If you had to name someone in Fenglin State who would dare interrupt Shen Bai while he was busy, it could only be Qin Shuang.

Only she would dare do such a thing—only she would dare grab Shen Bai by the sleeve, tugging and pulling until he agreed to eat with her.

If anyone else tried that, they could forget about getting a meal. They’d get a taste of Shen Bai’s sword first, and only if they survived could they talk about anything else.

Resigned, Shen Bai prepared to go out and eat with Qin Shuang.

But then, he suddenly recalled what Qin Shuang had just said and asked in surprise,

"Don’t tell me the wedding banquet is today?"

Lately, Shen Bai had been completely absorbed in grinding his Skill Level, so he wasn’t very aware of what was happening in the outside world.

On top of that, Liu Wufeng had given him an extended leave, so Shen Bai had basically become a shut-in.

Now, hearing Qin Shuang’s words, Shen Bai immediately made the connection to the marriage between Liu Wufeng and Valley Master Lin.

Hearing this, Qin Shuang nodded, excitedly clenching her small, fair fists. "Teacher is getting married today. He already set out this morning. Because you’ve been so busy lately, he told me not to disturb you for now and just to come remind you at this time. Remember to attend his wedding banquet tonight."

Qin Shuang was very excited.

As Liu Wufeng’s only disciple and the inheritor of the Artifact Dao, Qin Shuang had always felt that he was very lonely.

Despite holding the position of State Governor, he had no children, no wife, and no companion. He spent his days buried in official duties, which made Qin Shuang feel as if something was missing from his life.

Now, that missing piece in her teacher’s life was finally being put into place.

As his disciple, she was naturally overjoyed.

Shen Bai tapped his forehead. "In that case, I’ll definitely be there tonight."

Besides, Liu Wufeng had taken great care of him in Fenglin State.

The man’s wedding banquet was a major event, and Shen Bai certainly wouldn’t miss it.

As for his Skill Level, well, there would be plenty of time to grind later.

A day off to strike a balance between work and rest wouldn’t hurt.

Qin Shuang immediately grabbed Shen Bai’s sleeve and started pulling him outside. "Let’s not talk about that for now," she said as they walked. "We just have to show up tonight. I’m really craving the food in Fenglin State. I just got back, and you happen to be free, so it’s the perfect time for us to go out and eat together."

"Doesn’t Xuanjing City have even better food?" Shen Bai asked.

Qin Shuang shook her head and placed a finger to her lips, pondering. "There’s a lot of great food, but so much that it all gets jumbled together. It doesn’t feel as special."

That was something only Qin Shuang would say.

As the most important city in the Great Zhou Country, where the Emperor himself resided, its culinary offerings were certainly more abundant than Fenglin State’s.

But hearing her say it, Shen Bai felt it probably had more to do with her mood.

After all, Fenglin State was Qin Shuang’s home.

The two said no more and soon arrived at a small food stall.

It was a place where Shen Bai and Qin Shuang often ate.

Though they usually went out for late-night snacks, they would sometimes have breakfast together too.

"Boss, a steamer of buns, two bowls of congee, and a side of cold appetizers, please," Shen Bai called out to the stall owner.

"You got it, Lord Shen! Please have a seat, it’ll be right out," the stall owner said with a cheerful smile.

The two of them ate here so often that they had long since become familiar faces to the people on this street.

Even though they hadn’t come by much recently, the locals were still extremely warm upon seeing them again.

Before long, a steamer of buns and two bowls of congee were placed on the table, along with the cold appetizers, which the owner served on a plate and set to the side.

Cold appetizers paired with thin congee—a combo that could make you devour several large bowls—and a steamer of piping-hot buns on top of that. For breakfast in the Great Zhou Country, this was already much better than what most people had.

As soon as the buns were served, Qin Shuang didn’t hesitate. She picked one up and took a huge bite, her eyes squinting in blissful enjoyment as she chewed.

Shen Bai simply took a sip of congee and had a bite of the cold appetizers. Eaten together, they were quite delicious.

However, he sensed that something was a little off about Qin Shuang’s mood.

Her expression as she ate was different from usual; it seemed tinged with a hint of reluctance.

Noticing Shen Bai’s gaze, Qin Shuang finished her bun in a few more bites, drank some congee, and then wiped her rosy lips.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked curiously.

Shen Bai picked up a bun with his chopsticks, took a bite, and said, "I get the feeling something’s off with you."

At Shen Bai’s words, Qin Shuang glanced around the street, a wistful look in her eyes. "I won’t be back for long this time. I have to return to Xuanjing City soon."

A curious look appeared in Shen Bai’s eyes. "Aren’t you done with your studies?" he asked.

The second year of the inner selection involved its members going to the Capital City to study, but from the looks of it, Qin Shuang should have already completed that.

Why would she have to go back to Xuanjing City?

Qin Shuang sighed, resting her round, fair chin in her hands with a look of utter exasperation. "During my studies, the Dean of the Xuanjing City Academy took a liking to me. He wanted to take me on as his disciple. I didn’t agree, so I came back specifically to see Teacher about it. Teacher said it’s a great blessing and told me to pick a day to return after the wedding banquet is over."

’The Academy?’

Shen Bai rubbed his chin. "If I remember correctly, the Academy specializes in training Scholars, doesn’t it?"