Scourge Messenger

Chapter 249 Childish
Although the pharmacist apologized to Shang Xinlei before, she didn't actually think she was completely wrong.

After all, when a man and a woman are alone together in a secluded room, it's easy for something to become ambiguous, even if it's just a meal.

The pharmacist had no interest in matters of love and sex, but with a servant named Shi Dong who was always thinking about love and romance, the pharmacist learned quite a bit from what he saw and heard, such as eating rouge, feeding each other, and even two people eating together while being intimate... It's impossible for them to just eat, right?
The result is true.

Because the stone table was already high, and the bronze stove was placed on top of it, it was even higher. It was almost impossible to see the pot while sitting, so Yan Qing and Shang Xinlei simply stood up to eat.

They hadn't stopped eating since the start of the meal, finishing plate after plate of mutton, quickly turning the clear broth in the pot cloudy. They hadn't even made eye contact, let alone exchange words. After the mutton, they added fried gluten, then vegetables, and after the vegetables, they added more broth to prevent it from drying out... Pharmacist Yuan wasn't usually too concerned with food, as long as she could fill her stomach, but seeing how they ate, she couldn't help but feel tempted and stood up to dig in some meat too.

"Here you go, this cut of meat is incredibly tender when cooked in hot pot, it melts in your mouth." Yan Qing placed a plate of meat in front of her and said with a smile, "I thought the noble Duke of Jin needed someone to serve him when he ate."

"I've been a fugitive before, I don't understand these rules," said the pharmacist. "Has Bunny Girl settled in yet?"

“She has settled down, but she has not gone into hiding. Instead, she appears openly in public and also goes to the secret realm to train,” Yan Qing said. “If you are expecting her to grow up safely under the care of adults, you will probably be disappointed.”

The pharmacist paused for a moment, then sighed, "That's definitely her personality; she's never idle."

“This is also my order.” Yan Qing looked at her and said seriously, “I will not let her be idle. She must grow in battle.”

"Will you protect her?"

“I will not let her display her third-tier combat strength in public unless I have no other choice. The strongest person in her area is only a third-tier cultivator. Unless a Foundation Establishment cultivator comes in person, she can break through any encirclement on her own.”

"That's enough." The pharmacist lowered his head to cook mutton. "Since I can't protect her now, I won't criticize what you did. I told you, I trust you."

Yan Qing scoffed: "I thought this trust would only last for one mission."

"This trust will last until the next time you disappoint me, and I hope it won't be too soon, Chief."

"Speaking of which, inviting you to join the team yesterday was just a temporary measure. My team has no intention of keeping you." Yan Qing lowered his voice, his tone serious: "You should—"

"Isn't this a bit too fast?" The pharmacist glanced at him sideways. "I am now your companion and your martial arts instructor. I haven't made any mistakes, so you have no reason to send me away. If you disappoint me like this, I'll lose my temper on the next mission. You know my personality; when I lose my temper, I don't care about anything else. It wouldn't be good if it delayed the mission."

Yan Qing's eyebrows twitched wildly. The pharmacist was not even pretending. This was blatant revenge!
Previously, he used the overall situation of the mission to force the pharmacist to either give up or provide a feasible solution. Now the pharmacist is threatening him in return—either let me stay in the Cataclysmic Organization, or I will cause trouble for you in the next mission!

Given the pharmacist's personality—willing to risk everything for her sister—Yan Qing really didn't dare to bet that she would consider the bigger picture—she was a madwoman who, in a fit of rage, would even breathe on Master Suolong!
Besides, Yaoshiyuan has nothing to lack right now. She has the Dragon-Snake Seven Kills and the Bright King Armor, and the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiends are gathered together. Even without the Foundation Establishment Pill, she can try to forcibly establish her foundation as she slowly levels up. Her need for the Thieves' House is really not that great!

Even if the pharmacist were to lose her temper, it would be reasonable. Given their relationship, a team spot wasn't an unreasonable request. Taking someone in and then kicking them out clearly showed they looked down on her. Even someone as proud and arrogant as the pharmacist, Shang Xinlei, would have lost her temper.

After much deliberation, Yan Qing could only accept this outcome: "But you are not allowed to use your skills recklessly. Unless it is an emergency, you must obtain my permission."

“Okay.” The pharmacist seemed to remember something and whispered, “Think about it, as long as I’m inside, I’ll have a better chance of escaping if danger comes my way. Bunny Girl would also want me to have more protection, right?”

Like being hit hard and then given a sweet treat, Yan Qing's expression improved somewhat, but it was still clear he wasn't very willing. Seeing his expression shift from gloomy to partly cloudy, the pharmacist raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise in his eyes.

She was just saying it casually. If Yan Qing insisted on forcibly kicking her out of the Disaster Organization, the Pharmacist would rather be angry than ruin the mission. Her dignity wouldn't allow her to be so unreasonable... So she really didn't expect Yan Qing to accept it so easily without any resistance.

Are you so afraid I'll lose my temper? Or... are you afraid I'll get into danger again? Pharmacist Yuan, biting her chopsticks, secretly glanced at him and suddenly found it somewhat amusing. Ever since Yan Qing asked her to use the Seven Star Sword to conceal her identity during the mission a couple of days ago, she had vaguely realized that this guy seemed to be all talk and no action.

"You're feeling pretty smug now, aren't you?" Yan Qing seemed to realize her teasing and glared at her irritably.

"No." The pharmacist immediately lowered his head to cook the meat.

Suddenly, Yaoshiyuan noticed that Shang Xinlei was also staring at him. Even though he hadn't done anything, Yaoshiyuan felt a little guilty and pushed the wine bottle towards her: "This is the famous Chang'an wine, Zui Qingfeng. Want to try some?"

Shang Xinlei took a sip, her eyes lit up, and she drank it all in one gulp. "Good wine."

She stared at the pharmacist's rice bowl: "Does this hot pot of mutton suit your taste?"

“Of course.” The pharmacist gave it a very high rating: “I have never eaten such delicious mutton.”

"That's good." Shang Xinlei breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. "Because the tastes of Zhou and Liang are different, I was worried that you wouldn't like it."

The pharmacist suddenly understood why Yan Qing always ate lunch with the red snake. A beautiful girl who loved food and cared about whether you liked it or not, eating with her was a delightful experience, a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate. She had the charm to turn an ordinary lunch into a splendid meal. Compared to that, eating alone was like being fed.

But the next second, Shang Xinlei walked behind Yan Qing's chair, put her hands on the back of the chair, and her just friendly eyes turned into vigilance. She stared straight at Yao Shiyuan, like a snake coiled on a tree branch, flicking her tongue to declare that this was her territory and that he should leave after he had eaten and drunk his fill.

The pharmacist almost laughed, feeling that this was as childish as a child's behavior.

If you like someone, you'll stick close to them; if you like someone, you won't want them to be with anyone else.

"I think the sauce could be improved; the flavor isn't quite there yet," Yan Qing commented after finishing his meal. "It would be even better if there was peanut butter. Chi She, remember this: the ratio of sesame paste to peanut butter should be seven to three—"

"Remember my ass!" Shang Xinlei tapped Yan Qing on the head: "You're more convenient than me at buying peanut butter, go buy it yourself!"

The pharmacist stood up to leave: "Thank you for your hospitality. I'll be going back now."

"Wait, Black Wolf, I have something to tell you," Yan Qing said. "It's very important."

The pharmacist glanced at Yan Qing: "Will this discussion take a long time?"

"We'll have to talk for a while."

"Okay, then I'll come over and listen slowly."

The pharmacist walked in front of Yan Qing, her buttocks resting against the edge of the stone table, her body positioned high above Yan Qing, just like Shang Xinlei, who was standing behind her chair, surrounding Yan Qing. The two women locked eyes, their gazes seemingly sparking in the air.

She's actually quite naive.

Only Yan Qing felt like she was trapped, with people in front and behind her. If she tilted her head back, she would bump into Shang Xinlei's bouncing. If she raised her arm, she would touch Yaoshi Yuan's big breast. She was living in their shadow and dared not move.

(End of this chapter)