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Sacred Heart Middle School’s final exams entered the last day, and in the classroom of Grade Eight (6), the soft rustling of ballpoint pens writing on test papers filled the air.
Zeng Xuerou furrowed her brows, unable to concentrate on the math question before her. She was thinking of what i Nian had promised when they t earlier, assuring her that Xiao Xian would return within the next two or three days. Today was the last exam, yet the real Xiao Xian had still not shown up.
The oozing ink from the ballpoint pen left an unsightly stain on the test paper. Zeng Xuerou forced her focus, hurriedly completing the last question on the exam.
The day before the exams started, Zeng Xuerou had made a special trip to the pharmacy to find i Nian.
i Nian ntioned the last ti she took Xiao Xian away that if there was a real ergency, Zeng Xuerou could find her at "Plum Rice Ball," or leave a ssage with Pharmacist Huang if she couldn’t find her.
As for the words i Nian said to her about Cultivation and Xiao Xian’s special abilities, Zeng Xuerou suppressed them deep in her heart, trying not to touch upon them.
She even had soone specifically investigate the backgrounds of the i Family and the Xu Family, and the information obtained only revealed that both were ancient and long-standing families. The i Family excelled in the field of unprocessed Chinese herbal dicine, while the Xu Family had in recent years partnered with so foreign pharmaceutical companies to produce finished dicines.
After investigating the backgrounds of both families, Xuerou beca even more anxious.
When she arrived at the "Plum Rice Ball," as soon as Zeng Xuerou entered, she heard i Nian’s teasing laughter.
In the slightly less busy herb wholesaler during the start of the year, i Nian and old man Pharmacist Huang stood beside the dicine counter, chatting and laughing rrily. Pharmacist Huang’s beard trembled with excitent as he donned his seldom-used reading glasses, holding a ginseng whose color was close to purple-red in his hands.
Could it be such a coincidence to encounter false ginseng every ti one ca? Thinking of the false ginseng reminded Zeng Xuerou of Xu Lan Ya, the woman she had t twice, who almost caused a disaster for her and Xiao Xian.
She approached the counter and gently tapped on the vermilion-painted wood.
"Oh, it’s the young custor. You’ve co at the perfect ti. Look at this mountain ginseng. In my lifeti, I can actually see a thousand-year-old Wild Ginseng, dying with no regrets," said Pharmacist Huang, holding the mountain ginseng with its nurous roots and clear striations, its scent lingering and enduring.
What’s even more remarkable, this ginseng had not long been unearthed. It was truly a marvel where that young man had dug up such a top-quality Wild Ginseng. Pharmacist Huang cradled the ginseng in his hand as if it were a newly born plump grandchild, being exceedingly cautious, as if worried that any carelessness might harm the ginseng.
There was also a hint of joy on i Nian’s face, but not as much as the ecstatic Pharmacist Huang, who was still scolding him: "Pharmacist, at your age, you should be careful not to get overly excited, it’s not good for the heart," she chided, sounding very much like an elder.
Zeng Xuerou smacked her lips at this, taking another careful glance at i Nian. That glance t with i Nian’s gaze, "Are you here to inquire about news just like that boy earlier? He used a stalk of wild ginseng to exchange for news, what did you use to exchange?" her tone sounding like that of a shrewd rchant.
Fortunately, Zeng Xuerou was not foolish and instantly replied, "I took a great risk to co here, and I was being followed on the way to this place. I managed to shake them off after so effort. With that alone, you should tell how Xiao Xian is doing."
i Nian imdiately put on that shrewd face, giving Pharmacist Huang a look, who then ordered the apprentice: "Close up shop and pack up early; we need to take stock tonight."
After the doors of "Plum Rice Ball" were pulled shut, i Nian first scrutinized Zeng Xuerou carefully—this young girl better not be deceiving them. She seed calm and composed, nowhere near the panicked state of soone who had been followed.
"I did not lie. At the first intersection after leaving the school, there was a black Mazda following behind my car. It took so effort to lose them," Zeng Xuerou was shocked when she first noticed the tail but was relieved that she was behind the steering wheel. In all of China, only a handful of people could catch up to her on the road.
i Nian knew the people of the Xu Family quite well. The younger generation of the Xu Family was involved in petty deeds, from fake ginseng to underground car racing, only running into trouble then; it was lucky for the Xu Family ancestors to have had such good fortune," All right then, I didn’t expect you, girl, to be quite smart. Your friend is fine, alive and kicking, and running around everywhere. I’ve heard she has made quite a bit of progress recently. You’ve co at the right ti; you can help take her to a place."
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