Chapter 53: Chapter 48: You Sleep by Yourself Tonight, Let Me Take Your Place for a Night

Jiang Yunnuan: "..."

His words gave her a massive headache.

"That’s all in the past. What’s the point of bringing it up all the time? Are you trying to pick a fight?"

’Oh, come on. Is this guy seriously lowering my affinity because of that?’

’I’m being totally framed here! The one who said that was the original owner, not me. She was the one who thought the four of you weren’t worth a single hair on Ling Ze’s head. What has that got to do with me? I don’t feel that way at all!’

’I didn’t even do anything, yet I’m taking all the blame. My life is so unfair.’

’Original owner?’

A flicker of confusion crossed Si Xie’s eyes. Though he didn’t fully grasp the term’s precise meaning, he had a hunch: the Jiang Yunnuan of today was probably not the same person as the vicious woman from before.

No wonder her personality, her speech, and her behavior had all changed so drastically.

’If she wasn’t the same person, that would explain everything. But when could it have happened?’

’Thinking back, it must have been that time I tried to kill her, only for her to knock me out instead, right?’

The words, along with the look on her face at the time, involuntarily surfaced in his mind.

"Don’t get mad, but... who are you?"

’But if she isn’t the Jiang Yunnuan from before, then where did that Jiang Yunnuan go?’

’No, wait. Why should I care where that vicious woman went? It would be for the best if she never came back!’

’This woman right here—she’s the one who should be my Contract Master!’

"Forget it. I’m in a good mood today, so just pretend I didn’t say what I said earlier. I’m hungry. Are we eating tonight?"

His Realm had just advanced, so his foundation was still very unstable. He needed the Energy in her cooking to stabilize it.

"Nope. I’ve been out all day. I’m tired, and I don’t feel like cooking!"

Jiang Yunnuan refused without a moment’s hesitation, but the grumbling in her mind didn’t stop.

’I’m dead tired, and they still expect me to wait on them? Who’s the real beast of burden around here?’

’I have to bring them supplies, cook for them, and suck up to them just to raise their affinity. And after all that, three of them still have negative affinity! Being a Contract Master like me is just pathetic!’

’And what’s with these guys? They ate two of my feasts and used my help to advance and evolve, so what right do they have to keep their affinity so low? They’re so ungrateful.’

Si Xie: "..."

He should have realized it sooner—Jun Yao’s sudden advancement and evolution had been her doing, too.

She must have given Jun Yao something even more precious than that Ancient Beast Soul. That was how his inner core had been fully repaired, allowing him to evolve in one fell swoop.

’She gave a treasure to Jun Yao so early on. She’s playing favorites! This is blatant favoritism!’

[Ding! Si Xie’s affinity has decreased. Current affinity: 30.]

[Ding! Si Xie’s affinity has decreased. Current affinity: 15.]

Jiang Yunnuan gritted her teeth and glared at him furiously.

’What the hell? Why does he keep lowering my affinity? Just because I refused to cook? I swear, I want to slap him a couple of times!’

"Don’t even think about eating my cooking ever again! Now get out of my way!"

She furiously shoved him aside and stormed upstairs, her inner monologue continuing as she went.

’I’m furious! Absolutely furious! For it to drop this fast, it would’ve been better if it had never gone up at all!’

The other three couldn’t understand why she was suddenly so furious and watched her retreating figure in utter confusion. Si Xie, however, found the whole thing hilarious.

’So that’s why this woman was always throwing tantrums for no reason. This is how it works, huh?’

’She really does have quite a temper. The affinity only dropped a tiny bit, and she got this mad. Maybe I should raise it back up for her?’

[Ding! Si Xie’s affinity has increased. Current affinity: 45.]

Jiang Yunnuan: "????"

’See? The guy’s sick in the head. His affinity shoots up the second I curse him out. I get it now—he’s a masochist. I should make a point to curse him out more often.’

She stopped in her tracks, then spun around, pointed right at Si Xie’s nose, and let loose a torrent of abuse.

"All that stuff I said about you being handsome was a lie! You’re actually the ugliest one, and you’re sick in the head! Don’t think you’re so amazing just because you evolved. That crappy skill of yours? No one would give it a second glance. You’re the only one who thinks it’s a big deal..."

Si Xie: "..."

’How on earth did she reach the conclusion that I’m a masochist?’

Even though he knew she was saying it on purpose and didn’t mean it, his expression still turned incredibly sour.

’If I’d known she would jump to that conclusion, I never would have raised her affinity. I should have just let her stay mad. At least then I wouldn’t have invited this verbal beatdown and made things miserable for myself.’

Si Xie fought the urge to lower her affinity again, but he was afraid she’d just come up with some new theory and keep running her mouth. In the end, he forced himself to hold back.