Chapter 22: The Temptation of Steamed Buns; Food Without Magic Elements Is Tasteless

“Eldest Sister!” Bai Miao came running hurriedly from a distance and threw herself into Bai Yu’s arms.

“Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid,” Bai Yu said. She didn’t know what had happened, so she simply held her to comfort her. At the same time, she reached out to pull Bai Xi’s hand and pointed ahead. “Go get Qiqi.”

Bai Xi saw where Qiqi was and stepped forward quickly to grab her.

Qiqi was pulling at her and talking. Although Bai Xi couldn’t understand the words, she saw the situation not far away and instinctively pulled Qiqi into a tight embrace, bringing her back to Bai Yu’s side.

“What’s wrong?” Bai Yu asked in a low voice, looking up at the same time.

The incident seemed to be happening just around the corner. From her position, she couldn’t see the situation over there, and it wasn’t a good idea to take Bai Miao back toward it, so she could only ask Bai Xi.

Bai Xi held Qiqi half-embraced, her lips pressed thin as she spoke. “There are people selling people over there. It’s a very ugly sight.”

Bai Yu looked blank.

Bai Xi leaned in and whispered in her ear, “Those people are covered in blood and look very bad. Miao Miao has never seen a scene like that; she must have been frightened.”

Bai Yu’s pupils constricted slightly. “Why would selling servants turn out like that?”

Bai Xi shook her head. She didn’t even know much about the servant trade in her own world, let alone on this plane.

Bai Yu looked in that direction, her brow furrowed. “The wooden strips for the Flammable Grass have to be bought over there. We still have to go that way.”

“Let’s carry Miao Miao past it so she doesn’t see,” Bai Xi suggested.

“Mm,” Bai Yu nodded. She picked Bai Miao up and spoke to her gently. “Miao Miao, don’t be afraid. Eldest Sister is here. We’re going to walk past there, so Miao Miao, close your eyes, okay?”

Hearing this, Bai Miao immediately buried her entire face into Bai Yu’s shoulder.

Bai Yu patted her back again.

Beside them, Bai Xi also picked up Qiqi and began walking forward.

Bai Yu hadn’t seen the situation earlier, but as she walked past the corner now, she couldn’t help but steal a curious glance. After seeing the scene clearly, she couldn’t suppress a shudder.

Even though she had been prepared by Bai Xi’s words, seeing such a bloody scene in person still sent a deep chill through her heart.

This plane was not as peaceful as it appeared on the surface.

She walked past quickly. Looking back to see Bai Xi following behind with Qiqi, she felt a sense of relief.

“Miao Miao, it’s okay now. We’ll go back as soon as we buy the wooden strips, alright? Can you tell Qiqi?” Bai Yu spoke softly to Bai Miao.

Bai Miao lifted her head, instinctively looked left and right, and let out a huge sigh of relief.

“Are we going back now?” she asked, looking at Bai Yu.

“Yes. Tell Qiqi, okay?”

“Okay.” Bai Miao nodded obediently. She leaned over slightly to call Qiqi, telling her that they would head back after buying the wooden strips.

Qiqi nodded repeatedly and spoke back to her.

The two of them chatted back and forth.

Bai Yu and Bai Xi carried them to the place where the wooden strips were sold.

This time, selling the fire starters had brought in a total of one hundred and fifty copper coins. Initially, they had planned to use one hundred copper coins to exchange for wooden strips, but after witnessing that scene just now, Bai Yu felt a bit fearful. She whispered to Bai Xi, “The market area is quite dangerous. Let’s come here less often. We should save some copper coins for the Flying Carpet, and the rest… let’s exchange one hundred and thirty coins.”

“Alright.” Bai Xi nodded and counted out another thirty copper coins, making a total of one hundred and thirty. They bought six hundred and fifty wooden strips from the shopkeeper.

In addition to them, Qiqi also took out a handful of copper coins to buy wooden strips.

Afterward, the four of them hurriedly left the market.

It was still early for the return trip of the Flying Carpet, but none of the four intended to keep browsing. They simply waited outside the market.

Bai Miao and Qiqi were talking non-stop. Bai Yu and Bai Xi also took every opportunity to try and identify the meaning of the words spoken by the people passing by, silently learning the local language.

“The meaning of that word just now…” Bai Yu turned, about to speak to Bai Xi, when she suddenly noticed the two sitting in the middle were eating. They were eating the Steamed Buns they had obtained from the Check-in.

“Eldest Sister, Qiqi says the Steamed Buns are really delicious.” Bai Miao turned to tell Bai Yu, then broke off a piece and handed it to Qiqi.

Qiqi was eating with great relish; it was clear she truly found them tasty.

They just didn’t know if there were Steamed Buns on this plane.

Bai Yu didn’t dare say much. Seeing the two of them eating and talking, she didn’t dare look away.

At that moment, someone walked by, took a look, babbled something, and then left with a look of disinterest.

Bai Yu watched the person leave and asked Bai Miao in a low voice, “Miao Miao, what did that person just say? I think I heard the word ‘Magic’.”

As she spoke, she explained to Bai Miao which word corresponded to “Magic.”

Bai Miao understood immediately and said, “That person said our Steamed Buns don’t have any magic or something, and they can’t bring magic to the body. What is magic? Does adding magic make things taste better?”

“Magic should be those colors in the things the people here eat, right?” Bai Yu guessed.

“Then it’s not tasty,” Bai Miao lost interest. Listening to Qiqi’s words, she said, “Qiqi says it doesn’t matter if there’s no magic. She thinks the Steamed Buns are delicious, and I think so too. Steamed Buns are much better than the things she bought before.”

Steamed Buns were almost flavorless, but compared to food with bizarre tastes, a flavorless bun was actually more fragrant.

The Steamed Buns in Bai Miao’s hand were from yesterday’s Check-in. They weren’t as fresh as when they first appeared, but seeing Qiqi eat them so happily, it was clear the taste passed her standards.

Bai Yu looked down and saw Bai Miao had caught a stray hair in her mouth while eating. She reached out to fix her hair and said, “Qiqi might not be able to eat our food. Just share a little bit for now. Tell Qiqi to go back and ask her mother. Only if her mother says it’s okay can we share more food with her.”

From the expression of the passerby just now, she could guess that food without Magic Elements was probably not considered good on this plane. However, since such food did exist, they didn’t have to worry about being targeted for bringing it out. What they needed to worry about was whether Qiqi’s family would look down on this food.

“Okay then.” Bai Miao regretfully put away the Steamed Bun and leaned down to talk to Qiqi.

Qiqi’s expression was also full of regret. After finishing the small piece of steamed bun in her hand, she licked her lips and then her fingers before leaning in to whisper with Bai Miao.

Bai Yu was watching the two of them talk when she noticed Bai Xi stand up.

She looked up, following Bai Xi’s gaze toward the other side. Upon seeing the situation there, she immediately blocked Bai Miao and Qiqi’s view.

Drawing from a few unfamiliar terms she overheard from people nearby, she pieced together a general understanding of the situation.

These people had apparently offended some noble, leading to them being exiled as slaves. The reason they were covered in blood was that much of the magic within their bodies had been forcibly dissipated.

The mention of offending nobles and being exiled caused the two sisters to feel a surge of sympathy for these people.

After all, their situation was extremely similar.

But that was as far as it went. They had no special abilities; they couldn’t do anything in their original world, and in this plane where everyone knew magic, they could do even less.

Only after the group had left did the two return to their original positions, shielding Bai Miao and Qiqi.

The time for the return trip arrived. The four of them boarded the flying carpet, once again taking seats near the middle. Once most of the passengers had arrived and paid their copper coins, the flying carpet took flight again.

On the way back atop the flying carpet, Bai Yu remembered something she had heard earlier: “Do you think Qiqi’s mom was comfortable letting Qiqi come out with us because we don’t have magic? Because we can’t hurt her?”

“But what if we lost her?”

“Maybe Qiqi has something on her that can protect her, like a shield.”

“If you put it that way, it’s really possible. After all, Qiqi’s mom was comfortable letting her pick Flammable Grass all by herself.”

Although the area with the Flammable Grass wasn’t actually a vast grassland but rather a small patch of grass, it wasn’t exactly tiny either. The fact that Qiqi’s mom let her go pick grass alone meant there was a high probability she had something to rely on.

However, they still didn’t know exactly what that was.

This new plane was strange, but it was also full of danger.

The flying carpet’s return schedule was fixed. When it landed, Qiqi’s mom was already waiting by the side. After they disembarked, Qiqi quickly ran to her mother’s side.

Bai Yu gently nudged Bai Miao, telling her to go talk to Qiqi’s mom about the steamed buns.

Bai Miao ran over to talk and even pulled out the remaining steamed bun from her bag.

“Mom, it’s delicious.”

“Something without magic,” Qiqi’s mom said, looking at the steamed bun in Bai Miao’s hand. “Can I have a little taste?”

Bai Miao broke off a piece for her.

Qiqi’s mom took it and put it in her mouth. After finishing it, she pulled a copper coin from her pocket. “One copper coin for the remaining half, is that okay? For Qiqi to eat.”

Bai Miao looked at Qiqi’s expectant gaze and then at Qiqi’s mom. She stood on her tiptoes to place the steamed bun into the woman’s palm and received a copper coin in return.

As they were leaving, Qiqi’s mom smiled and greeted Bai Yu and Bai Xi.

“She bought it?” Bai Yu was confused. She had originally wanted Bai Miao to ask if Qiqi was allowed to eat the buns, but she hadn’t expected to actually sell the remaining half.

“Bought it?” Bai Miao was also confused, holding out her hand to show Bai Yu the copper coin in her palm.

“If she’s willing to buy it, it means it’s definitely safe to eat,” Bai Xi said, picking up the coin from Bai Miao’s hand. “Next time we go to the market, we’ll buy something tasty for Miao Miao.”

Bai Miao immediately frowned and shook her head firmly. “No, won’t eat it.”

Bai Xi suddenly realized, “I almost forgot, the things at the market here are a bit strange. Then you can see if there’s anything you like to play with, and we’ll buy you a toy.”

Bai Miao didn’t mind and nodded casually. “Okay.”

On the other side, Qiqi’s mom was leading Qiqi home. After walking for a while, she bent down. “Qiqi, let Mommy have another bite.”

“Just a tiny bite.” Qiqi broke off a small piece for her.

Qiqi’s mom tasted the bite carefully. “It has no magic elements, but it’s so fragrant. It only has a pure sweetness. I wonder what it’s made of. Qiqi, why don’t you ask them next time?”

Qiqi hid the steamed bun in her hand behind her back.

“I’m not going to eat yours,” Qiqi’s mom said. “Eating things without magic elements is meaningless.”

The two continued walking forward.

After a moment.

“Qiqi, let Mommy have one more bite. Just the last one.”

Qiqi looked up at her, split the bun in her hand in two, and gave her half.

“Here, eat it.”