95: Two awkward guys

Looking at the needle and thread Xuan Mo shoved towards him, Lou Qi felt a wave of speechlessness and irritation.

This City Lord strategizes across the world, holding the power of life and death. When would I ever need to touch such womanly things?

It's simply absurd... His twisted logic of "I'm weak, so I'm right" was currently being utilized to perfection.

His small mouth drooped, his silver eyes instantly misted over, and his voice was timid, filled with utter grievance:

"I, I don't know how to either... I'm still so small, I've never even held one before. How could I possibly do this..."

He perfectly embodied the image of a helpless Cub.

Xuan Mo's golden eyes swept over him coldly. "If you don't know how, why did you mock me just now?"

Bai Yao looked at the large and the small figure, who refused to yield to each other but had reached a strange consensus on being unable to sew, and felt profoundly helpless.

A strong sense of longing welled up in her heart.

If only Lin were here... He is so meticulous; he would definitely learn it instantly.

This family really can't function without him... She sighed silently, enduring the faint pain from her waist, and tried to prop herself up to demonstrate personally.

"I'll just do it..."

"Don't move!"

Xuan Mo and Lou Qi spoke up to stop her almost simultaneously.

Xuan Mo lunged forward, gently pressing down on her shoulders. "Lie down, your wound will split open."

Lou Qi also rushed to the bedside, his small face full of anxiety: "Jiejie, don't move. We, we'll think of another way..."

Seeing Bai Yao's pale face, the strange warmth generated by being protected fiercely clashed with his long-standing, deep-rooted self-interest.

What Lou Qi thought internally was, *How troublesome!*

But if her injury worsened due to exertion... This emotion of worrying for others made him extremely uncomfortable, yet he couldn't ignore it.

Bai Yao actually didn't feel much pain; the effect of the Spirit Spring far exceeded expectations, and the wound had largely healed internally.

But she couldn't show it. She simply lay back obediently and explained:

"I just want to make a sample quickly. If it works, we can take it to the market in winter, and perhaps exchange it for many beast crystals..."

Xuan Mo looked at the persistent sparkle in her eyes, the usual obsession with beast crystals, and remained silent for a moment, as if having made a decision.

He said in a deep voice, "You rest well. This matter... leave it to me."

Bai Yao was somewhat surprised, wondering what method he could possibly have.

However, by nightfall, the answer was revealed.

Outside the house, faint sounds and hushed arguments could be heard.

Bai Yao curiously peeked through the crack in the door and saw a scene that made her chuckle... Under the moonlight, Xuan Mo's tall figure was curled up on a small wooden stool, his rough fingers awkwardly pinching the tiny Bone Needle, facing the spread-out fabric and cotton, his brow knitted into a knot.

Lou Qi, meanwhile, sat opposite him hugging his knees, his small face full of disdain.

"Wrong, wrong! The stitches here can't be so dense, the cotton will all be squashed away!"

Lou Qi pointed at the fabric. Although he couldn't do it himself, relying on his photographic memory and understanding of the blueprint Bai Yao had drawn, he actually took on the role of theoretical instructor.

"Shut up! If you can do it, you try!"

Veins pulsed on Xuan Mo's forehead as he patiently unpicked the crooked stitches.

"Look where Jiejie drew here, an arc, it's an arc! What you sewed looks like a saw blade..."

Lou Qi continued his instruction.

"Say one more word and I'll throw you out!"

Xuan Mo threatened fiercely, yet his hand movements instinctively softened as he tried to mimic the so-called arc.

Watching this extremely discordant yet strangely harmonious teaching scene, Bai Yao shook her head, her heart melting into warmth.

These two awkward fellows... She smiled and peacefully drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, Bai Yao woke up feeling refreshed; there was no one beside her.

She checked the wound on her waist and was pleasantly surprised to find that the originally hideous injury was almost completely healed, leaving only a faint pink mark, and even the pain had vanished.

The effect of the Spirit Spring is getting stronger and stronger. It seems that as my influence expands, the Space is also upgrading.

She got up and walked out of the room, only to see that Xuan Mo and Lou Qi were both asleep, sprawled on the table, with faint dark circles under their eyes.

On the table and beside it, several finished products—which could barely be recognized as clothing—were neatly stacked.

Hearing the movement, the two woke up simultaneously.

"Why are you out of bed?"

Xuan Mo immediately got up and anxiously looked at her waist.

"Does your wound still hurt?" Lou Qi asked, rubbing his eyes.

Bai Yao spun around nimbly and smiled, "Much better, it doesn't hurt much anymore."

She picked up the Cotton Clothes. Although the stitching was still not aesthetically pleasing, it was significantly better than Xuan Mo's work from last night. It was clear they were the result of immense patience and effort.

"Did you two make these last night?"

Bai Yao happily stroked the fluffy cotton inside the clothes. "This is great! This is exactly what I wanted. You guys are amazing!"

Faced with her generous praise, Xuan Mo awkwardly turned his face away, his ear tips slightly red. He stiffly said, "As long as you like it."

Lou Qi puffed out his little chest, feeling a touch of pride, and eagerly claimed credit. "Jiejie, I was the one who taught Gege how to sew."

Xuan Mo immediately gave him a chilling glare and emphasized, "I was the one who did the physical work."

How can I let you take all the credit?

Bai Yao couldn't help but laugh at their childish vying for credit. She picked up Lou Qi with one arm and patted Xuan Mo's arm with the other:

"Yes, yes, yes, you are both great. Lou Qi deserves credit for instructing, and Xuan Mo is skilled with his hands. Today, I'll cook something delicious as a reward!"

"Your injury just healed, rest."

Xuan Mo stopped her. "Today, I will cook."

Bai Yao raised an astonished eyebrow. that snake, who had never lifted a finger to do housework, actually volunteered?

She nodded with a smile: "Alright, then I'll taste Xuan Mo's cooking."

Lou Qi, standing nearby, heard this and his small face instantly fell, an internal alarm blaring.

that snake can cook?

What can that snake make besides burnt meat or something half-cooked?

Is he trying to take the opportunity to poison me, the eyesore, or is he trying to give us all food poisoning?

He was filled with deep dread regarding this "reward" dinner.

Before he could voice his protest, Bai Yao had already picked up the remaining cotton and fabric and continued sewing.

"Jiejie, don't we have enough to wear now?"

Lou Qi looked at the finished pieces on the ground and asked, puzzled.

"These few pieces are for us to wear ourselves."

Bai Yao didn't stop working. "These new ones are prepared to be taken to the market to sell."

"Sell?"

Lou Qi was even more confused. He picked up one finished item; it was light and had no weight.

"This thing... will anyone buy it? What good is it?"

He truly couldn't understand how this seemingly fragile item could compare to thick, wind-blocking animal hides.

Bai Yao smiled mysteriously: "Wait until the biting cold of winter, then you will know its benefits."

"It's much lighter than animal hides, but the warming effect is just as good, and it's easier to move around in."

Lou Qi was skeptical, but he still sat obediently nearby, helping to hand over cotton and assisting.

In the kitchen, Xuan Mo's "clanging and banging" noises soon began, accompanied by an indescribable smell, a mixture of charring and raw stench.

After an unknown amount of time, Bai Yao rushed to make a few more Cotton Clothes, and even began attempting to sew simpler Cotton Quilts.

Just then, Xuan Mo walked out of the kitchen holding a large Wooden Bowl, and with a normal expression, placed the bowl in the center of the table.

"Eat."

Lou Qi, with the feeling of going to the execution ground, leaned over for a look.

He saw a pile of meat pieces in the bowl, charred black at the edges but seemingly still bloody in the center, next to a clump of dark, overcooked root vegetables.

The expression on Lou Qi's face completely froze.

This... can this actually be eaten?

If I eat this, will I go straight to meet the beast god!

Meanwhile, Xuan Mo looked intently at Bai Yao, filled with anticipation, as if waiting for her evaluation...