Chapter 297: An Old Married Couple In Both Worlds

The young couple didn’t linger in bed for too long after waking up. They lay down for a while and then got up, hand in hand, to go downstairs for beef noodles.

Chu Ge, who had just come back from the book, devoured his noodles like a whirlwind, finishing a large bowl in just a few minutes.

Qiu Wuji watched him wolfing down his food while she leisurely picked at her noodles, occasionally adding a couple of pieces of beef to his bowl.

Chu Ge looked at the extra beef in his bowl and then glanced at her.

Qiu Wuji rested her chin on her hand and locked eyes with him.

Both of them had soft and affectionate gazes in their eyes, treating the noodle shop as if it were their own living room.

“Bang!” A grumpy guy sitting nearby slammed down his bowl. “The bill please!”

He couldn’t stand it. He just came out for a bowl of noodles, why were they feeding each other like that and making goo-goo eyes, making him jealous?

“You’ve upset him,” Qiu Wuji watched the irate man leave, then shifted her gaze back to Chu Ge, saying slowly.

Chu Ge replied, “I forgot. I habitually thought it was Xuan Ji…”

Qiu Wuji teased, “Hearing you say that makes me think Xuan Ji is really lucky. After eating dog food for a month, she hasn’t gained any weight?”

“Is this even human talk? The disciples would revolt if they heard this.”

“Hmph.” Qiu Wuji lowered her head to eat her noodles.

“On another note, did you forget something over there? Here, I take you to try all kinds of delicious food, but over there, besides drinking some divine wine and tea, you’ve never treated me to good food.”

Qiu Wuji paused for a moment and scratched her head.

It seemed like she did forget about it completely over there.

But it was different. Over there, she never needed to eat, so she couldn’t remember to eat, and even Chu Ge didn’t need to eat over there… Coming over here and turning into a foodie was because Chu Ge manifested a physical body and needed food… The demands of their two bodies were different.

Chu Ge understood the reason and asked, “After reaching the Golden Core stage in this body, do we no longer need to eat?”

Qiu Wuji hesitated and said, “In theory, we can absorb the energy of heaven and earth and convert it for our use, eliminating the need for food. However, the spiritual energy here is too thin; I don’t know if it will be enough for us. If it’s not enough, ordinary food won’t be very effective anymore. We’ll still need pills for supplementation.”

Chu Ge tapped his head, “I see. I vaguely remember discussing a similar topic.”

“Yes, when we were at the Foundation Building stage, ordinary food wasn’t of much significance to us, but it still had some nutritional value. After reaching the Golden Core stage, it’s almost useless, a drop in the bucket…” Qiu Wuji said with some regrets. She was reluctant to give up the delicious food of this world.

Ignoring the hygiene aspect, the food in the real world was indeed much tastier than in ancient times. Even fruits, the varieties cultivated in the real world were much more delicious than those in ancient times, except for immortal fruits.

Chu Ge knew what she was thinking and smiled, “Even if we don’t need to eat, you can still eat as you like. Isn’t that the biggest advantage of cultivation? You can eat when you want, and if you don’t want to eat, you don’t have to. Others can’t do that.”

Qiu Wuji chuckled, “That’s just your cultivation setting. I’ve read the Daoist texts in this world, and they mention the importance of maintaining Qi purity. In simple terms, it’s a vegetarian diet.”

Chu Ge wiped his mouth, “Isn’t mine more carefree and more like an immortal? Look at what they’re practicing. Are they seeking freedom or self-imprisonment?”

“Right, right, you’re absolutely right. Especially since you told me this, I have to agree. My so-called comprehension of the heavenly way is essentially studying your settings, and in my world, it’s naturally correct. What’s the point of showing off to me? Just don’t let other Taoist practitioners hear it; they won’t let it go, and those who write web novels will become even more arrogant…”

“Wait, so does that mean understanding me is understanding the Heavenly Way?”

“In a sense, yes,” Qiu Wuji said with a straight face. “So now I think this Heavenly Way is too mediocre. Let’s dissect it.”

Chu Ge stared at her.

Qiu Wuji looked up at the ceiling.

Noodle eaters around: “…”

Although they couldn’t hear what the two were saying, they felt like giving them a good beating.

“Bang!” Someone else slammed down their bowl. “Check, I’m full!”

The young couple paid their bill, slurped the last of the soup, and then left the restaurant.

Feeling a bit awkward…

The two of them rushed out of the noodle shop in a hurry, once again holding hands and walking along the street.

“All right,” Qiu Wuji said casually. “Next time we go in, I’ll find some good things for you to eat… Hmm, I’ll have Xuan Ji prepare it for us now.”

“Are you bullying Xuan Ji again?”

“You don’t understand. I don’t know as much as these little girls about the good food in our sect.”

“Hey, that’s true.” Chu Ge started to look forward to it a bit and smiled, “I’ve never written about delicious food in the sect. That’s a gap.”

“Another aspect of completing your understanding of the world.”

“Yeah.”

“Do you ever feel that we’re a bit abnormal, talking about world-changing matters over a snack?”

Chu Ge burst into laughter. “It’s not that weird. It’s like chatting with fellow group members. Alright… let’s talk about something normal. I’ve been too accustomed to writing about high and mighty stuff in the book. Let’s shift back to something more normal.”

“Something normal…” Qiu Wuji said slowly. “Well, that means I won’t have to cook for you as often anymore. I’ll cook occasionally when I’m in a good mood or when you beg me. Remember, someone once convinced me to be a housewife…”

Chu Ge smiled apologetically, “It’s just for your Weibo followers. You could at least cook a few times…”

“I haven’t posted any food on Weibo for a long time. Now I’m posting drafts of original artwork, as well as…”

“Um?”

Qiu Wuji turned her head, “And selfies, photos of you writing, and our old group photos. People love to see those.”

Chu Ge chuckled, “Of course, fans of ‘Early Autumn Love’… It’s been a while since we’ve posted intimate photos. Should we pout and take a few?”

“Who’s pouting with you? Go pout with a pig!”

Both of them felt a bit strange in their hearts. In the book, they avoided everyone, but they bullied Xuan Ji because she was obedient. Here, they openly showed off their affection. If they didn’t show it, their followers would be unhappy.

In fact, the conversations they had, from serious discussions to casual chit-chat, covered a wide range of topics. It was like comparing the immortal couple from the book with a real-life husband and wife.

Immortal lovers versus a couple in the mortal world.

Or should they say, an old married couple in both worlds?

They were still themselves, but the world around them had changed. It was quite fascinating to think about.

Qiu Wuji pondered for a moment and suddenly clapped her hands, saying, “Speaking of taking photos, the camera on my phone isn’t great. Everyone keeps urging me to get a new phone or just buy a camera. I think a phone is more convenient…”

“Oh, that makes sense. Your phone is one of those ancient models that you got as a freebie with phone credit. You should have replaced it a long time ago.” Chu Ge thought to himself that other girls would have fought with their boyfriend a hundred times over this, but Qiuqiu didn’t care about material things at all. She only wanted a new phone for clearer photos, and it was for her work.

A girl like her, where can you find one…

The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to get her a better phone, especially now that they had more financial resources.

The two of them dashed to a nearby shopping mall and then, in perfect sync, stopped at a bubble tea shop outside the mall. Each of them held a cup of bubble tea and slurped their way into the mall.

Sipping on her bubble tea, Qiu Wuji glanced around with her eyes roving, taking in the mall she hadn’t visited in a long time. She casually muttered, “Mengmeng said her foldable phone costs twenty thousand. I wonder if she’s crazy. It’s free, but she still spends so much money on it, just for taking photos…”

Chu Ge chuckled, “It’s not just for taking photos; it has many other functions too. Your old phone can’t even handle gaming.”

“I don’t play games. I’ve already deleted that game about the Sword Saint and Ice Maiden…”

“Okay then. Actually, it’s strange if they spend so much money just for photos. A good DSLR camera costs much more than a phone…”

“I don’t get it,” Qiu Wuji sipped her bubble tea and made a slurping sound as she chewed on a pearl, saying indistinctly, “Are they making money so easily?”

Chu Ge burst into laughter.

Indeed, earlier in the morning, she was the one leading him to explore the world of the book. Now, in the blink of an eye, he was guiding her to understand the modern world.

Qiu Wuji still had many details that didn’t align with modern people’s sensibilities. It wasn’t noticeable in everyday life, but it would inadvertently surface in unexpected situations. To completely smooth out these differences in details, it might take many, many years.

Chu Ge didn’t mind the slow progress at all. He hoped these role reversals would last longer without getting tiresome.

“Hey, what’s that?” Qiu Wuji raised her head and saw a huge vertical banner hanging above the mall.

“International Renowned Pianist Daniel Robin World Tour Concert – Nanjiang Station.”

“It’s a classical concert?” Qiu Wuji was somewhat interested. “How about we go to a traditional Chinese music concert featuring guqin and bamboo flute another day?”

Chu Ge smiled, “Sure, traditional Chinese music is quite popular now. There are often such concerts. I’ll keep an eye out, and we can go see one another day.”

Qiu Wuji nodded, her eyes once again focused on the poster featuring a handsome middle-aged foreigner. After a brief glance, the couple passed by the poster and continued their stroll.