"I haven't changed!"
Hearing this, the perceptive women understood the unspoken meaning. They knew Ye Ming feared his status might create distance between them.
"Then hurry up and cook!"
At this moment, Nangong Qianyu, having recovered in Fang Junxue's arms, shot him a glare.
"Hahaha, alright!"
Hearing the familiar voice, Ye Ming finally breathed a sigh of relief. He then walked towards the kitchen.
Duo Lisha, standing beside them, found the scene almost dreamlike. Their Divine Master was reduced to a cook.
"This..."
Duo Lisha's thoughts were in disarray.
"Sister Duo Lisha, come tell us about the Temple of Destiny!"
Before Duo Lisha could regain her composure, Nangong Qianyu pulled her over. The others also looked at her with anticipation.
Unable to refuse their persistent pleas, Duo Lisha recounted some stories about the Temple of Destiny.
...
The Nangong Residence.
"Father, you were looking for me?"
Nangong Fu entered Nangong Li's study.
"Hmm!"
Nangong Li stood before his desk, calligraphy brush in hand, writing four characters: Dragon Roaming the World.
Nangong Fu observed the powerful and dominant strokes of the characters, and asked curiously, "Father, why have you been practicing these characters these past few days?"
With his final stroke, Nangong Li seemed unsatisfied.
"Because these four characters represent what is about to happen," Nangong Li explained, wiping the sweat from his brow.
"What do you mean?"
Nangong Fu's confusion deepened.
"It's alright, you don't need to worry about it!" Nangong Li had no intention of elaborating. He continued, "I called you here to entrust you with something."
"Please tell me!" Nangong Fu did not press further. Yet, for some reason, he felt the character "Dragon" his father had written seemed to allude to someone. And there was a high probability it referred to that young man.
At this moment, Nangong Li took out two boxes containing the Scarlet Heart Fruit and the Dao Heart Jade, and said, "I intend to auction these two items! And the location will be our Nangong Residence."
"What?"
Nangong Fu's eyes widened in shock. He wasn't surprised that Nangong Li would auction these divine artifacts, but rather by the chosen location.
"Father, why choose the Nangong Residence?" He felt compelled to ask. After all, these were not ordinary items. The bidders would likely be cultivators. If any accidents occurred, the Nangong family would be in grave danger.
"I know what you're worried about," Nangong Li said, looking at his son with reassurance. "You can rest assured, nothing will happen to our Nangong family."
"This... alright!" Seeing his father's confidence, Nangong Fu said no more.
"When?" he inquired.
"Tomorrow at noon!"
"Understood! I'll make the arrangements!" Nangong Fu gave his father a deep look before withdrawing.
After Nangong Fu left, Nangong Li picked up his brush again and continued writing the characters.
"Young Ye, don't mess with your grandpa!"
...
In the kitchen, as Ye Ming was finishing the last dish, Duo Lisha entered. Seeing their Divine Master skillfully preparing food, Duo Lisha was momentarily lost.
"What is it?" Ye Ming asked, still focused on his cooking, without turning his head.
"Ah! It's like this," Duo Lisha replied quickly. "Miss Yue Mian is gone."
"Oh? Is that so?"
Ye Ming did not seem surprised.
"Yes!" Duo Lisha noticed the calmness in Ye Ming's tone, but still asked, "Do you need me to find her?"
"No need! She will appear when she is meant to," he said. He knew Du Yuemian was intelligent and would not, or dare not, leak his whereabouts.
Ye Ming plated the cooked dish and turned to Duo Lisha, handing her the plate. He smiled, "Come help me carry these dishes out."
"Ah! This... alright!"
Duo Lisha gazed at the steaming food, her expression becoming dazed again. It felt like her first time serving a meal.
Two minutes later.
A group of people gathered around the dining table, enjoying the feast prepared by Ye Ming. As she picked up a dish, Duo Lisha felt as if she were in a dream. She could never have imagined that one day she would have the opportunity to sit at the same table as her impression of the aloof Divine Master.
"Wow! This is too delicious!"
The moment it touched her tongue, Duo Lisha was captivated. Of course, she wasn't the only one enthralled by the food. Xu Fei, who had just arrived, was equally engrossed.
"Hey! You two, eat slower. Sister Junxue, quick, grab some!"
Seeing Duo Lisha and Xu Fei's chopsticks moving non-stop, Nangong Qianyu became anxious. It seemed she had met her match. What followed was a "food-snatching battle." And the result? Everyone was stuffed and sprawled on the sofa, completely abandoning their ladylike demeanor. Even Duo Lisha was the same.
"Little Mingzi, the dishwashing duty is also yours," Nangong Qianyu said, patting her round belly as she lay on the sofa.
Hearing the address, dark lines appeared on Ye Ming's forehead.
"Come here, and we'll wash the dishes together!"
Ultimately, Nangong Qianyu paid the price for her momentary exuberance. Of course, the ones who suffered in the end were the bowls broken by Nangong Qianyu, whether intentionally or not.
...
Night fell.
Following the major announcements from the Lin and Fang families previously, another pervasive piece of news spread from the Nangong Residence. This time, all three major families of Minghai were involved. However, this event was clearly different from the previous two.
The Nangong family issued a statement:
"The elder patriarch of the Nangong family will host a charity auction, donating all proceeds to the Children's Fund for Orphans and the Disabled, contributing our humble efforts to society."
"The auction items will be all the gifts received by the elder Nangong patriarch during his previous birthday banquet."
"We hereby respectfully invite people from all walks of life to join us at the Nangong Residence tomorrow at noon to create a grand event!"
This sudden charity auction immediately caused a stir. Especially the auction items, which shocked many. After all, the two divine artifacts were among them. Therefore, upon receiving the news, various parties fell silent. No one knew the intention behind the Nangong family's move. However, they were acutely aware that at this very moment, an invisible storm was brewing in the skies above Minghai City. How many would be swept into it, no one knew.
This night would be fraught with undercurrents. This night would also be calm. Until, at noon tomorrow.