Seven Treasure City, Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Ning Fengzhi sat behind the rosewood desk in his study, holding a letter in his hand. The letter was from Ning Rongrong and had just arrived today; the housekeeper had delivered it immediately.
The letter was short, but neatly written. Ning Fengzhi unfolded it and read it from beginning to end.
The conversation began with greetings, followed by updates on recent events. However, in the latter half, the tone shifted abruptly, and the speaker inquired about the possibility of purchasing a batch of pills from the Godwind Academy's Pill Pavilion through the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect School's connections.
Attached to the letter was a list detailing the names and quantities of the pills.
Ning Fengzhi pulled the list out separately and looked at it twice.
Ten Meridian-Warming Pill. Ten Soul-Fortifying Pill. Three Martial Soul Strength-Enhancing Pills. Two Martial Soul Flexibility-Enhancing Pills. Two Speed-Enhancing Pills. Two Food System Quality-Enhancing Pills. The last line of the list reads: Two Origin-Returning Flaw-Mending Pill.
The Origin-Returning Flaw-Mending Pill. This name was mentioned in a public statement issued by the Nine Heart Begonia Clan —it was this pill that lifted the Martial Soul curse that had plagued their family for thousands of years.
One stone for Ma Hongjun, the boy with the Evil Fire Phoenix Martial Soul —he understands. Rongrong is kind-hearted, so it's not surprising she wants to help her classmates. But two stones—among the Shrek Seven Devils, only Ma Hongjun's Martial Soul is flawed. Who's the other one for?
He had a vague idea in his mind, but he didn't rush to make a judgment. He laid the list flat on the table and re-examined the contents of the entire letter.
This list is so comprehensive that it doesn't seem like a letter written on a whim by a teenage girl.
Rongrong never makes lists when writing letters home; she writes whatever comes to mind, and sometimes she even draws a little flower on the edge of the letter while she's writing.
The list before us is well-organized and precisely categorized, with the name and quantity of each elixir matching specific needs and individuals.
This wasn't Rongrong's idea; someone else "organized" it for her.
Ning Fengzhi put down the letter, picked up his teacup, but didn't drink. There was only one person in the entire Shrek Academy who could list these needs so precisely and get Rongrong to obediently write them into the letter.
That person was quite shrewd. They didn't write their own name at all, but added an extra item inconspicuously at the end of the list. By using the student's name, they hid their own needs among a bunch of legitimate ones, without anyone noticing.
Ning Fengzhi sneered, folded the letter, and put it back on the table.
He put down his teacup and called the butler.
"Send someone to the Shrek Academy and bring Rongrong back. Tell them there's something urgent at the sect."
Ning Rongrong arrived home that evening. When she pushed open the door to the study, Ning Fengzhi was standing by the window looking at the crabapple tree in the yard. Hearing footsteps, he turned around with a smile on his face.
"Dad, why did you call me back in such a hurry? What's the matter?" Ning Rongrong walked quickly, her forehead still damp with sweat.
"It's nothing serious." Ning Fengzhi for her to sit down and poured her a cup of tea. "I just missed you. Your Grandpa Sword and Grandpa Bone have been talking about it for days, saying that once the little girl went to the academy, she didn't want to come home."
Ning Rongrong picked up her teacup, took a sip, and couldn't help but smile. "Oh dear, I just saw Grandpa Sword when I went to the Godwind Academy. It hasn't been that long since he left. But I really haven't seen Grandpa Bone in a long time. I miss him terribly." As she spoke, she started looking around, trying to see if Grandpa Bone was there.
Ning Fengzhi sat down opposite her, reached out to block her view, and shook his head with a smile, "Don't bother looking, your Grandpa Bone is at the martial arts arena, we'll go see him later. Let's have a chat, father and daughter."
He paused, chatted casually with his daughter about college matters for a few moments, then picked up the letter from the table and asked about it in a casual tone, as if it were a trivial matter.
" Rongrong, did you write this letter?"
Ning Rongrong glanced at the letter and nodded.
"Did you make the list yourself?"
Ning Rongrong opened her mouth, but didn't answer immediately. Her fingers, holding the teacup, tightened slightly, and her gaze shifted from the letter to her knees. The study was quiet for a moment.
"It was... my teacher who helped me organize it." Ning Rongrong lowered her head. "The teacher said that everyone has areas that need improvement, and if we can connect with the Pill Pavilion through the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect School, it will greatly help the overall strength of the academy."
Ning Fengzhi remained silent.
He looked at his daughter's downcast eyes and her slightly tightening fingers. Her voice grew softer and softer, the last few words almost indistinct.
Rongrong was in a dilemma—she knew the weight of this letter, but she wrote it anyway. Because the teacher had spoken, because her classmates were all expecting it, and because she didn't want to disappoint them.
In that instant, Ning Fengzhi understood everything.
That person's way of doing things was more skillful than he had imagined—he didn't show up himself, didn't write letters, didn't ask for favors, and didn't take any responsibility.
Instead, they gathered the students in the conference room and used the gaze of others to create pressure, making Rongrong take the initiative to stand up and be the one to take the lead.
From beginning to end, he acted as if he had nothing to do with the matter, only considering the students' future, and completely absolved himself of any responsibility.
Ning Fengzhi his teacup, took a sip, and swallowed the words that were about to come out. He didn't show it in front of his daughter.
As a father, I shouldn't let my daughter see my dissatisfaction with her teacher. Besides, Rongrong is still studying at that college, and she needs to learn to face and handle these things on her own.
"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore." Ning Fengzhi folded the letter and put it back on the table, stood up, and ruffled his daughter's hair.
"Your Grandpa Sword is waiting for you at the training ground. He said he learned a new sword technique and wants you to see it. Grandpa Bone is also there. The two old men have been talking about you for days. Go and keep them company."
Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up, and she put down her teacup and ran towards the martial arts arena. Reaching the entrance, she turned back and asked, "Father, about the pills—"
"I'll handle it." Ning Fengzhi smiled. "You just need to keep the two grandfathers company and catch up with them."
Ning Rongrong breathed a sigh of relief, turned around, and ran away. Her footsteps gradually disappeared at the end of the corridor.
Ning Fengzhi stood by the window, the smile on his face slowly fading. Outside the window, the crabapple tree in the courtyard swayed gently in the night breeze.
He stood there for a long time, until night had completely enveloped the courtyard, before turning around and walking to his desk to pick up the list again.
Meridian-Warming Pill, Soul-Fortifying Pill, Origin-Returning Flaw-Mending Pill —each name was written neatly, but it wasn't something Rongrong wrote willingly.
There are some things a father has to shield his daughter from.
He put down the list and said something to the door.
"Prepare the car. We're heading to the Godwind Academy first thing tomorrow morning."