RIIDMDR chapter 9

 

Nan Xu soon prepared the meal. He moved a bamboo table into the courtyard and brought out two new bamboo chairs. He placed several steaming dishes on the table and called Tingchuan over to eat.

Tingchuan came over and sat down. Nan Xu took the initiative and put a piece of fish belly meat in Tingchuan’s bowl. “This is what we humans eat. I wonder if you can get used to it…”

He was halfway through his speech when he suddenly remembered that he hadn’t asked Tingchuan about his true form. He wasn’t accustomed to the fact that everyone in the demon world had two faces, so he had overlooked it. Now that he thought about it, if Tingchuan were a fish demon, offering him fish meat would seem provocative.

It was the first time Nan Xu had asked someone what kind of demon they were. He wondered if asking this question was taboo in the demon world. It felt strange, similar to how it would feel in his own world if people asked about someone’s age and weight upon first meeting them.

He hesitated for a long time but decided that if he didn’t ask, it would be like a fishbone stuck in his throat, preventing him from saying anything else.

He looked troubled, and Tingchuan put down the chopsticks he had just picked up. “Do you want to say something?”

Nanxu smiled and said, “No, I was wondering, what’s the true form of a beautiful Demon spirit like you?

He asked a question while not forgetting to flatter. Tingchuan, who had lived alone in the East Sea mountains for a long time, was suddenly met with someone who was constantly sweet-talking and playing tricks. After a few seconds of silence, Tingchuan said, “The East Sea Mountain Fox Tribe.”

Nanxu’s expression remained unchanged. He patted his chest and used his chopsticks to give Tingchuan another piece of fish, muttering, “That’s good. Foxes are good as long as they’re not fish.”

Tingchuan: …

It’s unusual for the East Sea Mountain Fox Tribe to react this way. Maybe they just encountered an ignorant human.

Tingchuan picked up his chopsticks, hesitated for a few seconds, and then scooped the fish belly out of the bowl and put it in his mouth. Unlike he had imagined, the fish was firm yet tender. As he slowly chewed, the fragrant aroma trapped within the meat spread and lingered in his nose.

Tingchuan ate very gracefully. After a few bites, he slowed down and took a few more glances at the food on the table.

Nan Xu looked up at him from time to time, wondering how the young man across from him would react to his meal. Would he be tempted to take him away because of his cooking, like the bird tribe last time?

Sometimes, your first reaction can’t fool you.

Coincidentally, just as Tingchuan stopped using his chopsticks, Nan Xu was caught peeking. Nan Xu’s expression immediately changed, and he asked with concern, “What’s wrong? Is it not to your liking?”

Tingchuan sensed that something was off about Nanxu’s expression but couldn’t immediately identify what it was. He picked up another dish and ate it slowly. “No, it’s delicious.”

Nanxu considered himself quite adept at reading people’s expressions. Seeing Tingchuan’s calm demeanor and his enjoyment of the food, his liking for him grew. The ingredients from Zhuyu Mountain were truly wonderful. Even though he couldn’t taste the spiritual energy, he could tell the difference from the vegetables he had eaten before. They were truly a gift from nature.

The two of them gradually devoured the plates on the table. Nan Xu felt particularly satisfied after finishing the last mouthful of rice in his bowl.

There were no tools for husking rice in the courtyard. During the two rainy days, Nan Xu used a concave stone and a wooden stick as a makeshift mortar and pestle to husk some rice. Then, he used a bamboo sieve to remove the bran. The process was laborious and tedious, and he didn’t produce much rice. Nan Xu usually ate frugally, but he cooked a lot for this meal as a treat for Tingchuan, his hard-earned guest.

“Our inn is newly opened, and the furniture and bedding are all brand new. You can sleep soundly tonight without worrying about hygiene,” Nan Xu said.

Tingchuan nodded. “Okay.”

“What time do you usually get up?” The inn provides breakfast as a freebie included in the room rate,” Nan Xu said.

Tingchuan quietly ate a few more bites before putting down his chopsticks. “I don’t have any money.”

Nanxu: ?

Nanxu was a little skeptical. Tingchuan didn’t seem like the type to take advantage of others. How could he stay in an inn and eat without paying?

The two of them exchanged glances. Nanxu’s eyes were filled with suspicion, but Tingchuan’s expression remained honest, as if he hadn’t just eaten for free.

Nan Xu opened his mouth, unsure what to say. Last time, Ning Ju’s family had offered to give him money, but he’d refused because he wanted some down feathers. Now, finally, he had found someone staying at the inn , only to find out that they had no money.

Upgrading the inn would cost him another 500 coins!

Nan Xu struggled with how to treat the beautiful fox demon who was taking advantage of him when a system notification chimed in his head. He focused and opened the homepage.

[Main Missions 1-4 Rewards Distributed. Reward List: 1 Eye-Catching Billboard Outside Chu Yu Mountain, 2 Blind Box Purchase Coupons.]

[One Employee, Prosperity +10]

Completed?

Nan Xu’s face was filled with surprise. How had the mission been completed?

He slowly shifted his attention from the system to Tingchuan standing before him.

The two of them were the only people in the room, meaning the system had already identified Tingchuan as a inn employee. On what basis? Because he ate without paying?

Tingchuan’s face appeared calm, but his earlobes had turned pink during Nan Xu’s silence. His gaze remained fixed on the empty plate on the table as he lost himself in thought.

Nan Xu suddenly seemed to understand. He cleared his throat and said, “It’s okay if you don’t have money. Stay here for a few days to get to know the place, and then you can decide whether to stay.”

Tingchuan’s shoulders relaxed a little at this, and he nodded, saying, “Okay.”

Nan Xu was in a good mood. He knew he wouldn’t be the only one running the inn nestled deep in the mountains anymore.

—

The system’s speed in distributing rewards this time was a bit off-putting to Nan Xu. In fact, it distributed them before he realized the mission was complete, as if the system had been eagerly awaiting this moment.

As for the mission rewards, Nan Xu was confused. A billboard specifically stated “eye-catching.” Just how eye-catching could it be?

Remembering what the Bird Tribe had told him about the size of Zhuyu Mountain, Nan Xu felt that he wouldn’t be able to see the system-gifted sign anytime soon.

After dinner, Nan Xu spread the extra bedding on the guest bed. Since there were no guests, he let Tingchuan sleep there tonight.

Tingchuan stood by the bed watching Nan Xu make it for him and suddenly asked, “Is this the only bed you have?”

Nan Xu: …

They said the furniture was brand new, so it couldn’t have been a scam. Besides, Tingchuan hadn’t even paid for the room.

Nan Xu continued to spread the quilt, imitating his old boss’s habit of “painting big pies”[mfn]“畫大餅” (painting a big pie) → a Chinese idiom that means making grand promises or painting a rosy picture of the future, usually to motivate or coax people, even if it’s exaggerated[/mfn] for employees. He said casually, “Mm, it’s simple for now, but as long as we work hard together, I believe the inn’s future renovations will be limitless.”

Tingchuan nodded thoughtfully after listening, though it was hard to tell whether he had swallowed that “big pie” or not.

After settling Tingchuan down, Nan Xu went to the warehouse. He hadn’t had time to open the two blind boxes he’d received as a reward that day.

The first yielded a bag of tomato seeds; the second, a box of eggs. The warehouse was dark, illuminated only by moonlight from the window. However, Nan Xu was certain that when he opened the second box, he saw a faint yellow glow inside that lasted about three seconds.

This was his first encounter. He sat cross-legged on the floor, picked up an egg, and examined it carefully. He saw nothing unusual; it looked like an ordinary egg.

After waiting a long time with no results, Nan Xu decided to check again the next morning. Confused, he returned to his room and checked the system. A new task had been released:

[Main Mission 1-5: Clean the vegetable patch behind the house.]

This task was much easier than the previous ones. Last time, Nan Xu only cleared a small plot when he planted green vegetables. He should be able to clear the rest and plant a bed of tomatoes tomorrow.

Based on how the system has opened blind boxes the past two times, Nan Xu should be able to get other seeds in the future.

Late at night, Nan Xu closed his eyes, lost in thought. As he was drifting off to sleep, he suddenly woke up, feeling as if he had forgotten something.

A few minutes later, he got up, pushed the door open, and squatted in the corner of the yard to dig a hole.

He had almost forgotten the grape seedlings he had carried all this way.

“I really didn’t mean to do that! I’ve been working all afternoon. You’re so resilient! If I plant you in the best feng shui spot in the yard, you’ll definitely be as fertile as a sow, right?”

As he grunted and dug the hole, talking to the grape seedlings, he didn’t notice the handsome man with loose hair leaning against the main room’s doorframe, silently observing his every move.

After planting the two grape seedlings, Nan Xu clapped his hands and prepared to scoop out a bucket of water to wash his hands and water the newly planted seedlings.

When he turned around, his hair almost stood up in shock. “Why are you here?”

“I heard some noise and got up to check,” Tingchuan said seriously.

Nan Xu: “How long have you been watching?”

Tingchuan replied, “Not long. I’ve been watching since you came out.”

Nan Xu was speechless. “So, you really haven’t thought about helping me?”

Tingchuan replied honestly, “Not yet, but maybe in the future.”

Nan Xu was speechless.

Great! This was the first time he’d seen an employee painting a big pie for his boss.

After all, this was a boss who couldn’t even pay his employees’ wages. Nan Xu scooped up the water himself, packed up, and went to sleep.

It rained lightly during the night, but Nan Xu didn’t hear it and slept through the night. When he woke up and opened the window, he could smell the damp air mingled with the fragrance of the earth.

As he left the room, Nan Xu saw Tingchuan sitting on a bamboo chair in the courtyard. Against the backdrop of the elegant mountain scenery, he looked like a figure from a painting.

A beauty paired with a beautiful scene—coming across such a sight early in the morning truly makes one feel refreshed and delighted.

Hearing movement behind him, Tingchuan turned around. His eyes fixed on Nanxu, and for a few seconds, neither of them moved.

Nanxu felt a little puzzled. He touched his face, then tugged at his hair twice, wondering, “What’s wrong?”

His hair had grown considerably since he arrived. Since there was no mirror, he hadn’t cut it haphazardly himself.

“When’s breakfast?” Nan Xu heard Tingchuan ask.

Nan Xu: …

For some reason, he suddenly felt as if he were thrown back into a 996[mfn]996 → Chinese internet slang meaning working 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week, often describing overwork culture.[/mfn] schedule. He had clearly hired someone to help out, yet as the boss, he ended up feeling the same kind of workplace tension as an employee.