The Husky and His White Cat Shizun

Chapter 56: This Master Is Making Dumplings!

Mo Ran's expression seemed to falter at this question.

Has he thought about me?

Despite the deep-seated enmity from their previous lives that could not be reconciled, Chu Wanning had yet to do anything to betray him in this lifetime. Instead, he had protected Mo Ran time and again, even at the expense of his own health.

After a long pause, Mo Ran slowly replied, "Mm... He was injured several times all because of me..."

Hearing this, Chu Wanning felt a slight warmth in his heart. Just as he was about to say something to Mo Ran, the latter continued with the second half of his sentence.

"The debt of gratitude is too great. I only hope to help him recover quickly so that I don't owe him too much."

That warm feeling in his heart seemed to have died, frozen motionless like ice.

Chu Wanning stood there stiffly for a moment before realizing how ridiculous he had been.

Mo Ran had long said that it was merely a master-disciple relationship between them. It was he himself who had allowed a glimmer of hope to cloud his judgment, throwing himself into the fire blindly. In the end, it was no one's fault but his own if he ended up burnt to ashes.

Chu Wanning smiled, but it was likely an unattractive one, as if he had just been rebuffed.

"You shouldn't overthink it either. Since you're his disciple, there's no question of owing him anything. It's all his own choice."

Mo Ran rolled his eyes at him. "You, at such a young age, always put on a serious face and talk like an adult." With that, he chuckled and playfully tousled Chu Wanning's hair.

As Chu Wanning was being petted, he started off laughing, but gradually, tears welled up in his eyes. Gazing at the bright, youthful face before him, he whispered, "Mo Ran, I'm not playing with you anymore. Let go."

Mo Ran's brain was too simple to notice the change in Chu Wanning's expression. Moreover, he was so used to joking around with "Xia Sini" like this. Thus, he continued to pinch Chu Wanning's smooth cheeks and gently pull up the corners of his mouth, making a comical face.

"Pfft, why is Little Junior Brother angry again?"

Looking into the other's eyes, Chu Wanning saw the childish reflection of himself. The forced smile was grotesque, like that of a pitiful and amusing monster.

"Let go."

Unaware of the shift in mood, Mo Ran continued to tease him as usual. "Alright, alright, don't be mad anymore. I won't say you act like an adult from now on, okay? Come on, let's make up. Call me Big Brother~"

"Let... go..."

"Be good, call me Senior Brother, and I'll buy you some osmanthus cakes later," Chu Wanning said, his eyelashes fluttering slightly as he closed his eyes, his voice finally sounding hoarse.

"Mo Ran, I'm not joking. I really don't want to play with you anymore. Let go of me, please let go," he frowned, his slender brows knitting together. Though he didn't shed tears with his eyes closed, his throat was already choked with emotion. "Mo Ran, it hurts..."

It hurt so much. With someone occupying his heart, he had carefully concealed them in the deepest corner of his soul. It didn't matter if they disliked him, as long as he could secretly cherish and protect that person from afar, even if he couldn't have them—anything was better than this.

But all the tenderness belonged to others; all that was left for him were thorns. He kept them close in his heart, and every time that person moved, it felt like his chest was being pierced with blood gushing out, day after day. Old scars had yet to heal before new wounds appeared.

He realized that no matter how much he didn't seek to possess, as long as this person remained in his heart, the pain would persist each day.

Noticing something amiss, Mo Ran finally released his grip, his hands fumbling as he touched Chu Wanning's slightly flushed face, unsure of what to do. At that moment, Chu Wanning thought that perhaps it was good to be smaller, after all.

At least he could openly cry out in pain, show a hint of vulnerability.

At least he could make Mo Ran look at him with concern.

That was something he had never dared to dream of.

In the blink of an eye, New Year's Eve arrived. It was the liveliest and most relaxed time of the year on the Peak of Life and Death. The disciples pasted peach blossom charms and swept away snow while the head chef at the Mother of Forgetfulness Hall worked tirelessly from dawn till dusk, preparing a lavish feast for the end of the year. Each elder used their own specialized spells to add to the festive atmosphere. For instance, Elder Greedy Wolf transformed a pond of spring water into fine wine. Elder Xuan Ji released over three thousand firelight mice she had trained, assigning them to guard various parts of the sect, providing warmth and comfort to everyone. Elder Luchen enchanted the snowmen he built, causing them to run wildly across the mountain, shouting "Happy New Year" to anyone they encountered.

No one expected Elder Yu Heng to do anything. In fact, he was still in seclusion, having not appeared before the others for a long time.

Only Xue Meng stood by the window, gazing at the falling hibiscus petals in the sky, deep in thought. "After today, we'll be leaving. It seems we won't have the chance to see him before we go... I wonder what Master is doing right now?"

"Definitely cultivating," Mo Ran mumbled with an apple in his mouth. "Speaking of which, all the elders will be putting on performances tonight. Too bad, if Master were here, he'd have to participate as well. I wonder what he could perform."

Finished speaking, he chuckled to himself. "Probably how to 'get angry'?"

Xue Meng glared at him. "Why not 'how to beat up Mo Weiyu'?"

Despite Xue Meng's biting joke during the New Year, Mo Ran wasn't upset. Suddenly, he remembered something and asked, "By the way, did you see Little Junior Brother today?"

"You mean Xia Sini?" Xue Meng replied. "No, I didn't. After all, he's a disciple of Xuan Ji. If he hangs out with us every day, Xuan Ji wouldn't mind, but if he spends the New Year with us too, his master would probably be furious."

Mo Ran laughed heartily. "You're right."

At the Red Lotus Water Pavilion, the setting sun cast its warm glow upon the scene.

Chu Wanning held a medicinal pill in his hand, examining it meticulously. Xue Zhengyong sat across from him. Without being invited to tea by Chu Wanning, he had poured himself a full pot and unceremoniously taken a pastry from someone else's plate.

Chu Wanning gave him a sharp glance, but Xue Zhengyong was oblivious, chewing on the pastry as he spoke, "Yu Heng, stop looking. Although Greedy Wolf's tongue is venomous, his heart is not wicked. He wouldn't harm you."

"…Lord, where did that thought come from?" Chu Wanning replied coolly, "I was merely pondering why, since Elder Greedy Wolf has gone through the effort of creating a pill that can restore me to my human form for a day, he didn't simply refine more? They could be consumed when needed."

"Oh, it's not that simple," Xue Zhengyong said with a sigh. "The herbs required for this medicine are extremely rare. He has already exhausted his supply after refining just three pills. It's not a sustainable solution."

"So be it," Chu Wanning murmured. "I see. Thank him for me."

"Haha," Xue Zhengyong waved it off. "The two of you are quite alike, actually. You both have sharp tongues, but kind hearts."

Chu Wanning shot him a glance but didn't respond. He poured himself a cup of tea and took the pill that would restore his former appearance for a day.

Xue Zhengyong was about to take another flower cake when Chu Wanning stopped him by holding his hand.

"What's the matter?" the Lord asked, displeased.

Chu Wanning said, "Mine."

Xue Zhengyong: "…"

As night fell, the disciples of Mount Life and Death arrived at Meng Po Hall one after another. Each elder sat with their apprentices, making dumplings together. Snowmen and Firelight Mice weaved through the crowd, passing salt shakers, chili powder, scallion dishes, or other miscellaneous items.

Every table was bustling with laughter and joy, except for Elder Yu Heng's table, where all the apprentices were present, but their master was absent.

Xue Meng glanced beside him and sighed, "I miss Master."

Shi Mo spoke in a gentle tone, "Didn't our Master write a letter a few days ago, telling us to celebrate the festival well and practice diligently in Peach Blossom Land? He promised he would come to see us when he exits seclusion, didn't he?"

"That's true, but when will he ever come out of seclusion..."

As he sighed in despair, his gaze wandered listlessly across the entrance hall. Suddenly, he froze, then sat up straight like a startled cat, his eyes widening as he stared at the entrance of the Hall of Mother Nai.

The color drained from his face only to rush back, giving Xue Meng a rosy glow. His eyes sparkled with excitement as he stammered, unable to form coherent words, "I-I-I... it's..."

Mo Ran assumed it was one of Elder Xuan Ji's exotic beasts that had escaped to liven things up, and found Xue Meng's reaction amusing due to his limited experience. He couldn't help but laugh, saying, "What is it? You look like you've seen a deity. What could be so surprising—"

He turned with a cheerful smile, lifting his gaze nonchalantly.

The word "strange" simply refused to pass his lips.

Beyond the wide-open entrance of the Hall of the Lady of Forgetfulness, in the twilight snowfall, Chu Wanning stood, clad in white robes and draped in a bright red cloak. He elegantly tilted his body to one side, closing his oil-paper umbrella and shaking off the fine layer of snow. Then, as his eyelashes curled upward, a pair of sharp and elongated phoenix eyes emerged, giving them all a casual yet piercing glance.

In that one glance, when Mo Ran became aware, he realized his heart was racing, his palms were sweaty, and his breathing had involuntarily softened.

The Hall of the Lady of Forgetfulness gradually fell silent. Whenever Chu Wanning appeared, the disciples dared not make a sound; moreover, after being in seclusion for so long, his appearance on this New Year's Eve amidst the snowy night added an extra touch of frosty elegance to his already fair and handsome face, making his brows appear even darker and more profound.

Mo Ran rose to his feet, muttering, "Master..."

Xue Meng sprang up like a kitten, dashing towards Chu Wanning while shouting "Master!" before burying himself in Chu Wanning's embrace.

Chu Wanning's clothes were icy cold from the snow, but Xue Meng seemed to have embraced a March peach blossom or an October charcoal fire, exclaiming, "Master, you're finally out! I thought I wouldn't see you before I left. You do still care about us, Master, Master..."

Shi Mo also approached, kneeling respectfully with a joyful expression. "Greetings, Master, on your emergence from seclusion."

Chu Wanning patted Xue Meng's head and nodded at Shi Mo. "I'm late, but let's go. I'll spend the New Year's Eve with you all."

He took his seat among them, positioning himself beside Xue Meng and directly across from Mo Ran.

Upon Chu Wanning's arrival, the initial excitement and joy subsided, and everyone returned to their usual disciplined demeanor, sitting straight as their Master did. An eerie silence fell upon the table.

In the center of the table were various ingredients like flour, minced meat, eggs, along with a brand new copper coin.

Mo Ran was the most skilled cook among them, so it was decided that he should take charge.

"Well then, I suppose I'll have to accept this honor," Mo Ran said with a smile. "Do any of you know how to roll out dough?"

No one responded.

"Alright then, I'll handle the dough," Mo Ran continued. "Shi Mo, your wontons are the best. The filling for dumplings is similar, so could you prepare the filling?"

Shi Mo hesitated before saying, "There are still some differences... I'm afraid I might not do it justice."

Chu Wanning spoke calmly, "As long as it's edible, there's no need to worry too much."

Shi Mo smiled. "Alright, then."

"Xue Meng, just assist with handing over water or rolling up sleeves. Just make sure you don't end up causing more trouble than you solve."

Xue Meng: "..............."

"As for Shifu," Mo Ran said with a smile, "Shifu, would you like to sit by the side and enjoy some tea?"

Chu Wanning replied coldly, "I'll be making dumplings."

"Huh?" Mo Ran was startled, thinking he had gone deaf. "What are you going to do?"

"I said, I'm going to make dumplings," Chu Wanning repeated.

Mo Ran: "..............."

Suddenly, he wished he really was deaf.

Author's Note:

Some little darlings have asked about the background setting of the story. Although it has been mentioned here and there and will be discussed further later on, there hasn't been a comprehensive introduction since the world-building is rather dull. I'm afraid it might put you to sleep if I dump it all at once, 2333~ So today, in this 'Author's Note,' I'll introduce part of it for those who are interested.

Firstly, regarding the Upper and Lower cultivation realms: The "Upper" in the Upper Realm refers to the ascent of pure energy, situated along coastal areas on maps, particularly near the Kunlun Heavenly Pool. These regions compose the Upper Realm. The "Lower" in the Lower Realm signifies the descent of impure energy, where spirits and ghosts thrive, with the ghost city of Fengdu as its core, predominantly located in Sichuan and Guizhou provinces. The Upper Realm is abundant in spiritual energy, making it ideal for cultivation, thus attracting the Nine Great Immortal Sects. Conversely, the Lower Realm is home to only the Edge of Life and Death.

Regarding cultivation: The text does not differentiate clearly into stages like Golden Core, Foundation Establishment, Tribulation Transcendence, or Ancient Ancestor. When one begins their path of cultivation, it is called Foundation Establishment, followed by continuous refinement of their abilities after awakening their spirit nucleus. There are no complicated hierarchical classifications to memorize. Practitioners mainly cultivate to possess formidable magical powers, to distinguish themselves, though there are also those, like Master, who aspire to use their spells for benevolent acts within their means. Those with robust cultivation can live up to a hundred years with an ageless appearance, and upon death, they may ascend to immortality through corporeal dissolution. However, few ascend while still alive. For most cultivators, the cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death, followed by reincarnation, is the ultimate outcome.