The Vicious Beauty Faked His Death Three Times [Transmigration] - Chapter 24

Chapter 24: The Banquet

Previously, seeing Hua Xueqiong’s steady, “old cadre” personality, Lin Qinghan had thought this banquet might be somewhat tedious and he hated tedious, complicated things most of all.

But in fact, the entire welcome banquet was not extravagant. There was a distinction between host and guests, but everything else was quite relaxed.

For instance, Wen Leyou, sitting in the seat of honor, ran over to the guest table where Shen Miaomiao was several times. Although it was clear his intentions weren’t really about the “wine,” Lin Qinghan didn’t step in to stop him.

Wen Leyou’s behavior wasn’t crossing any lines, and Ye Chaoyan showed no interest in conversing with him. Stepping in now would be too abrupt and inappropriate.

Besides, based on the timing of the system notifications, he felt that the things causing Ling Yanhe’s trust value to drop likely involved more than just this one incident.

Lin Qinghan looked at the dishes before him, set down his jade chopsticks, and waved over Xiao Wu, who was standing nearby.

“Does the Great Sect Leader have any instructions?” Xiao Wu was holding a large chicken leg he had just been given. He was eating until his mouth was slick with oil, and he looked somewhat reluctant to be called away.

Lin Qinghan didn’t say much seeing him like that, but lowered his voice: “Go, prepare another place setting. Set it right next to me.”

Xiao Wu was a bit confused; he scanned the room and saw no guests missing a seat. However, he didn’t dare disobey the Great Sect Leader. He nodded quickly and went to set it up while still gnawing on his chicken leg.

After Xiao Wu left, Lin Qinghan had no desire to touch his chopsticks again.

He had left Ling Yanhe hanging for a while. Aside from the scene Wen Leyou caused before the banquet, the trust value hadn’t dropped further.

Lin Qinghan toyed with the wine cup in his hand, his jade-like face flushed with a faint glow from the alcohol.

It seemed the other party was accepting this “reversed master-servant” act well. Perhaps he didn’t need to be so cautious and restricted by worry.

Numbed by the wine, Lin Qinghan didn’t realize that from behind him, hidden in the shadows, a burning, predatory gaze was slowly sliding down his fair neck.

Xiao Wu didn’t look very bright, but he worked efficiently. Shortly after the order was given, he brought over a low table.

“Ah!”

Xiao Wu looked at the half-eaten chicken leg that had fallen to the ground and let out a heartbroken wail.

This sound was extremely prominent amidst the elegant drum music. In an instant, everyone’s eyes turned toward them.

Lin Qinghan, who had originally wanted to act quietly: “…”

He retracted his previous evaluation of Xiao Wu—this guy was also clumsy!

“My big chicken leg, waaaah…” Xiao Wu whimpered in pain, looking at the dust-covered, inedible chicken leg.

Hua Xueqiong was the first to react to the extra table. She looked at Lin Qinghan and asked directly: “Does Big Brother have another friend coming? I’ll send some small demons to welcome them…”

Lin Qinghan performed a Cleansing Spell with his hand, cleaning the culprit chicken leg. Then, he sipped his wine with an unchanging expression before slowly speaking: “No one else is coming. I simply wanted to find a seat for my servant.”

“Servant?” Shen Miaomiao looked at Lin Qinghan with a face full of question marks. Then her gaze fell on Ling Yanhe, who had been standing behind him without a seat. In an instant, countless storybooks flashed through her mind, and her eyes suddenly lit up. Just as she was about to speak, her mouth was stuffed with a pastry.

“Speak not while eating, talk not while sleeping.” Ye Chaoyan calmly wiped the crumbs from her fingertips, instructing Shen Miaomiao in a flat tone.

Shen Miaomiao: “Mmph mmph?”

Hearing Lin Qinghan’s words, Hua Xueqiong looked at the person standing in the shadows, her gaze far from kind.

“Big Brother clearly promised me that we would follow the rules of the Hundred Demons Sect. Are you going back on your word now?” Hua Xueqiong asked with a frown.

Wen Leyou, who had been spacing out, also snapped back to attention. He looked at Hua Xueqiong in shock.

Usually, he heard plenty of barbed words from Big Sister, but he had never seen Hua Xueqiong be so firm with Lin Qinghan. There had been one time before, but that was when Hua Xueqiong begged Lin Qinghan to teach her the “Moon Nightmare Art” and he refused those were words spoken in anger.

Afterward, Hua Xueqiong had specifically made pastries to apologize to Lin Qinghan, and there had been no such scenes since.

Why was she getting angry now over a servant?

Wen Leyou hurriedly spoke up to mend things: “Big Sister is worried that Big Brother doing this will cause resentment among others in the sect. After all, Big Brother just returned, and the new demons don’t know him very well yet.”

Lin Qinghan let out a low, light laugh upon hearing Wen Leyou’s words.

Even this kid could see the atmosphere was wrong and spoke up to mediate.

It seemed this Second Sect Leader truly had some grievance against Ling Yanhe. If she was dissatisfied because she couldn’t marry the one she liked, she shouldn’t be venting her anger on Ling Yanhe—much less making him stand aside to watch them feast and then scolding Lin Qinghan for merely setting up a table.

Lin Qinghan set down the wine cup. The vessel met the wooden table with a crisp clack. “Even other servants have food to eat, yet making him stand seems not to fit the rules of the Hundred Demons Sect either?”

Hearing this, Hua Xueqiong’s frown deepened, and her gaze toward Ling Yanhe became even more unkind.

To the side, Wen Leyou’s heart was in his throat, fearing the two would start arguing again.

Ling Yanhe, who had lit the fuse, stood in the shadows like a bystander. His gaze remained fixed on Lin Qinghan.

He disliked crowded places; banquets and processions only made him feel irritable.

He was quite happy to stand in this damp, dark corner to find some peace, but someone disliked him being treated this way and insisted on stirring up a storm regardless of the cost.

What is Lin Qinghan trying to do?

Ling Yanhe half-closed his eyes, sizing up Lin Qinghan’s back.

The atmosphere of the banquet grew tense because of this incident; even the drum music stopped.

Everyone was quietly looking at Lin Qinghan, waiting for him to make a decision.

“How about letting him sit at the table with the servants? That way he isn’t mistreated, and it fits the rules of the Hundred Demons Sect.” Lin Qinghan, standing at the eye of the storm, suddenly shifted his tone, lightly extinguishing the lit fuse. “How does Little Sister see that?”

Hua Xueqiong’s frown did not smooth out, but she said nothing more. It was a good solution, and she had no choice but to accept it.

“I’ll listen to Big Brother.” After dropping that stiff sentence, Hua Xueqiong retracted her gaze and went back to eating in silence.

Wen Leyou also breathed a sigh of relief and hurried to adjust the mood: “As expected, Big Brother is the most considerate!”

The banquet drum music started up again, as if the storm just now was merely a minor interlude.

Ling Yanhe didn’t move in the shadows. His deep eyes were sizing up Lin Qinghan, only occasionally glancing at Hua Xueqiong.

Suddenly, his shifting gaze stopped. The black mist hidden in his eyes dissipated, and the look he gave Lin Qinghan took on a hint of playfulness.

He seemed to have been used by someone.

However, there was no anger on his face from being used; instead, it was stained with scattered hints of a smile and anticipation.

After pulling that stunt, Lin Qinghan picked up his jade chopsticks and joined the banquet.

Since the trust value hadn’t dropped, it meant Ling Yanhe had accepted the matter well. He didn’t need to worry too much.

Suddenly, a chill rose from behind him. Lin Qinghan’s hand, reaching for food, paused for a moment before returning to normal.

“I’ve made you suffer,” Lin Qinghan said with lowered eyes.

“I’m not suffering. Whatever the Young Master does is right.”

The loyal words spat from Ling Yanhe’s mouth carried a bit of a teasing tone. One could detect a hint of amusement and playfulness in his voice.

He was imitating Lin Qinghan’s previous tone, but on that foundation, he added his own unique sense of aggression and pressure. The feeling was completely different from Lin Qinghan’s.

The warm breath fanned against the side of Lin Qinghan’s neck, startlingly hot. Lin Qinghan subconsciously tilted his head slightly, drawing a light, emboldened chuckle from the other.

The chill behind him gradually faded, and the sound of receding footsteps reached his ears.

Ling Yanhe had left.

When Lin Qinghan realized it, he subconsciously raised his hand to his neck and rubbed it harshly twice.

What is wrong with this guy?

The neck, like mutton-fat jade, was rubbed red by his crude movements, looking as if the breath fanned against it had stained it.

“When do you plan to leave?” Hua Xueqiong asked.

Ye Chaoyan thought for a moment: “About three days.”

Hua Xueqiong froze at the words and did not respond.

“Three days?! What’s the difference between that and not staying at all?! If you leave, will Big Brother leave too?” Wen Leyou, who had been eavesdropping, couldn’t hold it in and hurriedly looked at Lin Qinghan.

Seeing that he didn’t speak up to object, Wen Leyou grew even more anxious and slapped the table: “No, three days is too short!”

Shen Miaomiao rolled her eyes at him: “We aren’t out here for fun. A-Yan still needs to continue her medical practice; how can she stay here so long?”

“Medical practice?” Hearing this, Wen Leyou’s eyes darted around. Suddenly, his features scrunched together as he clutched his arm and wailed, “I think something is wrong with my arm. The Hundred Demons Sect has no physician; I fear my end is near.”

As he spoke, he peeked secretly at Ye Chaoyan.

Shen Miaomiao: “…”

Even Lin Qinghan, watching the drama from a distance, was left speechless by the other’s poor acting.

It seemed that choosing not to let him approach Ye Chaoyan earlier was the right move, otherwise, who knew what kind of mess he’d make. Lin Qinghan shook his head helplessly.

Hua Xueqiong, watching Wen Leyou’s clumsy performance, stood up without a word, walked over to him, and pinched the arm he was holding.

“Big Sister?” Wen Leyou looked up at Hua Xueqiong in confusion.

Crack—

Without giving Wen Leyou a chance to react, Hua Xueqiong applied slight pressure, and Wen Leyou’s arm was truly injured.

Lin Qinghan, witnessing the whole thing: “…”

Wen Leyou hadn’t even processed it. By the time he realized what Hua Xueqiong had done, he was already clutching his arm and hunching over, tears about to fall. Even so, he suppressed the tears and looked piteously at Ye Chaoyan.

“Seven days. Not a day more,” Ye Chaoyan said helplessly, watching the farce.

Hearing this, Wen Leyou’s eyes lit up. He was about to raise his arms in cheer but was pressed down by the pain until he couldn’t even straighten his body.

Shen Miaomiao saw this and gave a thumbs-up in admiration.

While Ye Chaoyan was setting his bone, he even had the time to ask her age and if she was married. Naturally, she didn’t answer, and he ended up screaming in pain during the bone-setting, losing all face in front of her.

The welcome banquet finally ended with Wen Leyou’s screams.

After the banquet, Lin Qinghan returned to his assigned bedchamber to rest. Suddenly, he sat back up, waking Xiao Wu, who was napping while keeping watch.

“Sect Leader?” Xiao Wu rubbed his eyes and looked at Lin Qinghan dizzily.

“Did he eat with you guys?” Lin Qinghan asked.

Xiao Wu was confused for a moment and didn’t understand what Lin Qinghan meant. Only after he asked a second time did he realize the Great Sect Leader was asking about his servant.

“No, the immortal only took one look and left,” Xiao Wu answered honestly.

Lin Qinghan wasn’t surprised. He nodded and continued his instructions: “Have the kitchen make some dishes from the Immortal Realm and send them to his room.”

Xiao Wu froze for a second.

“If you’re hungry, have the kitchen make a dish for you too.”

Xiao Wu snapped awake instantly and scrambled up: “Thank you, Great Sect Leader!”

After dropping those words, Xiao Wu ran off to the kitchen, thinking as he went.

The Great Sect Leader is such a good person!

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