Free Web NovelChapter 175: Chapter 173: Bai Su Is Complained About Again
Bai Su: "Huh?"
Li Chenlin stood obediently to the side. "Susu, since you don’t mind me joining you... how about I help you out when you cook later?"
Yelias’s eyebrows shot up in displeasure.
’What now?’
’First, he steals Lu Tingyan’s spot, and now he wants to steal mine?’
Yelias forced a polite smile. "That won’t be necessary. I am, after all, an apprentice Susu taught with her own two hands. I’m more than enough help in the kitchen."
Li Chenlin didn’t yield an inch, though his face remained gentle and gentlemanly. "I was asking Susu, you know. I only listen to Susu. Yelias, why are you being so tyrannical? I just got over that bad habit myself, and now you’re picking it up. Shouldn’t Susu be the one to decide who helps in the kitchen?"
The tension between them was palpable, an undercurrent of hostility swirling as they both turned to look at Bai Su.
Seeing this, Lu Tingyan wrapped a fiercely possessive arm around Bai Su.
Bai Su: "..."
’It seems Li Chenlin’s arrival has shattered the balance between Lu Tingyan and Yelias.’
’But...’
She looked toward Li Chenlin. He was just standing there gently, not the least bit angry.
’The old him would have already flown into a rage and stormed off by now.’
’Shouldn’t a person who’s turned over a new leaf receive encouragement?’
Bai Su gave him an encouraging smile. "Alright, Li Chenlin can help then. Kitchen prep is very simple. I’m just happy you’re all willing to help me cook."
Yelias, defeated.
Li Chenlin’s lips curled, a flash of delight crossing his eyes.
Bai Su patted Lu Tingyan. "Alright, let go of me now. You be good and let Yelias take a look at you and prescribe some medicine. Go lie down on the sofa for a bit. I’ll go make you something light to eat."
She and Li Chenlin went into the kitchen and started bustling about with dinner preparations.
Yelias glared sullenly at Lu Tingyan on the sofa. "This is what happens when you let the wolf in the door."
Lu Tingyan: "..."
’I miscalculated. I didn’t think that stupid snake would turn out to be such a green-tea master.’
Yelias: "Susu is sleeping with me tonight."
Lu Tingyan: "It’s my turn tonight."
Yelias: "And you think you’re justified after letting the wolf in?"
Lu Tingyan: "Or what, you want me to have Flar bring over another two truckloads of your family’s ’outstanding young talents’ for you to choose from? Let’s see which one of them *wouldn’t* be considered ’letting the wolf in.’"
Yelias: "..."
While these two were sulking at each other, the atmosphere in the kitchen was perfectly harmonious.
While helping wash vegetables, Li Chenlin watched Bai Su expertly handle a fish and praised, "Susu, you’re amazing. Watching you do such delicate work is a real pleasure."
Bai Su laughed. "Practice makes perfect. It’s nothing that amazing."
As a Wolf Beastman, Lu Tingyan’s hearing was particularly sharp.
The continuous stream of sounds from the kitchen made his expression grow darker and darker.
"Susu, how do I wash this?"
"You’re so amazing!"
"How should this be cut?"
"So clever! How did you think of cutting it this way? It really is fast!"
"Susu, what should I do? The more I get to know you, the more I realize how truly outstanding you are..."
"Ah... HISS, I cut my hand..."
"It’s fine now. After you blew on it for me, it doesn’t even hurt anymore."
Lu Tingyan silently snapped two chopsticks in half.
Unable to bear it any longer, he stood up.
Suddenly, his terminal rang out.
Lu Tingyan glanced at the name displayed on the terminal, a flash of impatience in his eyes. He answered the video call. "What is it?"
It was Bi He, the leader of the Bear Clan Tribe.
Bi He had a strange expression on his face. "Um... excuse me, is Miss Bai Su there?"
Lu Tingyan glanced toward the kitchen and saw Bai Su holding that idiot’s hand while putting on a bandage, which only made him more irritable. "She’s cooking. If you have something to say, spit it out!"
Bi He could also tell he was in a bad mood, so the words on the tip of his tongue took a detour. "It’s... it’s nothing."
Lu Tingyan shot him a death glare.
Bi He had no choice but to brace himself and say, "It’s just that recently... my daughter and Miss Bai have been getting a little close..."
"Er... well, she’s become a bit... unconventional lately..."
"I see Miss Bai is quite busy, so maybe they should reduce the number of times they meet?"
Lu Tingyan’s expression instantly turned grim. "If you want to die, just say so."
"Our Susu is well-behaved and kind. Are you daring to say she’s a bad influence on your daughter?"
’Are these people insane?’
’Last time it was Yan Hongyi on the phone, and now it’s Bi He.’
Bi He waved his hands frantically. "No, no, that’s not what I mean!"
Of course, that was exactly what he meant, but Lu Tingyan was clearly not in a good mood. Bi He didn’t dare to say it directly and could only express himself euphemistically.
Bi He said with a pained expression, "What I mean is, when those two young females get together, they always like to dabble in... things that aren’t so appropriate."
Only then did Lu Tingyan manage to suppress some of the anger in his heart.
Bi He was a straightforward and hot-tempered person; he wouldn’t make baseless accusations.
He sat back down, trying hard to ignore the ridiculously flirty, stupid snake in the kitchen. "What kind of ’not so appropriate’ things? If you beat around the bush again, I’m docking the Bear Clan’s military funding by ten percent this year!"
Bi He’s mouth opened and the words tumbled out. "Miss Bai took my daughter to a bar and hired over twenty ’young masters.’ Afterward, my daughter decided to open her own gigolo club, and Miss Bai even invested to become a shareholder."
He said it all so fast it was like he was on double speed.
Lu Tingyan: "..."
Yelias: "..."
Bi He gave an awkward laugh. "According to my daughter’s driver, this is what the two of them talk about whenever they meet."
"What kind of young female puts herself out there to open a gigolo club? You’d agree, right?"
"Of course, Miss Bai is definitely not in the wrong, and she didn’t lead my daughter astray! I’m just saying, maybe both sides should try to... you know... prevent them from hanging out together again. That might be for the best."
After speaking, Bi He cleared his throat, feeling a little apprehensive.
Though he had a straightforward personality, Lu Tingyan’s management style was so brutal that even at his age, he couldn’t help but be intimidated by this younger man.
Lu Tingyan’s fingers, dangling by the armrest of the sofa, tapped unconsciously. "Alright. I understand."
He hung up the video call and looked toward the kitchen.
Bai Su suddenly shivered for no reason.
Li Chenlin asked in a soft voice, "What’s wrong? Are you cold? Should I turn up the heat in the kitchen?"
Bai Su shook her head. "No, it’s fine."
「After dinner.」
Lu Tingyan used the excuse of not feeling well to lure Bai Su into his room.
After his shower, Bai Su forced Lu Tingyan to lie down on the bed.
She took his temperature while observing his condition. "Why is your temperature still high? Are you dizzy and unwell?"
"Do you feel unwell anywhere else? Have you been too tired lately?"
"Should you rest at home for a couple of days?"
Lying in bed, Lu Tingyan enjoyed his little rabbit’s meticulous care. A smile touched his lips. "Maybe. But if I stop working, a lot of things will pile up..."
He coughed twice, his cheeks flushed.
It wasn’t entirely a lie. He had indeed been running a high fever for the past two days and felt quite unwell.
Bai Su leaned in worriedly. "You’re already sick, why are you still worrying about all that? Those old men in the parliament, and Uncle Bi He and Uncle Yan Hongyi—they’re all division leaders. They can’t possibly do nothing and just dump everything on you."
