Why didn't you tell me earlier that my little sister is still waiting for me?

Hu Youyu grew increasingly uneasy, so he jumped up, slipped on his slippers, and headed outside. Although he hadn't had nightmares in the past few days and his mental fortitude had improved, the thought of guarding the gate alone in the middle of the night still made him a little uneasy. His eyes darted around, and he turned and headed towards Sang Biao's rather comfortable doghouse in the corner of the yard.

Sang Biao lay sprawled on the soft cushion, fast asleep, even snoring softly. Hu Youyu seized the opportunity, and with lightning speed, scooped up the drowsy Sang Biao and held him tightly in his arms.

"Woof...Woof?!" Sang Biao woke up with a start, its four paws flailing futilely in the air, its face filled with anger and utter despair, as if saying, "Not again?!" It tried to struggle, but Hu Youyu held it tightly this time, muttering, "Brother Biao! I'm in a bind! Come with me, I'll just guard the gate for you. This is your signature skill; I'll repay you like a slave from now on!"

Sang Biao rolled his eyes, gave up resisting, and slumped his head on Hu Youyu's arm, like a plush toy that had lost its dreams.

Hu Youyu hugged the warm, fluffy "talisman," feeling much more at ease. He tiptoed up to the second floor and arrived at Bai Manjun's room number 2. He listened intently; there was no sound inside. He hesitated for a moment, but ultimately didn't dare knock, afraid of waking her and also afraid of the awkwardness of explaining. Finally, he pressed himself against the door, holding Sang Biao, and carefully slid down to sit on the cold floor, leaning against the door panel.

The corridor was quiet at night, save for the occasional chirping of insects outside the window. Hu Youyu initially stared wide-eyed, warily scanning his surroundings, his ears perked up, afraid of missing a single sound. But as time passed, apart from the even breathing of Sang Biao in his arms, punctuated by slightly disgruntled snoring, there was nothing. Sleepiness gradually crept in; his eyelids began to droop, and his head started to nod…

……

The first rays of morning sunlight slanted through the window at the end of the corridor and fell obliquely on the second-floor floor.

Bai Manjun was used to waking up early. She gently opened the door to room number 2 and prepared to wash up.

As soon as the door opened a crack, a heavy object leaning against the door lost its support and fell backward with a thud!

"Ah!" Bai Manjun was startled and instinctively took a step back. Upon closer inspection, she saw Hu Youyu holding Sang Biao, curled up in a ball, rubbing his eyes sleepily as he sat up from the ground. His hair was messy, and his face still bore clear sleep marks and imprints from the wall. Sang Biao, having been thrown, also raised his head in a daze, looking completely bewildered, as if asking, "Who am I? Where am I?"

After regaining her composure, Bai Manjun was immediately overwhelmed with astonishment and confusion: "Hu Youyu? You... how did you get here?"

Hu Youyu wasn't fully awake yet. He yawned widely, a few tears welling in his eyes, and mumbled, "Good morning, sister... I... I was just... worried that if that Miss Liu really came, she might scare you. I was just keeping watch for you, to keep you safe..." As he spoke, he rubbed his eyes, trying to clear his head.

Bai Manjun was slightly taken aback upon hearing this. She looked down at Hu Youyu, who was sitting on the ground, hugging his dog, and still half asleep. Something in her heart seemed to be gently touched. Last night he said he was worried about her; it turned out he wasn't just saying it, he was actually waiting outside the door!

Although it might seem a bit unnecessary, at least the intention was good...

Bai Manjun pursed her lips, her eyes softening considerably, and her voice lowering: "You...slept here all night?"

"Hmm..." Hu Youyu nodded, then shook his head, clearly still sleepy and not quite thinking clearly: "I've been here the whole time, but I didn't sleep. I let my guard down as dawn approached, and I didn't expect to fall asleep..."

As Hu Youyu spoke, he stood up unsteadily, stretching his stiff neck and shoulders. "Well, as long as you're alright, sister, I... I'll go back to my room and take a nap." With that, he picked up the still bewildered Sang Biao and turned to walk towards his room.

"Wait a minute," Bai Manjun called out to Hu Youyu.

Hu Youyu stopped and turned around: "Ah? Is there anything else, sister?"

Looking at Hu Youyu's appearance, Bai Manjun felt a mix of gratitude and amusement: "Don't rush back to sleep. Go to the kitchen first, I'll make you some breakfast. Eat something before you sleep, otherwise your stomach will feel uncomfortable."

Hu Youyu blinked, reacting a beat slow, before saying "Oh" and nodding subconsciously, "Then... then I'll trouble you, sister."

"No trouble at all." Bai Manjun smiled and turned to walk towards the kitchen. Hu Youyu, carrying Sang Biao, followed slowly behind her.

……

The kitchen soon filled with the simple aroma of food. Bai Manjun cooked porridge, fried eggs, and chopped some vegetables. Hu Youyu sat at the table, holding Sang Biao, her head nodding, almost falling asleep again.

Before long, the others also got up one after another.

Lin Bufan and the four women came out of room number five together, all of them looking radiant.

Hongdou also saw Bai Manjun serving porridge in the kitchen and Hu Youyu looking sleepy and slumped over. A gentle smile appeared on her face, and she nodded to Bai Manjun: "Good morning, Sister Manjun. Teacher Hu, what's going on here..."

"He was worried about me and stayed up all night at the door." Bai Manjun placed the bowl of porridge in front of Hu Youyu and said in a natural tone, but the faint gentleness in her eyes and brows was still noticed by the observant Xu Hongdou.

Xu Hongdou and Lin Bufan exchanged a glance, smiled at each other, and didn't ask any more questions.

Nana quickly ate something and headed to Youfeng Bistro. Da Mai, carrying her laptop, quietly greeted everyone and went back to her room to write—she'd been having a burst of inspiration lately, had started writing her new book, and was doing quite well.

Hu Youyu ate breakfast hastily, but couldn't hold on any longer. He thanked Bai Manjun and went back to his room to catch up on sleep.

The sunlight was just right in the courtyard. Xu Hongdou had inherited Ma Qiushan's "legacy" well, sitting in meditation in the pavilion without fail. However, compared to Ma Qiushan, who wouldn't even spare a glance, Lin Bufan was quite happy to watch Xu Hongdou meditate.

There's no way around it, beautiful women look good no matter what they do, even when they're pooping, they do it more elegantly than the average person!

Bai Manjun changed into comfortable yoga clothes, spread out a mat on the open ground on the other side of the pavilion, and began to practice yoga. Her movements were gentle and graceful, carrying a serene power that had been refined over the years.

The warm sunlight streamed down the veranda. Lin Bufan and Chen Nanxing lay side by side in rocking chairs, swaying gently as they watched Xu Hongdou sitting quietly and Bai Manjun stretching in the courtyard. Chen Nanxing's gaze lingered on Bai Manjun's fluid and graceful yoga movements. After watching for a while, she suddenly nudged Lin Bufan with her elbow.

"Hey, Bufan," Chen Nanxing said in a low voice, with a hint of contemplation, "Do you think... I should try practicing yoga or something?"

Lin Bufan, who was squinting and enjoying the sunlight, tilted his head slightly upon hearing this, somewhat surprised: "Hmm? Why did you suddenly think of this?"

Chen Nanxing pursed her lips, glancing at Bai Manjun: "Look at Sister Manjun, she's so much older than me, but her figure and her temperament are so well maintained. And look at me..." She reached out and pinched the soft flesh of her waist, deliberately sighing: "I can't take advantage of my youth and eat whatever I want. When I get older, my figure goes out of shape, and I'm old and faded, what if you think I'm not pretty anymore and kick me to the curb? Who will I cry to then?"

Lin Bufan was amused by Chen Nanxing's worried tone. He stroked his chin and pretended to seriously consider it: "Hmm... now that you mention it, it does make some sense. Being prepared and keeping things in order is something we can definitely consider."

"So, Lin Bufan, you're really after all?" Chen Nanxing's expression changed instantly. She reached out and pinched his ear, her almond-shaped eyes wide open. "So that's what you were planning? You're only after my youthful beauty, aren't you? You'll replace me when I get old and lose my looks, won't you?"

Lin Bufan dodged and laughed, grabbing Chen Nanxing's mischievous hand: "Same here! Aren't you just after my handsome face and melancholic charm? Besides, you're two years older than me, so you're actually the one who has the better deal!"

"Pah! Who's after you! Shameless!" Chen Nanxing's cheeks flushed slightly as Lin Bufan hit the nail on the head, but he didn't hold back. The two of them laughed and wrestled together on the rocking chair, which made a creaking sound, attracting frequent glances from Xu Hongdou and Bai Manjun in the yard.

After joking around for a while, the two stopped, panting. Chen Nanxing tidied her slightly messy hair and suddenly reached out to Lin Bufan, palm up: "By the way, could you give me a few more bottles of that time-reversing essence? I'm almost done with it."

Upon hearing this, Lin Bufan's eyes widened: "No way, sis? You drink that stuff like it's mineral water? Didn't I give you several bottles last time? It hasn't been that long!"

A fleeting hint of unease crossed Chen Nanxing's face. There was no way around it; this thing was just too powerful. It was like an addiction. Once you used it, you wanted to use it again and again, and before you knew it, you'd used it all up!

"I... I'm not just using it all myself! You've offended so many people, shouldn't I share some with them and help you build better relationships? I'm so considerate of you, and you don't even appreciate it, are you even human?"

Lin Bufan didn't believe a word of Chen Nanxing's excuses, because the girls had only experienced the clock-reversing effect with Chen Nanxing once, and then the stingy Chen Nanxing never gave them back. The girls always had to ask Lin Bufan for them again!

Although Lin Bufan knew that Chen Nanxing's words were mostly exaggerated, or even entirely fabricated, he still decided to grant Chen Nanxing's small request.

Of course, alchemists must still adhere to the principle of equivalent exchange!

Lin Bufan leaned close to Chen Nanxing's ear and said teasingly, "It seems like it's your and Nana's turn to play ball with me today. Shouldn't you do something in return?"

"They've already played ball with you, what more do you want?" Chen Nanxing lowered her voice, her cheeks slightly flushed as she glared at him.

Lin Bufan leaned closer, his warm breath brushing against Chen Nanxing's ear: "Nanxing, you need to understand, the reverse clock I gave you isn't one of those stripped-down versions sold in specialty stores. It's all top-quality stuff, made with various rare medicinal herbs and natural mineral extracts; it's very expensive. You think you can just replace it for playing ball? That's a huge loss for me."

Chen Nanxing turned her head away angrily: "Then what else do you want?"

"Look," Lin Bufan coaxed, "playing ball is a very physically demanding sport. You haven't had proper nutrition for half a month now, so tonight... shouldn't you drink some nutritional supplements to replenish your energy?"

"Don't even think about it!" Chen Nanxing instantly understood, his face turning bright red, and he reached out to pinch Lin Bufan's arm: "Absolutely not! Don't even think about it!"

Chen Nanxing knew, of course, how amazing the thing Lin Bufan had brought out was. She had personally experienced the effect of "reversing the clock," and it was simply a phenomenon that defied common sense.

But with so many people... it's one thing to play ball, you can be careful and fool yourself, but if it goes too far, how can you face anyone!

Lin Bufan wasn't annoyed by the rejection. He slowly held up five fingers and waved them in front of Chen Nanxing: "Five bottles."

Chen Nanxing's eyes flickered for a moment, then she turned her face away: "...No."

Lin Bufan wasn't in a hurry to raise the stakes again: "Ten bottles."

Chen Nanxing's breathing quickened almost imperceptibly for a moment, and his lips tightened even more: "You...you can't try to bribe me with this!"

"Fifteen bottles."

Chen Nanxing's fingers unconsciously twisted the hem of his clothes, clearly indicating a fierce internal struggle.

"Twenty bottles." Seeing Chen Nanxing's wavering expression, Lin Bufan continued, "And this stuff... isn't just for you. Think about your aunt and uncle, they raised you with so much difficulty, now that you have something good, shouldn't you show them some respect?"

Chen Nanxing suddenly turned his head, his eyes widening slightly: "This...this thing can be used by my parents too?"

"Of course." Lin Bufan said matter-of-factly, "This essence is not just for beauty and anti-aging. It can delay aging and improve vitality at the cellular level. If you start using it when you are young, it can greatly delay aging. If you give it to your parents, although it can't make them young again, it can make them healthier, make them look more than ten years younger, and let them live for many more years."

Chen Nanxing's breathing became visibly erratic. She looked at Lin Bufan, whose eyes, usually brimming with a mischievous smile, now held an undeniable seriousness. Her parents… yes, her parents had worried so much about her over the years, their hair had turned gray… especially that previous cancer, which had taken a heavy toll on them…

"I..." Her voice was a little dry, her eyes darting away, not daring to meet Lin Bufan's gaze again, her voice barely audible: "...we'll have to wait until Hongdou and the others are asleep before we talk about it."

Lin Bufan's lips curled into a triumphant smile. He reached out and ruffled Chen Nanxing's hair, his tone full of smugness: "Okay, whatever you say."

Sunlight bathed the two of them. In the courtyard, Xu Hongdou's breathing was long and steady, while Bai Manjun's yoga poses were graceful and picturesque. No one knew what kind of "transaction" had just taken place in the rocking chair under the eaves.