Chapter 2203 — A Bit Strange
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
And Han Jingyi's current method of pill refinement was exactly like a factory assembly line: the pills it produced were identical in quality and in specification alike! And because of the batch production, it actually saved more time and materials than a manual workshop!
"By the way, Youpan Hu gave the materials back to me." Han Jingyi handed Wei Zhao the materials that Youpan Hu had returned earlier, and said.
"Mm, I'll find a chance to give them back to Chief Bai in a bit." Wei Zhao nodded and said, "By the way, in a few days I'm planning to leave for a while. While I'm gone, stay home and focus on refining pills, and go to school and come home every day together with Gu Mengyao and Shen Yushu."
"Mm-hm, go do what you need to, Brother Wei Zhao. Jingjing can take care of herself." Han Jingyi did not ask where Wei Zhao was going.
"Also, the fact that you can refine pills—especially that you can refine several pills in a single furnace—must never be mentioned to anyone, Chief Bai included." Wei Zhao instructed, "Youpan Hu especially—you absolutely must not tell him!"
One must always keep one's guard up. Though Wei Zhao still trusted Chief Bai fairly well, who could guarantee that no one would overhear when Han Jingyi spoke? If word of this got out, it would do Han Jingyi no good whatsoever!
"Mm-hm, Jingjing won't tell. Jingjing does everything Brother Wei Zhao says." Han Jingyi agreed without a moment's thought.
"Jingjing..." Wei Zhao had meant to ask Han Jingyi whether she had loved pill refinement from birth, and why she was so close to him—but the question circled once in his mind, and he shook his head and decided not to ask.
In any case, Han Jingyi surely bore him no ill will; otherwise she would never have told him all her secrets. After all, with the state of pill refinement Han Jingyi was in now, even the Xuandan Sect would likely snatch her up and treat her as an honored guest—yet Han Jingyi had hidden nothing from him.
"Hm?" Han Jingyi lifted her head, her large, liquid eyes fixed on Wei Zhao in puzzlement.
"Nothing." Wei Zhao shook his head and came back to himself.
Wang Xinyan had gone to nap at noon and had not yet returned; Bai Weituo and Zhao Shengji were absent as well—most likely they had gone to eat lunch with He Meiyue.
Sure enough, Bai Weituo, Zhao Shengji, and Wang Xinyan walked into the classroom together. Ordinarily Wang Xinyan kept to herself; today, probably affected by last night's events, she had been unable to refuse Bai Weituo's invitation.
"At noon, Bai Weituo insisted on dragging me along to eat. I really had no choice," Wang Xinyan said with a shake of her head and a touch of helplessness.
"Ha... they've taken you for my girlfriend," Wei Zhao said.
"Oh..." Wang Xinyan gave a sound of acknowledgment, said nothing more, and merely sat back down in her seat.
"By the way, I'll be going out of town for a few days—a few days at the shortest, half a month at the longest." This time, Wei Zhao felt it necessary to tell Wang Xinyan; after all, the two of them had grown closer, and the last time he had left, Wang Xinyan had shown real concern.
"Going out again?" Wang Xinyan's heart tightened, and a faint reluctance welled up in her—though what exactly she felt, she could not have said.
"Mm. I'm helping a friend, going to a place together," Wei Zhao said.
"Then be careful. I'll take notes for you." Though reluctant at heart, Wang Xinyan did not try to hold him back, because she knew that even if she did, Wei Zhao could not stay.
"Thank you," Wei Zhao said with a smile.
Wang Xinyan gave a slight nod, then opened her book and began to leaf through it.
Sometimes Wei Zhao felt that the relationship between him and Wang Xinyan was very special—sometimes it seemed very close, very close indeed, but most of the time it was that restrained, insipid sort of bond, like the pale, clear friendship of gentlemen.
Very plain, yet very warm.