Free Web Novel“Ah?”
Li Mo scratched his head, falling into thought.
Once upon a time, when relatives came over and they ate together, Old Li would pat him on the back of the head and tell him to greet them.
This was one of the rare times Li Mo was socially anxious.
The little Ice Cube, on the other hand, would hide in her room whenever there was a lively gathering, making her presence completely undetectable, like a cautious cat.
Now she had actually gone with his parents to meet friends and relatives, just going with the flow?
If he remembered correctly, he was the biological child, and the Ice Cube hadn't even married into the family yet...
“Xiao Mo,” Shang Qinqing suddenly spoke.
“Ah?”
“That family of three looked very warm when they went out. I hope you can join them soon.”
“Alright... huh?”
The now 'outsider' Xiao Li's mouth twitched slightly. He wondered if the Ice Cube had discovered something, like a certain childish person getting bolder and bolder, even daring to transform into a werewolf to bully his older sister, becoming increasingly difficult to control.
So the Ice Cube had a flash of inspiration, completely winning over the Old Li family, making him lose his Foundation and forcing him to obediently listen to his older sister?
Damn it, the bad Ice Cube was simply impossible to guard against!
“Meet friends and relatives? Where?”
Shang Wu sat down, her sleepy eyes suddenly becoming alert.
Don't misunderstand, Shang Wu just loved this kind of lively gathering. During festivals and holidays, if relatives and friends didn't bring gifts, they would feel embarrassed to visit, like bringing some fine wine.
“Next time, next time.”
How could Li Mo dare?
By then, it would probably be a scene of everyone lying on the ground; Shang Wu would be drinking, and everyone else would be beaten.
“It’s not time to eat yet.”
Shang Li, the little bean, looked at the sky, then carefully wiped the glistening from the corner of his mouth.
“Almost forgot.”
“Heh, it seems our usual four dishes and one soup every day is all thanks to Little Bing’er, huh.”
Shang Qinqing teased.
But the actual situation wasn't like that. Chef Li was simply not focused today.
Sect promotion... engagement imminent... would the cold and aloof Ice Cube be uncomfortable meeting enthusiastic relatives and friends... and how much money did he actually have in his pocket now... the trouble of how to spend countless amounts of money...
You see, even a childish person has a lot to consider!
While thinking, he prepared a few dishes and also cooked a pot of Qinghe clam soup.
“Eh, why are these clams only shells?”
Shang Qinqing cracked a few and realized something was wrong.
“There,” Li Mo gestured with his mouth.
Looking over, little Shang Li just scooped with a spoon, and it was all clam meat; the shells had all fallen off by themselves, as if they were actively offering their meat to him.
“Big sister, you eat.” Shang Li put all the meat into someone else's bowl.
“So well-behaved. If only Shang Wu had half this child’s understanding...”
Shang Qinqing murmured to herself.
“I haven't heard that the Life and Death Cycle Formation can also transfer temperament?” Qin Yuzhi also found it strange. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
“Eh? How are you two talking?”
Shang Wu, who had just returned with a bottle of wine, raised an eyebrow.
“Uh, nothing, you’re the most understanding, you are the most understanding.” Qin Yuzhi waved her hand.
“Little Uncle, where did Little Aunt go?”
“She went to steal... uh, meet some not-so-familiar relatives and friends.”
Li Mo said, seeming to recall how the little Ice Cube used to cautiously hide during the New Year:
“Don't think that just because your Little Aunt has a cool temperament and seems to know everything, she’s like that.
Actually, she's not good at socializing. Whenever people come over, she hides and shrinks in her room, waiting for me to bring her food.”
“In that regard, older sister is stronger.” Shang Li nodded his small head.
“Family always sticks up for family, huh.”
Shang Wu immediately felt it wasn't for nothing that she saved her younger brother, but her joy was premature.
“I remember one New Year, older sister had a drinking contest with Great-Grandpa, even grabbing his neck to pour, she was so enthusiastic that Great-Grandpa kept shouting 'Great-Auntie'.”
Shang Li's recollection plunged everyone into silence.
Shang Wu frowned: “Who told that old geezer to say he'd eaten more salt than I'd eaten rice, and drunk more wine than I'd drunk water?”
“...”
Looking at Shang Qinqing and Qin Yuzhi, who were still cracking things while eating, then at the slightly understanding Shang Wu, and the half-grown little bean.
Li Mo suddenly felt that the Great Shang Dynasty's downfall might have nothing to do with luck.
Not long after, Elder Qian also came to freeload on food.
The engagement banquet and the Qingyuan Sect's promotion ceremony would probably be held on the same day. It sounded quite fantastical that the Sect's major step forward would be held concurrently with the engagement of two of its Disciples.
But in the hearts of many people, including many Elders of the Qingyuan Sect, the latter was indeed more important.
After all, the Qingyuan Sect's current reputation was 'the Sect that produced Li Mo and Ying Bing'.
Most of the forces that sent invitation cards, indicating they would visit, were also coming for the latter.
From the Tianshan Sword Manor and Hengtong Merchant House in Dijin, to the closer Crimson Whale Gang and Burning Jade Forest of Ziyang Prefecture, the Qingyuan Sect would likely be overflowing with people, a liveliness that even the Great Shang Dynasty could not compare to.
However.
The Ice Cube had gone to hold the fort at Old Li's house, and the Qingyuan Sect's fort seemed a bit difficult to hold.
Leaving aside Liqun Sword Hero and Han Xianzi, the Qingyuan Sect was indeed purely a Prefectural-level force, and had almost been replaced by the Crimson Whale Gang before.
The Sect's Foundation was truly insufficient, but at a time like this, they couldn't afford to look weak.
“This old man just counted, there are still 77 xuan crystals in the storeroom, 63,000 taels of gold, and silver... exactly three million... no, wait.”
Elder Qian took off his boots and pulled out another silver note from inside.
And two pieces of broken silver.
“3,050,002 taels and two mace.”
It even had change, down to the last mace.
“Our Sect...” Li Mo gasped in shock: “Is it that poor?”
It sounded like a lot, but for a Zhen Prefecture Sect, it wasn't enough to even pretend to be rich.
Elder Qian said nothing, looking at Shang Wu, who was chugging away.
Shang Wu whistled, her eyes drifting upwards, as if she didn't understand what Old Qian was saying.
Li Mo: “...”
Suddenly, things became reasonable.
Master's squandering wasn't mainly on eating and drinking, but on causing trouble. After becoming a Peak Master, she became a bit more humane, but before that, even mad dogs would steer clear.
What to do after biting... uh, causing trouble? Pay up, of course, according to the Great Yu laws: medical expenses, lost wages, emotional damages...
“It's not without its benefits, is it? Lao Xue's medical skills and your lawyer's certificate, Old Qian, didn't they all come about this way, a blessing in disguise?”
Shang Wu was uncharacteristically not strong in her reasoning, nor in her Aura.
“I'll cover the missing part.” Li Mo sighed softly.
“How can this be good...”
“It both solves my problem, and after all, it is my engagement.”
“En, then let's be frugal; it shouldn't cost much.”
It was evening.
Before Autumn ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) Water Pavilion had been quiet for long, Gu Xueqin, Li Dalong, and the Ice Cube, whom they had taken to show off all day, returned.
Ying Bing saw him come out after finishing his practice, and slightly raised her chin, as if the Phoenix Heavenly Empress had returned to her Gui Palace.
She seemed to have an Aura that could easily suppress a mere childish person with just a slight effort.
