Xin Yunmao remained silent for several seconds, as if contemplating something, and said expressionlessly, "You remind me that this is also an option, a right I legally possess."
Seeing how calm the other party was, Miao Li widened his cat eyes in surprise and exclaimed, "So you've actually thought about this."
In the past, Xin Yunmao would have at least responded with embarrassed anger, but now after blooming, even his bamboo skin had thickened, reaching the point where yellow bamboo no longer feared boiling water.
"If such rules exist, why not use them?" Xin Yunmao said quite calmly, "I'm not breaking any laws, and there's nothing shameful about it. I've been reading a lot of news lately and have gained many new insights."
Recently influenced by current events, Xin Yunmao felt that society was changing rapidly, and some old concepts indeed needed to be updated.
Miao Li, as a department-level leader, furrowed his brows and clicked his tongue, "But couldn't you at least finish your probation period? Why rush the timing so much?"
Hu Chenrui, hearing them actually engage in conversation, usually maintained a good attitude but rarely lost his composure: "I called you both here to discuss internal organizational matters! Can we please talk about something relevant!"
"Ah, I knew from the start that leading this team wouldn't be easy, and that I'd definitely encounter some troublemakers in Huaijiang..." He looked at the two supernatural beings with resentment, revealing his true feelings under pressure for the first time, sighing, "Look at the hot potato they've handed me. This one goes without saying, and Miao Li, you're just here to watch the show - nobody wants to be your supervisor."
The Observation Department was the core division of the Bureau, and the Bureau Director and the Head of the Observation Department naturally had to interact daily. Ye Huayu and other supernatural beings knew Miao Li's nature, so they naturally kept their distance, running away as fast as they could.
Seeing the fox getting annoyed, Xin Yunmao frowned and asked, "Have you found his whereabouts?"
Hearing this, Hu Chenrui composed himself and replied, "Not yet."
"Then how am I supposed to help?" Xin Yunmao said displeased, "The dragon flames on my body were extinguished in Kong Sang, and I've lost the connection with his consciousness."
Previously, Xin Yunmao could sense the dragon god's hatred through the black fire, but now with all the dragon flames gone, he would no longer be affected and would find it difficult to locate him.
Miao Li grew curious: "Does this mean he hasn't caused any trouble yet?"
Hu Chenrui: "Correct, Director Huang sent word that Kong Sang is peaceful, we just can't find the remnant soul."
Miao Li said leisurely: "Then why are we rushing? Director Hu isn't even Kong Sang's bureau chief, why worry so much? If the sky really falls, Director Huang will still be there to hold it up."
"Old Huang is about to be dismissed," Hu Chenrui said with a peculiar expression, raising his eyebrows, "I understand what you mean now - you want me to go down with him."
Miao Li feigned innocence: "I'm just stating facts, meow."
"But if we follow our previous speculation that he escaped to find someone, he must be lingering around Kong Sang," Hu Chenrui hesitated, his resolve wavering, "Perhaps the Huaijiang Bureau doesn't need to rush after all."
Even though Xin Yunmao had bloomed, compared to a dragon god weakened over a thousand years, he was still much stronger. Following normal logic, the dragon god indeed shouldn't come to Huaijiang; he should restore his power before seeking revenge.
"Is there anything else?" Xin Yunmao asked calmly, "If not, I'll be leaving. Getting off work on time is one of life's human pleasures."
"..." Hu Chenrui was completely defeated and gave up, "No, nothing else."
A moment later, the office door closed softly.
Watching Xin Yunmao leave, Hu Chenrui, who had no authority as bureau chief before the divine lord, sighed, "He really doesn't have any of Chu's sense of responsibility."
Miao Li: "Isn't it more that Director Chu was too responsible and that's why he got attached to her?"
Hu Chenrui gave the black cat a complex look and advised, "Miao Li, if you keep talking like this, it'll be really hard to protect you."
The survival of the black cat police chief until now was indeed a miracle - perhaps cats really do have nine lives?
At the Huaijiang Bureau, it was now late summer turning to early autumn, before the start of the school term. The vegetables in the field were growing wildly, sprouting large patches every couple of days. Looking out, the waves of green brought joy to one's heart.
Niu Shi used to grow vegetables in the landscaped areas, but back then it was just small greens and potatoes, and the scale wasn't particularly large. Now, with the bureau's budget being more sufficient, he specifically cleared out an area for a vegetable garden, even transplanting several fruit trees. He didn't use much fertilizer; everything was completely natural and organic.
Chu Zhishui had asked Xin Yunmao to water the garden with supernatural energy, and the fruit trees in the vegetable garden successfully took root - they would be able to eat fruit from the bureau in the future. They hadn't planted many fruit trees, just enough to satisfy their cravings, with no intention of selling any.
The cafeteria would purchase ingredients from outside and pick vegetables from the garden, but during the lush growing season, they couldn't harvest everything from one crop after another, always leaving some excess, though not enough for the entire bureau's use.
Niu Shi simply picked the extra vegetables and laid them out on the chess tables, letting members of the Economic Development Department choose what they wanted. Chu Zhishui and Chen Zhuhui needed to return home, as they often didn't eat at the bureau, so they would take some vegetables back.
Niu Shi found a cloth bag and packed some chili leaves for Chu Zhishui, explaining, "This type of vegetable is rarely sold outside, you can only get it fresh from the garden, it's perfect for making soup."
"Can you eat chili leaves?" Chu Zhishui was surprised, "I don't think I've ever tried them."
"Of course you can, cook them with lean meat balls."
Chu Zhishui looked toward Chen Zhuhui and asked, "Zhuhui, don't you want some?"
Chen Zhuhui shook her head: "I'm eating dinner at the bureau tonight."
Jin Yu smiled and said, "We're having a special meal with Brother Niu tonight, want to join?"
"Maybe next time," Chu Zhishui caught sight of Xin Yunmao coming from the corridor. She had promised to let him cook today, so she politely declined, "We'll eat together another day."
Chu Zhishui was now the only one who insisted on going home, even the other human, Chen Zhuhui, had switched sides.
Because Chen Zhuhui's home was empty, she stayed at the Observation Bureau for long periods, occasionally sleeping in the staff dormitory. This kind of summer vacation wasn't bad; at least Jin Yu could keep her company, and they could visit Old White at the tea garden from time to time.
Xin Yunmao walked straight over and casually took the cloth bag from Chu Zhishui's hand, making to walk toward the parking lot.
Seeing this scene, Jin Yu and the others realized they had prior arrangements and wisely stopped trying to persuade them.
Chen Zhuhui held a piece of fruit, feeling its fresh skin, and suddenly said, "Sister Zhishui, can we plant fruit trees at the tea garden?"
Chu Zhishui was slightly startled: "Fruit trees at the tea garden?"
Chen Zhuhui nodded: "Yes, just a few would be fine."
"That's fine." Chu Zhishui glanced at the fruit in her hand and smiled, "If you want Old... want Master Xu to try some, you can just bring some to him, though planting some there is also good."
The tea garden was the Observation Bureau's raw material production site and basically didn't grow fruits or food ingredients, so the black, white, and yellow supernatural beings had no chance to taste them.
Chen Zhuhui's little intention was seen through, and she shyly responded, "Mm."
"Let's drive over another day, when we check on the ginseng," Chu Zhishui turned to look at Xin Yunmao, asking his opinion, since the fruit trees would depend on him to plant.
Xin Yunmao: "Alright."
The human and supernatural being bid farewell to them, carrying fresh garden vegetables, and drove home fully loaded.
Chu Zhishui wasn't going to her parents' house for dinner today; she had arranged to eat with Xin Yunmao at their new home.
Recently, Chu Xiaohe had been regularly sending recipes to Xin Yunmao, making the bamboo spirit firmly believe his cooking skills had greatly improved, insisting on trying out various recipes.
"Brother Niu gave us so many vegetables, we don't need to buy any," Chu Zhishui glanced at the cloth bag in the back seat, "We were planning to go to the supermarket first."
Xin Yunmao sat in the passenger seat and said flatly, "Then you owe me one."
Chu Zhishui was confused: "What do I owe you?"
"Shopping at the supermarket together is one of life's human pleasures, but we can't go today," Xin Yunmao raised his eyebrows, "So you owe me one, you'll have to make it up another day."
She laughed, "You enjoy being human even more than I do, even counting supermarket shopping as a pleasure?"
"Why wouldn't it count?" He glanced at her sideways, "Didn't someone say that if you can't manage a small home, how can you manage the world? If you can't even figure out supermarket shopping, what else can you do well?"
Seeing his serious expression, Chu Zhishui couldn't help but tease, "The way you're talking, we should take a day off and have everyone in the city learn how to shop at the supermarket."
Xin Yunmao pondered, "That doesn't sound like a bad..."
"Alright, alright, we'll go to the supermarket, let's go today!" Chu Zhishui surrendered to his logic and quickly said, "We can buy some seasonings."
Only then did Xin Yunmao become cheerful.
In the supermarket, the shelves were filled with a dazzling array of goods, customers pushing shopping carts back and forth, making the scene look extremely lively.
Although the human and the spirit didn't plan to buy much, Xin Yunmao still pulled over a shopping cart and silently followed behind Chu Zhishui.
The refrigerator was filled with colorful drinks. While Chu Zhishui originally had no interest in shopping, once inside, her eyes were dazzled by the gradual array of colors. She curiously picked through items left and right. Despite initially thinking they didn't need anything, she now began tossing things into the cart, wanting to grab everything she saw.
Standing before the shelves, her face bathed in warm light, her eyes would sparkle at things she wanted. Her eyelashes fluttered as she contemplated, a soft pink tinting her cheeks – like a ripe peach that one would want to gently caress, surely emanating a sweet fragrance.
Xin Yunmao fell into a trance, quietly watching Chu Zhishui as she wandered back and forth before the shelves.
"Look, there's hot pot base here. We should have hot pot sometime – Brother Niu said there'll be lots of vegetables from the garden soon," she exclaimed excitedly. "We have a new pot at home we haven't used yet."
"Mm, sure."
"Should we get some frozen lamb rolls? I haven't tried this brand. Maybe some beef rolls too?"
"Okay."
"Should we get some sesame paste? And some sesame oil?"
"Sure."
"Why are you agreeing to everything?" Chu Zhishui had been looking down at items, but now looked up suspiciously. "Are you even listening to what I'm saying?"
Xin Yunmao blinked in confusion: "What?"
He had been completely absorbed in admiring her careful selection process, listening to her melodious, excited voice, his thoughts having drifted far away.
"You really weren't listening..." Chu Zhishui seemed to have caught him out and straightened up to look back at him, but the words died in her throat when she saw his expression.
Xin Yunmao was slightly bent over, dressed casually, arms resting on the shopping cart handle, lazily following behind her. His ink-dark eyes were filled with mirth, like a pool of clear water under forest shade, rippling with gentle spring breezes, gazing at her intently.
Chu Zhishui fell silent, her heart suddenly flung open, instantly affected by this scene, experiencing a flutter in her chest.
His happiness was so genuine, such pure gazing that she wanted to kiss him.
Realizing this thought, Chu Zhishui's fingers suddenly trembled. She pressed her lips together, furrowing her brow seriously, and admonished: "Even if you're blooming now, you should still avoid attracting bees and butterflies."
Xin Yunmao: "?"
Looking dazed, Xin Yunmao felt wronged and protested: "When did I ever..."
"Stop making excuses, you flirtatious bamboo," Chu Zhishui said through gritted teeth, her face inexplicably hot, unable to admit she'd been seduced. "I see right through your act."
He had this perverted hobby of trying to hook her, then acting like he was being forced.
Playing innocent was always his specialty.
Xin Yunmao, quite unwilling to accept this, simply pushed the shopping cart aside and walked up to circle around her. He pressed close to her back, reaching for drinks in the refrigerator, deliberately using his arm to restrict her movement, childishly corralling her, almost but not quite embracing her.
Summer clothing was thin, and Chu Zhishui felt his firm chest behind her. She suddenly shuddered as if burned, quickly stepping forward to create distance between them, complaining: "You're going to push me over."
"I thought you were going to accuse me of attracting bees and butterflies again," Xin Yunmao lowered his gaze, studying her expression as he said carelessly, "Since I'm even wrongly accused while pushing the cart, grabbing a bottle of water would probably earn me worse accusations."
Blocked by him, Chu Zhishui had nowhere to retreat. She pushed at him hurriedly: "You're so childish, move away."
Xin Yunmao argued righteously: "You've been picking things for so long, I haven't even gotten anything yet. Why should I move?"
Seeing he wouldn't budge, like a stubborn rock, she said irritably: "Your Highness, are you three years old?"
He snorted: "Still older than whatever age you think I am in your mind."
"..."
Xin Yunmao looked down to see Chu Zhishui annoyed, her smooth neck exposed and gleaming in the light. His Adam's apple suddenly bobbed as he couldn't help taking a deep breath, then exhaling imperceptibly, maintaining an outwardly unruffled appearance.
The light, warm breath swept across her skin, creating a tingling sensation like a delicate feather playfully trying to burrow into her ear.
The fresh scent of rain-soaked bamboo leaves permeated their limited space, making her nose tingle, completely intoxicated by his scent, feeling as if she were wholly immersed in his embrace.
Subtle yet present, stirring the heartstrings, more intimate than a gentle kiss.
His gossamer-like breath fell upon her, suddenly draining all strength from her body. Though he hadn't touched her, it was more provocative than if he had.
Chu Zhishui covered her neck where he had blown air, now completely flushed, and exclaimed: "Why are you blowing air at me?!"
Xin Yunmao, as a botany expert, showed a flash of guilt in his eyes but explained seriously: "Attracting bees and butterflies is about using appearance and scent to attract. Besides visual attraction, one must also transmit flower fragrance."
"..."
