After Pampering Her 5 Beast Husbands, the Villainess Struck It Rich

Chapter 53: Chapter 53: Loath to Part

Sang Mo’s handsome face darkened. Grinding his back teeth, he squeezed out a few words, "Good! Very good!!"

He then shot to his feet, and the chair behind him crashed to the ground with a BANG.

Lang Qiu stood up and grabbed him. "Sang Mo."

Bai Zhi clutched her stomach and gave Hu Yan a pitiful look. "Hu Yan, I’m so hungry. Didn’t you say the food was ready?"

Hu Yan froze for a second. "Yes, it’s ready. Go sit at the table, and I’ll bring it out."

He then called Yan Yichen and the others to the kitchen to help bring out the food.

Sang Mo flexed his arm, pulling his wrist from Lang Qiu’s grasp. His face grim, he headed straight for his room without a backward glance.

Hu Yan had made seven or eight dishes in total, plus a soup, and it all looked quite appetizing. "Try it and see how it tastes. It can’t compare to your cooking, but it shouldn’t be bad."

At the dining table, only Bai Zhi’s chair had a soft cushion, a thoughtful touch that made her feel well cared for.

She sat down, picked up her chopsticks, and took a bite. Her eyes widened in surprise. If Hu Yan’s cooking had been merely decent last time, today it was absolutely delicious!

’He’d only watched her a few times and tried cooking once himself, and now Hu Yan’s skills were already expert-level!’

’She suddenly understood why great masters who never took on disciples would make an exception. For a talent like Hu Yan, she’d take him on in a heartbeat!’

’He had the sacred physique of a born chef!’

’He was more born to cook than any of those master chefs!’

Bai Zhi nodded vigorously. "Delicious!"

Hu Yan said, "I’m glad you like it, My Lady."

At a signal from Bai Zhi, the others took their seats.

Inside his room, Sang Mo swept his tail with force, smashing most of the room’s contents to smithereens.

Everyone heard the commotion from the room loud and clear, but seeing Bai Zhi continue eating with a placid expression, none of them left their seats.

Yue Junxiao was secretly glad to have less competition, so he certainly wasn’t going to say anything to Bai Zhi. Yan Yichen was indifferent to the situation and also remained silent.

As the recent beneficiary of her favor, Hu Yan’s policy was simple: whatever made his Lady happy.

Lang Qiu had wanted to intervene, but Yue Junxiao held him back.

At this point, Hu Yan spoke up. "We have to pack our bags this afternoon. If you get bored, My Lady, you can go hang out with Lila Grey and her friends."

Bai Zhi pressed her lips together. In all the time since she’d arrived, this was the first time all of them would be leaving her. It left a strange, indescribable feeling in her heart.

After all, they were the people she’d interacted with most since coming here.

She pursed her lips before nodding. "Okay."

After lunch, they began to pack their bags. "Packing" was a bit of an overstatement—they just tossed in a few changes of clothes, as everything else had already been put away.

Bai Zhi asked again, "Your medicine, weapons, and all the food—is it all in your storage? Are you wearing your protective gear?"

Yue Junxiao nodded, pointedly flashing the Space Ring Bai Zhi had bought for him. "Everything’s stored, and I’m wearing it."

As he spoke, he made a point of showing it to her.

Lang Qiu glanced at the time. "It’s about that time. We should get going."

Bai Zhi saw them to the door. As she watched their "heartbreaking" farewell, a dark glint flickered in Sang Mo’s icy eyes.

Bai Zhi didn’t notice his strange behavior. Frowning, she gave them a serious warning: "Be careful. Lay low and stay hidden as much as you can. Don’t get separated. The most important thing is that you all come back in one piece."

She’d never been on a collective hunt, but she knew there was no such thing as a hunt without injuries.

Hu Yan looked at her reassuringly. "Don’t worry. This hunt is in Zone B, so there won’t be any High-level Beasts. I promise I’ll bring them all back safely."

Yan Yichen flashed a wide grin. "Don’t worry, My Lady," he said cheerfully. "We’ve done this lots of times. We’ll be fine. Besides, we’re looking forward to the superpower boost when we get back!"

His words made Bai Zhi blush beet-red. The "intimacy schedule" she had just arranged flashed through her mind, and she couldn’t help but shoo them away. "Just go, hurry up."

After Hu Yan and the others left, Bai Zhi still felt a bit off, so she went back to bed for a nap.

She was woken by the sound of an incoming video call from Xing Fan.

Bai Zhi answered the call, and Xing Fan’s image appeared on screen. Seeing Bai Zhi in bed, Xing Fan said, "Oh, were you resting? Go back to sleep, then. I just wanted to let you know that the design is finished. I’ve already sent it to you. Take a look when you wake up, and if there’s anything you don’t understand, just let me know and I’ll explain."

Hearing that the design was ready, Bai Zhi immediately sat up. "I’m awake now. I’ll look at it right away."

She opened the file Xing Fan had sent. It showed a composite image, as well as diagrams for each individual piece. The Beast Husbands’ pieces were Jade Pendants, while Bai Zhi’s was a Pendant.

When joined together, they resembled a token, possessing both beauty and an air of authority. Her own Pendant was designed to be set in the very middle, an accent that brought the entire piece to life.

Xing Fan had even included detailed explanations for each individual component. Bai Zhi’s eyes lit up as she read, and she couldn’t help exclaiming, "Xing Fan, you’re an absolute gem! I love, love, *love* the design you came up with."

Xing Fan gave a small smile. "You’re exaggerating. I’m just glad you like it. I enjoy designing unique settings for the stones I buy, so I know a little. As long as you don’t think my drawing is too crude, I’m happy."

Bai Zhi was shocked. "You call this crude?! Are you trying to make everyone else give up?"

Xing Fan laughed at her comment. "So, was there any part you couldn’t understand?"

Bai Zhi replied, "You labeled everything perfectly. It’s easy to understand."

"Good. The design is a bit demanding, so when you look for someone to craft it, you should pick someone with real skill. That Crystal Stone is exceptional; it would be a shame to ruin it."

Bai Zhi propped her chin on her hands and gave her a pleading look. "Xing Fan, could you recommend someone? I don’t know anybody who does this sort of thing."

Xing Fan felt a bit helpless against that pleading gaze. For some reason, it gave her a strange sense of deja vu, reminding her of her own Xiao Bai’s Transformation.

Whenever Xiao Bai would put its paws on her leg and give her that same pleading look, she was completely unable to refuse its demands.

Xing Fan sighed lightly. "If you don’t mind," she said, "I have some skill in it myself."

Bai Zhi immediately and repeatedly said, "I don’t mind! I don’t mind at all!"

After she spoke, she let out a little laugh, flopped down onto her comforter, and hugged it while kicking her feet in the air. "Oh, by the way, are you busy the next couple of days? If not, I’ll call Xiao Yu and you two can come over. The guys left for a collective hunt, and I’m so bored all by myself. Come over, and I’ll make you barbecue! And all kinds of other good food!"

Xing Fan thought for a moment. "I’m not busy, and Xiao Yu should be free too. Send me your address, and we’ll come over together tomorrow morning. You can give me the Crystal Stone then, too."

Bai Zhi said, "Deal! I’ll order a ton of extra food. I guarantee you’ll both go home a few pounds heavier."

She didn’t have many hobbies, but she loved tinkering in the kitchen and whipping up tasty treats. Her skills were more than decent—everyone who tried her food said it was delicious.

Xing Fan laughed. "That won’t be easy."