My Gorgeous Neighbor Is Cooking Every Day - Chapter 17

Chapter 17

“Just kidding,” Xia Xingye put away her phone with a grin. “Are we going to sleep now?”

“You go to sleep first, I still have something to do.”

Xia Xingye remembered seeing Jiang Yingyue drawing talismans late that night last time and asked tentatively: “Are you going to draw talismans?”

Since Jiang Yingyue didn’t mind telling her these things, she should be able to ask, right?

Jiang Yingyue nodded: “Do you want to watch?”

“I can watch?” Xia Xingye didn’t wait for Jiang Yingyue’s reply and quickly said, “If I can watch, I want to watch!”

Before drawing the talismans, Jiang Yingyue placed Xiao Jiang on the edge of the table. Xia Xingye stared at Xiao Jiang for a long time, hesitating whether to confess about secretly watching last time, when she heard Xiao Jiang whisper: “I told her that you were watching that night.”

Xia Xingye instantly felt embarrassed.

Xiao Jiang proudly added: “I even reminded her not to turn around, or you’d get scared.”

“You are so considerate,” Xia Xingye didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She thought she had kept it a secret well, but Jiang Yingyue had known all along.

However, since Jiang Yingyue didn’t mind, Xia Xingye felt pleased. She then brought up the topic that was left unfinished last time: “Why can’t you take me to see you catch ghosts?”

Jiang Yingyue’s pen paused: “They carry heavy yin energy. Prolonged exposure is bad for your health.”

Xia Xingye anxiously grabbed Jiang Yingyue’s hand. It was ice cold, and her heart immediately sank: “Then is your health not good either?”

“I’m different. They won’t attack me.”

Xia Xingye didn’t believe her and looked down to ask Xiao Jiang: “Is what she said true? Is she not just comforting me?”

Xiao Jiang said seriously: “It’s true that they won’t attack her, but the same might not be true for you.”

Hearing Xiao Jiang say so too, Xia Xingye felt a little relieved. She looked at the talisman paper on the table and asked: “If I carry a talisman, will I be safe from attack?”

“If you want to go, I can take you once.” Jiang Yingyue heard how particularly curious Xia Xingye was and knew that if she didn’t agree, Xia Xingye would keep asking, so she might as well offer it proactively.

Xia Xingye visibly brightened with excitement.

Jiang Yingyue added: “But only this one time. After you’ve seen it, you are not allowed to whine and ask to go again.”

“I was not whining!” Xia Xingye coughed lightly, denying it.

She had no idea how to spell the word “whine” since childhood. How could she be whining?

Xia Xingye genuinely didn’t feel like she was whining, but she didn’t realize that her voice was always softer in front of Jiang Yingyue, especially when her eyes were sparkling while looking at Jiang Yingyue. To Jiang Yingyue, it was no different from a small animal whining.

Xia Xingye didn’t interrupt Jiang Yingyue’s talisman drawing anymore. She sat quietly watching, occasionally lightly pinching Xiao Jiang with her finger.

Xiao Jiang had an unusually good temper. It didn’t get angry even when Xia Xingye teased it, just looking wronged and softly murmuring for Xia Xingye to be gentler.

Jiang Yingyue seemed to have inexhaustible energy. By the time Xia Xingye was sitting next to her, nodding off with sleepiness, she was still focused on drawing the talismans.

As she was drawing, Xia Xingye’s body leaned forward, and her forehead hit the desk with a “thud.” The pain instantly woke her up. She rubbed her forehead and looked confusedly at Jiang Yingyue.

“You should go to sleep first,” Jiang Yingyue said with a sigh.

“When will you sleep then?” Xia Xingye asked, rubbing her forehead.

Jiang Yingyue glanced at the unfinished talismans on the table: “After I finish drawing these, I’ll go to sleep.”

“I’ll wait for you…” Xia Xingye yawned widely, her eyelids drooping.

Jiang Yingyue reached out and gently pushed her shoulder: “Go to sleep quickly. I’ll come once I’m done. Don’t you have class tomorrow?”

Xia Xingye thought about it. She did have class tomorrow, and it was an 8 a.m. class, so she could only pout reluctantly and get up: “Then go to sleep early.”

Then she walked towards the bedroom.

After lying down, Xia Xingye couldn’t sleep peacefully and woke up periodically to peek into the living room.

Waking up for the umpteenth time, she finally saw a figure standing by the bed.

She groggily reached out and grabbed Jiang Yingyue’s sleeve: “Are you done drawing?”

“Mmm, I’m done,” Jiang Yingyue gently held her hand, “Go to sleep now.”

Hearing the affirmative answer, Xia Xingye finally relaxed and fell into a deep sleep.

Early the next morning, Xia Xingye quietly got out of bed to wash up, afraid of waking the still-sleeping Jiang Yingyue.

She had gone to bed late last night and was still a bit tired after waking up. She went out to buy breakfast, left one portion on the table, and planned to take the other to school.

While walking, she didn’t forget to send a message to Jiang Yingyue’s “Little Genius” watch: “Remember to eat breakfast~”

Throughout the day in class, Xia Xingye was thinking about Jiang Yingyue agreeing to take her to see the ghost-catching. She was distracted during P.E. class, and without paying attention, a flying basketball hit her in the face, instantly causing her nose to bleed profusely.

“Are you okay?” Her three roommates anxiously gathered around, wanting to take her to the infirmary.

Xia Xingye waved her hand, stopping them. She took out her phone, took a picture of her bleeding nose, and sent it to Jiang Yingyue, with the caption: “I have a nosebleed QAQ”

The three roommates looked at this action with confusion: “Who are you sending that to?”

“Hehe, guess~” Xia Xingye smiled.

The roommates: “…”

After sending the message, Xia Xingye was just getting up to go to the infirmary. After only two steps, her phone rang.

She took it out and saw that it was a reply from Jiang Yingyue. Normally, Jiang Yingyue wasn’t this quick to reply, often taking a long time.

After reading the message, Xia Xingye stopped and told her roommates: “You guys go ahead.”

The roommates looked speechless: “We’re not hurt, why would we go to the infirmary?”

Xia Xingye explained for once: “My friend is coming to see me. She will help me with the wound.”

The three exchanged glances and asked all at once:

“What friend?”

“Do we know her?”

“Why can she help you with the wound?”

Xia Xingye waved her hand, not wanting to answer any questions, and went straight to the P.E. teacher to ask for leave.

The P.E. teacher saw that she hadn’t even wiped the blood from her nose and quickly urged: “Go quickly! Go!”

Under the strange stares of her roommates, Xia Xingye quickly walked toward the school gate. As soon as she was out, she saw Jiang Yingyue standing there. She ran up to Jiang Yingyue in surprise and asked excitedly: “How did you get here so fast?”

“I was just passing by,” Jiang Yingyue said, reaching out to gently wipe the blood from her face, “What happened? You got hurt even in P.E. class.”

Xia Xingye noticed that Jiang Yingyue didn’t have a tissue, and her fair fingers were stained with blood. She quickly held her hand: “Your hand got dirty.”

Jiang Yingyue glanced at her hand, unconcerned: “It’s fine.”

Then she continued to wipe the blood from her face.

Xia Xingye was enjoying Jiang Yingyue’s gentle care when she suddenly heard Jiang Yingyue say: “Your recent luck isn’t very good. I’ll take you to the ghost-catching another time.”

“I’m fine,” Xia Xingye denied instinctively, “I was just distracted and accidentally hit by the ball, it’s nothing serious.”

Jiang Yingyue insisted: “We can go ghost-catching anytime. If I take you now, what if you get hurt?”

Xia Xingye was anxious to argue, but Jiang Yingyue didn’t give her room for negotiation: “In short, I can’t take you today.”

Xia Xingye’s face instantly fell. She regretted telling Jiang Yingyue about her injury. The plan to go ghost-catching today was ruined because of her momentary carelessness.

After Jiang Yingyue left, Xia Xingye received a call from Xia Wenyao: “Mom is coming to see you today.”

Xia Xingye blinked, asking in confusion: “Why are you coming to see me today?” She knew how busy Xia Wenyao usually was and didn’t want to delay her work because of her own matters.

“Silly child, did you forget you said you wanted to find a Taoist?” Xia Wenyao reminded her.

Xia Xingye then remembered the phone call she made to Xia Wenyao yesterday and asked in surprise: “You found one so quickly?”

“Yes, I found one. I’ll take you to a temple today to have a look and get a peace talisman while we’re at it.”

“Wait,” Xia Xingye asked, puzzled, “Didn’t I say a Taoist? Why are we going to a temple? There are monks in a temple.”

She thought Xia Wenyao had misremembered.

Xia Wenyao said as if it were obvious: “First, we’ll go to the temple to get a peace talisman, and then we’ll go see the Taoist.”

Xia Xingye: “…”

“Mom, isn’t that a bit inappropriate?” Xia Xingye asked awkwardly, “Going to a temple to get a peace talisman and then going to see a Taoist, we might get kicked out.”

Xia Wenyao chuckled: “What era is this? We’re not practicing feudal superstition anymore. It’s just for peace. The masters won’t care about such things.”

“Do we really have to go?” Xia Xingye suddenly regretted talking about these things with Xia Wenyao. Now she had to go to a temple and see a Taoist. Wouldn’t that offend both sides?

“What? Mom finally comes to see you, and you’re not happy?” Xia Wenyao teased, “Are you meeting that friend of yours again?”

Xia Xingye said bitterly: “No, Mom, just come over then.” She would love to meet Jiang Yingyue, but Jiang Yingyue already said she wouldn’t take her today.

Soon, Xia Wenyao drove to the school gate. Xia Xingye peered into the car: “Mom, why are you alone?”

Xia Wenyao smiled: “I’m coming to see you, why would I bring him?”

Xia Xingye pouted and got into the car, not feeling sorry for her father at all. Her father was probably happy to be helping her mother with work.

Xia Wenyao first took Xia Xingye to a temple to get a peace talisman, then drove towards the city center.

Xia Xingye looked out the window and wondered: “If I remember correctly, there’s no Taoist temple in the city center?”

“Did I say we were going to a Taoist temple?” Xia Wenyao countered.

Xia Xingye blinked. It seemed she hadn’t.

When the car stopped in front of a coffee shop, Xia Xingye felt inexplicably uneasy. As she walked in, she immediately saw Jiang Yingyue sitting in the corner.

Jiang Yingyue also looked up and saw Xia Xingye. Their eyes met, and they simultaneously looked at Xia Wenyao.

Seeing their reaction, Xia Wenyao asked in surprise: “You two know each other, don’t you?”

Xia Xingye whispered: “Mom, this is the new friend I told you about.”

“Ah…” Xia Wenyao suddenly understood and said happily: “Then it’s quite a fate.”

After Xia Xingye and Xia Wenyao sat across from Jiang Yingyue, Xia Xingye looked at Jiang Yingyue for a long time, then cautiously asked: “Can I still ask questions?”

Jiang Yingyue said: “Ask whatever you want.”

Xia Xingye asked: “When can you take me to see you catch ghosts again?”

Xia Wenyao slapped Xia Xingye’s arm: “What nonsense are you talking about?”

Xia Xingye rubbed her arm, stuck out her tongue, and said: “Didn’t you say I could ask whatever I wanted?”

Xia Wenyao glared at Xia Xingye, but Xia Xingye didn’t care. She tilted her head, waiting for Jiang Yingyue’s answer.

Jiang Yingyue hesitated and said: “Not today. We’ll talk about it later.”

Seeing that Xia Xingye was serious, Xia Wenyao frowned and stepped closer, asking: “Are you serious?”

Xia Xingye looked at Xia Wenyao, her hands clasped on her knees, and said earnestly: “Mom, since you trust her, if she takes me, you don’t need to worry.”

Xia Xingye didn’t think she should hide this from Xia Wenyao. Since she wanted to go ghost-catching, and Jiang Yingyue felt she could go, she would openly admit it, lest Xia Wenyao find out later and blame Jiang Yingyue, thinking Jiang Yingyue led her astray.

Xia Wenyao naturally knew Xia Xingye’s personality. She sighed and rubbed her forehead, but mostly felt helpless. She asked Jiang Yingyue with concern: “Is it really okay for her to go?”

Jiang Yingyue nodded, gently rubbing the rim of her teacup: “I will protect her.”

“Alright, you two are done talking. Now it’s my turn to ask,” Xia Xingye suddenly leaned closer to the two, interrupting their conversation, and asked, blinking: “How did you two meet? Mom, I didn’t hear you say you knew a Taoist.”

Although Jiang Yingyue said she wasn’t exactly a Taoist, she was close enough.

“That’s a long story.”

Seeing that Xia Wenyao didn’t want to talk, Xia Xingye changed her posture, resting her cheek on her hand, and said slowly: “Then make it a long story short.”

There was no reason to stop halfway.

Xia Wenyao finally began: “Do you remember me telling you that I had a near-death experience when I gave birth to you?”

Xia Xingye’s eyes widened, her gaze shifting between Jiang Yingyue and Xia Wenyao. Jiang Yingyue clearly didn’t look that old!