Words must die [Comprehensive martial arts]

"Hua Manlou is really a considerate friend."

Back home with buns and a little red, Gu Shenyan couldn't help but sigh with emotion when he saw the still vibrant flowers outside the door and the clean and tidy interior, as if the owner had never left.

Baozi totally agrees with this: "The dude will bring me back every three to five times to help you take care of the flowers and plants, and also ask the servants of the Hua family to help you clean up. Don't worry about these trivial matters any more."

"He also took good care of you, but I haven't seen you in a few months. You have grown so much, it seems that you must be eating well."

Gu Shenyan patted Baozi's shoulder with a smile, and after joking a few words, he said seriously: "After a while, when Lu Xiaofeng also comes back, I will personally prepare a big meal for them as a token of my gratitude."

Between friends, talking too much polite words will only make you feel bad, and no matter how much you say, it is not as sincere as the actual actions.

Gu Shenyan will always remember what Huamanlou and Lu Xiaofeng did for him, and repay them in his own way.

Not long after, after putting away his luggage, Gu Shenyan rolled up his sleeves and went into the kitchen.

"Baozi, help me boil more hot water,"

Dry rice and noodles are all ready-made, and there are onion, ginger, garlic and other necessary cooking ingredients grown in the yard. Although the ingredients are not rich enough, it is not difficult for Gu Shenyan to make a decent meal.

"A little red, go to the yard and help pick some onions, ginger and garlic."

Gu Shenyan ordered Baozi and Yidianhong to help him, while muttering: "Let's have a delicious meal later, and then take a comfortable hot bath... After running around for so long, now Now that you’re back home, of course you have to enjoy yourself.”

The stove is lit, the hot water boils, and the aroma of food gradually permeates.

The night came quietly amidst laughter and laughter.

The lights were lit in the store, and the meals were coming out of the pot one after another. The three of them sat around a table, waiting to start.

Before moving his chopsticks, Gu Shenyan ceremonially substituted tea for wine, clinked glasses with Baozi and Yidianhong, saying that Baozi was helping to look after the store during this time, and Yidianhong followed him around.

It made Baozi and Dianhong blush.

But soon, they didn't have the heart to think about anything else.

The dinner was actually not rich, only a few bowls of noodles with scallion oil and a scallion pancake. Gu Shenyan said that no matter how good the cooking skills are, it is impossible to make flowers with limited ingredients.

But although the food is simple, the taste is not bad at all.

The noodles are smooth and chewy, the aroma of scallion oil is overflowing, and the ratio of seasonings such as salt and sugar is just right. After eating up the bowl of noodles, he put down his chopsticks.

Although the main ingredients used in scallion pancakes are the same as the former, the texture and taste are completely different.

There are many ways to make scallion pancakes, some are simple, some are complicated, and Gu Shenyan uses the most complicated one.

He made two kinds of dough when making dough, one half was heated with water to make mature noodles, the other half was made with cold water to make raw noodles, and in the process of resting the noodles, he made pastries with scallion oil and flour.After the dough wakes up, it needs to be kneaded repeatedly until the surface is smooth, then evenly divided into several equal parts, and then rolled out one by one, flattened, rolled out, spread with pastry, sprinkle with salt and chopped green onion.

This is not over yet, after that, Gu Shenyan needs to roll up the dough, and then roll it repeatedly with a rolling pin, so that the cake base becomes more layered, and the scallions are fully integrated into it.

Finally, when frying, you need to be extra careful, and the control of the heat is extremely demanding.

The scallion pancake made in this way is not only golden on both sides, but also has a rich taste. Each layer is different. The outermost layer is crispy and melts in the mouth, while the innermost layer is soft and tender. It is wonderful to taste carefully. Word.

Gu Shenyan expected that the appetite of steamed stuffed buns would increase with height, so he specially made more noodles and cakes for two people. He thought that the preparations were sufficient, and there might even be more than enough to eat. Who would have imagined that, in the end, he would eat a little more. None left.

It's all wrapped in buns and a little red.

Looking at the stuffed bun that was hiccupping, and the red spot that was quietly adjusting the tightness of the belt, Gu Shenyan couldn't laugh or cry.

He shook his head, got up silently, made a pot of hawthorn tea for the two people to help digestion, and then returned to the backyard.

The hot water was sent to his room by a little red before the meal, and the temperature is right now, just right for use.

Gu Shenyan leaned back in the tub, let out a long sigh of relief, and while enjoying this moment of peace, began to think about retreat matters.

The most taboo thing about retreating is to be interrupted halfway.

If something goes wrong while running the internal force, the internal injury caused by the backlash is minor, more serious, and may even go mad.

According to Baozi, during this period of time, people from all corners of the world often come here, some want to have a date with him, some just want to join in the fun and want to see what he looks like.

In this case, it may not be safe enough to have only a little red to protect him.

After all, a little red can't stay outside his door all the time.

It would be bad if someone broke in while Little Red was not paying attention.

So... Should he ask Hua Manlou to come over and help?

When I went out before, I caused so much trouble to Huamanlou, Gu Shenyan was already very sorry, and I will continue to trouble Huamanlou... To be honest, Gu Shenyan was a little embarrassed to say this.

Otherwise, when he saw Hua Manlou today, he wouldn't have intentionally concealed the fact that he was going to retreat and break through next.

If it really doesn't work...

Gu Shenyan pondered, maybe he could change his mind.

For example, find a remote mountain and old forest to retreat, or simply hire a bunch of guards at a high price?

Gu Shenyan didn't make a decision until he fell asleep.

This is mainly because he didn't plan to start retreat immediately.

Before the official retreat, he still needs to spend some time to adjust his state to the best.

He burns incense and bathes every day, reads the Taoist scriptures for half an hour in the morning and evening, and repeatedly practices the Chunyang swordsmanship until——

Five days later, Huamanlou and a letter from Lu Xiaofeng arrived.

"Fortunately, Lu Xiaofeng delivered the letter to me in time." Hua Manlou looked at Gu Shenyan helplessly, and asked him, "If it wasn't for that, would you not have planned to tell me about it at all?"

Gu Shenyan touched his nose with a guilty conscience.

Hua Manlou, who has always had a good temper and always had a smile on his face, rarely put on a straight face this time.

"I know you don't want to cause trouble for me, but why do friends care about these things? If you don't come to me when you need help, then if I encounter any difficulties in the future, what face will I have to bother you?"

Gu Shenyan asked this series of questions, his face turned red, and he retreated in succession.

He hastily apologized to Huamanlou, and then explained in a warm voice: "I definitely have no intention of not treating you as a friend, nor have I planned to keep it from you, but it took so long because I was too embarrassed to speak up."

To put it bluntly, it is procrastination. It is just that you cannot make up your mind until the last moment.

Although Gu Shenyan had other ideas before, such as finding a retreat in the deep mountains and old forests, or asking a bunch of guards to help guard the garden, but to be honest, these plans were not reliable at all, so as early as the two Three days ago, Gu Shenyan made up his mind to ask Hua Manlou to help before the official retreat.

But he never expected that Lu Xiaofeng would deliver a letter to Huamanlou in advance.

...which made him a little embarrassed.

After all, he did hide something from Hua Manlou before.

Hearing what Gu Shenyan said, Hua Manlou's complexion softened a little.

But he still asked Gu Shenyan for proof again: "Are you serious?"

"Seriously, there is absolutely no falsehood." Gu Shenyan nodded, and laughed at himself a little bit dumbfounded: "Although I have many shortcomings, I also have one or two advantages. For example, I never lie to my friends. .”

Huamanlou finally showed a smile.

"No matter how many shortcomings you have, you are still my most valued friend. Just like Lu Xiaofeng, although he always gets me into trouble and likes to steal the wine I buried in the yard, I still like him very much."

Speaking of Lu Xiaofeng, Gu Shenyan couldn't help laughing for a moment.

He asked Huamanlou for the letter, and after reading it, he couldn't help complaining: "Look at what he wrote in this letter, afraid that I will make trouble? I'm not that kind of person."

Hua Manlou raised his eyebrows, and joked with a smile: "But I think what Lu Xiaofeng wrote in the letter is quite in line with your previous performance."

Because I was ashamed to cause him trouble, I kept it a secret from him for so long, and in the end I had to wait for him to come to me before I confessed, isn't that just awkward?

Gu Shenyan: "..."

Speechless, powerless to refute, nothing—I really want to skip this topic.

Fortunately, Hua Manlou didn't intend to stick to this topic forever.

No matter how angry he was before, he was always so tolerant and caring in front of his friends.

"I heard from Yidianhong that you have been adjusting your status for the past few days and preparing for the retreat. How are you preparing now?"

It is now in the evening, when Huamanlou came looking for him, Gu Shenyan was still reading scriptures in the study, and it was Didianhong and Baozi who received him.

Huamanlou had already learned about what Gu Shenyan was doing in recent days from these two people.

So when he opened his mouth, he went straight to the point.

"I'm pretty much ready, and I'm going to start retreat the day after tomorrow at the latest." Gu Shenyan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and continued following the topic: "My retreat this time won't be too long, maybe ten and a half days months, at most no more than one month, it should be over."

Hua Manlou nodded, and said very simply and neatly that he has been living here since today.

"Salute and let Huaping go back to clean up tomorrow."

During Gu Shenyan's absence, Huamanlou often brought Baozi over, and occasionally helped Huaping and Baozi clean up, so he was very familiar with the terrain here.

He didn't even need the help of Gu Shenyan, the host, he chose the guest room for himself with ease.

It was the room next door to Gu Shenyan.

But this room is already occupied——Gu Shenyan was about to remind Hua Manlou to choose another room to move in, but he saw the steamed stuffed bun who was hiding in the distance with a little red in his hand just now. He ran over and got into the room without saying a word and began to pack his things.

Come on, just looking at it, you can tell that you passed your breath beforehand.

Gu Shenyan pursed the corners of his lips, looked at Huamanlou helplessly and touched, and after a long time, he whispered thank you.

It is a blessing to have such a friend.