The Flower Of The High Mountain Turns Into A Cat And Is Picked Up By A Human Chapter 14

“Delicious! I truly admire this skill!”

The owner’s cooking was savory and flavorful. Although he personally preferred heavy seasoning, he admired people who could make light dishes taste delicious even more.

Soon, Zheng Lang finished two bowls of rice with the dishes and put down his chopsticks contentedly.

After he and the owner ate their fill, they felt the urge to sing again. But fearing the cat might press the speaker switch, they stealthily took the speaker to a corner, careful not to play the music too loudly.

They lowered the volume and angled the speaker toward themselves, no longer daring to be ostentatious.

The corner’s ‘earthy’ music didn’t bother Heng Yuze’s ears or affect Bai Chendeng’s mood. The two older men finally gained a moment of singing freedom.

The merriment lasted nearly two hours.

After everything concluded, the two brothers were still reluctant to part.

The owner was loath to part with the cat, the chef, and especially his newfound confidant.

The guests had saved many videos and photos on their phones, ready to post them online at any moment.

In the end, even after they had stepped out of the courtyard gate, the owner held a microphone while a staff member carried the speaker behind him. Within the range of the power cord, he passionately sang a rendition of: “Don’t you go~”

Zheng Lang was deeply moved.

Heng Yuze had goosebumps all over, but he respected the brief yet profound friendship between Zheng Lang and the restaurant owner.

After putting the clay pot and some ingredients into the car, Zheng Lang turned around and bought some more picnic tools, replenishing his arsenal.

He did this without any reservation, even actively asking for help.

“Little brother, I’ve been conquered by your cooking skills. I’ll be relying on you from now on.”

Heng Yuze happened to want to cook for the cat himself, so he agreed.

Leaving Linhua, they continued their journey.

The rest of the trip was uneventful. They bought ingredients along the way, occasionally stopping at famous restaurants for a change of pace. They arrived at Xiangxing Town a little later than expected.

Although they had agreed to hold a live stream for agricultural support in Xiangxing Town, they still had plenty of time. The guild was also communicating with the townspeople. It was more appropriate for them to first go to Kuju Village to find the Daoist temple.

They drove through winding mountain roads, passing through lush green mountains.

The forests were dense, and trees covered the sky. Some tree roots were even exposed along the edge of the road.

Zheng Lang followed the navigation and started talking about Kuju Village.

“This village wasn’t called this before. Later, the entire village started growing bitter chrysanthemum (kuju) and transitioned into a tourist resort, so they changed the name to Kuju Village.”

Heng Yuze asked, “I heard there’s a Daoist temple in the village. I’d like to go and pay my respects.”

Zheng Lang readily agreed: “Sure. Once we get into the village, we’ll ask someone for directions.”

As he spoke, he rolled down the car window. The wind whistled past, bringing a fresh scent of grass and wood.

“Phew—what a view!”

It wasn’t until evening that the two men and one cat arrived at Kuju Village.

Kuju Village had hosted tourists all day and looked a little weary. The shop owners they saw along the way also seemed to lack energy.

Zheng Lang suggested they find a place to stay first. It was likely that the Daoist temple wouldn’t be open at this hour, so they would have to wait until tomorrow.

They could sleep in the car, but the two men and one cat hadn’t stayed in the car these past few days. It was too cramped; they had to curl up and couldn’t stretch their legs. Modern people, when financially comfortable, avoid suffering whenever possible.

So, the two of them, carrying their luggage and holding the cat, expertly began looking for a guesthouse.

“Full?”

“Full again?”

“Does anyone know a guesthouse owner who can recommend a place?”

After hitting continuous dead ends, Zheng Lang grew a little frustrated.

Kuju Village was in the middle of the tourist season, and rooms were almost impossible to find. They had arrived at an inconvenient time.

Heng Yuze quietly followed behind him, only concerned with holding the cat and carrying the luggage. He left all matters of negotiation with outsiders entirely to Zheng Lang.

And after Zheng Lang offered a box of cigarettes, he finally returned with a result.

On the west side of the village, there was a household—an orphan and a widow. The people were a bit strange, but their house was indeed the only remaining guesthouse with empty rooms.

“Brother Heng, shall we go?”

Heng Yuze nodded.

Bai Chendeng sat securely in the human’s arms, observing the village filled with bitter chrysanthemums.

Because it had been developed into a tourist village, the concentration of bitter chrysanthemums was very high. Decorations, food, and architecture were all related to the flower. Those tiny, small flowers were neither precious nor dazzling, lacking vibrant colors, but they looked very comfortable, giving a sense of bright clarity that cleansed the soul.

Bomei must have had a purpose in asking him to come here.

He hadn’t made many friends in this life. The only thing he cared about was the Grapevine. He hoped Bomei had genuinely found some news about the Grapevine, and that the clue was right here.

They walked for about twenty minutes, moving away from the village center and reaching the outskirts.

The village had dense vegetation. Besides the ubiquitous bitter chrysanthemums, there were also trees. The village had a considerable number of elm trees, which surprised even the two men who didn’t know much about trees. They had thought the villagers would prefer fruit trees that could flower and bear fruit.

Soon, a place named “Lantern Inn” appeared before the two men and one cat.

Before Bai Chendeng even entered, he smelled a faint, musky odor. After his physique changed, his sense of smell became much more acute, making him particularly sensitive to this kind of scent.

The door was somewhat old. The bitter chrysanthemum painted on it was faded and stained, blurring into a mass that, upon a quick glance, looked like a purple head dripping with gray-black blood.

Zheng Lang, having traveled extensively, immediately noticed that there was something off about this guesthouse.

But in all his years of wandering, he had been to places far more bizarre and dangerous. Aside from sensing that the guesthouse wasn’t quite normal, he didn’t feel anything was seriously wrong. After all, he was hard to kill.

However, his younger brother, though seemingly sturdy, didn’t seem like the type to wander, judging from their interactions over the past few days. Zheng Lang guessed Heng Yuze didn’t like interacting with outsiders, so he probably needed to be extra careful.

“If things get really bad, we can just rough it in the car for the night.”

Heng Yuze hadn’t noticed anything unusual, only finding the guesthouse a bit dirty. He shook his head and refused: “As long as there’s a place to stay, I’m not picky.”

Zheng Lang quietly said, “I think this guesthouse might not be clean.”

Heng Yuze, holding the little cat immortal and carrying the Evil Drum in his backpack, smiled at the comment.

“It’s fine. The car isn’t a place to rest. We’ll make do for one night and leave tomorrow once we find the Daoist temple.”

Seeing that he couldn’t persuade him, and recalling the nights they had spent making do in the car, Zheng Lang no longer hesitated. He pushed open the main door and walked in.

Other guesthouses were lively and bustling, afraid of not attracting guests. This place, however, was not only remote but also desolate, as if afraid of guests finding it.

Zheng Lang shouted at the top of his lungs, “Boss! Is the boss here?”

After a full minute, the door of the guesthouse finally opened.

A pair of soft hands emerged from the crack in the door, resting quietly on the door frame.

In the dim twilight, Zheng Lang glimpsed those fair, tender hands and recalled what the villager had said after he gave him the cigarettes.

“Although that guesthouse is a bit strange, the owner is truly beautiful, especially her hands—they are exquisite…”

Indeed beautiful, exquisitely so.

Heng Yuze had no particular thoughts. He held Chendeng vigilantly, afraid that some demon might pop out, but since the cat had no reaction, he figured there was no great danger.

The door creaked open, revealing the person inside.

The owner looked about forty, still charming, with an oval face, slightly furrowed brows, pale skin but red lips, and a plump figure—a look that invited pity.

“Forgive me, two young brothers. If you want to stay, please come in.”

Zheng Lang’s eyes were a little glazed over, captivated by the female owner. Hearing that she was a widow, alone with only a child, made him feel even more sympathetic.

Sympathy was one thing, but whether he was moved by lust was hard to say. Zheng Lang thought of his own situation; even if he had the inclination, he dared not show it. He could only pretend to be a gentleman and follow her into the guesthouse.

Heng Yuze looked around, stepped over the threshold, and entered the dim room.

Outside, there was still the afterglow of the sunset, but inside, there was only an old-fashioned wall lamp. The light was dim and yellow, and the lamp itself was stained, further worsening the already weak light source.

The furnishings were complete but somewhat old. There wasn’t much dust, suggesting the owner cleaned frequently.

Bai Chendeng sniffed. The smell in the room was more pronounced, but if a demon truly resided here, the smell would be much stronger. This was somewhat faint.

The woman seemed strange, but apart from being Yin-dominant and Yang-deficient, she wasn’t special at all—she was completely ordinary.

The female owner glanced at the guests, leaned against the table, and suddenly smiled, “Don’t be nervous, two young brothers. I raised my child alone as a woman, and I can guess what outsiders say. If you mind, you can still leave now.”

After saying that, she complimented them.

“The cat is very beautiful. You must take good care of it.”

Heng Yuze nodded.

Zheng Lang was susceptible to this kind of subtle maneuvering and immediately waved his hand: “Boss, you’re overthinking it. We’re staying here tonight.”

“Alright. I have two empty rooms on the first floor and one empty room on the second floor. You can see where you want to stay.”

The woman reached out and collected a clay pot from the table, placing it on a shelf in the corner.

“Guests who come here seek peace and don’t like to be disturbed. Just find me if you need anything, two young brothers. I live in the first room on the second floor.”

Staying on the second floor?

Finally, after inspecting the only three remaining rooms, Heng Yuze and Zheng Lang chose rooms on the first floor.

The owner smiled, took the keys, and leaned against the wall bonelessly, preparing to hand the two keys to them.

Unexpectedly, Zheng Lang and Heng Yuze spoke simultaneously: “One room.”

The female owner nodded: “Yes, one room each. Here are your keys.”

Zheng Lang forced himself to speak: “We’ll share one room. Uh, we don’t have enough money.”

He even specifically explained the reason.

Heng Yuze softened his breathing, awkwardly stroking the cat’s back.

Bai Chendeng found it quite amusing; both men were so cautious that they had the same idea.

The female owner had never encountered this situation.

She looked at Zheng Lang with narrowed eyes, then at Heng Yuze, and finally stared at the white cat for a moment in thought.

The middle-aged man looked rough, but he shouldn’t be short on money. The young man looked handsome, but in her sharp estimation, he was only ordinary, far less impressive than the middle-aged man.

Moreover, the young man was holding the cat, looking utterly devoted to it…

Could it be that these two…

The moment this possibility occurred to her, the woman frowned, silently cursing the bad luck. She then asked with a forced smile, “Which room?”

Feeling the sudden change in the owner’s attitude and her meaningful gaze, Zheng Lang was mortified.

Now, forget about developing anything with the owner; even if he wanted to, it was impossible.

Heng Yuze pointed to the outer room: “This one.”

The female owner tossed the key over without another word and walked away, leaving the two men and one cat with a carefree back view.

Bai Chendeng stared for a moment, then looked at the two motionless men, chuckling inwardly.

“Meow.”

Embarrassing.