Did Yue Qingxin really have no sense of humor?
She genuinely felt utterly bewildered at this moment.
Was she, in a way, lifting a rock only to drop it on her own foot?
Yue Qingxin watched the changing expressions on Shen Xiaoyan's face, and seeing her look as if she'd been struck by lightning, she was inwardly ecstatic, though her own face remained devoid of emotion.
A while later, just as Yue Qingxin was about to break and laugh, Shen Xiaoyan spoke.
"Since older sister trusts me so much, then rest assured. I will definitely cultivate sister into a peerless master."
That night, Shen Xiaoyan lay in bed, Yue Qingxin's expression still flashing through her mind.
After she had said she would cultivate Yue Qingxin into a peerless master, Yue Qingxin's mind had been offline, her entire being dazed. She hadn't snapped out of it even after dinner.
Shen Xiaoyan had Huo Ying send Yue Qingxin back to her room and then closed her own door.
"What's so amusing? With her frail body that a gust of wind could topple, this cat wants to see how you'll cultivate her into a master."
A slightly mocking yet arrogant voice reached Shen Xiaoyan's ears. She turned her head and saw Luo Luo, who was curled up beside her, speaking.
Shen Xiaoyan's face broke into a smile, and she said gently to Luo Luo, "Isn't there still you? You'll surely find a way, right?"
Luo Luo haughtily turned its face away, "Why should this cat help you?"
Shen Xiaoyan, mimicking its gesture, slightly lifted her chin and said, "If you don't help, then don't. It'll just mean I'll have to break my word. At most, people will just say I'm incompetent and full of hot air. It's nothing much."
After speaking, Shen Xiaoyan innocently spread her hands, closed her eyes, and prepared to sleep.
Luo Luo, however, bristled. Calling its master incompetent was, in a way, calling it incompetent too. This was absolutely intolerable.
Therefore, the proud Luo Luo said, "First, have her slowly consume the immortal spring water to improve her physique, then train her stamina. As for anything else, you don't need to worry."
Shen Xiaoyan suppressed a smile, and her face showed sincerity as she asked, "How long will the training take?"
"Three months."
Shen Xiaoyan was surprised. Why would it take so long?
Luo Luo seemed to sense what she was thinking and continued, "If you can't persevere for three months, or if you don't meet the requirements after three months, this cat won't lift a finger."
After speaking, Luo Luo found a comfortable spot, curled up into a ball, and closed its eyes to sleep.
Less than two seconds after Luo Luo closed its eyes, Shen Xiaoyan heard its snoring.
Shen Xiaoyan, in both her past and present life, had always been utterly impressed by Luo Luo's ability to fall asleep instantly.
With a smile, Shen Xiaoyan turned off the light and lay down on the bed herself to sleep.
The next day, Shen Xiaoyan and Huo Si, along with Qu Shi, planted the seeds of Chinese medicinal herbs.
The varieties planted weren't many, all common medicinal herbs, about 30 types. They were all annual herbs. Although they wouldn't be of great use, they could at least earn some money.
Of course, these were only the ones on the surface. During her nap that day, Shen Xiaoyan entered her spatial dimension and took some seeds of each type of medicinal herb to plant within the dimension.
When she was taking the seeds, Shen Xiaoyan discovered that the oil paper packets of over ten types of seeds were not labeled. Forgetting to label them was impossible. The only reason was that the young apprentice also didn't know what kind of medicinal herbs they were.
Shen Xiaoyan looked at these over ten types of seeds and eventually planted them all. Regardless of what they were, she would plant them first. It wouldn't delay anything.
After planting the seeds and watering them, Shen Xiaoyan emerged from her spatial dimension.
Although she had been busy in the spatial dimension for a long time, not much time had passed outside. Shen Xiaoyan took off her outer clothes and lay on the kang bed to sleep.
Two more days passed. By April 30th, Shen Xiaoming didn't have class, so he told Shen Xiaoyan he wanted to go play in the mountains.
Shen Xiaoyan thought it had been a long time since she had been to the mountains, so it would be nice to go.
Thus, Shen Xiaoyan, Yue Qingxin, Shen Xiaoming, Huo Si, and Huo Cheng, five of them, went up the mountain together.
It was springtime, the sun was at its best, and the wildflowers on the mountain were in bloom. Even before reaching the mountain, they could see various colors of blooming wildflowers, with colorful butterflies dancing above the flower buds.
At times like these, Shen Xiaoyan was always happiest. She couldn't help but think that if she could live here forever, time not flowing, it would be the best.
However, such thoughts only flickered by. The world was full of countless beautiful landscapes, and she hadn't seen them all yet. How could she stop here?
The group entered the mountain, laughing and playing. As soon as they got on the mountain, Hua Diandian ran over, startling the Huo Si father and son, who were seeing it for the first time. It was only after Shen Xiaoyan and the others explained that the two of them calmed down a bit, but they still looked fearful and dared not get too close to Shen Xiaoyan and the others, only daring to follow behind.
At this time of year, there were no wild fruits to pick and eat on the mountain. All there were were various blooming flower buds, sprouting green leaves, and small animals coming out to frolic.
Shen Xiaoyan was in a good mood today, and Huo Si had also gone to town that morning to buy fresh meat. Therefore, she didn't want to hunt.
They stayed in the mountains until almost noon before returning the way they came.
Hua Diandian had already grown quite large, its body almost as big as its parents. It also loved running in the mountains even more, so it didn't follow Shen Xiaoyan and the others down the mountain. Only after seeing Shen Xiaoyan and the others off did it dash back into the depths of the mountain.
As soon as the group entered the house, they saw Qu Shi greeting them.
"Madam and young masters are back. Someone came looking for Madam this morning. Knowing you were not here, they left, saying they would come again in the afternoon."
"Do you know who it was?" Shen Xiaoyan asked.
"I asked. She said she was Madam's Aunt Pan," Qu Shi replied.
"Mm, I know. Next time she comes, don't let her leave. Just have her wait at home," Shen Xiaoyan instructed.
Qu Shi agreed, then said that dinner was ready and they could eat.
As soon as Shen Xiaoyan and the others finished eating, Madam Pan arrived with Wu Dagang.
Although Shen Xiaoming saw Wu Dagang every day at school, their relationship had become even better because of this. Upon seeing each other, they immediately went to Shen Xiaoming's room together.
Shen Xiaoyan instructed Huo Fen to bring tea and snacks, then invited Madam Pan to sit on the kang bed. She herself sat beside Yue Qingxin and said to Yue Qingxin, "This is Aunt Pan. She watched me grow up from a child and treated both Xiaoming and me very well."
Yue Qingxin smiled gently at Madam Pan and said, "Hello, Aunt."
Madam Pan had been sizing up Yue Qingxin the moment she entered. Now, seeing Yue Qingxin call her Aunt, she immediately said with a chuckle, "Oh, hello."
"I heard Aunt came this morning. Is there something wrong?" Shen Xiaoyan asked curiously.
"It's only been a short while since I last visited, and you already have a beauty and servants. I'm almost afraid to visit anymore," Madam Pan teased.