Spring arrives and the land smiles

"Yes." Xiao Shier still didn't look up, his voice calm and indifferent.

"You—" Luo Qing rushed up to him, grabbed his collar, and stared at him.

"If we dawdle any longer, the Black Sunflower will lose its effectiveness."

Xiao Shier was not offended. He laughed and slapped Luo Qing's hand away. Then he said to Qing Yan, who had followed him, "Miss, I told you, you can pick the flowers to use as medicine when the time comes. I kept my word."

Qingyan breathed a sigh of relief and saw Xiao Shier placing the black sunflower in front of her.

"Young lady, please—"

Qingyan reached out and lightly touched the dark purple petals of the black sunflower, unsure how to pluck it for medicinal use, and could only look longingly at Luo Qing.

Luo Qing looked at Qing Yan, sighed, reached out and broke the stem of the black sunflower in the middle, then pulled Qing Yan away.

Seeing the two leave, Xiao Shier shouted at the top of his lungs, "Luo Qing's medicine requires four flower petals and a bunch of stamens."

"Understood, thank you, Mr. Twelve," Qingyan quickly turned around and replied.

Upon hearing their conversation, Luo Qing paused, shook her head, and then continued walking towards Lingluo Pavilion.

After seeing the direction Luo Qing left, Xiao Shier quickly followed, muttering, "Luo Nannan, if you dare to use my pharmacy, I'll fight you to the death."

Luo Qing completely ignored him and went straight into Xiao Shier's private pharmacy in Lingluo Pavilion.

With the Hundred Herbs Garden of Lingluo Manor as its backing, Lingluo Pavilion's pharmacy is full of rare and precious treasures. Luo Qing took a few items from the treasure cabinet and placed them on the table. She then took two white ceramic vessels, plucked the petals of the black sunflower and put them in one of them, and carefully removed the stamens and put them in the other.

"Wait." Seeing Luo Qing pick up the black sunflower petals to prepare the medicine, Qing Yan quickly put her arm in front of him to stop him. "Prepare your medicine first."

"This is the medicine to treat my injuries." Luo Qing gently pushed Qing Yan's hand away and continued preparing the medicine.

At this moment, Xiao Twelve also came over. When Qingyan saw him, she hurriedly asked, "Mr. Twelve, I am not knowledgeable about pharmacology. Could you please take a look and tell me if Luo Qing is preparing medicine for herself?"

Xiao Shier nodded, craned his neck to take a look, and nodded under Luo Qing's angry glare.

"That's good, thank you, Mr. Twelve." Qingyan smiled with satisfaction.

But when Qingyan looked over, Luo Qing had already divided the black sunflower into three parts.

"This is—" Qingyan asked.

"Qingqing endured the pain of having her flesh and bones removed to heal me, so I imagine she won't be stingy with the medicine to treat Lan Zhen." Luo Qing's voice was somewhat defiant.

Lan Zhen? What illness has Lan Zhen contracted this time?

Qingyan opened her eyes wide and looked at Luo Qing, asking a question.

“Previously, you used the Purifying Soul to remove the poison and cleanse your marrow. Lan Zhen protected your heart meridian, but your vital essence was greatly depleted. I’m afraid—” Luo Qing paused, then gritted her teeth and said, “I’m afraid you won’t be able to live out your days in peace.”

"What?" Qingyan was shocked, not expecting Lan Zhen to go to such lengths for her.

“I originally wanted to do it myself, but Lan Zhen said that the two of us would have a better chance of success together.”

“So, you too—” Qingyan’s hands clenched into fists.

“No, only Lan Zhen said it was all his fault, and he would give his life for you.” Luo Qing sighed.

"You've made me owe you a life now, in addition to the debt of love I haven't repaid." Qingyan covered her face, afraid that tears would fall.

"Don't worry, Qingqing, with this black sunflower, we can grow old together." Luo Qing put his arm around Qingyan's shoulder and pulled her into his arms.

"Cough cough cough—" Xiao Twelve couldn't stand it any longer. "If we don't make medicine soon, the Ink Sunflower will be ruined, and none of you will survive."

These words were truly grating. Qingyan and Luoqing glared at him simultaneously, while Xiao Shier shrank back and quickly assisted Luoqing.

In about half an hour, the three life-saving medicines were prepared.

Qingyan watched as Luo Qing took the medicine, then put away the medicine for Lan Zhen, before being led by Luo Qing into the pharmacy's consultation room.

Xiao Shier followed, but was stopped at the door by Luo Qing.

"Don't you need my help?" Xiao Shier was unwilling to give up.

Without saying a word, Luo Qing closed the door.

Xiao Shier turned around dejectedly, muttering something as he left.

The clinic was fully equipped with medical instruments. Luo Qing helped Qing Yan sit down and selected a suitable tool. Qing Yan looked at the gleaming knife tip and felt a chill run down her spine.

"Do you trust me, Qingqing?" Luo Qing asked as she unbuttoned Qingyan's clothes.

"Of course," Qingyan replied without hesitation.

"Then close your eyes." Luo Qing handed the handkerchief to Qing Yan's mouth so she could bite it.

"Okay." Qingyan obediently cooperated.

Like the Blood-Burning Grass, the Black Sunflower cannot be treated with anesthetic. Qingyan bit her handkerchief, closed her eyes tightly, and prepared herself.

The knife tip pierced her flesh, causing Qingyan to grit her teeth in pain.

In the blink of an eye, Luo Qing had sheathed his sword.

"Alright." Luo Qing removed the handkerchief from Qing Yan's mouth, revealing clear teeth marks with bloodstains, which made his heart ache.

"This...so fast." Qingyan said, her voice choked with emotion.

"The medicine made from black sunflower flowers dissolves upon contact with blood. You only need to cut the wound open first, then insert the medicine with the tip of a knife, and the medicine will reach directly to the bone and blood," Luo Qing replied while bandaging the wound.

"With my brother Luo Qing around, I won't be afraid of anything, whether I'm sick, injured, or disabled." Luo Qing's touch was gentle, and Qing Yan already had the strength to tease him.

"What nonsense are you talking about? Qingqing, may you be safe, happy, healthy and in good health." After bandaging Qingyan, Luo Qing helped her put her clothes back on.

"Okay, I want to grow old with my brother Luo Qing." Qing Yan pulled her outer robe tighter, put her arm around Luo Qing's arm, rested her head on his shoulder, and spoke in a tender tone, almost like she was being coquettish.

Luo Qing blushed immediately, seemingly at a loss for words.

At this moment, Xiao Twelve came to knock on the door.

Luo Qing snapped out of her daze and quickly opened the door for Xiao Shier.

"I didn't expect that while you've been keeping Lan Xiaozhen occupied all this time, neglecting your studies, your medical skills haven't suffered." Xiao Shier couldn't help but praise Luo Qing for treating him so quickly.

Luo Qing ignored him and instructed Xiao Shier, "Go and stew a pot of black ginseng soup for Qingqing."

"Hey, you little brat, Luo Nannan, you treat me like a servant." Xiao Shier said angrily.

"Wait, what kind of soup were you talking about?" Xiao Shier asked as if he had suddenly realized something.

"Black ginseng soup," Luo Qing replied, enunciating each word clearly, and then wrote down a prescription and handed it to him.

"Alright, Luo Nannan, just for this prescription, we're now sworn brothers." Xiao Shier happily examined the prescription closely.

"Wasn't it like that before?" Luo Qing asked deliberately.

“Ah, ah, it was like that before, um—” Xiao Shier stammered as he looked at Luo Qing, “And now, it’s even more so, even more so.”

"Tsk tsk, how ungrateful they are!" Qingyan teased Xiao Twelve.

"You can't say that, Miss. This is all thanks to you." Xiao Shier smiled and quickly went to make soup for Qingyan.