A voice came from outside, followed by the sound of the door connecting to the small shop being opened. Someone said wearily, "Wife, why have you closed up?"
Tian Qiao hurriedly stood up. "Husband, I..."
Before she could finish, the cultivator had already stepped into the main room. Seeing Mo Tiange, his expression changed. His gaze shifted between the two of them, and annoyance surfaced on his face, though he held it back out of deference to her cultivation level.
Mo Tiange knew he had misunderstood, but Tian Qiao had already spoken. "Husband, do you remember I told you I had a cousin who was also a cultivator?"
The cultivator was taken aback, a look of confusion on his face. Then he heard Tian Qiao continue, "What an incredible coincidence! Kunwu is so vast, yet we actually ran into each other!"
The implication was clear. The man's doubtful gaze fell on Mo Tiange. "You mean..."
Mo Tianqiao took Tian Ge's hand and smiled. "This is my cousin."
"Cousin?" He looked at the Qi Refining Level 10 cultivator before him, who didn't look much like a woman at all...
Seeing this, Mo Tiange took the initiative and raised her hand in greeting. "I am Mo Tiange."
The man hurriedly returned the gesture, though his eyes remained puzzled.
Tian Qiao explained, "Husband, Tian Ge is just disguised as a man for convenience."
"Oh, I see..." Coming to his senses, he looked at Mo Tiange again, a smile now appearing on his face. "My apologies for the rudeness earlier. Please don't take offense. I am Meng Sigui, Tian Qiao's husband."
Meng Sigui. A rather elegant name. Mo Tiange smiled slightly. "It was my fault for arriving so suddenly."
Seeing them getting along amicably, Mo Tianqiao felt relieved. "Husband, please keep Tian Ge company for a while. I'll go prepare a couple of dishes."
Meng Sigui nodded. "Alright, don't worry."
Tian Qiao said to Tian Ge, "I know you cultivators usually avoid mundane food, but I imagine it's been a long time since you've had any home-style dishes from back home. Please humor me and eat with me today."
Mo Tiange naturally had no reason to refuse. "Of course. I've been missing it too."
Tian Qiao smiled. "Good. You chat with your brother-in-law first. I'll be right back."
"Alright."
After Tian Qiao went to the kitchen, only the two of them remained in the main room. Meng Sigui gestured. "Fellow Daoist Mo, please have a seat." He didn't dare call her by name directly, as Mo Tiange's cultivation was far higher than his. In her presence, he felt a sense of pressure.
They sat down as host and guest. Mo Tiange smiled slightly and said, "Since Brother-in-law and Tian Qiao are husband and wife, we are family. There's no need to call me Fellow Daoist. You can just call me by my name." Although she didn't fully trust this Meng Sigui yet, for Tian Qiao's sake, she was willing to be more familiar.
These words made Meng Sigui breathe a sigh of relief. The gap between Qi Refining Level 5 and Level 10 was huge. Although he was nominally her brother-in-law, he had been somewhat worried that she wouldn't regard him at all. With this statement, he at least knew how to interact with her. Furthermore, his mind began to stir. This cousin of Tian Qiao's was already at Qi Refining Level 10 at such a young age. Did she perhaps have some powerful backing? If so, if he could gain her favor...
Meng Sigui smiled. "In that case, I won't stand on ceremony." He paused, then asked, "I didn't get a chance to ask earlier. Tian Ge, how did you two recognize each other?"
Mo Tiange said, "When I came to your shop yesterday, I already had some suspicions, but I didn't dare be sure. Today, I couldn't help but come again, and when I asked, it turned out to really be her—to be honest, I can hardly believe it myself. Kunwu is so vast, yet we actually met."
"Yesterday?" Meng Sigui paused, a look of surprise appearing on his face. "So you were the one from yesterday..." There had been quite a few customers in the shop these past two days, and Mo Tiange had been in disguise yesterday, so he hadn't made the connection at first.
Mo Tiange nodded with a smile. "That was me."
Meng Sigui shook his head. "I truly didn't see through it."
"If Brother-in-law had seen through it, I'd be in trouble. I put a lot of effort into this male disguise. When traveling, it's just more convenient."
"That's true," Meng Sigui nodded. "The world is full of dangers; one must be cautious. Usually, Tian Qiao stays to mind the shop. If this market weren't so strictly managed, I wouldn't be very at ease either."
From these words, it seemed he did have some genuine affection for Tian Qiao, though it was hard to tell if it was sincere or not. Mo Tiange pondered this briefly, then smiled again. "Brother-in-law, I heard from Tian Qiao that opening this shop relies on a family craft passed down in your family?"
Meng Sigui waved his hand with a smile. "Just a way to make a living." He sighed. "I have no other skills. My aptitude is poor, and I have no clan to rely on. The path of cultivation has been difficult. I can only let Tian Qiao live this hard life with me. I really feel sorry for her."
Mo Tiange comforted him. "Brother-in-law, why be disheartened? You're still young. There's always hope."
But Meng Sigui said, "I know my own situation. The shop's profits are meager, and we can't take a single day off. I have neither the time nor enough Spirit Stones. Compared to you, Tian Ge, I'm truly ashamed."
Mo Tiange smiled slightly. "It's also a matter of luck. Actually, my aptitude is extremely poor too."
"Oh?" Meng Sigui was surprised. "Tian Ge, you're so young and clearly already at Qi Refining Level 10, with Foundation Establishment in sight. How could that be..."
"I have a Five-Element Spirit Root aptitude. Do you believe it? It's just that I had some Opportunities. As for Foundation Establishment, to be honest, I don't hold out much hope..."
By the time Tian Qiao returned, she saw the two of them chatting happily. Both being cultivators, they naturally talked about cultivation. Meng Sigui had several unresolved questions about his cultivation and brought them up for discussion. Seeing that his conversation was rather pleasant, Mo Tiange patiently shared some of her experiences with him. This Meng Sigui's Comprehension wasn't bad; he wasn't a foolish person. It seemed he was also held back by his Spirit Root.
Tian Qiao returned to the main room carrying a tray of dishes and placed a small bowl of noodles in front of Mo Tiange. Mo Tiange was stunned for a moment before finally letting out a long breath, a look of nostalgia appearing on her face. "Meat noodles..." She remembered when they were young and went out, they always loved to order a bowl of meat noodles at the small food stalls in town. One bowl was never enough, but they didn't dare order a second for fear of filling up...
Mo Tianqiao looked at her and smiled, a faint glimmer in her eyes. "I practiced for a long time to learn how to make these. Try them."
After taking a bite, she nodded. "They're delicious. Just like before." In truth, she had long forgotten what the meat noodles from back then tasted like. Those days in Mo Family Village were too distant, so distant that she had forgotten to reminisce, and gradually some things were no longer remembered. But that feeling had never faded. That Tian Qiao, who had given her genuine affection during her lonely, helpless days, she would remember for a lifetime.
After finishing the meal and chatting for a while longer, Mo Tiange stood up to take her leave.
Mo Tianqiao complained, "Since you're just passing through, why not just stay here?"
Mo Tiange shook her head with a smile. "You don't have enough space here. I don't want to trouble you. Why don't you take a few days off and come to the inn to chat?"
Tian Qiao hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "That's fine too. My husband will understand."
As she was leaving, Mo Tiange took out a jade bottle from her Qiankun Bag. "These pills are of no use to me anymore. I'll give them to you."
Tian Qiao paused, then firmly pushed it back. "What do you take me for? We're cousins. Meeting in a foreign land, we should just get together. There's no need for such formalities."
Mo Tiange smiled. "Ask your husband when you get back. I'm at Qi Refining Perfection now. These pills are useless to me. I'm just getting rid of them so they don't take up space. If you don't take them, I'll just sell them anyway. Why let someone else benefit? Besides, it's just a bottle of pills. If you're so polite, what does that make me?"
"This..."
"Take them. Let me fulfill my duty as your cousin."
Tian Qiao was finally moved and said helplessly, "Alright, I can't argue with you."
Mo Tiange shoved the jade bottle over. "I'm leaving now. There's only one inn in this town. Come find me there. Oh, and the name I'm using now is Ye Xiaotian."