about it?

“It’s really strange.” Chu Ge still shook his head in confusion.

Qiu Wuji asked, “Is it good or bad for you?”

“It’s good. If my original readers stop reading, and there are no new readers, then it’s doomed. But new readers are here now, although I don’t know how many will actually convert.” Chu Ge put down his phone and smiled, “Whether it’s good or bad, I can’t avoid it, so I’ll just keep writing.”

Qiu Wuji nodded and didn’t say much, but she felt a little guilty.

She had caused him a lot of trouble indeed… but there was nothing she could do about it.

Chu Ge wasn’t bothered by it anymore. “Why are you looking at my book reviews anyway? Your history book arrived two days ago. You should read that.”

Qiu Wuji followed Chu Ge’s gaze and saw a neatly stacked pile of books in the corner. She picked up one and looked at the cover ‘Five Thousand Years of History’ “… Your civilization is really young.” She said. 

Even younger than herself.

“Okay, okay, I know you’re an old lady.” Chu Ge said with a weird expression after a long pause.

Qiu Wuji’s eyes became dangerous.

Chu Ge said, “Your world is different. It’s a wild exaggeration that spans millions of years and makes everything seem ancient. If we really compare it, the cultivation world in the novel is not that different from tens of thousands of years ago. Civilization hasn’t changed much, but it’s not important. The main theme of cultivation novels is about cultivation, not social change. If you want to read about social change, there are other works that are more suitable. No need to chase after a lost cause.”

Qiu Wuji appeared to be lost in thought.

Chu Ge stood up and said, “I should start writing now… You can read your book, this scene is picturesque.”

Just when he thought he had created a poetic atmosphere, the doorbell rang: “It’s gas delivery!”

The poetic mood was shattered, and mundane life returned.

Seeing the embarrassed look on Chu Ge’s face, Qiu Wuji couldn’t help but laugh silently.

On the other side of the city, Zhang Qiren closed the post in the no-female-lead forum that Chu Ge had not paid attention to, “Brother, I can only help you here.”