Chapter 126: 90 Affection Gift

Chapter 126: The 90-Affection Gift

According to Lake, Meng Shu can stay in this world for at most another month.

Even if he didn't die after that, his body would be too weak, and he would be rejected by the world's laws and forbidden from ever returning.

Meng Shu spent a lot of time teaching Ling Qingjue how to cook. Every time he cooked, he forced Ling Qingjue to follow him into the kitchen, patiently explaining how to use each seasoning, the heat for stir-frying, the time for simmering...

Unfortunately, Ling Qingjue went in one ear and out the other. Every time Meng Shu asked if he understood, he nodded and said yes.

Then he'd immediately ask him, "Which one is salt? Which one is MSG?"

He deliberated for a while, pointed at the laundry detergent, hesitated, and said, "This is salt?"

He chose laundry detergent over salt and MSG. Meng Shu was so angry he nearly passed out.

After half a month of learning, Ling Qingjue made no progress. Even when he entered the kitchen, he would only use his tail to harass Meng Shu, sweeping it across his face, trying every way to get his attention.

Not only did he not learn, but he also caused trouble.

Cat fur fell into the pot, and because Ling Qingjue's magic was so strong, even the falling fur had a mind of its own.

The fur that fell into the pot would occasionally start talking out of nowhere, "It's scalding me! It's scalding me!"

Scaring Meng Shu half to death.

Ling Qingjue, the culprit, showed no remorse, persistently wrapping his tail around Meng Shu's waist, the harassment was obvious.

Meng Shu grabbed his tail, suppressing his temper. "What dish have you learned to make?"

Ling Qingjue raised an eyebrow. "I've learned everything."

"How do you make Tomato Sour Soup Dragon King Meat?"

Ling Qingjue thought for a moment, then smiled. "Light the fire, pour the Tomato Sour Soup Dragon King Meat in, then pour it back out."

"..."

Sure enough, he hadn't learned a thing.

Meng Shu sighed. "Put your tail away. Do you know how much fur you're shedding?"

"I'm probably shedding," Ling Qingjue said calmly. "The fur will be prettier after shedding."

"Put it away." Meng Shu really didn't want to hear a voice calling out from the pot; it made him feel like a psychotic murderer cooking a live person.

Ling Qingjue reluctantly put his tail away, but the next second, his arms replaced the tail, wrapping around Meng Shu's waist.

He rested his chin on Meng Shu's shoulder, sulking. "I really don't want to learn. I can't learn it."

Meng Shu didn't turn to look at him, his voice low. "You've got to learn sometime."

Ling Qingjue thought to himself that feeding the Cat King was something every owner had to do.

Now that Meng Shu was his owner, wasn't it Meng Shu's responsibility to feed him?

If he got hungry and thin, it would be all Meng Shu's fault.

Meng Shu couldn't do anything about him. He cooked dinner himself and called him to eat together.

After dinner, Ling Qingjue followed him around again, pretending not to look at him. "By the way, how long have we been stuck at eighty affection?"

Meng Shu was washing dishes and answered casually, "I don't know."

Ling Qingjue got unhappy again. "You don't even know when we got together. You really don't have true feelings for me."

Meng Shu's back went cold. Was this a trick question?

Was Ling Qingjue actually the type to care about "relationship anniversaries"? On second thought, Ling Qingjue cared so much about rituals, he might very well divide holidays meticulously—"First Kiss Anniversary," "100 Days of Dating Anniversary"... and so on, endlessly.

Could today be their hundredth day of dating?

Meng Shu quickly rinsed the foam off his hands and turned around. "I know, I know. Today is our hundredth day of dating. I didn't forget."

Ling Qingjue gave him a strange look. "You're mistaken, aren't you? We only got together at the end of spring. Summer just started. How could it be a hundred days?"

Meng Shu was even more embarrassed. "So it's not a hundred days yet?"

Living with Ling Qingjue day in and day out, most of the time glued to each other, he had the illusion that they had been together for years, like an old married couple.

In reality, they had just gotten together.

Ling Qingjue sneered. "So you don't even remember when we got together."

Meng Shu leaned his head into his chest, feeling guilty. "I remember, I remember. I misspoke just now... Then, is it your birthday?"

Ling Qingjue said, "No. What are you trying to do?"

"Then what day is it today?" Meng Shu asked nervously.

Ling Qingjue said calmly, "Nothing special. I just wanted to ask if you've prepared the Moonstone. That's my ninety-affection gift."

He reached out and patted Meng Shu's head. "Bring a stone from your own world. When you travel through, silently recite 'Moonstone,' and get the law's approval. It will allow you to bring the stone here."

Moonstone.

Given only to one's beloved, symbolizing the wish to spend a lifetime together.

Meng Shu's fingers curled into a fist, and he was silent for a long time.

Ling Qingjue didn't notice his expression. He cleared his throat. "It's not that I really want that stupid stone. But you took my Moonstone, so you have to give me one back. Otherwise... otherwise, I'd be at a loss. My mother would be angry if she knew."

He grabbed Meng Shu's cheek, bent down, and said grumpily, "Hear me? Get me a stone. Compensate me."

Meng Shu looked up and made a condition. "Then cook a dish yourself first. Anything. If you do it, I'll get it for you."

"You're bargaining with me?" Ling Qingjue laughed in disbelief, raising his eyebrows high as if he'd heard a joke. "Who do you think you are? You dare bargain with me? You think I'll listen to you? Let me tell you, I don't care about that stupid stone at all. Even if I accept it, it's your blessing!"

Meng Shu's eyes were calm as a still lake. "Be good and learn to cook yourself. If you don't, I won't give it to you. I'll give the stone to someone else."

Ling Qingjue gritted his teeth and suddenly pushed him away. "If you don't want to give it, just say so! I don't care! I don't want it even if you offer it now!"

Watching him storm off furiously, Meng Shu's expression gradually froze.

He looked down at his palm.

Slowly closed his fingers.

A bitter smile curled at the corner of his mouth, and his voice was especially low. "Fool, how could I not want to give it to you?"

But we're running out of time.

He cleaned up the kitchen alone, then went downstairs and found Ling Qingjue.

Ling Qingjue was curled up alone on the sofa, with no lights on; only the faint glow from the television lit the living room.

Meng Shu tiptoed over to him.

He didn't even glance at Meng Shu, his jaw tight, his lips a straight line, clearly angry.

Meng Shu gently rested his head on Ling Qingjue's shoulder, his heart softened. "Don't be mad. I just want you to learn to cook. I'll give you the Moonstone. Promise me you'll study hard from now on and stop spacing out, okay?"

Ling Qingjue ignored him completely, staring fixedly at the TV.

Meng Shu's heart sank bit by bit. He sat quietly on the other side of the sofa, the world before him grew blurry and dark.

In his ear came the system's warning.

"Warning: Your current body energy is insufficient for travel. Please return to your original world to rest immediately."