"My apologies, my fault," Lin Fan conceded helplessly.
"Mengyao, I'm heading back," Bai Jing said, ending her call and entering the medical hall.
"Xiaobai, is it serious?" Tian Mengyao stood up, her face etched with worry.
"Not very, at most a disciplinary action," Bai Jing said dismissively.
Tian Mengyao remained uneasy. "Should I ask my dad? Maybe he could..."
"No!" Bai Jing immediately shook her head. "Don't trouble Uncle. His position is a bit sensitive, and it's not a major issue anyway."
"That's it, I'm leaving." She let out a hearty laugh and turned to go.
"I'll see you out," Tian Mengyao followed her.
Bai Jing stopped at the doorway. She turned her head, her gaze sweeping past Tian Mengyao's shoulder to Lin Fan. "No matter what happens in the future, you're not allowed to bully Mengyao, understood?" As she spoke, she touched the pistol at her waist.
Lin Fan gave a wry smile. "How could I possibly bully her? She's more likely to bully me."
"Xiaobai, please don't be like this," Tian Mengyao pleaded, gently coaxing Bai Jing out of the medical hall.
A light rain was falling. "You should go back quickly. You might catch a cold if you get wet." Bai Jing cupped her hand over her head and hurried towards the jeep. She quickly opened the door, got into the driver's seat, turned on the headlights, and activated the wipers to clear the windshield. Then, she waved at Tian Mengyao. "Goodbye, you delicate thing."
"Sister Bai, thank you!" Tian Mengyao shouted from the rain, waving at the slowly backing vehicle.
Bai Jing smiled warmly. "Silly girl." She swiftly turned the jeep and drove through the curtain of rain onto the main road. Tian Mengyao stared blankly as the taillights gradually faded into the distance.
What is friendship? It's when someone is the first to stand up for you when you need it. Thinking of the years of rivalry with Bai Jing, and the times she deliberately said hurtful things to provoke her, Tian Mengyao couldn't help but shed tears of regret.
"She's gone, let's go back inside," Lin Fan said, taking off his jacket and draping it over Tian Mengyao.
"I might have gotten Xiaobai into serious trouble," Tian Mengyao sobbed, burying her face in his chest.
"It shouldn't be that bad. Didn't she say it was just a disciplinary action?" Lin Fan comforted her.
"She took out a large batch of weapons without authorization. The punishment definitely won't be light," Tian Mengyao choked out.
Lin Fan understood. If handled strictly by the book, the trouble would be significant. The stroke of luck was that he hadn't needed her help. Otherwise, if there were missing ammunition, it would be impossible to explain.
"Good fortune favors the brave. If... if she gets expelled, I'll support her for the rest of her life," Lin Fan said earnestly.
*Bang!* A soft fist landed heavily on Lin Fan's chest. Tian Mengyao looked up, glaring at him with reddened eyes. "What does Xiaobai's situation have to do with you? Do you need to support her?"
"I suspect you have ulterior motives!"
"Tell me, are you trying to get your hands on her?" Tian Mengyao's eyes narrowed fiercely as she grabbed Lin Fan's ear.
"I'm being framed!" Lin Fan cried out. "I can't help in other ways, so isn't it right for me to offer some financial compensation? After all, this happened because of me."
"Don't try to sidestep the issue. Many people have helped you, but you don't offer to support them!"
"I think you're incorrigible, daring to set your sights on Xiaobai!" Tian Mengyao yanked Lin Fan's ear with one hand and pinched his arm fiercely with the other.
"I'm innocent, truly innocent!"
"It was a slip of the tongue, you're overthinking things." Lin Fan spun in circles around his own ear, dodging her pinches. "Stop it, I forgot to tell you, I got a great treasure. Let me show you."
"What treasure?" Tian Mengyao paused, her curiosity piqued.
"Heh heh, it's amazing," Lin Fan said with a mysterious smile. "Your good life from now on depends on it." If the Tongtian Pot's abilities were truly as miraculous as Wang Xiaoli claimed, the medicinal herb planting base in Luofeng Village could be established rapidly. Tian Mengyao's dream would come true overnight, and it wouldn't be just empty talk.
"You... I'll show you a great treasure!" Tian Mengyao's face flushed crimson as she dragged Lin Fan back into the medical hall. How dare he joke with her like that? She had to teach him a lesson!
"Ouch, ouch, ouch, it really is a great treasure, let go..."
In the pitch-black night, a pair of yellowish-brown eyes were silently observing Lin Fan and Tian Mengyao. The sounds of squabbling and pleading from the medical hall were gradually drowned out by the patter of rain.
"Hmph!" Wang Xiaoli retracted her gaze and snorted. She glanced up at the dark, starless sky, and a strange feeling suddenly welled up within her.
Inside the medical hall.
"Got it, got it! Mengyao, I got it!" Lin Fan shook the Tongtian Pot, his voice filled with joy as he heard the sloshing sound inside.
"Let me see," Tian Mengyao extended her fair hand.
"Listen," Lin Fan handed her the Tongtian Pot. Tian Mengyao gripped the neck of the pot and shook it vigorously. Hearing the rushing sound within, her face lit up with delight.
"Xiaofan, is it really that miraculous?"
"That snake demon is cunning. You must not let her trick you."
"You just said you traded a priceless Chi Pearl for it, and I didn't even get to see what it looked like before you gave it away."
"What if the snake demon's power increases with the Chi Pearl, and she breaks free from the control of the蛊虫 (gu worm)? What then?" Tian Mengyao still felt that Lin Fan had made a bad deal. A mythical dragon! Even a Chi Dragon. Exchanging its inner core for such an ordinary-looking small wine pot felt like a loss to anyone.
"Don't worry. The蛊虫 (gu worm) can also absorb the energy of the Chi Pearl within her. It's impossible for her to break free in a short time." As he spoke, Lin Fan glanced around furtively.
"What are you looking for?" Tian Mengyao asked.
"I want to test the efficacy of the spirit liquid. If it's fake, I'll deal with her," Lin Fan said. He wouldn't be at ease without witnessing it himself.
"Wait for me a moment, I'll go get some seeds." Lin Fan quickly ran into a storage room on the west side. Various local specialties were piled high. Lin Fan grabbed a handful of green beans and a handful of peanuts as test subjects. The two of them went to the backyard.
"Xiaofan, let's do it here," Tian Mengyao pointed to an empty spot. "It's so dark, can it work?"
"Let's try it first." Lin Fan dug a hole and buried the seeds. He then suspended the Tongtian Pot above and slowly tilted it. Until the mouth of the pot was almost upside down, only one drop of green liquid fell with a *plop*, instantly dissolving in the rainwater, leaving no trace. Tian Mengyao crouched on the ground, looking at the accumulated water under the eaves, and said dejectedly, "It's probably diluted by the rainwater. It won't work anymore."
"You don't think so?" Lin Fan frowned deeply. Had he been tricked by the snake demon?