Chapter 23: Hot Pot
Noticing Xu Liang’s gaze, Mo Qi knew that his goal had been achieved.
After that, he slowly switched into flattery mode, leisurely speaking from the side to back up the conversation.
Of course, it wasn’t that he didn’t want to speak faster—his physical condition simply didn’t allow it.
Fortunately, in a setting like this, no one would openly show annoyance at how slowly he spoke.
Mo Qi had lived for over a thousand years. It wasn’t like he lacked a few tricks for manipulating people.
Back when he was a rogue cultivator, whenever he met powerful demonic cultivators he could talk to, this was exactly what he would do.
With ease, he could obtain magical artifacts or even inheritances from them.
The small scraps that slipped from those people’s fingers were already priceless treasures to wandering cultivators like him.
Mo Qi was never someone who felt embarrassed asking for things, nor would he sacrifice real benefits just to save face.
Xu Liang already had the intention of recruiting Mo Xiu, and under Mo Qi’s reverse “sweet-talking promises,” he unknowingly gave out many times more gifts and benefits than intended.
“Oh right. Normally people exchange goods for goods, but actually, ability users who contribute a lot to the base receive special treatment.
Food from the high-level cafeteria can be exchanged using credit points.
Take this card first. There are 1,000 credit points inside.”
Xu Liang said generously.
Encouraged by Mo Qi’s praise, even after giving away the credit card he still felt it wasn’t enough.
He turned to Bian Tai and ordered him to send them a batch of better supplies, saying it would be a meeting gift for Mo Xiu and Cheng Cheng.
By the time he walked out the door and realized he had given over ten times more than usual, it was already too late.
Especially the promised supplies—since he had already said it out loud, he couldn’t go back on his word.
Looking at the newly delivered furniture, decorations, comfortable silk quilts, and various clothes and daily necessities, Cheng Cheng was astonished.
Originally, Mo Xiu had only wanted to fool Xu Liang and send him away.
But with Mo Qi’s help, they had unexpectedly gained so many benefits for free.
“I didn’t expect you to have this kind of ability!”
Mo Xiu looked at Mo Qi in surprise.
He suddenly felt that he had really been too narrow-minded before, thinking Mo Qi was foolish.
Looking at it now, how was Mo Qi foolish?
He was clearly extraordinarily talented. His past behavior wasn’t stupidity—it was probably that he had been too clever and suppressed by others.
Mo Qi divided half of the supplies and asked Cheng Cheng to take them back to share with Xiao Wan.
Cheng Cheng was so happy he couldn’t stop smiling.
Seeing that there were many seasonings among the food supplies, Cheng Cheng used up almost all his abilities that afternoon to produce various kinds of vegetables.
Excitedly, he announced that they should eat hot pot together.
“What is hot pot?”
This time it was Mo Qi who looked confused.
From the way Cheng Cheng described it, it sounded similar to eating a pot stew.
He had eaten those before.
He had eaten lamb stew pots and rabbit stew pots.
During winter in the mortal world, such food was very common. Meat and ingredients would be thrown into a small pot and simmered over charcoal. Once freshly cooked, it would be served on the table.
But hot pot?
What kind of pot was that?
A pot with fire?
Surely they weren’t eating fire…
When Mo Qi saw Cheng Cheng bring out a huge pile of vegetables, his interest dropped even further.
What hot pot?
This was clearly just a vegetable pot!
“Come on, boss, you really don’t know what hot pot is? You’ve never eaten hot pot before?” Cheng Cheng asked in surprise.
The moment he finished speaking, Mo Xiu shot him a glare.
Hearing what Mo Qi said only made Mo Xiu feel heartache for him.
What kind of life had this man lived before meeting him?
Could it be that his family had always abused him?
So Mo Xiu suddenly took this hot pot meal much more seriously.
After hearing that Mo Qi didn’t know what hot pot was, he immediately took some supplies and asked Lu Pingwan to exchange them for meat suitable for hot pot and slice it thinly.
He also took out luncheon meat, trying to make the hot pot ingredients richer.
After asking around and confirming that no one avoided spicy food, Cheng Cheng swallowed his saliva and chose a butter-based spicy hot pot seasoning.
Soon, a pot of spicy soup began boiling.
The aroma of the hot pot base filled the entire room.
Mo Qi sniffed the air and felt that the smell was actually quite pleasant.
His expectations for the hot pot immediately increased.
Soon vegetables and meat were thrown into the pot.
Mo Qi picked up a slice of meat with his chopsticks.
It was numbing, spicy, and fragrant. The seasoning was complex.
He could taste many different spices he had never eaten before. The flavor was layered and surprisingly suited his taste.
Mo Qi was pleasantly surprised.
After finishing one bite, he immediately picked up another piece of meat and slowly chewed it.
He felt that this hot pot was truly a wonderful thing.
Next time he saw hot pot seasoning, he would definitely exchange for more.
Seeing how much he liked it, Mo Xiu was delighted and kept putting more meat into his bowl.
Sesame paste was difficult to obtain, but fortunately Xiao Wan had somehow found a bottle of sesame oil.
Cheng Cheng also prepared some garlic, which they used to make a dipping sauce.
It matched perfectly with the spicy butter hot pot.
The group finished all the prepared meat and vegetables.
Then they added a pack of hanging noodles into the leftover soup.
Cooked in the remaining broth, it had a unique flavor.
Mo Xiu even deliberately left two slices of luncheon meat and placed them in Mo Qi’s bowl so he could eat them with the noodles.
“If you like it, we’ll eat hot pot again next time.”
Mo Xiu said gently.
Seeing the man beside him looking stuffed, he smiled and began massaging his stomach.
Feeling the young man’s warm hands beside him, Mo Qi comfortably narrowed his eyes.
Mo Xiu’s hands always seemed warm.
Unlike his own, which were always cold.
Being massaged like this felt extremely pleasant.
Before he knew it, he leaned his whole body against Mo Xiu, feeling even more comfortable.
Mo Xiu simply let him lean.
For some reason, he found the same joy in this as petting a cat.
Of course, Mo Qi didn’t just enjoy it for free.
While leaning against Mo Xiu and letting him massage his stomach, he also picked up pieces of sliced fruit from the table and fed them to the man beside him one by one.
The interaction between the two was natural and intimate.
Seeing this, Cheng Cheng said enviously:
“Brother Mo, boss, your relationship is really good!”
After following them for some time, Cheng Cheng had learned that although both of them had the surname Mo, they were not actually brothers.
Yet their relationship looked even closer than real brothers.
There was also some kind of sticky, affectionate atmosphere he couldn’t quite describe.
At least, he and his own brothers had never acted like this.
Thinking about it, Cheng Cheng leaned toward Lu Pingwan and whispered:
“Xiao Wan, don’t you think boss and Brother Mo are a little too close? I feel like something’s a bit off. Isn’t Brother Mo treating our boss a bit too well?”
Lu Pingwan rolled her eyes while drinking juice and replied:
“You’re only noticing this now?”
She had already noticed something suspicious between the two of them a month ago.
In her eyes, Brother Mo and Brother Qi were clearly a couple.
Looking at Cheng Cheng, who still seemed completely clueless, Lu Pingwan sighed inwardly.
Well… it made sense.
With someone as dumb as this guy, if he could figure it out, that would be a miracle.
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