Two days later, Chen-Style Chinese Medicine Clinic.
Summer sunlight streamed through the clinic's glass windows, gilding the wooden floor. Lin Hai was practicing Tai Chi in the backyard. He had not been seriously injured to begin with, only suffering a few scrapes and cuts. A sweep of Life Force had quickly erased even the scars.
"Not bad, you've recovered well." Chen Bing approached with a teapot in hand. "What happened to you yesterday? When you came to the clinic in the morning, you looked completely drained. If I hadn't known you so well after all this time, I would've thought some female demon had sucked you dry."
Lin Hai finished his stance and gave a wry smile. "Master, listen to yourself. That was a special situation. You know what I'm capable of. I just ran into a minor problem in my cultivation. It's nothing serious."
"Cultivation isn't something that happens overnight. What are you in such a hurry for?" Chen Bing poured him a cup of medicinal tea. "Drink it. It'll replenish your qi and blood."
Lin Hai nodded repeatedly. Just as he took the teacup, the clinic's doorbell rang.
Lin Hai went to open the door and found Norman Osborn standing outside with Harry, followed by Peter and Gwen. Norman wore a casual suit today, and the usual gloominess had vanished from his face, replaced by a gentle smile.
"Mr. Lin." Norman solemnly extended his hand. "I came to thank you."
Lin Hai shook his hand. "How do you feel, Mr. Osborn?"
"Better than ever." Norman lightly touched his temple. "Not only has the hereditary disease been cured, but the migraines I've suffered from for years are gone as well. The Osborn Group's medical team calls it a miracle of medicine."
Harry eagerly cut in, "I used the Healing Potion too, and I'm basically fine now. Even if there are any aftereffects later, you can just do that to me again."
Norman affectionately ruffled his son's hair before turning to Lin Hai. "I owe you my life, and I nearly hurt innocent people because of my madness. If you ever need anything..."
"That's already enough." Lin Hai smiled. "Harry is an important friend to us. That's enough."
Gwen and Peter had already wandered into the clinic on their own. They were regulars by now and needed no welcome from Lin Hai. Peter leaned over the medicine cabinet, studying the various herbs. "These prescriptions are incredible! Angelica root paired with astragalus replenishes qi and blood, and then adding..."
Chen Bing laughed heartily and patted Peter on the shoulder. "Peter, you've got a good eye! Want to learn a thing or two about Chinese medicine?"
While everyone chatted and laughed, Norman pulled Lin Hai aside. "About those plants I saw that night..."
"Just a few little tricks." Lin Hai winked and joked.
Norman burst out laughing. "You kid, I didn't expect you to be so petty."
Lin Hai smiled as well, then answered seriously, "Would the Osborn Group be interested in investing in research on new environmentally friendly materials?"
Norman understood at once. "Of course. I've heard that certain plant fibers can be as strong as carbon nanotubes..."
After chatting briefly, Norman got up to leave. He had accomplished his purpose in coming to offer thanks today, and plenty of work still awaited him at the Osborn Group.
Afterward, the four friends held another tea party in the backyard of Chen Clinic. This time, the topic was their summer trip.
"So, have we decided where to go?" Gwen spread out a world map. "Paris? Tokyo? Or..."
"How about Missouri?" Lin Hai suddenly suggested.
Harry gave his friend a meaningful look. He could probably guess what Lin Hai was thinking, but he still said, "Missouri? Are you serious? What's there to do?"
Lin Hai took out the plan he had prepared in advance and introduced it to his friends, hoping to persuade the other three.
He felt that he needed to return to that forest from time to time. The energy contained within the flower bud Ego had left behind was like a sun, allowing him to continually draw energy from it. At the same time, experiencing that ancient, profound Life Force more often would also benefit him greatly.
When the four settled on Missouri as their summer travel destination, Peter wore an unusually bashful expression.
"Um... I wanted to ask... could we bring one more person? I mean, Gwen is the only girl traveling with the three of us guys, so there might be times when that's inconvenient. It would probably be better to have another girl come along."
Lin Hai, Gwen, and Harry exchanged glances, their lips curling upward as they shared knowing, meaningful smiles.
"Oh? Peter, who's this mysterious girl?" Harry teased, his eyes full of amusement.
Peter's face instantly flushed all the way to his ears. He stammered, "It's... it's Mary Jane. She's really nice, and it's not like you don't know her."
Of course, the three of them knew the girl Peter meant could only be Mary Jane, but they could not resist teasing him anyway. So when Gwen called Mary Jane and confirmed that she could join the trip, their laughter only grew louder.
Amid everyone's laughter and cheerful voices, the summer travel plan gained another new member.
Over the following days, everyone began preparing for the trip.
Lin Hai busied himself packing his backpack, preparing various plant seeds and medicines in case of emergencies. Harry handled hotel reservations and planned their route, ensuring every part of the trip was neatly arranged. Gwen carefully picked out clothes for the journey and packed several science magazines she had not finished reading. Peter was even more excited. He had a decent camera, and with the photography skills he had built up over time, he planned to capture beautiful memories for everyone during the trip.
At last, the day of departure arrived. The four met Mary Jane at the airport. She wore a light purple dress that paired beautifully with her burgundy hair, making her far more stunning than when she wore casual clothes at school.
After greeting one another, they boarded the plane to Missouri together. During the flight, they chatted and laughed, filled with anticipation for the journey ahead. Outside the window, the white clouds looked as soft as cotton candy, while sunlight streamed through them and fell across everyone's faces, as if foretelling that the trip would be full of wonderful memories.
"This private jet was a birthday present I got last year." Harry leaned back in a leather seat, swirling apple juice in a champagne glass. "But my father never let me use it alone until now."
Lin Hai looked through the porthole at the New York skyline shrinking below the clouds. This was his second time flying on a private jet, but its luxury still surprised him as someone who had crossed over from another world. The cabin was equipped with a panoramic skylight, leather massage seats, and a small movie theater.
"Seriously, Harry." Mary Jane sat beside Peter, her red hair tied into a neat ponytail. "Are you sure five high school students need this level of transportation?"
Peter immediately chimed in, "Actually, from an aerodynamic perspective, private jets are more efficient than commercial flights because they can fly in a straight line, and..."
"Peter." Gwen looked up from her science magazine. "Mary Jane is just expressing how overwhelmed she is. She isn't questioning the principles of flight."
Lin Hai noticed that Peter's ears had turned red. Ever since Mary Jane agreed to join the trip, Peter had been in a state of both excitement and nervousness, like an energetic husky.
The flight attendants brought over an exquisite lunch. Harry raised his glass. "To summer vacation! To a holiday with no accidents, no finals, and no laboratory emergencies!"
"To summer vacation!" everyone said, clinking glasses.
Lin Hai's glass lightly touched Gwen's. The blonde girl wore a light blue shirt today, making her eyes look like seawater beneath a clear sky. When their gazes met, Gwen quickly looked away, pretending to be deeply interested in the clouds outside.
After several hours of flying, the plane finally landed at the Missouri airport. As they stepped outside, fresh air rushed toward them. Everyone took a deep breath, taking in the unique atmosphere of this land.
A modified luxury RV was already waiting on the tarmac—clearly another one of Harry's arrangements.
"It has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a small kitchen," Harry introduced. "More than enough for the five of us to travel comfortably."
Peter circled the RV once. "This was modified from a Ford F-53 chassis and has a 6.8-liter V10 engine. Theoretically..."
"Get in, Mr. Encyclopedia." Mary Jane smiled and pulled open the door.
Lin Hai volunteered to drive the first stretch. While helping load the luggage, he quietly checked the special equipment in his backpack: several packets of seeds treated with Life Force, along with the topographic map he had obtained last time, marked with the location of Ego's Flower Bud.
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