Chapter Four: Mushrooms and Poisonous Mushrooms

The Next Day, Yuanji Academy.

Youdu hated three things most in life.

— Going to school, going to school, going to school!

Every day, two sessions of four hours each, totaling eight hours, were enough to drive her crazy. Last night, she had planned to carry out a gold-stealing scheme while Qin Shou was asleep, but she herself ended up falling into a deep sleep as soon as she lay down.

It seemed that her usual tactics of crying, causing a scene, and threatening drastic measures were too exhausting to use all the time. Now, to protect Qin Shou’s golden bracelet, she was forced to attend Yuan Feiji’s private academy. The moment Yuan Feiji began reciting scriptures, Youdu’s little head couldn’t help but droop.

Her head drooped, and drooped again, just about to hit the desk when Qin Shou, sitting beside her, quickly extended his left hand. Youdu pressed her small face against the back of his hand and immediately fell asleep.

Qin Shou looked at Youdu’s adorable sleeping expression and took a small blanket from his backpack to cover her. Finally, he glanced toward Yuan Feiji at the podium and politely said, “Sorry on behalf of Youdu.”

Such courtesy almost moved Yuan Feiji to tears. Previously, when he scolded Youdu in class, not only had she turned all the eggs in the courtyard into fried eggs, but Bi Jian had even beaten him up in retaliation.

Now, seeing Qin Shou’s respect for his teacher, Yuan Feiji was deeply touched. Straightening his collar, he threw himself into the lecture. Back when Qin Shou was in Wuzang Imperial City, his father never allowed him to learn beast control skills so he wouldn’t outshine others.

Therefore, he hadn’t even reached the basic spiritual rank. As Yuan Feiji explained the crucial points about various spirit beasts, Qin Shou recalled the Shanhai Wilderness Classic he had once seen when accompanying his father to the palace to celebrate his great-grandfather’s birthday.

“Teacher, will you eventually teach about the Nine Sons of the Dragon under the Yunhai Ancient Clan?”

The Yunhai Ancient Clan was the strongest faction under his second uncle, who had exterminated his entire family. To exact revenge, Qin Shou needed to understand his uncle’s weaknesses and deal with them accordingly. He looked up at Yuan Feiji.

For a hundred years, Yuan Feiji had always lectured Youdu without interaction. Now that a student finally asked a question, Yuan Feiji excitedly replied, “Of course. Though I, your Chicken Master, am not very powerful, I—”

“Hehe, chicken stew with mushrooms,” Youdu suddenly muttered, perhaps inspired by Yuan Feiji’s passionate speech, seamlessly joining the dream of delicious food. The classroom instantly fell silent.

Yuan Feiji’s hand holding the book trembled uncontrollably. Youdu licked her lips and added, “Chicken stew with—”

“Class dismissed!!!” Yuan Feiji slammed the dismissal bell so loudly that Youdu woke just in time to see him flying out of the classroom, leaving only a few chicken feathers drifting down onto her desk.

“Eh, what’s going on?”

Youdu looked at the feathers on the desk and tilted her head toward Qin Shou.

“Where’s the Chicken Master?”

Qin Shou awkwardly scratched his head.

“He ran for his life!”

Youdu didn’t catch the deeper meaning in Qin Shou’s words and simply glanced at her towering pile of homework. “Oh,” she understood.

“He definitely deserved to run!”

After all, whenever she couldn’t complete her homework, Bi Jian would get so angry during tutoring sessions that he’d threaten to take a knife to Yuan Feiji. Youdu glanced at the assignments, her bright eyes sparkling as she turned back to Qin Shou.

“Hehe, Beast, help me…”

“My name is Qin Shou!”

Qin Shou was fed up with Youdu calling him “Beast,” but she only became more certain.

“I know, your name is Beast!”

“I…”

Qin Shou looked at Youdu’s cute, obedient face, even though she wore a blindfold, and patiently explained.

“My family name is Qin, Shou is my given name!”

“Right, and then Beast is…!”

Youdu pulled Qin Shou into a hug.

“No matter what kind of beast you are, you’re my Beast!”

Her voice was firm and resolute. Qin Shou wiped sweat from his brow, wondering why his father hadn’t foreseen that one day someone would call him a beast.

Oh heavens! Qin Shou sighed inwardly but still took on all of Youdu’s homework. After all, when Huofeifei said last night, “Only you can be asked,” he knew his fate as her study companion was sealed!

But Qin Shou was happy to do Youdu’s homework. So the two little ones sat side by side at the desk—Qin Shou buried himself in work while Youdu dozed, leaning against him.

“Chicken stew with mushrooms…”

As Qin Shou finished the last stroke of his pen, he heard Youdu muttering in her sleep again. He glanced at the time, thinking fresh mushrooms must be in season, and, not wanting to wake her, carried Youdu home.

As soon as they entered the courtyard, Huofeifei rushed over.

“Young master, she…”

Before Huofeifei could finish, Bi Jian glared fiercely at Qin Shou. Huofeifei hurriedly pulled Bi Jian back.

“You can be harsh with me, but can you be gentle with a child?”

“I…”

Caught off guard, Bi Jian fell silent. Huofeifei rolled her eyes.

“The young master has to be woken up by you even when asleep!”

Speaking softly, Huofeifei picked up Youdu with utmost tenderness. Qin Shou knew that handing Youdu to Huofeifei was absolutely safe. Thinking of Youdu’s craving for chicken stew with mushrooms, Qin Shou turned and left the courtyard.

“Where are you going?”

Qin Shou turned to Bi Jian.

“I just heard Dudu wants chicken stew with mushrooms. I’m going up the mountain to see if I can find fresh mushrooms!”

Without waiting for a response, Qin Shou went off to gather mushrooms. Bi Jian glanced at Huofeifei.

“Do you think he might be trying to poison the young master...?”

“I think you’re just looking for excuses to kill him every day. Aren’t you afraid...?”

Before Huofeifei could finish, Youdu called out “Beast” in her sleep, instantly silencing Bi Jian’s gloomy suspicions.

…

Night fell. Youdu awoke to the long-awaited aroma of stewed chicken. Following the scent, she hurried to the inner room and saw a plate of chicken stew with mushrooms on the table, her left eye shining with excitement.

“Young master, wash your hands and eat!”

Bi Jian said coldly. Though Youdu was displeased, she obediently went to wash her hands. Once done, Huofeifei lifted Youdu to the main seat. Youdu glanced at Bi Jian and Huofeifei.

“Where’s the Beast?”

Huofeifei was momentarily stunned and looked outside.

“Come in, little beast~”

Qin Shou had just arrived, and Bi Jian hadn’t wanted him to sit at the same table, as seeing Qin Shou reminded him of the deaths of the Beast King and the Queen of Fire. Yet Huofeifei, unwilling to go against Youdu, set the tableware.

“Hurry up and finish washing your hands, then eat together!”

After Huofeifei spoke, Qin Shou cautiously glanced at Bi Jian.

“But Brother Jian…”

Bi Jian turned his head with a hum. Youdu, unaware of her parents’ past, thought Bi Jian was just unused to Qin Shou and tugged his sleeve.

“Brother Jian, I love you the most. I know you can’t bear to see me not eat!”

Though she spoke teasingly, Bi Jian wouldn’t dare let Youdu skip a meal. If she wanted a phoenix from the sky, he’d risk his life to get it for her—never mind if she skipped food!

Bi Jian finally relented and glanced at Qin Shou.

“Hurry up! You’re starving our young master!”

Once Bi Jian agreed, Qin Shou quickly washed his hands. After all, both he and Youdu were children growing up, and neither could resist good food—especially after all their fleeing.

Qin Shou had never been well-fed, so he ate heartily. Youdu, watching him, felt an odd pang of sympathy. Thinking of the snacks she secretly stashed, she snatched the remaining stew from the table.

“Wait for me!”

With that, Youdu jumped off her chair and rushed to the kitchen.

Soon, a pot of chicken stew with mushrooms, enriched with various snacks Youdu had added, was placed on the table. Qin Shou stared nervously at the dark, murky mess before him, his mouth watering nervously.

“This…”

“These are my long-cherished snacks. They’re delicious!”

As she spoke, Youdu picked up a piece of the blackened chicken and stuffed it into Qin Shou’s mouth. After one bite, Qin Shou’s face darkened. That night, the small courtyard’s outhouse lantern never went out again…