When I Lay Flat, the Female Lead Panicked - Chapter 11
Chapter 11: Special Favor
“Uh… no, I didn’t. Why would I run into something unclean, haha…”
Her heart skipped a beat. Thinking Cangruo had discovered something, Luo Xiaoxiao’s eyes flashed with guilt and nervousness. She feigned calmness as she replied.
“It’s best if you haven’t, of course~ Right, I have a lot of food here too. Xiaoxiao, come and eat.”
Without much suspicion, Cangruo gave a bright smile and took out a lot of delicious food from her storage bag, placing it in front of Luo Xiaoxiao.
“Mmm… okay.”
As if afraid Cangruo would ask another dangerous question, she noticed the chubby, goofy guy and the skinny monkey.
Luo Xiaoxiao didn’t dare to look at their hiding spot. She just obediently grabbed a delicate pastry from the table and stuffed it into her mouth. She wore an expression that said, “I’m just a good little eater, please don’t ask any questions,” afraid that talking too much would reveal something.
Because of her guilt, Luo Xiaoxiao took particularly big bites of the pastry. She wanted to fill her small mouth so there was no space, to reduce her presence and avoid being questioned.
But little did she know, her low-key way of eating was even more captivating…
Her cheeks puffed up like a squirrel storing nuts. The focused expression while she ate, paired with the girl’s big, bright, and moist deer-like eyes, made her look exceptionally cute.
“So cute…”
The few people sitting silently on the bench next to Luo Xiaoxiao, who were secretly watching her eat, all had their eyes light up and thought the same thing.
The girl’s manner of eating easily gave off the heart-melting vibe of feeding a little white rabbit a carrot, making people’s hearts itch.
At that moment, they couldn’t help but want to empty their storage bags and take out as many delicious foods as possible to place in front of her.
“…”
Her mouth was full of food from all the feeding. Luo Xiaoxiao innocently looked at the young female cultivators who had “Is this enough, child?” expressions and “auntie smiles.”
After getting used to it, she didn’t feel uncomfortable at all. Instead, her nervousness lessened, and she felt a sense of ease, like she was back in her comfort zone.
After all, ever since she was a child, she was very popular because of her cute looks, sweet talk, and love for being a little spoiled.
Not only was she often fed enthusiastically by the grandparents, uncles, and aunts downstairs in her neighborhood, but even during her school days, from kindergarten to high school, she was showered with food by her teachers and classmates.
So, when faced with the current situation, Luo Xiaoxiao not only adapted but also managed to take a bite from each of the foods the few people offered, making sure to show equal favor.
Silently watching the scene, Wen Nanshu did not stop her junior sisters from enthusiastically feeding Luo Xiaoxiao.
She sat naturally in the empty seat next to Luo Xiaoxiao on the bench. A faint smile unintentionally appeared in her eyes.
She took out a handkerchief, gently wiped the pastry crumbs from the corner of Luo Xiaoxiao’s mouth, and gently admonished her like she was coaxing a child.
“Eat slowly, there’s more.”
“Mmm, okay~”
…
The scene in the front hall was harmonious and joyful, but in the ignored and forgotten back kitchen, the two brothers who were forced to huddle together in a large water vat were not so comfortable.
Chubby (Pain mask): “Big brother, when can we get out? It’s so crowded…”
Skinny (Disgusted): “Aiya, just bear with it. Didn’t you see our young master is still tirelessly dealing with those cultivators?”
Chubby (Wounded): “Mmm, but why does it sound like the young master is having a great time with them and is even eating?”
Skinny (Proud): “Tsk. What do you know? The young master is being deceptive with those cultivators. He’s using deliberate feigned kindness and cuteness to lower the enemy’s guard, then he’ll strike when they least expect it with a brilliant strategy.”
Chubby (Suddenly enlightened): “Oh~~ So that’s it. With such a sinister and vicious plan, no wonder the young master can be so calm when facing his father’s mortal enemy, a fellow cultivator.”
Skinny (Boasting): “Heh, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Our young master is much more impressive. The lies just flow out of his mouth. He’s the very model of our despicable and shameless demon race!”
Chubby (Awed): “Wow~ worthy of the young master, so despicable!”
Skinny (Arrogant): “Exactly! Despicable!”
Chubby (Thumbs up): “Mhm! Truly despicable!”
…
“Achoo, achoo…”
Luo Xiaoxiao’s nose tingled, and she sneezed uncontrollably.
Just as she was frowning, wondering who was bad-mouthing her behind her back, the few people at the table who were discussing information about An Family Village all looked at her with concern.
Luo Xiaoxiao (Awkward): “I…”
Ningyu, Qiutong (Eyes full of concern): “Xiaoxiao, are you sick?”
Luo Xiaoxiao (Trying to explain): “I’m not…”
Cangruo (Eyes shining): “Don’t be afraid, Xiaoxiao. I’m a main healer. I have many potions and elixirs for treating illnesses, and you can get any flavor you want. With me, you will never get sick.”
Luo Xiaoxiao (Helpless): “I’m really fine… I just had a few small sneezes. You guys should get back to your business. Don’t worry about…”
Wen Nanshu (Gently placing her hand on Luo Xiaoxiao’s forehead): “If you don’t feel well, you must tell me in time, okay?”
Luo Xiaoxiao (Blushing): “…Mhm.”
…
“Qiutong, what’s the situation on your end?”
“I went to the village chief’s house in the east of the village. There…”
“The east of the village?”
Her chewing motion paused. When she heard Qiutong mention the same direction as the chubby guy, Luo Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but perk up her ears slightly.
“Did you find anything strange there?” Seeing Qiutong’s expression change from her usual relaxed and carefree one to one of solemnity, Ningyu asked softly.
Qiutong: “Mmm… it’s hard to say. I didn’t find anything particularly strange after observing for a while. It’s just that when I was talking to the village chief, the person himself gave me a very uncomfortable feeling.”
Cangruo: “Uncomfortable?”
“Yes, uncomfortable…”
Recalling her encounter with the village chief of An Family Village, Qiutong’s eyes darkened.
Based on the reason that the village chief, as the administrator of the village, should know more about the situation, Qiutong initially set her investigation target on him and found him.
The village chief of An Family Village, An Wude, was described in the intel as being kind, friendly, and just, a great village chief.
Even when she came to him, he acted in a cooperative manner with the immortal sect’s mission and told her everything he knew.
However, although the village chief seemed to be actively cooperating with her the entire time, Qiutong didn’t get any useful information from him.
“Did you smell anything strange at the village chief’s house, Sister Qiu?”
Recalling the bloody smell the chubby guy described to her, Luo Xiaoxiao asked curiously.
Qiutong: “Smell? No, not really. It’s just that these past few days there’s been a lot of rain and mist in the mountains, which made his house smell a bit moldy…”
Luo Xiaoxiao: “Moldy?”
Qiutong: “Mhm, a kind of moldy smell that’s hard to describe… And I don’t know if it’s my imagination, but An Wude’s house was unusually cold even in broad daylight.”
Ningyu: “So how did this Village Chief An explain the recent abnormal deaths of the villagers in An Family Village?”
Qiutong: “In the past month, about a hundred people have died in An Family Village. He explained that the villagers were ignorant and desecrated the mountain deity, so the deity punished An Family Village…”
Cangruo: “Mountain deity? Oh, that’s right! I just asked the villagers who escaped, and they said the same thing. They said that the mountain deity would turn into a monster at night to punish them. They also said that An Family Village has now become a cursed land…”
“Biting people in the middle of the night, livestock dying horribly. It’s all the mountain deity? Heh, that kind of talk is only for commoners.” Thinking to herself, Luo Xiaoxiao blindly guessed that the village chief wasn’t a good person.
Wen Nanshu: “Has anyone in the village chief’s family passed away recently?”
Qiutong: “I haven’t heard of that. His family doesn’t seem to be on the list of deceased villagers in An Family Village. The village chief’s wife died early, leaving behind one son, and the village chief never remarried, so there are only two people in his family, him and his son. But when I went there, his son didn’t seem to be home…”
“Not at home…”
The clues were confusing. Looking at the setting sun outside, and knowing that night was approaching again, Wen Nanshu’s cold eyes darkened slightly. She said in a low voice:
“No matter what, don’t relax your guard tonight. I have a premonition that something is going to happen.”
Tonight happens to be the full moon, a time when Yin energy is abundant and evil spirits cannot suppress their wickedness for long. The evil spirit won’t be able to hide for much longer and will definitely act.
Thinking this, Wen Nanshu was about to simply plan for tonight. But her sleeve, which was placed lightly on the side of the table, was gently tugged.
Her eyes fell on the girl next to her. Wen Nanshu quietly watched the girl holding her clothes, her big eyes blinking with hesitation and an urge to speak.
Her cold expression softened slightly. Guessing that the girl was afraid, Wen Nanshu’s voice became gentle as she comforted her.
“Don’t be afraid, Miss Luo. With me here, everything will be fine.”
“Then, Big Sister… can I continue to sleep with you tonight?”
As soon as she said this, Wen Nanshu hadn’t even had a chance to reply. The other three people at the table had a much bigger reaction.
“What!?”
Their looks at Wen Nanshu became strange. They didn’t expect their sect’s pure and elegant, noble and stunning senior sister to allow someone to get close to her, let alone sleep in the same room.
Their mouths agape in shock, the serious expressions they had just moments ago were replaced by ones that were full of things they wanted to say but didn’t.
Immediately, they all came forward and accused her as if Wen Nanshu was abducting a child.
Cangruo: “Senior Sister, she’s still a child, and you’d actually do that… and I’m 18 too! Why didn’t you say you’d sleep with me, boo-hoo… That’s favoritism.”
Qiutong: “Nanshu, you… tsk tsk. Xiaoxiao, I can protect you too. Why don’t you consider me? My bed is also big~”
Ningyu: “Xiaoxiao, I’ve figured it out. Of all us sisters, you show the most favoritism towards Senior Sister. Sister Ning is going to be sad.”
“…” Looking at her junior sisters who took every opportunity to tease her both openly and subtly.
Wen Nanshu’s expression remained calm and unaffected. She didn’t explain or deny anything, letting her junior sisters cause trouble.
However, when she saw Luo Xiaoxiao being teased by them, not knowing whether to agree or deny it.
She realized she had said the wrong thing. Her stuttering, flushed, cute, and bothered expression made Wen Nanshu finally act. She raised her cold eyes slightly and gave the junior sisters a dignified look.
“…”
The coldness swept over them. The enthusiastic “bullying” of Luo Xiaoxiao stopped instantly because of Wen Nanshu’s single, indifferent look.
Tsk tsk, as expected of the Tianyan Sect’s number one, the unmatchable Iceberg Senior Sister.
The kind of authority she commanded without even getting angry was indeed cold and thrilling…