Free Web NovelChapter 142: Chapter 142: Drinking the Water Shi Lan Drank
The tips of Mu Tangfeng’s ears grew slightly warm. "I was worried I’d gone to the wrong place, so I came up to see if this was your house."
As he spoke, his gaze unconsciously fell upon Shi Lan. Though they had only been apart for about half a month, it felt like a lifetime.
But as he continued to look, he noticed the cotton pajamas she was wearing and shyly averted his gaze.
Fortunately, since Jiang Xia was also in the house, Shi Lan had specifically worn pajamas with a built-in bra. This way, if he suddenly came looking for her, she wouldn’t have a wardrobe malfunction like the incident with He Hanshi.
Shi Lan didn’t notice his gaze and simply nodded. "Okay, I’ll come down and get the door for you right away."
’She actually wanted to ask why he was so late, but then she remembered the time he had sent the message and decided not to ask.’
It was still quite cold outside at night. Gusts of wind blew in through the open window.
Shi Lan put on a jacket and hurried downstairs.
Jiang Xia had just moved into Shi Lan’s house. It wasn’t his bedtime yet, and he was still buzzing with excitement. Inhaling the sweet scent of the duvet cover in his room, he heard footsteps outside, immediately opened his door, and stepped out. His messy silver hair stuck to the brand-new pajamas he’d bought that day.
"Lanlan, what’s going on?"
His eyelashes fluttered as he curiously watched Shi Lan opening the door downstairs. Shi Lan replied, "Lord Mu is here."
With that, she quickly went outside.
Mu Tangfeng had already folded his wings and was waiting obediently outside. When he saw Shi Lan open the door and come out, his dark pupils brightened slightly.
He pressed his lips together, reservedly suppressing his joy as he watched her walk toward him.
Shi Lan’s duplex had two main gates. Between them was a small courtyard, only two meters wide, with a stone path running down the middle.
She opened the outer gate, but before she could say anything, Mu Tangfeng couldn’t help but sneeze.
Shi Lan looked at what he was wearing, frowned slightly, and quickly pulled him inside. "It’s so cold. Why are you wearing so little?"
Inside, Jiang Xia stomped downstairs menacingly. He pouted in displeasure. ’Why does Mu Tangfeng always have to copy me?’
As soon as Mu Tangfeng stepped inside, he felt an angry gaze on him. He looked over and met Jiang Xia’s eyes. The corner of his mouth curled up, and his first words were laced with hostility.
"What, am I not welcome?"
Jiang Xia rolled his eyes, then walked over to Shi Lan and pulled her to his side. In a whiny, spoiled tone, he said, "Lanlan, these pajamas you picked out for me are so comfortable! And the bed is really comfy, too."
Shi Lan smiled. "I’m glad you like them."
As she spoke, she removed his hand and went to pour a glass of warm water for Mu Tangfeng to warm him up. Of course, she didn’t forget about Jiang Xia.
She handed a glass to each of them. As Mu Tangfeng drank, his gaze fell sourly on Jiang Xia’s pajamas. Jiang Xia watched him smugly, occasionally sticking his hands in his pajama pockets or raising an arm in an obvious display.
Mu Tangfeng gritted his teeth. ’I don’t even like these black-and-white plaid pajamas.’
’But this water tastes so strange.’ He frowned. "Lanlan, why does your water have a sour taste?"
"Huh? Does it?"
Puzzled, Shi Lan poured a glass for herself as well and took a sip. "No, it tastes perfectly normal to me."
Mu Tangfeng’s gaze fell on the water remaining in her glass, then back at his own. "It does."
Shi Lan figured her glass might not have been washed properly, so she put it down and said, "Let me go get you a fresh one."
However, by the time she came back out with more water, Mu Tangfeng had already finished drinking.
She looked at the empty spot on the table, then at the glass in his hand... and was momentarily speechless.
’H-He drank the rest of my water?’
Mu Tangfeng set the glass down, feigning casualness. "I tried a bit. Your glass does taste perfectly normal."
Shi Lan: "..."
After a moment of silence, she finally said, "So... do you want more?"
"Yes."
Mu Tangfeng took the glass again. As he lifted it to drink, out of Shi Lan’s line of sight, he shot a provocative glare at Jiang Xia. He took a large gulp, looking utterly content. "No strange taste anymore. It’s even a little sweet."
"...Oh."
Shi Lan stared at the water in his hand. ’Maybe birds have more sensitive taste buds,’ she mused. ’Perhaps he could taste what was in the glass before it was washed. After all, I have used these glasses to make different kinds of fruit juice.’
She didn’t think much of it. Only Jiang Xia, clutching his own glass, replayed the scene in his mind, so angry his pupils shrank to pinpoints.
After a long moment, his eyes filled with menace as he said, "Some people are so shameless."
Thoroughly satisfied, Mu Tangfeng finished the rest of the water. "Not at all, not at all. I humbly concede defeat."
Jiang Xia cursed him inwardly while mentally reviewing what had just happened. He thought that incident was upsetting enough, but then Shi Lan asked him to find a spare set of new pajamas for Mu Tangfeng to wear.
Jiang Xia looked aggrieved and was on the verge of throwing a tantrum. His eyes welled with mist as he gazed at her pitifully. "Lanlan, these are the clothes you bought for me. I don’t want to let him wear them."
Shi Lan felt a little bad, too. ’It’s all my fault. I was so thoughtless when I went shopping during the day. I should have picked up something for Mu Tangfeng as well.’
But seeing Jiang Xia’s reaction, she didn’t want to force him. She nodded. "Alright then. Lord Mu, let’s go out and buy you some clothes now."
As she spoke, she looked at his clothes and thought about getting the outer layer she had given Jiang Xia earlier for him to put on, so he wouldn’t catch a cold.
But Jiang Xia wanted even less for the two of them to be alone together at night, so he instantly changed his tune. "No."
Noticing Shi Lan’s confused look, his bravado faltered. "It’s so late, most of the shops in Yaoxing are probably closed by now. Besides, it’s so cold at night."
"Since Lanlan already suggested it... and since I haven’t worn that other new set, Mu Tangfeng can have it for now."
Now it was Mu Tangfeng’s turn to refuse. "No, I want to pick out something I like myself."
’He liked vibrant colors, not this monotonous black and white.’
"You should be grateful you have anything to wear at all. How can you be so picky?"
Jiang Xia finally lost his temper, his expression furious.
Not to be outdone, Mu Tangfeng retorted, "I just don’t like it."
Seeing sparks fly between the two of them, looking like they were about to start a fight, Shi Lan quickly intervened. "Alright, that’s enough. Stop arguing, you two."
"It’s best that Jiang Xia is offering a new set of clothes. He’s right, it’s late. Hardly any shops in Yaoxing are still open."
After all, there weren’t many people here, so there wasn’t much of a nightlife.
Besides, it was too cold outside, and Shi Lan didn’t really like going out shopping this late anyway.
Mu Tangfeng looked like he wanted to say something else, but Shi Lan spoke again, looking at them both. "Let’s just make do for tonight. We can go buy whatever you like tomorrow, okay?" freewebnσvel.cѳm
Jiang Xia, of course, had no objections. He didn’t want Shi Lan and Mu Tangfeng going out alone together at night anyway.
Mu Tangfeng didn’t dare object either. He remembered that Shi Lan hated it when they fought, so even though he was unhappy with Jiang Xia’s clothes, he didn’t say another word.
Jiang Xia quickly went upstairs to get him another new set of pajamas. He had actually bought three sets, each a different color. He still had a blue set and a solid black one left.
He deliberately grabbed the black set, the one he hated the most.
