Ye Xian'er

"Is it inconvenient to tell me?" Wei Yang asked with a smile.

"No, no." Hearing this, Xiao Yi Xian hurriedly shook her head, growing somewhat nervous. Her small hands clutched the hem of her clothes so tightly that her knuckles turned pale. Lowering her head, she said softly, "I... I'm Ye Xian'er."

Her voice was clear and pleasant.

"Ye Xian'er..."

Wei Yang softly repeated the name twice, then smiled. "A very nice name. It suits you well."

This name was good—better than Xiao Yi Xian.

She truly lived up to her name, ethereal as a fairy.

"Th-thank you." Xiao Yi Xian—Ye Xian'er—murmured shyly.

"My name is Wei Yang." Wei Yang smiled as he told her his name, then turned and continued walking.

"Wei Yang?" Ye Xian'er watched his retreating back, then smiled with pursed lips and quickly followed after him.

Back in the inn room.

Wei Yang pushed the door open and walked straight in.

Behind him, Ye Xian'er followed him to the doorway, her expression hesitant as she wondered whether she should continue inside.

"Come in. Why are you standing in the doorway?" Wei Yang sat down in a chair and beckoned to her.

Hearing this, Ye Xian'er took a light breath, gathered her courage, and slowly shuffled inside in tiny steps. Looking at the lavishly decorated room, she appeared somewhat restrained.

"Sit." Wei Yang picked up the teapot, poured her a cup of water, and motioned for her to sit.

"Thank you, Young Master." Ye Xian'er accepted the teacup with both hands, lowered her head, and took small sips. For quite a while, she did not dare raise her head.

Wei Yang could not help but chuckle at the sight.

Hearing his laughter, Ye Xian'er secretly glanced up at him.

When she saw Wei Yang looking at her with a warm smile, she immediately lowered her head again like a startled deer. Her face flushed bright red in an instant, the color spreading all the way to the roots of her ears.

Even her delicate little earlobes seemed to have become translucent at that moment.

Seeing how shy she was, Wei Yang stopped teasing her and instead asked, "How did a young girl like you come alone to Green Mountain Town?"

A trace of sadness flashed across Ye Xian'er's face before quickly disappearing. She answered softly, "I... I heard that there's a Myriad Medicine House here. It's quite famous and has a good reputation. They're recruiting physician apprentices, so I wanted to come and try my luck."

"Oh, you've studied medicine?" Wei Yang nodded and pretended to ask curiously.

Ye Xian'er nodded first, then shook her head. "I... I haven't studied it. I just... just figured things out on my own."

"Self-taught? Not bad." Wei Yang praised her.

Ye Xian'er hurriedly shook her head and waved her hands awkwardly. "No, I'm not that capable... I just learned things on my own... I've never treated anyone before."

"What a coincidence. I'm a physician too, and I'm self-taught as well."

Wei Yang smiled. "But I'm a little better than you. I've already treated people, and I'm somewhat well-known over in Wu Tan City."

"Really?" Ye Xian'er looked up in delight, her eyes sparkling.

"Of course it's true. Why would I lie to you?" Wei Yang spread his hands. "They all call me—cough—Physician Wei."

"Ah, you're amazing. I... I want to be like you too," Ye Xian'er said enviously.

"Perfect. I happen to need an assistant. Would you consider it?" Wei Yang raised his brows, slowly revealing his fox tail.

"Really?" Ye Xian'er asked excitedly.

"Of course." Wei Yang nodded seriously.

Upon hearing this, Ye Xian'er lightly bit her lip. Her glistening autumn eyes looked at Wei Yang, and an inexplicable glint seemed to flash within them. Her face instantly turned red again.

Bright red, like a fully ripened apple, she looked utterly adorable and enticing. Combined with her appearance, she made one want to pounce on her and take a bite.

Wei Yang's heart stirred at the sight, and a flash of heat passed through his eyes.

Unfortunately, Ye Xian'er happened to catch that heated look.

Her face immediately reddened even further, as though blood might drip from it.

Wei Yang felt somewhat guilty, as if he had been caught red-handed doing something bad, but his face remained calm as he stiffened his neck and said, "Are you coming or not? If you don't want to, forget it."

"Pfft~" Ye Xian'er could not help bursting into laughter, then quickly held it back and darted another glance at Wei Yang.

When she saw that his expression had stiffened somewhat, she suppressed her laughter, hurriedly nodded, and said softly, "I'll come."

"Hmph." Wei Yang snorted, but inwardly let out a huge sigh of relief.

Good, good. This little girl had agreed.

Otherwise, if she had rejected him on the spot, Wei Yang figured he would have died of embarrassment, packed up overnight, fled back to Wu Tan City, and never dared show his face again.

"Food and lodging included. Per month... ten—no, fifty gold coins." Wei Yang held up all five fingers.

"Ah?" Ye Xian'er looked at Wei Yang in surprise.

"Is it... too low?" Wei Yang asked tentatively in a low voice. "How about... I raise it some more?"

"No, no." Ye Xian'er hurriedly shook her head.

Wei Yang nodded.

"It's too high," Ye Xian'er answered weakly.

"Oh, then it's fine. As long as it's not too low, it's fine." Wei Yang immediately relaxed and waved his hand decisively. "Then it's settled."

It was just money. What was the big deal?

I don't have much of anything, except money.

Now, Wei Yang could pat his chest and declare loudly: I have absolutely no interest in money.

If he were not afraid of frightening Ye Xian'er, giving her one thousand or ten thousand gold coins a month would not have been a problem.

Ye Xian'er did not know whether to laugh or cry. This boss of hers looked completely like a fool with more money than sense.

Fifty gold coins a month?!

Even an ordinary shop manager did not earn such a high salary, did they?

She was only an apprentice. She would have been more than satisfied with food and lodging included.

Ye Xian'er hesitated, wondering whether she ought to remind him.

But Wei Yang did not care what she was thinking and directly made the decision. "Go back and get ready. Come back to Wu Tan City with me early tomorrow morning."

Early the next morning.

After breakfast, Wei Yang led his newly acquired little follower, Ye Xian'er, out of the inn.

They rented a luxurious, spacious carriage and left Green Mountain Town.

Inside the carriage, Wei Yang reclined against a soft beast-hide seat, his eyes slightly closed.

He appeared to be resting, but he was actually circulating his cultivation technique.

Ye Xian'er sat to one side. After obediently brewing tea for her boss, she picked up a copy of Basic Herbal Knowledge and began reading it with great interest.

The carriage had not gone far from Green Mountain Town when it suddenly stopped.

Ye Xian'er put down her book and looked up.

Wei Yang also frowned, stopped circulating his cultivation technique, and opened his eyes.

"Young Master." The coachman knocked on the carriage door from outside.

"What is it?" Wei Yang asked in a low voice.

"Young Master, outside... outside, a group of people has come and blocked the road," the coachman replied cautiously. "They're from the Wolf Head Mercenary Group. Their young group leader, Mu Li, is leading them."

"Young Master." Ye Xian'er immediately became somewhat flustered and looked at Wei Yang.

This had happened because of her. How could she not be nervous?

Moreover, she had heard of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group and knew that, in Green Mountain Town, they were absolutely a colossal force.

They were not to be trifled with.

"Stay calm. Don't worry, it's nothing." Wei Yang gave Ye Xian'er a reassuring look.

He rose and walked toward the carriage door. "What a nuisance. I already told you not to provoke me. I hope you can afford the price!"