Careful! Someone's in Your House!

Seeing the pained look on Yu Bu'e's face, the old man smiled faintly.

"If you don't have the money, you can trade me the Meridian-Opening Pills hanging around your neck."

"Huh?" Yu Bu'e was a little surprised. Although the Meridian-Opening Pills hung around his neck, they were tucked inside his clothes, out of sight.

Besides, the clinic's strong medicinal smell would have masked their fragrance.

"Well, kid? A fair trade, wouldn't you say? I only want one," Elder Guan continued.

The girl with the oval face looked utterly curious.

She couldn't understand why anyone would hang Meridian-Opening Pills around his neck.

And her grandfather could refine as many Meridian-Opening Pills as he wanted. Why would they interest him?

"I'll pass, then. My Meridian-Opening Pills are worth quite a bit now." Yu Bu'e cleared his throat, took out his phone, and scanned the payment code.

Elder Guan asked in puzzlement, "Didn't you just say my prices were outrageous? You're still buying?"

"I trust Luo!" Yu Bu'e picked up the packet of herbs and grinned. "Thank you, Grandpa Guan."

The old man glanced at Luo Feixuan. Looking a little shy, she thanked him as well.

"Sorry for the trouble, Grandpa Guan."

The old man waved it off, his gaze still holding a trace of curiosity as he looked at Yu Bu'e.

"Grandpa Guan, what's wrong?" Luo Feixuan asked curiously.

The old man came back to himself and shook his head. "Nothing. It's late. You two should head home. It's time this old man went to bed, too."

"All right. Get some rest. I'll come visit again in a few days!"

"Feixuan, I'll walk you out!"

Guan Jinchu escorted Luo Feixuan and Yu Bu'e out of the courtyard. When she returned, her grandfather was still standing in the same spot, seemingly lost in thought. She couldn't help asking.

"Grandpa, what are you thinking about?"

The old man sat down again and looked at the long table before him.

"There's something strange about that boy's Spirit Meridian..."

"Huh?" Guan Jinchu's eyes widened. "Then why didn't you say so earlier? He and Feixuan seemed really close. If something's wrong, you should tell them!"

The old man glanced at her and smiled wryly. "It's not something I can fix. Besides, it may not necessarily be a bad thing... it's hard to explain."

The girl wanted to say more, but the old man suddenly frowned. "Guan Jinchu, have you forgotten what I always say?"

Guan Jinchu drooped her head. "Take payment, treat the patient, and stay out of their karma."

"Hmph. And don't go blabbing about it, understood? I don't want to get dragged into this." With that, the old man rose and left.

Outside the courtyard, Yu Bu'e stared at the packet of herbs in his hand, a little dazed.

"Is this really... worth a million?"

"Of course! Originally, I was going to take you to the Brilliant Star Pavilion. But this afternoon, I found out where Grandpa Guan was, so I hurried over here with you."

Understanding dawned on Yu Bu'e.

No wonder Luo Feixuan hadn't come to school during the day, only to rush over in the afternoon.

In the end, she'd done it all for him!

Luo Feixuan continued, "Countless people in Great Xia want Grandpa Guan to treat them. We were lucky this time."

Yu Bu'e nodded vigorously.

Then something suddenly occurred to Luo Feixuan, and she smiled. "I just didn't expect even Grandpa Guan to be interested in your Meridian-Opening Pills.

If word gets out, your Meridian-Opening Pills really could fetch an astronomical price!"

That remark alone showed how much weight Elder Guan's words carried, even among wealthy people like Luo Feixuan.

Luo Feixuan had intended to drive Yu Bu'e home, but just as she opened the car door, her phone rang.

After hanging up, her expression changed, and she gave Yu Bu'e an apologetic look.

"Sorry, I can't drive you home. There's something I need to take care of."

"It's fine. There's a subway station right at the end of the alley. Traffic's terrible here anyway, so the subway will be faster," Yu Bu'e said with a smile.

"Okay. I'll send the medicinal bath instructions to your phone later."

Luo Feixuan got into the car, then glanced at him again. "Let me know when you get home safely."

Yu Bu'e smiled and nodded.

Forty minutes later, Luo Feixuan returned to Villa No. 3 at Hao Ting.

She opened the door and changed her shoes. Seeing Chen Qiao on the sofa, she walked over without any expression.

She sat down, called Aunt Zhang over, and asked for a cup of coffee.

"Have you made up your mind?" she asked.

Chen Qiao glanced at her, put down his book, and took a sip of tea.

"Ten percent is too much."

Luo Feixuan looked displeased. "That's not what you said on the phone."

"It's business. Negotiation is part of it," Chen Qiao said calmly. "I think you must have known I couldn't possibly give you ten percent of the shares."

Luo Feixuan didn't deny it.

When she had asked for ten percent, she'd left him room to bargain.

"How about this? Three percent is the most I can give you," Chen Qiao said slowly.

Luo Feixuan said nothing, simply staring straight at him.

"Three percent is already a lot." Chen Qiao sighed and continued earnestly, "Besides, you're still in school. It wouldn't be appropriate for you to hold too many shares."

A strange feeling suddenly stirred inside Luo Feixuan.

She stared at Chen Qiao, as though trying to glean something from his face.

On the phone earlier, Chen Qiao had urged her to come home as soon as possible to discuss the shares. His attitude now was completely different.

After thinking it over carefully, she spoke again.

"Eight percent. That's my bottom line."

Chen Qiao shook his head.

"Eight percent of the shares for a single Meridian-Opening Pill? Feixuan, that's not worth it to me."

Luo Feixuan was growing impatient. "If you hadn't made up your mind, why did you call me back?"

"I just thought it had been a long time since we had a proper father-daughter chat," Chen Qiao said with a smile.

Luo Feixuan lightly tapped the glass in her hand and looked at Aunt Zhang.

"Aunt Zhang, get me some ice."

"Yes, miss."

Standing outside his front door, Yu Bu'e looked up at the card wedged inside the doorway. It hadn't moved.

He breathed a sigh of relief, turned the handle, and stepped inside.

It might have been overly cautious, but these were unusual times. There was nothing wrong with being careful.

He carefully set the packet of herbs on the table, then opened the refrigerator and looked inside.

"Damn, I forgot to buy groceries. Looks like I'll have to order takeout again..."

Suddenly, his gaze fell on the metal tin he'd also left on the table.

"I've still got those cookies. Wonder if they're any good."

He picked it up and was about to open it when the phone in his pocket rang.

At first, he thought Luo Feixuan was calling to check whether he'd arrived safely. He was a little surprised to see Tao Wenye's name on the screen.

"Big-headed Mosquito, what's up?" Yu Bu'e joked.

But Tao Wenye's voice on the other end was urgent.

"Bu'e, be careful! There might be someone in your house!"

Yu Bu'e froze. A sudden chill swept over him, and goosebumps rose on his arms.

"Thanks, but next time... please tell me sooner!"

In the metal cookie tin's reflection, he had already spotted a blurry figure behind him. As though their eyes had met, the person suddenly charged.

Yu Bu'e spun around, flinging his phone away as he raised the tin in both hands to shield himself. A dagger pierced straight through it!

"Hiss!"