Chapter 32

As Lin Xuan and Lin Yaran left the Lin family, the elegant girl and the cool boy attracted countless gazes, but at this moment, more people felt relief. The two talents of the Lin family being together was something many were pleased to see.

Next, Lin Xuan took Lin Yaran to continue wandering around Tai’an City, collecting some herbs to take back for refining some pills.

“Candied hawthorn! Get your candied hawthorn here!”

Suddenly, a vendor’s shout rang out in the street. Lin Yaran glanced at the boy beside her, noticing he had lowered his brow, seemingly lost in thought. She turned her face away and gracefully walked up to the vendor.

Moments later, Lin Xuan saw something waving in front of him. He looked up to see the girl’s cheerful face, with her delicate hands holding out a string of candied hawthorns, bright red and glistening.

“Here, Lin Xuan Gege,” she said.

Lin Xuan took the candied hawthorn from her. Each layer of the fruit was covered in a thick coating of sugar, adding a shine to the candied treat that made it look like little lanterns emitting a soft glow, akin to the girl’s face before him.

Lin Yaran took a bite of the candied hawthorn, and the sugary juice stuck to her delicate pink lips, sweet and sour. She beamed, revealing her cute dimples, and her flawless, radiant face blushed slightly. A gentle breeze blew, causing her long hair to cascade down like a fairy.

“Lin Xuan Gege, do you still remember the first time you met Yaran?”

Lin Yaran looked up at the boy licking the candied hawthorn, her big, sparkling eyes glimmering with curiosity.

Lin Xuan paused for a moment, and as he met her gaze, he felt as if he was in a trance. The girl stood gracefully before him, her perfect beauty rivaling even that of heavenly maidens, though her youthful innocence still lingered on her face.

As she met Lin Xuan’s gaze, she slightly puffed out her chest. Though still immature, it was evident she was blossoming into womanhood. The unique fragrance of the girl wafted over to Lin Xuan, causing him to lose his focus for a moment.

Just as Lin Yaran was about to lean in closer, a finger as smooth as jade lightly brushed against her soft red lips, gently flicking her surprised face.

A smile appeared on Lin Xuan’s cool face as he affectionately said, “Of course, I remember. I didn’t expect my little crybaby to grow up so much.”

And even become more beautiful, he added silently in his heart.

“Humph!”

Lin Yaran pouted, her cheeks flushing. “I’m not a little crybaby! I won’t talk to you anymore, Lin Xuan Gege.”

The girl slowly stood up, seemingly a bit annoyed, and started walking away slowly, as if waiting for something.

“Women’s hearts are as elusive as needles in the ocean,” Lin Xuan sighed with a wry smile before quickly catching up to her.

At this moment, the world seemed to freeze. People hurried along the street, vendors shouted from either side, and the sunlight perfectly painted the horizon like a beautiful oil painting.

The boy and girl walked hand in hand toward the end of the street, seemingly taking a leisurely stroll, not in a hurry to head back, as if they were savoring this peaceful moment together.

However, this road would eventually reach an end.

“Lin Xuan Gege,”

Lin Yaran suddenly stopped, resting her hands behind her back, her graceful face slowly leaning toward Lin Xuan, drawing closer with a beautiful smile. She cheerfully said, “If one day Yaran has to leave Lin Xuan Gege for a while, would you blame me?”

Facing her gaze, Lin Xuan pondered for a moment, gently ruffling the girl’s hair. A warm, friendly smile graced his face, like the spring sun, attracting attention. He softly replied, “Silly girl, don’t underestimate your Lin Xuan Gege.”

“I wouldn’t blame you. If one day you really have to leave, I will personally come to find you, no matter the distance, whether it’s the ends of the earth or the stars in the sky.”

Upon hearing Lin Xuan’s words, Lin Yaran’s exquisitely beautiful face glowed like a vibrant sunset. Her rosy lips drew near, and her long eyelashes fluttered slightly, with a few glistening tears barely visible.

“If Yaran leaves Lin Xuan Gege for a while, you can’t find someone new during that time.”

“Otherwise…”

“Humph!”

Lin Yaran widened her eyes, her delicate, fair hand playfully nudging Lin Xuan, as if warning him, but to Lin Xuan, it seemed more like a playful tease.

Lin Xuan felt helpless at Yaran’s warning and immediately raised his hands in surrender. “Yaran is so beautiful, and with you here, how could I possibly be interested in anyone else?”

Hearing Lin Xuan’s response, the girl nodded in satisfaction.

“There are only a few days left until the coming-of-age ceremony. This storage ring contains the pills I’ve refined during this time.” Lin Xuan took out a storage ring and placed it in the girl’s delicate hands.

Inside the ring were the third and even fourth-grade pills Lin Xuan had refined. After the recent boost in his soul power and cultivation, he could now produce perfect quality third-grade pills. Although he couldn’t make perfect quality fourth-grade pills, he could still achieve the Nine Rhythms of Condensing Pills.

Lin Yaran took the ring and carefully put it on the ring finger of her left hand, then smiled sweetly.

“Well then, Lin Xuan Gege, see you tomorrow.”

“Mm.”

After watching Lin Yaran return to her courtyard, Lin Xuan didn’t immediately head back to his residence but walked in another direction.

Following a path, he arrived at another place and heard a commotion before he got close.

“That kid from the Chu family broke through to become a first-grade alchemist, and now Master Liu Qing from the royal capital has taken him on as a disciple. Now he’s trying to openly steal our Lin family’s alchemy business using this connection!”

“Damn it, that first-grade blood pills recipe must have been given to that brat from the Chu family by the master in the royal capital. Now the Chu family not only has the blood pills recipe, but also the Qi blood powder, Gathering Qi pills, and other formulas! They’re leaving us no way to survive!”

“Now, the foot traffic in our Lin family’s marketplace is already sparse, while the Chu family’s marketplace has almost become the largest in Tai’an City. Even the city lord’s marketplace is far behind the Chu family. If this continues, we will be pushed to the edge!”

“The Chu family is going too far! Don’t they fear retribution from the other families? Do they really think they can act recklessly just because they have a first-grade alchemist in their family?”

“Now the key isn’t just having a first-grade alchemist, but that kid from the Chu family is the little prince’s disciple. Prince Chu’s biological son, Chu Changfeng, is Master Liu Qing’s eldest disciple. Now the little prince favors the Chu family, and even the city lord doesn’t dare to provoke them.”

“Are we just going to stand by and watch as our Lin family is pushed to the edge?”