Chapter 90 – 90: Almond Tofu

Jade Chamber.

Looking at Beidou sprawled ungracefully amidst a pile of scrolls, sleeping soundly, Ningguang could only sigh and let her be.

What else could she do?

The last time she tried to advise Beidou, the woman had retorted with, “What’s with all this propriety? Acting like some delicate lady.”

And what was she supposed to do? Grow an extra limb and drag her out?

After a long day of work, Ningguang, as the Tianquan, finally had some spare time to deal with sensitive documents that couldn’t be handled openly.

The first batch came from Yelan. That woman, who had recently been in Fontaine, had now made her way to Sumeru. She even mentioned discovering an extraordinary individual there.

From Yelan’s intelligence reports, this “newcomer” had turned the Akademiya upside down.

Apparently, this individual had slipped some kind of special concoction into the food of a professor researching hilichurls. That night, the hilichurls howled incessantly, and the professor cried for an entire day.

If it weren’t for Lesser Lord Kusanali’s clear favor toward this newcomer—and the fact that they did have some talent—they likely would have been expelled from the Akademiya by now.

Later, the professor even forgave them. Oddly enough, several books authored by the professor suddenly became bestsellers in Sumeru.

Yelan had even sent back a few copies.

“That Night, I Hurt It”

“My Unspoken Stories with Hilichurls”

“The Importance of Lubricants”

“Why Hilichurls Are More Practical than Geovishaps”

“Northern Wind’s Ambition: A Guide to Hilichurl Brute Rearing”

“What even is this nonsense…”

Ningguang didn’t need to open the books to know the kind of content they contained.

What was this? Yelan’s dark sense of humor? Or was she simply trying to fill a knowledge gap in Liyue’s literature?

Forget it. Liyue didn’t need this kind of “knowledge.”

Next.

Flipping to the next report, Ningguang finally found something of interest. Judging by the seal on the document, it was from Wangshu Inn.

“The Ausbilder came to Liyue?”

Instinctively glancing at Beidou, Ningguang’s expression turned contemplative.

The matter of the Ausbilder had always weighed on her mind. It was tied to Qiqi, after all, so she couldn’t afford to be careless. She had even visited Bubu Pharmacy several times for inquiries.

But apart from the first encounter, which yielded no recognition or useful information, every subsequent visit had ended with Qiqi saying the same thing:

“Xiao Bai, my best friend.”

This had left Ningguang with a faint sense of unease.

Casually folding Yelan’s encrypted message into a paper airplane, Ningguang aimed briefly before tossing it.

The paper airplane arced through the air and struck Beidou squarely on the forehead. Somehow, despite being made of fragile paper, it hit with the strength of solid stone.

Beidou instinctively reached for her weapon but relaxed upon sensing the familiar presence nearby.

Can’t you change your methods for once?

“Go to Bubu Pharmacy for me,” Ningguang said, already dipping her brush in ink to jot down a list of medicinal ingredients.

The handwriting of the Tianquan Star wasn’t something easily matched by the likes of Bai Luo or Xingqiu. While all three were renowned for their writing, the “weight” of Ningguang’s words carried a different caliber.

Beidou took the prescription and gave it a casual glance before looking back at Ningguang with a peculiar expression.

“Are you pregnant by any chance?”

“???”

“Forget it. Just drink more hot water.”

“…”

Taking a swig from her wine jug, Beidou slung it over her shoulder and descended from the Jade Chamber, heading toward Bubu Pharmacy.

After reviewing the prescription he had written, Mr. Bai knew exactly what was going on. The herbs listed were bound to keep Qiqi busy for months, ensuring that the two of them wouldn’t cross paths anytime soon.

Of course, this might cause little Qiqi some extra work, but hopefully, she wouldn’t hold it against him.

Since his encounter with the mysterious boy, Bai Luo had not left Wangshu Inn. The innkeeper, who had their own agenda, was more than happy to have him stay, even offering to waive the accommodation and meal fees for his group.

Was Bai Luo short on money? Certainly not. Not only did the Fatui boast considerable wealth, but his royalties from Inazuma alone were substantial. So, with a dramatic wave of his hand, he generously declared:

“Put it on Childe’s tab!”

The Ninth Company, stationed with him, also showed no intention of leaving. They knew Bai Luo’s injuries made traveling unsuitable. Given the Fatui’s many enemies, staying in one place to recuperate seemed the safest option.

The next day, Bai Luo visited the front desk. The regular innkeeper wasn’t there, but a charming and elegant lady had taken their place.

Bai Luo jokingly addressed her as “Manager Tong,” though for reasons unknown, she didn’t dare contradict him, letting him call her whatever he pleased.

“Manager Tong, one plate of almond tofu, please.”

The woman paused mid-accounting, her expression faltering slightly.

“Sir, may I ask why you’d like almond tofu?”

“To eat, of course. The medicine is too bitter, and I want something sweet to offset the taste. I’ve heard Wangshu Inn’s almond tofu is the best, so how could I miss it?”

Finding nothing suspicious about his request, the lady relayed it to the kitchen, instructing them to prepare the dish promptly.

That day, Bai Luo sat at his usual spot, savoring his almond tofu with great relish.

The next day, Bai Luo ordered three servings of almond tofu.

One for himself, one for Katarina, and one for another female secretary.

The trio sat on the platform, enjoying their dessert with gusto. Bai Luo, in particular, made a show of his enjoyment, noisily slurping and smacking his lips as he ate.

Katarina and the secretary took turns massaging his shoulders and legs, creating an air of indulgent leisure.

On the third day, the once-quiet platform became bustling with activity. Bai Luo, leveraging Childe’s name, rented out most of the tables and chairs from the inn, filling the platform with them.

In appreciation of the Ninth Company’s care, he hosted a grand feast for his comrades. The main dish? Of course, the now-famous almond tofu.

A banquet of almond tofu spread out across the tables was enough to make someone lurking in the shadows grip the nearby tree trunk so hard it almost snapped in two.

By the fourth day, the Fatui members seemed to have developed a peculiar obsession, buying out the entire tofu supply of Dihua Marsh.

At noon, they set up stoves on the platform, where Bai Luo, now slightly recovered, personally cooked almond tofu from scratch. The aroma wafted through the air, tantalizing everyone nearby.

On the fifth day, Bai Luo returned to the platform. This time, the handsome youth didn’t wait for any antics and appeared directly before him.

“You’ve gone to such lengths to lure me out—what is it you want?”

The boy, standing before Bai Luo, held a long jade-green spear in his hand, his mask menacing and fierce. If Bai Luo didn’t provide a reasonable explanation, it seemed likely that the youth would stab him.

Bai Luo didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he reached into his pocket, pulled out a Sunsetia, and wiped it clean on his clothes.

“A Sunsetia. Sweet. Want one?”

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep