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墨書 Inktalez
When Chang Tai was forcefully pulled down from the second floor by Xing Ruyi, his face was flushed, his heart raced, and he felt a prickling sensation on his back. He didn’t need to look back to know that the fox’s expression was definitely unpleasant; it was just that others couldn’t see it.
Despite Young Master Yin looking like an ethereal being, he was more prone to jealousy than any man Chang Tai had ever encountered, yet he could expertly mask all his emotions. Chang Tai understood that this was because he cared about the Fox Demon, so even though being stared at made him uncomfortable and a bit guilty, he genuinely felt happy for the Fox Demon.
On the second floor, the fox watched as Xing Ruyi dragged Chang Tai down, his brows furrowing slightly before relaxing. He had no interest in tasting the dishes on the table. During his time at the Golden Tang Dynasty, his appetite had been spoiled by the Fox Demon and then further refined by Deer Lady's excellent cooking, making him increasingly unaccustomed to the food prepared by mortals.
Xing Ruyi was well aware that the fox could get jealous, but occasionally making her man feel a bit of jealousy was fine; it prevented him from thinking that his fiancée had no market value. Although each of the three had their own thoughts, they quickly passed. The fox on the second floor closed his eyes and began to rest amidst the noisy dining environment, while Xing Ruyi directly took Chang Tai to the kitchen.
There was none of the imagined romantic atmosphere or emotional farewells; only the sounds of the chef chopping vegetables, flames crackling, and an assistant diligently brushing a donkey's fur. Lingxiang stood quietly to one side, watching the donkey with a slight smile in her eyes, but if one looked closely, they would see the sadness hidden behind that smile.
“Fox Demon, why did you bring me here?” Chang Tai asked in confusion as he looked at Xing Ruyi. The kitchen had nothing special besides the female shopkeeper, assistants, chefs, and the donkey that was about to be slaughtered; he didn’t understand what kind of show Xing Ruyi had referred to earlier on the second floor.
Xing Ruyi gently shushed him and pulled Chang Tai into a more secluded corner where they could hide better. Just as she was about to doze off from waiting too long, an assistant finally finished brushing the donkey and led it to the most spacious corner of the kitchen. The chef wiped his sweat and selected what he considered to be the sharpest knife. Lingxiang’s expression finally changed as she gracefully walked up to the donkey and gently stroked its head as if facing not a donkey but her beloved man. Oh no, this was indeed her beloved man—just transformed into a donkey due to betrayal.
When Lingxiang's hand touched the donkey's body, it let out a pleading bray, its eyes looking pitifully at Lingxiang. She shook her head and spoke: “It’s too late! Really too late!”
The donkey let out a mournful sound, and Lingxiang's eyes began to glisten with tears. She placed her hand over its eyes and softly said, “Do you remember our promises back then? You vowed never to betray me for your entire life; I vowed never to abandon you for mine. But in the end, it was you who betrayed me and you who abandoned me. It’s over; we are ultimately not on the same path. You are not my true love; why should I cling on any longer?”
The donkey nuzzled against Lingxiang's palm unwillingly. She lowered her gaze, and Xing Ruyi knew she still couldn’t let go; her heart remained soft. If she were willing to part with it, she wouldn’t have kept it locked in a stable for three years. If her heart were hard enough, she would have left this Dragon Gate Inn long ago.
It was time to pour some oil on the fire!
With that thought in mind, Xing Ruyi stretched lazily and stepped out from her hiding spot. Of course, as she emerged, she made sure no one saw her awkwardness while hiding or getting up. Her act was convincing; it looked as if she had just walked into the kitchen.
“Oh my! I didn’t expect the kitchen of Dragon Gate Inn to be so clean and tidy; now I can eat with peace of mind,” Xing Ruyi remarked casually while her gaze remained fixed on the already cleaned donkey. “When will my donkey intestines be ready? Honestly, I’m starving and desperately need this delicious dish to save my stomach!”
"Don't worry, miss, the donkey intestines you wanted will be ready soon. Our chef has already prepared everything. Oh, miss, please stand back; with a knife going in and out like this, it wouldn't be good if it got on your delicate clothes." The waiter was quick with his words, making Xing Ruyi feel quite pleased. However, despite her happiness, she still had serious matters to attend to.
"It's fine, it's fine. I'm here in the kitchen to see the donkey being slaughtered. Lingxiang, you should know that for girls like us, unless we are married or forced by circumstances to show our faces, it's truly rare to witness such a spectacle."
"Have you gotten married then?"
Lingxiang stared at Xing Ruyi's hairstyle, which was not typical of a married woman.
"Not yet, but soon!" Xing Ruyi pointed above: "This time, I'm here to return home with my future husband for our wedding. The one sitting upstairs with an ethereal demeanor and a serious expression is my future husband."
"Then are you also running an inn?" Lingxiang asked again.
Xing Ruyi shook her head: "I can't run an inn; I can't handle such a business of welcoming and sending off guests. I operate a rouge shop in Luoyang. It's a small shop with simple transactions, which suits me best."
"So you're in the business of selling rouge and face powder? Does that mean what you use is different from others?"
"You're too kind; my business doesn't compare to yours, Lingxiang." Xing Ruyi said as she walked over to the chef and pointed at the knife in his hand: "May I take a look at that knife?"
The chef first sized up Xing Ruyi. Although he was just a cook, he had seen enough of the world to recognize that this young lady was well-dressed. Moreover, the waiter beside him was desperately signaling him not to offend this distinguished guest. After hesitating for a moment, the chef said, "Please be careful, miss; this knife is very sharp."
"It's alright; I'm just having a look." Xing Ruyi took the knife.
This knife seemed to have been modified by the chef himself for slaughtering purposes; it had a thin and fine blade that made it easy to cut through tendons and flesh. Xing Ruyi twirled the knife around in the air a few times before smiling at the chef and asking, "Hey there, chef, have you ever used this knife to kill someone? Is there any difference between killing a person and killing a donkey?"
"The young lady smiled, saying, 'I'm just a Chef; how could I dare to kill someone? Besides, killing someone comes with a price to pay.'"
"Oh—" Xing Ruyi elongated her response, "If that's the case, then it seems the Fox Demon will have to do it herself to avoid dragging you, Chef, into this."
In an instant, the smile on her lips froze, and her gaze turned sharp. Before anyone nearby could react, Xing Ruyi had already plunged the knife into the Donkey's body, precisely at the location of its liver, the cut neither too deep nor too shallow—just right.
"What is the young lady doing?"
Lingxiang was taken aback, his voice trembling.
"Did I scare you, Lingxiang Shopkeeper?" Xing Ruyi asked as she slowly withdrew the knife from the Donkey's body. The Donkey let out a pained cry and then bent its front legs, kneeling on the ground.
"Lingxiang need not panic; I merely wanted to test if this knife is sharp. Furthermore, I want to know if the flavor of the Donkey I personally slaughtered would be better. Look, it seems my knife skills are quite good; this position should be the Donkey's liver, right?"
The Chef glanced over and remarked, "Your knife skills are indeed impressive—quick and precise. The depth is just right; it only grazed the liver without damaging it, so it won't ruin the flavor when cooked."
"Then it seems I have some talent for being a female Chef," Xing Ruyi said as she toyed with the knife handle before aiming for the Donkey's Heart.
A fragrant breeze wafted by as Xing Ruyi looked at Lingxiang blocking her path without surprise.
"Lingxiang Shopkeeper, what are you doing? Are you interested in watching me kill a donkey for fun and want to try it yourself?"
"Yes! Lingxiang has been running an inn for some years now, but I've never killed a donkey before. After seeing your swift strike just now, I felt it was exhilarating, so I want to give it a try myself."
Lingxiang reached out her hand. She was petite, and her limbs were naturally slender, even her palm was smaller than Xing Ruyi's. Xing Ruyi looked at the hand extended towards her, smiled, and placed the blood-stained knife into Lingxiang's hand. For a moment, Xing Ruyi even wondered if Lingxiang, upon receiving the knife, would suddenly stab her.
It turned out that her inner fantasies were overly dramatic.
Lingxiang took the knife and simply thanked her lightly before turning away. Xing Ruyi didn't want to miss the show, so she moved step by step to a position where she could observe Lingxiang's expression.
At this moment, Chang Tai, who had been hiding in the corner, could no longer stay hidden. He hurried in, not even glancing at anyone else, and stood directly beside the Fox Demon, asking, "Are you okay?"
Xing Ruyi nodded. "Yes, it feels quite good to kill a Donkey! Brother Chang, as a Constable, do you encounter situations where criminals resist when apprehending them? In those moments, would you draw your own dagger to kill them? Is cutting through a person's skin different from cutting through a Donkey's skin?"
"Perhaps it is different!" Chang Tai glanced at the Donkey lying on the ground. "Although I am a Constable, the criminals I usually apprehend are quite cooperative because most people who commit crimes were good individuals before their wrongdoing; truly wicked people are rare."
"One misstep can lead to eternal regret. It seems Fox Demon is beginning to understand this saying. Lingxiang Shopkeeper, have you heard this phrase?"
"Lingxiang is just an ordinary woman; she has not heard such words. If the young lady has nothing else to do, please return upstairs and wait. The Donkey Intestine will be prepared shortly and will be delivered to you."
"It's rare for Lingxiang Shopkeeper to want to try butchering a donkey herself; such an exciting scene cannot be missed," Xing Ruyi pointed at the Donkey on the ground. "Shopkeeper, please!"
Lingxiang pressed her lips together; her hand gripping the knife handle trembled slightly. Then she tightened her grip on the handle, closed her eyes, and fiercely stabbed down at a vital point on the Donkey!
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