Senior sister, stop working and go home for dinner.

Chapter 378 Best Behind-the-Scenes Nanny Award

As he spoke, a hint of pride lingered in his voice, as if he were recalling his "great achievements" over the years.

Qi Lan chuckled, her amber eyes glancing sideways at him: "From what you're saying, you're a great contributor to the Cloud Hidden Sect? Should we award you a 'Best Behind-the-Scenes Babysitter' award?"

"No need, no need," Shen Zui quickly waved his hand, his smile widening. "It's just that... back there, I always felt like there was an invisible barrier separating us, and I had to be careful in everything I did, afraid of breaking the rules and causing trouble. But here..." He looked around at the warm yellow lights in the bar, listened to the relaxed laughter around him, and gazed out the window at the deep, ancient night, "Although it's more dangerous and more unpredictable, it seems... more comfortable. At least I don't have to write those dizzying reports anymore."

"Freedom?" Qi Lan swirled her empty glass, her tone languid. "Freedom comes at the cost of your life. You saw the stance of those five Golden Core cultivators yesterday. In this territory, 'freedom' requires a strong enough fist. Chen Anran can protect this thirty-kilometer stretch, but what about beyond that? All of us combined probably couldn't withstand a single serious punch from a Golden Core cultivator."

Shen Zui's smile faded slightly, and he nodded silently.

Qi Lan was right. Yesterday's experience was like a bucket of ice water, waking up many unrealistic fantasies.

The novelty and excitement brought by time travel seem so fragile in the face of an absolute difference in strength.

"So," Qi Lan took the "Blue Moon" that Yin Xiaohao had just handed her, took a small sip, and the cool liquid made her squint slightly, "come with me tomorrow and take a walk, not just aimlessly. We need to see what this area is like, and what's going on in those mortal villages. Chen Anran is going into seclusion, we can't just sit here and wait. At least... we need to figure things out right under our noses."

This time, Shen Zui gave a serious "hmm" and stopped joking.

Their conversation was drowned out by the growing noise of the bar. Meanwhile, Fatty Li and Daoist Tianbao were engaged in a heated but friendly debate about whether roasted nuts should be sprinkled with chili powder or Sichuan peppercorn powder; Jiang Yan was showing Feng Wenzheng a small piece of "memory alloy" he had brought, explaining its ingenious uses in mechanical arts; Zhao Mengmeng was quietly explaining basic cultivation knowledge to Wang Rui and the others; Huiming listened quietly as Zhang Laoshi's disciples described their hometown's carpentry skills in their accented Mandarin…

As night deepened, the noise inside the Cloud Hidden Bar gradually subsided.

Alcohol and fatigue washed over them, and many people leaned back in their chairs, their eyelids drooping. Fatty Li yawned widely and rubbed his aching back. Huiming stood up and gently reminded them, "It's getting late. Everyone has had a long day, so why not get some rest? There's still much to do tomorrow."

The crowd gradually dispersed, supporting each other, some yawning, some talking in hushed tones, as they disappeared into the temporary accommodations scattered throughout the resort. One by one, the warm yellow lights went out, until finally only a few solar-powered streetlights on the main street cast a faint glow under the unfamiliar night sky.

Qi Lan didn't sleep.

She sat cross-legged on the roof of Miaoxianju, the night breeze ruffling her short hair and the hood of her sweatshirt.

The amber-colored vertical pupils were crystal clear in the darkness, like two eerie flames, silently scanning the sleeping buildings below and the primeval forest swallowed by the deep night in the distance.

In fact, Qi Lan still hasn't fully digested it.

Everything that happened during this period was too sudden and too fantastical, like a dream.

A very faint rustling sound came from the roof; the tiles were being carefully moved.

Qi Lan didn't even flinch, simply saying, "The ladder is against the east wall. Don't damage my tiles."

Lingdang awkwardly peeked out from behind the lifted tile, her face still showing the embarrassment of being caught. She had changed out of the dark clothes that made it easier to hide and put on a plain dress that Zhao Mengmeng had given her. She had also carefully combed her hair. Although her eyes were still a little red, her eyes were much brighter.

"...I saw a shadow on the roof, and I guessed it was you," Lingdang said softly, climbing up rather clumsily and sitting down a few steps away from Qi Lan, hugging her knees.

Qi Lan didn't look at her, her gaze remaining fixed on the dark outline of the distant mountains. "Where's the stone?"

"He's asleep." Lingdang paused. "He helped Fatty Li move a lot of things today, he's tired."

"Mm," Qi Lan responded, and then fell silent.

There was a long silence between the two.

Lingdang seemed unaccustomed to the silence, her fingers unconsciously fidgeting with the hem of her skirt. After a long while, she finally spoke again, "Qi Lan..."

"Um?"

"……Thanks."

Qi Lan finally turned her head, her amber eyes gleaming in the night: "Thank me for what? Bringing you food? Or digging you out of the blanket?"

"Yes..." Bell lowered her head, "and... thank you for saying those things."

"What did I say?" Qi Lan asked deliberately.

"It's just... you said, do something useful." Lingdang raised her head and looked at the blurry outline of the main peak of Yunyin Mountain in the distance, where Chen Anran was in seclusion. "You're right, just hiding and being sad won't change anything."

"What did I say?" Qi Lan asked deliberately.

"It's just... you said, do something useful." Lingdang raised her head and looked at the blurry outline of the main peak of Yunyin Mountain in the distance, where Chen Anran was in seclusion. "You're right, just hiding and being sad won't change anything."

"So what do you plan to do?"

Bell shook her head. "I haven't decided yet, but I plan to reopen my shop tomorrow. Stone and I can't just stay here with you forever."

"Your 'Longhushan Special Pet Exchange Center'?"

"Hmm." Bell rested her chin on her hand. "But it was just a pretext back then, and also to annoy you, a half-demon. After all, in this age of declining magic, there are hardly any spirit pets."

Upon hearing this, Qi Lan lazily flicked her tail behind her and let out a soft snort: "Make me angry? With your meager skills?"

Bell felt a little embarrassed by what she said, her ears burning slightly, but she didn't immediately bristle and retort as she usually did. She simply pursed her lips, her gaze still fixed on the distance: "...That was true before. But things are different now."

"It's different now," Qi Lan said. "The spiritual energy here is so dense it's almost suffocating, and even the birdsong has a wild edge. Your 'Spirit Pet Exchange Center'... might actually start doing some business in the future."

Lingdang's eyes widened slightly as she looked at Qi Lan with some surprise. She had expected to hear more sarcastic remarks.

"What, did you think I was going to keep pouring cold water on you?" Qi Lan glanced at her. "Chen Anran is right. Since you're already here, you have to find something to do. Opening a shop is at least better than hiding in a corner and getting moldy."

She stood up to leave, "But don't expect me to help you catch any 'spirit pets'."