ABBWW Chapter 64

Chapter 064 Sea King – “ “A gift, what should we give?” ” (10/20)

 

Siming Teji and the other Kalandi students were gathering the ingredients needed to make a sobering potion.

 

Zhao Jiangcheng and Lin Yiwen stood watch, observing them. With these two present, even if Shi Jingge and Ye Mingxu were just sitting idly on stage, they wouldn’t dare do anything too conspicuous.

 

They simply exchanged glances.

 

But no one present thought there was anything wrong with that.

 

Since the alchemical ingredients weren’t ready yet, the two had no choice but to wait. Aside from exchanging a few defiant glances, what else could they do?

 

Just look at Brother Xu’s gaze—it was so cold and domineering. With his eyes cast downward, he exuded an air of noble, icy elegance, fully embodying the regal spirit of Siming Teji!

 

The four from Siming Teji were overjoyed, nodding their heads in approval time and again, especially the student who had stepped forward earlier. A wave of shame welled up within him.

 

Compared to Brother Xu, he really had a long way to go!

 

The four from Siming Teji beamed with pride, and the four from Kalandi were just the same.

 

Just look at their Xiao Ge. His eyes were neither servile nor arrogant; they were completely at ease, with an unyielding spirit that would never bow. Though young, he held his own without faltering in the slightest; this was undoubtedly a fine student nurtured by Kalandi!

 

Pride, honor, and confidence.

 

Every time the students on either side glanced at the stage, they felt their entire bodies brimming with motivation.

 

They absolutely had to gather the materials perfectly, and under no circumstances could they hold their brothers Ye Mingxu and Shi Jingge back!

 

Only Zhao Jiangcheng and Lin Yiwen sensed that something was just a tiny bit off, but they couldn’t quite put their finger on what it was. After all, there really wasn’t anything noticeably wrong.

 

Ye Mingxu was still as cold and unpredictable as ever, and Shi Jingge remained as calm and composed as always. The tension in the air between them was palpable, but wasn’t that just how it should be?

 

Zhao Jiangcheng, Lin Yiwen, and the eight other students preparing the ingredients couldn’t spend every second watching the two, so naturally they didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary and remained unconcerned.

 

Shi Jingge shifted his body slightly to the side, turning away from Zhao Jiangcheng and Lin Yiwen, and flashed Ye Mingxu a smile.

 

Ye Mingxu paused for a moment, then mimicked Shi Jingge’s gesture, curving the corners of his lips.

 

Coming from Ye Mingxu, the gesture actually looked a bit odd, but his eyes were crystal clear, brimming with pure joy, so Shi Jingge didn’t find it strange after all.

 

Shi Jingge pointed to his smart bracelet, then took it off. Ye Mingxu followed suit, removing his own as well. Both of them were on stage, where there were control panels. Shi Jingge moved closer to it, placed his bracelet underneath, and used his body to block Zhao Jiangcheng and Lin Yiwen’s view as he sent a message to Ye Mingxu.

 

Shi Jingge: [Smiling emoji.jpg]

 

Although Ye Mingxu didn’t understand what it meant, he knew Shi Jingge was telling him to do the same, so he followed his lead.

 

His smart bracelet vibrated slightly in his hand, indicating a new message. Ye Mingxu looked down and saw it was a message from Shi Jingge.

 

So… So that was what he meant…

 

Ye Mingxu pursed his lips, his eyes betraying an unmistakable joy. After all, Ye Mingxu had never used a smart bracelet before, nor had he ever chatted with anyone online. He had no idea what emojis or stickers were, where to find them, or what to reply with.

 

After fumbling around for a while, Ye Mingxu finally replied cautiously: [Are you happy?]

 

Shi Jingge replied quickly: [I’m happy. Aren’t you?]

 

Ye Mingxu thought about it for a while. He usually didn’t experience many emotional ups and downs—he rarely felt happy or unhappy—but today seemed a little different. It seems he was happy, right?

 

Ye Mingxu replied: [Happy.]

 

Seeing the familiar period, the corners of Shi Jingge’s lips couldn’t help but curl upward: [Why are you happy?]

 

Ye Mingxu tapped the back of his hand, feeling a bit conflicted. What else could it be? Because of you.

 

[I’m happy because I met you.]

 

Ye Mingxu typed those words with some hesitation, then deleted the last two words. Finally, he shyly retyped them.

 

Ye Mingxu didn’t know why, but he felt like this wasn’t something to be said lightly. Yet aside from meeting Shi Jingge, today was no different from any other day. He rarely felt happy normally, so did that mean his happiness today was just a coincidence?

 

Of course not.

 

So, if he just went through the process of elimination, he’d know exactly why he was happy.

 

Ye Mingxu agonized over it for quite a while. It wasn’t until Shi Jingge sent a question mark that he finally pressed his lips together and sent the message.

 

After sending it, his ears started burning again. Then, like a thief, he shoved his smart bracelet under the control panel, not daring to look up or meet those eyes.

 

He waited for quite a while, but the smart brain didn’t respond.

 

Ye Mingxu couldn’t help but lift his head and glance in Shi Jingge’s direction.

 

Shi Jingge had his head down, but as if sensing something, he lifted his head at that very moment, locking eyes with Ye Mingxu, and then gave a faint smile.

 

That smile gradually brightened, the corners of his eyes crinkling with laughter, gentle and adorable.

 

Ye Mingxu’s eyes sparkled, and he couldn’t help but smile back at Shi Jingge. It was as if the air were filled with pink bubbles, floating everywhere.

 

After a while, Ye Mingxu’s smart bracelet flickered again. He looked down to see a message from Shi Jingge.

 

[Me too]

 

[Happy Kitten.jpg]

 

What did he mean? Was he happy to see him too?

 

A sudden gleam flashed in Ye Mingxu’s eyes, like a shooting star streaking across the night sky, beautiful and magnificent.

 

Just then, the others finally finished preparing the ingredients needed for the sobering potion and brought them over one by one.

 

A Siming Teji student glanced at Ye Mingxu and casually asked, “Brother Xu, why is your face so red?”

 

Ye Mingxu: !!!

 

Ye Mingxu’s finger stiffened, but his long-standing image as a man of few words saved him from embarrassment. The student didn’t press the matter, merely asking, “Is it too hot?”

 

Ye Mingxu nodded silently, effectively accepting that explanation.

 

The student ran over to Zhao Jiangcheng. “Teacher Zhao, Brother Xu thinks it’s too hot. Is the central temperature setting in the alchemist’s lab a bit too high?”

 

Zhao Jiangcheng looked down at the display; the temperature was just right. He cast a suspicious glance at Ye Mingxu and saw the flush on the side of his face.

 

“I’ll lower it a bit,” Zhao Jiangcheng said.

 

“Okay, thanks, Teacher.” The student thanked Zhao Jiangcheng and stepped back.

 

Zhao Jiangcheng turned the temperature down by two degrees. A cool breeze blew past, and he felt a bit chilly. It wasn’t just Zhao Jiangcheng who felt cold; Shi Jingge, who was dressed lightly today, also shivered a bit.

 

Ye Mingxu looked at Zhao Jiangcheng and murmured, “It’s too cold.”

 

Zhao Jiangcheng: ?

 

Siming Teji’s students: ?

 

Weren’t you just saying you were hot a moment ago?!

 

Zhao Jiangcheng was at a loss for words, so he turned the temperature up by one degree instead.

 

The student who had just gone up glanced at the rest of Siming Teji’s group and said plaintively, “Brother Xu really did nod and say he was cold!”

 

He wasn’t impersonating the emperor, for heaven’s sake!!

 

But soon enough, everyone stopped caring about this little hiccup. Shi Jingge and Ye Mingxu were about to start making their potions. Immediately, aside from the two on the stage, the remaining ten people all turned their gaze toward them.

 

Ever wonder what it meant to be in the spotlight? This was it!

 

But Ye Mingxu and Shi Jingge both had excellent mental fortitude; they didn’t care one bit about all those eyes on them.

 

Their movements were practically in perfect sync.

 

The potion furnace was opened immediately, and the prepared ingredients were added one by one—the two didn’t even use their hands, operating everything entirely with their mental energy!

 

The students from Siming Teji had seen Ye Mingxu do this before, so they weren’t too surprised, but when they saw Shi Jingge doing the same, their eyes widened until they were as big as copper bells!

 

A student from the Intermediate Division was already capable of using mental energy to complete a potion-making process? You’ve got to be kidding me!!

 

Not to mention, even the Kalandi students were left speechless.

 

Back at Kalandi, they’d never seen Shi Jingge display such a skill! Was this really a second-year student from the Intermediate Division? Even they, as third-year students in the Advanced Division, couldn’t pull this off!

 

At that moment, the students from Siming Teji and Kalandi found themselves, for once, in rare unison.

 

Is this what a clash of geniuses looks like?

 

This was just too much emotional damage!!

 

Two of Siming Teji’s students still wanted to make a desperate struggle, just waiting for Shi Jingge to give up on and switch to manual production.

 

But their desires were doomed to end in failure.

 

Shi Jingge’s mental power wasn’t weak; in terms of precise control, he was even slightly stronger than Ye Mingxu!

 

If anything, not just the students, but even Lin Yiwen was somewhat surprised. He never expected that Shi Jingge, a second-year student in the Intermediate Division, could actually achieve this level of skill.

 

Zhao Jiangcheng shot Lin Yiwen a dark, brooding glance. He’d wondered why Lin Yiwen was so confident; it turned out he’d really found a genius.

 

And Lin Yiwen was remarkably composed. He hadn’t let a single word slip.

 

Zhao Jiangcheng ground his teeth.

 

Because the process relied on mental energy control, it avoided many technical issues, but the demands on both mental energy and its control were high. Being able to craft a potion entirely using mental energy, and achieving a quality of “Advanced” or higher, was a key criterion for the Junior Alchemist examination.

 

Every year, countless people got stuck at this aspect and were unable to advance to becoming true alchemists.

 

Yes, only by passing the Junior Alchemist examination could one be considered a true alchemist. Anyone else was merely an apprentice.

 

Not only could the two of them craft potions using mental energy, but the entire process was exceptionally smooth. Although the steps were extremely tedious, their movements were perfectly synchronized, flawless, and highly organized, especially Shi Jingge’s.

 

Every one of his movements was elegant and natural, and his mental energy added a few threads of gentle charm, giving him a unique allure.

 

Simply put, watching him brew potions was a visual delight.

 

The Siming Teji students were all somewhat dazed.

 

Although they’d been exposed to a prodigy like Ye Mingxu on a daily basis and had developed a remarkably resilient mindset, suddenly encountering a prodigy even more extraordinary than Ye Mingxu—and from a rival school at that—was indescribable!

 

Ye Mingxu said this middle school student was strong, so they believed it. But they never imagined this student could actually be this strong!!

 

The Siming Teji students’ gazes involuntarily drifted toward the Kalandi side. Seeing the expressions of shock and astonishment on their faces, they suddenly felt a twinge of comfort deep down.

 

So it turns out the rival school next door didn’t know this student was this strong either.

 

Alright, they were comforted.

 

…What comfort, damn it!

 

…This Intermediate Division student was from the other side! The other side!!

 

No one had expected this student to be this strong.

 

Only Brother Xu had seen it from afar. What do you call this? A mutual recognition between geniuses?

 

The Siming Teji students were dealt a heavy blow. The Kalandi students weren’t faring much better either; after all, Shi Jingge was really young.

 

As time passed and the potion-making process went smoothly, the looks everyone cast at Shi Jingge gradually began to carry a hint of awe.

 

He was truly amazing, the kind where you couldn’t find a single flaw.

 

Time ticked away every second, and the brewing process gradually drew to a close. Soon, Ye Mingxu and Shi Jingge finished their potions almost simultaneously!

 

And the finished products were virtually indistinguishable.

 

Lin Yiwen and Zhao Jiangcheng didn’t even need to test them to see the quality of these potions.

 

Two Perfect-quality Sobering Potions.

 

Lin Yiwen was over the moon; it was like eating ice on a sweltering day, with every pore radiating refreshment.

 

Especially after sensing Zhao Jiangcheng’s reaction, he was on cloud nine.

 

“Looks like another tie,” Lin Yiwen said with a half-smile as he looked at Zhao Jiangcheng, his tone casual.

 

“Two Perfect-quality Sobering Potions—it really is a tie,” Zhao Jiangshan said, looking at Lin Yiwen. “This is the first time I’ve seen you bring out such an outstanding apprentice, Mentor Lin.”

 

Lin Yiwen waved his hand. “He’s still young.”

 

“Bringing him out this young—what if you’re forcing growth too soon?”

 

Zhao Jiangcheng: “……”

 

That bastard was mocking him for bringing Ye Mingxu out so early just to show off!

 

Damn it. Zhao Jiangcheng hadn’t forgotten the look of surprise in Lin Yiwen’s eyes when Shi Jingge first used his mental power to craft a potion.

 

It was clear that Lin Yiwen didn’t even know Shi Jingge’s true level, yet here he was pretending otherwise!

 

This disciple—Lin Yiwen probably hadn’t even been in charge of him for very long; clearly, he didn’t even know the disciple’s true level!

 

Zhao Jiangcheng and Lin Yiwen were locked in a fierce standoff, their words as sharp as daggers, every sentence laced with barbed sarcasm.

 

But what was the point?

 

It was Zhao Jiangcheng who initiated the provocation; it was Zhao Jiangcheng who set the trap; and in the end, it was Zhao Jiangcheng who ended up with a draw, losing both face and dignity!

 

He’d also thrown away an expensive lunch and the admission tickets to the Spiritual Plant Garden’s Potion Lab!

 

If it weren’t for the years of bickering with Lin Yiwen—during which they’d each made the other lose face countless times—Zhao Jiangcheng’s mental state would’ve completely collapsed.

 

Though, to be honest, it did collapse a bit.

 

Just a little.

 

As Lin Yiwen led the Kalandi students away, his back was radiating sheer delight.

 

Halfway down the path, Lin Yiwen didn’t forget to glance back at Zhao Jiangcheng and chuckled, “I can’t let Mentor Zhao foot the entire bill for today’s expenses, can I? How about this: send the bill to my smart brain, and I’ll cover half.”

 

Zhao Jiangcheng’s breath caught in his throat. What the hell is this bastard trying to pull?!

 

“No need.” Zhao Jiangcheng grounded out those two words through clenched teeth, wishing he could smash Lin Yiwen’s head in.

 

Lin Yiwen raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

 

Zhao Jiangcheng said, enunciating each syllable, “Really.”

 

“All right, then,” Lin Yiwen said with a beaming smile. “Thank you, Mentor Zhao, for your generosity. We’ve had a wonderful time having fun today. Thanks again for the invitation. Next time something this enjoyable comes up, I hope you’ll invite us again.”

 

Zhao Jiangcheng: ……

 

Could this bastard just get the hell out already?

 

Zhao Jiangcheng gave a friendly smile. “Take care. We will not see you off.”

 

Lin Yiwen grabbed one of Kalandi’s students to join him in thanking Zhao Jiangcheng, while Zhao Jiangcheng felt like he was teetering on the brink.

 

Finally, Lin Yiwen left with Kalandi’s students.

 

Zhao Jiangcheng hadn’t even caught his breath when Lin Yiwen’s puzzled voice drifted into his ears. “Man, these days, people can’t even spend their money if they want to. I was just trying to help him cut his losses a little, but he absolutely refused. Mentor Zhao really is a generous person.”

 

Zhao Jiangcheng: “……”

 

Aaaargh! He wanted to kill that bastard Lin Yiwen!!!

 

Lin Yiwen led the students onto the skybus. As soon as he got on, he couldn’t contain himself; he slapped his thigh and burst out laughing, utterly triumphant.

 

Lin Yiwen patted Shi Jingge on the shoulder. “You’re even better than I imagined.”

 

Shi Jingge glanced at Lin Yiwen, looking a bit embarrassed. “Not at all.”

 

Lin Yiwen didn’t say much more; he just patted Shi Jingge again. After returning to school, he took Shi Jingge to his office.

 

“Regarding the Three-Star Flower nectar, you can write an academic paper on it. I’ll review it for you, help polish anything minor, and then you can submit it for publication under your own name.” Lin Yiwen’s tone was matter-of-fact. “This is entirely your own research.”

 

Shi Jingge was a bit taken aback. Lin Yiwen was implying that he wouldn’t even be listed as the“advisor—the entire paper and all the findings would belong solely to Shi Jingge.

 

“It’s been yours from the start.” Lin Yiwen patted Shi Jingge on the shoulder. “And I believe this is just the beginning.”

 

“Come see me once you’ve finished drafting the paper,” Lin Yiwen said as he pulled out a set of pharmaceutical furnaces from the cabinet behind him. “A pharmacist can’t possibly be without their own furnaces.”

 

Shi Jingge opened his mouth to thank him, but Lin Yiwen cut him off. “Don’t thank me,” Lin Yiwen said, leaning back in his chair with a gleam in his eye. “You have no idea how arrogant Zhao’s been these past few years ever since he got Ye Mingxu on his team. He’s practically been rubbing it in my face. I’ve been holding this in for way too long. Just look at his face today—he lost both the battle and the war. Tsk, tsk, tsk. I’ve got enough to laugh about for a year. No, two years! Two whole years!”

 

Lin Yiwen smiled faintly. “So, no need to thank me. I’ve always hated all that awkward back-and-forth gratitude. You can go now; I’m tired. Of course, if you really want to thank me, save some rose tea for me. I won’t take it for free, though. I can also put in a good word for you in the Pharmacy Department.”

 

Shi Jingge smiled, pulled two small bottles from his pocket, and handed them to Lin Yiwen.

 

Lin Yiwen’s eyes lit up. Not for any other reason, but mainly because the rose tea really did taste that good.

 

Although Lin Yiwen had said there was no need to thank him, Shi Jingge still did before leaving the office.

 

Lin Yiwen smiled. This little guy was actually pretty cute.

 

So Lin Yiwen took a photo of the two bottles and posted it to his Moments.

 

Lin Yiwen: [I told him it wasn’t necessary, but the student insisted on giving them to me. No matter how I tried to refuse, it was no use. He was worried about my health and told me to get some rest. These days, students have all sorts of ways of bossing their teachers around, don’t they? [Photo]]

 

The bragging tone was unmistakable, and Lin Yiwen even specifically tagged Zhao Jiangcheng in the comments section.

 

Zhao Jiangcheng: ……

 

How the hell has that bastard Lin Yiwen not been beaten to death yet?!

 

In his helpless rage, Zhao Jiangcheng felt a faint pang of bitterness welling up inside him.

 

Look at other teachers’ students—talented, capable, and considerate of their teachers. Then look at his own student…

 

Zhao Jiangcheng silently looked up at Ye Mingxu, who was curled up with his head buried between the seat and the wall, completely oblivious to what was going on. The atmosphere around him was so icy that no one dared to sit next to him, leaving him to occupy two seats all by himself.

 

Was he supposed to expect Ye Mingxu to care for him, look after him, and tell him to rest?

 

Zhao Jiangcheng imagined that scene and couldn’t help but shudder.

 

He’d rather believe Shi Jingge would transfer to Siming Teji!

 

People, after all, feared comparisons the most. Once the comparison was made, Zhao Jiangcheng’s state of mind completely collapsed.

 

And what was Ye Mingxu doing?

 

Ye Mingxu once again reopened his chat history with Shi Jingge and, for the thousandth time, read through it from start to finish.

 

Now he was satisfied.

 

The next day, Ye Mingxu received a gift of rose tea in a heart-shaped box from Shi Jingge.

 

Ye Mingxu seriously thanked Shi Jingge, who told him there was no need, but Ye Mingxu still felt restless.

 

Shi Jingge had given him such a wonderful gift, yet he’d only sent him a single Winter Frost Herb. What kind of offering was that?

 

Not to mention, Shi Jingge hadn’t even used that Winter Frost Herb yet.

 

So… what should he send him as a follow-up gift?

 

Ye Mingxu had never given anyone a gift before and had absolutely no idea what to get.

 

Since he never used his smart bracelet and didn’t know how to look it up on the optical brain, he had no choice but to turn to the people around him.

 

The four Siming Teji students felt that Ye Mingxu had been acting a bit off lately.

 

Ye Mingxu had been looking at them more often recently than he had in the entire past year combined!

 

At first, everyone waited for Ye Mingxu to speak up, but he just wouldn’t speak. After holding out for two days, they finally couldn’t take it anymore! 

 

“Brother Xu.” One student approached him with a pitiful look. “Just say what’s on your mind.”

 

Ye Mingxu turned to look at him. The student raised his hands in surrender and cried out in distress, “If you keep staring at me like that, I’m really going to have nightmares tonight!”

 

Ye Mingxu said slowly, “What would you guys recommend…for gifts?”

 

The students: !!!

 

---

 

Author’s Note:

 

Student A: I just experienced auditory hallucinations.

 

Student B: What a coincidence—me too.”

 

Student C: Bro, count me in.

 

Student D: So, are auditory hallucinations contagious?

 

Students A, B, C, and D declared in unison: Yes!!!

 

 

---

 

Edit: Krone

Proofread: Choux_choux