After getting off work on time, Qingque was walking home when she was strangely stopped by a colleague. Seeing the colleague's somewhat fierce expression, Qingque thought she was about to run into the legendary workplace bullying, but it turned out the person was there to ask for food.
"Qingque, I heard that you are friends with that cook who only worked for a few days, and now you go to his house to mooch meals every day after work, right!?"
"Girl, don't be so excited! Let's talk nicely!"
Qingque was a bit puzzled. Was it necessary for this person to be so excited? Although the food Caelus made was indeed delicious and gave people a soothing sense of pleasure, it was not really addictive like that kind of stuff.
The female colleague let out a long sigh, then said with an apologetic expression, "Sorry, I was a bit too excited. I just wanted to ask you to help me get some of the dishes he made."
"This... sister, I can understand your craving for delicious food, but the problem is that I can only mooch meals at his house because of our friendship. Going to a friend's house to mooch meals and asking for takeout, I really feel embarrassed about that."
"I... I can pay. You can explain it to him clearly, just say I want to buy some."
"Shaoli, what is wrong with you? You don't look like a glutton, what is going on?"
Qingque frowned as she looked at her colleague, directly calling out her name.
After hesitating for a long time, the female colleague bit her lip and said, "Before, when he was still working as a cook here, I ate his food and liked it very much, so I packed some to share with my family. You might not know, but my father's condition has not been very good in recent years. He might not be far from becoming mara-struck."
"But that day, after eating the food I packed home, he said his mind felt much more at ease, and he no longer had that manic feeling haunting him. He even felt like he had gained a few more years of lifespan!"
"Please, Qingque! I was very rebellious in my youth and was always causing trouble for my family, even often angering my father. I always felt that him becoming mara-struck so quickly was all because of me, all because I kept angering him when I was young! This is my only chance to make it up to my father. Please!"
Seeing that the other person was clearly about to kneel down, Qingque quickly said, "Stop, stop, stop! I get it! I understand your situation! I will talk to him about this, but I can't guarantee a specific answer. And you know his current situation, he might not agree, so you need to be prepared."
"Mm..."
Although she agreed, Qingque felt that if she couldn't help her, she might even try to find a way to block Caelus's door.
Ding-dong!
After the doorbell rang, the house door was quickly opened. Qingque glanced at the person who opened the door and said, "Oh, it's Mem. Where's Caelus?"
"My Partner is in his room. Hm? A-Que, why did you bring so many vegetables and meat today?"
Mem looked at the various fresh vegetables, fruits, and meat in Qingque's hands, feeling a bit curious. Why had she brought so many things when she came over today?
"I've been mooching food and drinks for the past few days and always felt a bit embarrassed, so I brought some ingredients."
"Oh, then let me help you take them in."
"Ah, no, no need. I know where the fridge is, I'll put them in for you."
As for Mem's existence, Qingque had known about it since she came to mooch a meal that day. Although a pink mammal that could fly and talk was very strange, in this vast galaxy, it did not count as outrageous. Qingque was someone who surfed the internet often, so her acceptance in this regard was very strong.
After hearing that Mem was a Partner traveling with Caelus, she befriended her, and they became new friends.
"A-Que, if you have something on your mind, it's better to say it out loud."
After Qingque put the food into the fridge, she heard Mem's voice behind her.
Qingque scratched her head, feeling a bit awkward. After seeing Caelus walking down from the second floor, she finally chose to confess.
By the dining table, Caelus sat on a chair, looked at the slightly nervous Qingque, and said, "That's all?"
"Yeah. If you think it's not okay, I'll help you reject her. If she comes to bother you, I can also help you find a new place to stay."
"No need, it's just a small matter. You don't need to be so nervous."
"I'm just worried about causing you trouble! The Grand Diviner told me about your situation. She also wanted me to apologize on behalf of the General. She said the General was just too tired from official business recently and was a bit restless, which is why he said those nonsense words."
"Mm, don't worry, I won't take it to heart. Qingque, we are friends. I know you're worried that casual requests will consume our friendship, but these are just small favors. You don't need to be so nervous. If other colleagues from the Divination Commission want to ask you to help bring food later, I can help. At that time, you just need to have them write some stories about their past for me."
"You know, I am a Pathstrider on the Path of Remembrance. When it comes to stories from people's own pasts, for me, that is already sufficient reward.
Of course, those stories must not involve any hidden pasts of the Luofu. You can also let your Grand Diviner look at those stories before handing them to me, to avoid really violating any taboos and getting you implicated."
"...I understand."
Qingque looked at those dim golden eyes staring at her, and inexplicably, a sense of peace and trust welled up in her. This friend was truly worth making.
"Alright, I'm going to cook. Since you brought so many ingredients today, what do you want to eat? Choose whatever you like."
"Then I won't be polite. I want sauerkraut fish, stir-fried meat with garlic sprouts, smashed cucumber, and tomato scrambled eggs!"
"Okay."
Caelus tied on his apron and walked toward the kitchen. Qingque looked at his back, then looked at Mem, who was also floating toward the kitchen to help, and thought to herself,
"Such days are really good. I really wish Caelus and Mem could stay on the Xianzhou forever... But unfortunately, they will eventually embark on their journey, and I am just a passerby on their journey. After they leave, perhaps there will be no chance to meet again in this life."
As for trying to find a way to keep them, that was not something a friend should do.
And follow them on their journey and leave?
On this Xianzhou, Qingque still had her own home, colleagues she had good relationships with, and friends she played cards with. How could she possibly bear to give all this up and go traveling through the galaxy with others?
There is no banquet in the world that doesn't end, this is the helplessness that long-lived species must eventually experience.
Qingque slowly let out a breath, then stopped thinking about these things and began to look forward to how delicious today's dishes would be and what kind of emotions they would be mixed with.
At the Divination Commission, Fu Xuan took a sip of the super-sweet milk tea she often drank in the past, only to find that this level of intense sweetness was just so-so, the sense of pleasure it brought her was ultimately much less.
Over these days, the pain in her Third Eye had gradually returned. The super-sweet milk tea was ultimately just something to make her ignore the pain for a short time, far inferior to that meal, which could alleviate it for a whole day.
Fu Xuan put down the official document in her hand.
"I want to eat cake, General..."
"You bad guy!"
(To be continued.)