"Whimpering..."
Ansheng jumped onto the bed, full of displeasure as he began to complain about Mo Yiqing applying a face mask in the middle of the night.
Ah Qing wrapped herself in the blanket, poking her head out to take a quick look around before letting out a small sigh of relief. She quietly snuggled back into her spot, pretending as if nothing had happened and trying to forget her embarrassing moment just now.
"......"
Mo Yiqing glanced at Ansheng, and with a swift motion, applied a fresh face mask onto Ansheng's cheek.
"Don't talk. You've been out in the sun fishing for too long, so just put it on and sleep quietly."
"Whimper?"
It was Ansheng's first time using a face mask, and he was a bit bewildered, his mouth sealed shut by the mask.
Mo Yiqing knew Ah Qing was awake but showed no intention of letting her off the hook.
On the bed, Ah Qing slept on the left, Ansheng in the middle, and Mo Yiqing on the right. All three of them had face masks on their cheeks. Ah Qing blinked at the ceiling light and then closed her eyes without saying a word.
Hmm...
Tonight...let's not turn off the lights before sleeping.
What just happened was too frightening.
Meanwhile, Mo Yiqing on the right didn't seem like he was going to sleep. He put his Bluetooth earphones back on and continued watching a show.
The little fox curiously leaned in to peek at the screen.
Mo Yiqing looked at the little fox, extending his arm to hug the little fox, resting his hand on its belly.
"Whimper?"
The little fox, initially lying on its back, looked in shock at Mo Yiqing's hand, climbing onto the double-breasted buttons.
The little fox showed a subtle expression, quietly scooting back to Ah Qing's side, cuddling up against her arm, and looked at Mo Yiqing with a wary expression.
Hey! That's a warning!
Next time, I'll undo your double-breasted buttons too.
...
Ansheng fell asleep with his thigh resting on Ah Qing, without revealing his advancement to a Four-tailed Fox who can speak.
Ansheng had no plans to tell Ah Qing or to disclose anything related to Spirit Beasts.
The rationale was quite simple.
Just as Ansheng once worked as a tea business salesman, he wouldn't want his descendants to enter the same field and witness the metaphorical dazzling stardom.
With Ah Qing's talent, if she were inclined to explore Spirit Beasts and Spiritual Particles, she'd make an excellent Woodcutter.
Ansheng had experienced what it means to say even 'decisive and ruthless' is an understatement for their actions.
Apart from some baseline values and stability, their methods were ruthless and unscrupulous.
They dealt with ferocious beasts and traitors.
The importance of Woodcutters was undeniable; they deserve accolades and recognition. But Ansheng didn't want Ah Qing to interact with them or mingle with those people.
The achievements of Woodcutters are undeniable.
But who would want their beloved people to be surrounded daily by violence and danger!
Ah Qing's live-streaming career was prospering, although much of the family's savings had been invested in the tea garden, the family tea estate was also generating income to sustain their lifestyle, and with the tea competition taking place, Master Fox's tea crafting was gaining reputation as well.
With Ansheng's occasional advice, Ah Qing's family's economic development was thriving.
Instead of worrying about this or that, or being concerned about the Longevity Club, it might be better not to get involved at all.
Ansheng's progress in Wish Power was faster anyway compared to the opposite side's technological advancements.
If they dared disrupt Ansheng's life, Ansheng would stuff an electric mixer up their behinds.
Let's see if their mettle is really tougher than stainless steel mixers aside from having hard heads.
To Ansheng, Ah Qing was a comforting home.
Home.
No need for sorrowful grudges or long-term political concerns, with the Security Bureau and Woodcutters overseeing from above, and Ansheng's own vigilance from below, would anything still go wrong?
Ah Qing played blissfully, so did Ansheng, happily collaborating and enjoying life together.
However, a surprised scream the next morning woke Ansheng from his sleep.
"What? There's a scandal in the tea competition?" Ah Qing, half-asleep, received a call from her father.
After hearing Yu Zhenghong's explanation, the still-groggy Ah Qing suddenly jolted awake, her face full of astonishment as she sat up.
Unknowingly, the tea competition had gradually approached its conclusion.
The scores from the professional judges had been announced during yesterday's evening.
Just as expected, Ah Qing's little tea seedlings didn't achieve any notable success and didn't make it to the rankings, barely securing a consolation prize from the tea competition.
Among over a hundred entries, they ranked in the forties.
Being in the forties was good enough, as in today's increasingly food safety-conscious environment, having the summer tea competition emblem was like earning a geographic indication for trustworthy agricultural products.
The reason for the commotion started because, the day after the tea competition's rankings were announced, a stranger's name appeared in first place on the Fragrant Oolong category's leaderboard, and when tea merchants inquired about it, none of them had seen the winner.
When the merchants asked the farmers about it, given their long-standing relationship, the farmers helped inquire, only to find out that there was an explosive reaction.
Because nobody knew the first place in Fragrant Oolong!
Especially the sixth place in Fragrant Oolong ignited a family and village uproar.
It was known that the top five in a category would receive titles.
But the sixth place didn't get a title!
Without this title, the Fragrant Oolong they produced could only carry the tea competition entry mark, not an award-winning mark, significantly affecting its sales.
The tea competition venue was in an uproar.
While the tea competition officials claimed that the participants' identities were sealed before the contest ended.
They could only identify the entry's code and its product name, but not the participant's identity.
The scene was chaotic from top to bottom.
To prevent any rigged awards, the officials had gone to great lengths to ensure confidentiality, keeping participants' identities secret, standardizing packaging to prevent product names from being seen, and only displaying scrambled codes throughout the contest.
Yet a scandal had still ensued.
How could the tea farmers, especially in the county, expect to rest without challenging the tea competition officials?
Yu Zhenghong called Ah Qing to assist in adding pressure to the tea competition.
This issue must be handled fairly!
Expose that first place, even if they truly earned it, but if you're not a tea farmer from our county, why take our county's slot?
Expose them!
Smack their cheek with reality!
"This is bad, this is bad, a fight's gonna break out." Sensing the gravity, Ah Qing quickly got up, ready to head to the tea competition venue to assess the situation, hoping to prevent any altercations.
"What happened?" Mo Yiqing, awakened, rested his cheek against the little fox's belly, looking at Ah Qing who was changing clothes, and asked in a muffled tone.
"Seems like a scandal in the tea competition, now hundreds of tea farmers are rallying for a group fight, demanding an explanation from the tea competition." Ah Qing quickly changed clothes, saying, "The first prize 'Qing'an Oolong' might have been taken by someone from another county, vying for our county's slots. There weren't many award slots to begin with..."
"It seems very chaotic over there, I'm worried about my parents' safety."
Upon hearing, Ansheng was taken aback, a look of shock spreading across his face: "Qing'an Fragrant Oolong? Isn't that the tea I sent for the competition?"
"Hold on a second..."
"Old Deng organizing people against the first-place Fragrant Oolong?"
"Isn't that like fighting oneself? Does Old Deng have a penchant for public spectacle?"
With eyes wide, Ansheng let out a whimper filled with amazement.