After ending his conversation with his father, Wan Yunting returned to his room and sat cross-legged on the bed. He took out the pill refined by Daoist Zhang Yansong. Opening the wooden box, he saw a pill about the size of a thumb, black and emitting a faint medicinal fragrance, which immediately invigorated his spirit and brought a sense of ease.
Wan Yunting merely inhaled its scent and could tell that fifty-six kinds of medicinal herbs were used to refine this pill. Without hesitation, he swallowed it and began circulating his internal energy to refine the medicinal properties. In less than twenty minutes, Wan Yunting clearly felt a warm current emanating from his abdomen…
It was like drinking a cup of warm water, around fifty to sixty degrees Celsius, on an empty stomach in the morning, making his stomach feel pleasantly warm. As the pill’s potency circulated throughout his meridians and acupoints with Wan Yunting’s internal energy, it entered his internal organs through the blood vessels, beginning to nourish his injured organs…
This process continued until seven in the evening. When Wan Yunting stopped his cultivation and opened his eyes, his entire body was covered in sweat, his skin was rosy and glowing, and the feeling of颓廢 (tuífèi - decadence/dejection) he had felt for the past few days had vanished at this moment. His sharp, bright gaze indicated that his internal injuries and hidden ailments had significantly improved.
However, this was merely an improvement, not a complete recovery of his injured internal organs. Because the internal injuries he sustained this time were too severe, it was evident how potent Daoist Zhang Yansong's pill was, to have brought about such a turnaround.
“Feeling better?”
Fang Yanxi, who had returned from work earlier and knew he was cultivating and healing in his room, had not disturbed him. Only when Wan Yunting came out after showering and changing his clothes, sitting with his sister Ouyang Fanmeng, did Fang Yanxi rise. Her gaze upon the man was filled with undisguised concern and worry.
“I’m fine, much better.”
Wan Yunting smiled and shook his head, also looking at his sister. “Have you eaten?”
“Brother, we ate long ago. I’ll have someone bring your dinner right away.” Ouyang Fanmeng smiled and turned to leave, calling for a servant to bring the evening meal…
Wan Yunting pulled Fang Yanxi to continue sitting in the leisure pavilion in the courtyard and asked with a smile, “How is it? Is the company busy lately?”
“How could it not be busy?”
Fang Yanxi also noticed that the man seemed to be in much better spirits, which eased her heart. She said, “The Southeast Asian market has a great impact on our Chaoting Group now. Especially several financial groups from the United States, they have also been intentionally suppressing our stock market these past couple of days!”
“Oh.”
Wan Yunting poured himself some tea, took a sip, and asked with a smile, “Is it serious?”
Fang Yanxi shook her head. “That depends on the subsequent developments, but Wenhao has already started operating. The situation should be stabilized!”
Wan Yunting nodded, knowing that behind this was undoubtedly the machinations of Che Taimin from Country H. He smiled and said, “Don’t worry, Jiang Wenhao is more capable than you in this regard!”
This remark made Fang Yanxi cast a charming glance at him, saying, “But he was still taught by you, wasn’t he?”
“Please don’t.”
Wan Yunting smiled, shook his head, and waved his hands. “Although I led Wenhao into the financial field back then, his current achievements are due to his personal efforts and rich experience. Even if I were to enter the financial industry now to compete with him, I dare say Wenhao would leave me in the dust.”
Fang Yanxi laughed and said, “Weren’t you quite confident before? Why are you so self-aware now?”
Wan Yunting laughed. “Our pursuits are in different fields, so naturally, one must know oneself. Isn’t this my consistent character?”
“Hmph, you say it so nicely.”
Fang Yanxi gave him a speechless, huge eye-roll, but she understood his meaning. “I heard from your father that you’re going to Wuliang Daoist Temple for a period of time in a few days?”
Wan Yunting nodded, turned to look at her, and smiled. “Your man’s kung fu isn’t powerful enough yet. I have to go into seclusion in the mountains for a month!”
Fang Yanxi gazed at him intently. How could she not know the immense pressure Wan Yunting had been under recently? She understood even more that his current determination and ambition were solely to protect those around him, which made her feel distressed. “Yunting, I’m sorry…”
Wan Yunting’s expression froze. He looked at Fang Yanxi, whose face was full of self-reproach, took her hand, and smiled. “What, do you feel like you’re dragging me down?”
“Mmm.” Fang Yanxi did have that feeling.
It wasn’t just about the man almost not returning from abroad a while ago, but it was much earlier, during the several dangerous situations Fang Yanxi had encountered. Seeing the man disregard his own life to protect her, Fang Yanxi sometimes felt utterly useless.
Therefore, since she took over as the Executive President of Chaoting Group, she had been working tirelessly, day and night, rarely allowing herself to stop and rest, all in order to catch up to the man’s pace, establish her own standing in the business world, and be able to help him.
Although Fang Yanxi was already very capable now, compared to Jiang Wenhao and the others, she was still a level below!
Now, she also knew that the man was pursuing traditional Chinese medicine and martial arts, but she had absolutely no talent in either of these fields.
Because Wan Yunting also wanted to teach Fang Yanxi martial arts, and had even practiced the Dualless Yin-Yang cultivation method with her, but Fang Yanxi, lacking talent, could never grasp its fundamental principles. In the end, she had to give up.
“Silly girl, what are you thinking about?”
Wan Yunting gently stroked her hair, looking at Fang Yanxi with affectionate eyes, and smiled. “It’s I who should apologize. I’ve made you worry and fear by my side. But don’t blame me for being chauvinistic; in this matter, I have to bear it alone.”
“So, you just focus on your work, but don’t overexert yourself, and be careful not to harm the fetus.”
Fang Yanxi batted away Wan Yunting’s hand reaching towards her belly and said coquettishly, “What era is this? Still talking about male chauvinism? Are we women inferior to you men?”
“Yes, yes, yes…”
Wan Yunting quickly agreed with her in a low voice and a laugh. At this moment, his sister Ouyang Fanmeng personally brought over a tray. “Brother, it’s time to eat.”
“Why did you bring it yourself? Let me…”
Seeing his sister personally bringing him food, Wan Yunting quickly went to take it and set it down. But looking at Ouyang Fanmeng’s smiling face and her eager demeanor, he knew she must have some ulterior motive. Wan Yunting smiled and said, “Go on, tell me, do you need a favor from me?”
“Hehe, you’re so wise, Brother.”
Ouyang Fanmeng handed him chopsticks, smiling adorably. “I want to go to work with Sister Yanxi. What do you think?”
Just as Wan Yunting took a bite of rice, he was startled by her words and turned to look at her. Fang Yanxi next to him smiled and said, “Fanmeng has been begging me all afternoon to go to the company and be my secretary. She’s come to get your permission.”
“Yes, yes, yes, Brother, please agree to it…”
Ouyang Fanmeng tugged at Wan Yunting’s arm and acted spoiled. He couldn’t even eat anymore. He said, “It’s not that, Fanmeng. You’re fine, so why do you suddenly want to go to work? Besides, we don’t lack someone to work in the family.”
“We don’t lack, but I want to work too.”
Ouyang Fanmeng pouted her small mouth and said, “I was sick for so long, and I was confined to the house every day. Now that I’m recovered, of course, I want to live like a normal person.”
“That’s true.”
Wan Yunting continued eating, thinking her words made sense, but he was still a bit puzzled. “You can work if you want to, but there’s no need for you to go to work with your Sister Yanxi and be her secretary, right?”
Ouyang Fanmeng glanced at Fang Yanxi and said, “I think it’s great. I can learn something from Sister Yanxi.”
Wan Yunting glanced at Fang Yanxi beside him, then leaned in and whispered to his sister, “You don’t know, being Sister Yanxi’s secretary is very tiring. She’s known as the ‘Cold-faced She-devil’ at the company!”
*Slap!*
Fang Yanxi coldly slapped the table with her small hand and said angrily, “Wan Yunting, do you still want to eat?”
“Yes, yes…”
Seeing the woman getting angry, Wan Yunting quickly tried to appease her with a fawning smile. However, Ouyang Fanmeng beside them couldn’t help but cover her mouth and laugh. “Sister Yanxi, I didn’t realize you had such a nickname.”
Fang Yanxi said helplessly and dejectedly, “It must be that girl Xiao Qi giving me nicknames randomly at the company.”
As a result, Wan Yunting, still on the brink of death, dared to test the waters again. “Actually, it’s quite fitting that they gave you this nickname. You’re like that anyway.”
“Tsk, believe it or not, I’ll have you lying in bed drinking medicine again?”
Fang Yanxi glared at this guy angrily. Now that he was healed, he was starting to court disaster.
“No, I don’t want to be Wu Dalang.”
Wan Yunting quickly shook his head and waved his hands. Fang Yanxi then rolled her eyes at him speechlessly, while Ouyang Fanmeng was almost dying of laughter. “Brother, Sister Yanxi, your conversation is so interesting.”
Fang Yanxi complained, “It’s mainly because your brother has a dirty mouth. As soon as he’s a little better, he starts to court disaster non-stop. He’s just asking for a scolding.”
Wan Yunting continued eating with a smile and then asked his younger sister, “Do Mom and Dad know about you going to work at the company?”
“Of course, they know.”
Ouyang Fanmeng nodded happily and said, “Mom and Dad both support me, but Dad just asked me to come and ask you and Sister Yanxi. You have to agree first.”
Wan Yunting ate a mouthful of vegetables and said indifferently, “As long as you’re not afraid of working hard under this cold-faced she-devil, I don’t mind.”
Ouyang Fanmeng’s big eyes sparkled with excitement. “Brother, so you agree?”
“Mhm.”
Wan Yunting nodded and smiled. The girl happily shook his arm. Fang Yanxi, watching this loving scene between the siblings, showed a gratified smile…
A moment later, their parents also came over. Seeing that Wan Yunting had agreed to let Ouyang Fanmeng go to work with Fang Yanxi, Xia Xiangyun was overjoyed and instructed the girl to study hard under Fang Yanxi when she went out…
The family chatted and laughed while drinking tea in the courtyard for over an hour. Wan Yunting checked the time; it was past nine in the evening. Since he had to go discuss some matters with Gu Yuanbai, he got up and went into the room, bidding farewell to Fang Yanxi, who had just finished showering…
The woman’s indifferent eyes saw through everything. She nodded without saying anything, tacitly allowing him not to return that night. Wan Yunting, understanding her unspoken consent, kissed her on the cheek before heading out…