After hearing the final sentence of Ling Chuxi’s speech, Ling Yichen was stunned. After that he sat up straight. “Well, what is dignity, really?” quizzed Ling Yichen in a serious manner with a slight frown.
“It is mushroom soup,” announced Xia Zhuoyi as he brought back the pill furnace. He had already cleaned it.
“Yes, that’s right. In that case, I’ll go search for mushrooms,” said Ling Yichen as he nodded seriously and got up. Ethics and whatnots, it was too bad as they were already forgotten and abandoned.
“I’m going too. I’m worried that you only know how to find poisonous mushrooms.” Xia Zhuoyi put down the furnace and went off to look for mushrooms with Ling Yichen.
As Fu Chengyu looked at the two of them bantering with each other, he sent them off with watchful eyes and finally let out a small laugh. This was the first time he had seen such a Ling Yichen. It was also the first time he saw Ling Yichen joking with other people so seriously.
Fu Chengyu looked at Ling Chuxi. The light from the fire was reflected on the young maiden’s beautiful face. Her gleaming eyes were focused on roasting the rabbit that was on the fire stand. Was it this young maiden who had changed Ling Yichen? Was it all because of the young maiden before him that the unsmiling, poker-faced Ling Yichen had undergone such changes? What exactly was so different about Ling Chuxi that she could change Ling Yichen so much?
Fu Chengyu had to admit that this was a pleasant evening. Ling Chuxi’s skills in roasting was the best he had encountered thus far. And that fresh mushroom soup… He wasn’t sure if it was because it was boiled in the pill furnace, but it tasted extra fragrant and flavorful. However, Fu Chengyu noticed that after Ling Chuxi finished roasted the meat, she did not eat it herself first, nor did she give the meat to Ling Yichen and the rest of them first, but rather, she first gave some to the snow-white little fox by her side. The little fox seemed to be an ordinary wild beast. Was it just a pet Ling Chuxi kept for fun? But Fu Chengyu observed a different gaze in Ling Chuxi’s eyes when she cared for the fox. That little fox had to be of extreme importance to Ling Chuxi.
“Ah… I’m so full,” proclaimed Xia Zhuoyi as he rubbed his stomach while reminiscing on the taste of the mushroom soup he had freshly savored. He wasn’t done enjoying its delicious flavor yet. How was this counted as coming out for training at all? It was practically a vacation. It was too enjoyable!
“Tomorrow we will pick the herbs we need when we wake up,” announced Ling Chuxi with a yawn as she hugged Little White while lying on a bed made of leaves. The temperature here did not require them to set up tents as the ground was very warm.
“You can sleep first, senior brother. I’ll keep watch,” said Ling Yichen to Fu Chengyu with a small smile. “Don’t worry. If you experience any discomfort, just call for me or Chuxi. You have already witnessed the strength of Chuxi’s medical skills, so just rest well without worry.”
Fu Chengyu was stunned. He understood the meaning of Ling Yichen’s words that were asking him to sleep peacefully without worry of falling asleep without ever waking up again. Because, Ling Chuxi was here! Even if there were any unforeseen circumstances, Ling Chuxi could deal with it. Yichen’s trust toward this Ling Chuxi, just which level had it reached? Fu Chengyu could not help but glance over at Ling Chuxi who was already in a deep sleep. Seeing her quiet sleeping face without any defenses raised, he understood that Ling Chuxi was also very trusting towards Ling Yichen and Xia Zhuoyi.
Fu Chengyu slowly lay down and lifted his head to look at the obscure night sky. At present, his heart felt an odd peacefulness as he slowly closed his eyes and gradually drifted off into a deep sleep. On this night, Fu Chengyu fell into the best sleep he ever had. When he opened his eyes once again, it was already morning. Ling Chuxi was kneeling by the hot spring to wash her face while Ling Yichen was using the pill furnace to boil water. There were a few wild animal eggs contained inside it. Xia Zhuoyi was piling on firewood.
Such a quiet morning left Fu Chengyu feeling a sense of gentle warmth.