At noon, the air temperature quietly rose.
In the pharmacy, various medicinal fragrances permeated everywhere, becoming even more intense. Just as Chen Sheng spread out a batch of honeysuckle to dry, he heard a soft "thud" behind him — the copper mortar in Li Huayao's hand had fallen to the ground.
"Junior Sister Li!"
Huang Wangyou stood with her hands on her hips by the medicine shelf, the golden bracelet in her hand gently swaying with her speech.
"This is the third time you've dropped something."
She scolded with a fierce frown, her childish face attempting to imitate the stern demeanor of an adult.
Li Huayao pouted, quickly picked up the mortar, and mumbled softly:
"I got it, little senior sister."
As she spoke, she secretly glanced at Chen Sheng, who was quietly sorting herbs, while Huang Wangyou didn't even cast a glance his way.
Li Huayao couldn't help but pout, silently complaining in her heart:
"Little senior sister is so petty, she's sweet to the junior brother but always finds fault with me."
Chen Sheng pretended not to see Li Huayao's resentful little gaze as he meticulously swept fragments into a bamboo dustpan.
Since Senior Sister Huang Wangyou started overseeing the pharmacy, Li Huayao's days had indeed become much harder. The downtime she used to sneak was now strictly cut off, even a sip of water would earn her a "stop dawdling" scolding.
Yet Huang Wangyou was much more lenient with Chen Sheng, sometimes even pointing out the tips for rare herbs.
"Senior Sister, how is my handling of this fifty-year-old Wulong Ginseng?"
Chen Sheng raised the herb in his hand, the roots and tendrils laid out perfectly, the cut surface smooth as a mirror.
Huang Wangyou immediately leaned over, her tiny nose almost touching the ginseng tendrils, her round eyes gleaming with seriousness:
"Hmm, leaving four inches of the root, the cut surface is shiny — it's passable."
She stood on tiptoe and gently patted Chen Sheng's shoulder, with a smile in her voice.
"Much better than the Astragalus you handled last time, Xiaoyunzi, you're improving fast."
This affectionate nickname caused the medicine scissors in Li Huayao's hand to unknowingly "snip," cutting off the excess stems.
With a sour heart, Li Huayao looked at the heap of herbs in front of her, which seemed like a small mountain, and then at Chen Sheng's nearly finished pile, she couldn't help but make a face at Huang Wangyou's back and quickly lowered her head, pretending to be busy.
...
Another hour passed.
Finding it too dull, Huang Wangyou retrieved an ebony chessboard from the wooden cabinet and set it up on the desk. The black and white pieces fell onto the board, making a crisp clattering sound.
Playing both black and white, Huang Wangyou was frowning in concentration over the chess manual, even missing Li Huayao sneaking candied fruit into her mouth.
On the side, Li Huayao had relaxed for some time, but seeing the small mountain of herbs still in front of her, she sighed.
Suddenly, her eyes rolled with a new idea.
...
"Little senior sister, it's too boring to play chess alone. I'll play with you."
Li Huayao quietly approached, her voice sweet like it was soaked in honey.
Without looking up, Huang Wangyou placed a black piece on the center point:
"Trying to slack off again? Don't let Xiaoyunzi help you or you'll be punished by having to copy the 'Hundred Herbs Scripture' tonight."
At these words, Li Huayao wilted instantly, dragging her feet back to her bluestone table.
Chen Sheng stifled his laughter and continued to handle the herbs in his hands, occasionally glancing at the chess-playing girl from afar, moved by a thought.
As a prince, with numerous beauties keeping him company, he had picked up many hobbies.
His literary and artistic skills were no less than those of Emperor Huizong.
In Go, he had his own achievements.
...
Until five in the afternoon, Chen Sheng finished processing the last herbal ingredient and, upon walking to the chess table, witnessed Huang Wangyou tossing her white piece away in a huff and glaring at the board.
"These seventy-two moves just don't work!"
Her cheeks were flustered with redness, and her forehead beaded with fine sweat, adding a touch of endearing stubbornness.
"Senior Sister, I've finished my work."
Chen Sheng spoke softly.
Only then did Huang Wangyou notice him, her eyes lit up, but her face quickly reverted to seriousness:
"Bring it here for my inspection."
She followed Chen Sheng to the medicine shelf, her fingers gliding over the neatly arranged herbs, occasionally picking a bit to sniff at the tip of her nose… She nodded with satisfaction in the end:
"It's quite decent."
As she turned back to the chess table,
Chen Sheng casually remarked,
"I noticed earlier that the senior sister was stuck at the seventy-two moves. Maybe you could try a small knight's move in the upper right corner?"
Huang Wangyou froze mid-step, turning sharply:
"A small knight's move?"
She immediately crouched back by the chessboard.
After achieving the Qi Cultivation First Layer, her Spiritual Sense developed, greatly enhancing her memory. Familiar with the sequence, she conducted virtual moves on the board in her mind and suddenly slapped her leg with laughter:
"Right! Why didn't I think of that!"
She looked up at Chen Sheng, her eyes shining like a hamster spotting nuts.
"You know Go?"
Before Chen Sheng could answer, she had already grabbed his sleeve, dragging him to the chess table:
"Come on, let's play a round!"
Her force was so great that it made Chen Sheng stagger back a couple of steps.
With black and white stones crossing on the board, the game began.
Initially confident, Huang Wangyou handled her pieces with poised fingertips, her strategy well-organized.
But as the game progressed, her brows furrowed tighter, her little mouth slightly pursed, occasionally biting her lower lip in deep thought.
Chen Sheng's playing style appeared gentle, with each move seemingly inconsequential, yet unwittingly weaving an elaborate web.
"Pop!"
The last black piece fell, the dragon was intercepted midway, and Huang Wangyou stared at the board, her eyes widening in disbelief.
"How could this happen…"
She was dumbfounded, replaying the game in her mind. The opponent's style was rather peculiar, like a needle hidden in cotton, leading to her unnoticed defeat.
Chen Sheng smiled faintly:
"Senior Sister, I'm leaving."
Yellow Wangyou quickly came back to her senses, her watery eyes fixed on him.
"Play another round with me."
After repeated pleading from Huang Wangyou, a rematch quickly commenced. As she set up the pieces, her face was full of determination.
"I won't believe I can't beat you!"
The second, third… until the ninth match ended.
With her puffed cheeks now a little steamed dumpling, Huang Wangyou's reddened eyes brimmed with tears, almost on the verge of bursting into sobs.
Seeing her like this, in the tenth match, Chen Sheng deliberately left a flaw.
"Ha ha ha! I won!"
As Huang Wangyou placed the winning piece, she instantly jumped up in cheer, tears turning into a frown that beamed with laughter in an instant.
"Xiaoyunzi, you have to practice for a few more years!"
Chen Sheng nodded gently with a smile:
"Senior Sister's skill is exquisite, the junior brother is impressed."
Only then did Huang Wangyou let go of her grudges, propping her chin to ask:
"You're so good at Go, who taught you?"
Chen Sheng's gaze quietly fell at the edge of the chessboard, and he said softly:
"My mother, she loved playing Go when she was alive, but I only learned two to three-tenths of her skills."
The smile on Huang Wangyou's face softened a bit, her fingers gently caressing a piece:
"Mother must have been amazing."
She suddenly lowered her head, her voice turning lighter.
"My mother passed away four years ago too. This set of Go was a birthday gift from her."
Chen Sheng was taken aback; he really didn't know this. Just as he was about to apologize, he saw Huang Wangyou suddenly raise her head and smile:
"Well, let's call it even!"
"From now on, you play Go with me, and I'll teach you to identify medicinal herbs through diagrams."
She blinked her round eyes, resembling a mischievous yet adorable little fox.
In the corner, Li Huayao observed the scene of the two playing Go, secretly pouting before quickly lowering her head to pretend to count drug pellets, muttering to herself:
"Unfair! Plays with little junior brother but not with me."