Li Huai returned to his hometown, accompanied by the female fox immortal named Wei Taizhen. She wore a veiled hat that concealed her features as they headed together toward the Yang Family Pharmacy. Over the years, he had grown accustomed to roaming north and south with Young Taoist Priest, laughing and cursing, speaking whatever came to mind—how relaxed and carefree that had been. But now that Immortal Master Wei was traveling with him instead, she kept calling him Young Master at every turn, making goosebumps rise all over Li Huai's skin. It was unbearably awkward. Whenever he asked her to call him by name and stop calling him Young Master, saying that he was just a poor boy who had treated a chicken drumstick like New Year's feast since childhood, and that the neighbors would laugh if they heard it back home, she would merely bite her lip. She never argued, only lowered her lashes and bowed her head in silent gloom, looking even more aggrieved than Li Huai himself. Every time Li Huai saw her like that, his head swelled to the size of a bushel. With a life as bitter as his, how could he possibly enjoy such blissful fortune? Romantic fortune? I, Li Huai, am a proper scholar!
What if that Zheng Dafeng, whose mouth was forever full of filthy talk, saw this? Miss Wei had thin skin. What if Zheng Dafeng talked her into furious embarrassment? Then whoever Li Huai helped, he would be wrong.
Upon reaching the all-too-familiar pharmacy, Li Huai quickly stepped over the threshold and called out, "Shi Lingshan!" He looked left and right. Strange indeed—Su Dian was nowhere to be seen.
Shi Lingshan had complicated feelings toward Li Huai. There was no need to curry favor or build rapport. He got straight