Playing matchmaker (1)

She smacked her lips and rolled over. Damn, she was exhausted.

After three days and nights without sleep, Dongfang Minghui had practically needed toothpicks to prop her eyelids open. Despite his plump build, the dean had not stopped treating Nan Fei for even a moment.

Something wet followed her as she turned over, refusing to leave her alone.

Smack.

The whole world fell silent.

A smile curled Dongfang Minghui's lips. Now she could finally get some decent sleep.

The little creature she had knocked over lay on its back, kicking all four legs. Its rather square body kept it from turning itself over for quite some time.

Kick, kick, kick.

It accidentally kicked the blanket, tangling its hind legs in the bedding. Using that leverage, it finally flipped itself over. Hehehe. It continued crawling toward Dongfang Minghui's face.

The little creature climbed onto her face and licked her, moving from her nose to her mouth.

Smack.

Dongfang Minghui sent it flying with a slap.

In her dream, a huge wolfhound chased her. As she ran, it suddenly leaped onto her, pinned her beneath it, and licked her over and over.

Good heavens, the dream nearly scared Dongfang Minghui out of her wits.

Suddenly, she felt something heavy pressing down on her chest. Unable to roll over, she moved her fingers and forced herself awake.

The moment she opened her eyes, she saw a wet little tongue licking her chin.

"Holy shit!"

Startled, she rolled straight off the bed, taking the little creature and the bedding down with her.

"Mommy, Mommy."

Dongfang Minghui watched a rather ugly little thing scamper toward her on four short legs, a tiny, undeveloped tuft of a tail behind it. Halfway over, its legs tangled in the bedding and it took a spectacular tumble.

Could this thing be that Giant Egg?

To confirm her guess, she immediately sent her consciousness into the Spatial Ring. Bottles and jars lay toppled everywhere. The Giant Egg was nowhere to be seen; only broken eggshells and a little unidentified sticky liquid remained on the ground.

"Why do you look so strange?" Dongfang Minghui picked it up and weighed it in her hands. Good grief, it certainly lived up to having been raised in her Spirit Liquid. It was heavy, with real heft.

It was just a little ugly, Dongfang Minghui lamented.

"Mommy, Mommy."

Dongfang Minghui pried its mouth open and looked inside. There were a few tiny tooth buds, probably because it had yet to grow up. "Toothless."

"Mommy, Mommy."

The little beast responded enthusiastically, sealing its unfortunate name.

"Since you're so happy, I'll call you Toothless from now on."

Toothless had hatched, but Dongfang Minghui had no idea what it was. After thinking for a moment, she decided her brain was not working properly, probably because she had not slept enough.

"Come on, let's keep sleeping."

Without a care, Dongfang Minghui hugged Toothless and rolled back onto the bed. She pinned it with one arm and held it with the other, then went right back to dreaming.

Toothless struggled briefly, found it could not escape, and fell fast asleep in the same position.

Yong Xing brought Nan Fei back to Dongfang Minghui's courtyard, where Nan Nan could care for him nearby. Naturally, she did not forget the immense kindness the Dongfang sisters had shown them. She told Nan Fei about her decision and received his wholehearted support.

Dongfang Wanyu emerged from seclusion and opened her door to find Nan Nan lingering outside her Ninth Sister's room with a tray of food. "What's going on?"

"Well, I made a few dishes and wanted her to try them."

Dongfang Wanyu approached the door, listened, and smiled. "She's still asleep. Give those to me. I'll take them in later."

Nan Nan hesitated. "She seems to have been sleeping for almost three days. Could something be wrong?"

Three days?

"She's fine. Go back and look after your brother. Leave this to me."

"All right."

Dongfang Wanyu pushed the door open. Inside, she found her sprawled across the bed, clothes in disarray and half the bedding on the floor. Another roll toward the edge would probably send her straight onto the ground.

They had shared a bed before, but seeing her sleeping posture and prowess all over again left Dongfang Wanyu unsure whether to laugh or cry.

She was just about to move her farther into the bed.

A little creature wriggled and squirmed until its head emerged from behind her back. It opened its mouth at Dongfang Wanyu, baring its gums in a fierce display.

Dongfang Wanyu froze. She had only been in seclusion for a short while, not even a month. Where had this little thing come from?

She picked it up by the scruff. Toothless kicked wildly, but all its efforts failed to free it. It simply opened its mouth and bit the finger Dongfang Wanyu extended toward it. Unfortunately, it had no teeth, so its bite did not hurt at all.

"That's probably the Giant Egg you found in the Dongfang Family's forbidden grounds," Qing Mo said in her Soul Sea.

Dongfang Wanyu was surprised. "We tried everything before and couldn't hatch it. How did Ninth Sister manage it?"

The mention of Dongfang Minghui irritated Qing Mo so much that he simply refused to answer.

"Mommy, Mommy, there's a big meanie! Help—" Toothless's whimpering cries made Dongfang Minghui's head throb. Her eyes suddenly flew open. "Toothless."

Toothless covered its mouth with both front paws.

"So its name is Toothless." Dongfang Wanyu gave a cool smile.

The Female Lead's sudden appearance in her room startled Dongfang Minghui, driving away every trace of sleepiness. "Seventh Sister, why are you here?"

Dongfang Wanyu tossed Toothless straight into her arms. "Nan Nan said you'd slept for three days. I came to see how much longer you intended to sleep."

All those promises about cultivation meant nothing in the face of sleep.

Dongfang Minghui laughed awkwardly and hurriedly fastened her clothes. "You know, Seventh Sister, when Brother Nan was having his legs treated, I didn't get a single good night's sleep for three whole days, so—"

"His legs are healed?"

"Yes." Dongfang Minghui immediately realized The Female Lead was asking about Nan Fei. Did that mean they liked each other?

"The dean said Brother Nan needs several months of proper rest, at least three. To make it easier for the dean to check his recovery whenever he wants, I suggested that Nan Nan and her brother not rush back to the Alchemy Department." Dongfang Minghui grew a little excited.

Three months. What feelings couldn't blossom in three months?

Hehehe, I'm a genius.

Dongfang Wanyu did not care in the slightest how long Nan Nan and her brother stayed here. Puzzled, she asked, "Ninth Sister, are you very happy?"

"Yes, of course I'm happy."

Dongfang Minghui answered without thinking. This way, she would no longer be the villain who stole The Female Lead's man, and none of that retribution would befall her.

So next, she had to do everything possible to bring The Female Lead and Nan Fei together. Once The Female Lead had an outlet for her feelings, she would stop being so moody all the time, Dongfang Minghui secretly thought.

Dongfang Wanyu's expression remained unchanged, but her eyes darkened.

"You like Nan Nan and her brother that much?" There was a hint of danger in Dongfang Wanyu's voice.

But the person busy imagining her future failed to notice entirely. The corners of her mouth kept rising. "Well, not exactly."

She did not care what happened to those siblings at all. She only cared that once The Female Lead fell in love with all the men in her harem, she would no longer have the energy to bother with her.

Then she could go wherever she wanted and live as freely as she pleased.

Lalalala, the future is wonderful.

Dongfang Wanyu gave her a sinister look. "Weren't you clamoring to set up a stall before? Have you chosen a location?"

Dongfang Minghui looked utterly blank. She had been so busy after returning that she had forgotten that important matter.

"Too busy to remember?"

For some reason, she felt The Female Lead seemed a little displeased.

"I asked the Dean before. He said I could do as I pleased." Dongfang Minghui certainly would not admit that she had agreed to a small condition in exchange before the Chubby Old Man allowed her to set up a stall.

"That's all right. I'll take you to look around this afternoon."

The Royal Academy did not regulate such matters strictly. Many students hunted for treasures while out gaining experience, then sold their finds or traded them for things they wanted after returning. Some did this privately, while others displayed their treasures openly on stalls.

Since this concerned her future income, Dongfang Minghui naturally followed The Female Lead.

They looked around and found a stall run by someone from the Alchemy Department at the junction between the Comprehensive Institute and the Medicine Department, selling medicinal elixirs. There was only one vendor.

"Let's take a look."

Dongfang Wanyu took her over to the stall and crouched down. A few ordinary Foundation Stabilizing Pills, Tempering Pills, Marrow-Cleansing Pills, and other such elixirs were scattered across it.

Dongfang Minghui pointed at a Marrow-Cleansing Pill. "How many Spirit Stones does this cost?"

Without a word, the vendor held up five fingers.

Five Spirit Stones. Dongfang Minghui glanced back at The Female Lead, wondering whether that was expensive or cheap.

"Thank you. I'll take this." Dongfang Wanyu transferred five Spirit Stones to him using her jade token, then pulled Dongfang Minghui aside. "They're selling elixirs right outside the Medicine Department, clearly trying to take customers who come here seeking medicine. You sell pills. Although alchemy and potion-making are fundamentally different, your pills have qualities somewhat similar to their elixirs. To avoid disputes, let's look at the North Campus."

Dongfang Minghui did not mind, as long as she did not have to get out of the Royal Academy.

However, the Royal Academy was truly enormous. They walked for two hours and were only halfway there. Dongfang Minghui could not help wondering whether going out to run a stall every day would count as exercise.

"Ninth Sister, what are you thinking?"

Dongfang Wanyu had been watching her all along. One moment she was grinning, the next she was frowning. Her emotions changed so quickly that Dongfang Wanyu could not catch hold of them.

"I'm thinking that if I go out to run a stall every day, the time I waste traveling would be enough to make several more jars of pills."

"Why would we run a stall every day? At first, we can try coming once every three days. Once we've built a reputation, we can decide how often to come."

Dongfang Minghui gazed at The Female Lead in admiration. While she was still worrying about how tiring the walk was, The Female Lead had already devised a long-term plan to publicize their brand. What a terrifying mind.

"This is the Royal Academy's famous Lovers’ Garden. Many couples come here when they have time. We'll set up our pill stall around here." After surveying the area, Dongfang Wanyu settled on a spot at a crossroads.

Dongfang Minghui was bewildered. She was not selling products for couples. Why come all the way to a place overflowing with sweetness? To torment Single Dogs?

"But, Seventh Sister, why are we here?"

Dongfang Wanyu glanced at her and only said, "I'll show you something entertaining in a moment."

Something entertaining?

Before she could understand, The Female Lead took a beast hide from her storage space and spread it on the ground. Then she took numerous bottles and jars from her ring, each labeled with the name of its pills.

"Seventh Sister, aren't these the pills I gave you?"

Dongfang Minghui hurriedly pushed the bottles and jars back into Dongfang Wanyu's hands. "What I gave you belongs to you. You can't sell it. Don't worry, I have plenty."

She kept digging through her storage space, setting out more than twenty bottles.

Dongfang Minghui pulled The Female Lead down to crouch beside her. Blinking as she watched couples passing back and forth in front of them, she whispered, "Seventh Sister, should we call out to attract customers?"

Dongfang Wanyu smiled and shook her head.

Dongfang Minghui was completely at a loss, unable to guess what The Female Lead was planning.

They did not have to wait long. Soon, a young woman hurried through Lovers’ Garden with an injured man, anxiety written all over her face. After passing them, she turned back and addressed Dongfang Wanyu and Dongfang Minghui. "Hey, are you selling elixirs? Hurry and give me a Blood-Stopping Pill."

The young woman was impatient and especially loud. The man beside her was injured, blood streaming from his abdomen and spotting the ground. It looked quite serious. Her shout drew people over in twos and threes, gathering around them.

Dongfang Minghui stared blankly. What's going on? Did The Female Lead arrange this?

"What are you standing there for? Go help."

"Right, right."

Dongfang Minghui hopped over the stall and had the young woman lay him on the ground. She examined the place he was clutching. Besides blood, there was an icy chill. "Was he wounded by Ice Type Spiritual Power?"

No wonder he had lost so much blood. At first, the wound had been sealed by ice, but as time passed and the ice melted, the wound could no longer remain hidden.

"Yes, you have a good eye. My younger brother just fought an Ice Type Spirit Master and fell for one of his tricks. That's how he got hurt. Do you have an elixir that can heal his wound?"

Dongfang Minghui was regretting not wearing her potionist robes. Every mention of elixirs and Blood-Stopping Pills dealt her another devastating blow.

"Don't distract me."

The young woman immediately took the hint and shut her mouth, crouching obediently nearby. Watching Dongfang Minghui press here and feel there only made her more anxious.

"Seventh Sister, I think there's something strange about his wound. Can you help me remove whatever Ice Type residue is inside?" Dongfang Minghui was wondering how to reach into the wound and get it out. Should she use her hands? Or something else? She had brought all her pills, but none of her medical tools.

Dongfang Wanyu instantly understood. Crouching down, she used a little Spiritual Power and easily drew a sharp Ice Spikes shard out of his abdomen. Once removed, it crumbled, with bits of flesh still clinging to it. The sight was gruesome. "You only need to use Spiritual Power to draw them out. Once we're back, I'll teach you how."

"All right."

Dongfang Minghui quickly took out a porcelain bottle, crushed a pill, and sprinkled it over the gaping wound. However, the wound was so large that she had to crush five pills before she finished.

The bleeding soon stopped. Lying on the ground surrounded by onlookers, the man gave a puzzled exclamation. "Sis, it doesn't seem to hurt as much anymore."

The young woman's eyes widened. When they left the Dueling Arena, her brother had complained of agonizing abdominal cramps. Only after touching his stomach had he discovered the bleeding. Every step brought excruciating pain, and the blood flowed faster and faster. That was what had led to the alarming scene of her supporting him moments earlier.

"Ladies, how much do your elixirs cost?"

Dongfang Minghui's face nearly darkened completely. "I'm a potionist. These are pills, not elixirs."

Dongfang Wanyu, on the other hand, explained patiently. "My Ninth Sister made all these pills herself. They retain spiritual energy very well, and even the dean of the Medicine Department has approved of them. If you trust us, you can buy a bottle to keep on hand for emergencies."

Having mistaken their profession, the siblings felt a little embarrassed. The young woman grabbed the porcelain bottle in Dongfang Minghui's hand. "Name your price. My brother looks much better than before. Whether they're elixirs or pills, anything that stops bleeding this quickly is good medicine."

Dongfang Minghui looked at Dongfang Wanyu. As a potionist who rarely left the Medicine Department, she did not really know what Spirit Stones were used for, much less what a single one could buy.

Dongfang Wanyu thought for a moment. "Three Spirit Stones per pill. Your brother used five just now, so that will be fifteen Spirit Stones."

Wow, that price seemed rather high. Fifteen Spirit Stones could buy a lavish meal of Spirit Food at the academy. Even so, most people could not bear to spend that much on a meal.

"Doesn't that girl who's speaking look familiar?"

"Wait, let me think. I'm sure I've seen her."

Seeing everyone talking and pointing at them, Dongfang Minghui edged closer to The Female Lead, then closer still. "Seventh Sister, have they recognized you?"

After staying indoors for so long, she had nearly forgotten The Female Lead's assessment before entering the inner academy. Goodness, would they have to pack up and flee in a moment?

The siblings were also whispering to each other. The man held his abdomen. The bleeding had stopped, and the culprit inside had been removed. He pointed at Dongfang Wanyu. "I remember her. She's the one who led us against those senior students."

His sister asked with concern, "Are you sure these pills work well? If they really do, we'll buy the remaining five too."

"Ladies, we'll take these pills. Thirty Spirit Stones."

Dongfang Wanyu nudged Dongfang Minghui. Her Jade Token had been given to her by the Chubby Old Man. Besides recording her Spirit Stone balance, it identified her as a Junior Potionist. Unlike the Comprehensive Institute's tokens, hers bore the emblem of a medicinal herb.

"All right, thank you." Dongfang Minghui felt that coming out with The Female Lead had really broadened her horizons.

"Is she Qian Wanyu, the girl who made a name for herself in one battle?" the young woman asked quietly while swiping her Jade Token.

Dongfang Minghui glanced back at The Female Lead and nodded with a smile. "Yes. Keep it a secret."

"Ah, I remember now! It's Qian Wanyu!"

A sudden cry from the crowd instantly focused everyone's attention on Dongfang Wanyu. Dongfang Minghui could not help pressing a hand to her forehead.

Seeing everyone excitedly surge toward them without restraint, Dongfang Wanyu released her Spiritual Power to hold them back. "We're here today to sell potions and pills. The young woman beside me is a potionist approved by the dean of the Medicine Department. If you're feeling unwell, you can ask her to examine you."

After taking first place, Dongfang Wanyu had seemingly vanished from the Royal Academy. Everyone speculated that she had gone into seclusion to prepare for a push into the top thirty of the Wind and Cloud Rankings.

But none of the rumors circulating outside were as startling as seeing her in person—selling medicine.

"Junior Sister Qian, are these pills really as good as you say?" Someone picked up a porcelain bottle, opened it, and sniffed. The pills were not as smooth and round as elixirs, and they came in all sorts of colors. They looked strange enough to make people uneasy.

"Of course," Dongfang Wanyu assured them without the slightest doubt.

What happened next took Dongfang Minghui completely by surprise. That single, casual assurance was enough for every porcelain bottle she had just laid out to be snapped up.

And The Female Lead's prices were anything but cheap: each porcelain bottle cost around twenty-five to thirty Spirit Stones. The balance on Dongfang Minghui's Jade Token shot upward. Within two hours, the stall was empty.

"Seventh Sister, your name really does work wonders." Dongfang Minghui grinned foolishly. On her first day running a stall, she had earned over five hundred Spirit Stones thanks to The Female Lead's protagonist halo.

Seeing her smile like a little fox, Dongfang Wanyu gently rubbed her head. "We did pretty well today. Let's go."

Dongfang Minghui beamed all the way back. Suddenly curious, she asked, "Seventh Sister, that brother and sister weren't shills you hired, were they?"

Dongfang Wanyu asked with a perfectly straight face, "What's a shill?"

"Someone you deliberately hire to put on an act."

"No, they weren't shills."

"Then how did they just happen to pass through Lovers’ Garden?"

"There's a large Martial Arena beside Lovers’ Garden. A lot of people who enjoy fighting like to go there and challenge senior disciples at higher levels. If they win, they receive Spirit Stones accordingly. It's a good way to earn Spirit Stones."

Dongfang Minghui couldn't help applauding The Female Lead. "Seventh Sister, have you been to the Martial Arena?"

Dongfang Wanyu glanced at her. "Wouldn't you know better than anyone whether I've been there?"

"..."

Dongfang Minghui scratched her head sheepishly. Ever since The Female Lead had moved into the courtyard, she seemed to spend most of her time in secluded cultivation or accompanying her to Death Valley. Thinking about it, the two of them had hardly been apart.

Did that mean I've made my presence felt enough? It looks like The Female Lead has forgotten what happened before.

Dongfang Minghui's mind began racing again.

After returning to the courtyard, Dongfang Minghui saw Nan Nan watering the medicinal plants. She walked over and snatched the bucket from her hands. "Um, Nan Nan, this is my job. You can't steal it from me."

Nan Nan stamped her foot. "Minghui, you saved my brother and me. Let me do something for you."

"Do you still consider me a friend? If you do, make us a nice meal."

She promptly sent Nan Nan off, then crouched alone in front of the medicinal plants. "Have you had enough water?"

The medicinal plants immediately waved their leaves joyfully. "No more, no more!"

Dongfang Minghui set the bucket aside, loosened their soil, and checked them for any discomfort, taking care of every problem she found.

"Has your little companion woken up yet?" Love Blossom still refused to give up. Seeing how Dongfang Minghui treated these medicinal plants only made Love Blossom more resentful.

It felt like watching a pig ruin a perfectly good cabbage.

"Not yet. Love Blossom, you spend every day tucked away in this corner where the sunlight can't reach you. Shall I move you so you can enjoy the sunshine here?"

Love Blossom could actually move without help, but since she was being so thoughtful, there was naturally no reason to refuse. "All right. Just half an hour."

Upon seeing her, Blue Star Dream immediately extended a branch, wrapped it around her wrist, and nuzzled her affectionately twice. "Huihui, I want to bask in the sun too."

"Huh?"

Dongfang Minghui covered her face. "Blue Star Dream, you're too big. I can't move you."

Moving that tree just once had thrown heaven and earth into upheaval. She felt exhausted just thinking about it.

Dongfang Wanyu sat on the stone stool the entire time, watching her tend to one plant after another. She certainly looked busy, but she was enjoying herself and completely ignoring Dongfang Wanyu's presence.

"I really do need to keep her close and watch her."

The afternoon passed, and Nan Nan prepared a whole table of dishes that looked, smelled, and tasted wonderful. Dongfang Wanyu noticed something after a single glance.

"This meal must have cost quite a bit."

Every dish contained some spiritual energy. It was a whole table of Spirit Food.

Dongfang Minghui paid no attention to that. She took a bite and smiled contentedly. "I never knew fish could be eaten like this."

The fish core was an energy core imbued with water spiritual power. One bite felt like a stream of sweet spring water flowing down her throat and straight into her stomach.

"Nan Nan, you must have put a lot of thought into this meal. But what about Brother Nan? Have you brought him anything to eat?" Dongfang Minghui asked between bites.

Nan Nan smiled. "Not yet. My brother said he can't eat these things for now."

Dongfang Minghui nodded. "Right, he can only eat light food at the moment. You haven't made his dinner yet, have you?"

"No. Why don't I go make it now? By the time we finish eating, his food should be ready."

"No, leave that to me. I'm a pharmacist, so I know better what he can and can't eat."

A brilliant idea suddenly struck her. Dongfang Minghui hastily shoveled down a mouthful of food, took another couple of bites, and ran off.

"Hey, Minghui!" Nan Nan didn't even have time to stop her.

Dongfang Wanyu quietly watched her retreating figure. Suddenly, the delicious food before her seemed hard to swallow.

"Nan Nan, sit down and eat. Since we're friends, there's no need to stand on ceremony. Ninth Sister is right. She's a pharmacist, so she must know best what Brother Nan should eat."

Dongfang Wanyu ate her meal distractedly.

She had just put down her chopsticks when she saw that little figure rushing over, pinching her earlobes as she ran.

"Seventh Sister, have you finished eating?"

"Yes."

"Come with me for a moment."

Dongfang Minghui took her hand and dragged her into the kitchen. She placed a bowl of porridge on a tray and handed it to Dongfang Wanyu.

"Seventh Sister, sorry for the trouble, but could you take this to Brother Nan Fei's room?"

Dongfang Wanyu froze, but accepted it anyway. "You cooked this for him?"

"Yes. Brother Nan Fei still needs to rest while his injuries heal, so he can only have a little of this for now. I added a small amount of medicinal herbs, but it should be fine."

"You added medicinal herbs?" And she had cooked it herself.

Dongfang Wanyu walked out of the kitchen with an urge to overturn the bowl of porridge. In the end, she held herself back. She wasn't so petty that she would take issue with a bowl of porridge.

"Miss Wanyu." Nan Fei still couldn't get out of bed. His entire range of movement was confined to that one bed; he was either lying down or sitting up.

He leaned quietly against the head of the bed, reading for a while by the light from outside.

When he looked up, he saw Dongfang Wanyu standing nearby with a bowl of steaming porridge.

Dongfang Wanyu placed the porridge on the table. Seeing that he couldn't move, she personally brought the bowl over to him. "The porridge is a little hot. There are some medicinal herbs in it that should help your recovery."

Nan Fei sniffed it and smiled. His already gentle face became especially appealing when he smiled. "Miss Wanyu, please thank Minghui for me."

Minghui. He says her name so familiarly.

Did something happen during my secluded cultivation that I don't know about?

Dongfang Wanyu narrowed her eyes. "I'll pass that along."

Dongfang Minghui hid outside, peeking in. How can The Female Lead be so clueless? I've created such a perfect opportunity for her. Why can't she go over and feed Brother Nan his porridge herself?

Then, with both of them interested, bam! They'd hit it off.

"Minghui, what are you looking at?"

Nan Nan nearly scared Dongfang Minghui to death. She gestured for silence. "Shh, I'm watching Seventh Sister and Brother Nan."

Wanyu and my brother?

Dongfang Wanyu watched him finish the bowl of porridge at a leisurely pace. Taking it from him, she said, "Get some rest. I'll come see you another day."

Seeing that The Female Lead was about to come out, Dongfang Minghui immediately pulled Nan Nan into the kitchen. "Ahem, Nan Nan, what do you think of my Seventh Sister?"

"Wanyu is wonderful."

Dongfang Minghui nodded inwardly. Since you think she's wonderful, she can be your sister-in-law. Then we'll all be one family.

Dongfang Wanyu carried the bowl into the kitchen, her face expressionless. "All right, take your time chatting. I'm going to cultivate."

Don't think I didn't sense Ninth Sister outside the door just now. What exactly is she trying to do?

Once The Female Lead left, Dongfang Minghui secretly patted her chest. "Seventh Sister is so wonderful. Wouldn't it be great if she got together with Brother Nan Fei?"

"Huh?" Nan Nan cried in disbelief. "You mean Wanyu and my brother?"

Nan Nan imagined it for a moment, then immediately waved her hands. "That won't work. Minghui, so this is what you've been planning! My brother doesn't like women like that. Don't waste your effort."

Dongfang Minghui ignored her objections. Brother Nan was clearly a warm, caring man, just the person to thaw Seventh Sister's icy heart.

She was doing him a favor.

Early the next morning, after finishing all her chores, Dongfang Minghui slipped into Nan Fei's room.

"Brother Nan, want to go out for a stroll?" Dongfang Minghui gave him a conspiratorial wink.

Nan Fei was already bored from being cooped up in his room, so he was naturally pleased by the suggestion. "Sure, but if Nan Nan finds out, she'll definitely nag me."

As though performing a magic trick, Dongfang Minghui pulled his old wheelchair in from outside. Using her Spiritual Power to support him, she helped him into it.

"Don't worry. I'm a pharmacist. Someone in your condition shouldn't stay in his room all the time. You need to get some fresh air and sunshine now and then. If she nags you, tell her I said so."

Nan Fei smiled and nodded. He quite liked being around Dongfang Minghui. Her aura felt gentle, and he was happy to draw closer to her.

"You've taken very good care of this little courtyard," Nan Fei couldn't help praising her.

He had been here for quite some time, often looking out at these medicinal plants and the tree whose name he didn't know. Although he wasn't a wood-element Spirit Master, he could sense dense spiritual energy lingering within this little space.

Dongfang Minghui was overjoyed by his praise. "Of course! I'll take you to see the other parts of the Medicine Department."

Nan Fei hesitated. "Didn't the dean order us to stay near the courtyard and not go anywhere else?"

Dongfang Minghui thought that the dean had been guarding against people from the Alchemy Department. Besides, he hadn't known anything about them then, whereas she knew Nan Nan and Nan Fei's backgrounds.

"It's fine. The Dean became enemies with the Alchemy Department's dean when they were young. That's no small matter at the Royal Academy; everyone knows about it. He wasn't targeting you back then. He was targeting the Alchemy Department behind Nan Nan."

She had learned this while gossiping with Yong Xing. No wonder the Chubby Old Man had refused to budge when he heard Nan Fei was in the Alchemy Department. Apparently, he had sworn never to set foot there for the rest of his life.

She had wondered why the two departments were always at each other's throats. It turned out that their leaders were responsible for this bad habit.

The Alchemy Department looked down on the Medicine Department, yet no one could shake the Medicine Department's standing at the Royal Academy. The result was the bizarre situation in which neither department could stand the other.

A smile lingered on Nan Fei's lips as he listened to her chatter away.

When Dongfang Minghui emerged from cultivation, she saw Nan Nan sitting in the courtyard, staring into space. "Why are you sitting here? Aren't you going to take care of your brother?"

Nan Nan smiled brightly. "He doesn't need me right now. Minghui took my brother out for a stroll."

Dongfang Wanyu's expression turned cold at that.

"Wanyu, what's wrong? Is something the matter?" Nan Nan was adept at reading expressions and immediately noticed that Wanyu seemed unhappy.

Could it really be like Minghui said? Does Wanyu like my brother?

Dongfang Wanyu glanced at her and softened her voice. "Didn't the Dean say your brother should stay in bed and rest for a month?"

Nan Nan secretly breathed a sigh of relief. So that was why. She had thought...

"I just asked the Dean. He said going out for a little stroll would benefit him physically and mentally, so it's fine," Nan Nan explained with a smile.

Dongfang Wanyu nodded. "I'll go check on them."

Nan Nan followed her. "I'll come with you."

"Do you really like these medicinal plants?" Nan Fei asked curiously.

Dongfang Minghui nodded. "They're all adorable little sprites. See, nobody can do without them. Whenever someone needs them, they'll give everything they have without hesitation."

Plants understood sacrifice and devotion, but people did not. For treasures and anything else they wanted, people would stop at nothing.

It was the first time he had heard anyone describe medicinal plants as little sprites, but thinking about it that way, the description seemed fitting.

"Did you know? The Passion Flower Seed I brought back from Death Valley was one of the fruits of Love Blossom's centuries of effort."

Dongfang Minghui didn't know whether she felt regret or something else. She simply felt that plants had difficult lives too, especially those that couldn't even speak.

Fortunately, she could understand what they were thinking.

Nan Fei gazed at her gently, not knowing what he could say to repay her for saving his life.

When Dongfang Wanyu arrived, she saw him gazing tenderly at Dongfang Minghui, who was collecting morning dew in the Medicine Garden.

"Brother."

Hearing Nan Nan's voice, Dongfang Minghui turned and saw them. She couldn't help raising the porcelain bottle in her hand. It held freshly collected morning dew, one of the finest medicinal ingredients for making porridge.

She had grown accustomed to waking at a regular time and collecting morning dew with everyone. The little ones in her courtyard would even shake the dew from their bodies especially for her to gather early in the morning.

"Seventh Sister, could you take Brother Nan Fei back? I need to talk to Nan Nan about something." Dongfang Minghui winked at Nan Nan.

Dongfang Wanyu silently wheeled Nan Fei back, saying nothing along the way until she asked, "What did Ninth Sister tell you?"

Nan Fei smiled. "She told me a lot of interesting things about the Medicine Department."

"Such as?"

Nan Fei hadn't expected her to press the matter. He thought for a moment. "Nothing particularly important, really. She wheeled me around White Angelica Garden, then happily went to collect morning dew. I noticed that she likes talking to these medicinal plants. She must be very fond of them."

Dongfang Wanyu said nothing more along the way. "Rest well and leave as soon as possible."

Nan Fei was taken aback, then answered with a smile, "I'll do my best to get back on my feet. We've caused you so much trouble during our stay. Truly."

Trouble hardly begins to cover it.

Thinking of how Dongfang Minghui had accidentally fallen to the bottom of the cliff for the Passion Flower Seed, Dongfang Wanyu didn't want to see either of these siblings at all.

Yet—