Chapter 93: Fortunately
When Nan Yu heard Yu Lanfeng ask that question, he immediately found it rather strange.
He simply opened the box, took out the medal inside, held it in his hand, and waved it lightly.
"Marshal, this belongs to you, doesn't it? And it's something important, right? You personally had your adjutant deliver it. Don't tell me you don't even know about it yourself?"
Yu Lanfeng paused for a moment after seeing the item in his hand, then calmly nodded.
"You mean this? Yes, I was the one who had it delivered to you."
Nan Yu finally let out a sigh of relief.
"Don't scare me like that. If this thing ended up with me and you didn't even know about it, how would I ever explain myself later?"
Yu Lanfeng replied, "I simply didn't remember what you were referring to. Besides, it's not anything particularly important. Just keep it. But don't let anyone else see it."
"Of course I won't. Don't worry."
If anyone saw it, that would be a disaster.
He was definitely going to hide it carefully—together with the Nianshen Grass.
After that topic ended, the conversation returned to Bai Zhouyun.
Bai Zhouyun was still waiting outside, as though he refused to leave unless he saw Nan Yu.
But Nan Yu truly had no desire to see him.
He casually complained, "So annoying... this Bai Zhouyun... If only the engagement could be canceled sooner."
The current Bai Zhouyun definitely knew nothing about the future, so the only reason he kept pestering him now was probably because Nan Yu had stopped chasing after him.
Some people were just that despicable.
When someone chased after them and spoiled them, they didn't appreciate it.
But once that person lost interest and wanted to leave, they immediately came running back with hopeful eyes.
Nan Yu would never be that pathetic.
Especially not after being murdered once.
Bai Zhouyun continued waiting outside. Perhaps he truly had no idea what he could possibly do to make Nan Yu change his mind.
The only thing he seemed capable of doing now was waiting.
After another ten minutes or so, Bai Zhouyun still hadn't moved.
Nan Yu figured he could simply fly around him in his hovercraft. He had no interest in making contact.
Taking a deep breath, he was just about to control the hovercraft and leave when a communication request came through.
It was from Bai Zhouyun.
Nan Yu hesitated for a while before finally accepting it.
Bai Zhouyun's face appeared on the screen.
Nan Yu looked at him expressionlessly.
"What is it?"
"Xiao Yu, we haven't seen each other for a long time. Can we talk?"
Nan Yu let out a long sigh.
"What is there to talk about?"
"...Xiao Yu, you weren't like this before."
Nan Yu answered just as directly.
"Bai Zhouyun, you weren't like this before either. You used to throw me away like I was garbage. Every time I got close to you, you acted as if I'd infected you with some virus and made you uncomfortable. You were never nice to me. You treated any random classmate or friend better than you ever treated me."
"And don't tell me you've realized your mistake and that you'll change in the future. Those are just pretty words."
Bai Zhouyun lowered his eyes.
"I know... My past behavior must have hurt you a lot. But from now on, I'll make it up to you properly."
Nan Yu snorted.
Right now, he had no intention of exposing Bai Zhouyun's relationship with Yun Feiyu.
The timing still wasn't right.
If possible, he honestly wished he could just accept another mission and leave to carry it out.
He could run into Bai Zhouyun anytime.
It was unbelievably annoying.
"You should leave. Stop blocking my way. I'm planning to go home today. If I'm late getting back, my brothers will come looking for me. If you make them angry, don't expect me to speak up for you."
Bai Zhouyun's eyes suddenly lit up.
"I knew you still cared about me."
Nan Yu's face filled with question marks.
What the hell was he talking about?
"I understand. I'll listen to you. I'll leave now. I'll come see you again when I have time."
With that, Bai Zhouyun actually left.
Only after he was gone did Nan Yu slowly realize that Bai Zhouyun had actually interpreted everything he'd just said as concern for him.
How ridiculous.
Him?
Still caring about Bai Zhouyun?
Well...
At least the man was gone.
Out of sight, out of mind.
...
When Nan Yu returned home, he was immediately surrounded.
Everyone fussed over him, asking if he was tired or hungry, worrying about every little thing.
After all, Nan Yu had spent such a long time working at the hospital recently. He had to be exhausted.
"Alright, Big Brother, Second Brother, Brother Fu, it's really nothing. Don't worry."
"I'm perfectly fine. Aren't I standing right here? Go ahead and check if you don't believe me!"
Nan Yun and the others really did give him a thorough examination before finally letting him off.
Naturally, Nan Yu returned the favor by checking each of their Mental Seas.
Everything looked fine.
He also removed some of the Mental Contamination they had accumulated.
Feeling more energetic than ever, Nan Yun and the others immediately spent the entire night training their physical abilities.
Nan Yu simply went home, slept for one night, and returned to the hospital the next morning.
Nan Yun asked, "Do you really have to rush back? Why not stay home and rest for a few more days?"
"Big Brother, the hospital is busiest right now. In the past, all the patients they couldn't cure were simply kept alive so their conditions wouldn't deteriorate further. Now that I'm here, I can gradually help them recover. That's a good thing. Besides, once you and Second Brother join the Marshal's Legion, I'm sure everyone will treat you very well."
How could they not?
Every bit of goodwill had been earned little by little by their adorable youngest brother.
So instead of trying to stop Nan Yu from going, what they needed to do was become stronger as quickly as possible.
Once they entered the Legion, they wanted everyone to know that Nan Yu's brothers were formidable people.
Not cowards.
Not weaklings.
People worthy of respect.
Nan Yu left the Nan family once again and returned to the hospital to continue his work.
...
Meanwhile, at the Legion...
After staying awake the entire night, Qin Wenxing finally couldn't hold out any longer and confessed.
"I'm sorry, Marshal. Actually, it was..."
Yu Lanfeng had been trying to find out who had given Qin Wenxing that item and instructed him to deliver it to Nan Yu in the Marshal's name.
To his surprise, Qin Wenxing had endured far longer than expected.
It took an entire night before he finally spoke.
Of course, Yu Lanfeng hadn't actually punished him.
He had simply made him stand there all night.
Nothing more.
He hadn't been made to do anything.
Nor had Yu Lanfeng laid a finger on him.
Yu Lanfeng let out a sigh.
"Did you really think I wouldn't know even if you refused to tell me? Was it the Empress who instructed you? Has she already started taking action?"
Qin Wenxing instantly became mute.
He hadn't expected the Marshal to guess correctly on the first try.
Or perhaps...
The Marshal had known all along and simply hadn't said anything.
Besides, when the Marshal had discovered the item was already in Nan Yu's possession, he hadn't reacted much at all.
Qin Wenxing had assumed he would definitely ask for it back.
Instead...
He had really let Nan Yu keep it.
Could it really be exactly what Qin Wenxing was thinking?
"That's all. Go back to work."
Qin Wenxing bowed respectfully before leaving the office.
He planned to get some sleep first.
His Mental Sea hadn't fully recovered yet.
Standing at attention outside the Marshal's office for an entire night...
Standing itself wasn't frightening.
The frightening part was having your superior standing there watching you the whole time.
Yu Lanfeng stared at the Empress's communication ID for quite a while before finally dialing it.
Almost as though she had been expecting the call, the Empress answered almost immediately.
Smiling brightly, she looked at him.
"So? You only found out now?"
Yu Lanfeng fell silent.
"Oh my, I'd say it's a good thing. Let the child know how you feel about him, right?"
"What feelings?"
"The fact that you like him, of course! He has to know that. Otherwise, how can the relationship move any further?"
"Is that so?"
The Empress nodded.
"Exactly... Hmm?"
She blinked.
"You're actually not opposing what I did?"
"The method wasn't bad. But if you plan to do something like this again, discuss it with me first—or at least notify me. Otherwise I'll accidentally expose everything when I talk with him."
The Empress stared at him in astonishment.
"Little Brother... are you really alright?"
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"I honestly thought you'd oppose it. You used to be so rigid. Seeing you like this feels... strange."
"How so?"
"Seriously. You really think my method was good?"
"It was acceptable."
"...Have you finally figured things out?"
"What do you mean?"
"Never mind. As long as you're like this, I can finally relax. From now on, when you're pursuing someone, be more diligent. Stop thinking about work, work, work all the time."
"I understand."
It was the first time she had ever seen her younger brother being this obedient.
It felt incredibly strange.
She even lost interest in teasing him.
"Anyway, you never carry that thing around. Why not just give it to Xiao Yu? He'll definitely treasure it. And once he understands your feelings, getting together will naturally become the next step."
"There's still one troublesome matter that hasn't been dealt with."
The smile on the Empress's face faded slightly.
She reached off to one side and did something.
A pained cry immediately echoed from nearby.
Very good.
She had obviously reached over and pinched the Emperor sitting beside her.
In this entire Empire, only the Empress had the courage to do something like that.
"I've told your brother-in-law countless times. He simply refuses to interfere. He even said that if I did it myself, he'd do his best to erase the traces afterward so no one could trace it back to me. But he absolutely refuses to help directly."
"Tell me, doesn't that make it seem like he doesn't want you to find a good partner?"
"Enough, Sister. Brother-in-law is the Emperor. He can't casually interfere in these matters. You know that perfectly well. Throwing a little tantrum is one thing, but don't really force him to do something like that."
"Oh, I know. I'm just angry."
The Emperor muttered pitifully beside her, but he didn't dare say anything harsh.
He looked every bit the henpecked husband.
Naturally, in front of outsiders, the Emperor would never behave this way.
Nor would the Empress ever let him lose face.
"In any case, stop what you're doing for now. If you do too much, it'll become too obvious. Those rumors about Bai Zhouyun and Yun Feiyu... they came from your side too, didn't they?"
The Empress chuckled.
"Hmph. Those weren't rumors."
So he had guessed correctly.
"Even if they're going to fulfill the engagement, it'll only happen after Xiao Yu graduates. Besides, Major General Nan Ming already told me that he'll be extremely busy with missions over the next few years and probably won't be able to return to the Capital Star."
"That's all well and good, but he can't stay away forever. Xiao Yu will definitely miss his father. Since you've already made up your mind, you'd better make your move sooner rather than later."
"A family like the Bai family is capable of anything."
"Hm?"
"Oh, I'd forgotten. You still don't know about this. Let me tell you."
After hearing everything the Empress had to say, Yu Lanfeng frowned slightly.
"Is it true?"
"Of course. We only uncovered it recently ourselves. We only found out not long ago. That old man from the Bai family hid it extremely well before. Not even the slightest rumor leaked out."
"But there's no such thing as a wall that doesn't let the wind through. As long as someone does something shameful, traces will always remain."
"So we found it."
"The truth is, after Bai Zhouyun caused all that trouble recently, the old man decided that this grandson was no longer worth cultivating."
"So he decided to raise another one instead."
"The illegitimate child has already been born?"
"Yes. Just recently."
"If it weren't for the birth, our people never would have discovered it. Childbirth involves a lot of activity, and afterward they had to go to the hospital."
"Of course, the old man didn't personally take them. He sent one of his trusted confidants."
"But thinking about it now, if he hadn't sent that trusted subordinate, we never would have become suspicious."
"So, in the end, he brought this upon himself."
"I understand."
"I'll find a way to make use of it."
"So you're finally planning to make your move yourself?"
"I already said there's no rush. The child was only just born. There's no way to tell whether he'll amount to anything in the future. Wait another two years first. Otherwise something unexpected might happen."
"It's not that I'm impatient. I just heard Bai Zhouyun has been working extremely hard lately. Maybe he really will become a High-Tier Ability User."
Yu Lanfeng sounded completely unconcerned.
"So?"
"...That's true."
The Empress nodded.
"Compared to you, even if he becomes a High-Tier Ability User, there probably won't be much difference from when he was only Mid-Tier."
To Yu Lanfeng, the gap between a Mid-Tier Ability User and someone who had only just advanced to High-Tier was like the difference between one and one and a half.
Hardly worth mentioning.
"Alright, alright. Just make sure you win him over. When the two of you get married, I'll personally arrange the grandest wedding in the entire Empire!"
Yu Lanfeng frowned slightly.
He wasn't fond of such noisy occasions.
But perhaps Nan Yu would like it?
He could ask him after everything had been settled.
"That's enough. I've said everything I wanted to say. If an opportunity appears, don't let it slip away. Understood?"
Before Yu Lanfeng could even answer, she disconnected the call.
In this world, there were probably only three people bold enough to hang up on Yu Lanfeng.
The Empress.
The Emperor.
And probably Nan Yu as well.
At the moment, however, Nan Yu was busy at the hospital and had no time to answer communications.
Yu Lanfeng quickly immersed himself in work once again.
Before this, he had genuinely struggled over whether he should pursue Nan Yu.
After all...
There was still the engagement.
But now that he thought about it, Nan Yu's engagement to Bai Zhouyun existed in name only.
With just a little maneuvering, it could be completely dissolved.
Especially after discovering that Old Master Bai had secretly kept a woman outside and that she had given birth to his child.
Combined with Bai Zhouyun's long record of flirting around and being unfaithful...
Once those two matters came to light, dissolving the engagement would be almost effortless.
But now was still not the time.
He knew he needed something even bigger.
Something that would attract everyone's attention.
Most importantly, Nan Yu was still in school.
Everything had to wait until after Nan Yu graduated and officially entered the Legion.
Only then would the comparison between Nan Yu and Bai Zhouyun become even more striking.
Perhaps by then...
Everyone who knew about the engagement would oppose it.
And once that happened, everything would become much easier to arrange.
...
Nan Yu stayed busy day after day, and time passed quickly.
Before he knew it, the next semester was about to begin.
Instead of feeling troubled, Nan Yu was delighted.
Finally.
He could get some rest.
To him now, going to school was practically a vacation.
Not only was the new semester beginning, but everyone was advancing another academic year.
Only two years remained before graduation.
He wondered how many students would actually make it.
Every graduating class always had around ten students who failed to qualify.
Some simply packed up and left.
Others repeated the year.
Naturally, Nan Yu wasn't worried about himself.
But Yang Zhou truly was.
He had looked dejected from the very beginning of the day.
At first, Nan Yu thought he simply hadn't slept well.
Yet even after the entire morning passed, Yang Zhou remained listless.
During lunch break, Nan Yu finally sat down to talk with him.
"You don't seem quite right today. What's wrong? Did someone dump you?"
Yang Zhou's mouth twitched.
"Oh my god, Nan Yu. Can't you say something nicer?"
"Then tell me."
Yang Zhou sighed.
"...You know my Mental Sea isn't particularly strong. My final evaluation last semester wasn't very good. Although I barely met the requirements to advance to the next year, it was only by a tiny margin."
"The teacher told me that if I don't improve, I'll be held back when it's time to advance again."
Only then did Nan Yu realize...
Yang Zhou wasn't like him.
Nan Yu was on the verge of becoming a High-Tier Mental Power User.
Yang Zhou, on the other hand, was completely different.
His grades were only average.
Especially his mental power.
It was only at the level of an ordinary Low-Tier Mental Power User.
Nan Yu wanted to comfort him.
But after opening his mouth, he had no idea what to say.
Should he simply tell him,
I have the Nianshen Grass. I can help you. Come with me when the time comes.
Of course he couldn't say that.
Because...
Although Yang Zhou genuinely cared about him, once something capable of completely changing a person's fate became involved...
Who could guarantee Yang Zhou wouldn't change?
If something that could completely alter his destiny appeared in the hands of his closest friend...
Wouldn't he want it for himself?
Wouldn't he want to use it to change his own future?
Nan Yu wasn't willing to take that risk yet.
If news that he possessed the Nianshen Grass leaked before he became a High-Tier Mental Power User...
He wouldn't be able to keep it.
Even Yu Lanfeng had to abide by the Empire's laws.
Naturally, the government would compensate him with an enormous amount of money.
But Nan Yu didn't lack money.
Once he became a High-Tier Mental Power User, however, everything would be different.
High-Tier Mental Power Users possessed all kinds of special privileges.
For example, they could wear whatever they wanted.
If one of them liked a particular outfit, others could simply buy the same one.
Some even insisted that nobody else was allowed to wear identical clothing.
But if both parties were High-Tier Mental Power Users, whose wishes should prevail?
Naturally...
They would have to settle the dispute themselves.
Once they got tired of arguing, everything would settle down.
Nan Yu had met High-Tier Mental Power Users in his previous life.
Perhaps because their work required them to travel constantly, leaving them utterly exhausted, the upper echelons of the Empire gave them the very best treatment imaginable. They spoiled every High-Tier Mental Power User into little princes and princesses. Even those who were over one or two hundred years old still appeared domineering and innocent, completely unlike people who had experienced the hardships of life.
Logically speaking, after witnessing so many Ability Users tormented by Mental Contamination, they should have matured at least somewhat.
Yet these Mental Power Users with extraordinarily powerful mental strength showed no such growth whatsoever.
If anything, they almost seemed to become less intelligent over time.
But Nan Yu quickly realized that perhaps this was intentional.
Perhaps the Empire deliberately raised High-Tier Mental Power Users that way.
As a result, they would have no one to rely on except the Empire.
That said, there was no denying one fact.
The Empire truly could serve as their lifelong support.
Nan Yu took a deep breath.
"It's fine. Train with me during this period. As long as you work hard, passing shouldn't be a problem."
Yang Zhou looked at him expectantly.
"But you always seem so busy every day. Do you really have time to give me special training? Or... is there another way?"
Nan Yu replied, "You're still a Mental Power User, aren't you? Go accept some commissions. Pick a few simple ones. Earning a little money is good, and it'll help you practice too. Tell me honestly—how long has it been since you last removed Mental Contamination for someone?"
Yang Zhou blinked.
"I guess... more than a year?"
Nan Yu sighed.
"With things like this, I honestly find it unbelievable that you even passed last time and advanced to the next year together with me. Think about it yourself. Isn't that true?"
Yang Zhou scratched his head helplessly.
"I didn't want things to end up like this either. But there was nothing I could do. There were too many things happening before, and afterward other issues delayed me. I simply never thought about any of this."
"I know..."
Yang Zhou really had gone through a lot.
First there had been all those troublesome relatives at home.
Then Nan Yu's kidnapping.
Then that incident in their residential district—not exactly a major problem, but still something that demanded attention.
Over the course of the past year, Yang Zhou genuinely hadn't had the spare energy to focus on anything else.
"The hospital where I work definitely can't let you come with me," Nan Yu said. "So you should try accepting a couple of easy commissions on your own. If you don't feel confident yet, you can volunteer at the school's infirmary first. Practice removing Mental Contamination for the students every day. Once you're sure you can handle it, then think about taking other commissions."
Yang Zhou thought the suggestion sounded excellent and happily agreed.
When they returned to the classroom, one of their classmates suddenly called out to him.
"Yang Zhou!"
Yang Zhou turned around.
"What is it?"
It was a classmate who sat in front of them.
They weren't particularly close, but they weren't on bad terms either.
"The teacher wants to see you."
Yang Zhou blinked.
"Alright, got it."
He turned back toward Nan Yu.
"It's definitely because of my grades..."
Nan Yu stood up.
"Enough. I'll go with you. Let's go."
"Nan Yu, you're the best..."
"Don't get all mushy."
However, the moment they entered the office and saw the teacher's unusually serious expression, both of them vaguely realized...
It probably wasn't about what they had been thinking.