CHAPTER 22

 —Acquiring a Spirit Pet —

"This one, this one, and this one—I don't want them. Wrap up everything else for me!" Ding Ding stood with one hand on his hip, the other pointing imperiously at the fabrics displayed on the counter, exuding an air of domineering authority—or so he thought.

Just as the shopkeeper's smile was about to split his face, Tong Tong covered her face, tugged at Su Yan's sleeve, and pulled her far away, pretending they didn't know Ding Ding. Even He Gu, who had been standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Ding Ding, leisurely took a few steps back, pretending to examine other accessories in the shop.

—'Young Master Ding! Have you watched "Shopaholic" too many times? What's with this blatant nouveau riche attitude? Are you planning to eat all those clothes?'

After mentally roasting Ding Ding for his shopping spree, Tong Tong turned her face away and lowered her gaze, fixing her eyes on the golden storage pouch hanging from Su Yan's waist—as if her vision had X-ray-like penetration, allowing her to clearly see the aromatic food inside. Her eyes shone with a longing so intense it felt tangible, impossible to ignore.

Inside this storage pouch were not only the finest elixirs and the most practical talismans but also the items Ye Zhiqiu had requested. Su Yan had originally planned to buy them discreetly without the others knowing, but she was caught by Tong Tong when she put away the last two sticks of Tanghulu—the only ones left.

Although Tong Tong became quite troublesome after missing out on the Tanghulu, compared to Sect Leader of Chonghua, she was nothing to worry about.

Su Yan silently turned her face away, stepped out of the clothing and fabric shop, and headed toward the bustling teahouse next door.

As expected, Tong Tong followed her like a little shadow, ignoring Ding Ding's loud protests, her heart and eyes fixated solely on the tall, elegant figure in black robes—or more precisely, the storage pouch at her waist.

Feeling uneasy, Su Yan pressed a hand to her waist, glanced at Tong Tong, and calmly ordered the Xiao'er, "Four types of dried fruits, four fresh preserves, four seasonal vegetables, and the 'Four Seas Braised Medley'." Seeing Tong Tong still staring longingly at her storage pouch, she sighed softly and added after a moment's thought, "Steamed Quail with Flower Infusion, Sautéed Duck Palms, Chicken Tongue Soup, Jiangyao Clams stuffed in Deer Tripe, Braised Beef Tendons, Chrysanthemum Rabbit Shreds, Stir-fried Venison Leg, Ginger and Vinegar 'Gold and Silver' Pig Trotters... and a pot of Four Seasons Fragrance tea."

T/N: [Xiao'er 小二 (Little Two): In olden times, this was a term for service staff in inns, taverns, and teahouses, or more generally, for street-side waiters.]

"Right away, honored guest!" The Xiao'er deftly flicked his towel, beaming with joy as he hurried to the kitchen to arrange the dishes—these dishes were a bit troublesome to prepare, but their prices were equally steep—a distinguished guest indeed! Must be treated well!

Tong Tong's gaze, which had been fixed on Su Yan's waist, immediately shifted to her face, scrutinizing her as if seeing her for the first time. Her expression shifted from "Are you really the ice-cold Su Yan, or has some monster possessed you?" to "Wow, Senior Sister, I never knew you were such a foodie! You're amazing! I'm sticking with you from now on!" The entire range of emotions—from shock and suspicion to admiration—played out clearly on her face. What surprised Su Yan even more was that she could understand every single one of them.

—Could it be that spending too much time with this silly girl synchronizes your way of thinking and even lowers your spiritual acuity [In modern: IQ]?

Su Yan picked up a cup of tea, using it to shield her face as she pondered whether it might be better to keep some distance from Tong Tong.

Only after the sixteen appetizers and starters they had ordered earlier were all served did Ding Ding finally drag He Gu into the teahouse, brimming with excitement. He plopped down into his seat, gulped down a large cup of tea, and didn't forget to pour one for He Gu as well. When he turned to look at Tong Tong and the other person, the gentle expression on his face instantly twisted into a scowl. "You two are way too much! Why didn't you wait for us? Aren't we supposed to be a team? Have some sense of teamwork, will you? I was just getting into the groove of picking things out when I turned around and realized you were gone! If it weren't for Second Senior Sister noticing which direction you went, I'd have had to go to the lost and found to make an announcement!"

—'Wake up! Where on earth would there be a broadcast in this place, bro!'

Tong Tong rolled her eyes, showing no sign of remorse. She picked up a piece of candied pear with her chopsticks, chewed it slowly, and after swallowing, shot him a sidelong glance. "Young Master Ding, don't you go twisting the truth! Who was it that dragged others around by the sleeve like a headless fly, completely ignoring how they felt? Who was it that threw money around, buying everything in sight without caring whether it was practical or not, practically wearing a sign on their forehead that said, 'I'm rich and clueless, come at me'? Who was it that acted like a girl, pointing and asking endless questions in the silk shop, the rouge shop, and the spice shop, refusing to leave no matter how much we tried to persuade them?"

Three rhetorical questions in a row left Ding Ding speechless. Tong Tong smugly ate two pieces of salted candied fruit in a row, subtly glancing at Su Yan—it seemed like when Ding Ding was browsing those shops, First Senior Brother had also taken a few extra looks, even showing more interest than Second Senior Sister?

—'Maybe she was overthinking it.'

Smacking her lips, Tong Tong noticed that Ding Ding seemed a bit down after her questioning, so she picked up a piece of chilled crab roe for him and asked kindly, "Alright, alright, I know you're tired from all that shopping. Have something to eat and recharge!"

"Hmph... I was going to give you a gift, but now I don't feel like it anymore!" Ding Ding poked unceremoniously at the chilled crab roe Tong Tong had placed on his plate—the rich, orange-yellow roe looked tempting, but he could only stare at it—allergic to seafood, what a tragedy!

A small tea-colored plate appeared in his line of sight, carefully arranged with a few delicious and filling snacks, all of Ding Ding's favorite kinds—He Gu withdrew her hand and gave him a gentle smile. "Eat up."

"Mm!" Ding Ding broke into a wide grin, like a child who had just been given candy, and began devouring the food with the ferocity of someone who had been starving for days.

He Gu smiled again, refilled his teacup, and placed it within easy reach but where it wouldn't easily spill. Then she silently watched him eat, a faint smile lingering at the corner of her lips.

Sensing something, she turned her head to see Su Yan holding his teacup, lost in thought as he looked her way. His eyes were like stars, as if he could see right through everything—she couldn't help but blush and lower her head.

Just then, the Xiao'er's cheerful shout dispelled the awkwardness. Despite his slender, almost frail-looking frame, he carried an enormous tray with effortless grace, striding briskly toward their table with a warm smile. "Honored guests, your dishes are here—!"

Ding Ding's hand, which had been patting his seventy to eighty percent full stomach, paused. His eyebrows twitched as he glared at Su Yan—who ignored him. He then shot a fierce, dagger-like glare at Tong Tong—who guiltily averted her eyes, but her chopstick-wielding hand was poised and ready. Swift, precise, and ruthless, she snatched a piece of deer tripe and popped it into her mouth, savoring it with an expression of pure bliss.

"You... you... you..." Ding Ding's chopsticks trembled as he pointed accusingly at Tong Tong. No wonder this glutton had been so unusually generous earlier, piling his bowl with this and that—completely out of character for her usual stinginess when it came to food. So this was her scheme! Once he was mostly full, no one would compete with her for the main dishes! What a cunning plan!

"Young Master Ding, don't be shy, eat up! Hehe..." Tong Tong cheerfully placed a few strands of rabbit shreds into Ding Ding's bowl, then piled a heaping portion into her own, grinning like a little fox that had just stolen a treat—only missing a swishing tail behind her.

"Hmph! Don't celebrate too soon! My appetite isn't something a little girl like you can match! Just you wait! Today, I'll show you what it means to have the stomach of a prime minister—capable of holding a boat!" Instead of getting angry, Ding Ding laughed. He devoured the rabbit shreds in his bowl in two or three bites, then immediately targeted the plate of duck palms [feet]. Not only did he heap several pieces into his own bowl, but he also scooped a few into He Gu's bowl, all while throwing a challenging look at Tong Tong.

Sure enough, the simple-minded girl was instantly provoked. She snatched the remaining duck palms, plate and all, hugging them to her chest, then pushed the plate of braised beef tendon closest to her toward Su Yan, earnestly entrusting it to him. "Senior Brother, I leave this to you!"

Su Yan's brows furrowed slightly. She opened her mouth to refuse but paused when she met Tong Tong's unusually bright, pleading eyes. Pressing her lips together, she gave a light snort—but it was an agreement.

Soon, the battle between Tong Tong and Ding Ding escalated into a full-scale war, spreading from one dish to the entire table. Not only were the two childish rivals going back and forth, but even the two self-proclaimed mature and steady seniors beside them joined in with gusto, using their chopsticks like swords in a spirited duel.

For a moment, the nearby diners and their companions were utterly stunned.

Suddenly, Tong Tong, who was clutching a small half of a quail, froze and let out a piercing shriek that seemed to tear through the heavens: "My duck palms!"

The other three were taken aback—Ding Ding even managed to swipe the remaining half of the quail into his bowl in the commotion—and followed her gaze. The plate where Tong Tong had left a small portion of sautéed duck palms was now completely empty, not a single bone left in sight.

The sound of enthusiastic chewing reached their ears. Lowering their eyes, they saw a black-and-white kitten happily munching on a duck palm, devouring both meat and bone with relish. As if noticing the attention, its tongue, which had been licking its paw, paused. It looked up with round, golden eyes filled with a hint of confusion—innocent, harmless, and utterly guileless.

Upon closer inspection, however, it didn't quite resemble an ordinary cat. Its fur was white with black markings, its eyes pure gold, and its slender, whip-like tail was nearly twice the length of its body. Its limbs were well-proportioned and elegant, and its perky little round ears hinted at alertness and agility.

"Oh, what an adorable little thing..." was Tong Tong's first reaction.

"Tabby? Hmm, no... Colorpoint British Shorthair? Not quite either..." Ding Ding began pondering what breed of cat it might be.

"It's not a cat." He Gu frowned, her expression turning serious.

"Zouyu." Su Yan said coldly, her gaze fixed on the small creature as Changhong materialized in her hand.

"Ahhh—give me back my duck palms!" Tong Tong's second reaction was to lunge forward, snatching the little beast under its forelegs and shaking it wildly. "My sautéed duck palms... I fought so hard to grab so many... and I haven't even tasted a single one! How could you do this? You little thief! Robber! Devil! Waaah..."

The small creature, caught in her grip and subjected to the high-frequency shaking, immediately grew dizzy. Its golden eyes spun with stars, and just as it felt it was about to faint, it finally swiped a claw across Tong Tong's smooth hand. Seizing the moment she recoiled in pain, it leaped onto the table—aiming straight for the dish of braised beef tendons in front of Su Yan.

The little creature stared greedily at the plate of aromatic, perfectly cooked beef tendons, but dared not make a move due to the imposing, black-robed figure before it, whose expressionless face radiated an intimidating aura.

The crimson longsword in that person's hand gave it a very dangerous feeling, yet the tantalizing beef tendons right within reach constantly teased its taste buds, making it itch with impatience.

"Awoo~" It let out an anxious growl, but the sound came out soft and childish, utterly lacking in menace. Unwilling to give up, the little creature licked its paw, pondering its next move—when its pink tongue suddenly paused: this fresh, sweet taste... unmistakably the flavor of bl0od!

"Ah-awoo—" The little creature let out a pained cry, glaring at its own furry, stubby paw before turning its gaze to Tong Tong, who was clutching her hand and gasping. Its pure golden eyes filled with remorse.

While Ding Ding watched with schadenfreude, He Gu observed coldly, Su Yan wore an inscrutable expression, and Tong Tong sighed in frustration, a golden sigil suddenly appeared on the little beast's forehead. It gradually expanded, its color fading until it abruptly transformed into a beam of light, striking Tong Tong's forehead and forming a golden rune resembling an oracle bone script. In the next instant, it vanished without a trace, as if it had never existed.

The little creature, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, bristled all over and jumped down from the table, circling Tong Tong restlessly. Its critical, frustrated gaze made Tong Tong's brow twitch. Ignoring the pain in her hand, she scooped it up again, holding it before her eyes and staring into its golden pupils as she demanded angrily, "What did you do?"

Her forehead felt searing hot, as if branded by a soldering iron, and the scratch on her hand still burned with a sharp pain.

The little creature flicked its long tail, as if expressing dissatisfaction.

Just then, a furious roar echoed, forcefully pushing Tong Tong back several steps: "Beast, release that girl!"

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