Chapter 382: Chapter 382

The spiritual power of the Vermilion Fruit is truly impressive.

Lu Zheng initially thought he could get to sleep at around 1:00 AM, but after eating the fruit, Shen Ying was too excited, Liu Qingyan was also in high spirits, and the three ended up chatting all the way until 5:00 AM, without a hint of sleepiness.

Xiaocui heard them chatting over here, so she didn't dare call them for breakfast. However, another person arriving from outside the manor was unaware of the situation.

"Fairy, I'm here! Has Young Master Lu returned?" It was Hou Ping who had arrived.

"Quiet, you pesky monkey, have some perception!" Xiaocui hurriedly stepped out of the house and whispered.

"What's going on?" Hou Ping looked bewildered.

He had dragged Zhao Wenrong and another woman back to Taohua Village the day before, initially intending to return to Taohua Temple to join the battle, but Xiaocui had stopped him, telling him not to add to the chaos.

Later, the four of them joined forces to kill the Tiger Demon, and Lu Zheng and the other three rushed to Yizhou overnight, with only Shen Ying returning to Taohua Village to explain the situation to Hou Ping before escorting Zhao Wenrong and the woman back to Tonglin County.

The day before yesterday, Hou Ping estimated that Lu Zheng should have returned, so he couldn't help but come over directly to Taohua Village early in the morning, instead of going to Taohua Temple, and loudly called at the door.

Upon seeing Hou Ping's bewildered expression, Xiaocui didn't know how to explain; after all, it's not common for someone to chat all night, right?

So, Xiaocui simply said, "Young Master returned rather late yesterday and is still resting."

"Oh, oh, oh!" Hou Ping nodded repeatedly, "Then let Young Master rest, I'll come back at noon."

"No need, I'm up." Lu Zheng's voice rang in the ears of the two.

Then Shen Ying's voice faintly drifted out, "Xiaocui, prepare breakfast."

Hearing the urgency in Shen Ying's tone, Xiaocui humbly responded with an "oh" and then quickly vanished.

Not to mention Shen Ying lightheartedly ordering Hou Ping to copy the New Year's farewell list of Taohua Temple a hundred times, after finishing breakfast, Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan returned to Tonglin County.

Mid-morning, as they returned to Tongyi Lane, the two had just turned into the alley when they saw Zhao Wenrong and the woman from the previous day waiting at the entrance of the Lu Residence.

"Lu... Brother Lu, Doctor Liu!" Zhao Wenrong stepped forward and bowed.

"Young Master Lu, Doctor Liu." The woman also bowed gracefully, "I am the young lady Lin Yushu, pleased to meet you both."

"Why have you come here, having been startled at Peach Blossom Plain the day before, shouldn't you be resting at home?" Lu Zheng asked.

Seeing Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan together, Zhao Wenrong hesitated a bit, unsure if he could discuss the events of the previous day, but hearing Lu Zheng bring it up on his own, it was okay.

"We came especially to express our gratitude to Brother Lu." Zhao Wenrong said.

"Thank you very much, Young Master Lu, for your life-saving grace." Lin Yushu added.

"You're welcome. This matter, in fact, happened because Hou Ping killed a tiger. You were caught in the crossfire." Lu Zheng waved his hand, activated his True Qi, and helped the two up, then curiously asked, "By the way, why were you at Peach Blossom Plain so late?"

Speaking of which, Taohua Temple is after all located in the suburban Peach Blossom Plain, not very close to the county town and surrounding villages. In this era, it's not common to travel at night, so most people would return home early.

However, Zhao Wenrong and Lin Yushu stayed until nearly deserted 5:00 PM and happened to encounter the Tiger Demon attack, almost getting killed along with Hou Ping.

Lin Yushu blushed, while Zhao Wenrong chuckled, "Isn't it because, with fewer people, the Peach Blossom Fairy could hear our words, offering incense and praying alone for good fortune."

Lu Zheng was speechless, patting Zhao Wenrong's shoulder, "The Peach Blossom Fairy will surely hear your prayers."

Zhao Wenrong laughed awkwardly, then licked his lips and asked, "Brother Lu, do you have any free time at noon? I have reserved a place at Bright Moon Building..."

Lu Zheng glanced at Zhao Wenrong, noticing his cautious demeanor, thought for a moment, "Just you and Miss Lin?"

Zhao Wenrong nodded repeatedly, "Just us!"

"Alright, we'll come over at noon." Lu Zheng nodded, turned to Liu Qingyan, "Call Qing Quan, we're having a grand meal at noon."

Bright Moon Building is the most prestigious restaurant in Tonglin County.

"I fear what Qing Quan wants most is still the dishes you make for her." Liu Qingyan giggled, then couldn't help but lick her lips and swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

Ever since Lu Zheng used the Light of Fortune to boost his culinary skills and showed off once, Liu Qingquan had made tasting Lu Zheng's dishes her lifelong expectation.

When Lu Zheng promised Liu Qingquan that he would cook something delicious to reward her if she did her homework well, she even started reading books more seriously, making Madam Liu a little jealous.

Of course, the jealousy didn't stop her from chowing down during meals, although she wasn't as quick as the Liu sisters.

Anyway, the last morsel of each dish was always fiercely contested by Liu Qingyan and Liu Qingquan to determine the winner.

Seeing Liu Qingyan's expression, Lu Zheng knew she was craving again, so he smiled and said, "We'll have Bright Moon Building at noon, I'll cook at the Liu Family in the afternoon."

"Great!" Liu Qingyan's eyes sparkled, nodding her head lightly.

Zhao Wenrong and Lin Yushu looked at Lu Zheng with curious eyes, surprised that someone capable of subduing demons would actually cook for others.

Zhao Wenrong sneaked a cautious glance at Liu Qingyan, full of speculation, and his manner became more respectful.

Zhao Wenrong was just an ordinary person, inadvertently caught up in a magical combat with Lin Yushu, so Lu Zheng didn't tell him Zhu Yushan and the others' identities, and Zhao Wenrong wisely chose not to ask.

The group simply had a normal meal in a private room on the third floor of Bright Moon Building, where Zhao Wenrong and Lin Yushu solemnly thanked Lu Zheng.

Meanwhile, on Liu Qingquan's side, hearing that Lu Zheng would cook in the afternoon, she excitedly indulged her appetite at noon, preparing for the afternoon.

After seeing Zhao Wenrong and Lin Yushu off, the three went home, and Liu Qingquan opened up with her chatter.

"Brother-in-law! How big was the tiger?"

"Huge, huge! Two yards long, it could swallow you in one bite!"

"Oh my, oh my, Qing Quan is so scared! Brother-in-law, brother-in-law, can I have a tiger skin scarf for winter?"

"No problem, not just a scarf, I'll make you a tiger skin cloak as well."

"Great, thank you brother-in-law! By the way, brother-in-law, yesterday I heard Father talking about some tiger whip wine, do you think Father is senile? How can a tiger have a whip? Is it the tail?"

Liu Qingyan grabbed Liu Qingquan's ear, "I told you to study medicine and you didn't, now you don't even know something so basic. If you want to know what a tiger whip is, start reading medical books from tomorrow." Updates are released by novel✶fire.net

"No, no! Sister, I was wrong, I don't want to know what a tiger whip is!"

Lu Zheng rubbed his chin on the side, wondering if Elder Liu was already considering the tiger whip's benefits, perhaps feeling a lack of strength?

However, it seems I could use it too, the tiger whip of a Tiger Demon with hundreds of years of practice, how nourishing must it be...

"Slurp!" Lu Zheng couldn't help but slurp, fantasizing until he felt a pain in his side.

Turning his head, he saw the embarrassed and slightly angry expression of Liu Qingyan.

Her cheeks were flushed, her lips lightly pursed, her eyes showing a mix of shyness and anticipation, Lu Zheng even faintly smelled a delicate fragrance.

Tsk tsk, truly a fox spirit!