Collecting Rent From All Realms, Even Empresses Must Pay Tribute
Ch. 27 - I'm Her Dad

Early morning.

The faint light of dawn broke through, lifting the veil of night, and the golden waves of the rising sun began to wash over the residential buildings.

Street vendors selling vegetables lined both sides of the urban village's streets. 

In front of one stall, a pretty girl with a ponytail was bending down, picking out ingredients.

"Buying groceries so early, XiXi?" the elderly woman selling vegetables said, looking at the girl.

"Yes, Granny. The earlier I come, the fresher the ingredients," Luo Xi smiled.

"Heh, the young man who marries you will be a lucky one."

"Here's five yuan, Granny. Can you give me some extra scallions and garlic?" Luo Xi clasped her hands together and blinked her eyes cutely.

"Alright, alright."

"Love you~"

…

After buying the necessary ingredients, Luo Xi walked briskly to a dilapidated building, rummaged in her pocket, took out a spare key, and opened the door.

Entering the living room, Luo Xi was surprised to find the TV gone. The empty TV stand looked oddly out of place.

"The TV… is gone?" Luo Xi was curious, but didn't dwell on it. She placed the groceries in the kitchen and went to Ye Chuan's room.

Just as she was about to push the door open, she heard a sound from another room not far away. Luo Xi paused and turned to look—

After the clicking sound of the door opening, a long-haired girl in a white nightgown slowly walked out. 

She looked around expressionlessly and noticed Luo Xi standing at Ye Chuan's door.

The moment their eyes met, Bai QianShuang's guard went up!

An assassin?

"Ah, are you the new tenant?" Luo Xi's words immediately dispelled most of Bai QianShuang's vigilance.

Ye Chuan's friend?

Bai QianShuang's cold, beautiful eyes stared at Luo Xi, then she nodded slightly.

"Hello." Luo Xi was also surprised by the girl's beauty. 

She looked like an ethereal fairy, untouched by the mortal world. And why would such a girl, who looked like a young lady from a wealthy family, rent a room in this urban village?

Could there be a reason?

"Hello…" Bai QianShuang responded to Luo Xi's greeting, then paused and said, "Excuse me."

She turned and went back to her room.

Luo Xi stared at the closed door for a few seconds before turning back and pushing open Ye Chuan's door.

Ye Chuan was still fast asleep. A faint burnt smell lingered in the air. Luo Xi sniffed and, as if realizing something, rushed over anxiously.

"ChuanChuan, wake up! Did something catch fire?!"

"?!" Ye Chuan was enjoying his sleep. Annoyed by Luo Xi's shaking, he frowned and pulled her into his arms.

"Shut up, let me sleep."

Luo Xi's head was pressed against Ye Chuan's chest.

She struggled instinctively, then froze, asking softly, "ChuanChuan, did something burn in the house?"

"..." Only the sound of steady breathing answered her.

Luo Xi observed for a few seconds, and after confirming there was no sign of fire in the room, she decided not to disturb Ye Chuan.

…

Ye Chuan finally woke up close to noon. He glanced at the time and saw that it was already 11 A.M.

"Oh no, my money tree!" Remembering that he hadn't fed Bai QianShuang yet, Ye Chuan quickly got up.

He was now terrified of Bai QianShuang starving.

As he pushed open the door, the aroma of food wafted towards him. He went to the kitchen and saw a familiar figure wearing an apron, cooking.

"ChuanChuan, you're up?" Luo Xi was holding a ladle, the soup pot in front of her bubbling.

Seeing Luo Xi cooking, Ye Chuan asked, "Why are you here?"

"Didn't you ask me to come over and cook you something?" Luo Xi widened her eyes. How could he forget so quickly?

"I was just saying that casually." Ye Chuan hadn't expected Luo Xi to take his casual words to heart. But then he realized, could it be that Luo Xi and Bai QianShuang had already met?

Luo Xi didn't know Bai QianShuang's true identity as a cultivator. 

If they talked, Bai QianShuang would definitely give herself away. Her way of speaking wasn't like a modern person's.

Then it would be difficult for Ye Chuan to explain Bai QianShuang's origins.

He couldn't just say she came from a cultivation world, could he?

"Ah, right, ChuanChuan, that long-haired girl, is she your tenant?" Luo Xi asked.

Ye Chuan's expression stiffened slightly, and he hummed in confirmation.

"She's so pretty. You're not going to… you know…" Luo Xi leaned closer and whispered.

"She's my tenant." Ye Chuan added, "Am I supposed to be interested in every pretty woman I meet?"

"Who knows? Living under the same roof, a single man and a single woman…" Luo Xi pouted.

She could understand Ye Chuan's previous attempts to mooch off women for food, but this was different. Bai QianShuang felt different.

Thinking of this, Luo Xi felt a bit…

Not XiXi.

(TL: "Xixi" (嘻嘻, xī xī) is often used in online chat or informal writing to represent a giggle or a light laugh, similar to "hehe" or "teehee" in English, this is a wordplay with her name Luo Xi)

"Did you guys talk?" Ye Chuan asked, not noticing Luo Xi's expression.

"Just exchanged greetings," Luo Xi shook her head.

That girl seemed quite aloof. She said "excuse me" and went back to her room, not coming out again.

Hearing that they had only exchanged greetings, Ye Chuan breathed a sigh of relief. That wasn't a big problem.

"What are you making?" Ye Chuan changed the subject, glancing at the stove.

"Crucian carp and tofu soup, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, braised pork, and stir-fried lettuce," Luo Xi listed the dishes, lifting her chin proudly. 

"How does that sound?"

"Sounds good." Luo Xi's cooking was quite delicious. Ye Chuan thought of Bai QianShuang in her room. "Can we ask Bai QianShuang to join us?"

"Bai QianShuang?"

"That's the tenant's name," Ye Chuan explained.

"Sure," Luo Xi nodded. "You ask her."

Ye Chuan went to Bai QianShuang's door and knocked. "Bai QianShuang, want to eat?"

"Come in."

Hearing the reply, Ye Chuan pushed the door open. Bai QianShuang, wearing her white nightgown, was sitting cross-legged on the bed, cultivating. 

After finishing her meditation, she spoke softly,

"That girl, is she your friend?"

"Yes, we grew up together. I'm her dad."

His words made Bai QianShuang's brain short-circuit.

CPU loading—

What did he mean, a friend he grew up with… and her dad?

What a complicated relationship.

"Want to come out and eat?" Ye Chuan asked.

Bai QianShuang's expression remained indifferent, but her nose twitched at the mention of food. "Would it… be disturbing you?"

"No, come out."

"Okay." Bai QianShuang readily agreed and followed Ye Chuan out of the room.

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