"Stop fooling around," Chu Huaixu directly refused.
A smile reappeared on his face, but that intriguing gaze was as if he was looking at a little fool.
This made Han Shuangjiang a bit annoyed.
Chu Huaixu looked at her and didn't reach for the high-held wine jar, but just looked into her beautiful eyes and said:
"Do you know what might happen if you go home and I deliver the wine? You might encounter danger."
Han Shuangjiang frowned and stared straight into his eyes, not avoiding in the slightest, and this ice mountain replied:
"Of course I know!"
We've talked this openly, and I'm not really stupid, so don't look at me like that!
She knew there was danger, which is why she chose to go home and let him seek help.
Chu Huaixu, seeing her stubborn manner, smiled even more.
"Do you think the danger men face is the same as the danger women face?"
After saying that, he glanced her up and down.
Meeting his gaze, Han Shuangjiang's delicate body tensed slightly for a moment, immediately understanding his meaning.
She hadn't expected Chu Huaixu to be so thorough in his considerations, even taking this into account.
"But..." she wanted to say something more.
No matter how you say it, the situation ultimately started because of her.
"No buts, do as I say!" His attitude was unyieldingly strong, even a bit fierce.
The cold-faced girl couldn't help but purse her lips and finally could only submit, leaving with a slightly annoyed mood.
"Ha! Little housekeeper, do you really want to take charge?" Chu Huaixu thought to himself, watching her walk away toward the east.
He felt no pressure or tension, carrying a bunch of ingredients back home while whistling.
In his view, having some indirect contact with Niu Yuanshan was harmless.
But at this stage, it's best to minimize direct contact.
Moreover, as a fellow member of the organization, initiating a request seemed belittling.
"And if I remember correctly, players previously uncovered that there are many messy rules within the organization."
"They've all been brainwashed, acting as if they must sacrifice themselves heroically."
Thinking rationally with conventional logic, even if undercover can't mutually cover for each other, they shouldn't cause trouble for one another.
Chu Huaixu speculated that not visiting in person might better fit the organization's operation logic.
Giving Niu Yuanshan a jar of wine from the Moon Country was enough.
Given the current trade situation between the two countries, this shouldn't be a flaw.
Just like on Earth, you can't accuse me of being a rich walkaway just because I'm using an iPhone, right?
Definitely not, definitely not.
Of course, there was something even more important.
Chu Huaixu was waiting for something.
After returning home, he placed the ingredients at the entrance of Han Shuangjiang's bamboo house.
"She said herself she'd cook, so of course, I'll leave it here. Anyway, I'm determined not to cook!"
"And no washing dishes either!" he resolved silently.
Just as he finished this, a system notification sounded in his ears.
"Here it comes!" Chu Huaixu felt a burst of joy in his heart, having exhausted his experience points.
"[Ding! You have triggered a passive quest - Revenge from Liu Chengqi!]"
"[Quest difficulty level: A Level!]"
...
...
On the other side, Han Shuangjiang had also arrived outside Niu Yuanshan's small courtyard.
As one of the nine main stewards of the Outer Sect, his small courtyard looked more upscale than the bamboo house.
How should I put it, it was quite elegant.
Chinese aesthetics are quite luxurious, and this small courtyard probably wasn't cheap to build.
When she reached the courtyard, Han Shuangjiang thought of something: "What if Steward Niu isn't home, what should I do?"
As a member of the Outer Sect's management, Niu Yuanshan also had affairs to manage.
If he's not home, he's most likely at the Steward Hall.
The Registered Disciple's manual has a map, and Han Shuangjiang knew where the Steward Hall was, not too far from here.
But either way, it's still time-consuming.
She regretted a little, thinking she spent too much time buying ingredients earlier, and was puzzled: "Why was he so leisurely along the way?"
Unbeknownst to her, Chu Huaixu was waiting for a task to trigger.
The girl lifted the wine jar in one hand and knocked on the courtyard door.
Before they parted, Chu Huaixu had given her some instructions, which she had mulled over along the way.
The courtyard door quickly opened, revealing a servant from within.
"Who might you be?" the servant asked.
"I'm Han Shuangjiang, here to visit Steward Niu," she said.
As soon as she spoke, a gentle voice came from within the courtyard: "Oh, it's Shuangjiang, come in."
Han Shuangjiang immediately felt relieved.
Although she had only met Niu Yuanshan once, she had a good impression of this middle-aged man, viewing him as a righteous and kind elder, fitting her image of the Daoist Sect's principled management.
Undercover Old Niu was currently fiddling with a plant in his small courtyard.
It was a Dragon Blood Grass, the main ingredient for making Hemostatic Pills.
Hemostatic Pills aren't considered precious, just a Lower Grade Spirit Pill.
He kept it here, not for alchemy, but purely because he found the Dragon Blood Grass visually pleasing, uniquely shaped, and vividly colored, red as blood!
Niu Yuanshan watched as Han Shuangjiang approached, his gaze gathering on the Er Lang Wine jar she was carrying.
He gave her a slight smile and a nod, then turned back to fiddle with the Dragon Blood Grass, though his eyes were subtly alert in the shadows!
"Er Lang Wine?" Niu Yuanshan squinted his eyes.
He, in the Daoist Sect, always acted cautiously, possessing highly refined spy awareness and qualities, a quintessentially high-sensitive individual.
There was no way he'd overlook a jar of wine from the Moon Country.
Once his expression returned to normal, Niu Yuanshan put down the scissors, turned to Han Shuangjiang, and said: "You're bringing a jar of wine for just a visit? Why bother?"
"Er Lang Wine? Isn't this made in the Moon Country?" he remarked.
Han Shuangjiang placed the wine jar on a stone table at the side, saying: "Reporting to steward, it was Chu Huaixu who had me bring it, saying it's too disrespectful to come empty-handed for the first visit."
Upon hearing this name, all of Niu Yuanshan's suspicions vanished.
In fact, he even felt somewhat comforted in his old age.
Is this just a jar of wine?
It's a tacit understanding between us two Moon Country people!
"Good kid, he was thoughtful," he said with a smile, complimenting the absent person.
Earlier, he suspected this newcomer might know his identity.
Now, it's akin to laying cards on the table.
Niu Yuanshan first sat on a stone bench, then signaled Han Shuangjiang to sit opposite him.
"By the way, why did you come alone?" Steward Niu naturally steered the conversation toward the organization's newcomer according to her words.
Han Shuangjiang remembered Chu Huaixu's instructions, knowing she couldn't reveal her purpose outright no matter how anxious she felt.
But she's not a fool, despite Chu Huaixu's gaze implying as much.
At this moment, a thought crossed her mind, recalling how Chu Huaixu had received a half palm strike from Liu Chengqi during their confrontation.
Thus, Han Shuangjiang immediately found the best entry point:
"Steward Niu, it's because he's a bit injured."
...
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