ALL NOVEL Chapter 90: Taking Away Your Future
Early morning in Qingshan Town, inside Myriad Medicines Hall.
“Umm…”
Xiao Yan sat up from the bed and stretched lazily. He felt comfortable and let out a satisfying yawn.
After completing the transaction with Boss Yao yesterday, he had agreed to stay overnight at Myriad Medicines Hall upon Boss Yao’s suggestion. Seeing that it was already late in the day, Xiao Yan didn’t refuse and slept in the room arranged for him by Boss Yao.
Xiao Yan got off the bed and stood by the window, looking at the bright sunlight and breathing in the fresh morning air. He felt incredibly refreshed.
Now that everything that needed to be done was done, it was time to truly enter the Beast Mountain Range for cultivation.
However, before entering the mountain range, he had to obtain the medicinal materials that Yao Chen had ordered.
Knock, knock, knock.
“Xiao Yan, are you awake?”
A delicate voice from outside the door reached Xiao Yan’s ears. He immediately went to the door and opened it, revealing the lovely face of Xiao Yixian in his sight.
“Good morning.”
Xiao Yan greeted her with a smile, and Xiao Yixian’s lips couldn’t help but curl up into a gentle smile upon seeing him.
“Good morning.” Xiao Yixian turned around and headed downstairs, gesturing for Xiao Yan to follow. “Come down for breakfast.”
“Sure, I’ll join you after I freshen up.”
Xiao Yan nodded and went back to his room to tidy up. After ensuring that the bed and room were in order, he left the room and gently closed the door before heading downstairs.
Upon reaching the ground floor, Xiao Yan immediately spotted Boss Yao sitting at the table. Boss Yao also heard Xiao Yan’s footsteps and turned his head, smiling and inviting Xiao Yan to take a seat.
“Xiao Yan, did you sleep well last night?”
As Xiao Yan sat down, Boss Yao smiled warmly and asked with concern. Xiao Yan smiled and nodded in response.
“I slept very comfortably. Thank you, Boss Yao, for providing me with a room to rest.”
“Hehe, it’s my pleasure. No need to be so polite.”
Boss Yao waved his hand lightly. At that moment, Xiao Yixian brought breakfast over and placed it in front of Boss Yao and Xiao Yan. Boss Yao then invited them to start eating.
“Dig in. This was made by Xian’er herself. Many men in town wish they could taste it, but they can’t.”
Boss Yao said, but as he picked up his plate, he suddenly paused. He looked at the pastries in his plate, then glanced at the ones in front of Xiao Yan. It was clear at a glance that Xiao Yan’s plate had more variety and was more sumptuous.
“Um, Xian’er…,” Boss Yao felt a bit embarrassed as he pointed at his own plate and looked at Xiao Yixian. “Is my plate a bit plain?”
“Huh? Do you have a problem with it?” Xiao Yixian pouted and reached out for Boss Yao’s plate. “If you don’t want it, then forget it!”
“Hey hey hey! I’ll eat, I’ll eat! Who said I won’t?” Boss Yao quickly protected his plate, and Xiao Yixian snorted lightly before returning to the kitchen to get her own breakfast.
At that moment, Xiao Yan spoke up.
“Boss Yao, if you don’t mind, let’s switch.”
Xiao Yan pointed to the luxurious pastries on his plate. Boss Yao looked at Xiao Yan, then at the kitchen, and immediately declined.
“Never mind, you eat yours. If I eat yours, I don’t know how Xian’er will hold a grudge against me.”
Xiao Yan shrugged indifferently. He simply thought that Xiao Yixian treated her guests with more care and didn’t think too much about it. When Xiao Yixian came to the table with her breakfast and sat down, the three of them began to eat.
Surprisingly, Xiao Yan hadn’t eaten anything since last night, and he had also engaged in intense activities. He was actually quite hungry, so he ate his breakfast with enthusiasm.
“Is it delicious?”
Just as Xiao Yan was enjoying his meal, Xiao Yixian suddenly asked. Without much thought, Xiao Yan nodded in response.
“Yes! It’s very delicious!”
Xiao Yan wouldn’t lie; the pastries made by Xiao Yixian were indeed delicious, especially compared to the roasted meat made by Yun Zhi. They tasted even better.
“Is that so~”
Upon hearing Xiao Yan’s answer, a gentle smile appeared on Xiao Yixian’s lips. She didn’t rush to eat her breakfast but instead rested her delicate hand on her beautiful chin and quietly watched Xiao Yan devour his food.
In her eyes, there was a hint of something different.
This scene was also noticed by Boss Yao, who felt both delighted and guilty. Although he had only spent a day with Xiao Yan, Boss Yao had already gained a clear understanding of Xiao Yan’s character. Having such a person accompany Xiao Yixian made him feel completely at ease.
However, for Xiao Yan, this was definitely not a good thing.
Cough! Cough! Cough!
Suddenly, Boss Yao, who was eating, started coughing violently, covering his mouth. His complexion turned unpleasant, shocking both Xiao Yan and Xiao Yixian. Xiao Yixian quickly expressed her concern.
“Boss Yao! Are you okay?”
“Ah… I’m fine, I probably caught a cold last night by accident,” Boss Yao chuckled and waved his hand, then stood up. “You two go ahead and eat. I’ll go find some medicine.”
Watching Boss Yao’s departing figure, Xiao Yixian’s eyes were filled with worry.
When she was very young, Boss Yao had taken her in when she shouldn’t have been alive, raising her with great care until now. Although she always called him Boss Yao, in her heart, Xiao Yixian had long regarded him as her biological father.
Xiao Yan, on the other hand, furrowed his brows and stared closely at the place where Boss Yao had left. He had a feeling that Boss Yao was suppressing something.
This feeling was all too familiar to Xiao Yan.
During the time when he lost his Dou Qi and everyone was comforting him, he also pretended that everything was fine, just like Boss Yao was doing now.
But in reality, during that period, Xiao Yan’s heart was truly broken. If it hadn’t been for Xun Er and the others who had always been by his side, he might not have been able to hold on.
Entering the pharmacy, out of Xiao Yixian and Xiao Yan’s sight, Boss Yao couldn’t hold on any longer. He leaned against the door, gasping for breath, sweat the size of beans forming on his forehead, and his shoulders trembling uncontrollably.
“It’s getting worse… damn it…”
Boss Yao took out a vial from his pocket, regardless of how many pills were left inside, and swallowed them all in one gulp.
As time passed, Boss Yao’s complexion gradually improved. Looking at the blood in his palm, he whispered.
“I need to increase the potency…”
In that moment, Boss Yao’s mind flashed back to when he first saw Xiao Yixian twelve years ago, with her pitiful and tear-streaked face. His heart ached intensely, and he also felt resentment.
Heaven… can’t you be a bit gentler to this poor child, Xian’er…
Boss Yao lamented in his heart, feeling an overwhelming guilt towards Xiao Yan. But at the same time, he also made a firm decision.
I’m sorry… Xiao Yan, my little brother…
Consider this as the only request in my life…
Even if this request is extremely selfish and despicable, I must do it.
Even if it means… taking away your future…