Chapter 2185 — An Invitation to the Movies
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
"All right, I'll go with Zhaoming as soon as I can!" Though Elder Kang could not fathom what the Hidden You family was up to, there was plainly no harm in cultivating closer ties with them.
"No need. Kang Jingming alone will do!" said Elder You. Matters concerning the Xuandan Sect were all confidential; naturally he could not speak of them carelessly, nor could he let too many people come.
"Just the one, then. That will do—I'll send him over right away," said Elder Kang.
Elder You said nothing more and hung up. For his part, Elder Kang, puzzled though he was, hurriedly had Kang Jingming get ready and drive off to the Hidden You family...
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When class resumed that afternoon, Wei Zhao returned to the classroom. Wang Xinyan was seated at her desk, absorbed in a book, while Han Jingyi was poring over her tablet, calculating something. Wei Zhao walked over and set the alchemist's notes that Leader Bai had given him on Han Jingyi's desk. "These are some notes on alchemy. Take a look and see what you can learn from them..."
"Okay, thank you, Brother Wei Zhao!" Han Jingyi put down her tablet and was just reaching for the material when a figure came darting over with a whoosh, giving her quite a fright.
"Wei Zhao, didn't you say this material couldn't be shown to just anyone? So why are you showing it to Han Jingyi?" You Panhu had no sooner entered the classroom than he caught sight of Wei Zhao handing over the material. Hopped up as if on stimulants, he darted straight in front of Wei Zhao and jabbed a finger at him in accusation.
"What? You're overthinking things." Wei Zhao's hand was quicker; in a flash he snatched the material off the desk and hid it behind his back. "What I gave her is something else, not the alchemist's notes!"
"Ha! Wei Zhao, you've given yourself away! The alchemist's notes? Didn't you tell me before that what you had was the same material you showed me last time? How did it turn into the alchemist's notes?" You Panhu cried out in glee, as though he had found Wei Zhao's weak spot. "And besides, how did you know I meant the alchemist's notes? I only said 'material,' but you described it in such detail—ah, Wei Zhao, Wei Zhao, even the wisest can slip up once in a thousand thoughts!"
Wei Zhao's expression shifted at once, a flicker of discomfort crossing his face. He frowned and said coldly, "So what if you're right? The material is in my hands. I'll show it to whomever I please. What business is it of yours?"
"Heh heh, it's none of my business, true enough. But back in Leader Bai's office, Leader Bai seemed to instruct you not to show this material to just anyone, didn't he? And now you've shown it to Han Jingyi—what's that supposed to mean?" You Panhu, believing he had Wei Zhao by the throat, spoke smugly. "Tell you what—one person reading it or two makes no difference, and you lose nothing by letting me see it too. Show it to me, and I won't go report you to Leader Bai!"
"Oh. Then go ahead and report me," Wei Zhao said flatly. "You have no proof anyway."
"That..." You Panhu had not expected so blunt a refusal. Wei Zhao was stubborn as a mule and twice as hard—yet if he wanted the material, he truly could not report him; the moment he did, no one would get to see it! With no other recourse, You Panhu could only say, "Wei Zhao, it's not as if I'd be reading it for free. Just like last time, I can trade you good treasures for it!"
"Trade? I've seen all the trinkets your You family has to offer at the Hidden Noble Families Summit. There's nothing there that tempts me," Wei Zhao said.
"Heh heh, we've got more than just those few things. The Hidden You family is vast in enterprise and holdings—we still have some precious treasures." You Panhu lowered his voice, honeying his words. From Wei Zhao's tone he guessed there was an opening here; if Wei Zhao meant to refuse outright, he needn't have said there was nothing that tempted him—he could simply have said no.