The awakening ceremony, which had been turned upside down by Edward, finally ended, and Edward and his sister returned to their shabby but cozy home.
"You were amazing at the Awakening Ritual, brother," Yvonne said happily. "You're the one who deserves a thumbs-up."
"Come on, sis, you're making me blush," Edward replied.
"You should get used to receiving compliments, ha-ha, bro! You're my idol now. Maybe you've already gained other fans. I have a feeling that in the future, you'll have a large circle of die-hard fans!"
"Hey, Yvonne, stop teasing me!"
"I'm not teasing! Look, this time, not only did you punish that despicable Larry, but you also took down his arrogant nephew Joseph."
"He simply got his just desserts!"
"True! Of course, there's a little regret--we didn't manage to get back what our mom left for us."
"Don't worry, Yvonne, we still have a chance! Look, I promise I'll get into that famous academy! As long as I can get into it and then defeat Mike, Charles will have no choice but to return Mom's items to us."
"Speaking of you taking the academy selection exam, I'm worried about where you're going to get so many cultivation resources from."
"I told you, I can extract and refine them from the air."
"Hey, brother, it's okay for you to say that in front of those people. But don't fool me here!"
Edward could only give a wry smile.
Indeed, it was like a fantasy to make others believe he could extract energy from the air even if that was his sister.
Edward was about to explain further when suddenly a girl's voice came from outside the house.
"Does Edward live here?"
Yvonne was clever and good at recognizing voices.
She immediately knew who it was.
"I told you, you've got other fans. Look, here your fan comes."
"Don't joke. Let's go check it out together."
When they opened the door, they found at the gate of the yard a beautiful girl.
A gorgeous girl with golden wavy hair, like a fairy descending to the world.
And in the moonlight, her figure showed a unique curve.
She was none other than Samuel's daughter, Sally.
"Come on in, Sally, welcome to our humble abode!" Yvonne said with a warm smile.
Edward, always a bit shy around girls, was at a loss for words and simply followed the two into the house.
Once inside, Sally looked at Edward and said confidently,
"Edward, don't you remember me?"
Edward then really took a good look at Sally, from head to toe.
The girl in front of him was indeed beautiful, with big eyes, and a high-ridged nose, set in an almost perfect oval face.
Below her long, swan-like elegant neck were a pair of high, proud mountains.
Beneath the mountains lay her slender waist, as if leading Edward into the depths of a mysterious valley.
Edward's gaze made Sally feel a bit embarrassed.
Edward shook his head.
"No, sorry!'
"It can't be!" the girl exclaimed, disappointed.
"He turns into a bumbling fool when he sees girls, Sally, excuse him," Yvonne joked.
Sally chuckled, "No worries, Yvonne. Looks like I need to do something to jog his memory."
Suddenly, Sally leaped onto Edward, her hands around his neck and her legs wrapped around his.
"Don't you remember me now? We used to play together all the time when we were kids," she said.
Edward was caught off guard by this sudden move.
All he could smell was a familiar fragrance, a fresh and light scent that quickly brought back memories from his childhood.
Some say that as people grow up, they may not remember much from their childhood, but they often remember the emotions and scents from those early years.
Indeed, Sally's nice scent rang a bell.
"You're Shorty, aren't you?"
Sally playfully punched Edward in the chest, her smile blossoming like a spring flower.
"You're so inconsiderate. It took you this long to remember me. And you still call me Shorty!" she said, playfully hitting him a few more times in the chest, which gave Edward a ticklish yet soothing feeling.
His heart kicked up a notch.
"Get down, Shorty," Edward was embarrassed. "You know, it's not courteous for you to act like this."
"I don't care. And I don't want to come down now. Who gives you the right to call me Shorty? As punishment, let me hold you a bit longer."
Yvonne chuckled, thinking probably every man would like this kind of punishment.
"Well, you two catch up for a bit. And I'm going to cook," Yvonne said, leaving Sally clinging to Edward.
She did not want to be the third wheel here.
"No, Yvonne, it's not proper for you to leave now," Edward replied, the butterflies in his stomach fluttering hard.
"You won big at the Awakening Ritual. I lost the bet with you, so I have to accept your punishment, which is to cook for you every day," Yvonne laughed, "Sally, remember to stay for dinner, I'll make extra, but you need to take the pot luck!"
Before Sally could respond, Yvonne was off, leaving Sally still hanging on Edward.
"Get down, Shorty, it's indecent for others to see," Edward said.
He wanted to shake her off, but he just couldn't.
'Women,' Edward sighed and thought, 'The only things I can't deal with are women and children.'
"I won't get down, let me hold you for thirty more seconds. You stay quiet. You have no idea how much I've missed you all these years when my dad sent me away to study. I always think of the happy times we played together as kids!"
"Alright then," Edward thought it best not to resist.
Dealing with arrogant and potent opponents, Edward was confident, for they could only make him more determined and tenacious.
But when it came to a woman's charms, he could only surrender.
In the quiet thirty seconds, the scent of Sally constantly greeted Edward's nose, and he even felt the primal desires below his stomach that pooled crazily.
He sensed he was on the verge of physical response.
Luckily, Sally jumped off at that moment.
"You look handsome, Edward!" Sally said with a smile, showing no embarrassment, her cheeks heating rosy yet alluring.
"You've changed so much I can't even recognize you, Shorty. You've grown tall, a real lady now, not at all like a Shorty," Edward replied.
Hearing this, Sally seemed both pleased and annoyed.
"Then why do you still call me Shorty?" Sally pouted.
"Call you Sally? But Shorty just rolls off the tongue! It shows intimacy, Shorty!" Edward couldn't help but laugh.
"Hmph," Sally lightly pinched Edward's arm, "Naughty you, hmph."
Edward yelped.
"Hey, I just gave you a little pinch. You're not seriously hurt, are you?" said Sally, her voice filled with confusion and concern.
"I was just teasing you!" chuckled Edward.
"I'm not playing with you anymore," Sally turned away.
"Don't be angry, Shorty," Edward said, "Remember how I'd always tease you like this when we were kids? You never got your feathers ruffled. You're not getting more sensitive as you grow up, are you?"
Suddenly, Sally turned back and laughed.
"I was just teasing you too. I remember we used to tease each other like this when we were kids. I miss those times.
There was a kid who used to bully me often, and you always came to help me. I recognized that kid at the Awakening Ritual, it was Joseph."
"No wonder he's always targeting me. Besides being Larry's nephew, it turns out we had a grudge since we were kids."
"Yeah, he's always narrow-minded. Alright, drop it! Let me get down to business. Actually, I'm here for a serious reason-- my dad wanted me to pass a message to you."
"A message?"
"Yes, my dad received a favour from your mom when your parents were still alive.
He wants you to watch your back with the patriarch. He's had his eye on your mom's inheritance for ages. If you fail the entrance exam of the Awakening Academy this time, he might come after you again."
"Well, your dad's got a pint. But I will pass it. Good always triumphs over evil in the end," Edward said with conviction.
"I have faith in you," Sally gave Edward a warm smile, "I believe you will find a way to achieve it. Good folks always get the stroke of good luck, and the bad ones dig their own graves.
You're one of the good ones, and karma will back that up!"
"Thanks, Shorty, you are also a good one, a sober one among the drunks in this world. Good people always bring good luck to others."
"You're right. My dad told me not to worry about your cultivation resources. See, what did I bring you?"
Sally quickly pulled out a space pouch—a new invention of humanity in the era of awakening.
It looks tiny, yet it can hold something as big as a house.
"This is from my dad, filled with some excellent cultivation resources."
"Why is your dad so good to me?" Edward suddenly asked.
"He... he just thinks you are a good guy."
Sally's face flushed red instantly as she thought this Edward was truly a blockhead, who was completely clueless about a girl's true feelings and what her family would do for her daughter.
'He is surely a guy with low EQ!'
Sally let out a sigh of disappointment.
"Is that simple?" Edward still found it hard to believe.
"Absolutely, but my dad's not exactly selfless. He and the other elders have all benefited from your folks. Part of it is paying back the favor, and part is they always back what the patriarch is against. They're trying to keep his power from growing, which is also a way to safeguard their own interests."
"Your explanation hits the mark now. That's how people tend to act!" Edward nodded. "What's in it?"
"Open it for yourself!" Sally suggested, "I'm sure you'll get surprised."