translator: baumkuchen
Lu Qingjiu really couldn’t keep listening any longer. He placed down the vegetable he was holding, stormed out of the kitchen and gave the three people chatting in the courtyard a fake smile. “What are you guys talking about?”
“He’s asking me to do something.” Bai Yuehu was unexpectedly very frank.
“Do what?” Lu Qingjiu truly couldn’t think of what thing you could ask Bai Yuehu to do for you for just five hundred yuan.
Seeing how Lu Qingjiu looked like he was protecting his child, Shaohao laughed. “Don’t worry, I was just asking him to help me eat something.”
“Eat what?” Lu Qingjiu was like a parent watching his child being abducted, his gaze full of suspicion.
“A group of creatures known as Youyan have appeared in my territory,” Shaohao said, “They’re hunting and killing my birds. Because there’s too many of them, dealing with them is a little troublesome, so I wanted to ask Bai Yuehu for some help.”
Lu Qingjiu asked, “How much are you offering?”
Shaohao said, “Usually it’s a thousand per favour, this time I’m adding another five hundred.” So it was one thousand five hundred.
Lu Qingjiu, “One thousand five hundred? Do these Youyan taste good?” He was asking Bai Yuehu.
Bai Yuehu shook his head. “Incredibly disgusting.”
Lu Qingjiu, “How is it compared to the corpse of the Rain Master’s Concubine?”
Bai Yuehu considered it for a moment. “Slightly better.” He paused for a moment, then added, “At least the meat is soft.”
A pitying look directed at Bai Yuehu appeared on Lu Qingjiu’s face. What kind of life had his family’s fox spirit been living……
Shaohao, clearly already seeing that Lu Qingjiu was Bai Yuehu’s food provider, waved his hand a little helplessly. “Alright, I know you won’t let him do it, but at least let me bum lunch off you.”
Lu Qingjiu said, “Alright. Today just so happens to be Yin Xun’s birthday, you and Jiufeng can stay and eat.”
Hearing this, Jiufeng began to happily kick up a ruckus with her eight other heads once more, only reluctantly quieting down after Bai Yuehu became annoyed with her noisiness.
After eating a few snacks, Shaohao stopped and placed his mask back on.
Yin Xun asked, curious, if he’d tattooed those patterns onto himself. Shaohao shook his head. “No, I have them naturally. Some people are scared by them, so I covered them.”
Unlike Bai Yuehu and Jiufeng, who kept themselves completely separate from humanity, Shaohao seemed to live in human society, and Lu Qingjiu even noticed that the car he’d driven to his door was a Porsche supercar. This car that was stopped outside his house had an air that was completely at odds with the simplicity of their home.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
However, this made Lu Qingjiu a little curious about why some mythical creatures could integrate into human society, while others were unable to. After he asked this question, Shaohao replied with a smile, “Because those people already lived amongst people in mythology, or their original bodies were human.”
Oe Hlcuple jrxfv, “Vb lo sbe’gf j wsatlmji mgfjaegf atja lrc’a mibrf ab tewjcr, sbe mjc’a lcafugjaf lcab tewjc rbmlfas?”
Vtjbtjb, “Qfii…… Rba delaf.” Frlcu Djl Tefte jr jc fzjwqif, tf fzqijlcfv, “Mbg fzjwqif, lo Djl Tefte kfgf ab kbgx lc tewjc rbmlfas, atf foobga tf kbeiv tjnf ab fzqfcv ralii kbeivc’a yf fcbeut obg tlw ab fjgc jcsatlcu.”
Lu Qingjiu said, “That’s probably just because he hasn’t found the right job……” With just that beautiful face of his, it was more than enough for Bai Yuehu to become a “flower vase” celebrity. Even if he didn’t go into acting, he should still be very popular as a model or something.
“He doesn’t have any choice.” Shaohao shrugged. “He doesn’t have an ID card, neither does he have a residence certificate, nor does he have any academic qualifications……” Seeing Bai Yuehu’s face become gloomier and gloomier, Shaohao quickly amended, “Of course, these things aren’t very important.”
Bai Yuehu didn’t speak. He picked up a piece of dried sweet potato and bit it in half with a crack.
Shaohao laughed awkwardly, his neck feeling a little cold. He really had gotten a bit complacent, taking advantage of how Bai Yuehu wouldn’t dare to get angry with Lu Qingjiu around to play around without regard for his own life for a bit.
The more Lu Qingjiu listened, the sadder he felt. Just how much injustice had his family’s fox spirit suffered over the years? In the past, he couldn’t even afford to buy the seeds to grow vegetables, and when he passed baozi shops, he could only swallow down his saliva and force himself past. As he thought about it like that, a fatherly pity and love was born in his heart. He wanted nothing more to take Bai Yuehu into his arms, stroke his head and tell him that he would always have his father.
Even though Shaohao didn’t manage to get Bai Yuehu to work for him, he still managed to get a lunch, which seemed quite satisfactory.
After Lu Qingjiu had Bai Yuehu reject Shaohao’s invitation, only then could he head back into the kitchen, reassured, and cook the rest of the dishes.
It had already been a very long time since Yin Xun had celebrated his birthday. When the cake was brought out, he was so grateful that his eyes fill with hot tears. Lu Qingjiu placed the paper crown he’d made in advance on Yin Xun’s head, then lit the candles on the cake. The group of them began to sing him the Happy Birthday song.
Yin Xun sat there, sobbing, as he thanked Lu Qingjiu for giving him the chance to start a new life.
Lu Qingjiu, “……” Nevermind, let’s not fight with a child.
The cake was a durian mille crepe cake. Lu Qingjiu had finished making it the night before, then placed it in the fridge to cool. Now after taking it out, he cut it into several pieces and served it to everyone after Yin Xun blew out the candles. The making of this mille crepe cake had been very successful. It looked really good, and the cream in between the layers was flavoured with durian, giving it a strong taste.
After eating the appetiser, the cake, next was a table full of proper meals. There were all kinds of chicken, duck and fish. Lu Qingjiu had made one of every dish Yin Xun liked to eat.
After taking a bite of Lu Qingjiu’s cooking, an amazed look appeared on Shaohao’s face. “Your cooking is very good.”
Lu Qingjiu was a little bashful. “It’s all because the vegetables Bai Yuehu planted are delicious, and this is Conglong meat, it tastes delicious even if I just casually stir fry it.”
Shaohao smiled. “You’re too modest.”
Lu Qingjiu didn’t say anything else. Actually, he really did feel like his cooking skills were very ordinary. It was mainly because he usually had nothing else to do, so all his energy was invested into cooking. Adding the special ingredients, it was normal for it to taste better than ordinary food.
Throughout all of this, Jiufeng and Bai Yuehu didn’t say a single word. The two of them ate like they were fighting.
Shaohao’s appetite was like that of a human. He put down his chopsticks at almost the same time as Lu Qingjiu. Lu Qingjiu was a little shocked. “You’re not eating any more?”
“I’m full.” Shaohao wiped his mouth. “If your ever free, come by and visit my home’s bird park.”
Lu Qingjiu accepted, “Okay.”
After filling his stomach, Yin Xun said that he couldn’t eat any more as he rubbed his stomach, and collapsed into a pancake on his chair. Lu Qingjiu noticed, since he’d stepped into the door, Shaohao seemed to be very interested in Yin Xun. Yin Xun, this dense idiot, hadn’t noticed at all.
“Is he very special?” Lu Qingjiu asked.
Shaohao, realising that Lu Qingjiu was asking him this, smiled. “No, I just feel like he smells very tempting.”
Upon hearing this, Yin Xun, who’d originally collapsed and had been on the verge of falling asleep, instantly snapped to attention. He wasn’t so deluded as to think that Shaohao had some other kind of interest in him. As a human-shaped snack, he was well aware of the harsh reality of him being at the bottom of the food chain. This Shaohao praising him as smelling tempting, was basically equivalent to him praising him as delicious.
Lu Qingjiu asked, “Have you had roulingzhi before?”
Shaohao said, “I have.” He licked his lips. “It tasted rather good.” As he said this, he smiled at Yin Xun. Even though this smile was very gentle, it made Yin Xun so nervous that his eyes were bugging out of his sockets.
Lu Qingjiu said, “He’s my friend, so don’t think about it anymore, eat something else.”
Shaohao said, “Alright.”
The conversation ended there. Shaohao, who’d eaten his fill, and Jiufeng, who still wanted to keep eating, got up and made their goodbyes. Only after Lu Qingjiu watched the two walk to the door, get into their car, and disappear into the distance, did he turn back and re-enter his house.
Seeing Shaohao had left, Yin Xun said that this person was really a beast in human clothing, he’d actually openly discussed whether he’d taste good right to his face……
Lu Qingjiu found it a little funny, but worried that Yin Xun would get angry, he held back his laugh and patted his idiot son on the shoulder.
After eating his fill, Bai Yuehu went back to the courtyard to lie down. Lu Qingjiu, thinking of something, went to his room and grabbed his coat, then called Yin Xun to come out to the courtyard as well.
“I’ve decided to give you guys a bit of pocket money.” Lu Qingjiu pulled his wallet out from his coat pocket, thinking, his family’s fox spirit and little mountain god were already so big, they definitely needed to have a bit of pocket money on them, otherwise, if another Shaohao suddenly appeared, and they got tricked away by just five hundred yuan, what would he do then? Usually, he was the one who did the buying, so for a while, he hadn’t noticed. Shaohao had actually helped to bring this matter to his attention.
“Money? Why are you giving us money?” Yin Xun stared at Lu Qingjiu in confusion, clearly not understanding why Lu Qingjiu was bringing this up so suddenly.
Lu Qingjiu said, “You can use it to buy snacks, or other things you want to buy. Our family is doing very well right now, we have no lack of food, so if you want to buy anything, just buy it, there’s no need to hold back.” Them being able to live like this, was really all thanks to Miss Ghost in the inner courtyard. Miss Ghost had really done so much for this family……
Yin Xun still wanted to say something, but seeing Lu Qingjiu’s mind was made up, he didn’t continue to insist.
Bai Yuehu originally also wanted to refuse, but seeing the serious expression on Lu Qingjiu’s face, he didn’t say the words that he wanted to say.
Lu Qingjiu said, “You’ll get two thousand yuan as pocket money every month. If it’s not enough, just ask me for more. You’re not allowed to randomly accept work—— Before taking up odd jobs like Shaohao’s, you must tell me first.” He earnestly urged, “Don’t get cheated away by five hundred yuan.”
Bai Yuehu started to speak, then stopped.
As Yin Xun looked at all that red, shiny RMB, his hands began to shake slightly. He said, “This is too much……” He’d never seen so much money before. Usually, it was Lu Qingjiu paying, and he usually wouldn’t spend more than a hundred yuan buying ingredients. When he made large purchases, he would usually just scan a QR code.
Bai Yuehu had a serious look on his face. “Yes, it’s too much.”
Lu Qingjiu let out a long sigh. “Take it!” He couldn’t bear to watch his two children suffer grievances. Bai Yuehu was willing to eat a meal of mud for a thousand five hundred from Shaohao, this was something he completely couldn’t accept. His family’s fox spirit was so cute and fluffy, how could he let him do such rough work!
Even though both Yin Xun and Bai Yuehu said that they couldn’t accept such a huge sum of money, at Lu Qingjiu’s insistence, they still accepted it in the end. Yin Xun said that he wanted to deposit it into his bank, while because Bai Yuehu didn’t have an ID card, he found an old can from the junk room, then, after cleaning the can, he carefully counted out the money and delicately stuffed it inside.
Lu Qingjiu said, “Right, Yuehu, even if you don’t have an ID card, don’t you have any other way of making money?” In his mind, dragons were always a representative of wealth, not at all like Bai Yuehu, so poor that he couldn’t even afford baozi.
Bai Yuehu said, “I can’t make money directly from humans.”
Lu Qingjiu, “Why?”
Bai Yuehu, “I’ll get hungry.”
Lu Qingjiu was a little confused.
“The more I make, the more hungry I get,” Bai Yuehu explained slowly, “It’s better if I just do nothing.” Before Lu Qingjiu came, he was practically starving every day. Food made by humans would have human energy, and was very good for satisfying hunger, but he didn’t have any money, so he couldn’t afford it, and thus could only eat mythical creatures like Wenyao to satisfy his hunger.
Lu Qingjiu asked, “Then will you get hungry from me giving you money?”
Bai Yuehu shook his head.
Only then was Lu Qingjiu put at ease. He looked at Bai Yuehu with loving pity in his gaze, thinking, how had these two people survived without him? He definitely needed to treat them well, and give them the warmest fatherly care…… Uh, no, friendship.
The author has something to say:
Bai Yuehu: Even though durians are smelly, as long as you think about the price, then you’ll feel like it’s delicious.
Yin Xun: Right right right right.
Lu Qingjiu: ……???
our little milk bull by Avis (@bewarethemandragora)
also, there’s a wikipedia page about Shaohao if you want to know more of the mythology surrounding him!
Thanks for the chapter! I feel so bad for BYH now (´°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥ω°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥｀)
I really wanna know the secret in Lu Qingjiu’s cooking. Maybe I can steal it too.
Thank you for the chapter!!
Woah~ I want that much pocket money too xD
Thx for the ch (ㅅ˘ㅂ˘)
thank you for the chapter and fanart ❤️ I wonder why LQ is different… (maybe its because he has a family status?)
Money from his wife sooooo I guess it is approved??
Thanks for the chapter and for your hard work <3
its a meal cooked with love, ofc it’ll be very delicious ;3ccc
For a millisecond I thought we were getting a side cp. oh well.
Thanks for the great translation ♥️
Anyone feeling like shipping Shaohao x Yin Xun? It’s definitely that kind of eat and interest lol
“I’m full.” Shaohao wiped his mouth. “If your ever free, come by and visit my home’s bird park.” It should be you’re, not your. Thank you very much for the chapter! Perhaps a potential boyfriend for Yin Xun?
So how did Bai Yuehu get a drivers license if he doesn’t have any papers?
LQJ display of “fatherly” love so cute😆😆😆
Didn’t Bai Yuehu said he has driver’s license, recidence I.D. chuchuchu before so he can drive the car with Yin Xun to the market?
why do i feel like that one thousand five hundred isn’t just about yuan at all?
This is really rare. A poor but powerful ML 😂One of the things I really appreciate in this novel. They didn’t follow the “overbearing rich gong” trope.