You big liar! I'm never talking to you again!

"You stinky Xiao Mo, I don't know you at all."

Bai Ruxue turned her head away with a huff.

"..."

Xiao Mo could tell at a glance that Bai Ruxue was angry.

But that was fair enough—he'd said he'd come see her at the start of spring, but forgot to mention the exams would take a full month. On top of that, the County Magistrate had delayed things by a few days.

She'd probably woken from hibernation and been waiting for him ever since.

"Ah, I see. Looks like I mistook you for someone else."

Xiao Mo pulled a wooden Deer God Hairpin from his sleeve.

When she spotted that wooden hairpin, Bai Ruxue blinked curiously.

Xiao Mo sighed and spoke in a dejected tone: "I promised a friend I'd come see her at the start of spring, but taking the Imperial Examination for Children really ate up a lot of time. And then the County Magistrate kept me for a meal, which dragged things out a few more days. I knew she'd be angry when I got back. So in my spare time, I carved this hairpin to apologize. But it seems she's not waiting for me anymore. This hairpin isn't needed either."

As he finished speaking, Xiao Mo raised his hand, pretending to toss the hairpin away.

"Who says it's not needed? I want it!"

Bai Ruxue stood on tiptoe, snatched the hairpin from Xiao Mo's hand, and happily turned it over in her fingers.

"Miss, this hairpin is for Bai Ruxue," Xiao Mo said, feigning reluctance as he reached to take it back.

Bai Ruxue spun away, hugging the hairpin to her chest: "I am Bai Ruxue!"

"But Miss just said you weren't."

Bai Ruxue blinked, her peach-blossom eyes as clean and clear as a snow-fed spring: "Did I say I wasn't Bai Ruxue?"

Xiao Mo paused, then smiled and nodded: "Miss indeed did not say that."

"That's right, then." Bai Ruxue held out the hairpin with both hands, her eyes looking expectantly at Xiao Mo. "Xiao Mo, put it on for me."

"Alright."

Xiao Mo took the hairpin and tucked it into Bai Ruxue's silky hair.

The young girl's eyes curved: "How is it? Pretty?"

"Mm, you're pretty, but my hairpin doesn't seem good enough. Maybe I should practice more and carve you a better one." Xiao Mo studied his own work and reached out to pull it back.

"No! I want this one!" Bai Ruxue shielded her hair and quickly stepped back.

"Fine." Since Ruxue liked it, Xiao Mo couldn't very well take it back. "But Ruxue, you're not mad at me anymore?"

Bai Ruxue gave a huff and turned her little head away: "Since you gave me a gift, I'll forgive you."

She had been quite angry in her heart.

But somehow, the moment she saw Xiao Mo, her anger faded a lot.

"This Humble One thanks Miss for her magnanimity." Xiao Mo clasped his hands in a bow.

"You're welcome~"

The young girl stood openly before Xiao Mo, her smile like a blooming flower.

But after a moment, as if remembering something, she walked up to him.

She stood on tiptoe, reached out, and measured against Xiao Mo's head.

Then she measured against her own.

"How can this be..." A flicker of disappointment passed through Bai Ruxue's eyes. "I'm still not as tall as you? I've grown so much..."

Xiao Mo: "Miss Bai, is there a chance that I've grown taller too?"

Bai Ruxue's eyes lit up as if a sudden realization struck: "Oh! That makes sense!"

"..." Xiao Mo was momentarily speechless.

Sure, Bai Ruxue had grown into a young lady, but she still didn't seem all that clever.

"Oh, Xiao Mo, how did you do on the exams?"

Bai Ruxue stopped worrying about height. Last time she'd been a head shorter than him; now she was half a head shorter. Next time she shed her skin, she'd definitely catch up.

"I passed as a Talented Scholar."

"So can you become an official now?"

"At least a Juren, or a Gongshi to be safe."

"Then are you still going to take the exams?" Bai Ruxue lowered her head, thinking to herself that she wouldn't be able to see him for a long time again.

"The next exam is the Provincial Examination, three years from now. That's still far off."

"Oh, I see. Then it really is still early~" Bai Ruxue's mood instantly lifted. She tugged at Xiao Mo's sleeve and headed up the mountain. "Xiao Mo, hurry up. I'll take you somewhere—you're definitely going to love it."

"Then let's go take a look."

The two of them walked side by side up the mountain.

Before long, Bai Ruxue led Xiao Mo to an open clearing.

The clearing was covered in Purple Sun Grass and Green Waterfall Flowers.

Xiao Mo exclaimed in surprise, "How are there so many here?"

"Plenty, right~" Bai Ruxue said proudly. "I planted all of these myself. Once I plant more and fill the entire mountain, you'll have as many as you want, and you won't have to work so hard gathering herbs~"

Hearing the young girl's words, Xiao Mo lowered his head, his expression growing somewhat heavy.

"Xiao Mo, what's wrong?" Bai Ruxue looked at him, her heart tightening with worry.

"Ruxue, I need to tell you something." Xiao Mo raised his head and met Bai Ruxue's eyes directly. "From now on, I might not come up the mountain as often."

"Huh?" Bai Ruxue felt as if struck by lightning, her small face turning pale. "Wh-why?"

"The new County Magistrate in Qingshan City is a decent person. He said the Yamen will provide us with financial support every month until we take the next Provincial Examination."

Xiao Mo explained to Bai Ruxue.

"Besides, the Village Chief said there's nothing left he can teach me. So I'll need to travel often to study elsewhere. From now on, the number of times I come up the mountain will probably be fewer."

To be honest, Xiao Mo didn't really want to leave Bai Ruxue either, since he still had to help her with her Dragon Transformation.

But the problem was, as an ordinary person, he had no idea how to help her achieve Dragon Transformation.

For now, all he could do was earn a scholarly title as quickly as possible.

Earning a title and entering the court as an official wasn't just about completing a task.

This was a world of immortal cultivation, and the Qi Kingdom was the number one human nation in this world.

The Qi Kingdom had ties with many of the top sects.

Once he held a position of power, maybe he'd have the ability to help her.

Bai Ruxue listened to Xiao Mo's words and lowered her head even further.

Xiao Mo didn't rush her; he simply waited for her to sort through her emotions.

To her, aside from her younger sister, he was probably her only friend.

It was only natural that she had trouble accepting this.

But soon, tears began to fall from the young girl's eyes, drop by drop.

Her fists clenched tightly at her sides, and her body trembled slightly.

"Ruxue, don't worry. As soon as I have free time—"

Just as Xiao Mo tried to comfort her, Bai Ruxue suddenly lifted her head. Her peach-blossom eyes were misty with tears, like peach blossoms veiled in dew.

"Stupid Xiao Mo! You said that after you came back, you'd spend time playing with me!"

Bai Ruxue turned around, wiping her tears as she ran forward. The mountain forest echoed with her choked sobs.

"You big liar! I'm never talking to you again!"