Jiang Yunzhou looked at the glittering gold coins, and his mind became active again.
He took out ten gold coins, intending to let Ning Rongrong run errands for the procurement herself, but then he remembered how rich this little rich girl was... So, he very naturally put the ten gold coins back into his pocket, a kind smile plastered on his face: "Rongrong, I suddenly remembered I have something else to do. This arduous task of procuring supplies will be entrusted to you! Remember to buy a few more sets of bedding and daily necessities, and prepare enough ingredients for three days' worth of food."
He naturally added: "Oh, right, you can pay for it first, and come back to me for reimbursement!"
As for whether he would reimburse her, or how much, that was another matter.
Ning Rongrong was instantly dumbfounded.
No? The teacher isn't going? Then what was the point of her going to the city to buy things by herself? If she couldn't stick with the teacher, wasn't this money wasted?
She had practically shot herself in the foot!
She now wished she could take out another hundred gold coins and give them to Zhu Qing, asking her senior sister to do the shopping for her.
But when she turned around, she found that Zhu Qing had already very conscientiously picked up a broom and started sweeping, not giving her a chance for a second bribe.
"Hmph!"
Ning Rongrong stomped her foot in frustration, pouting her small mouth unhappily, with an expression of having suffered a great loss, and reluctantly headed towards the city.
After confirming that Ning Rongrong had gone far, Jiang Yunzhou leaned over to Zhu Qing, who was sweeping, rubbed his hands, and said with a grin: "Good disciple, look, if I help you sweep, how about you split the hundred gold coins you just got with me? Fifty-fifty, very fair!"
Zhu Qing's mouth twitched slightly.
This teacher was truly greedy for money, not even letting go of this little bit of hard-earned cash.
She sighed, but was very straightforward, directly handing all hundred gold coins back to Jiang Yunzhou: "Teacher, you can have all this money. I still have dozens of gold coins on me, which is enough for now."
After all, the cultivation technique given by the teacher was something whose value could not be measured by money.
Jiang Yunzhou's eyes lit up, and he unceremoniously took the money, tucked it into his embrace, and then said pompously: "Ahem, I'll keep it for you for now! When you need money in the future, just come to me anytime!"
With the money secured, he kept his word, picking up another tool: "Let's sweep quickly! I'll take care of this part of the yard outside, and you can take care of sweeping the rooms inside."
He had no airs of a teacher, and after speaking, he quickly started tidying up.
Zhu Qing naturally wouldn't argue with him about these things. There were only four or five rooms in total inside, so tidying them up was quick.
The teacher and disciple worked together, and when everything inside and out was spick and span, the sky was already getting dark, and the setting sun cast a warm golden glow over the courtyard.
Just then, light footsteps came from outside the courtyard gate, and Ning Rongrong skipped back.
She looked at the refreshed small courtyard, and the young man and young woman sitting opposite each other by the stone table in the courtyard.
The setting sun's afterglow fell on them, outlining an exceptionally warm and peaceful scene.
Ning Rongrong felt a strange pang of envy in her heart. How wonderful it would be if she were the one sitting beside the teacher.
"Teacher! I'm back!"
She called out loudly, breaking the harmony that made her a little jealous.
Then, as if she suddenly remembered something, she raised the sword leaf bracelet on her wrist and said with an exaggerated tone: "Oh, right, Teacher! Why didn't you tell me that the space inside this storage bracelet is a full hundred cubic meters?"
She blinked her big eyes, incredibly amazed: "If this were put up for auction, it would be worth at least a million gold coins! Teacher, you're too generous, giving away such a valuable item just like that..."
These words were like small knives, repeatedly stabbing and twisting in Jiang Yunzhou's heart.
Didn't he know this bracelet was valuable?
He just didn't expect it to be valuable to this extent!
If you also factor in that damn positioning function, its value was simply immeasurable.
Unfortunately, the system had said it was exclusive, and others couldn't use it.
"Hmph!"
Jiang Yunzhou snorted unhappily, forcibly changing the subject, "You've been gone so long, we're almost starving to death! Where are the things?"
A trace of nervousness flashed across Ning Rongrong's face.
She had indeed spent too much time wandering in the city, secretly bought a lot of snacks, and even ate until she was full before coming back.
"Uh, I, I'm new here, and I'm not familiar with the roads, so it took me a long time to find a place to buy things."
She quickly made an excuse, and also gave a heads-up: "Teacher, please, in consideration of my hard work, even if you're angry, you can't hit me, okay!"
Jiang Yunzhou rolled his eyes at her; he didn't have time to be angry about such things.
"Stop chattering, put all the ingredients in the kitchen. Today, I will personally cook and show you my skills."
Zhu Qing looked at Jiang Yunzhou with some surprise, not expecting that the teacher could even cook?
The image of this man in her heart gained another warm layer, becoming more profound.
Ning Rongrong, however, tilted her head, a strange thought popping into her mind: Show off his skills? Is it that gooey stuff?
To personally verify whether Jiang Yunzhou could really cook, all three of them eventually squeezed into the kitchen.
Fortunately, the village house was spacious, and the kitchen was not small either, otherwise they would have been too cramped to move around.
"Are you two here to help?" Jiang Yunzhou looked at the two girls who had followed him in.
Both nodded in unison, feeling that it was good to be busy together.
"Alright then, division of labor. One peels garlic, one washes vegetables, and I'm responsible for cutting meat and cooking!"
Soon, the sound of chopping vegetables and clanging spatulas filled the kitchen.
Smoke curled up from outside, and the tempting aroma of food wafted from the kitchen.
Zhu Qing and Ning Rongrong were both a little stunned. Jiang Yunzhou's movements were smooth and flowing; flipping the wok, seasoning, every action carried an indescribable skill and elegance, not at all like a novice.
"Teacher, you're amazing!" Ning Rongrong couldn't help but exclaim.
Jiang Yunzhou just smiled without speaking, enjoying his disciple's admiration.
It was Zhu Qing who observed more keenly, asking softly: "Teacher, your cooking skills don't seem like a beginner's. Was your childhood very difficult?"
Her words inadvertently stirred Jiang Yunzhou's memories.
"Sigh, it's unbearable to recall. It was all forced out of me by poverty," he vaguely replied.
This cooking skill was actually a survival skill brought from his previous life, unrelated to this one.
In this life, he had almost always been cultivating and traveling, without a fixed residence. Apart from Shenma Village, which he hadn't returned to for five or six years, he hardly had a stable home.
Before long, four dishes and one soup were served on the dining table.
The dishes, perfect in color, aroma, and taste, exuded an alluring sheen. Even Ning Rongrong, who had already secretly eaten her fill in the city, couldn't help but feel her appetite stirred.
"Don't just stand there, your drool is almost falling into the dishes. Are you all hungry? Then let's eat!" Jiang Yunzhou greeted.
Looking at the steaming homemade dishes in front of her, Zhu Qing's nose suddenly tingled, and she felt an urge to cry.
This man in front of her, though her teacher, at this moment felt more like a warm and reliable family member.
She was born into nobility, yet she had never experienced such simple and pure warmth.
She found herself increasingly longing for this feeling.
Ning Rongrong had been pampered since childhood, but upon eating the dishes made by Jiang Yunzhou, her eyes also lit up.
This unique flavor was something she had never experienced before.
She suddenly regretted eating so many snacks earlier; her stomach was now very full, but she could still eat a couple more bites.
"Teacher!"
Ning Rongrong suddenly called out, her eyes sparkling, "Will you cook for us every day from now on, okay? I love this taste too much!"
She immediately brought out her money power: "Teacher, I'll pay! I'll cover all the food expenses from now on!"
Jiang Yunzhou had intended to refuse, but upon hearing the words "I'll pay," the words on the tip of his tongue immediately went back down.
It was hilarious; he simply couldn't refuse such a temptation!
"No problem."