When Su Mo returned to Lan City, the street vendors had already set up their stalls.
Su Mo's stomach rumbled with hunger pangs, feeling rather famished.
Just then there was a noodle shop by the roadside, and Su Mo immediately pulled Wu Ying along.
"Wu Ying, are you hungry? Let's have a bowl of noodles before we head back!"
Wu Ying looked at her but said nothing, instead he walked straight towards the noodle shop.
The two ordered two bowls of beef noodles and sat down on the wooden stools by the side.
Su Mo propped up her arms on the table, her chin in her hands, watching the bustling crowd along the streets which suddenly reminded her of her original world.
She wondered if her parents would be very worried since she had disappeared without a trace from her original world.
"Sigh..." Su Mo unconsciously heaved a sigh.
Wu Ying looked at her, wondering what she was sighing about.
Just then, the owner brought their noodles over. "Please enjoy your meal slowly."
Wu Ying slid one of the bowls towards her. "Here's your noodles."
"Oh." Only then did Su Mo return to her senses as she looked at the noodles before her, discovering that the soup was light and the noodles sparse, she had suddenly lost her appetite altogether.
She picked at a couple of mouthfuls but it really wasn't tasty at all. Other than it being a little salty, there was absolutely no other flavour.
Don't they have chili peppers here? She suddenly recalled that back when they ate at that restaurant previously, it seemed that there was no chili either.
"Boss!" Su Mo called out, "Do you have chili peppers here?"
"Chili peppers? What is that, young lady?"
"...Forget it, it's nothing. You go ahead with your work."
Su Mo didn't know how to explain and could only drop the matter. She ate the few slices of beef in the noodles but left the noodles untouched.
"Not tasty?" Wu Ying's low voice sounded.
Su Mo put down her chopsticks. "It doesn't quite suit my tastebuds."
"What do you like to eat then?"
Su Mo casually said, "I like to eat the stuff from where I'm from. Hotpot, grilled skewers, big plate chicken, pearl milk tea, instant noodles...there's just too many tasty things!"
Wu Ying frowned. He had never heard of any of these things before.
"Anyway, you guys don't have them here!" Su Mo added.
"That chili pepper you mentioned just now, what is that?" Wu Ying asked.
Su Mo thought for a while before taking out her mobile phone from her pocket and squeezing in next to Wu Ying.
She flipped to her photo album and found a photo she took back when she visited a farm resort.
"Look, it's this. Don't you guys have this here?"
In the photo, it showed Su Mo posing in the chili pepper field. She was wearing shorts and a cropped top, her buxom figure appearing extremely sexy.
Seeing this photo of hers, Wu Ying couldn't help but flush red in the ears. He shifted his gaze somewhat uncomfortably.
"What...what is this thing?"
"It's a mobile phone! You can capture anything realistically in it!"
Su Mo took a side profile picture of him and showed it to him. "See this? It looks exactly like you right?"
"...:
He had never seen anything like this before. Was he really so uncultured and ignorant?
Seeing Wu Ying's astonished reaction, Su Mo had to try hard not to laugh. She didn't expect that something as basic as a mobile phone was enough to pull one over these ancient people.
A thought struck Su Mo and she suddenly moved closer to Wu Ying, snapping a couple of selfies of them on her phone.
As Wu Ying looked at Su Mo's beaming smile in the photos, something stirred faintly in his heart.
"Hey, why do you still look so stern?" Su Mo complained. Was it really true in this modern world that guys similarly don't know how to smile for photos too?
"..."
"C'mon give me a smile, look how happily I'm smiling, put your hand like this and do the same pose as me." Su Mo stretched her hand in front of him, making a peace sign.
"Ah, isn't this just so cute?"
Wu Ying: "......"
"Smile, smile for me okay?"
Wu Ying couldn't smile. For some reason, he thought this action was really silly.
"If you really can't smile, then just say eggplant!"
"......"
"Ugh, so infuriating! Forget it, I'm not taking anymore!" Su Mo huffed as she kept her phone.
Seeing that she appeared angry, Wu Ying felt rather bad. He kept the peace sign pose and gingerly tried again. "Just now, from what you showed me, I actually know what that is. It's chili pepper, a decorative plant that people grow."
As expected, Su Mo got distracted by his words again as she looked at him doubtfully. "Just for decoration? You guys don't eat this?"
Wu Ying shook his head. "No, we don't eat it. This thing can be eaten?"
"Of course it can be eaten! This is a gourmet delicacy!"
A thought suddenly popped into Su Mo's mind. If she were to open a restaurant here and utilize chili peppers, wouldn't it become very popular?
Afterall, Xiao Han's cooking skills are first-rate! Wouldn't they strike it rich then?
Su Mo happily clapped her hands. Ha, looks like her brain works wonders afterall? To actually be able to think of such a lucrative business opportunity?
Seeing her sudden smile, Wu Ying still didn't quite get it.
Do all women have such huge mood swings?
After settling the bill, the two were about to head back to the Bai residence when they suddenly spotted a crowd not too far away. They wondered what was going on.
Su Mo had often seen scenes on TV ancient dramas depicting street artists trying to earn a living. Figuring it was a similar situation here, she curiously squeezed herself into the circle out of curiosity.
"Such a beautiful lady, why are you staying at the Bai residence? Old Master Bai is dead, isn't remaining there inauspicious? Why don't you come over to our Li family as a guest? We will definitely extend you the warmest hospitality and treat you with propriety!" Li Wenxuan leered repulsively.
Xiao Han and Yi shielded Xia Miaomiao behind them.
"What sort of thing are you? Don't you guys have a mirror at home or a toilet to take a leak? I suggest you take a nice long piss and look at what you're packing! Seems some self-entitled scum are present no matter the era. How's the development of your little brain going huh?"
Xiao Han lashed out fiercely at Li Wenxuan rendering him speechless over how to respond.
Although Yi didn't comprehend most of Xiao Han's cursing, he felt it sounded rather satisfying!
Xiao Han and Xia Miaomiao were out today to retrieve that set of surgical knives. Fang Qing had sustained injuries so only Yi accompanied them while Sang Li was awaiting news of Su Mo back at the Bai residence.
Just when the few of them collected the knives and were walking along the streets, they encountered Li Wenxuan.
Li Wenxuan caught sight of Xia Miaomiao at first glance and started harassing her straightaway, even groping at her as Xia Miaomiao got flustered and quickly hid behind Xiao Han and Yi.
"Master Li, these two ladies are honoured guests of the Bai family. I implore you to restrain yourself!" Yi said sternly with a grave expression.
"Hmph!" Li Wenxuan gave a cold sneer. "Now that Old Master Bai is dead, what use is your Bai family! If I wanted to snatch away your business, I could easily do so anytime. If I wanted to snatch your women, I could also easily do so anytime!
Young lady, laying eyes on you is your blessing. Our Li family currently is the richest in all of Lan City! Even the officials need to give me some concession!"
"Disgusting! Not only did you sleep with Miss Bai Yunxin from the Bai family, you still dare speak of the Bai family in this manner. What a hypocritical scumbag! No shame at all!"
Xia Miaomiao quickly tugged at Xiao Han's sleeve, making her aware that she had let slip something she shouldn't have. Previously, Elder Sister Sang told them not to spread word of Bai Yunxin's private affairs with Li Wenxuan for the time being.
"What did you just say?" Li Wenxuan's eyes glinted dangerously. A thought struck him suddenly. "So you ladies are in cahoots with those two female assassins? Men, capture them and bring them to the Li residence!"
Li Wenxuan's escorts swarmed forward as the masses of onlookers automatically retreated back.
Xiao Han and Xia Miaomiao didn't know any martial arts at all. Only Yi knew a bit of boxing but was soon overwhelmed by Li family guards.
Xiao Han took out a surgical knife and pointed it at them. "Don't you dare come closer!"
Seeing that they didn't seem to have any skills, Li Wenxuan signaled to his guards with his eyes. One guard strode forward and kicked the surgical knife out of Xiao Han's grasp before seizing both ladies up.
"Release us! You hypocrite! Openly abducting innocent maidens in broad daylight, is there no imperial law left?"
Li Wenxuan stepped forward, laughing. "Imperial law? My Li family is imperial law in Lan Cheng!"
He reached out, intent on touching Xia Miaomiao's face, but Xia Miaomiao fiercely bit into his hand drawing blood.
Xia Miaomiao's limpid eyes flashed with anger as she glared at him. To Li Wenxuan however, this served to further entice him instead.
As Li Wenxuan retracted his hand, an unsettling smile twisted his lips. "Still a fierce little wildcat? But I'm especially fond of these righteous maidens acting all chaste!"
"Li Wenxuan, release them!" Yi struggled futilely to no avail.
"You dare touch a single hair on Miaomiao and I'll have you killed!" Xiao Han persisted vehemently in her resistance.
"Bring them away!"
Li Wenxuan had just turned around when a whip snaked out from the crowd, swift as a serpent, hurtling straight toward his face.
Li Wenxuan jumped back in fright several steps, immediately pulling over a guard to shield himself. The whip cracked down on that guard's back, ripping his clothes and leaving a bloody welt.
"Li Wenxuan, how about coming with me to the Li family? I'm quite...good looking, no?" Su Mo smiled, twirling a lock of hair around her finger, affecting a seductive allure.
"Mo Mo!"
"Sister Su!"
Seeing Su Mo, the three cried out in delight.
Su Mo strode forward, whip cracking, driving back the Li family's guards.
The final lash streaked toward Li Wenxuan's crotch. Scared witless, he toppled to the ground, the whip just shy of his pants, leaving a white mark on the stone beneath.
Li Wenxuan was so frightened he nearly wet himself, staring blankly at his crotch, too shocked to react.
Su Mo retracted her whip and said coldly, "Get going. If Auntie truly cripples you and you can never continue the Li bloodline, don't blame me!"
Li Wenxuan scrambled to his feet and fled helter-skelter, not forgetting to shout threats back at Su Mo. "Just you wait, wench! I won't let you off!"
"Cheeky bastard!" Su Mo grumbled.
"Mo Mo!" "Sister Su!" Xiao Han, Xia Miaomiao and Yi came running over.
"You're all okay?" Su Mo asked.
"Mo Mo!" Xia Miaomiao threw her arms around Su Mo, sniffling. "Thank goodness you're alright. We were scared to death!"
Xiao Han also breathed a sigh of relief. "Just as I said. Mo Mo is extraordinarily skilled. Of course she'd be fine!"
"Naturally. With all the good fortune of Su Mo, how could anything happen to me?" Su Mo laughed, propping Xia Miaomiao up. "Oh stop crying. Weren't you bawling when Li Wenxuan was bullying you just now!"