Hu Tao Is Monetizing My Existence. [22]

"Boss…"

Hu Tao showed no sign of guilt for waking Jiang Bai up. She straightened up, placed her hands on her hips, and declared, "Why are you sleeping in the middle of the day?"

"I was just resting for a bit…" Jiang Bai sighed as he climbed out of the coffin. He was sure he had locked the door.

How did Hu Tao get in?

Fortunately, he had slept for a while, and his exhaustion wasn't as overwhelming as before.

Lifting his head, he noticed another unfamiliar girl in the room.

She looked about the same age as Hu Tao, seemingly a close friend, and at the moment, she was gazing at him with wide, curious eyes.

Beside her was a small, round, brown creature, tilting its head in equal curiosity.

Xiangling studied Jiang Bai, realizing he was nothing like what she had imagined.

According to the gossip at Wanmin Restaurant, the man who had returned from the dead was deathly pale, his body as stiff as a zombie's. His mind was said to be muddled, and he supposedly crawled on all fours while emitting eerie howls…

But looking at him now, that was clearly nonsense.

His skin was pale, sure, but it was more of a bloodless pallor—like someone who hadn't seen the sun in a long time.

As for his supposed stiffness? Completely untrue. He was perfectly lucid, moving and speaking normally.

And as for why he was sleeping in a coffin… Maybe it was a subconscious habit? A lingering sense of security?

Thinking about it, Xiangling couldn't help but feel even more sympathetic toward him.

"Lulu~"

Guoba, however, wasn't concerned with such thoughts. His little head wasn't built for complicated matters. He simply bounced up and down, happily greeting this new face.

"And they are?" Jiang Bai was surprised to see the two unfamiliar visitors.

Are they friends of Director Hu?

"This is Xiangling, and this is Guoba. They heard about you and came to visit," Hu Tao introduced casually.

Then she turned to Xiangling and said, "See? This is Jiang Bai! He's not nearly as pitiful as you thought!"

"He looks very pitiful to me…" Xiangling blurted out her thoughts before quickly realizing her mistake. She slapped a hand over her mouth in horror.

"Ah! Sorry, sorry! I didn't mean—uh, wait, that's not what I—"

Saying someone was pitiful right to their face was incredibly rude. She panicked, trying to explain, but only made it worse.

Jiang Bai understood immediately.

So, this girl heard about my situation, felt bad for me, and came to check on me.

He gave her a warm, harmless smile. "You came all the way just to see me? No one's ever done that before."

Seeing that Jiang Bai wasn't upset, Xiangling breathed a sigh of relief.

"I heard you lost your memory, so I wanted to see how you were doing." She opened the food box she had brought, setting dish after dish on the table.

"I brought some food. I don't know if any of these are to your taste…"

Jiang Bai had absolutely no complaints about people bringing him gifts. In fact, he welcomed it.

More people should feel sorry for him and bring him food!

He could handle it!

He prayed to the heavens.

Originally, Xiangling had only planned to prepare a few dishes. But before she knew it, she had made more than intended.

Aside from the Sweet Flower-Steamed Mist Flower that Hu Tao specifically requested, she also brought Crab Roe Tofu, Mint Salad, Jueyun Guoba, Squirrel Fish, and Crystal Shrimp…

By the time she was done setting the table, it was completely packed—a veritable feast.

When she finally placed the bowl of Sweet Flower-Steamed Mist Flower down, she hesitated for a long time before gritting her teeth and serving it.

What if Jiang Bai actually liked it?

Sure, the dish was overly sweet, but in terms of presentation and texture, it was still passable.

She still held onto the hope that someone out there would appreciate her unconventional recipes.

"Wow—"

Jiang Bai's eyes lit up at the sight of the massive spread before him.

"This is incredible!"

"This dish is something Hu Tao specifically requested. It's on the sweeter side, so I don't know if you'll like it…" Xiangling placed the Sweet Flower-Steamed Mist Flower in front of Jiang Bai, watching him nervously with anticipation.

"Come on, take a seat."

Hu Tao dragged over the only two chairs in the room—but they were still short two.

Jiang Bai snapped his fingers, and two stone stools materialized out of thin air.

That little trick immediately caught Hu Tao's attention, and her gaze naturally landed on the Vision hanging at Jiang Bai's waist.

When he was lying in the coffin earlier, his clothes had covered it, so she hadn't noticed. But now, the Vision gleamed conspicuously on his hip.

"You have a Vision now?" Hu Tao asked, surprised.

"Yeah, found it by my bed when I woke up this morning." Jiang Bai lied without batting an eye.

Even though Hu Tao was the Director, it was obvious that Zhongli had the higher level of mystique. So, Jiang Bai had no hesitation in choosing to keep Zhongli's involvement a secret.

Hu Tao grinned and patted his shoulder. "Nice, nice! Now you won't have to worry about running into danger on the job."

Jiang Bai was already quite capable, and with a Vision in hand, there was even less need to worry about him.

"Alright! Let's celebrate Jiang Bai getting a Vision with this feast!" Hu Tao cheered.

"Lulu~" Guoba's eyes curved into happy crescents as he plopped into a seat.

"Looks like I picked the perfect time to cook all this," Xiangling said, genuinely pleased for him.

Receiving a Vision—a god's acknowledgment—meant Jiang Bai had something exceptional about him. He must be a remarkable person in some way.

That thought made Xiangling feel not only sympathy but also a newfound respect for him.

"I really need to thank both of you… Xiangling, you even went out of your way to bring all this food—I don't even know how to repay you…" Jiang Bai scratched his head awkwardly.

"Just call me Xiangling." She waved her hands dismissively. "You lost your memory, and you don't know many people. It's only right for us to look out for you. If you ever get bored, come find me and Guoba at Wanmin Restaurant!"

"Lulu~" Guoba nodded enthusiastically, letting out a cheerful chirp.

"You two better not get sick of me then!"

"Never!"

"Alright, enough chit-chat, let's eat! I'm starving!" Hu Tao cut in, ending the sentimental moment.

Jiang Bai didn't argue. He picked up his bowl, his gaze landing on the bowl of Sweet Flower-Steamed Mist Flower before him.

As his spoon hovered just above the dish, Xiangling suddenly felt restless.

She had tasted this creation before.

Hu Tao had suffered three whole days of toothaches after eating it.

And the version in front of Jiang Bai? It was just as sweet—if not sweeter.