The Side Character Who Wins by Doing Nothing

Lu Sangjiu flushed with embarrassment, but she still couldn’t bring herself to try the shredded potatoes.

Xie Ningyuan, however, picked up another piece of braised pork to eat.

Lu Sangjiu couldn’t help it. She shot out her chopsticks to pin his down and scowled, ”...Don’t eat it.”

Braised pork requires rock sugar and salt. The rock sugar was a given, but if she’d mistaken regular sugar for salt, then the meat... would be nothing but sweet. And a cloying, overpowering sweetness at that.

Just the thought of that flavor made Lu Sangjiu want to gag.

Xie Ningyuan raised an eyebrow. ”This is my apprentice’s graduation gift. If I can’t finish it all, I should at least have a couple of bites of each dish.”

With that, he brushed her chopsticks aside and once again picked up a piece of pork.

”Relax, it won’t kill me.”

As Lu Sangjiu watched him put the piece of pork in his mouth, she suddenly felt a little touched.

Then, just as that feeling began to well up inside her, she saw Xie Ningyuan freeze. ”GACK...”

Lu Sangjiu: ”...”

As it turned out, no one could stomach a piece of pork belly that was purely sweet.

After he recovered, Xie Ningyuan saw Lu Sangjiu staring at him with a deadpan expression. He felt a little embarrassed and cleared his throat. ”Apologies. I couldn’t help it...”

”...Whatever. I’m used to it.”

Lu Sangjiu sighed, rising dejectedly. ”Well, skipping one meal won’t kill us. Let’s just toss it all.”

This time... Xie Ningyuan didn’t argue.

But as she turned to leave, he spoke up again. ”What time are you heading out tonight? I’ll escort you.”

”There’s no need.” Lu Sangjiu refused instinctively. ”I’m meeting friends, so it wouldn’t be right to bring you along. And I’d feel bad making you come all that way for nothing. It’s better if I go by myself.”

”...Have you forgotten about that group of people you offended? They’re still waiting to get their revenge.”

Seeing the utter disbelief on Xie Ningyuan’s face, as if to say ’Have you completely lost your mind?’, Lu Sangjiu finally remembered... that she had indeed landed herself in a heap of trouble before coming here.

’Tsk. Looks like life here has been too comfortable. I completely forgot about that whole mess.’

So she silently turned back, enthusiastically grabbed one of his hands with both of hers, and said with utmost sincerity, ”I’ll let you know when it’s time to go. I’m counting on you tonight!”

Xie Ningyuan: ”...”

The corner of his mouth twitched. He pulled his hand away in distaste and rose to his feet. ”You’re on dish duty. Throw out the food and wash the bowls.”

”You got it!”

Later that evening, Lu Sangjiu politely knocked on Xie Ningyuan’s door.

A moment later, Xie Ningyuan opened the door. He was dressed in a simple, elegant set of cyan robes and... was holding a matching cyan umbrella.

He looked quite ethereal, a pleasant sight to behold.

Lu Sangjiu, however, just blinked at him. ”You’re... green from head to toe? I know you’re a Buddhist Practitioner and all, but isn’t that a rather unlucky color to be wearing?”

Xie Ningyuan raised his hand and rapped her on the head. ”I taught you how to cook, which makes me half a master to you. Is that any way to speak to your master?”

Lu Sangjiu was speechless. ”So that’s why you were so nice about teaching me to cook. You were just waiting for this, weren’t you?”

”Too bad for you, I already have a master. If you want to claim that title, why don’t you go fight my real master at the Seven Emotions Sect?”

Xie Ningyuan nodded in all seriousness. ”Fine by me. I’ll be sure to pay him a visit when I have the time.”

With that, he raised the umbrella and started walking.

It was late in the evening and not even raining, so Xie Ningyuan holding an umbrella looked a little odd.

But Lu Sangjiu had already figured out that the umbrella was actually a top-grade magic treasure. It probably had the same function as his mask: concealing one’s aura.

She hurried to catch up, her tone serious now. ”Your injuries... they still haven’t healed, have they?”

’Under normal circumstances, since Xie Ningyuan needed to use her as bait, he should have been eager to parade her through the streets. His use of the umbrella, however, clearly showed he wanted to avoid a confrontation and simply escort her to the tower discreetly.’

Xie Ningyuan didn’t try to hide it. He nodded. ”It’s best if I avoid fighting for the time being. Otherwise... someone is going to have a meltdown.”

’It hadn’t been long at all. If he had to go back to the Mountain of Ten Thousand Poisons to have the seal repaired again, the Poison Master really would have a meltdown. Besides... his body really couldn’t take much more of this abuse. The next time the seal shattered, he might not even survive long enough to reach the Mountain of Ten Thousand Poisons.’

Lu Sangjiu didn’t know who this person on the verge of a meltdown was, but she got the gist of what he meant.

So she suggested, ”Then why don’t you just lend me the umbrella? I can go by myself. You should stay home and get some rest.”

’As much as she valued her own skin, she couldn’t just use someone else’s life to save it, could she? Xie Ningyuan was in no condition to be taking risks for her.’

Her intentions were good, but Xie Ningyuan simply arched an eyebrow. ”What’s this? Trying to swindle me out of my Thousand Luo Umbrella already?”

This time, however, Lu Sangjiu didn’t rise to the bait. She just looked at him seriously and said, ”I’m not joking. I can handle it myself.”

”I’m not joking either. The Thousand Luo Umbrella is bound to its owner. You can’t use it.”

That left Lu Sangjiu with nothing to say. Still, she wasn’t ready to give up, so she settled for the next best thing. ”...Then you’re not allowed to fight!”

He agreed readily this time. ”Fine.”

Before they even stepped outside, Xie Ningyuan activated the Thousand Luo Umbrella. Instantly, both their auras and their figures were completely concealed.

As they walked down the street, it was as if they were invisible. No one spared them a single glance.

What’s more, as they left, Lu Sangjiu could feel someone’s eyes fixed on their residence. Yet, even as they walked away, that person’s attention didn’t shift at all.

’The Thousand Luo Umbrella really was an amazing item; its effect was perfect... Sigh. Another day, another reason to be jealous of the filthy rich Xie Ningyuan.’

Once they reached the entrance to the tower, Xie Ningyuan stopped. ”Go on,” he said to Lu Sangjiu. ”I’ll wait for you here.”

Lu Sangjiu was taken aback by the gesture. ”Huh? You’re going to wait here until I’m done and then take me back?”

Xie Ningyuan grunted in agreement. ”If I’m going to be your Flower Protector, I should see the job through to the end.”

Lu Sangjiu quickly waved her hands in refusal. ”That’s really not necessary! I’m going back to my inn afterward, so my friends can just see me home.”

”Feng Lin and Chi Yan are both at the Golden Core Stage, and they’re plenty strong. I’ll be fine.”

She paused before adding, ”Besides, if I’m upstairs drinking while you’re just waiting down here... how could I possibly enjoy my meal?”

Xie Ningyuan considered this for a moment before nodding. ”Alright. I’ll head back first, then. If you need anything, just use a Communication Talisman to contact me.”

Lu Sangjiu finally let out a sigh of relief and waved energetically. ”Be careful on your way back!”

After bidding farewell to Xie Ningyuan, Lu Sangjiu turned to look up at the sign for the Moon Viewing Tower, feeling a bit conflicted.

’Sigh. I promised myself I’d never come back to this godforsaken place, and yet here I am. But what could she do? Feng Lin had already booked their seats when he contacted her. As the one getting a free meal, she was hardly in a position to ask him to change venues, was she?’

The moment she stepped into the Moon Viewing Tower, Lu Sangjiu felt the Divine Sense of a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator fall upon her.

’If I’m not mistaken, that’s probably the Nascent Soul Cultivator who oversees this tower? Ahem. For some reason, I get the feeling they’re very happy to see me...’

’But today, I’m really just here for a normal meal. I absolutely, positively will not cause any more trouble!’