I became the tyrant's only belief.

Chapter 364 The Development of Ghostly Encounters

Chu Liuzheng was startled and looked up at him.

Xiao Jingfan met her gaze; his dark eyes, like a still lake, perfectly reflected her image amidst the smoke filling the kitchen.

Chu Liuzheng averted his gaze as if burned by fire, tightened his right hand hidden behind his back, and strode towards the stove.

Xiao Jingfan's gaze followed her, and he followed her.

Zhou Yuande had no choice but to swallow his words of advice to go back, and sighed inwardly, "What a mess this is!"

At the kitchen doorway, Feng Jing was still feeling sorry for his ointment when Chen Xing suddenly tugged at it. He looked up, annoyed, and asked, "What are you doing?"

"help."

Chen Xing pulled him closer to the stove, helped Chu Liuzheng carry the bowl of meat, and let Feng Jing scoop out the fried meatballs, making sure the division of labor was clear.

Chu Liuzheng's right hand was covered in ointment, making it inconvenient to use. It was indeed difficult to operate with only his left hand, so he looked up and smiled gratefully at the two of them.

Chen Xing didn't understand why Chu Liuzheng was still frying meatballs even though he had been burned.

Fried meatballs are indeed delicious, but the meat is already seasoned well, so anyone else could have fried them.

She held the basin attentively, glancing at the meatballs floating in the oil pot one moment, and then at the old man by the stove who seemed out of place in the kitchen the next.

Well, Chen Xing tilted her head and gave Chu Liuzheng a sweet smile. Hehe, the show's about to begin!

Feng Jing scooped up the meatballs for a while before realizing why he wasn't the one carrying the bowl.
Chenxing is clearly more suited to scooping meatballs than him.

Chenxing sighed.

See? This is what it means to be someone who can't find a wife.

The master was still watching from the side, yet he was rushing to get closer to Chu Liuzheng. He had never seen Feng Jing so eager to die.

Faced with Feng Jing's lack of understanding, she gave a perfunctory excuse: "Your arms are longer than mine."

Feng Jing... was persuaded.

His arms were indeed longer than Chenxing's.

Everyone in the kitchen was busy with their own tasks, and the three of them were especially busy in their small workshop, which made the two people by the stove seem particularly idle.

Xiao Jingfan had never been into a kitchen more than three times in his life, and this was the first time he had ever known that there could be so much oil and smoke in a kitchen.

His eyes turned slightly red from the fumes, and he turned his head away, coughing muffledly.

Zhou Yuande looked at him worriedly and whispered, "Young Master, let's go outside and wait."

There's really no need to put yourself through this.

Xiao Jingfan waved his hand, took out a handkerchief from his sleeve and covered his mouth and nose, without moving an inch.

Zhou Yuande couldn't help but feel resentful towards Chu Liuzheng.

Even if you're going to cook, can't you use a place that produces less smoke?
Look how pungent it is, even their eyes are red.

Chu Liuzheng felt extremely wronged; she had no idea that this esteemed master would personally come to the kitchen.

At that moment, her mind was still in a complete mess.

However, hearing the muffled coughing, she unconsciously quickened her pace in frying the meatballs, finishing the rest of the meat in the shortest possible time.

Xiao Jingfan had long been fed up and didn't want to stay in the kitchen for another second, so he grabbed the other person's wrist and left.

Chu Liuzheng was so quick that he didn't even have time to take off his apron.

Zhou Yuande hurriedly followed.

Three people were suddenly missing from the kitchen. Feng Jing glanced at the large bowl of fried meatballs and asked Chen Xing, "What are we doing now?"

"Wait for dinner." Chen Xing moved all the fried meatballs to the cutting board, then instructed the kitchen to send hot water to the main courtyard before beckoning Feng Jing to leave.

Feng Jing asked, puzzled, "Why are you sending hot water?"

"Of course, it's a bath!" Chen Xing skipped around with his hands behind his back. "How could someone as noble as Young Master tolerate being covered in cooking fumes?"

Upon hearing this, Feng Jing looked down and smelled his sleeves. They did indeed smell of cooking oil, so he decided to go back to his room and wash them too.

Over here, Chu Liuzheng was being pulled along by Xiao Jingfan. At first, he grabbed her wrist, but before she knew it, he was holding her hand. His large palm was warm and cool, and the strength was just right, so it wasn't uncomfortable to hold her.

But Chu Liuzheng felt terrible.

She stared at their clasped hands, inwardly wailing, "Why did it have to turn out like this?!"

"boom!"

The door is closed.

Zhou Yuande, who was standing at the door, touched his nose where he had been bumped, waved to the crowd looking over, as if to say, "Go do what you need to do and don't bother us."

Inside the house, Chu Liuzheng used the excuse of taking off his apron to finally pull his hand back, which had been held the whole way.

She put her hands behind her waist, untying the apron while looking around the room, cursing under her breath.

[Holy crap! A man and a woman alone together! What kind of bizarre development is this?!]

She clutched the apron she had taken off in her hand and took a deep breath.

Calm down, calm down, don't panic!

[Given the tyrant's nature, he probably wouldn't do something as despicable as forcing himself on a lowly palace maid. As long as the truth isn't revealed, I can continue to pretend!]

Chu Liuzheng forced himself to calm down, placed the apron on the stool, picked up the teapot on the table, poured a cup of water, and gently placed it in front of Xiao Jingfan.

"Please have some water to soothe your throat. It's not dinner time yet, and the kitchen is smoky. I'll have someone bring you some hot water so you can take a bath before you eat."

Regardless, the best course of action is to slip away first!
Chu Liuzheng was about to leave after she finished speaking, but Xiao Jingfan wasn't having any of it. He lifted his eyelids and gestured with his chin towards her: "Sit down."

Chu Liuzheng: "..."

She had no choice but to sit down as instructed, placing her hands neatly on her lap.

He appeared calm and composed, but in reality, his palms were sweating profusely with panic.

She swallowed hard and asked cautiously, "What can I do for you?"

Xiao Jingfan didn't speak, his long eyelashes drooping as he slowly drank the water in his cup.

Chu Liuzheng was restless, feeling as if every second was an eternity. She cursed herself for being stupid. If she had known that Xiao Jingfan would come looking for her, she would not have hidden herself. Instead, she had caused this whole mess for no reason.

She didn't even understand why she was being stubborn in the kitchen. Couldn't she have just listened and come back to rest?

That way, at least we wouldn't have to face this awkward and frightening situation.

Oh! Did she just lose her mind?
If the emperor were to reveal this to her now, she wouldn't even have a chance to refuse!

Please do it again!!

Reality often brings exactly what you fear most.

Just as Chu Liuzheng was about to regret his actions, Xiao Jingfan slowly drank half a glass of water, inhaling the calming sandalwood incense in the room, and finally felt that the pungent cooking fumes in his nasal cavity had completely dissipated.

He tapped the table with his finger: "Look up."

【coming! 】

Chu Liuzheng tried to calmly raise her head, not daring to look at the person opposite her. She stared at the pattern on the tablecloth, slightly distracted, wondering if it was woven with peonies or peony flowers.
"say."

What did you say?

Chu Liuzheng thought for a moment and took the initiative to admit his mistake: "You were just thinking of me, I shouldn't have disobeyed you."

Know when to back down.

"Hmm." Hearing this, Xiao Jingfan nodded. "Anything else?"

【besides? 】

Chu Liuzheng quickly went through everything he had done that day, but he really couldn't think of anything he hadn't done well.

Xiao Jingfan prompted, "What are your responsibilities?"

"I will do my best to serve you in your daily life," Chu Liuzheng replied smoothly.

"You still know that?" Xiao Jingfan raised an eyebrow and sneered, "You can't even see a shadow of them, so how can you claim to be dedicated?"