Chapter 201 - 200 Deliberate Difficulties
"Ah...?" Yue Rujing’s expression stiffened as he raised his folding fan to shield half of his face, offering a somewhat bizarre defense, "That’s... not exactly true. I’m a lay Taoist, not like those Taoists who spend all day in the Taoist Temple."
Gu Youyou gave him a dismissive look and said, "A lay Taoist is still a Taoist, right?"
Yue Rujing forced a laugh, though his expression was rather unnatural.
"Hmm, what’s the difference between a lay Taoist and one who spends all day in the Taoist Temple?" Gu Youyou asked again.
Yue Rujing hurried to explain, "It’s different, very different. Those temple-dwelling Taoists have many taboos: they wear Taoist robes, they abstain from four kinds of food, avoid five pungent plants, and maintain a celibate life in service to the Sanqing to preserve their purity. Lay Taoists aren’t so strict. We simply cultivate at the Taoist Temple, hold the title of a Taoist, but have no taboos, living like ordinary people. So you really don’t need to treat me as a Taoist. Someone like me... can’t be considered a Taoist!"
Gu Youyou was non-committal; she already regarded him as a Taoist, one way or another.
That Tianzong or whatever, she should find time to inquire about it; it must have something to do with Jin Zijin.
Having lived as a village girl for so long, Gu Youyou had long since mastered the skills necessary for village life, cooking with firewood was nothing to her, and it wasn’t long before she had prepared a meal with two side dishes!
The steaming dishes were laid out on the table, and Abao unceremoniously hopped onto the stool opposite Gu Youyou.
Gu Youyou didn’t mind Abao being on the table; she even placed its special bowl and plate in front of it on the stool it sat upon, filled it with food, and signaled for it to eat.
She made no gesture inviting Yue Rujing to join the meal. With the dog seated at the edge of the table already, even if she had invited him, Yue Rujing wouldn’t have been able to sit down anyway.