"Thinking about Jin'er again?"
A gentle voice came from behind Cao Ying as Xuan Yi slowly walked in.
Today, she wore a white-and-purple cheongsam that perfectly displayed her mature, elegant figure, with a faint smile on her face.
"Teacher!"
Cao Ying came back to her senses, her pretty face flushing slightly as she hurriedly stood up.
"I... I wasn't."
"Still denying it?"
Xuan Yi walked to her side and picked up the pill on the table—the very one Xuan Jin had left behind years ago.
"You've practically polished a patina onto this pill."
"No, I haven't!"
Cao Ying huffed coquettishly, snatched the pill back from Xuan Yi's hand, and carefully put it away.
As Xuan Yi looked at the exceptionally gifted Cao Ying, a trace of doting affection flashed through her eyes, along with an emotion similar to Cao Ying's own that was difficult to detect.
Cao Ying was Xuan Kongzi's disciple, but she was also the childhood sweetheart of Xuan Yi's disciple, Xuan Jin. Their relationship was only one engagement away from being official. Thus, Cao Ying called Xuan Yi Teacher as well.
Xuan Yi sighed. The disciple who made her proud, yet suffered from a hidden ailment, had already been gone for two years.
"Don't worry."
Xuan Yi gently patted Cao Ying's shoulder.
"Jin'er said that within three years, no matter the outcome, he would come back at least once."
"Really?"
Cao Ying's eyes instantly lit up.
"Brother Xuan Jin told you that himself?"
"Mm."
Xuan Yi nodded.
"By my reckoning, it should be soon."
Hearing this, the young maiden's longing in Cao Ying's heart instantly turned into boundless motivation.
Cao Ying clenched her little fists.
Soon!
Before Brother Xuan Jin returned, she absolutely had to become stronger!
The next time they met, she refused to be like