Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Godmother’s Delicate Lips

Seeing his godmother’s change in expression, Chu Wuji was a bit taken aback. He thought she would be happy, but she suddenly turned serious.

Realizing that she was concerned about his injuries, he explained, “It’s a misunderstanding! These are just minor scrapes, the wounds are almost healed~”

Ning Xianzhi’s brows remained furrowed, but seeing that Chu Wuji’s injuries weren’t serious after he removed the bandages, her expression softened.

However, while not severe, they weren’t just “minor scrapes” as he claimed. The wounds looked like they had been healing for half a month, with no redness around the scabs, almost fully recovered.

Although young people healed quickly, it was still an exaggeration for Chu Wuji’s wounds, sustained just that morning, to have healed to this extent by nightfall.

While the woman was still focused on the young man’s injuries, the young man was preoccupied with the bear paw on the plate.

Bear paw was all gelatinous protein. Once it cooled down, it would solidify into jelly!

He quickly picked up a piece of bear paw meat with his chopsticks and brought it to his godmother’s rosy lips, pleading, “Mother, have a bite first and listen to me while you eat. If you don’t eat, I won’t either. I worked hard all day just for this bite!”

Ning Xianzhi wanted to take the chopsticks, but Chu Wuji insisted on feeding her himself, afraid she wouldn’t be able to handle them properly. She had no choice but to take a bite.

The first sensation on her taste buds was similar to fatty meat, but it was very different from that greasy stuff. It was more like fish lips stewed into a soup, then cooled and solidified into fish jelly.

Honestly, she didn’t quite appreciate this dish. With the spices used to stew the bear paw, even her white socks could be stewed to taste delicious. It was all thanks to the secret recipe and seasonings.

But seeing Chu Wuji’s disheveled appearance and his current anticipation, Ning Xianzhi seemed to find a different kind of flavor in the dish.

However, she would rather not have this elaborate dish and miss out on that unique taste than have this child come home injured.

“I ate it. It tastes good, but don’t make it again. It’s too rich… Can you explain your injuries now?”

Chu Wuji looked satisfied. Without changing chopsticks, he took a bite himself and continued to pick up food for the woman while explaining, “I didn’t intentionally get myself injured like this. I was always careful before and never got hurt! But this time, that black bear seemed to have become a demon. Its paws regenerated, and its claws could suddenly extend. It caught me off guard.”

“…” Ning Xianzhi looked at him in disbelief.

Some exceptionally large mountains and rivers naturally gathered spiritual energy. If a wild beast was lucky enough to absorb a wisp of it, it might embark on the path of cultivation, gradually transcending its beastly nature. After ten or more years, it might even gain sentience.

The massive mountain range near the Lihuo capital occasionally produced a black bear demon, which wasn’t surprising. It would be strange if it didn’t.

This child had forcefully cut off the paws of such a black bear that had absorbed a wisp of mountain spiritual energy?

With the support and guidance of her family, the young girl from the Yun family had opened her cultivation foundation, allowing Ning Xianzhi to observe her talent and aura. But she couldn’t see anything in Chu Wuji.

Had he really subdued the black bear with brute force alone, without any cultivation?

While the woman was lost in thought, Chu Wuji continued to feed her, bite after bite. Occasionally, when his godmother was distracted and didn’t respond, he would gently nudge her lips with his chopsticks, reminding her to open her mouth.

“Mother, your comment about the bear paw this time is the same as last time. You said ‘It’s not bad, but don’t make it again.'”

Ning Xianzhi was startled, thinking that Chu Wuji would comment on how different her taste was now compared to before. Fortunately, he found them similar.

But this was understandable. The chef’s secret sauce was indeed excellent, and bear paw was a rare delicacy. Besides, Chu Wuji had gone through so much trouble, she couldn’t just say it tasted ordinary, right?

“Since you said Mother told you not to get bear paw again before, why did you do it again?”

“You’ve lost your memory, so you probably forgot the taste. It doesn’t count. Besides, if Mother eats it again, maybe you’ll remember more things!”

Previously, when she heard this child constantly thinking about his snake demon godmother, Ning Xianzhi didn’t feel much. It was normal for Chu Wuji to worry about his unconscious family member. But now, hearing this, she felt a bit… unhappy.

She felt as if this child’s sincerity was directed at her but didn’t reach her heart.

However, this feeling was fleeting. Ning Xianzhi knew the problem wasn’t with Chu Wuji; he was simply fixated on a snake demon’s vessel.

A whole bear paw was quite large, but half was just right.

They finished the bear paw before it could cool down.

Ning Xianzhi formulated her words in her mind, planning to give him a few more hints so that Chu Wuji would know to seek immortal fate and visit the Shenxiao Sect in the future. She also wanted to ask if that snake demon, Bai Sujin, had ever mentioned anything about his physique.

Just as she was about to speak, Ning Xianzhi was surprised to find that she couldn’t open her mouth. Her lips were stuck together as if by honey or glue, most likely due to the gelatinous nature of the bear paw.

It hadn’t felt sticky when it was warm, but it became sticky once it cooled down. No wonder Chu Wuji had urged her to eat quickly.

Ning Xianzhi glanced at him and saw that this child had come prepared. He had been drinking water to wash away the bear paw jelly from his lips, but he hadn’t bothered to remind her, probably waiting for this moment!

She glared at Chu Wuji playfully. Although her demeanor was cold and aloof, it still exuded a certain charm.

“Mother, wait a moment~”

Chu Wuji went to the kitchen and poured a cup of hot water. He didn’t mind the heat and dipped his finger in it. After making sure it wasn’t scalding, he carefully wiped his godmother’s delicate, rosy lips, using the hot water to melt the sticky residue.

He first wiped her outer lips. After cleaning off most of the bear paw jelly, Chu Wuji’s fingers gradually moved inward, wiping the gaps between her lips with hot water, slowly “peeling” them apart. His fingertip even accidentally touched the woman’s tongue.

Ning Xianzhi was a celestial maiden in the eyes of mortals, revered even within the Shenxiao Sect. This somewhat improper interaction was a bit inappropriate, and her feelings were complex, but she didn’t say anything.

He was just helping her clean her lips. It would be strange to mind it too much!

“Alright, it’s not sticky anymore. But it’s best to rinse your mouth with some tea. I’ll pour you a cup.”

“…Mmm.”

Ning Xianzhi responded somewhat unnaturally. Watching Chu Wuji move around the room, she suddenly forgot what she had been planning to say.

***

In an unnoticed corner of the street, Shang Liangzheng had been kneeling for a long time. He was hungry and thirsty, but he didn’t dare leave.

If he left, the consequences could be severe. If the Jing’an Palace wanted to pursue the matter, they could use his disrespectful words as an excuse and have him executed with a single word.

However, the Jing’an Palace hadn’t refused to forgive him; they had simply forgotten about him and didn’t know what he had done, as Si Que hadn’t reported to the Princess Consort.

Shang Liangzheng knelt until late at night, his blood circulation becoming poor, and eventually fainted. The Palace guards, thinking he was a beggar who had died, and fearing that it would bring bad luck to the Palace, simply threw him aside.

In the middle of the night, Shang Liangzheng was awakened by a rat biting him. After taking a moment to understand his situation, he rushed to Minister Yu’s residence and pleaded for an audience.