Chapter 2201 — Finding the Map's Location
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
As for how You Panhu would react once he got his hands on the alchemist's notes, Wei Zhao was curious but not especially worried. Bai Lingtou would never deceive him, and he had said himself that he would play along with the act—proof enough that the material was not the most important thing to Bai Lingtou. To trade that material for what he had gotten now was, for Wei Zhao, satisfaction enough.
It was true that the materials for refining second-grade pills could be obtained through Bai Lingtou, but if Wei Zhao were the one to ask, Bai Lingtou would certainly dig and pry, and then Wei Zhao would have no way to conceal the fact that Han Jingyi was an alchemist. Wei Zhao was unwilling to deceive Bai Lingtou, yet equally unwilling to expose Han Jingyi too soon—so he had simply gone after You Panhu instead.
At the very least, even if You Panhu was puzzled, he knew that asking would get him nowhere—Wei Zhao would never tell him—so he might as well not ask and spare himself the humiliation.
Sun Jingyan had not expected Wei Zhao to reserve a private room and a banquet downstairs. She hurried to freshen up and came down, by which time the waiter had served nearly all the dishes; she could eat the moment she arrived.
"No way? You great bandit—even if you want to treat me well, there's no need to order this much. How could the two of us possibly finish all this?" Sun Jingyan looked at the dishes on the table, delighted nonetheless.
"Someone else is paying. Why not eat our fill?" Wei Zhao said.
"Someone's treating us again?" Sun Jingyan was rather surprised. "Where is he, then?"
"Scrammed," Wei Zhao said.
"Huh?" Sun Jingyan blinked. "Scrammed? What do you mean?"
"I mean he scrammed. Once he paid the bill, he had no further business here," Wei Zhao said.
"Ugh." Sun Jingyan was speechless. "There are still such kind-hearted people in the world?"
"Indeed. That fool is always bringing me good things." Wei Zhao smiled faintly. "Never mind studying him—let's eat first."
"Mm-hm." Sun Jingyan nodded, picked up her chopsticks, and put a small bite into her mouth. Lately Sun Jingyan had shed the crisp competence she had carried when she ran her company, gaining instead a touch of languor and allure. Though she was at most a year older than Wei Zhao, the experience she had gained in the working world perhaps made her more mature than Miss, Little Shu, and the others—there was a hint of the older-sister type about her. "You said you'd come with me to explore that map my parents left me. Right?"
"Of course." Wei Zhao nodded without hesitation. His relationship with Sun Jingyan had always been good, and setting aside her former status as half a lover, the simple fact that she had given him the jade pendant her parents left her as material was a kindness enough to move Wei Zhao.
"Heh heh. So you do have some awareness of what it means to be a lover—you won't let me go off adventuring alone." Hearing Wei Zhao's firm answer, Sun Jingyan smiled happily.
"Awareness of what? My title as your lover is empty—not a single practical benefit to it." Wei Zhao laughed. "Put plainly, aren't I just free labor?"
"That's not quite it. Right now you're in the probationary period; once I'm pleased, I might just let you be my lover in full." Sun Jingyan said, "I'm a woman with no marriage contract now, you know. Whatever I do, my family won't interfere..."
As she spoke, Sun Jingyan winked at Wei Zhao.
"Are you seducing me?" Looking at the Sun Jingyan of now, Wei Zhao found it hard to reconcile her with the image of the female white-collar worker she had once been. The present Sun Jingyan was much more endearing.
"I suppose I am. Well? Do you accept the seduction?" Sun Jingyan asked.
"I accept," Wei Zhao said with a nod.
At that, both of them burst out laughing. This style of conversation between Wei Zhao and Sun Jingyan could only be understood by the two of them, and only the two of them knew it was nothing but a joke.