A heretical cultivator in Bureau 749, I'm the fiercest at pulling out tendons and skinning peop

Another month passed just like that.

That afternoon, Ji Zuodao went to pick up Qiqi from school as usual.

Qiqi, carrying a pink backpack, skipped and hopped out of the school gate. As soon as she saw Ji Zuodao, she rushed over with a smile: "Brother!"

Ji Zuodao crouched down, caught her, and gently tidied her bangs that had been ruffled by the wind: "Were you a good student at school today?"

"Good girl!" Qiqi nodded vigorously. "The teacher praised Qiqi today, saying that Qiqi writes beautifully!"

"Really? Qiqi is really amazing."

Ji Zuodao stood up, took Qiqi's hand, and was about to walk home when suddenly, a familiar voice came from the side—

"Come on, Qiqi, want some candied hawthorn?"

Ji Zuodao turned his head.

Zhu Cheng stood by the roadside, dressed in a moon-white long robe and holding a folding fan, looking as if he had stepped out of a TV drama.

The most outrageous thing was that he was carrying a stack of candied hawthorns on his shoulder, which was full of bright red candied hawthorns that gleamed temptingly in the sunlight.

Qiqi's eyes lit up immediately, and she grabbed Ji Zuodao's hand and shook it: "Brother! Candied hawthorn!"

Zhu Cheng walked over with a smile, pulled three candied hawthorns from the stack, and handed them over: "Here you go, Qiqi, candied hawthorns. And some for Xiaolingling too. Mr. Ji, would you like one too?"

Ji Zuodao looked closely and, good heavens, the candied hawthorn skewers were not ordinary hawthorns, but spiritual fruits that were nearly a thousand years old.

They are bright red, plump, and coated with a layer of crystal-clear sugar shell that sparkles in the sunlight.

If those Qi cultivators saw this thing, they'd probably be so angry they'd have a stroke.

A thousand-year-old spiritual fruit, just strung together like candied hawthorns? And it's mass-produced, for crying out loud?

Qiqi had already reached out and taken the candied hawthorn, taken a bite, and a happy expression immediately appeared on her little face. Her cheeks were bulging out, like a little hamster.

Zhao Lingling also peeked out from the side, took the other one, and started gnawing on it without saying a word. The crunching sound of the sugar shell breaking was particularly clear on the quiet street.

Zhu Cheng pushed the candied hawthorn that belonged to Ji Zuodao forward, a smug smile on his face:

"Mr. Ji, would you like to try some? This is made with thousand-year-old vermilion fruit; it's sweet but not cloying, and melts in your mouth."

Ji Zuodao did not answer.

He stood there, looking at Zhu Cheng, his face expressionless.

Zhu Cheng also looked at him, holding the candied hawthorn in his hand, still in the gesture of handing it over.

A gentle breeze passed between the two, swirling up a few fallen leaves that drifted away.

The silence lasted for about five seconds.

Then, Ji Zuodao reached out and snatched the stack of candied hawthorns from Zhu Cheng's shoulder, hoisting it onto his own.

The movements were crisp and clean, without any hesitation or slackness.

Zhu Cheng paused for a moment, the candied hawthorn he was about to hand to Ji Zuodao still hanging in mid-air, looking somewhat embarrassed.

Ji Zuodao looked at him expressionlessly: "You won. Let's draw a line. What do you want to do?"

Zhu Cheng's daze lasted less than a second before he quickly regained his gentle and refined smile.

He turned the candied hawthorn stick in his hand, which seemed to have nowhere to go, took a bite, chewed it, and nodded: "Hmm, it's really good."

Ji Zuodao, carrying a stack of candied hawthorns, stood at the school gate, watching Zhu Cheng eat the candied hawthorns, feeling like a fool.

After finishing the candied hawthorn, Zhu Cheng casually tossed the bamboo skewer into a roadside trash can, then clapped his hands, turned to Ji Zuodao, and gave him a mysterious smile: "I want to take Qiqi home once."

Ji Zuodao narrowed his eyes: "The Forbidden City, right? You don't need to take me. I'll buy the tickets tomorrow and take Qiqi to familiarize herself with the place. It's just the Forbidden City, isn't it? I've already got my annual pass."

Zhu Cheng shook his head, his smile deepening: "No, not the Forbidden City as it is now."

He paused, looked into Ji Zuodao's eyes, and said, word by word, "It is the Forbidden City during the Ming Dynasty."

Ji Zuodao's hand, which was carrying the stack of candied hawthorns, trembled slightly.

On the street, as the sun sets, golden sunlight spills onto the bluestone pavement, casting long shadows.

Several car horns sounded in the distance, mingling with the cries of roadside vendors.

Qi Qi and Zhao Lingling were still happily munching on candied hawthorns, completely unaware that their conversation with Zhu Cheng had entered a completely different dimension.

Ji Zuodao looked at Zhu Cheng, and Zhu Cheng looked at him as well.

Zhu Cheng's expression didn't seem like he was joking; his eyes held a serious and determined light.

Ji Zuodao was silent for a few seconds, then spoke: "Are you fucking kidding me? Are you serious?"

"Seriously."

"The Ming Dynasty has been gone for over three hundred years."

"I know."

"Then why the hell are you taking us back to the Forbidden City during the Ming Dynasty?"

Zhu Cheng did not answer, but simply smiled, turned around, and walked towards the setting sun.

His voice came from ahead, tinged with a mysterious smile: "Meet me at Chenggu Zhai tomorrow morning. You'll find out then."

Ji Zuodao watched his figure disappear into the golden afterglow, then glanced at Qiqi beside him, who was still crunching on a candied hawthorn.

Qiqi noticed his gaze, looked up, her lips still stained with red sugar, and gave him a big smile: "Brother, this candied hawthorn is so delicious!"

Ji Zuodao reached out and wiped the sugar stains from the corner of her mouth with his sleeve: "Eat more if you like it, it's free anyway."

Qiqi nodded vigorously and continued to bury her head in her candied hawthorn.

Ji Zuodao carried the stack of candied hawthorns, held Qiqi's hand, and walked towards home.

The setting sun cast their shadows long, long, one large and one small, moving slowly across the bluestone path.

He looked up at the sky, where a magnificent sunset was burning, a fiery red, as if someone had poured a bucket of orange soda on the heavens.

The Forbidden City during the Ming Dynasty.

A thought suddenly popped into his mind—if Qiqi really went back, would she still be willing to come back with me?

He looked down at Qiqi, who was intently working on the candied hawthorn in her hand, her little face full of focus and satisfaction.

He shook his head, trying to banish the thought from his mind.

who cares.

Anyway, no one can take my sister away from me.

No one will do.

The next day was Saturday, and Ji Zuodao was off work, so Qiqi didn't have to go to class either.

Just as dawn was breaking, Ji Zuodao was awakened by a series of "clattering" footsteps.

He groggily opened his eyes and saw Qiqi standing neatly dressed by his bedside, her little face full of excitement, her big eyes sparkling like two little light bulbs.

"Brother! Wake up! Didn't you say you were taking Qiqi out to play today?"

Ji Zuodao lay on the bed, looking at the sky outside the window that was just beginning to lighten. He remained silent for three seconds, then turned over, pulled the blanket over his head, and said in a muffled voice:

"Qiqi, it's only six o'clock..."

Qiqi wouldn't give up, climbed onto his bed, sat on his stomach, and patted him with her little bottom:

"Brother! Wake up! The sun's already high in the sky!"

Ji Zuodao was so shoved he almost couldn't catch his breath. He had no choice but to get up, wash up, change his clothes, and then take Qiqi's hand and go out the door.

Zhu Cheng's words from yesterday were like a nail stuck in his head; he thought about them all night, but still couldn't figure them out.

What does it mean to "bring the Seven Seventh Prince back to the Forbidden City during the Ming Dynasty"?

Is this even something a human could do?

The Ming Dynasty has been gone for over 300 years. Do you think it's like taking the subway, where you can just buy a ticket and get there?

He couldn't figure it out, but since they had made the offer, Ji Zuodao had no reason not to accept it.

Damn it, wait till I find out what you're up to, and I'll show you what I'm made of.

The door to Chengguzhai was ajar, and warm yellow light shone from inside. It looked quite cozy in the morning mist, like a scene from an old movie.

Ji Zuodao pushed open the door, and before he could even take a step, he smelled a sweet fragrance.

It smells like a blend of osmanthus, honey, glutinous rice, and a hint of milk, a warm and comforting aroma that makes your stomach rumble.

Then he froze.

Inside the shop, two young women dressed in traditional Chinese dresses with double buns stood respectfully on either side of the door.

Upon seeing Qi Qi enter, the two bowed in unison, their movements perfectly synchronized, as if they had rehearsed, their voices clear and melodious like silver bells: "Greetings, Your Highness."