Uninvited Guest

“Uncle, the pork belly today looks exceptionally good.”
“Ah, Xǔ, you have a keen eye!”
“This is prime pork belly.”
“Care for some?”
“Alright, I’ll take two catties.”

His father had always been engrossed in work, forcing Xǔ Tiānlí to become independent from a young age.

He had learned to shop for groceries early on.

Over time, he had grown familiar with many of the stall owners.

This often allowed him to procure fresher ingredients at a more reasonable price.

“Xǔ, you seem to be in excellent spirits lately.”
“Your complexion looks much healthier.”

The butcher, an older man, remarked with a smile as he packed the pork belly Xǔ Tiānlí had purchased.

“I rarely see you buy pork belly.”
“What prompted you to crave it today?”

Xǔ Tiānlí offered a slight smile.

“I’m merely experimenting with a new recipe.”
“Is it for the children at the orphanage?”
“Hmm… something like that.”
“It’s not for a girlfriend, is it?” The butcher suddenly winked conspiratorially, raising an eyebrow.
“Cough, cough, Uncle, what are you talking about?”
“I’ve been single for eighteen years.”
“Where would I find a girlfriend?”

His only fiancée had even scorned him, breaking off their engagement publicly.

He was now thoroughly and completely single.

“Really?” The butcher scrutinized his expression.
“From your Uncle’s many years of experience and keen eye, I’d say no matter who that person is, you’re clearly putting your heart into it.”
“Otherwise, you wouldn’t be trying so hard.”

‘Because that’s my good Master,’ Xǔ Tiānlí mused inwardly, offering no further explanation.

Indeed, ever since Qín Yuè had become a regular at his dinner table, Xǔ Tiānlí had grown even more dedicated to cooking.

Nearly two months had passed, and he had a fairly good grasp of his Master’s preferences, though the results were somewhat unexpected.

He had initially assumed that a distinguished individual like Qín Yuè, who shunned fame and had lived in seclusion for years, would prefer light flavors.

However, after observing her for so long, Xǔ Tiānlí discovered she seemed to favor richer, bolder tastes.

If the table was laden with light and refreshing dishes, Qín Yuè would eat them with an impassive face throughout, offering neither praise nor complaint.

She would simply finish her meal in silence and then attend to her own affairs.

However, with dishes like spicy stir-fried pork or Mapo Tofu, Xǔ Tiānlí would noticeably observe Qín Yuè’s appetite increase significantly compared to usual.

The most obvious difference was her ability to eat an extra large bowl of rice.

Furthermore, at Qín Yuè’s suggestion, Xǔ Tiānlí had even hosted a barbecue party in the orphanage’s open yard one week prior.

While tending to the children, he had also discreetly watched his Master quietly sprinkle more pepper onto her grilled skewers.

To be honest, seeing Qín Yuè in that manner, Xǔ Tiānlí found himself thinking she was rather adorable.

His usually aloof Master was utterly powerless against spicy food, even going so far as to secretly add seasonings to avoid ruining her image in front of others.

If there had been a case of ice-cold beer next to the grill, she would likely have eaten and drunk heartily, like a middle-aged office worker liberated from confinement.

The contrast was simply perfect; his Master truly possessed such a charming side.

To satisfy her even more, Xǔ Tiānlí began to research additional dishes that would cater to her palate.

Today marked his first attempt at making twice-cooked pork.

“I’ve got the pork belly and chilies.”
“Now I just need to buy some onions.”

Xǔ Tiānlí, following online recipes and trusting his own culinary skills, believed that even his first attempt at twice-cooked pork wouldn’t turn out badly.

On his way home, Xǔ Tiānlí occasionally encountered a group of audacious house servants.

These servants never greeted him kindly, constantly taunting him about his broken engagement.

The old Xǔ Tiānlí would have likely erupted in a furious rage and shown them a thing or two.

But after spending more time with Qín Yuè, when Xǔ Tiānlí again heard others call him useless, his heart remained surprisingly calm.

He merely glanced at the ignorant ruffians, thinking to himself that wasting time here was less important than rushing home to prepare a delicious meal for his Master.

However, some people simply courted trouble.

As he quickened his pace, one of them deliberately twisted around and bumped into him.

Their shoulders collided.

Xǔ Tiānlí was unharmed, but the other person nearly stumbled to the ground.

“Hiss, you scrawny good-for-nothing, you’re surprisingly heavy!”
“He’s just obsessed with eating, isn’t he?”
“His fiancée probably ran away, scared off by his monstrous appetite.”

The unpleasant laughter grated on Xǔ Tiānlí’s eardrums, reminding him of a saying: When you can no longer endure, there is no need to endure.

He didn’t want to cause trouble, but that didn’t mean he was afraid of it.

As a Tier-1 Spirit Wielder, he could easily string up these picky ruffians and beat them with one hand.

In just a minute, their smiles twisted into expressions of pure agony.

Xǔ Tiānlí remained silent throughout, a single glance from him enough to make the bruised and swollen ruffians kneel and beg for mercy, continuously apologizing for their earlier behavior.

“Will you dare to do it again next time?”
“No, never again!”

Xǔ Tiānlí wasted no more time, jogging away from the area.

He wasn’t afraid of being seen, but rather worried about wasting too much time and failing to serve his Master a delicious new dish promptly.

Upon returning to the orphanage, Xǔ Tiānlí first inquired with the little ones playing in the yard.

He learned that Mù Qīngyǔ had gone out and had not yet returned.

There were times like these, occasionally.

Qín Yuè didn’t always stay at the orphanage to teach him.

She also had her own matters to attend to.

Regardless of what she was doing, Mù Qīngyǔ always returned before mealtime.

Xǔ Tiānlí swiftly processed the ingredients he had bought, washing the fresh pork belly and slicing it.

Other ingredients were prepared according to steps and neatly arranged to avoid any fumbling later.

Just as he was watching a recipe video, contemplating his next move, a sudden commotion erupted outside.

‘Is Master back?’

No, that sound didn’t seem like his Master.

Xǔ Tiānlí wiped his hands and rushed out, stopping abruptly as he exited the kitchen door.

The children were huddled together, clearly nervous about the new arrivals.

Xǔ Tiānlí’s heart quickened for a moment, for the visitors were not Qín Yuè, but rather unwelcome guests.

“Where is Xǔ Tiānlí?”
“We need to see him, now, immediately.”

Both visitors were impeccably dressed middle-aged men with prominent wrinkles and arrogant expressions, as if issuing commands to the entire orphanage.

“You two from the Four Sacred Courts, what can I do for you?”

Xǔ Tiānlí remembered these two.

They had represented Mù Qīngyǔ on the day of the broken engagement, claiming to be elders of the Four Sacred Courts.

Upon seeing him approach, the two uninvited guests from the Four Sacred Courts did not soften their expressions.

Instead, they scrutinized him with a gaze usually reserved for children.

“If Mù Qīngyǔ regrets her decision and wishes to go back on her word, then I can only say it’s too late.”
“Boy, what beautiful dream are you having now?” one of them sneered.
“We are here to find someone, but make no mistake, that person is not you.”
“Then why are you here?” Xǔ Tiānlí narrowed his eyes slightly.
“We are here for our Young Miss.”
“What?”