Visiting

Two days later, Mo Hua went to see Mr. Zhuang again, and he also had a game of chess with Old Kui.

When leaving, he ran into Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi at the door.

During the New Year holidays, Mr. Zhuang was taking it easy, so he gave the Bai siblings time off as well.

They had come to pay their respects to Mr. Zhuang.

Bai Zisheng's eyes brightened when he saw Mo Hua and asked, "Mo Hua, are you also here to pay respects to Mr. Zhuang?"

"Yeah," Mo Hua nodded. "I've already seen Mr. Zhuang. I'm heading home now."

Bai Zisheng felt a bit regretful and then asked, "Can I come to your house to play?"

"Sure," Mo Hua replied, then with a hint of confusion, he asked, "Why do you suddenly want to come to my house?"

Bai Zisheng didn't hide his intentions and said straightforwardly, "I want to eat meat."

"Aren't you lacking meat to eat? Even if you don't eat demonic meat, there's spiritual meat," Mo Hua retorted.

Looking around, Bai Zisheng whispered to Mo Hua, "Aunt Xue's cooking is really bad."

Bai Zixi lightly glared at Bai Zisheng.

Mo Hua couldn't help but smile wryly.

"Don't tell Aunt Xue, or she'll get mad," Bai Zisheng said.

"Don't worry," Mo Hua replied thoughtfully, then asked, "But will Aunt Xue let you come?"

"I've already thought of an excuse," Bai Zisheng said triumphantly. "I'll just say that I want to thank you for your usual care and Aunt Liu's care, so I want to come and visit."

"Alright, if you can convince Aunt Xue, then it's fine," Mo Hua nodded.

Bai Zisheng nodded in agreement. "Okay, it's settled. I'll go back and tell Aunt Xue."

"Do you have anything particular you want to eat? I'll have my mom make it for you in advance," Mo Hua offered.

"I'm fine with anything, as long as there's meat," Bai Zisheng replied nonchalantly.

Mo Hua then looked at Bai Zixi.

After a moment of thought, Bai Zixi also whispered, "Anything will do."

When Mo Hua returned home, he told his mother about the visit.

Liu Ruhua was a bit surprised. She had only heard Mo Hua mention that there were two siblings studying with him under Mr. Zhuang, and they were outstanding disciples from a prominent family, but she had never seen them before.

Now that they were coming over to play, Liu Ruhua was naturally delighted.

"Although you're all just registered disciples, studying together fosters a deeper relationship compared to ordinary disciples in sects. So, we should treat them well," Liu Ruhua advised.

Mo Hua nodded.

In the evening, Aunt Xue personally brought Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi to visit.

Aunt Xue still wore her veil, but her attire was much simpler now, and her cold demeanor had softened considerably, appearing much more amiable.

Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi were both dressed in simple and elegant Daoist robes, made of high-quality materials but not ostentatious in appearance.

However, their outstanding appearance and temperament were too striking. Even if they dressed modestly, it was hard to hide their extraordinary beauty.

When the Bai siblings entered, Liu Ruhua was momentarily stunned.

Bai Zisheng was handsome, with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, while Bai Zixi had skin as fair as snow, and eyes like shining stars, as if carved from jade.

She looked at Bai Zisheng, then at Bai Zixi, and couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "There are actually children in this world who look this good."

Aunt Xue presented a gift, a first-grade hairpin, exquisitely crafted and beautiful.

Liu Ruhua then offered various snacks and treats to entertain them.

In the clean and tidy living room, Mo Hua, Bai Zisheng, and Bai Zixi sat on one side eating, while Liu Ruhua and Aunt Xue chatted on the other side.

Bai Zisheng glanced at Liu Ruhua and realized that other people's mothers were like this: very kind, making things for their children to eat by hand and affectionately looking at them.

Bai Zisheng lowered his gaze; his own mother was not like this and rarely smiled.

Bai Zixi's expression remained calm, her eyelashes drooping, and a hint of melancholy and envy flashed through her autumn-water-like eyes.

Noticing their melancholy, Mo Hua pushed the food box toward them. "My mom made these specifically for you; they're delicious."

Bai Zisheng's attention was immediately drawn to the food box. He took a bite of meat, his eyes lighting up, and asked curiously, "What kind of meat is this?"

"It's rabbit meat, more delicate than ordinary demonic meat, with a good chew, and it tastes delicious, but it's troublesome to prepare," Mo Hua explained to Bai Zisheng. "Even if I want to eat it on regular days, my mom might not make it for me. I'm just lucky to have you here."

Mo Hua also took a bite, closing his eyes in satisfaction.

Touched, Bai Zisheng expressed his gratitude, "Thank you, Aunt Liu!"

Liu Ruhua smiled gently, "If you like it, eat more."

Bai Zisheng nodded repeatedly, and the troubles he had just felt vanished.

Bai Zixi looked at the pastries in front of her, lost in thought.

The pastries were colorful and varied in style, each with different floral patterns.

Some were made with osmanthus, some with plum blossoms, some with peach blossoms, and some with orchids, all delicate and delicious, exuding a faint sweetness.

She didn't know which one to eat first.

After hesitating for a while, Bai Zixi started from the beginning, tasting each one in turn. Some were soft and sticky, some were crispy, and some had a light floral fragrance.

Everything she ate was sweet...

Liu Ruhua couldn't help but smile as she watched Bai Zixi enjoy the pastries. She couldn't help but admire in her heart, "This little girl looks so beautiful even when eating."

Bai Zixi ate the pastries with a calm expression and then noticed Liu Ruhua looking at her with gentle eyes. She didn't know how to respond, so she lowered her head slightly, a faint blush appearing on her fair cheeks.

Seeing this, Liu Ruhua liked her even more. She poured a cup of tea and handed it to Bai Zixi, saying softly, "There are still plenty of pastries left; if you don't mind, I'll bring some more back later."

Bai Zixi nodded quietly and said softly, "Thank you, Aunt Liu."

Seeing this, Aunt Xue asked, "Sister Liu, I wonder how these pastries are made..."

Aunt Xue could also make some meals, but she wasn't proficient; she could barely eat to fill her stomach.

During their travels, the three of them relied on her cooking.

Initially, Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi didn't say much while eating, but after they tasted the food made by Liu Ruhua, they found Snow Aunt's cooking less appetizing in comparison.

Professionals have their own expertise, and Snow Aunt knew she wasn't skilled in cooking. However, for the sake of Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi, she still wanted to learn as much as possible.

Seeing that Snow Aunt had an extraordinary temperament and was likely inexperienced in this area, Liu Ruhua started from the basics, explaining the ingredients, cooking methods, and techniques step by step.

Snow Aunt then realized that cooking had so many intricacies. Making a dish with great taste, aroma, and appearance required many steps and patience, and it was quite labor-intensive.

Bai Zixi's expression remained calm, but her gaze was fixed on Liu Ruhua, showing that she was listening attentively.

After a while, Mo Shan returned home and was slightly surprised to see guests.

With the New Year approaching, Mo Shan also had many social engagements and obligations, exchanging gifts and attending gatherings. Occasionally, he also drank with his brothers from the monster hunting team, so he had been busy all day and only returned now.

Liu Ruhua gave a brief introduction, and Mo Shan smiled in acknowledgment, secretly amazed by the appearance and temperament of the Bai siblings.

The fact that these aristocratic children, with their outstanding demeanor, studied with Mo Hua at Master Zhuang's place, indicated that Master Zhuang was indeed an extraordinary figure.

Mo Hua being accepted as a named disciple by Master Zhuang was indeed a great opportunity.

Mo Shan felt even more grateful to Master Zhuang in his heart.

Seeing Mo Shan's tall and heroic figure, with eyes sharp as a sword and a light stride, Bai Zisheng became interested and asked, "Uncle Mo, are you a demon hunter?"

(End of the Chapter)