"Um.. could you please stay on topic and tell me which thousand herbs I need to know about." He wanted to get this over with and start his preparation as soon as possible.
Abruptly she went back to her position and pouted "Senior brother, you are no fun. Why couldn't you just play along for a bit. It's not like you have to take the test tomorrow. You don't know how boring it gets here. If I don't have fun at the every opportunity that presents itself I'll die of boredom. Senior brother, do you want your pitiful junior sister to die?"
Looking at the now 'the world has forsaken me' face, Zhang Wuji was starting to get a headache. "Junior sister, I really need...." before he could finish the sentence, intense 'the universe has forsaken me' beam radiating from her face cut him off. He sighed.
'Just a few minutes won't matter. I guess I could talk a bit.'
"This is the Pill House, where all the pills the sect requires are refined. Why is it so deserted?" That's the only topic he could think of right then.
"All alchemists here are cooped up to meet the monthly quota or are trying to get better at refining pills in the pill refining rooms. Nobody else has anything to do with this place. I don't even understand why they need a reception and everything." She immediately went back to being her cheerful self.
"Aren't there people coming here to buy pills or something? Also without the reception people like me would be lost. Where else would I learn the details of the test?" He first wanted to get his problem solved.
"The monthly pills the alchemists have to supply are taken away by the Treasure Hall, any other orders are given as a mission at the Mission Hall and some special orders are privately discussed with the alchemists themselves. Nobody comes here. And whatever I do can be done by any random disciples. I am an apprentice! If you give me some alchemy related errand, it would make sense, but receptionist, are you crazy? I didn't study all that just to sit here all day and do nothing." In all her ranting, he couldn't see any useful information.
"I totally agree with you. You should talk about this with your superior. You do have a valid point. You didn't study all those thousand herbs in the first volume just to sit here and let all that knowledge go to waste. That's wasting precious resources."
"Absolutely! I did talk with him, he said one unrelated to alchemy cannot work in Pill House. I immediately said that it didn't make sense. The work had nothing to do with alchemy! We don't clean the premises do we? Same logic. But he just wouldn't listen. If I were just some normal apprentice, he would've given me some extra work to do just for questioning him." She crossed her arms and started cursing that guy's eighteen generations and how she would beat his ass when she gets the chance.
"You are not a normal apprentice?" He was now starting to get curious about this girl.
"Ofcourse not! If it weren't for my father wanting me to take the apprenticeship program and work my way up so as to not get spoiled and become an arrogant young lady, I wouldn't be here. I don't know where he gets these weird ideas from. If not for his insistence, I would've been improving my alchemy skills instead of wasting my time here. I might've become an alchemist by now. Hmph"
"Why waste time here sleeping? You could brush up on those thousand herbs in the fourth volume."
She gave him a look and continued "My Master is the best alchemist in the sect. If not for his cultivation being low he would've long become a grade four alchemist. Did you hear that? Grade 4. When that happens, even the royal family would be bending over backwards for his help. Ofcourse I'm not a normal apprentice." She said proudly, with her head up high.
"You are a direct disciple?!" 'What the hell are you doing at the reception desk?! What kind of a high level character did I come across? Could she be bluffing? It's better to play it safe and assume she is telling the truth.' He started to become a little nervous. Direct disciples had a greater status than core disciples. Only those personal disciples of Elders could be called a direct disciple. They were all very talented and had high statuses. And the sect's best alchemist would definitely be an Elder level character.
"Ofcourse I am." She replied with a smug smile.
"My dear junior sister, could you help out this senior brother of yours a little and get me into the apprenticeship program." He said with a fawning smile. 'How shameless! Sigh, I got no choice. It's better to try every path I see.'
"Senior brother, what is my name?" she asked with a smile.
'Crap! I screwed up! I was scared I'd miss the opportunity and panicked. It's good that she doesn't seem to be angry. I gotta salvage this somehow.'
"Right, I got too immersed in your narration and forgot to ask your name. My name is Zhang Wuji, what is junior sister called?" He asked with an apologetic smile.
She put on a magnanimous expression and said "Since you helped relieve my boredom, I'll let it pass this time. I'm Li Xiaomei, the most talented alchemist in the sect." She proudly introduced herself.
'You are not an alchemist yet though.'
"It is my pleasure to be of some use to you. If you want, I'll come everyday to keep you company." 'And I'll slowly build up trust and become a great alchemist with your Master's help.' He inwardly smiled evilly. Then as if convincing someone, 'I am not fooling a little girl. I'll keep her entertained in exchange for some help. That's all this is. Don't make it out as something evil.'
"Are you thinking of slowly building up trust and then through me get my Master's help to become an alchemist?" She narrowed her eyes and looked at him closely.
"Ofcourse not! How can you think like that junior sister? You are hurting your senior brother's fragile heart. I just wanted my junior sister to not lose her cheerful self to this boring job for which she clearly is overqualified for!" He knew this wouldn't work, but he had to try something.
"Senior brother, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you! It's just that the evil world has corrupted my heart. I can no longer see things without a skeptical outlook. Forgive this junior sister of yours." She exaggeratedly swung her arms before covering her face and making sobbing sounds.
"Um.. junior sister? You ok?"
"You ok?! That's all you could come up with? Senior brother you have a lot to learn. In this scene you should've said something like 'junior sister Mei, I understand. You are right to be skeptical about everything thing in the world. But, if there is one thing you can be sure of, it is that I'll never hurt you' or something like that. Also you need to do some exaggerated movements else it's no fun." She acted the whole thing out and gave suggestions with a lecturing tone.
'What is happening!'
"Junior sister, are we ok?" He asked with some expectation.
"Absolutely not." She said flatly.
"But why?!"
"Do you take me for a fool?"
"Ok I'm sorry about before. But seriously, you could have your entertainment and in exchange help me out with the apprenticeship and stuff."
"Oh? So you think I'm boring and you're doing me a favor by entertaining me, and I should return this favor?" Her eyes were now dangerously narrow.
"Ofcourse not! You are the most interesting person I have ever met in my life. I've never had more fun than what I'm having now." He was now sweating all over.
"Then don't you think you are the one who owes me?" She put her hands on her hip and looked him right in the eye.
"Junior sister, I give up. I'm sorry. I don't need any help. If you could please tell me the herbs I need to study about, I'll be on my way and prepare for the test." He was almost on the verge of tears by now.
"Senior brother, chill, I'm just messing with you. But I really can't help you with the apprenticeship. If I had such sway over my Master, I wouldn't be here at the reception desk. But I can help you prepare if you want. All you have to do in exchange is keep me company here during my shift and come with me to the theatre once a month." She burst out laughing before putting forward her offer.
"Theatre? What for?"
"Obviously to act. What did you think? I'll take you to a romantic play or something? Quit dreaming. Don't waste my time. Quick, what's it gonna be." She rolled her eyes and said impatiently.
"Act? Me? Not happening. And there is no way in a million years that I'm gonna sing." There was no way he could perform infront of a crowd. Moreover he didn't think he needed any help with studying.
"Who asked you to sing? I'm the most talented alchemist in the sect. You must have been a saint in your past life to get this opportunity. How foolish you have to be to not recognise that!" Irritation was written all over her face.
"I heard the theatre only does opera which needs you to sing." He still remembered the gambling den bouncer and wasn't gonna forget any time soon.
"Who told you that? They've clearly been misinformed. Also where'd you hear that? Are you interested in theatre?" Her eyes shined as if she had found a kindred spirit.
'If I don't have to sing, it shouldn't be too problematic. It's just acting. I'll get used to it slowly. And she is right about the opportunity. She has experienced the test and could give me some pointers. She does have good backing in the sect, and if she is really as talented as she says, I'll have a great alchemist friend. I don't see any negatives here.'
"Alright I agree."
"I can't believe it took you so long. Alchemy would be difficult with that head of yours. But no worries, now you have I, Li Xiaomei coaching you. Your future is set." She smiled confidently.
'I just hope I'm not massively ripped off, sigh.'