Chapter Ninety: The White Dragon Horse Presents a Gift to the Monkey King

The white dragon steed had been bestowed upon the Monkey King by Chu Xiaoyu, and Sun Wukong was naturally overwhelmed with gratitude. After a series of deep bows and kneelings, he joyfully led the horse away from the farm.

Su Daji had seen the whole scene clearly, and asked Chu Xiaoyu in great puzzlement, “Sir gave the white dragon steed to Eldest Brother, and even seemed pleased about it. Why?”

During the year she had lived on this farm, Su Daji had long since discovered how dearly Chu Xiaoyu cherished that odd white dragon horse.

How dearly, exactly?

So dearly that he feared it would melt if held in his mouth, or fly away if kept in his palm.

And yet, in the blink of an eye, why had he given it away so readily?

Chu Xiaoyu glanced at Su Daji, whose face was nearly twisted into an expression of constipation, and smiled faintly. “You do not understand, do you? This is called investment. The future returns will be considerable.”

Investment? Returns?

By now, Su Daji was already quite familiar with such ordinary modern expressions, even very familiar.

Unable to contain her curiosity, she asked, “By your words, sir, have you found another road to wealth? Is that it? But sir, you are not short of money at all now, are you? That white dragon steed was your treasure. How could you bear to give it away?”

“Heh-heh, there is nothing to bear regret over. After all, it is always just a beast. Even if it comes from the celestial palace, if I keep such a creature penned up day after day on this tiny patch of farm of mine, sooner or later it will be worn out and ruined.”

“Giving this white dragon steed away, letting it return to the world that belongs to it, allowing it to keep rendering whatever service it still can... I think that is a very beautiful thing.”

Heh-heh.

This investment of his was a long-term one. After all, there is no such thing as a free lunch. Sooner or later, he would reclaim that long line.

And when that day came, the benefits and profits would surely arrive in a flood.

Although Su Daji did not fully understand what Chu Xiaoyu meant, she no longer dwelled on the matter.

By evening, the violet mist over the farm gradually thickened.

Chu Xiaoyu knew that another celestial gate had opened once again.

Sure enough, when the clock struck six, King Zhou, Bi Gan, and Su Hu emerged delightedly from that strange Gate of Immortals.

The three old men seemed to be walking on air, clearly having encountered something most pleasing indeed.

It was exactly mealtime.

Su Daji was in the kitchen preparing dinner, and the sudden arrival of King Zhou and the others instantly filled the farm with bustle.

After a full year of Chu Xiaoyu’s training and guidance, Su Daji had blossomed into something even more bewitching, incomparably refined, and peerlessly gorgeous.

The moment King Zhou saw her busying herself in the kitchen, his eyes could no longer move away.

A man’s nature is hard to change. Wolves roam a thousand miles for meat; dogs roam a thousand miles for filth.

Judging by King Zhou’s demeanor, he seemed unable to reform even in the face of shame.

Bi Gan and Su Hu, who had come with him, saw him staring fixedly at Su Daji without so much as a blink, as though his soul had left his body, and were instantly mortified.

The two of them hurriedly averted their gazes, wearing expressions of disgust and disdain, as though they did not know one another at all.

“Heh-heh, well now, what do you think? How does this young lady look? Fit for the kitchen, and equally fit for the hall. Truly fragrant as flowers, enchanting as a rare beauty, and peerless in grace.”

Chu Xiaoyu appeared like a phantom beside King Zhou and said as much.

King Zhou’s face suddenly flushed red. “Mm, mm... Miss Su is indeed fragrant as flowers and peerless in grace. Even I... Ah! Sir is here, cough, cough...”

To his utter horror, it was Chu Xiaoyu speaking, and the atmosphere instantly turned awkward beyond measure.

At that moment, King Zhou felt as if he would explode on the spot.

Men of the world have always been like this. When they see a woman of exceptional beauty, even one more glance feels like a tremendous gain.

Chu Xiaoyu completely ignored King Zhou’s embarrassed state and asked them, “Did you all arrive right on the dot? You came exactly at mealtime. Have you eaten yet?”

King Zhou hurriedly said, “Please forgive us for the poor form. We came with empty stomachs, sir. You see this...”

“Yes, yes, sir, we have not eaten either.”

King Zhou, Bi Gan, Su Hu, and the others all stared longingly at the steaming dishes on the table, trying their best to appear refined and proper, so as not to look like greedy little cats and disgrace themselves beyond measure.

Chu Xiaoyu took in the awkwardness of these grown men at a glance, and instructed Su Daji, “Go add a bowl and chopsticks for each of them.”

Su Daji nodded.

Su Hu’s eyes brightened.

This young woman, who had become even more alluring than before, could she truly be his daughter, the one he had raised like livestock since childhood?

No.

His daughter had been possessed by a fox demon; she was no longer his daughter.

Su Hu felt a little desolate.

Yet however he looked at the woman before him, she was unmistakably, completely his daughter.

Everyone took their seats, and by unspoken agreement, they began to eat.

After a year of training and instruction, Su Daji’s cooking could already be called excellent, with the color, aroma, and taste of her dishes all beyond reproach.

Of course, if she were to compare herself with Chu Xiaoyu, her culinary skills still needed further refinement.

But to handle rough old fossils like King Zhou, Bi Gan, and Su Hu, it was more than enough.

“Sir, the food here is truly delicious. Every time I eat at your place, I nearly bite off my own tongue in delight.”

King Zhou shoveled in the food greedily, his words also somewhat garbled.

Bi Gan immediately agreed. “Indeed, indeed. Your culinary skill is simply unmatched in all the world, sir. Since meeting you, I have only then realized that everything I used to eat... was all pig slop.”

Chu Xiaoyu lifted his brows. “Since it tastes so good, then eat more. But... this meal was not made by me. It was made by classmate Daji.”

Su Daji was eating quietly when she was suddenly praised by Chu Xiaoyu, and her face at once flushed with shy embarrassment.

The gentlest moment is often that smile with lowered head, and the heavens and earth instantly seem to lose their color.

Incredible.

She truly was a peerless beauty and a most enchanting spirit!

No wonder Su Daji would become the legendary seductress of later ages; that dazzling and glorious title was absolutely hers alone.

The atmosphere at the table suddenly grew a little strange, and no one spoke anymore. Only the men continued their rough, unceremonious eating.

“Sir, I am full. You all eat slowly.”

As if burdened by some concern, Su Daji set down her bowl and chopsticks and gracefully left the table.

The figure she left behind looked somewhat lonely, somewhat desolate.

Such a peerless enchantress, a thousand-year beauty, was never meant to belong to the mortal world.