When Tianmiao came back with the furry piglet, there were two carriages following behind, filled with the things Tianmiao had bought. She bought so much that she had to hire two carriages to bring everything back.
After giving the coachmen double the normal fare, they eagerly helped move the items. Before long, the not-so-large main hall of the Daoist Temple was piled with stuff. Yan Zhengya came over to see and was startled.
"Come over and sort these things out, categorize them," Tianmiao said to Yan Zhengya.
"Huh? Okay." Yan Zhengya came over, looked at the items, and felt a bit puzzled. There was quite a bit of cotton cloth and cotton, and clothes that he and Yuanyuan could wear.
Yuanyuan was also helping with the tidying and discovered quite a few kitchen utensils and ingredients.
The human and the demon exchanged glances, both with bewilderment in their eyes.
"Those cloths and cotton are for making small quilted jackets for the piglet. Winter is coming, and we can’t let it freeze. While I was at it, I bought some for you guys too," Tianmiao said patiently, holding the piglet and pinching its tiny trotters.
The human and the demon exchanged another look; they both saw the same meaning in each other’s eyes: Okay, got it, we don’t even measure up to a pig. We’re benefiting from the pig’s favor.
"Sir Tian, thank you for buying so much for the piglet, it’s really too kind of you," Yan Zhengya said, witnessing Tianmiao’s generosity after seeing Dong Xiao’s already grand gestures, and unconsciously began using honorifics.
"It’s a small matter, who could resist the cuteness of the piglet?" Tianmiao smiled slightly. "However, we’ve troubled you. We’ll be staying here for a while. Regarding your Daoist Temple, well, there are some minor issues. Do you mind if I have someone do a bit of repair?" She absolutely did not want to listen to the sound of raindrops ticking inside when she’s trying to enjoy tea while listening to the rain.
"Ah, how can I accept that? I’ll do it myself." Yan Zhengya scratched his head, feeling quite embarrassed. Having received so much silver from Tianmiao, letting her spend even more on such a small matter was just too embarrassing. What’s more awkward is how tactfully she put it, truly giving him face. A small problem? Was his Daoist Temple just a small problem? It had many big and small issues indeed.
"That works too, just get it repaired soon. There should be quite a few rainy days before winter," Tianmiao said as she carried the piglet toward the east yard. After taking a couple of steps, she turned her head towards Yuanyuan and asked, "Little Bunny, do you know how to make hot pot? How about we have mutton hot pot tonight?"
"Yes! Absolutely!" Yuanyuan straightened up and answered loudly.
...
That evening, Tianmiao enjoyed a steaming hot mutton hot pot. Yuanyuan’s knife skills were impeccable; each slice of mutton was evenly thick and crystal clear. After a swish through the rolling broth, each piece was like a work of art. Dipped in the flavorful sauce, each bite was simply a celebration for the taste buds.
Dong Xiao blanched some vegetables and placed them in Tianmiao’s bowl, and Tianmiao silently transferred the vegetables to Kong Hou’s bowl.
"Boss, being picky about food isn’t right. It’s also not good to only eat meat," Dong Xiao advised patiently, seeing the situation.
Tianmiao looked seriously at Kong Hou and said, "Did you hear that? Don’t be picky. Eat everything in your bowl."
Kong Hou: "..."
Yan Zhengya blinked as he watched this scene unfold. This Tianmiao must hold quite a high status, right? Thinking back to when he first met her, with that astonishing presence, and now seeing her childish act of speaking obvious lies, are these two really the same person?