I'll also work hard to conquer the dungeon today.

Chapter 623 Christmas Event Side Story: The Eerie Tea Party

[Christmas Event Bonus: After the Silly Trio Swapped Bodies] A perfectly good author has turned into a fanfic writer.
[Participants: The Silly Trio (Daolin, Shuiqi, and Beltias)] It's so nice to see you guys again, especially Shuiqi, who got a unanimous vote and is the number one contestant in the silly side story.
[PS: This is a silly side story and is unrelated to the main text. The part in brackets [] refers to the original person, and the part outside the brackets refers to the body.]

text:

Shui Qi's inner thoughts: [It's 2:40 PM now, the weather is clear, I've received an invitation from Dao Lin to go to his house to discuss the follow-up matters regarding the Flower Crown instance.]

Beltias sat in his chair, watching Daolin brewing tea, and asked, "Although we're supposed to be discussing the aftermath of the Flower Crown instance, there are still two people who haven't arrived yet, right?"

"Noyce said he had something to do and wouldn't be coming. He told us to just send him a message. Ye Gui will be a little late; something came up." Dao Lin paused slightly as he brewed tea. His icy blue eyes glanced at the transparent potion on the bar counter. It was his latest research product, and its effects were still uncertain. Should he take this opportunity to try it out?
"Doesn't Brother Daolin have chocolate flavor?" Shui Qi stared at the cookies on the table and asked softly.

"I bought cookies from the bakery, just grabbed a bag at random, and didn't pay attention to whether it was a mixed pack or not." Daolin uncorked the potion, poured the clear liquid into the teapot, and then put it back in its place.

Because of the design of the bar, the two people sitting at the round table in the flower room not far away did not notice Dao Lin's actions. Even though they were facing each other, they could not see him because the front edge of the bar was too high.

"I had Ye Gui bring over a chocolate cake. Before that, have a cup of tea and wait a bit. She usually arrives right on time, within ten minutes," Dao Lin said thoughtfully, looking down at the gold pocket watch in his hand.

“Your greenhouse is really beautiful,” Bertias exclaimed.

"Because these flowers are important ingredients," Dao Lin said slowly as he walked over with three cups of tea.

"Materials?" Shui Qi frowned slightly. "You didn't do anything strange, did you?"

"You're overthinking it. Do you think I'm the kind of petty person who would retaliate against you just because someone offended me, like a child?" Dao Lin sat back in his chair, glancing at Shui Qi with his icy blue eyes, and said bluntly.

Shui Qi: "..." This is already a form of personal discrimination, okay?

"This tea smells wonderful," Bertias said, picking up the teacup and taking a sniff.

"This is a special product from the Kingdom of Gourmet Food. Ling Tong said she couldn't finish it and gave me some, so it's perfect for entertaining you all," Dao Lin said softly after taking a sip.

Shui Qi raised an eyebrow, and seeing that Dao Lin took a sip without any problem, she picked up her teacup and drank it herself.

“Indeed, it’s completely different from the tea I drink on a regular basis. It has a special aroma that’s hard to describe,” Shui Qi said softly, frowning.

"Thank you for the treat, it's very delicious." Bertias said, slowly putting down her teacup after taking a sip.

After a while.

"Huh? It's already started?" Dao Lin felt a wave of dizziness and asked in surprise.

"It's already started?! Dao Lin, what have you done?!" Shui Qi shouted coldly, then, feeling dizzy, she instinctively grabbed the table for support.

Bertias fainted.

Shui Qi: "!!!"

"Daolin, what exactly did you do?" Shui Qi asked, frowning.

"Let's experiment a little with the potion whose effects are unclear," Dao Lin said, his face pale.

Dao Lin fainted.

"A potion with unknown effects?? You dare to use this directly? It's probably poison!" Before Shui Qi could do anything, everything went black.

Shui Qi fainted.

Three minutes later.

"Huh? What happened?" Dao Lin [Shui Qi] got up and saw himself lying there. He frowned and said, "Could it be that I've turned into a ghost? How come there are two of me?"

"You..." Before Dao Lin [Shui Qi] could say anything, he saw himself sitting up, his expression serious and earnest.

Shui Qi [Beltias] said with a cold face, "As expected, you were drugged. You got Dao Lin drunk once, and now you're getting revenge."

"Is this... still me? Or has some kind of monster taken over my body?" Dao Lin [Shui Qi] said with a conflicted expression. "I'm a bit of a germaphobe, I can't keep this body, but I still want to go back. The current perspective is a bit too low, it's really uncomfortable."

"Are you mocking my height, Shui Qi?" Beltias [Daolin] sat up straight, glanced at his own body with his blue-gray eyes, and said indifferently.

Throughout the entire process, he remained calm, as if everything was under his control.

"Daolin, what's going on? Why did we switch bodies?" Shui Qi [Beltias] asked, her brows furrowed.

"So it's because of the experiment you mentioned, isn't it?" Daolin [Shui Qi] said coldly. "The effects of the latest potion are not very clear, so I planned to experiment with it myself. So it's about having the people who drink it swap bodies. I feel like the effect is a bit of a waste." Beltias [Daolin] stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"You dare to try medicines that don't have a clear effect on yourself? I told you the tea tasted weird," Dao Lin [Shui Qi] said hesitantly.

Shui Qi [Beltias] bluntly retorted, "No, you didn't taste it."

Dao Lin [Shui Qi]: "..." This person is really going too far.

"It'll be over once the effects of the medicine wear off, it'll be quick," Beltias [Daolin] said calmly.

There was a knock on the door.

"Judging by the time, Ye Gui should be here soon. But you probably don't want to be found out that you've switched bodies, do you?" Beltias [Daolin] stood up, glanced at the two of them, and said with a light laugh.

“Then I will play the role of Shui Qi well.” Shui Qi [Beltias] coughed slightly and said.

"Please treat my body well, thank you," Dao Lin [Shui Qi] said coldly.

"I think your acting skills are really problematic," Bertias [Daolin] sighed softly, thinking to himself.

Then he opened the door.

Mu Yegui walked in and said softly, "Good afternoon."

"Good afternoon, Xiao Ye Gui~" Shui Qi [Beltias] greeted someone with a light laugh.

"Good afternoon." Dao Lin [Shui Qi] raised his hand and said, "Shui Qi, aren't you being a little too cute today?"

"Is that so? I'm exactly the same as usual (*'▽'*) Maybe it's because I'm a little excited looking at Xiao Ye Gui. Don't look at me like that~ (ω)" Shui Qi [Beltias] said shyly with a bright smile.

Dao Lin [Shui Qi] looked pale and fell into silence, seemingly questioning the meaning of life.

“That’s a bit too much,” Bertias [Daolin] murmured. “I didn’t expect Bertias to be so reckless. I underestimated him.”

Dao Lin [Shui Qi]'s thoughts: [This is beyond going too far. I want to choose death. Why do I have this illusion when listening to Bertias's words, like, 'Ah~ so I'm such a sweet person after all?' Something must be wrong!]

Shui Qi [Beltias]'s thoughts: 【Something's not right. Shui Qi isn't usually like this. His tone should be lighter. This won't do. I have to bring out all of Shui Qi's usual coolness! I have to use his body; I have to play him perfectly!! Now I am Shui Qi! Now I am Shui Qi! I am Shui Qi!!! 】

Bertias [Daolin]: [This is no good, these two have completely broken down. They'll probably be exposed in no time. I shouldn't have suggested they impersonate each other; their acting is just too... terrible.]

"Was that chocolate cake from Xiaoye Gui for me? How annoying~\(////)\ This feeling, I'm suddenly so happy()." Shui Qi [Beltias] blushed and whispered.

Mu Yegui blinked in confusion, tilting his head to look at Shui Qi [Beltias], his expression full of bewilderment.

Bertias [Daolin] watched Shui Qi [Bertias] perform in silence, then glanced at Dao Lin [Shui Qi] who was now completely engulfed in darkness, before turning away without hesitation, as it was too much for his eyes.

"So... is this how you see me?" Dao Lin [Shui Qi]'s lips twitched slightly as he murmured, wondering what kind of bizarre character setting this was!
"Ye Gui, give this cake to me. I think Shui Qi is a bit nauseous today, maybe she hit her head." Dao Lin [Shui Qi] cursed himself without changing his expression.

"Don't say that. Maybe you're just too excited about eating cake, which makes your brain go sweet, hence your sweet talk," Bertias [Daolin] said thoughtfully, placing a cup of tea in front of Mu Yegui.

"Daolin~ (/≧▽≦/) Isn't your behavior a little~ strange today (`)**" Shui Qi [Beltias] smiled, her tone exceptionally sweet.

"Is that so?" She glanced at the three of them with her cool, silver eyes and slowly picked up her teacup.

"Wait! Don't drink it!!" Dao Lin [Shui Qi] said hurriedly when he saw Mu Ye Gui pick up the teacup.

But it was too late; Mu Yegui had already drunk it.

"What's wrong?" Mu Yegui asked, puzzled. "No matter what kind of drug I was given, it has no effect on me."

Dao Lin, Shui Qi, and Beltias said dejectedly, "I see..." They felt inexplicably disappointed.

【Finish】

Bertias's name is so long, it's so painful to type it!

Belle's version of Chiffon is just sweet white chocolate that will make your heart melt.



(End of this chapter)