"Welcome, welcome!" Meisha embraced Jia warmly. "I have been waiting for you."
The red-haired woman shifted her gaze towards Xinran, whose vibrant presence captivated Meisha for a moment. "Skipping school for an early arrival?" she inquired with a playful tone.
Xinran's smile heightened her allure as she responded in a friendly manner, nodding, "My Master has granted me permission."
Jia interjected, shedding light on the reason behind Xinran's allowance. "No practice today, just theoretical education."
Meisha, with a chuckle, acknowledged the importance of practical learning. "Can't afford to miss the hands-on experience, right?" Laughter echoed among the group. "Well, we've got plenty of time to share stories inside. Come on in!"
"Excuse me," Jia whispered as she entered the modest house, followed by the tanned-haired woman.
Zhihao, reunited with Xinran, remained silent, a hint of nervousness apparent as the woman approached. "How's your shop, Zhihao? Busy with customers?" she inquired.
Attempting to compose himself, Zhihao replied with a chuckle, "I guess so, especially since our Fever Potion keeps running out. Can't decide if I should thank the weather for that."
Xinran chuckled at his amusing remark. "Yeah, one of my friends caught a fever because of the weather too," she shared, then furrowed her brows, remembering something. "Did she come here? I sent my regards to you."
Zhihao pondered for a moment, attempting to recall the customer. "Does she have curled black hair? If I'm not mistaken, her name is Ranshi or..."
Xinran exclaimed, "Yes, that's correct! That's her! She told me elixirs at other alchemists didn't work, so I suggested she come here."
Zhihao gasped, a smile appearing on his face. "Thank you for promoting this place," he expressed, bowing his head. "It benefits us a lot."
Xinran, keeping her beautiful eyes on Zhihao, broke into a wide smile. "Since I'll be staying here," she murmured with a blushed face, "can I watch you concoct potions up close?"
Shocked, Zhihao lifted his head toward the flustered Xinran, avoiding eye contact. Her soft and almost inaudible whisper reached him, "If it doesn't bother you."
The man was momentarily silent, not due to uncertainty but because Xinran's current demeanor was too cute, leaving him astounded. "N-No, of course not! We could make some concoction together if you want!"
"Really?" Xinran's brown eyes widened, twinkling with enthusiasm and cheerfulness as she leaned forward. "You mean it?"
Zhihao's face beamed, nodded with earnestness. "Yes, me and my sister wouldn't mind it at all! It would help us a lot to have more hands at our store."
"Thank you! I will do my best!" Xinran expressed her energetic demeanor and high curiosity, once again captivating Zhihao, and adding to her already attractive appearance.
"Xinran," the voice suddenly made the two turn to Jia who was in front of the open room, "did I disturb your conversation? If not, come take a look."
The brown-haired woman turned to Zhihao before stepping closer to her caretaker. Unaware of their conversation, Zhihao remained silent, observing until Xinran and Jia finally entered, closing the door.
"I see you like her," a voice remarked, causing Zhihao to almost jump in surprise. Meisha's laughter followed in response.
"Sister!" he shouted, his breathing ragged as he tried to calm himself down, taking a deep breath. "What nonsense is that?"
"Oh? Don't lie to yourself," she stated, taking a step forward to face her brother. "You're still not sure about that, are you? It's fine; let time reveal itself."
Not wanting to prolong the matter, Zhihao attempted to escape, about to head to the shop to continue his concoctions. However, Meisha deftly pulled his attire, preventing him from going anywhere. "Hey, let go of me!"
"Where do you think you're going?" Meisha wondered, removing her hands from his clothes and approaching the kitchen. "I need some assistance for this feast, you know?"
There wasn't much Zhihao could do other than obey his sister, helping prepare lunch together for the first time. This time, both Jia and Xinran wore casual, simple tunics, making it difficult for Zhihao to concentrate on his food.
As he watched Xinran, who sat across from him, her attraction acted like a magnet that was hard to shake off. Zhihao just realized that the woman had quite a voluptuous body, evident from her attire that accentuated her shape.
The event continued with a cheerfulness that filled the once-quiet house with Meisha and Zhihao's voices, now more colorful. Jia, not the type to talk much, contrasted with Xinran, who turned out to be talkative, sharing details about her school experiences.
Xinran opened a new veil of knowledge for Zhihao, explaining that with each increase in the level of cultivation, meditation to feel and harness chi becomes essential. She emphasized that this process doesn't necessarily work in a matter of hours but takes days and must not be interrupted for an extended period.
"Wait, so we endure hunger for that long?" Zhihao inquired while stirring the liquid in the cauldron.
Xinran, having sliced some ingredients into smaller shapes, replied, "Yes, we are required to fast to eliminate our desires. All things related to the world hinder our cultivation, making it harder to ascend."
"So it is," Zhihao responded as he added some components to the heated container. "It would be difficult for those who are impatient."
The woman, who tied her hair up, brought some rhizomes and fungi to the table next to Zhihao, setting them down before replying, "I assure you when you delve into the subconscious, time will pass very quickly without you knowing it."
"That makes sense though," Zhihao then turned to Xinran who was right by his side. "I've heard that the realm of cultivation is different."
The man put the remaining ingredient into the cauldron, causing the liquid to produce a burst of bubbles. Xinran, observing, moved closer and responded, "Yes, that place will show us a memory or perhaps signs in the future."
Xinran's eyes weakened inexplicably, her voice turning into a whisper. "Some of it is our wishful thinking. Things we want to achieve."
Knowing she was getting carried away, Xinran composed herself. "Anyway, let me guess, surely after this is the filtration step, right?"
Zhihao, who witnessed her sudden mood, replied, "Yes, and after that, the elixir can be sold."
He ladled the white-colored liquid into a simple filter, connected to a small bottle underneath which began to fill. "Come to think about it, Xinran," Zhihao piped up as he waited. "Could you teach me how to cultivate? I'm still not ascended to Chi Gathering."
"Eh?" Xinran turned to the man next to him, surprised. "Is it true?"
With a self-deprecating smile, he nodded with pity. "Yeah, I'm a loser who can't even reach level one of cultivation at this age."
Pausing, Xinran then smiled broadly and said, "Don't say that! There is always hope and it's never too late to better yourself!"
"We are mutual learners, aren't we?" she added, grinning broadly as she leaned forward toward the wide-eyed Zhihao. "Of course I'll help however I can!"