The tavern wasn't big — only seven or eight tables in total. There weren't any fancy dishes either, just some plain, homely meals.
Very few spirit masters came here to eat or drink. Most of the patrons were ordinary folk — people who worked hard just to get by, exhausted from life's daily grind.
Bibi Dong took Su Chen to a quiet corner and sat down.
"Mm, I come here often," she said calmly.
"It's quiet here. The best thing about drinking in this place is that almost no one recognizes me."
She glanced at him and asked softly, "You don't mind, do you?"
After all, the place was too plain for someone of her status — the kind of spot commoners frequented.
Su Chen smiled.
"How could I? Being able to drink with you, Dong-jie, is already the greatest honor of my life. Why would I complain about the place?"
"Besides," he added with a chuckle, "this used to be my normal lifestyle. Before my awakening changed things, I lived exactly like this."
Bibi Dong nodded slightly and studied him seriously. The more she looked, the more she had to admit — this man was truly striking. His features were sharp and refined, his bones well-defined, his brows bold, his gaze bright and spirited. There was both ruggedness and elegance in his face, and his calm, confident air made him a rare kind of handsome.
That little brat Nana… she really had good taste.
Bibi Dong couldn't help but sigh softly, a faint tinge of envy stirring in her heart.
If only she had met someone like Su Chen back then… perhaps everything would've been different. She could've had a happy, peaceful life, just like in that dream — with two lovely daughters and a warm family.
As she thought of this, she absentmindedly poured two cups of wine. She pushed one toward Su Chen.
"I'll drink to you," she said quietly, "and say thank you."
Their cups clinked lightly, and both drank.
"What's Dong-jie thanking me for?" Su Chen asked.
She refilled his cup and then her own before replying,
"For letting me be human again."
"Now that I stand at the peak of power and look back, I can finally see how childish I once was."
Su Chen nodded, his gaze falling on her.
Dressed in plain clothing, without the aura of the Pope, she looked more like a beautiful, mature woman now. Her face and figure, stripped of divine majesty, carried a gentle allure of their own.
Of course… was that "thank you" just verbal?
Maybe she could learn a thing or two from Aunt Lingyuan.
He smirked inwardly but spoke lightly,
"That's life."
"There's more to living than just the struggle before your eyes — there's also poetry and distant dreams."
"Being able to return to yourself now… that means you've lived well. And for Qian Renxue and Hu Liena, it's probably the best outcome too."
Bibi Dong had been smiling faintly, but the mention of Qian Renxue wiped that away.
She had indeed redeemed herself.
But her poor daughter…All the years of lost affection, the coldness and distance — how could those ever be repaid?
Her expression darkened. She downed another cup in silence.
Su Chen scratched his head awkwardly. Great. He just had to bring up Qian Renxue and ruin the mood.
After a moment, Bibi Dong glanced around at the tavern's patrons and said softly,
"Do you think… living simply like them would actually be happier?"
Su Chen shook his head.
"It's hard too. They work themselves to the bone just to survive."
"In the end, no one has it easy. Comfort is something only the dead get to enjoy."
Bibi Dong couldn't help but chuckle. "Looking at you now, I don't see much hardship in your life."
Su Chen laughed. "You've got me there. Can't really complain."
"The world's a big place — some people are born rich, others work all their lives just to eat. That's just how it is."
They raised their cups again and drank in unison.
Meanwhile…
At a steamed bun stall outside Spirit Hall, Hu Liena arrived with a group of girls.
The old stall owner blinked in surprise. "Saintess, what brings you and so many people here for buns at noon?"
Hu Liena waved everyone to sit wherever they could squeeze in and smiled.
"They wanted to try your buns, so I brought them along."
"Old Hai, was there a handsome young man eating here earlier?"
The old man nodded immediately.
"Yeah! That lad was real good-looking — and funny too. Oh! I get it now — that must've been the guy His Holiness announced yesterday as your man, right?"
"No wonder he looked so at ease eating with Her Holiness earlier."
Hu Liena blinked, confused. "Wait, what? He ate with my teacher?"
The old man chuckled. "Just now, actually."
Hu Liena nodded absentmindedly, not thinking much of it.
But Ning Rongrong and the others exchanged strange looks.
Hold on.Bibi Dong… eating with Su Chen?Don't tell them she's going down Elder Lingyuan's path too?!
Come on — this was clearly deliberate. Su Chen had just mentioned that bun stall in his diary, and the very next moment, Bibi Dong "coincidentally" showed up there? Yeah, right.
It was obvious — she'd gone there for him.
At that moment, Liu Erlong leaned toward Ning Rongrong and whispered,
"Rongrong, can I ask you a favor?"
Ning Rongrong blinked. "Sure, Erlong-senior, what is it?"
Liu Erlong murmured,
"I'd like to borrow some people from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Have them investigate Flender and Yu Xiaogang. I want to know what Flender plans to do with that bastard."
Ning Rongrong frowned. "Erlong-senior, your eyes aren't going bad again, are they?"
"Bah! Don't jinx it!" Liu Erlong snapped. "I just want to know if that fool Flender actually listened to my advice."
"You've read the diary — you know how I was nearly driven mad when Yu Xiaogang dumped me. It was Flender who pulled me back from the edge."
"I may be mad at his blindness, but I don't want to see him die following that scum. Just have someone keep watch — see if he's still being an idiot."
Ning Rongrong nodded. "Alright. But if he does stay stupid, what can you even do about it?"
Liu Erlong bit fiercely into a meat bun. "Ever heard the saying — if you can't solve the problem, then solve the one who caused it."
Good grief. Ning Rongrong was speechless.
"I always thought you were like Huo Wu — all temper, no brains. But turns out you're actually pretty smart!"
Liu Erlong: "???"
Huo Wu, halfway through a bun, turned and glared.
"Ning Rongrong!"
"I could've sworn I just heard you say I'm brainless?"
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