Hehehehe&h.e.l.lip; It’s so funny that some of you think that Chu Yin is one of the men in MSQ’s harem. But it’s not the case & we’ll find out in Ch 72, which is a funny chapter btw.
Cliffhanger warning!
This chapter was translated for only. And only for those people who don’t mind reading unprofessional translation that was being translated FREELY at the translator’s and editor’s own free times. So rude & ent.i.tled people aren’t welcome to read this translation!!! So GO AWAY&h.e.l.lip;.
By Qian Lu
Chapter 68
Spark (Part 1)
Entering the front hall, she just saw Jing Shui who was putting the food on the table, the captivating aroma could be smelled directly, Murong Shu Qing went by her side, and smilingly said: “Jing Shui, what delicious things did you make?”
Jing Shui was setting up the bowls and chopsticks, while she answered: “Sweet and sour fish, and crispy fried chicken.”
Taking a deep breath, Murong Shu Qing praisingly said: “Smell delicious ah!” After tasting Jing Shui’s cooking talent, her stomach was used to eating good stuffs, even she rarely went to Ying Ke Lou anymore. She should organize all of the chefs at Ying Ke Lou to come and learn from Jing Shui, then the business at Ying Ke Lou would definitely bring it up a level.
“Miss, taste it.” Carefully taking the fish bone out, Jing Shui took a piece of tender and juicy fish meat and gave it to Murong Shu Qing’s mouth.
The meat was succulent and smooth, the juice was very creamy, Murong Shu Qing satisfyingly nodded her head, and turned around to say to Qi Rui who was behind her: Really delicious, Elder brother, you try it also.”
Qi Rui shook his head and sighed: “Alright ah!” He and Murong Shu Qing entered the door together, this big person like him, was just standing there for a long time, while these two girls were eating happily, they simply acted like he was not even existed. Especially Jing Shui, after she saw him, her face immediately became reserved, and it made him feel dejected even more. Could it be that he and she were doomed to remain speechless like this!
Jing Shui lowered her head, and did not look at Qi Rui any longer, her hands were pretending to be busy arranging the bowls and chopsticks, sometimes she was steeping the tea, sometimes she was serving the food, and would not let herself to stop. Murong Shu Qing could not continue to look so she grabbed her hand and pulled her (JS) to her (MSQ) side, she sighed and said: “Jing Shui, do not be busy, go eat, I am hungry.” She knew that she was more and more deliberately doing this to ignore Qi Rui, this was just showing that her heart actually very much cared about him even more!
“Miss, I&h.e.l.lip;.” Jing Shui was standing by Murong Shu Qing’s side, and not willing to sit down, and she still wanted to say something, but could only see Murong Shu Qing miserably covered her stomach, and pulled her hand to say: “I am really hungry.” Looking at Miss like this, Jing Shui who still wanted to say something, could only swallow it back.
“Jing Shui, sit down.” Lu Yi walked behind her, and used her hands to push her shoulders with strength for her to sit down. She really did not understand what awkwardness that Jing Shui had. Eldest young master’s feeling was very obvious towards her, and her secret feeling was also obvious towards Young Master, the two of them were obviously in love with each other, why should they torment each other!
Finally, everyone sat down, and could eat the meal happily, even though Jing Shui did not speak all along, but when she heard Qi Rui was telling some childhood events from the past, she would smile happily. In between chatting and laughing, Lu Yi got up, and came in with a big bowl of plums. As if she presented a treasure in front of Murong Shu Qing, she said: “Miss, I bought these in front of the courtyard gate at noon today, one old lady brought down a big basket of plums from the mountain to sell, how pitiful oh. I looked and these plums did not look bad, so I bought them, you taste it.”
Was it already plum season now? It seemed that it had not arrived yet! But these plums even though they were not big, their colors looked enjoyable, rosy and adorable. Looking that Lu Yi was impatiently waiting for her to taste it, Murong Shu Qing was forced to pick one up, and put it in her mouth.
“How is it? Is it delicious?” Lu Yi impatiently asked.
Murong Shu Qing did not tell her immediately, and only quietly chewed it for a moment, then she said to the three people in front of her who were waiting for the answer: “You guys can try it too?”
The three people were looking at each other in dismay, each picked up one plum, and put it in their mouths ___
“Heaven ah, very sour oh!!” Lu Yi’s face was wrinkled for a moment, and promptly spat out the plum that was in her mouth. Getting the cups, she poured three cups of tea afterwards. She drank a big mouthful hurriedly, and she could finally get rid of the sour taste in her mouth.
Qi Rui was also grievingly narrowed his eyes, and he drank half of the cup of tea, looking at Murong Shu Qing who was sitting leisurely, smiling to look at their incessant whining, he smilingly scolded: “Qing-er, you are very bad, you still asked us to taste this sour thing.” He actually was not really interested in eating the plum, and he should not taste it out of curiosity. This girl was more and more refined, since she already ate that sour thing, so she would not let go off the other people.
Murong Shu Qing raised her eyebrows and slightly smiled, with an innocent face, she answered: “If you guys did not try it, how could you know if it was sour or sweet.”
She could still say this sentence! Qi Rui lovingly shook his head lightly, he pushed the plate of that plums to the side of the table, just solely smelling it now, he thought it was already sour. Jing Shui’s spirit gradually came back with great difficulty, looking at this big plate of plums, and thinking that there were still more in the kitchen, she started to worry. Thinking, Jing Shui got up and said: “These many plums, it is a pity to throw them away, I will go and get some sugar.”
Jing Shui already walked to the side of the door, Murong Shu Qing suddenly thought something, and said to her: “Jing Shui, take half a bowl of sugar and half a bowl of salt here.”
What to do with the salt? Even though she did not understand it, Jing Shui still answered: “Yes.”
Waiting for Jing Shui to bring the sugar and salt, Murong Shu Qing cut into half all of the plums and put them in two small dishes. She added sugar on the plums in one of the dishes, and sprinkled a thin layer of salt on the other dish.
Li Yi puzzlingly asked: “Miss, what is this?” She could understand adding sugar, but why would she add salt? It would be sour and salty, this would be very strange ah?!
Murong Shu Qing lightly stirred it once, and did not give any explanation, she took two dishes and pushed them in front of them, and smilingly said: “You try it again.”
They did not dare to act blindly without thinking now, all three of them agreed by chance to pick the plum that was added with sugar, even though there was sugar and it was not that sour, but it was still a sour taste on the after taste. Once they finished eating one plum, they did not want to eat it anymore, as for that plum that was added with salt, just imagining that would have sour and salty taste, it really made them to flinch.
Finally, it was still Lu Yi who summoned her courage, she picked up one plum, and bit a mouthful.
After chewing it quietly for a while, the taste was very special, there was no thought that this was unpalatable. The sour taste was still there, but after adding the salt, it was actually counteracted part of the sour taste, and she could also feel this trace of sweet taste. Lu Yi put the whole plum inside her mouth, curiously looked at Murong Shu Qing, and said: “This taste is very different?”
Murong Shu Qing smilingly asked: "Is it delicious?”
“En.” After thinking, Lu Yi nodded her head. Actually, it could not be said as delicious, it was just different taste than the previous one, this was very refreshing, very special.
Qi Rui and Jing Shui saw that Lu Yi unexpectedly said it was delicious, and she actually ate several plums. Both of their curiosities were provoked again, finally, they also picked one up, and ate it. After they tasted it, the two people’s eyes were bright, it was sour and salty, and there was a sweet taste also, and after only added the salt, this plum unexpectedly had this rich taste.
Actually, when she was traveling to the south in the past, she saw some of the local people who were eating some fruits with this unique method, it was indeed a distinct and unique method. She made them to try it today, her purpose was not just this either. Murong Shu Qing was looking at the floating tea that sunk into the bottom of the cup, and faintly said: “Thinking that it is sour, we will add sugar, because they are matched in people’s eyes. But adding salt is also actually giving a distinctive taste, so the matters of the world, there is no such thing as matching up or not matching up.”
She said these words with no expectation that Jing Shui would suddenly get rid of her psychological hindrance, but she only hoped that she would be enlightened by this.
Jing Shui could also feel Murong Shu Qing’s intentions, so she lowered her head again, and did not speak anymore.
Qi Rui smilingly said with a clear voice: “Very well said.”
Murong Shu Qing laughingly looked at Qi Rui who could not wait to approve her words, so she could not help but to mockingly say: “Since it is that good, I will let you take this basket of plums back with you so you can enjoy them slowly.”
“Qing-er&h.e.l.lip;.” Qi Rui grievingly called out, and he provoked another joyful laughter from the inside of the room.
The night was. .h.i.t by the continuous night wind, it was so frigid and overbearing. Blowing on the flame of the candle’s bright gleaming, it looked like the winter was getting closer. Putting down the scroll that was on her hand, Murong Shu Qing was leaning on the back of the soft woolen couch, and was somewhat tired so she closed her eyes.
Hindering in between Jing Shui and Qi Rui’s relationships, was Jing Shui’s inferiority feeling and slight autism illness, if one wanted to cure her, it could not be settled in a short period of time. Also curing her face would be a very important step to rebuilt her self-confidence. But that Chu Yin&h.e.l.lip;.. Remembering that fiery red figure, and also his cold temper, Murong Shu Qing lowly sighed, if they wanted to receive his help, it would not be a simple matter at all.
Moreover, the current Qi’s family situation also made her feel anxious. Even though Big Uncle was hurt, fortunately, his life was not in danger anymore. The Elder (she referred to Qi Zhong Lin here), seemed to be drinking tea and playing chess every day in tranquility. But the Qi family manor’s secret bodyguards had already reported to her often, that the Elder had understood something about the deployment also, so she was afraid that this was the calm before the storm.
Murong Shu Qing suddenly opened her eyes, there was someone outside the window! Softly raising her hand to let Yan Yu know not to act blindly without thinking. This person had come for a while, and was just looking around outside, but he had not made any other moves. Whether he was an enemy or a friend, she did not know it clearly, so she would just quietly observe for any good change.
Still leaning on the soft couch and not moving, Murong Shu Qing slowly closed her eyes, as if she was sleeping. She could feel that the black dress person pushed open the window, but he had not entered in, when another black shadow intercepted his way, very quickly, there was a fighting sound from the inside of the courtyard.
Murong Shu Qing got up, Yan Yu immediately appeared behind her now, she originally thought that Yan Yu was anxious about her safety, and would not let the person set foot inside the room, but it did not seem so now. Since it was not Yan Yu, then who was the person fighting outside? Murong Shu Qing walked to the side of the door, and looked around, it was not bright under the moonlight, so she could only see two black shadows who were in a tangle, it was hard for her to distinguish who was who.
Sian’s notes:
Thank goodness I just finished eating dinner before I started translating this chapter, otherwise I’d be starving&h.e.l.lip; Even though I’m not a big fan of fish, but the description makes it sound delicious.
Ai&h.e.l.lip;. I told you that their brother & sister’s relationships will be better. This chapter shows it that they can be like real siblings here. I love that Qi Rui is bullied by the girls.
So who are those people who are fighting? Let me give you a hint: one is a trouble maker who happens to be a future powerful person (☺️) & the other one is the guy whom I’m going to be falling in love with more and more. Hehehehe&h.e.l.lip;