The next morning, Yao Huizhong escorted Wei Yaozu to the kitchen after checking his pulse and confirming that it was no longer erratic.
The kitchen on Zhuzhi Peak was a small bamboo building with a basic stove and a few cupboards with kitchen essentials. There was also a small dining area with just enough seats for Yao Huizhong and his four disciples to sit.
The kitchen was designed for the disciples of Zhuzhi Peak to come and go as they pleased, and it was usual for everyone to gather and eat together so early in the morning, though Luo Jie, Feng Wenling, and the original Song Qingge often ate together in the evenings.
But after Wei Yaozu's fainting spell last night, Song Qingge had suggested that they all eat together to make sure her Shidi was taking care of himself, and Yao Huizhong happily agreed to this suggestion.
Of course, this suggestion was all a part of Song Qingge's plan.
Yesterday had made it clear to her that Wei Yaozu wasn't ready to actively pursue their Senior Brother.
He was much too emotionally unstable around Luo Jie, and with his internal injury being in direct contact with their Senior Brother was a genuine threat to his life. It was also starting to cause trouble for everyone on Zhuzhi Peak, since now Xuan Yi held a grudge against them!
So Song Qingge had to come up with a new strategy: rather than making Wei Yaozu interact with Luo Jie directly, she would slowly desensitize Wei Yaozu to Luo Jie's presence by having everyone eat together in the mornings.
When Yao Huizhong and Wei Yaozu arrived at the kitchen, the other three disciples had already arrived, and a simple meal of vegetable buns had already been prepared.
Wei Yaozu took his seat next to Song Qingge and felt a pang of jealousy shoot through his heart as he watched Yao Huizhong take his seat at the head of the table.
Luo Jie was seated at their Master's right hand side, while Feng Wenling was to his left. Song Qingge had of course chosen to sit next to her Shijie and she had moved the only remaining chair next to her. This was to ensure that Wei Yaozu would sit as far away from Luo Jie as possible, reducing the chance of her Junior Brother becoming overstimulated and embarrassing himself.
This move had made the left side of the table a bit crowded, but no one other than Wei Yaozu and Song Qingge actually paid the seating arrangements any mind.
After exchanging their morning greetings and taking their seats, Luo Jie was the first person to speak:
"Wei Shidi, how are you feel-"
Song Qingge suddenly began coughing loudly in a deliberate attempt to cut her Senior Brother off. A direct question from their Senior Brother to Wei Yaozu was way too risky right now!
"A-Song, are you alright?" Yao Huizhong turned to her with eyes full of concern.
"Sorry, I was just eating too fast, and the food went down the wrong pipe…."
"Well, just be careful in the future… we don't want you to choke." Yao Huizhong said before taking a bite of his food. As a Nascent-Soul level cultivator, he didn't actually have to eat, but he wasn't about to waste a meal that had been prepared for him by his precious disciples.
Song Qingge suddenly felt a bit embarrassed after worrying her Master, but she was still determined to permanently move the conversation away from Wei Yaozu. Before Luo Jie had the chance to open his mouth again, she spoke up with a question of her own.
"Shizun, I actually wanted to ask you a question about last night. Why was Xuan Shishu visiting Zhuzhi Peak last night?"
It was now Yao Huizhong's turn to start violently coughing.