Chapter 304: The Flavor of Humanity in the Dish

Chapter 304: The Flavor of Humanity in the Dish

Qin Shili never expected this outcome.

She thought that him being willing to take a bite of the stir-fried cabbage already showed her enough respect, but to her surprise, he even claimed it was his favorite dish.

It was odd. There was no way he could genuinely say such a thing.

So why did he?

Could it be that he had already realized the dish wasn’t made by me and was deliberately flattering?

Clearly, the appearance and taste of this stir-fried cabbage fell far short compared to the other dishes. It couldn’t possibly compare.

Filled with doubt, Qin Shili asked Lin Nuo, “Why? Clearly, this stir-fried cabbage is the worst; I admit that too.”

Lin Nuo replied nonchalantly, “The dish not only has flavor, but also a human touch.”

“I don’t understand.”

Qin Shili was baffled but still picked up the cabbage and brought it to his mouth.

Lin Nuo continued to chew the cabbage slowly. He was currently extremely fatigued, and at this rate, it would take him a long while to finish this meal.

“Water.”

“Eat slower.”

Qin Shili fetched a cup of water and fed it to Lin Nuo.

Lin Nuo let out a sigh of relief. Even swallowing cabbage felt like such bad luck.

The side effects of the high-quality lethal potion were intense. He felt like a complete wreck now; moving wasn’t easy, except for his mouth, which seemed to be doing okay.

“I’m already eating slowly,” Lin Nuo retorted.

“Just take your time. No one is rushing you. What do you mean by ‘human touch’?”

Qin Shili paid close attention to Lin Nuo’s words. Every time she heard profound statements, she longed to dig deeper.

“It’s hard to explain. The other dishes taste good but feel like a master’s perfunctory effort. The cabbage may taste inferior, but it carries the sincerity of an apprentice. To me, the cabbage’s sincerity aligns more with my palate.”

Lin Nuo smirked slightly, mumbling, “Each dish didn’t come from the same hand; I can still tell.”

Lin Nuo spoke frankly; he simply wasn’t one for flattery.

“You’re really impressive; I can’t hide anything from you.”

Qin Shili sighed softly. Indeed, to save time, each dish was prepared by a different chef. But she had tasted them, and they were all tailored to local preferences, so the flavors really weren’t that different. It seemed reasonable to say they had been made by one person.

She asked, “So which dish do you think I made?”

“I’m not sure, but I hope this cabbage was yours.”

“Is that so? But it’s clearly the most unappetizing one; are you saying I’m not good enough to make a decent dish?”

Qin Shili intentionally questioned him, but inside she was elated. After all, his acknowledgment had to be gratifying.

“I didn’t mean it like that; I just like the honest flavor.”

Lin Nuo said earnestly. That’s just how he was; even a sip of water prompted him to reflect as if he had experienced the trials of a world-weary elder, rambling on about this and that.

“I don’t want to hear it; just consider it my nonsense.”

“No, it’s quite nice.”

Qin Shili was very willing to listen to Lin Nuo’s ramblings. She always felt that something deeper was hidden in this man’s words.

Perhaps it was these unwritten stories that shaped his mature mindset and strategies.

In the five years since he entered the Xuanyun Sect, his actions gave off the impression of an immature, callow boy.

Since the last spiritual realm test, he had undergone significant changes, achieving remarkable feats while exemplifying the demeanor of a low-key master.

She wondered if he had pretended all these years or if he encountered a turning point where he experienced life’s complexities in humiliation that led to all these changes.

And where was this turning point?

Maybe it was five years ago, four years ago, three years ago, or even longer. No one knew this hidden turning point in his past.

She missed his past but could grasp his future better. Listening more to him would bring her closer to his profound wisdom.

“What else do you want to eat?”

“Let’s have some stir-fried meat.”

“What about the cabbage?”

“Let’s mix them; I hope there’s more cabbage next time.”

“Alright, noted.”

Qin Shili appeared cold as ice on the surface, but inside, she was bursting with joy. Not only was she praised for the cabbage, but he also wanted her to cook more next time. It felt even better than leveling up her cultivation!

Of course, she wasn’t good at expressing her emotions, and mustering even a slight smile was her utmost effort.

Lin Nuo was chewing slowly, and this meal took a long time to finish. While the dishes cooled down, Qin Shili would warm them up again, trying her best to ensure he had warm food.

If the dish was too hot, she would instinctively blow on it, tasting it herself before feeding him. This was quite rare for her, who usually had an aloof pride.

After what felt like forever, the meal finally ended, and Lin Nuo let out a comfortable burp.

“I’ll go wash the dishes.”

“Thank you.”

Qin Shili took the plates out, saying she would wash them, but in reality, she left them for the servants.

However, she wouldn’t return that quickly; she waited until the servants finished washing the dishes before she came back, trying to display the appearance of a maid.

Once the servants were done, Qin Shili returned to her room. The first thing she did was lock the door, going in and out, slowly getting used to it.

Back in her room, she sat back down beside Lin Nuo on his bed.

She began to get to the point, “Why are you like this? That commotion was because of you, right? What did you go through?”

“Let’s put it this way. I used all my strength to kill the person using the Blood Curse, and they surrounded me with an array, so you couldn’t see what was happening inside.”

“I told you it was dangerous! Seeing you like this, I was worried you’d get hurt.”

“That’s why I asked you to take me away. But I didn’t expect you’d bring me here.”

“Don’t you like it? If you don’t, there’s nothing I can do. I won’t be sending you back for now,” Qin Shili replied.

“No, it was unexpected. I didn’t think you’d come to take care of me. I remember when I pursued you, and you ignored me.”

“Why don’t you pursue me now?”

“Forget it, I have other things to pursue for now.”

“Who are you pursuing? Which one? Liu Shuqin? Su Kexin? Or Ruo’er? Is it Luo Yi? Or perhaps Mu Yiting, the one you shared time with? Or is it someone else entirely?”

Qin Shili spoke rapidly, listing off names in a single breath.

Lin Nuo sighed, “I’m not chasing a person.”

“Is your taste that heavy?”

“…”

Would it be so hard to have a decent conversation? Why does it sound like I’ve got some weird XP now?

“You can understand it as pursuing an ideal.”

“What ideal? To pacify the world?”

“That’s one way to look at it.”

Do I tell you that I’ve become a wicked dark lord intent on turning the world into a hellish nightmare? Would you believe that?

If you did, I might just disappear.

A world ruled by villains is also a sort of peace, no doubts about it.

“I’m sleepy; I’m planning to go to bed. You should leave now.”

“Okay.”

Qin Shili helped Lin Nuo adjust himself but didn’t cover him with the blanket.

“I can’t let go of my worries, so I’ll stay here. Conveniently, I’m a bit tired as well.”

She took off her high heels, climbed onto Lin Nuo’s big bed, lying beside him and pulled the blanket over herself.