Chapter 92: Stinky Tofu is Delicious

Chapter 92: Stinky Tofu is Delicious

By the time Chen Yin finished telling the story, it was already close to noon.

His throat was parched, and after much persuasion, he finally convinced the little foxes to go eat. Only then did he manage to stretch his sore back and step out of the room.

As soon as he walked out, a cool and indifferent voice came from behind the door:
"Enjoying yourself, surrounded by a bunch of little girls?"

"Of course, it’s quite enjoyable," Chen Yin replied with a grin. "Who wouldn’t like being surrounded by a group of adorable little foxes?"

Qing Ying let out a soft scoff. "Do you even realize that while you’ve been indulging in your foxy distractions, someone has been watching you?"

"I know."

Chen Yin's straightforward response surprised Qing Ying for a moment.

"I even know which group that guy belongs to," he added, casually glancing toward the distance.

—Sure enough, that Ju Shaohe wasn’t that magnanimous.

Chen Yin had already noticed the stalker the moment he entered the room. There was no need to guess—it was undoubtedly one of Ju Shaohe’s men, sent to gather information about him.

But Chen Yin wasn’t concerned. That bunch wasn’t nearly strong enough to pose any real threat to him.

"A rich young master, huh. If he lets me insult him to his face without retaliating, then he’d be too easy to push around."

He shrugged. "Anyway, I’ve got nothing better to do these days, so let’s see if there’s some fun to be had."

"Are you sure you’re not just trying to show off in front of that beauty, Miss Nan?" Qing Ying asked, narrowing her eyes playfully.

"…Now that’s a misunderstanding. I’m not that bored."

He chuckled. "Besides, with a stunning beauty like you around, why would I waste time chasing after a mortal woman who doesn’t even like cultivators?"

Qing Ying raised an eyebrow but pretended not to hear his teasing.

"Do whatever you want."

Then, in a more serious tone, she added, "But I left a mark on that guy just in case."

"Turns out, that mark caught something interesting. I think you’ll want to hear this."

As Qing Ying spoke, the usual careless expression on Chen Yin’s face gradually faded, turning more serious and contemplative.

After she finished, he closed his eyes for a moment before murmuring,
"…So I ended up stumbling onto something big by accident?"

"I can’t guarantee it’s all true." Qing Ying folded her arms, her tall and elegant figure exuding an air of cool detachment. "Consider it a free piece of intel. Whatever you do with it is up to you."

Chen Yin pondered for a moment before turning to her. "How much do you know about Canghe Sword Sect?"

"I know what you’re getting at."

Qing Ying shot him a glance before turning away, leaving him with a single sentence:
"Canghe Sword Sect’s Leader, Ju Canghai, had only one son, Ju Shaohe. He was born late in life and is his father’s most treasured child—everyone in the cultivation world knows this."

"The rest… you figure it out yourself."

Chen Yin’s eyes flickered with thought. After a brief pause, he nodded.

"Thanks."

<+>

At noon, Nan Xiaoxiang, dressed in a plain white dress, had just finished brewing medicine. She was about to step out for a meal when she suddenly noticed a man standing at the door, watching her with a smile.

"Young Master Chen? Is there something you need?"

Nan Xiaoxiang was slightly puzzled.

"Miss Nan, are you joking? Didn’t you invite me to have lunch with you?" Chen Yin responded with feigned surprise.

Nan Xiaoxiang was momentarily stunned, her voice a bit flustered.
"I-I was just being polite—"

"If we’re putting on a show, we might as well go all the way. No point in stopping halfway, right?"

"Besides," Chen Yin spread his hands innocently, "I spent all my money on the road. I’m broke now and can’t afford food. I figured Miss Nan wouldn’t mind treating me to a meal. Right?"

Nan Xiaoxiang looked at the man in front of her, his expression filled with shameless amusement. She sighed helplessly.

—Still, if she had to choose, she’d rather have lunch with this annoying man than with Ju Shaohe. At least Chen Yin was genuine, not fake and pretentious. He was much easier to deal with.

And since she was already using him as a shield, she didn’t see much point in refusing.

"Fine, I’ll ask the kitchen to prepare some extra food—"

"Hey, if we’re going out to eat, why stay at home?"

Chen Yin interrupted her, grinning mischievously. "Didn’t Young Master Ju say that the restaurant in the east side of the city is amazing? Let’s go try it out."

Seeing that he was pushing his luck, Nan Xiaoxiang’s voice turned colder.

"Young Master Chen, our Xiaoxiang Medical Hall is charitable by nature. We don’t have much spare money to waste on lavish meals at expensive restaurants."

"Besides, you’re a cultivator. If you really wanted silver, wouldn’t it be easy for you to get some? Why trouble a mere mortal woman like me?"

Chen Yin nodded in sudden realization. "Oh, so you’re just as broke as I am."

Nan Xiaoxiang: "…"

—Tolerate it. Getting mad at him would mean losing.

"In that case," Chen Yin’s eyes sparkled as an idea came to him, "I know exactly what we should eat. Follow me!"

Before she could react, he grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the medical hall.

"You—!"

Nan Xiaoxiang was both embarrassed and furious, but her body was too weak to break free from his grasp. Before she could fully comprehend what was happening, she had already been dragged out onto the street.

As they exited the medical hall, Chen Yin subtly glanced at the street corner.

A shadowy figure immediately began following them as they stepped outside.

Satisfied, Chen Yin withdrew his gaze and continued walking as if he hadn’t noticed anything.

<+>

Nan Xiaoxiang’s stamina was even worse than Chen Yin had expected.

After just a few steps, she was already flushed, sweating lightly, and breathing heavily.

She took a long time to steady her breath before regaining her usual composure. Then, with clear irritation, she asked,

"I have no quarrel with you, Young Master Chen. Why must you act so shamelessly in public and ruin my reputation?"

"It’s just holding hands," Chen Yin said nonchalantly. "It’s not like you’re gonna get pregnant from it. How’s that ruining your reputation?"

He grinned. "You always act so prim and proper, taking forever to make a decision. I just got impatient, that’s all."

Nan Xiaoxiang bit her lip, her silver hair slightly damp from sweat. A few strands clung to her forehead and temples, her fair cheeks flushed a delicate pink from exertion.

At that moment, she looked exceptionally delicate and beautiful.

She was so angry that her teeth itched, yet she had no way to do anything about it.

"Young Master Chen, you are clearly not someone who lacks manners. Why do you keep making things difficult for me?"

She tried her best to keep her voice calm. "If this is still about me using you as a shield, I can offer my apologies."

"Ha! What are you being so polite with me for?"

Chen Yin grinned, baring his teeth, and gave Nan Xiaoxiang a heavy pat on the shoulder. "I already told you, just treat me to a meal, and we'll call it even."

Nan Xiaoxiang clenched her delicate fists tightly.

"You brought me here just to eat—"

Before she could finish speaking, she suddenly realized that they had already arrived at the western marketplace.

This was where common folk bought their daily necessities. Occasionally, gatherings were held here, with traveling merchants selling small trinkets and local vendors setting up stalls to sell food.

At this moment, Chen Yin was standing in front of a street food stall, grinning as he told the owner, "Two bowls of stinky tofu, extra spicy, with cilantro."

Nan Xiaoxiang could hardly believe her eyes.

"You… came all the way here just to take me out for stinky tofu?"

"What else?" Chen Yin turned his head, puzzled. "You won’t take me to a fancy restaurant, so are you saying you won’t even spare some change for street food?"

"That’s not it…"

Nan Xiaoxiang blinked her long eyelashes. "It’s just that, from what I’ve seen, most cultivators can’t stand the smell of stinky tofu. No one ever eats it."

"Do you mind the smell of stinky tofu, Young Master Chen?"

"Mind what? Stop fussing over nothing."

As they spoke, the two bowls of stinky tofu were placed before them. Chen Yin immediately stuffed a mouthful into his mouth, speaking indistinctly through a full mouth, "As long as it tastes good, what’s there to mind?"

"Missing out on this human delicacy is their loss."

With that, he continued eating in big bites, completely unbothered.

Nan Xiaoxiang was momentarily dazed. This was the first time she had seen a cultivator who cared so little about his image—one who ate stinky tofu as if it were a rare delicacy.

Suddenly, she found that this man in front of her didn’t seem as annoying as she had thought.

Seeing that she wasn’t touching her food, Chen Yin, still chewing, puffed out his cheeks and asked, "What’s wrong? Can’t handle the smell either?"

"No."

Nan Xiaoxiang gazed at the rich, flavorful broth in her bowl and said softly, "Quite the opposite."

"—I actually love stinky tofu." A faint smile seemed to unconsciously appear on her lips.

She picked up a piece with her chopsticks, parted her cherry lips slightly, and placed it into her mouth.

The rich, tender broth burst with flavor between her teeth, filling her senses with its aroma.

This familiar taste instantly lifted her spirits.

"I’ve loved stinky tofu since I was a child."

Nan Xiaoxiang suddenly started speaking to herself. "When I was young, I studied medicine under my grandfather. If I couldn’t memorize a prescription or remember the names of herbs, I would get frustrated and refuse to study."

"At times like those, Grandpa would use stinky tofu as a reward. If I memorized my lessons, he would take me to eat some."

"That was my favorite food when I was little. The stinky tofu from our Guyu Town is among the best in all of Yanxia Prefecture. If you try it, I promise—"

She suddenly covered her mouth.

—Why am I telling him these things?

Meanwhile, Chen Yin was still stuffing his face with tofu, already finishing his third bowl.

"Hmm? Why’d you stop halfway?"

"It’s… nothing." Seeing how satisfied he looked while eating, Nan Xiaoxiang couldn't help but lower her head slightly.

At the same time, she silently told herself:

—He is, after all, a cultivator. What’s the point of talking to him about mundane life?

Chen Yin, meanwhile, stole a quick glance from the corner of his eye toward the shadows behind him.

In a hidden corner of a nearby building, a dark figure flickered briefly before vanishing.

Chen Yin pretended not to notice and continued devouring his stinky tofu. As he finished another bowl, oil dripping from his mouth, he grinned widely:

"Boss! Another bowl!"

If you want to see more chapter of this story and don't mind spending $5 monthly to see till the latest chapter, please go to my Patreon:

Latest Chapter in Patreon: Chapter 131: Congratulations, You’re Correct

Link to the latest chapter: https://www.patreon.com/posts/138495099?collection=833971

https://www.patreon.com/collection/833971?view=expanded