Changes (2)

"Xiao Wu, let's go. Your Dragon Sister has just finished cooking, so we can eat now."

After the three had caught up for a while, Jiang Lin spoke at the right moment.

"Huh? Dragon Sister, you can cook too? I don't think I've ever tried your cooking before."

Surprise filled Xiao Wu's eyes as she looked at Little Dragon Girl.

"Ahem, I couldn't before, but I can now. It's all thanks to Jiang Lin. He taught me for a long time before I finally learned."

Little Dragon Girl smiled somewhat sheepishly, clearly remembering the disastrous dish she had made five years ago.

"Mm, if that's the case, then I'll have to give it a good try."

Anticipation appeared on Xiao Wu's face. Though she did not know how good Little Dragon Girl's cooking was, she had great confidence in Jiang Lin's skills. Since Jiang Lin had personally taught her, the food could not possibly be bad.

With that, Xiao Wu reached out to take Little Dragon Girl's hand and head forward, but Little Dragon Girl seemed to recall something and stopped.

"Xiao Wu, shouldn't those two elders behind you join us for a meal?"

"Huh? Elders? What elders?"

Xiao Wu was briefly confused, but she quickly realized what Little Dragon Girl meant, and her expression immediately grew tense.

"Dragon Sister noticed Da Ming and Er Ming? No, before coming here, I told Da Ming and Er Ming not to follow me. And I never sensed their auras along the way, so they must be hiding in the shadows."

"Even though Dragon Sister's strength has greatly improved over the past five years, there's no way she could have discovered Da Ming and Er Ming's true forms. Perhaps she only sensed their auras?"

After sorting through the cause and effect, Xiao Wu quietly let out a breath of relief, and a smile returned to her face.

"Dragon Sister, they aren't hungry. Besides, they already escorted me here, and they have urgent matters to return to."

Little Dragon Girl did not doubt Xiao Wu's words too much, and she followed Jiang Lin and Xiao Wu toward the wooden cabin.

"Wow, Jiang Lin, these flowers are so beautiful! Did you plant them?"

When they arrived before the cabin and saw the vast sea of flowers surrounding it, Xiao Wu's eyes brimmed with excitement and astonishment.

She then abandoned the other two and ran over, crouching down to admire the Deep Blue Starflowers before her, each one glowing with dreamlike blue light.

Seeing this, Jiang Lin chuckled and walked behind Xiao Wu, crouching down as well.

"I didn't plant these flowers. They're all Dragon Sister's work. Over the past five years, she spent a great deal of effort cultivating this whole sea of flowers."

"No, it's only because Jiang Lin helped me that I could raise these flowers so well."

Little Dragon Girl stepped forward. Her words were humble, but the pride in her eyes could not be concealed.

"By the way, Xiao Wu, are there any flowers you like? We can plant them together when we have time."

Hearing that, Xiao Wu, who had been unable to put down the flower in her hand, immediately became excited.

"Dragon Sister, do you mean it? I have some Star-Dream Rose seeds. Can we plant them right now?"

As she spoke, Xiao Wu took a delicate glass bottle from the small rabbit pouch at her waist. Inside were several silver-white seeds, each covered in star-like patterns.

"Star-Dream Roses?"

Jiang Lin carefully swept his gaze over those seeds, surprise appearing on his face.

Though he had never seen this flower in the original work, the dense spiritual energy radiating from the seeds' surfaces made it clear that they were an extremely precious type of spiritual flower.

"Xiao Wu, these seeds are so beautiful. Where did you get them?"

Little Dragon Girl took the glass bottle, her eyes full of fondness and curiosity.

Yet for some reason, Xiao Wu's mood fell at her question.

After a moment of silence, she slowly said, "Dragon Sister, my mother gave me these seeds before she passed away. I don't know where she got them either."

"Ah?"

"I'm so sorry, Xiao Wu. I didn't know—"

"It's all right, Dragon Sister. It's already in the past. Let's plant them together."

Xiao Wu interrupted Little Dragon Girl, poured the seeds into her palm, then divided them evenly into three portions and handed some to Jiang Lin and Little Dragon Girl.

"Mm, all right."

"Don't worry, Xiao Wu. I'll definitely raise these seeds well."

Little Dragon Girl's face was full of seriousness. This was the first promise she had ever made.

"Thank you, Dragon Sister. You're so kind."

A trace of emotion surfaced in Xiao Wu's eyes, but Jiang Lin soon leaned in as well, putting on a stern expression.

"Xiao Wu, you only say Dragon Sister is kind. Doesn't that mean I'm not? If you say that, I'm going to get jealous."

"Haha, Jiang Lin, you're kind too."

Xiao Wu was immediately amused, and all the gloom in her eyes dispersed.

Though it was midwinter, with Little Dragon Girl's Frost Dragon Soul, she could easily keep the wind and snow outside the flower beds.

In just over ten minutes, all the Star-Dream Rose seeds had been planted in a newly opened flower bed. Jiang Lin stood and lightly clapped his hands.

"All right, Dragon Sister, Xiao Wu, the seeds are all planted. Let's wash our hands and eat."

"Mm, all right. I'm getting a little hungry too."

A few minutes later, when they pushed open the door, a rich aroma of food rushed toward them.

"Wow, just smelling it is enough to make me swallow. Dragon Sister, it looks like your cooking really is amazing."

"Haha, it's not that good."

"Dragon Sister, don't be modest. I mean it. Even Jiang Lin can't compare to you when it comes to these dishes. This must be what they mean by the student surpassing the teacher."

"That's right, Dragon Sister. I told you long ago that your cooking tastes better than mine, but you never believed me. Now that Xiao Wu says so too, you should believe it, right?"

"No, maybe it's just because this is Xiao Wu's first time eating my cooking."

Hearing their praise, the smile on Little Dragon Girl's face grew even brighter. She was clearly immensely satisfied.

"All right, hurry up and eat."

After eating two large bowls of rice in a row, Xiao Wu lightly patted her belly, her face full of satisfaction.

Suddenly, she looked around the wooden cabin as if she had realized something, then slowly spoke.

"Huh, Dragon Sister, Jiang Lin, where is Sister Tian Yan? Why haven't I seen her at all?"

"Xiao Wu, after you left five years ago, Sister Tian Yan left as well because she had something to do. We haven't seen her again during these five years."

A trace of longing appeared on Little Dragon Girl's face. Although she had not spent much time with Tian Yan, Tian Yan had treated her very well during that brief period, so the two had always shared a good relationship.

Now that Tian Yan had been gone for five years, she truly missed her very much.

"Mm, is that so?"

"By the way, Jiang Lin, do you know where Sister Tian Yan went?"

Xiao Wu turned to look at Jiang Lin.

After remaining silent for a while, Jiang Lin slowly spoke.

"Mm, I don't know where Sister Tian Yan went either."

"But you don't need to worry, Xiao Wu. Sister Tian Yan is very strong. Even all of us together wouldn't be her match. The reason she hasn't returned yet is probably because she's busy with something important. Once she's finished, she should come back."