Drinking Spirit Spring Water

[Yaoyao's Little Red Riding Hood: Yaoyao looks so pretty today! Her skin is amazing!]

[Snow Blows at the East Gate: Is this the Jade Pool's effect? I want a soak too!]

[Little Ke: What are you streaming today, Yaoyao? More games?]

Chen Siyao smiled and greeted them. "Morning, everyone! No games this morning, just some everyday stuff. Look, my brother's making breakfast!"

She turned the camera toward the kitchen.

In the livestream chat:

[I Am Ying Zheng: Holy shit! Celestial Master Chen is cooking! What a heavenly sight!]

[Yaoyao's Little Red Riding Hood: Even his back looks so handsome! I want to marry him!]

[Snow Blows at the East Gate: Celestial Master Chen can cook too? Is there anything he can't do?]

[Little Ke: Yaoyao, did you save the galaxy in your last life? How else did you get a brother like that?]

Chen Siyao grinned proudly. "Of course! My brother's the best!"

Chen Hao brought over fried eggs and congee. He paused when he saw the camera pointed at him.

"Livestreaming?"

Chen Siyao nodded. "Yeah, just everyday stuff. Sit down, bro. Don't mind the camera."

Chen Hao sat down and started eating breakfast.

In the livestream chat:

[Old Hand: Celestial Master Chen even looks handsome eating breakfast!]

[Yaoyao's Little Red Riding Hood: What's he eating? It looks so good!]

[Trust Your Turkey Bro: That congee looks special. It's got spiritual energy!]

[Another Dummy: Oh, give it a rest. You can see spiritual energy in someone's breakfast now?]

Chen Siyao ate and chatted with her viewers, keeping things relaxed and cheerful.

While they were eating, the doorbell rang.

Chen Siyao paused, then ran to open the door.

Song Xinxue stood outside, carrying a fruit basket.

"Xue?" Chen Siyao exclaimed in delight. "Come in!"

Song Xinxue walked in with a smile. When she saw Chen Hao at the dining table, her cheeks flushed slightly.

"Well... property management sends some fruit to welcome new residents." She held out the fruit basket.

Chen Siyao took it with a grin. "You're too kind, Xue. You were here yesterday, and now you're back again today."

Her words left Song Xinxue a little embarrassed. "It's part of my job. It's only right."

Chen Hao spoke up then. "Have you had breakfast?"

Song Xinxue blinked, then quickly waved her hands. "Yes, yes. Go ahead and eat."

But Chen Siyao was already pulling her toward the table. "Have a little more anyway! My brother makes amazing breakfasts! You tried his dinner yesterday, but you haven't tried his breakfast yet!"

Song Xinxue found herself pressed into a chair, a little at a loss.

Chen Hao ladled out a bowl of congee and handed it to her. "Try it."

Song Xinxue accepted it and took a small sip. Her eyes lit up again.

"It's delicious!"

Chen Siyao grinned proudly. "Right? Right? My brother's congee is nothing like the stuff you get elsewhere!"

Song Xinxue nodded and took a few more sips, warmth spreading through her whole body.

She sneaked a glance at Chen Hao and found him eating breakfast with his head lowered, his expression calm, as though she weren't even there.

She felt a little disappointed, but also a little relieved.

Disappointed because he didn't seem to treat her as anyone special.

Relieved because he treated everyone else the same way.

Watching their interaction from the side, Chen Siyao was laughing to herself.

The way Xue's looking at him couldn't be more obvious!

But she didn't point it out, only chatting about this and that.

After breakfast, Song Xinxue said goodbye and left.

Chen Siyao walked her to the elevator, then suddenly asked, "Xue, do you like my brother?"

Song Xinxue's face instantly turned bright red. "I—I don't..."

Chen Siyao watched her with a teasing smile. "Xue, you're blushing."

Song Xinxue opened her mouth, but no words came out.

Chen Siyao patted her shoulder. "If you like him, go for it. But I should tell you first: my brother already has someone in his heart."

Song Xinxue froze. "Someone?"

"Yes." Chen Siyao nodded. "Someone very important. He's waiting for that person to come back."

Song Xinxue fell silent for a while, then asked softly, "Will that person... come back?"

Chen Siyao shook her head. "I don't know. But no matter how long it takes, he'll keep waiting."

Song Xinxue fell silent again.

The elevator arrived. She stepped inside, then turned back and smiled at Chen Siyao. "Thank you for telling me."

The elevator doors closed.

Chen Siyao watched the changing floor numbers and sighed softly.

Xue's really nice. What a shame.

When she returned to the apartment, Chen Hao was clearing away the dishes.

Chen Siyao sidled up to him. "Bro, I talked Xue out of pursuing you."

Chen Hao glanced at her.

Chen Siyao explained, "I told her you already had someone in your heart, so she shouldn't get her hopes up."

Chen Hao said nothing and continued cleaning up.

Chen Siyao trailed after him. "Bro, do you think I did something wrong?"

Chen Hao stopped and turned to look at her. "No."

"Then why aren't you saying anything?"

"What should I say?"

Chen Siyao was stumped. After a moment's thought, she asked, "Bro, do you think Xue will give up?"

"I don't know," Chen Hao said calmly.

"Then what do you think about it?"

Chen Hao looked at her and was silent for a moment before speaking slowly. "Yaoyao, I've lived for over ten thousand years. I've seen too many people and been through too much. With some people, one glance tells me what's on their mind. But seeing through them doesn't mean I have to respond."

He paused, then continued, "She has her own path to walk, and I have mine. If she can let go of these feelings, that will be good for her. If she can't, time will help her let go."

Chen Siyao listened, lost in thought.

Suddenly, she felt a little sorry for Song Xinxue.

But she also knew her brother was right.

Some feelings were destined to stay hidden in the heart.

Some people were destined to be admired only from afar.

That afternoon, Chen Siyao curled up on the sofa to play games.

In the livestream chat, her viewers couldn't stop laughing at her Daji's 0-5-1 score:

[I Am Ying Zheng: Yaoyao, even my grandma could play better than you!]

[Little Expert: 0-5-1. Just what we'd expect from you!]

[You Can't Beat Me: Yaoyao, stop playing games. I'm begging you. Have mercy on your teammates.]

[King of the Dam: The enemy jungler's moved to tears. Yaoyao's handed them five kills.]

Chen Siyao retorted indignantly, "I'm feeding strategically! What do you know?"

Barely had she finished speaking when the enemy jungler solo-killed her again.

0-6-1.

The chat went wild with laughter.

Chen Siyao tossed her phone aside in frustration and hugged a cushion, wailing, "I'm done! I'm done! This game has it out for me!"

Moontrace ran over and nuzzled her with his head, as if trying to comfort her.

Chen Siyao picked him up and said to the camera, "Everyone, look at my son! Isn't he adorable? Isn't this better than gaming?"

[I Am Ying Zheng: Your son? You're calling a husky your son?]

[Yaoyao's Little Red Riding Hood: Yaoyao, you've got the family hierarchy all mixed up.]

[Snow Blows at the East Gate: Moontrace: I may not be human, but you're a real dog.]

Chen Siyao burst out laughing when she saw that comment. "Hahaha! 'You're not human, but you're a real dog!' Snow Blows at the East Gate, you really know how to comment!"

Moontrace stared at her in bewilderment.

Just then, Chen Hao came downstairs, holding a small jade vial.

"Bro, what's that?" Chen Siyao asked curiously.

Chen Hao handed her the jade vial. "Spirit Spring Water. Dilute it with water and drink it. One small sip a day."

Chen Siyao took it, opened it, and sniffed. A fresh fragrance wafted into her face.

"It smells so good! What does drinking it do?"

"It will keep strengthening your constitution," Chen Hao said calmly. "You've bathed in the Jade Pool once, but your body still needs gradual nourishment. Drinking this Spirit Spring Water for a month will improve the results."