Having Dongfang Chen take Ding Yumian under his wing and look after her was a solution Dean Xiao and Dean Fu had discussed for a long time.
To put it plainly, Ding Yumian's talent was an unstable bomb.
Although leaving her at school was safer than leaving her elsewhere—after all, the school had plenty of powerful people, and ways to respond if Ding Yumian's magic went out of control—
there were also many ordinary students at the school. If they couldn't stop her in time, those students could be in mortal danger, just like what had happened today.
So the best solution was to have Dongfang Chen, who could control Ding Yumian, keep her by his side.
If Ding Yumian's magic suddenly went out of control, Dongfang Chen could subdue her immediately.
"So, Dongfang Chen, what do you think?"
Dean Xiao asked Dongfang Chen.
"I don't mind, but this depends on what Ding Yumian wants."
Dongfang Chen truly didn't mind. It would only mean having one more person by his side.
Especially when that person was a pretty young woman like Ding Yumian.
She was a little too thin at the moment and somewhat malnourished, but that was because of the circumstances she had lived in before.
She had depended on her grandmother since childhood, and the two of them must have lived in rather poor conditions.
On top of that, her grandmother had passed away not long ago, dealing her a heavy blow. It was only natural that she had grown so thin.
But Ding Yumian still had the makings of a campus goddess. Once she put on some weight, she would surely become a beauty capable of captivating everyone around her.
Seeing that Dongfang Chen agreed, Dean Xiao looked at Dean Fu.
Dean Fu's mouth twitched. Then he asked Ding Yumian,
"Yumian, what do you think? Don't worry, we'll fully respect your wishes. If you don't agree, you can stay at school. I brought you here in the first place, so I'd never abandon you."
Ding Yumian's pretty face flushed slightly.
If she agreed, would that mean she'd have to stay by Dongfang Chen's side from now on?
She glanced at Dongfang Chen, then quickly looked away.
"I don't mind..."
Ding Yumian spoke so softly that her voice was barely audible.
"Then it's settled."
Dean Fu glanced at Dongfang Chen and said, "Dongfang, I'm entrusting Yumian to you because I trust you. Don't you dare bully her. If I find out you have, I'll make sure you regret it, even if it costs me my old bones!"
Dongfang Chen could only laugh helplessly.
"Don't worry, Dean Fu. Leave Ding Yumian to me. I promise I'll make sure she gets nice and plump."
At those words, Ding Yumian's face turned as red as a ripe apple.
Make me nice and plump? How shameless. I'm not a pig!
And so, Ding Yumian's situation was settled.
Dongfang Chen's year-long leave was also approved.
[Beep! Congratulations, host, on completing the Jia Nan Academy Enrollment Exam and receiving one year of leave] [Reward: Eighth-grade Alchemist Master Experience]
Dongfang Chen's mind stung for an instant as a vast amount of knowledge about the techniques, know-how, and intricacies of an Eighth-grade Alchemist flooded into his mind.
Fortunately, Dongfang Chen's soul realm had already reached the Spirit Realm required of an Eighth-grade Alchemist.
Otherwise, with an insufficient soul realm, even experience as an Eighth-grade Alchemist wouldn't let him refine an Eighth-grade Pill.
Even so, given his current circumstances, Dongfang Chen wouldn't be able to refine an Eighth-grade Pill anytime soon.
He had the skills, but he lacked the materials.
Every pill beyond the seventh grade was extraordinarily expensive, and the medicinal materials needed to refine them were exceedingly rare.
Dongfang Chen usually had no shortage of medicinal materials, but that only applied to low-grade ones.
Most of the rewards he received at the Sign-in Spot were Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures below the fourth grade.
He rarely got anything above the fourth grade, and he had never received sixth-, seventh-, or eighth-grade medicinal materials.
So Dongfang Chen now had all the technical know-how needed to refine Eighth-grade Pills, but lacked the materials themselves.
Still, Dongfang Chen wasn't in a hurry.
He had enough low-grade pills for his current needs. As for the high-grade materials he lacked, if all else failed, he could look for substitutes in the Full-Time Magician World.
After leaving Mingzhu Academy,
Dongfang Chen asked Ding Yumian,
"Ding Yumian, I bought a house near the school. We're going to see it now. Would you rather live with me, or would you prefer to live on your own?
"If you want your own place, I'll find another house for you."
Ding Yumian answered without a moment's hesitation.
"I'd rather live with you. It'll be more convenient. Also... you don't have to call me by my full name. You can call me Yumian or Mianmian."
As she spoke, Ding Yumian's cheeks turned pink.
"My grandmother used to call me that, too."
Dongfang Chen smiled.
"Then I'll call you Mianmian. That nickname sounds pretty cute."
The more Dongfang Chen said things like that, the deeper the blush on Ding Yumian's face became.
"Mm..."
After the two left the school, Dongfang Chen took Ding Yumian to see Xin Xia.
"Brother Chen, you said you'd be back by noon, but it's almost afternoon already."
Ye Xin Xia sounded a little aggrieved.
Dongfang Chen smiled and gently stroked her smooth black hair.
"Sorry about that. Something happened at school, and it held me up."
Under Dongfang Chen's soothing touch, the faint trace of resentment in Xin Xia's voice quickly disappeared.
"By the way, let me introduce you. This is Ding Yumian..."
Dongfang Chen hadn't planned to hide what had happened to Ding Yumian. After asking her permission, he told Xin Xia about everything she had been through.
Before long, kindhearted Xin Xia was moved by Ding Yumian's tragic story.
Ye Xin Xia had suffered, too. Since childhood, she hadn't been able to use her legs normally. Later, her mother had even left her alone, and she had no idea where she had gone.
If she hadn't met Dongfang Chen, Ye Xin Xia didn't dare imagine what might have become of her.
That was why she sympathized with Ding Yumian, a girl whose background was as tragic as her own.
Dongfang Chen didn't need to do much at all. Ye Xin Xia and Ding Yumian soon grew close.
The three of them then went to look at the house.
It was a detached villa next to Mingzhu Academy.
The setting and interior decor were both excellent. The only drawback was that it was very expensive.
But that wasn't a problem for Dongfang Chen.
Ever since he had Dongfang Family start a pill business,
Dongfang Chen had lacked strength, treasures, and time—but he had never lacked money.
After paying without hesitation,
Ye Xin Xia dragged the reluctant Ding Yumian along to shop at the mall.
As the only man, Dongfang Chen naturally became the two girls' pack mule.
Fortunately, he had the convenience of a Storage Ring and a Storage Magic Tool.
Otherwise, Dongfang Chen figured he wouldn't have been able to carry everything by himself.
Night fell.
As Dongfang Chen slept soundly, he heard the click of his bedroom door.
A figure quietly came to his bedside, then slipped into his blankets.
"Xin Xia?"
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