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About half an hour later, Ji Mo returned carrying a plastic bag with the supermarket logo printed on it.

There are no fresh vegetables available at the local market, so it's better to buy them at the supermarket's fresh produce section, where the prices are more affordable.

However, compared to the number of dishes that Jiuchonglou had previously announced, the amount of food in the plastic bag seemed slightly less.

"I forgot my phone," Ji Mo explained, looking down at the living room as she changed her shoes. "Luckily, I had some money in my wallet, otherwise I really wouldn't have been able to buy one."

The wallet naturally refers to the Golden Snake Wallet. The biggest drawback of this item is that it only accepts physical or symbolic items. If you want to transfer money through online banking, you have to apply for the transfer service online in advance.

Ji Mo has never had a good impression of private banks, and Jin She Bank is even considered a foreign company in Wuhai.

As far as he knew, if there was a war between the two small worlds, Wuhai Realm preferred to use the condemnation of the war as a reason to freeze or even confiscate the funds stored in Wuhai Realm by the leaders or entrepreneurs of the other small world.

It's good enough as a convenient tool for exchanging money; as for saving large sums of money? Forget about it.

"Xiao Jiu?" Ji Mo explained for a long time but no one responded, so he looked up.

The sofa was empty; Jiu Chonglou was nowhere to be seen. Instead, his phone lay unharmed on the table in front of the sofa.

He put his things down and searched every room in the house, including the balcony. He even stood on the edge of the balcony and looked up, but he didn't see those familiar long legs.

Are you really not home?

Ji Mo took back his phone and dialed Jiu Chonglou's number directly.

"Hello, the user you dialed is not in service area..."

Hearing the familiar notification sound, Ji Mo dreamt of the past two years when she often couldn't find Jiu Chong Lou.

Rather, it's more accurate to say that Xiao Jiu had an unexpectedly long time to spend with him this time. Usually, even when she stays, she only stays for about a week before disappearing again.

Ji Mo made one last attempt, facing the empty living room:

"If I keep hiding, I'll have no choice but to go to the flower and bird market and buy a pair of flying pliers for company."

Ji Mo waited a few seconds to make sure no familiar, exasperated voice came from any corner.

It seems that the person is truly gone.

"If I heard that on a normal day, I'd at least glare at you like a knife," Ji Mo muttered.

It sounds abstract, but in fact, Jiu Chonglou's jealousy of the birds around Ji Mo is far stronger than that of humans.

Both Chen Zhuzhu and Tasha showed obvious emotional inclination towards Ji Mo. What was Jiu Chonglou's reaction? He didn't care, and even teased her, saying that they could talk about a love that would last until death.

Ji Mo had accompanied others to the flower and bird market a few times. After Jiu Chonglou found out, he didn't speak to him for a whole day. His gaze, as calm as a stagnant pool, lingered for an entire day, more terrifying than a sinister threat.

This led to the spotted dove accidentally flying into the house, and Ji Mo found it difficult to feed it, fearing that the silly dove would become attached to him and cause Jiu Chonglou to feel resentful if he saw it.

This differential treatment... makes it seem as if human opposite sexes aren't competitors at all, but birds are.

"He must have had something important to do to leave in such a hurry, without even leaving a message." Ji Mo said this, but he was not sure in his heart.

He was a little worried that Jiu Chonglou was getting angrier the more he thought about it and was leaving on purpose.

Now that things have come to this, there's no point in thinking about it anymore if we can't get in touch with them. Ji Mo slowly walked into the kitchen and placed the ingredients on the cutting board.

We've already bought the ingredients; we can't just leave them unused.

Because fresh vegetables couldn't be bought at this time, I decided to make do for today and cook a big meal tomorrow. Ji Mo bought some common and simple ingredients that could be stir-fried and served, except for the stewed chicken which took a little longer to cook.

Ji Mo sat alone at the dining table, scooped a spoonful of chicken soup, and frowned slightly: "It seems the cooking time is still a bit off, and there's not enough salt."

That's true. When I was in school, I mostly ate in the cafeteria. Although I haven't been at school lately, Xiao Jiu has been preparing all my meals. I haven't cooked properly in a long time, so it's inevitable that my skills have deteriorated.

In the past, at this time, there would always be someone chattering away nearby, either discussing where to go next or complaining about the bizarre news that had recently happened in the myriad realms.

Now, he is all alone.

Halfway through the meal, Ji Mo lost his appetite and, like many modern people, started scrolling through his phone at the table.

After scrolling through his contacts for a long time, Ji Mo realized that his social circle was exceptionally small.

The person who suddenly showed up and chatted with everyone else, excluding Jiu Chonglou, was actually only my roommate Mo Ruqiu.

Others were either unsuitable or had injuries that made it inconvenient to bother them.

[Sad Song]: Are you there? I want to give Xiao Jiu a gift, do you have any recommendations?

【Love Tea】: You know your brother is a vampire. It's already hard enough for him to hide from his mother when she breaks into his bedroom and pull the window during the day. Do you really want him to hide from the light bulbs at night?

Ah, instant reply.

Seeing the familiar tone of voice, Ji Mo felt a sense of relief, and even his loneliness was somewhat dispelled.

[Sad Song]: You play a lot of second-hand games, I'd like to ask for your advice.

【Love Tea】: Oh my god, you actually tried to steal the idea of ​​my wife giving me a gift!

[Sad Song]: So, do you have any recommendations? She's not very interested in things like lipstick; she prefers more unique and eye-catching gifts.

[Love Tea]: No, my two wives are both decent people. The most gifts they give are themselves. If you really want a reference, I can only recommend a life-size gift box.

[Love Tea]: If you want more, there's a self-binding technique tutorial video. Do you want it?

Ji Mo's fingers paused slightly as he instantly recalled a Valentine's Day when Mo Ruqiu, having apparently played through some game's storyline, enthusiastically boasted to him that his wives had gotten into a fight. It all started because his wife, who was hiding in a gift box, was left alone with the empty box. After waiting all night, she discovered that one of her rivals was even more shameless, abandoning the gift box altogether and transforming into the gift box, which she then tied up and hid in the bedroom, effectively monopolizing him for the entire night.

[Sad Song]: ...Let's skip this one.

【Love Tea】: Well, I have no choice.

【Love Tea】: Also, if you're going to give a gift, give it properly. What do you mean by "refreshing"? What, was the gift she gave you refreshing?

[A Sad Song]: ...I guess it counts?

Mo Ruqiu, on the other hand, strongly doubted Ji Mo's evaluation criteria, saying that with Ji Mo's old-fashioned personality, he might regard the normal actions of young people as some kind of rebellious or strange behavior.

[Sad Song]: She once gave me a one-day trial card for a tabletop role-playing game and two 10-sided dice. After I rolled the character's stats and filled them in, she accepted all the dice results that day.

[A Sad Song]: But there's something wrong with those dice; the probability of rolling extreme values ​​is much higher than the normal value.

[Sad Song]: I still haven't used it.

【Love Tea】: Hmm... that's not that surprising. She doesn't seem to really want to play tabletop RPG with you. It's understandable that she might add weight to the dice. Whether it's a big failure or a big success, she's just looking for an excuse to tease you.

[Sad Song]: Well said, but I wasn't even eighteen yet. She really knew how to use the "poverty-stricken" trick on me.

【Love Tea】: So what if you drink it? It's just a psychological suggestion; it's not like it's actually going to ruin your fortune.

Ji Mo looked at the message "A pathetic, thick barrier has already separated us" that was about to be sent, thought for a moment, and decided to delete it all and change it to a string of... even if he might be ridiculed for "You really are an old man who believes in this kind of feudal superstition."

Indeed, only by experiencing similar things can one empathize with the suffering of those who came before. At this moment, Ji Mo wanted to have a chat with You Tianding.

Sigh, just an ordinary person.

"But this does remind me... Hmm, Xiao Jiu should still recognize this gift, right?" Ji Mo felt that as long as Jiu Chonglou was in a good mood at the time, he shouldn't have said something like, "You're going to use the sword of the previous dynasty to kill the officials of the present dynasty."

Although it was supposed to be a gift for him, both the blank table of characters for the role-playing game and the two dice were ordinary items.

With a little skill, Ji Mo can easily throw a successful throw.

After all, what truly works is not the dice themselves, but Jiu Chonglou's own will.

Well, the successful persuasion by Sanlian should be enough...

Ji Mo's thoughts were wandering, and he didn't notice his phone vibrating for a while.

Mo Ruqiu seemed to have piqued his interest in the topic and was asking him if he had any other thoughtful gifts. When Ji Mo didn't reply for a while, he simply started a voice call.

I have a feeling this guy is watching me make fun of me. Ji Mo squinted and refused to answer the call, instead relaying the message in text.

[A Sad Song]: Let me think... Oh right, back in my freshman year, she was obsessed with martial arts films and thought the young master standing with a fan was especially handsome. She also felt that I was in a bad mood at that time, so she comforted me with a birthday gift.

【Love Tea】: And then she gave you a folding fan with an inscription? Hmm, it suits your temperament quite well, but I've never seen you take it out before.

[A Sad Song]: No, she gave me a standing electric fan.

【Xiangsi Tea】: ...Damn, I remember now, isn't it that one in the corner of the dorm? I was just saying that the dorm already has air conditioning, why did you buy such a big standing fan?

[A Sad Song]: Well, her reason was to celebrate my successful application to study archaeology. Based on the story of a certain famous person in the archaeology field, this kind of fan is more in line with the professional style, and she also hopes that I can have everything go smoothly like that famous person.

【Love Tea】: Do we in the archaeological community have such extraordinary people?

[Sad Song]: Yes, his catchphrase is "bad luck, bad luck, bad luck".

【Love Tea】: 999

[Sad Song]: Oh right, and last year's birthday present was speed bumps, um, just a set of speed bumps.

【Love Tea】：？？？？？？

【Love Tea】: Is she hinting that you should buy a car?

[Sad Song]: This... is a bit hard to explain. I can only say that she probably wasn't implying she wanted a car.

Ji Mo got so engrossed in sharing that she left her bowl and chopsticks aside for a long time, and the chicken soup went from being scalding hot to lukewarm, so she simply stopped eating.

Ji Mo smiled and remained silent as Mo Ruqiu kept asking why. He couldn't very well tell her that he had just reached the sixth rank and couldn't find a suitable sparring partner in the Weifan Realm, could he?

Thinking back to that time, Jiu Chonglou, hugging the speed bump, puffed out his cheeks and warned, "Let me make this clear beforehand, the speed bump doesn't include me. I just don't want to fight you."

Ji Mo smiled and added, "Besides these gifts, she will also give out a 10,000 yuan red envelope," before going to wash the dishes.

When I returned, the original chat history had been pushed to who-knows-where, and the entire screen was filled with Mo Ruqiu's envious, jealous, and hateful messages, a dazzling array of anime emojis that were like knives, and the word "xinei" was the most frequently used.

[A Sad Song]: I'm back, I just went to wash the dishes.

Another string of emojis flooded the screen.

Ji Mo pretended not to see the emoji and continued typing: "So, any recommendations?"

【Love Tea】: No, you've successfully made me feel that if the birthday gifts you give her are all the designer lipsticks and bags that young girls like, it would be really perfunctory.

[A Sad Song]: ...Well, I wouldn't say it's perfunctory.

【Love Tea】: ? You didn't always send it like this, did you?

【A sad song】: No.

【Love Tea】: I knew it!

[A Sad Song]: Where did I get the money to buy designer bags back then?

Before death came, he had some suspicions that Jiu Chonglou was suspicious, but neither side exposed the other's pretense and maintained a normal friendship.

Obviously, a normal friend wouldn't just give you 100,000 yuan, not even for your birthday.

After Death descended, Jiu Chonglou took the opportunity to invite him to join the Sanchuan Tailor Shop. He no longer had to find excuses to improve his life; instead, he was paid a salary and occasionally given red envelopes.

"Take the money, this is the living allowance for regular employees. Why so much? We're just giving it to you, you're not asking us to pay it back."

Then it was Ji Mo's turn to try to conceal the fact that he was rich, so as not to be misunderstood.

Recalling the shock he felt upon seeing the amount back then, and his current nonchalance when money is mentioned, Ji Mo sighed, "Since when did my threshold for large sums of money become so high?"

While Ji Mo was expressing his feelings, Mo Ruqiu was verbally and nominally threatening to sever ties.

【Love Tea】: What kind of script is this where the old-fashioned classmate uses his hands to buy his way into the heart of a rich woman? I want one too!

【Love Tea】: I can't take it anymore! Does she really not have any best friends? I really need a friend of the opposite sex, or even the same sex, who would reciprocate tenfold if I gave her a regular gift!

[Sad Song]: ...It wasn't that ordinary. Later, when I had some ability, I also gave her diamonds, and she seemed quite happy.

【Love Tea】: Real Diamonds?

[Sad Song]: Uh, artificial.

Yes, artificial diamonds are made by molding carbon.

This also made him realize that Jiu Chonglou really liked shiny things.

All that matters to Jiuchonglou is that it shines brightly; its intrinsic value is not a major concern.

"It seems that high-level superhumans can all treat money like dirt. Well, they've all mastered the laws of the world, and apart from power and poverty, most of them have achieved financial freedom."

"...Wait, does this count as financial freedom?"

Ji Mo pondered for a while and realized that he had indeed achieved financial freedom. The money he had saved over the years was enough to buy a nearly 200-square-meter apartment in the capital. If he moved to a third- or fourth-tier city, it would be enough for an ordinary person to live comfortably for a lifetime.

It's only been a few years! The missions they carried out weren't particularly dangerous, and Sanchuan's treatment was indeed excellent.

Looking at the chat screen again, Mo Ruqiu was also struggling with her decision.

【Love Tea】: Although I don’t want to admit it, artificial diamonds really killed the game, and I can’t think of a better gift for a moment.

【Love Tea】: She doesn't like low-class things, and she doesn't mind if it's handmade. You can't just send her the skull of the prey you hunted yourself, like those bloodthirsty battle-crazed girls in the second game, can you?

[A Sad Song]: Good idea.

【Love Tea】: Are you serious? What kind of creature's skull are you sending? A human skull? Hunting lions and tigers won't do either, they're protected animals.

【Love Tea】: I can't exactly send you animal skulls, can I? What, do you remember that day I said I'd give you a double gift, a bunch of rabbits in the morning and a pot of spicy rabbit heads that you made yourself in the afternoon?

【Love Tea】: Damn, regardless of whether she's the kind of person who would say "Bunny is so cute, how can we eat bunny" or not, you're definitely going to get beaten up.

[A Sad Song]: I have a thorn armor.

【Love Tea】: 6

【Love Tea】: Alright, since you've made up your mind to die, what else can I, as your brother, say? On that day next year, I'll bring a pot of wine to your grave.

[Love Tea]: I was originally thinking of asking if I could visit you soon, but I don't need to now. I'm afraid the blood from the spicy rabbit head will splatter on me.

[A Sad Song]: You want to come again? What did you do to upset your aunt this time?

【Love Tea】: What are you saying? I don't like hearing that. Take it back immediately.

【Love Tea】: It's as if every time I say I want to visit you, it's because I angered my mom, and I have to bring you out to avoid the storm.

[A Sad Song]: Who didn't go home for Mother's Day this year? Instead, they went to a riverside restaurant near the school to eat a Mother's Day set meal. There was a Cocoa doll on the opposite table. They even took a picture and uploaded it to their WeChat Moments, where their mother saw it.

That day, after Mo Ruqiu discovered that her mother had replied to that post on WeChat Moments, she immediately shifted the blame and replied, claiming that she had gone to Haidilao with Ji Mo and that Ji Mo had bought the Cocoa doll.

"That's right, my roommate is just as obsessed with online games as I am."

After making that solemn vow, Mo Ruqiu ran to Ji Mo's bedside and shouted loudly for her father to save her.

"Dad, my dear dad, please save your son! My allowance for next month depends entirely on your reply!"

Just thinking about that memory makes Ji Mo want to vomit, like an old man from Cao Cao, who doesn't know where to begin.

……

On the other side, at Mo Ruqiu's house.

Mo Ruqiu replied, "This time is different. My mom is going on a long trip, and I'm bored at home alone." Then she put down her phone and lay down on the soft bedding.

The previous gift-giving event was still replaying in his mind, and the corner of his mouth twitched involuntarily.

Ji Mo is usually as dull as a brick in an ancient tomb, but his ideas are quite... flexible?

When Mo Ruqiu saw Ji Mo say that sending the skull was a good idea, she was startled, fearing that he might have some idea of ​​appearing on a legal program.

Isn't that what everyone says? The people who seem most reliable are often the ones who are most likely to make mistakes without being caught.

Luckily, I'm quick-witted, and I quickly came up with a spicy rabbit head recipe to sway his nascent idea.

You can tell from the line "I have a Thornmail" that it was a joke.

Mo Ruqiu made wild guesses, unaware that Ji Mo was serious about every word he said in response.

dong dong dong...

For the past half hour, there have been sounds of heavy objects being moved coming from the living room.

Seeing that Ji Mo had said she was getting off work and there was no one to talk to, Mo Ruqiu slipped on her slippers and went out.

The living room lights were on, and a figure was busy in the open space of the entryway with his back to him.

The woman was petite and wore a clean, even slightly faded, indigo-blue Taoist robe. The wide sleeves were neatly bound with matching cloth strips, revealing a slender, fair wrist.

Her long, jet-black hair, streaked with white, was loosely tied into a bun at the back of her head, secured with a simple wooden hairpin, with a few stray strands hanging down her neck.

If you turn around, you'll find that she's quite young, looking about fourteen or fifteen years old, but exuding a remarkably mature aura.

He looks just like the youthful-looking Taoist master often described in novels.

That was Mo Ruqiu's mother, Mo Qianqian, the president of the China Taoist Association.

Mo Ruqiu took his mother's surname, and he didn't dislike the surname.

Beside Mo Qianqian's feet was an open suitcase containing several folded Taoist robes and some miscellaneous items, but the stereotypical peach wood sword was nowhere to be seen.

"Mom, how long are you going to that meeting this time?"

"It could take anywhere from half a month to two months." Mo Qianqian examined the room carefully, then casually asked, "Who were you chatting with just now? You were laughing the whole time."

"Just chatting with a friend, someone you know, your roommate Ji Mo."

"He's a good person; it'll be good for you to communicate with him more."

"You've never even met her, yet you praise her every day." Mo Ruqiu put on a wronged face. "Even your eldest son has never heard so many compliments."

Although Ji Mo politely addressed Mo Qianqian as "Auntie," Mo Ruqiu often used Ji Mo as a shield to deflect Mo Qianqian's suspicions.

In reality, Ji Mo and Mo Qianqian had never truly met each other; they both used Mo Ruqiu as a transit point to get to know each other.

"One is influenced by one's company; the type of friends a person keeps can give some indication of their character." Mo Qianqian finally finished packing her luggage, breathed a sigh of relief, and explained to Mo Ruqiu, "Although I don't know him, I know the people around him."

"Who is it?" This was the first time Mo Ruqiu had ever heard of Mo Qianqian knowing someone close to Ji Mo.

But thinking about it, it makes sense. When Mom first mentioned Ji Mo, she seemed to know him quite well.

Are they Ji Mo's parents? Mo Ruqiu guessed, as he had heard some things about the past from Ji Mo.

Although primary school teacher, police officer, and Taoist priest are three completely unrelated professions, they may have actually crossed paths.

"Nine-Story Tower".

"Huh? He has a rich childhood sweetheart?"

"Green plum? Isn't that Mother?"

A hint of surprise appeared on her elegant and aloof face.

"What are you talking about? She's the same age as Ji Mo, how can she be my mother? Besides, we're not related by blood!" Mo Ruqiu said, laughing and crying at the same time. She explained, "She can't possibly be like you, Mom, who has a naturally youthful face and takes good care of herself to look young, can she? She's really my childhood sweetheart, someone I've known since we were little."

Then he remembered the gifts that Ji Mo had mentioned earlier.

Judging from all indications, Jiu Chonglou can no longer be described as quirky and clever; it would be more accurate to call him a fun-loving person.

Could this funny guy have noticed that my mom's appearance doesn't match her age and pretended to be her friend?

Seeing her mother lost in thought and not answering, Mo Ruqiu felt even more certain that she was getting closer to the truth.

I thought you were my peer, but it turns out you're my junior?

Gee tut.

It took Mo Qianqian a while to figure out the cause and effect. She glanced at her son's face, feeling that he had misunderstood something, but she didn't care. Instead, she reminded him, "When I'm not here, don't forget to take your medicine on time. If you run out of medicine or lose it, go to Ji Mo. He can get medicine from you too."

"Remember, if you can't breathe, you must take your medicine."