Memorial Tablet

Sima Ye scratched his head and was just about to speak when he saw Xu Yinyin, standing beside Yang Ning, already clenching her fist. The Spirit Stone in her other hand gave off a faint crackling sound, and several fine cracks had appeared across its surface.

"No need, no need!" Sima Ye hurriedly waved his hands, then turned to the Cultivators behind him. "Have you all finished checking?"

The group answered in unison, "We're done!"

Only then did Sima Ye smile and clasp his hands toward the two of them. "Senior Sister Xu, Lord Advisor, our inspection is over. We'll take our leave."

After the two nodded, Sima Ye quickly led the group of Cultivators out of the Myriad Things Come shop. Watching them disappear into the distance, Yang Ning secretly let out a breath of relief. He carefully put the Memorial Tablet back in the wooden cabinet and was just about to close the doors—

"Wait," Xu Yinyin's voice suddenly came from behind him.

Yang Ning's body trembled, and a bead of cold sweat appeared on his forehead. He slowly turned around, his face slightly pale. "W-what is it?"

Xu Yinyin hurried over to the Memorial Tablet, clasped her hands, and bowed respectfully before the tablet bearing the words "My Father Yang He," paying her respects three times in succession.

After straightening up, she put on an embarrassed expression. "I'm sorry, Boss. This cabinet has always been closed, so I didn't know your father was enshrined inside. I never got the chance to pay my respects."

The stone in Yang Ning's heart immediately sank. He waved his hand. "It's all right, it's all right."

At last, he gently closed the cabinet door, his gaze unconsciously drifting toward the Bamboo Forest outside the front door. Today's antidote was buried there, and he still hadn't gone to retrieve it.

"All right, the sun's about to set. It's nearly closing time, and you've been here all day. You should head back," Yang Ning said.

Xu Yinyin turned to look at the setting sun sinking toward the horizon, a few shafts of light piercing through the dark clouds. She nodded. "Okay."

Her eyes fell on the goods packaging scattered across the floor, nearly a hundred items' worth.

"Don't worry, Boss," Xu Yinyin suddenly said. "When I get back, I'll find the Senior Sister in charge of distributing the Law Enforcement Hall's monthly stipends and have Sima Ye's pay withheld to cover your losses. Estimate the cost later and draw up a list. If he can't pay it off in a year, he can take two years; if two years isn't enough, then ten!" She gave a mischievous wink, revealing two "wicked" little tiger teeth. "Of course, Boss, you can add a little extra, too."

Yang Ning couldn't help laughing at Xu Yinyin's expression. The goods had only cost ten Spirit Stones at the System Mall's purchase price.

Considering that the monthly stipend for the Law Enforcement Hall's top fifty registered disciples was three Spirit Stones, Sima Ye could pay it off in three months. Yet Xu Yinyin had gone straight to saying he should pay for a year—or even ten.

But Yang Ning wouldn't refuse Xu Yinyin's kindness. His principle of "not taking a single cent too much" was for upright gentlemen, not scheming, unscrupulous people like Sima Ye.

He nodded. "No problem. I'll draw up the list tomorrow."

At that, Xu Yinyin's mood visibly brightened. She picked up a broom and dustpan and started cleaning.

Yang Ning watched the setting sun disappear behind the clouds and rubbed his abdomen, which was growing hot and aching. His heart sank. "It's all right. I can clean up myself. It's your first day working here, and the sky's cloudy—I think it might rain tonight. You should head back and rest early..."

Xu Yinyin kept her head down and continued sweeping. "There weren't many customers today, and I spent most of the day reading. I'm not tired at all. Besides, you should always see a job through to the end, especially on the first day. As an employee, how could I leave the shop in such a mess? And I'm a Core Formation Stage Cultivator. A little rain is nothing."

Seeing he couldn't talk her out of it, Yang Ning picked up another broom and began helping her clean.

"Hey, Boss, what are you doing?"

Xu Yinyin watched Yang Ning busily sweeping, surprise flickering in her eyes.

"Two people working is better than one. We'll finish faster this way," Yang Ning said, head bowed as he swept with all his might.

Seeing the sweat on Yang Ning's forehead—though it was actually from the pain—Xu Yinyin felt a warmth in her heart. "Th-thank you."

Yang Ning swept faster and faster. "It's fine. Let's hurry."

"Mm!" Xu Yinyin nodded firmly and sped up, too.

A quarter of an hour later, the two of them had finally finished cleaning. After dumping the trash in the bin outside, Xu Yinyin turned to Yang Ning and noticed the beads of sweat on his forehead. "Boss, now that the work's done, I'll head back first."

Just then, Yang Ning came out of the shop, too.

"Boss?"

"Oh..." Yang Ning's voice came out haltingly, with a slight stammer and a tremor. "As it happens, I'm going out, too."

Xu Yinyin's heart warmed again. "Boss, you really don't need to walk me back... This is still Sword Sect territory, after all, and I'm a Core Formation Stage Cultivator. I'll be safe."

"Huh?" Yang Ning waved his hand. At that moment, his abdomen felt as if it were burning in a raging fire, his internal organs twisted together. "N-no... I—ah."

Seeing Yang Ning's "flustered" expression, Xu Yinyin's face flushed, too. "Th-then all right."

With that, Xu Yinyin set off down the path through the Bamboo Forest. Yang Ning hurried after her. He wanted to run, but the agonizing pain in his abdomen made it hard to exert himself, so he could only maintain the fastest pace he could manage on foot—which just happened to match Xu Yinyin's normal walking speed.