She was neither an idiot nor a laughingstock. She would prove her existence through her actions. Those who had once bullied Ouyang Zhiyan, she would bully them back, one by one. Who said that a child couldn't fend off enemies? Who claimed that a junior spirit was necessarily inferior to an intermediate spirit? When the time came, she would show everyone just how formidable her Demon Doctor skills were!
Zhiyan's gaze was icy cold, her lips curled with a deep, frosty smile. The day of the clan meeting was only half a month away, wasn't it!
The youth shivered under Zhiyan's intense stare, all the mockery he had in mind suddenly forgotten!
"Alright, focus on your training, no talking allowed!" Mr. Meng intervened just in time to break up the crowd's discussion, scolding them with a serious face.
The following training was tedious and bland. While Zhiyan held the horse stance, she absorbed the Yang Energy above her head. The summer sun blazed overhead, the heat almost unbearable. In no time, people around her started to complain, but Zhiyan remained as fresh as when she started, seemingly more energized rather than fatigued. Despite the high surrounding temperature, her body temperature remained constant, the Yin Energy inside her like an invisible air conditioner, automatically regulating the temperature around her.
After returning from the training hall, lunch had already been prepared. Ouyang Peng waved his hand, gesturing for her to come over and eat!
"Daddy, this is for you!" Zhiyan leaped into Ouyang Peng's embrace, offering up the Primordial Essence Liquid she had prepared the night before like a treasured gift!
"Oh, what treasure has Yanyan prepared for Daddy?" Ouyang Peng's eyes shone with delight as he curiously examined the all-too-ordinary white porcelain bottle.
"This is something Yanyan specially made for Daddy. Drink it and see, I guarantee you'll be satisfied!" Her laughter, like silver bells, spilled from her mouth. Sensing another person nearby, Zhiyan promptly covered her mouth with her hand, but the captivating, spring-blossom-like smile could hardly be concealed.
Her delicate and tender cheeks seemed to be gilded with a layer of gold, dazzlingly bright. Her clear eyes were lively and sly, her puckered lips curving into a seductive shape. She was like a charming little fairy, cute yet bewitching, irresistibly drawing one closer.
"Alright, after we've eaten, Daddy will definitely drink it." Ouyang Peng nodded, affectionately stroking Zhiyan's little head, a tender look flashing across his gentle eyes.
While this child seemed naively adorable, she was inherently indifferent and proud, making it hard for others to truly get close to her.
"Daddy, after eating, I want to go out for a stroll and buy some herbs." Since her arrival, she hadn't stepped out of the Ouyang Residence, so she planned to go out in the afternoon for a walk and to buy some essentials.
"Is that so? Shall I have Jinjin accompany you?" Ouyang Peng understood. The Ouyang Residence was like a gilded cage—opulent and luxurious, yet suffused with a cold, suffocating atmosphere. A walk outside would do her good.
"No need, Jinjin has many things to take care of. I can go by myself!" Zhiyan didn't even glance at Ouyang Jin, rejecting the idea outright. She certainly didn't want a walking ice block with her.
Ouyang Jin's deep and dark eyes flashed with a barely noticeable anger. He had no desire to be in the company of this little wretch, and even if she hadn't said so, he would have refused, but hearing it from her mouth felt different. Since when had he, Ouyang Jin, become so undesirable?
"Just as well, I need to go out this afternoon myself. I'll take you with me." Ouyang Jin set down his bowl and chopsticks, uttering the words as if announcing something trivial.
Zhiyan was exasperated. Wasn't he supposed to stay far away from her? And now he was taking her out as if she were a carrot or cabbage!
After being urged by the servants over and over again, Ouyang Zhiyan finally walked reluctantly towards the main hall. Ouyang Jin had shed his white attire for a pale purple long robe, his waist wrapped with a tasseled brocade belt, which accentuated his innate austerity. Upon her arrival, his sharply handsome face lifted in a dangerous curve.
"What, do I need to invite you myself?" Ouyang Jin squinted his eyes and said with a cold, mocking tone.
"Since you despise me, why bother pretending to be close? If it's just to put on an act in front of father, a simple command would suffice. There's no need to trouble yourself by actually spending time with me." Ouyang Zhiyan suddenly raised her head and looked straight at the person opposite her, enduring the indifference and disdain on his face. A wave of revulsion washed over her, leaving an indescribable sense of exhaustion.
"There's no need for your great effort, I can shop by myself." Dropping the words coldly, Zhiyan turned and left. Her slender and frail figure emanated an immense chill in that moment, the pride and indifference rooted in her bones spreading like an invisible net unexpectedly flung towards Ouyang Jin.
Once out of the Ouyang Residence, Zhiyan expelled a heavy sigh, feeling liberated from the moment she had torn away her facade in front of Ouyang Jin. She decided to act as she pleased, no longer needing to read others' expressions. Even with lacking strength, she refused to belittle herself.
The sky was a deep blue, birds sang among the fragrant flowers, and the streets bustled with people, bustling with life.
Zhiyan meandered slowly with the crowd. The streets were wide and flanked by numerous shops while various vendors gathered along the roadside, their calls rising and falling in succession.
Watching the lively scene around her, she suddenly remembered her past life. Back then, her best friend Linyue would always drag her all over town, sampling every snack and visiting every shopping mall until they could walk no more, only then letting her go home. They were so close it was as if they were one person, except they mutually avoided discussing Qin Molan.
She thought their friendship would last forever, so perfect it would make everyone else envious and jealous, so strong that even without a family, there'd always be that one friend behind her to lean on. Yet, she never expected that in the end, she would be betrayed by her own, for a man, forsaking that so-called sisterhood...
"Miss, is there something you fancy?" The burly man saw Zhiyan staring blankly at his stall for a long while and couldn't help asking enthusiastically.
"How much for this Jade Vial?" Zhiyan snapped back from her thoughts, her gaze casually sweeping before settling on the exquisitely small Jade Vial.
"Oh, this one's cheap, only one copper coin each."
"Pack up ten for me. Here's the money. Also, I'd like to ask if there's a pharmacy or a blacksmith nearby?"
"The pharmacy's just ahead, and the blacksmith is on the next street over; turn right down this road," the stall owner said, taking the money and handing over the Jade Vials with a grin.
Walking about fifty meters along the road, a Shanji Hall appeared right before her eyes.
"Young miss, this is a pharmacy. May I help you with anything?" A man who looked like a shop assistant came forward, curiously asking; this wasn't a food stall, so what was this child doing here?
"I'm looking for your boss. Tell him there's a big deal to be made, and ask if he's interested." Zhiyan stood firm, her delicate features exuding a temperament that demanded attention, as she spoke in an even tone.
The elder who had been engrossed in writing prescriptions in the back suddenly looked up, his gaze passing through the carved screen to the youthful source of the voice, his curiosity piqued. Which family's child had come here to amuse themselves?
"The little one knows how to do business?" An aged voice floated out, and the next second, an elder in a Green Robe emerged from the back room, his face bearing a hint of amusement.