—Bao Wu lifted the curtain and entered with Li Lu following behind. As soon as he came in, he immediately released his hand. Walking behind, Li Lu was nearly slapped in the face by the curtain, seeing stars.
Everyone had to stand up again to greet them: “Deputy Director Li, Deputy Director Bao!”
Li Lu made an acknowledging sound and didn’t forget to care: “It’s cold. Eat more.”
Everyone replied in unison: “Thank you for Deputy Director’s concern.”
Huang Rang heard these sounds from far away and felt that eating a meal at Si Tianjian was truly exhausting. Not like Yuhu Xuanzong—people like Xie Hongchen and Xie Lingbi never went to the dining hall at all. She was staring at the rose milk in front of her when footsteps behind her were already approaching.
Clearly, Li Lu and Bao Wu had seen that Di Yiqiu was also here.
Sure enough, Li Lu and Bao Wu came over and still performed courtesies.
Di Yiqiu said indifferently: “Sit.”
This table originally had four sides, but the heating stove occupied one side, and Di Yiqiu sat on another. Huang Rang’s wheelchair was on another side, just next to Di Yiqiu. Li Lu immediately sat on the remaining side. He shifted inward, wanting to leave some space for Bao Wu.
Bao Wu didn’t even look and sat down directly next to Huang Rang.
Li Lu had to say: “Deputy Director Bao!”
“No problem.” Bao Wu waved his large hand and took a salted duck egg to start peeling. He was even polite to others, saying: “Eat, eat, eat, don’t be shy.”
The kitchen already knew his tastes well. Immediately several dishes were brought over, all meat. Bao Wu grabbed a bowl of radish and mutton soup and began slurping it. He wore a large golden blade at his waist and was quite burly. When his movements were large while drinking soup, the hilt of the blade at his waist pressed against Huang Rang’s waist, rubbing and bumping.
Di Yiqiu set down his chopsticks, his gaze darkly watching him. Li Lu covered his forehead with his hand and called out desperately: “Bao Wu.”
Bao Wu pointed to the mutton soup: “Don’t be shy, drink soup and eat meat! I, Old Bao, really love the mutton soup here!”
Di Yiqiu picked up his chopsticks and served all the mutton from the small pot to him, saying: “Deputy Director Bao is always out and about, rushing around working hard. It’s truly been difficult.”
“Not difficult, not difficult!” Bao Wu beamed with joy. “Slaying demons and eliminating evil, ridding the people of harm—that’s this subordinate’s duty!”
Di Yiqiu nodded and continued: “Since it’s not difficult, then after Deputy Director Bao finishes eating, please sweep the snow outside.”
“What?!” The mutton in Bao Wu’s mouth fell into his bowl. Before the soup water could splash, Di Yiqiu pulled Huang Rang a bit closer to himself.
… Li Lu continued eating as if nothing had happened—some people were determined to court death, and others couldn’t dissuade them. Sure enough, Di Yiqiu continued: “Within three days, this seat doesn’t want to see a single inch of accumulated snow at Si Tianjian.”
“Oh… oh.” Bao Wu continued eating with a bitter face.
The three continued eating when someone nearby suddenly said: “Speaking of which, I had a dream last night. I dreamed that Yuhu Xuanzong’s Old Ancestor and Sect Leader were harmed by that bastard Xie Yuanshu! And then our Director even…”
At this point in his words, Di Yiqiu and the others all paused. Li Lu glanced at Di Yiqiu, got a look from him, and immediately said: “You, come here.”
The speaker was immediately alarmed. He hurried over and said: “Deputy Director Li, did this lowly one say something wrong?”
Di Yiqiu beside them suddenly said: “Speak. What all did you dream?”
That person trembled, not knowing how a strange dream had caught the Director and Deputy Director’s attention. He said: “This lowly one… just dreamed that something happened at Yuhu Xuanzong. Xie Yuanshu absorbed Xie Lingbi and Xie Hongchen’s cultivation and even wanted to establish himself as Sect Leader. Later it was still you, Director, who led the heroes of the immortal sects to Yuhu Xuanzong to eliminate the treacherous and restore order.”
As he spoke, he stole glances at Di Yiqiu, afraid he had said something improper.
The chopsticks in Bao Wu’s hand stopped. He said in a daze: “This dream…”
Before he could finish, everyone in the dining hall said: “We also dreamed it.”
Huang Rang was stunned—what, everyone had the same dream?!
Li Lu and Di Yiqiu exchanged glances. Both frowned tightly. At this time, someone else came to report: “Director, Sect Master He, He Xijin, and several other seniors have come requesting an audience.”
He Xijin? Huang Rang knew this person. If he came, that meant Zhang Shujiu and Wu Zichou had arrived too.
Sure enough, Li Lu said: “Could it be that they also had the same dream, so they rushed here to discuss countermeasures?”
This analysis made perfect sense, but Di Yiqiu’s expression was strange. He asked the reporting guard: “Did Sect Master He bring any female family members?”
The guard immediately said: “Reporting to the Director, Sect Master He also brought Madam He and Madam He’s younger sister. Sect Master He said that last night they happened to have a dream saying that you were very interested in Sect Master He’s wife’s sister. That’s why Madam He urged him overnight to come and… meet with you.”
This!!
Hearing this, everyone’s expressions immediately became very complex. Huang Rang glanced at Di Yiqiu, her heart muttering even more—this Madam He has a notorious reputation, yet you actually like her wife’s sister.
What kind of preference is that?
Naturally, others had similar thoughts. Look at Sect Master He! In the future, their own Director will probably… have his ears henpecked. Alas.
Di Yiqiu pondered for a moment and suddenly said: “Two quarters of an hour from now, bring Sect Master He to Baihu Si to see me.”
The guard naturally agreed. Li Lu understood and knew his Director probably had matters to prepare, saying: “This subordinate will go accompany Sect Master He and the others for a cup of tea and learn about what Sect Master He and the others dreamed last night.”
Di Yiqiu nodded, took out a silk handkerchief to wipe his mouth, and only then pushed Huang Rang out of the dining hall.
All the way back to Baihu Si’s conference hall, he still placed Huang Rang beside the heating basin.
Huang Rang was very curious—could Di Yiqiu be planning to wash and dress himself up before meeting Sect Master He’s wife’s sister? Thinking carefully, this was understandable. After all, someone like him, with high position and great power but empty inner chambers, was indeed improper.
Si Tianjian wasn’t a monastery—there was no need to observe such austere rules.
—Didn’t Xie Hongchen of Yuhu Xuanzong marry her as his wife?
Only it was a pity that if he married a wife and the wife was fierce, her own days in the future probably wouldn’t be so good. Huang Rang sighed secretly. She was always a realist, so what she thought now was naturally quite practical.
Di Yiqiu indeed began washing and dressing himself. He found the rouge and powder he had bought for Huang Rang last time and applied a thin layer to his own face. Then he used indigo to lightly trace his eyebrows and used peony rouge to add good color to both cheeks. Finally, he touched up his lips with lip tint.
? Huang Rang’s gaze slowly froze—dressing up like this… isn’t it too greasy and powdered? Also, why is it that when you apply makeup to your own face, you know to use a thin layer, but when applying my face it’s like plastering a wall?!
After Di Yiqiu “carefully” dressed himself up, Sect Master He also arrived.
He brought his wife and daughter in. Zhang Shujiu and Wu Zichou naturally accompanied them.
Di Yiqiu immediately went forward to greet them. When several people saw him, they all froze—how could they not freeze?! Today he had lightly applied cosmetics and traced his eyebrows!!
Sect Master He’s wife was still very pleased. Though she had a fierce reputation, she actually had delicate features. Only her manner carried a heroic air. She held her sister’s hand and said to Di Yiqiu: “Qu Manying, greetings to the Director.”
Seeing her, Di Yiqiu smiled and said: “Madam He rushed all the way here. It must have been tiring.”
His voice also became very soft and light, even sounding somewhat seductive. Huang Rang felt goosebumps rising layer upon layer on her body. Madam He frowned slightly but didn’t show impropriety. She repeatedly said: “Not tiring. This is my younger sister Qu Manci. Manci, quickly greet the Director.”
That Qu Manci resembled her sister quite a bit. Only as a young maiden, her figure was more slender and upright. As soon as she entered, she had been observing Di Yiqiu.
This person wore official robes with an imposing and martial build. But the powder on his face… and this voice… she always felt something was strange, yet still couldn’t help stepping forward, saying: “Qu Manci greets the Director!”
Di Yiqiu hurriedly reached out to help her up, saying: “Miss Manci need not be so formal.”
Hearing his soft and delicate voice, Huang Rang wanted to shiver.
At this time, everyone took their seats in order. Servants brought tea.
Di Yiqiu accepted the tea cup and listened as Madam He introduced how much her younger sister admired him. Fine that he drank tea, but his hand actually raised a bent pinky finger!
Huang Rang sat beside him, meeting the gaze Qu Manci cast over. Qu Manci had been stealing glances at Huang Rang for quite a while. Huang Rang could almost hear her inner thoughts.
—This man definitely has some kind of problem!