Each Holding Their Own Thoughts

Qiao Bin was completely bewildered. Xu Yinyin, who had just left, returned, this time holding a brand-new straw. She quickly walked to Yang Ning's side.

She carefully inserted the new straw into the pull-tab can, then stopped fiddling with her apron. Instead, she began to twist the old, flattened straw with her fingers, trying to ease her inner tension.

"Um... um... Boss, about what Senior Brother just told you... about the consultant..." Xu Yinyin's voice grew quieter and quieter until it was barely audible.

Yang Ning, hidden behind his sunglasses, blinked, eagerly waiting for her to continue.

Xu Yinyin suddenly turned to Qiao Bin. "Senior Brother, how much is the compensation Master allocated for the Boss?"

Seeing Xu Yinyin, who was usually fearless except when she was around Yun Zishan, now looking so conflicted, Qiao Bin quickly replied, "Thirty Spirit Stones a month."

Xu Yinyin immediately turned back to Yang Ning, her eyes filled with determination. "Boss, forty Spirit Stones a month, how about that?"

"I..." Yang Ning had only spoken one word when Xu Yinyin tightly shut her eyes. "Wait! Don't speak yet!"

Yang Ning was choked by the sudden interruption. Xu Yinyin still had her eyes closed, stomped her foot, and made up her mind. "Forty-two!"

Qiao Bin's eyes widened, while Yang Ning unconsciously scratched his temple. The brief silence made Xu Yinyin even more nervous.

"Forty-six!" she hastily corrected herself, then shook her head. "Never mind, forty-six is unlucky! Forty-five!"

Finally, she lowered her head deeply. "Forty-eight... Boss... this is really the highest I could negotiate. I'm truly sorry, if it's still not enough..."

This was already the highest stake Xu Yinyin could offer. Her monthly salary at the Law Enforcement Hall was twenty Spirit Stones. She didn't plan to deduct the extra payment for Yang Ning from the Law Enforcement Hall's accounts but intended to cover it herself with her salary.

In addition to her daily cultivation expenses, an extra eighteen Spirit Stones for Yang Ning each month, totaling forty-eight, was Xu Yinyin's limit.

As for her small savings, Xu Yinyin had planned to use them for her wedding with her future Dao companion and to settle down. Although she had never been in love, this was a maiden's longing for love.

Xu Yinyin took a deep breath. "Then... I'm sorry..."

"Deal."

"Huh?" Xu Yinyin's head snapped up instantly.

"I said deal, forty-eight Spirit Stones, deal! It's settled!" Yang Ning tried hard to suppress the upward curve of his lips.

Because of the sunglasses, Xu Yinyin couldn't see Yang Ning's eyes, which were crinkled into narrow slits with joy. She could only see the slight twitch of his lips, mistaking it for reluctant agreement.

Xu Yinyin immediately cupped her hands towards Yang Ning, fearing he might go back on his word. "Greetings, Consultant!"

Then Xu Yinyin gave Qiao Bin a meaningful look. Qiao Bin immediately understood and cupped his hands towards Yang Ning. "Greetings, Consultant!"

"Oh, okay~" Yang Ning's voice trembled slightly with joy.

Xu Yinyin quickly added, "Don't worry, Boss, I'll always help out here. If Master calls me for training, I'll have Senior Disciple Brother come help! And you don't need to give Senior Disciple Brother any discount or salary; he can be free labor!"

"Huh?" Qiao Bin froze, surprised that Xu Yinyin had sold him out so quickly.

Yang Ning turned to look at Qiao Bin, his tone playful. "Is that so?"

The idea of having Qiao Bin work for him for free, becoming his "boss," was exactly what Yang Ning wanted.

Qiao Bin looked at Xu Yinyin, who was frantically signaling him behind Yang Ning, and had no choice. He squinted, his right eyelid twitching wildly. "Yes, yes... that's right."

He sighed inwardly: It can't be helped. I already promised the Hall Master. Fine, I'll just have to swallow it, even if my teeth get shattered.

Yang Ning's smile finally broke free. He pointed at the incense burning room next to them. "Perfect timing, there are few people today. The incense burning room hasn't been cleaned in a while. Go clean it."

"Huh? Me? Didn't we agree that I wouldn't have to when Junior Sister isn't here?" Qiao Bin looked utterly surprised.

Yang Ning finally took off his sunglasses. "She's a young lady, after all. She's never touched 'incense.' You want her to clean the incense burning room? How could you?"

Qiao Bin knew he had spoken without thinking. If Yun Zishan or any other junior disciples in the hall found out he wanted Xu Yinyin to clean the incense burning room, they would skin him alive.

"Okay, okay! I'll do it! I'll do it!" Qiao Bin quickly grabbed the broom and dustpan by the door of the incense burning room and resignedly walked inside.

Yang Ning turned to look at Xu Yinyin. She was showing off her two little fangs, her eyes crinkled into crescent moons, her face beaming with the joy of her wish fulfilled. Yang Ning smiled back. "Alright, alright. Go get me a bag of chips. I'm hungry."

Xu Yinyin immediately nodded and ran towards the shop with light steps.

An hour later, Qiao Bin finished cleaning and left the shop to report to Yun Zishan.

As the sun began to shift, footsteps could be heard from the bamboo path. A group of about ten cultivators emerged from the bamboo forest, the person in front holding a map.