Roxy Shangguan shoved him behind the stove and ordered, "Light the fire!"
Light the fire? Quentin Hua suddenly regretted his decision—why was he going along with her madness? Yet when he looked up and saw Roxy Shangguan rolling up her sleeves, he couldn't help but smile and obediently started the fire. He knew how to do this much, but someone please tell him—why was this stove so hard to use?
"Cough, cough..." Roxy Shangguan was choked by the smoke and started coughing. "Quentin, what are you doing?"
"Lighting the fire!"
Staring at the cloud of smoke billowing from the stove, Roxy Shangguan was speechless. She decided to run out of the kitchen, calling back, "Let me know when you get the fire going."
Roxy Shangguan couldn't stand the idea of being useless, so Quentin really needed the practice! Glancing back at Quentin Hua still struggling, Roxy shook her head with exaggerated maturity and slammed the door with a loud "bang!"
Irene Yi and Luna Ying happened to pass by and saw the crowd gathered outside the kitchen. Curious, they walked over and asked, "What's going on?"
The crowd parted, revealing the adorable little figure inside. Irene Yi glanced at Roxy Shangguan, then frowned and asked someone nearby, "Where is the Sect Master?"
"Pretty sister..." Roxy Shangguan suddenly rushed over and hugged Luna Ying's leg, looking up at her with adoring eyes.
Luna Ying smiled, picked her up, and pinched her little cheek. Laughing, she said, "Such a sweet mouth! Tell me, where did the Sect Master go?"
Roxy Shangguan glanced at Irene Yi, then leaned close to Luna Ying's ear and said childishly, "Sister, I'll only tell you! Quentin is inside lighting the fire."
Luna Ying was stunned. "Lighting the fire? Why is the Sect Master lighting the fire?" After all this time by his side, she'd never seen the Sect Master in the kitchen—wasn't he obsessed with cleanliness?
Irene Yi frowned at Roxy Shangguan, as if waiting for her answer too.
But before Roxy Shangguan could reply, the kitchen door suddenly burst open and Quentin Hua rushed out, coughing and pointing inside. "Go clean up in there!" he said.
Roxy Shangguan turned to look and saw that the fire was going, but the surrounding firewood was burning too. Glancing at the disheveled Quentin Hua, she shook her head and sighed, "Quentin, you're so useless!"
Quentin Hua twitched his lips, grabbed her, and gave her a light smack on the bottom. Gritting his teeth, he said, "You're not allowed in the kitchen from now on!"
"Quentin, you're the one who burned the kitchen!" Her expression was so innocent.
Quentin Hua looked up at the sky in exasperation. He was starting to wonder—had he brought home a little angel or a little devil?
"Luna Ying, help me watch her for a bit." Quentin Hua handed Roxy Shangguan to Luna Ying and instructed the kitchen to prepare some pastries. Looking at the adorable Roxy, he added worriedly, "No going into the kitchen!"
Seeing Roxy Shangguan nod, he finally hurried off toward his own quarters—he really was a mess right now.
Irene Yi watched his retreating figure, her expression dim—he hadn't looked at her even once.
Roxy Shangguan hugged Luna Ying's neck and pouted, "Sister, Quentin is mine." Seeing Luna Ying still dazed, she emphasized, "Quentin belongs to me alone!" Her gaze flickered toward Irene Yi; though she spoke to Luna Ying, it was clearly a warning for Irene.
Luna Ying snapped back to herself and looked at Roxy Shangguan again. Though she was still just as adorable, Luna Ying could no longer see her as a simple child—her curiosity about Roxy's true identity grew.
Irene Yi understood perfectly that Roxy's words were meant for her, but she only frowned and said nothing, not taking it to heart. After all, Roxy was just a two-year-old child—even if she was cute and the Sect Master doted on her, Irene didn't believe he could truly fall for a toddler. Besides, what did a child that young know about love? It was probably just childish possessiveness!
Quentin Hua leaned against the edge of the bath, still uneasy about Roxy Shangguan. He always felt she'd get into trouble. Frowning, he was about to get up when suddenly a little head popped out from behind the screen. "Quentin..."
"Little Roxy?"
Roxy Shangguan crawled out from behind the screen, squatted at the edge of the bath, and propped her chin in her hands as she gazed at Quentin Hua. "Quentin, you look even better without clothes!"
"Cough, cough..." Quentin Hua choked. Was he being teased? Looking at Roxy's innocent little face, he felt he ought to teach her a thing or two—otherwise, what if she kept sneaking peeks at naked men in the future?
Just as he was thinking, there was a splash—the little figure at the edge of the pool was gone, and only a small head bobbed up in the water. Quentin Hua quickly pulled her out, frowning, "Why do you always get into trouble?" Though it sounded like scolding, he couldn't bring himself to be harsh.
Roxy Shangguan clung to his neck, spat out a mouthful of water, and said with a hint of grievance, "I just wanted to bathe with you..."
Looking at the little drowned rat in his arms, Quentin Hua couldn't help but laugh. "Let go, I'll help you undress."
"Little Roxy!" came a warning voice. But Roxy Shangguan paid it no mind. Her tiny hands climbed over his chest, and she exclaimed, "Quentin, your skin is so smooth!"
Her eyes sparkled mischievously, and suddenly she latched onto Quentin Hua and bit him.
Quentin Hua stiffened, looking down at the faint bite mark on his chest. His voice was hoarse and gritted, "Roxy Shangguan, you really need a lesson!"
He bent down and silenced her protesting little mouth, tasting a hint of sweetness—she'd clearly been eating candy again. After thoroughly tasting her lips, Quentin Hua finally let go of the now soft and limp Roxy Shangguan. "Eat too much candy and you'll lose all your teeth!" he warned.
Seeing her swollen lips, Quentin Hua couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt. Had he really made a move on a two-year-old? Was he a bit of a pervert? And looking at the dazed Roxy Shangguan, he worried he might have scared her.