[No way, no way, no way there's actually some dumb person who believes what Aha says, right? That'd be way too funny]
The system prompt had already been changed into Aha's form...
'Aha, you really deserve to die! Next time we meet, I'll beat you up at least a few times no matter what!'
'But as the Aeon of Elation, how could being beaten up by mortals not count as joy?'
Zero, 'Wait, wouldn't that be rewarding Him instead…'
Those ambiguous expressions in the notes, he didn't believe a single word of it.
Come on, that's the Swordhead lord we're talking about, both beauty and strength combined. Her swordsmanship, no one in the Luofu can surpass.
There's no way Jingliu would like him, even less likely that she'd try to threaten him.
If it were him instead, with such overwhelming strength, why would you even bother with threats?
Wouldn't it be simpler just to speak with the sword?
Maybe there's some misunderstanding... should he return a gift? What to give? What could possibly compare to a dismembered Abundance abomination…
Zero thought absent-mindedly, didn't take the package seriously at all, and strolled leisurely to the hotpot place. But instead of seeing Baizhu who had invited him, he bumped into Baiheng and Jing Yuan.
"Zero? You actually came outside?"
Jing Yuan spotted him first, voice full of surprise.
Baiheng, who had been focused on her jade-signaling device, lifted her head upon hearing the familiar name. She immediately beamed and warmly invited, "You guys know each other too? Want to eat together?"
Zero shook his head, "I'm not here to eat, I'm here to work."
Baiheng, who can't walk three steps on the street without bumping into a friend, once again proved no exception. Hearing Zero's words, she slapped her thigh, delighted, "Working? Perfect!"
This top-tier social butterfly immediately whipped out her jade-signaler, already set on calling people on the spot.
"This place belongs to my childhood friend, I'll tell her, you join us, just so you can slack off with us... hey, she's already coming over!"
A white-haired fox-lady, wearing a red spaghetti-strap dress with a plunging neckline, the hem swaying as she walked.
Zero instinctively lifted his gaze upward, avoiding a certain awkward area, and instead focused intently on the newcomer's face.
Baizhu came briskly over, for some reason her smile unusually radiant. She first nodded politely to Baiheng and Jing Yuan, then teased with mock reproach, "Busy guy, you're really hard to book~"
Her voice and intonation were extremely strange, even the drawn-out ending sounded kinda...
'ummmm...'
'like an 18-turn mountain road.'
Zero hesitated to speak, "Boss, is your throat not feeling well?"
Baizhu, "..."
Her smile stiffened, then as if changing masks, she adjusted her expression, huffed at him, and raised a hand as if to poke his chest.
Zero quickly stepped back, dodging her hand.
Baiheng forced a smile beside them, chuckling awkwardly.
The two of them had grown up fighting, pulling each other's tail fur when it got heated, who would've thought that the snarling, tooth-bared childhood friend could turn into this kind of act-like-a-lady style?
Wearing fine makeup was one thing, everyone loves beauty, foxes included.
But that voice tone…
She knew Baizhu too well, so hearing her act coy felt unbearably awkward, like you'd rather dig yourself into the floor of the Xianzhou with your toes.
Baiheng earnestly said, "Don't act like that, you're scaring me."
Baizhu, "…oh."
Her tone suddenly went cold, then she turned to Zero, "I came to ask, a big shot is coming to the Luofu, do you want to join in?"
'Just for this?'
The shut-in couldn't believe it. If it can be solved with a jade-signaler, why say it face-to-face?
"Uh…" Zero's expression shifted, then he spoke, "Thanks for the thought, boss, but…"
Baizhu waved her hand impatiently, "Alright, alright, I know you're just a salted fish that won't flip over."
Baiheng cut her off, urging Zero, "You're here already, come eat with us!"
Jing Yuan, who usually helped cover for him, went against type this time. Instead of giving him an out, he egged it on, cheerfully hooking an arm around Zero's shoulders and dragging him into the hotpot restaurant.
"Yeah, you're already here, it'd be a shame not to eat."
The shut-in tried to struggle, but Baiheng blocked his escape route completely.
Zero muttered inwardly, 'Baiheng being a social extrovert was expected, but why was Jing Yuan going along with it too?'
Once they sat down, Zero saw them, one black-haired with dragon horns, and two with white hair.
In order, the Vidyadhara High Elder Imbibitor Lunae, Dan Feng; the famous Hundred-Smiths master Yingxing of the Crafts Commission.
And the red-eyed beauty with white hair, sitting by the window.
Zero stood beside them. With just a slight dip of his head, he could see the spring scenery that many longed for.
But his face didn't budge a bit. He only looked into Jingliu's eyes, giving her a small smile.
Outwardly calm, but inside he couldn't help thinking, 'You Xianzhou women and your outfits… so, so unique…'
Maybe others adapt fine, but he only felt… completely out of his depth.
Normally, when sitting across from them, he never noticed these details.
Now, sitting close, plus the height difference, his peripheral vision caught everything effortlessly.
Zero, '…Too much. This isn't the kind of situation a lifelong single shut-in dog should have to face.'
After their eyes met, Jingliu froze a moment, then quickly looked away. Her expression became especially focused, burying herself in the menu.
Baiheng and Jing Yuan automatically took up the role of the shut-in's mouthpiece. One by one they introduced Zero to the others.
Unable to get a word in, Zero quickly adjusted his face, putting on a flawless smile. He nodded politely to the High Elder and Yingxing when their gazes met, then looked to Jing Yuan.
Jing Yuan grinned, his expression overly exaggerated, perfectly copying Zero's own vacant, dumb look when slacking.
Zero got it, helpless inside.
'No wonder he's acting so strange… this kid still hasn't given up on getting his master to help!'
"You two don't have any food restrictions, right?"
Baiheng snuggled right up next to Jingliu, heads together looking at the menu, then lifted her head to ask, "Zero, recommend some signature dishes."
"If you can handle spicy, get the nine-inch duck soup, shredded potato threads. If not, try the shrimp paste with fish roe..."
Zero glanced at the table, saw dipping sauces set before the three who had arrived early, and asked Baiheng, "I'll go with Jing Yuan to mix sauces, Baiheng, which ones do you want?"
Baiheng looked troubled, "I can't decideee…"
After drinking with the two girls before, Zero already knew the best cure for choice paralysis.
'Just get everything, done.'
Zero, "…Then I'll make you both the oil dish and sesame paste."
Baiheng chuckled, watching Zero drag Jing Yuan off.
Her hands weren't idle either, she ordered the signature dishes he'd suggested. Then she laughed happily and asked the others, "This cracks me up, have you heard the Cloud Knights joke?"
Baiheng's fox ears twitched with amusement as she eagerly shared the story Jing Yuan had just told her.
"There was this young guy, who went through countless hardships to earn merit. Taking the chance, he sought out his superior, wanting to give his girlfriend the most precious, most special gift..."
Jingliu, Dan Feng, and Yingxing humored her, all setting down their appetizers and giving her their full attention.
"Who could have guessed, this gift he worked so hard for, pulling all the strings to bring back to the Luofu, when given to his girlfriend, she tossed it aside like garbage, and even dumped him without mercy!"
Baiheng's voice rose and fell theatrically, drawing it out without revealing the punchline.
"Guess what the man gave as a gift?"
Yingxing spoke first, "A recyclable weapon."
Weapons produced by the Crafts Commission follow strict processing protocols. Other than those that can be reforged, what else would you go to a superior to request?
As the Hundred-Smiths who knew forging best, he couldn't think of any other option.
Dan Feng stayed silent a moment, then said with difficulty, "A weapon, right."
Jingliu agreed, shaking her head with a small laugh, "How could a weapon ever please a girl?"
Baiheng squinted mischievously, shaking her head, rejecting all three answers.
"All wrong."
The white-haired fox girl gleefully revealed the answer, chirping, "Actually, he gave her a dead Abundance abomination! None of you expected that, right, who would ever give such a ridiculous gift hahahaha!"
Baiheng laughed so hard she bent over, completely oblivious to her best friend's stiffened expression.
Dan Feng and Yingxing instinctively glanced at Jingliu.
Baiheng went on, twisting the knife, "Forget just breaking up, if she didn't bring her entire clan to beat that Cloud Knight up, it was only because that girl had a good temper!"
Jingliu, "…"
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