Soap, and Soap Again

## Chapter 16: Soap, Again

Ning Chen had always considered himself a natural genius, not necessarily a once-in-a-millennium talent, but at least a once-in-a-century or once-in-eighty-years kind of person. Now, he found that the Cultivation Technique leading to the peak of mastery was right in front of him, yet he couldn't understand it... How painful was that!

He examined the material of the golden paper. It was neither metal nor wood, quite peculiar. Did he need to do a blood oath, like in legends, to practice it?

Ning Chen thought about it and decided against it. It would hurt too much, not worth it.

He could barely understand the first few lines, so he started practicing anyway. It was good for strengthening the body, and he could always ask Mu Chengxue to translate it properly for him later.

He calmed his mind and focused his energy. He circulated the technique for the first time, but felt absolutely nothing...

Ning Chen didn't get discouraged. He continued. Everything needs a warm-up, persistence is key.

Then came the second, third, and fourth times...

Followed by the ninety-third, ninety-fourth, and ninety-fifth times...

The two hundred ninth, two hundred tenth, two hundred eleventh times...

The one thousand one hundred thirtieth time...

"Cluck, cluck, cluck!"

The chickens crowed, dawn was breaking, and Ning Chen opened his eyes, almost in tears. Where was the promised body strengthening? Why didn't he feel anything at all?

He had things to do today and no time to continue his research here, so he could only get up and head outside.

Taking advantage of the early morning, before the official work began, Ning Chen secretly went to the kitchen. Seeing a woman busy at the stove, he patted his face and put on what he thought was his most radiant smile. "Hello, Jiejie!"

The woman glanced at Ning Chen and said indifferently, "What are you calling me? I'm old enough to be your mother."

"Heh..." Ning Chen gave an awkward laugh. "Hello, Dama."

"Spit it out, what do you want?" The woman's attitude remained lukewarm as she continued her work, speaking flatly.

Ning Chen rubbed his nose, embarrassed. "I'd like to ask for some lard."

The woman looked at the young man in front of her. After a moment's thought, she agreed, pointing to a jar by the stove. "It's right there. Take it yourself, just don't let anyone see."

A look of joy spread across Ning Chen's face. He quickly thanked her, "Thank you, Dama."

He took a large ceramic bowl from the stove, scooped out about half a bowl of lard, then looked around and found a piece of tattered cloth to wrap up some plant ash from beside the stove. He then gave the woman a silly smile and happily walked away.

The woman watched, bewildered, and sighed softly before returning to her work.

Such a refined child, what a pity he's not very bright.

Ning Chen had no idea that he had left such an impression. He was still excitedly going about his business.

The courtyard behind the hall was large, but the girls rarely came there, so it was very quiet. Ning Chen sat on the stone steps outside his room and built a simple small bonfire. He then used stones to prop up the bowl of lard over it, waiting for the lard to melt.

Ning Chen wasn't idle either. He took a teapot, poured a handful of plant ash into it, added some water, and stirred it furiously with a small wooden stick.

He had tried making this stuff himself in his free time before. Although the proportions were hard to get right, it wasn't impossible to succeed.

This was the oldest method of making Soap. There was no caustic soda here, so he could only use plant ash as a substitute. Conditions were tough, but he had to bear with it.

The smell of heating lard was terrible. Ning Chen suppressed his nausea and poured the filtered water, containing the dissolved plant ash, into the lard. Then he quickly pushed it away and stirred it vigorously with a long wooden stick.

"I can't stand this!"

The smell made Ning Chen see stars. He quickly ran into the house, grabbed a soaking wet towel to cover his nose, and then returned to continue stirring.

"Hey, what are you doing? It smells awful!"

Not long after, Li'er ran over from not far away, covering her nose, her eyes filled with anger. She was very displeased with the terrifying weapon Ning Chen had created so early in the morning.

"Li'er, come, come help me stir for a bit. Ge is about to break down," Ning Chen said, wasting no time in calling out to the little girl when he saw her.

"No," Li'er retreated, afraid of being roped into labor.

"You flat-chested, brainless little girl, when I'm done, you'll be begging me," Ning Chen declared, still unable to hide his sharp tongue despite being dizzy from the fumes.

"You... pervert!" Li'er looked at her own chest, her face red as she retorted angrily. However, out of curiosity, she didn't run away, wanting to see what Ning Chen was up to.

"It's foaming!" Ning Chen's spirits lifted when he saw white foam appear in the bowl. He didn't even care about his nose anymore. He took a few steps forward and stirred desperately with the wooden stick.

"Time to eat!"

At some point, Li'er had made a trip to the kitchen. When she returned and saw Ning Chen still toiling away, she called out softly from a distance.

"I'm busy! Bring me some over!" Ning Chen was fully engrossed in his work and couldn't leave, so he casually shouted.

"No way! Starve to death!" Li'er still remembered Ning Chen's sharp tongue from earlier and refused without hesitation.

After waiting for a while and seeing that Ning Chen still had no intention of eating, Li'er pouted and left in a huff.

About two ke (half an hour) later, Li'er, full from her meal, reluctantly returned with a bowl of food in her hand.

"Time to eat!" Li'er called out from a distance.

Ning Chen was busy and didn't notice.

"Time to eat!" Li'er called out again.

Ning Chen was still engrossed in his own work and didn't pay much attention.

Li'er's pretty face flushed with anger. Pinching her nose, she ran to Ning Chen's side, put the food down, and then shouted loudly into his ear:

"Dinner's ready!"

The little girl's voice was so loud it made Ning Chen jump, nearly knocking over the large bowl with the stick he was holding.

"Coming, coming," Ning Chen mumbled in response, continuing his work. This was a crucial moment; he couldn't leave.

"The food's going to get cold soon."

Seeing that Ning Chen still wasn't eating, Li'er pouted and said, "You eat, I'll stir this for you."

Ning Chen looked at Li'er in surprise. This little girl was just throwing a tantrum, how is she so agreeable now? But feeling his stomach rumble with hunger, he didn't think much of it. He handed her the wooden stick and instructed, "Be careful then, don't spill it."

"I know, you're so annoying!" Li'er took the stick, pinching her nose, and stirred diligently.

Ning Chen watched the little girl but didn't go far. He sat nearby and began to eat the still-warm food. Gradually, his eyes started to sting, and his mouth tasted salty.

"Why are you crying?" Li'er glanced over during a break, looking surprised.

"No, it's just the fumes," Ning Chen rubbed his eyes, forced a smile, and replied.

"Then why don't you sit farther away?"

"It's fine, I'm used to it."

As he ate the food in his bowl, Ning Chen felt a warmth spread through him. This little girl was incredibly kind. Even if she seemed a bit unruly, it was just a necessary disguise to protect herself.

"Alright, I'm full. My turn now."

Ning Chen quickly finished his meal. He stepped forward, took the wooden stick, and then pushed the little girl aside. "Li'er, take the bowl back for me. I'll show you something good when you return."

"Always bossing me around."

Li'er reluctantly took the bowl, looking back every few steps as she headed towards the kitchen. By now, she was truly curious about what Ning Chen was doing.

"Almost there." After a while longer, Ning Chen saw that the lard and plant ash in the large bowl had mostly reacted, and the unpleasant smell was gone. He felt much better; his luck wasn't bad.

"Is it ready?" Li'er asked, a hint of expectation in her voice.

"It is."

Ning Chen extinguished the fire and poured the semi-solid mixture into the layers of prepared waste cloth. He wrapped it tightly, then squeezed it hard, forcing any unreacted lard into the cloth.

Not long after, a white substance with a faint brownish tint solidified within the waste cloth. Ning Chen looked at the fruit of his labor, a wide grin on his face.

"What is that? It's so ugly," Li'er said, pouting in disappointment as she saw the long-awaited item.

Ning Chen's face reddened slightly. The color and shape weren't his strong suit; it really was a bit ugly.

"What do you know, little girl? This is good stuff. Come with me." To save face, Ning Chen decided to impress Li'er and establish his towering image.

Li'er followed Ning Chen into the room, half-believing, half-skeptical, wondering what trick he was playing.

"Li'er, hold out your hand," Ning Chen said with a mischievous smile that didn't bode well.

"What for?"

Li'er asked cautiously but obediently held out her hand.

"Hehe."

Ning Chen chuckled mischievously. In a few quick swipes, he smeared the lard from his own hands onto Li'er's, instantly turning the little girl's fair, pretty hands into dirty paws.

"Ah! What are you doing? Your hands are so dirty!" Li'er's face changed, and she quickly pulled her hands back, but it was too late.

"You're bullying me!"

Seeing her hands covered in grease, Li'er's eyes reddened, and she looked on the verge of tears. Her aggrieved expression was truly heartbreaking.

"Oh no, Li'er, don't cry! I was just playing a trick on you," Ning Chen said, flustered, apologizing and trying to comfort her awkwardly.

Li'er didn't make a sound, but tears streamed down her face, her delicate features filled with grievance.

"Li'er, be good, don't cry. How about I wash it off for you right now?" Ning Chen quickly led the little girl to the wooden basin and comforted her gently.

Li'er remained silent, continuing to weep quietly.

Ning Chen panicked. He quickly rubbed his own hands in the water, applied some soap, scrubbed them thoroughly, and then rinsed them clean in the water.

Without even bothering to grab a towel, Ning Chen wiped the water off on himself, then held his hands out in front of the little girl. "See? It's all washed off now, isn't it?"

Li'er was captivated by this magical sight and forgot to cry. She looked at Ning Chen's hands, then at the dirty water in the basin, her little mind unable to comprehend what had happened.

Seeing that the little girl was no longer crying, Ning Chen quickly poured out the water, replaced it with a basin of clean water, and brought it over. "Li'er, you try it too."

Li'er extended her hand into the water, half-believing, half-doubting. Then, just like Ning Chen, she applied soap, rubbed her hands, and rinsed them clean in the water.

"Come on, wipe the water on me," Ning Chen said with a smile, looking around for a towel but finding none.

Li'er's tears turned into a smile. With a slight pout, she truly wiped her little hands on his clothes to dry them.

Her dirty paws were gone, replaced by beautiful, fair hands. Li'er held out her hands, her smile vanishing as she pretended to still be angry. "This thing is mine."

A hint of pain flashed across Ning Chen's face. After a moment of internal struggle, he haggled, "Leave half for me."

Li'er remained silent, her small face still stiff, her hands not retracting.

"A third?"

"Then a quarter?"

In the end, Ning Chen didn't keep even a tiny bit, giving it all to Li'er. Watching the little girl happily skip away, he couldn't help but smile faintly, his pained expression vanishing.

He had originally made this Soap for Li'er. As for using it to make money, he hadn't even considered it. If he were to create some novel item that drew attention, and it happened to reach Grandson's ears, then he'd truly be tempting fate.

For the sake of his life, he still needed to remain low-key...

(P.S. After finishing writing, I took a stroll through the new book rankings and suddenly burst into tears. There are tigers in front and wolves behind, and they're all catching up faster than the last. To those of you with votes, don't hold them back anymore. This stuff won't lay eggs if you keep it too long—it'll just grow mold. Everyone, please click to recommend. Reading without voting will cause acne. Alright, enough idle chatter, Yanyu will continue writing! One more shout: Please collect!!)

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