Chapter 287
When Su Chan woke up the next morning and saw that the other side of the bed was empty, she panicked . Please don't let last night be a dream… Please…
Su Chan padded out of the bedroom, her heart in her throat .
Relief flooded her when the smell of vegetable soup assaulted her nostrils .
"Beloved?" she called out into the empty living room .
A moment later, Yundong emerged from the kitchen with an apron tied to his waist . He was smiling . "Morning, princess! Did you sleep well?"
Su Chan bobbed her head up and down . "Mm!"
She had slept extremely well, like a tiny little fox cub .
Her answer must have pleased Yundong greatly as his smile grew even wider . Su Chan smiled back at him . For the first time in days, she had slept through the night without having a single nightmare . Maybe Yundong had cast a spell on her .
Yundong broke their eye contact with a quick glance to the kitchen . "Breakfast should be done in a jiffy . " He looked back towards her . "Why don't you go wash up first?"
Su Chan nodded and padded back into her room to begin her morning routine .
Inside the bathroom, she spent some time to really look at herself in the mirror . Guilt and remorse had taken away her usual cheeriness . Admittedly, she hadn't been taking good care of herself . Right now, she looked presentable, but she wasn't looking her best . She decided that she would spare a few extra minutes for her morning routine today .
True to Yundong's word, breakfast was ready by the time Su Chan walked out . Two steaming bowls of rice sat on the table . A pair of chopsticks laid beside each bowl . At the center of the table was a large bowl of vegetable soup . Yundong was already seated in one of the stools, waiting for her to join him . As she padded towards the table, Su Chan couldn't help but wonder if the soup would taste better today .
***
"Are we heading back to Tiannan City after this?" Su Chan slurped a spoonful of vegetable soup . She really had no idea what came over her last night—this soup tasted absolutely heavenly .
Yundong chewed his food quietly, then placed his rice bowl on the table . He was still deep in thought by the time he finished chewing .
"Yundong?"
"Hmm…" Yundong scratched his chin . "I was thinking we should stop by the Fox Zen School first before heading back . " He looked towards her . "Are you okay with that?"
Su Chan lowered her own rice bowl .
Right . Yundong had a sect to worry about now . She couldn't help the warm feeling that rose to her chest at the thought . It felt so good to see one of her many fantasies come true . She had always wondered what it would be like if Yundong took over the leadership of the Fox Zen School .
"I think that's a great idea!" Su Chan beamed at Yundong . Plus, it would definitely be a great help if they revisited the school to look for clues that might lead them to Master's location . The Eventide Reaper probably wouldn't be so careless as to leave any breadcrumbs behind, but it wouldn't hurt to try .
Yundong hummed . "I kinda left the school in a hurry after the Great Six's army retreated . " Yundong's eyes darted towards her face . "I need to make sure that things at the school are in order first before we head back to Tiannan City . "
"Mm!" Su Chan picked up her bowl and began munching on her rice again . Look at him, acting like a decent leader already .
Yundong reached over and began ladling out another bowl of soup for Su Chan .
"I'm glad to see that your appetite has returned," Yundong said, placing her soup bowl in front of her .
Su Chan stared at the soup bowl for a moment, then at her tiny rice bowl .
Gah . Might as well .
Yundong laughed when Su Chan dumped the contents of her rice bowl into her soup bowl . There . Vegetable Soup Rice . Chan'er Style . Yum .
Su Chan grabbed a porcelain spoon and helped herself to her perfect homemade recipe .
After five mouthfuls, she realized that she must've been really out of her mind last night .
The soup tasted heavenly .
***
Breakfast conversation was interrupted by an insistent banging on their door . The noise nearly caused Su Chan to drop her spoon . She looked towards Yundong, who was already out of his stool, his back straight and his eyes alert .
"Are you expecting anyone?" he asked without taking his eyes off the door .
"No . " Su Chan shook her head even though Yundong couldn't possibly see her . "Master never has guests . "
The knocks sounded again .
"Hello!!! Anybody home?!"
It was the voice of a lady .
Yundong shot her a questioning look .
Su Chan shook her head again . "I don't recognize the voice . "
Three more knocks sounded . "Hello?!"
Yundong gave Su Chan a pointed look . "Stay sharp . "
Su Chan nodded and got up from her stool .
They answered the door together . Well, technically Yundong did . Su Chan hid behind his back the whole time .
Their morning visitor was a middle-aged lady whom Su Chan had never met before . Was this one of Master's acquaintances? But how could this be? Master never had guests .
Su Chan poked her head out from behind Yundong to take a closer look at the lady .
Nope . Definitely never seen her before…
"Ah . Good morning," the lady greeted .
"Morning," Yundong answered cordially . "How may I help you, Ma'am?"
"Oh . I'm just looking for Miss Ning Wushuang . " The lady's eyes lingered on Su Chan's face for a moment before moving on to glance behind Yundong . "Is she here?"
Yundong's body shifted . Su Chan looked up and saw the questioning look in his eyes .
"Did your master go by an alias?" he whispered .
"Ning Wushuang is my master's birth name," she whispered back .
Yundong nodded and turned back around to face the lady .
"Is Miss Ning in? I have some important matters to discuss with her . "
"Miss Ning is currently away," Yundong said . "But I'm her close relative . Whatever you wish to discuss with her, you can discuss it with me . "
The lady studied Yundong for a moment or two .
"Very well, then . " The lady looked past Yundong's shoulder before returning to his face . "May I come in?"
"Of course, Ma'am . " Yundong stepped aside to let the lady through .
***
"I'll get straight to the point, then," the lady said, then laid her leather satchel on the living room table .
She opened the bag and pulled out several sheets of paper .
The papers, Su Chan noticed, were printed on both sides . And they were held together by a tiny metal fastener—a cute little contraption with two prongs . What Su Chan couldn't figure out was how the lady had managed to insert the fastener into the papers without tearing the papers' edges .
Mortals and their infinite cleverness .
The lady's voice ended Su Chan's reverie .
"Miss Ning's lease for this apartment is up . "
Yundong took the papers from the lady's hands and started reading those tiny words .
"So you're the landlady," Yundong said while keeping her eyes glued to the pages .
"That's correct . As you can see in the contract…" The landlady pointed at the papers . "Miss Ning's lease is for two years . And if you take a look at the date on the last page…" The landlady trailed off .
Yundong flipped to the last page and glanced at the bottom of the page . "The lease is up today . "
Panic coursed through Su Chan . What did that mean? Was Master about to lose the corn-door?
"Indeed . " The landlady sighed . "I've been trying to get in touch with Miss Ning for days, but she isn't picking up my calls . That's why I decided to drop by the place with the contract to see if she wishes to extend her lease . "
"I see," Yundong said, handing the papers back to the landlady .
The landlady took the papers and regarded Yundong for a moment . "So . Can you get in touch with Miss Ning for me?" The landlady snapped her satchel shut . "If you can't, then I'm afraid I'll have to terminate her lease . "
Yundong nodded . "I understand, Ma'am . " Yundong held Su Chan's gaze . "If you don't mind, can you give us both a moment to—"
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
Yundong's gaze snapped towards the door . After a moment, he turned back to Su Chan .
Who? he mouthed the word to Su Chan .
No idea, Su Chan mouthed back .
The banging on the door sounded again .
"Hello, pretty girl! Are you in there? Good morning! I brought breakfast for you!"