Yao Ying joyfully accepted the Snow Frost Ointment, dying to go and try it out immediately.
Just then, Feng Hao began to introduce the Life Spirit Pill. "This pill is called the Life Spirit Pill. After taking it, you can speed up your absorption of Magic Crystals, which will improve your cultivation progress. The preliminary price is set at 120,000 Magic Crystals per pill."
Yao Ying, still basking in the joy of the Snow Frost Ointment, looked up in surprised disbelief at his words. "A pill that speeds up cultivation?"
"That’s right," Feng Hao confirmed with a nod.
"Can I try it?" Yao Ying asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She seemed to have forgotten her original reason for being there.
Feng Hao gave a wry smirk. "Of course. It’ll only cost you 100,000 Magic Crystals per pill."
"Can’t you give it to me for free?" Yao Ying cooed, sidling up to Feng Hao. She tried to grab his arm, but he deftly dodged her.
"No," Feng Hao refused sternly. "I only let you sample the Snow Frost Ointment on account of you being a woman. In the future, if you want to use it, you’ll have to pay just like anyone else. This stuff doesn’t just fall from the sky."
Yao Ying was left speechless, silently cursing Feng Hao in her heart. ’What a cheapskate.’
Feng Hao had no interest in making small talk. After he finished introducing his products, he strode toward the stairs. "The shop is in your hands. Don’t disturb me unless it’s something important."
Yao Ying was about to say something, but she found that Feng Hao had already closed his door, leaving her all alone.
’Bastard. Once you fall in love with me, let’s see you act so arrogant then.’ Yao Ying gave a sinister smile, already plotting how to seduce Feng Hao.
In her eyes, the fact that Feng Hao had agreed to let her stay at the general store meant he was already interested. As long as she kept up the offensive, it wouldn’t be long before he’d be hopelessly in love with her. As for the girlfriend he’d mentioned, Yao Ying didn’t give her a second thought.
’He actually dared to suggest I shave my head. The nerve of him to even think of it.’ Yao Ying scoffed softly, then gracefully sat down behind the counter and began applying the Snow Frost Ointment to the back of her hand.
The cool, moisturizing sensation made her let out an involuntary moan. "Hmph. This ointment isn’t half bad."
In his room upstairs, Feng Hao was hunched over a mechanical workbench, tinkering with a new product. With Yao Ying looking after the shop, he could fully immerse himself in his research.
And so, the two, each with their own ulterior motives, began their relationship as boss and employee.
Perhaps because the general store had just opened, there were no customers the entire afternoon. After closing up for the night, a beaming Yao Ying hurried back to the arts department. Before she left, she shot Feng Hao a seductive wink, looking utterly bewitching.
After seeing Yao Ying off, Feng Hao went upstairs as usual and began his cultivation.
He hadn’t been cultivating for long when the Listening Stone began to pulse with Xiyue Frost’s Divine Sense, leaving Feng Hao stunned for a moment.
"Why didn’t you take me with you when you went back to Rongcheng?" Xiyue Frost’s icy voice transmitted through the Listening Stone. She was clearly angry.
Feng Hao replied, slightly embarrassed, "Well... I thought you were still mad at me."
"Why would I be mad at you?" Xiyue Frost retorted.
"Uh, so you’re really not mad?" Feng Hao asked, surprised.
"You’re clearly the one with the guilty conscience," Xiyue Frost snorted. "Come to the academy tomorrow. We’re having a match."
Feng Hao shook his head to himself. ’I really can’t figure this woman out.’ "I heard you awakened your bloodline talent, so congratulations. As for a duel, I think we’d better skip it. You can’t beat me."
"Are you scared?" Xiyue Frost taunted.
"Hah! Who have I ever been afraid of?" Feng Hao retorted, annoyed. "Just you wait. I’ll come find you tomorrow."
"It’s a deal." Xiyue Frost smiled faintly and cut the Divine Sense connection.
Shaking off his exasperation, Feng Hao sighed, closed his eyes, and resumed his cultivation.
He had barely closed his eyes when he received a Divine Sense transmission from Sun Yaowen. Unlike Xiyue Frost, Sun Yaowen opened with a tirade. "So you finally remembered to come back, you brat? You were gone for over a month! What happened to half a month?"
"Okay, okay, my bad," Feng Hao admitted with a pout.
He had only planned to stay in Rongcheng for half a month, but Yao Girl was just too adorable, and he had accidentally stayed for over a month.
"As long as you know you were wrong," Sun Yaowen said, still annoyed. "There’s been a breakthrough in the demonic beast research. Be here on time tomorrow afternoon."
"No problem," Feng Hao readily agreed.
「The night passed in a flash.」
Early the next morning, Yao Ying rushed over in high spirits. It was obvious she had taken great care in dressing up; even her outfit was more revealing than usual.
"Darling, don’t I look pretty today?" Yao Ying bounced over to Feng Hao, her gorgeous eyes smoldering with flirtatious intent.
"Wow, so pretty," Feng Hao replied dryly, sidestepping toward the door. "I’ve got business to attend to today, so the shop’s in your hands. Work hard, and I’ll give you a promotion and a raise."
With that, he rushed out the door without a backward glance and drove off in his Mansa.
Yao Ying stood at the entrance, stunned. It took her a long moment to snap out of it. ’Damn it! If I’d known, I wouldn’t have tried so hard to dress up!’
’I finally managed to get close to him, and I was planning to take this chance to capture his heart. Who would’ve thought he’d actually treat me like a real employee, giving me no chance to be alone with him at all.’
’I refuse to believe you can stand being lonely,’ Yao Ying huffed, before turning her attention to the shop with renewed enthusiasm.
After returning to her dorm yesterday, she had eagerly used the Snow Frost Ointment. As it turned out, its effects were even more outstanding than she had imagined.
After just one use, the skin all over her body was already unbelievably smooth and supple.
She believed that if she kept using it, her own charm would reach a whole new level. Then, the number one spot on the academy’s "Campus Belle" ranking would be hers.
’That bunch of blind fools at the academy... how am I any worse than Bai Yin?’
Behind the counter, Yao Ying stroked her fair arm, a sneer of jealousy and disdain playing on her lips.
A natural beauty, she had been the center of attention since childhood. But ever since she entered the Five Provinces Academy, she had always been overshadowed by Bai Yin. Despite her beauty being in no way inferior, she was always ranked second, which she found incredibly frustrating.
If it weren’t for the fact that Bai Yin had a Supreme Elder for a master, she would have found a way to teach her a lesson long ago.
Speak of the devil. Yao Ying had barely finished her complaints when an unearthly, beautiful figure walked in. It was Bai Yin, here to find Feng Hao and avenge her prior humiliation.
Bai Yin entered the shop, looking around. When she saw Yao Ying, she asked in surprise, "What are you doing here?"
"And why can’t I be here?" Yao Ying’s expression hardened as she met Bai Yin’s gaze defiantly.
Bai Yin’s delicate brows furrowed slightly. Though she didn’t know Yao Ying well, she was repulsed by her reputation. "Where is Feng Hao?"
Yao Ying paused for a moment, then glided gracefully in front of Bai Yin. Her eyes flashed as she asked, "And why are you looking for Feng Hao?"
"What’s between us is none of your business," Bai Yin said coldly.
"A joke?" Yao Ying laughed, her body swaying gracefully. Her gaze was teasing. "Feng Hao is the man I have my eye on. Of course I have the right to know."
Bai Yin was taken aback. "You and Feng Hao are together?"
"Why? Is there a problem?" Yao Ying asked with a smile.
Bai Yin frowned thoughtfully and sighed. "He’s quite strong, but it’s a shame his taste is so poor."
"What’s that supposed to mean?" Yao Ying’s face fell.