“What are you talking about? I’m a very proper person. I would never look at that kind of thing in the office!”
Hong Lingyan knocked Ling Xiaoyou’s little head with an exasperated expression.
“Ehehe, I was just joking too.”
Hong Lingyan didn’t use any force, so Ling Xiaoyou didn’t feel any pain.
She looked at Hong Lingyan with a flattering gaze, stuck out her little tongue, and tried to act cute to get away with it.
“You, if it wasn’t me, and someone else was the boss, they’d definitely dock your pay.”
Hong Lingyan helplessly poked Ling Xiaoyou’s forehead and spoke.
“Ehehe, after all, I know Sister Ling is the best, so I can make this kind of joke with you.”
Ling Xiaoyou also understood this reasoning. She hugged Hong Lingyan’s arm and shook it, acting spoiled.
“Alright, let’s get back to business first.”
Hong Lingyan rubbed Ling Xiaoyou’s little head, not intending to pursue the matter further.
She said, “This time, Xiaoyou defeated a Devil across a major realm. Although there was some luck involved, it’s still a huge improvement.”
As she spoke, Hong Lingyan looked at Ling Xiaoyou, looking ready to listen.
“So, Xiaoyou, is there any reward you want? Whatever it is, just say it—I’ll make it happen for you.”
Although she wasn’t very good at teaching disciples, Hong Lingyan understood the principle that when a child makes progress, you should reward them to encourage their motivation.
“Um… a reward…”
Ling Xiaoyou pinched her smooth little chin and thought for a while.
Then, the figure of her self-proclaimed ‘lifelong nemesis’—Bai Shuanglian—floated up in her mind.
Next, Ling Xiaoyou looked seriously at Hong Lingyan, her crimson eyes filled with determination.
“To become strong! Sister Ling, I want to become really, really strong!”
As Bai Shuanglian’s nemesis, Ling Xiaoyou couldn’t lag too far behind her.
A nemesis must be able to stand against their rival!
If you can’t even fight back, how can you call yourself a nemesis?
So she had to get stronger, strong enough to be able to match Bai Shuanglian—or even defeat her!
Ling Xiaoyou was full of fighting spirit as she thought this.
But in Hong Lingyan’s eyes, Ling Xiaoyou’s actions and words took on a different meaning.
Tsk tsk tsk, as expected, once you have someone in your heart, you start working harder for her.
That saying really is true—a woman dresses up for the one she loves. It fits perfectly here.
Back when I used to urge Xiaoyou to train, it never worked at all. But as soon as Bai Shuanglian showed up, she became so full of motivation.
Sigh, daughters really can’t be kept at home when they grow up.
Hong Lingyan gave a motherly sigh in her heart, though her face showed nothing.
She nodded.
“Alright. Then take tomorrow off to rest. The day after, I’ll prepare a Nether Spring Ghost Crystal for you to absorb so you can advance to the Soul Gathering Realm.”
“And by then, Xiaoyou, you should also switch to a new Cultivation Technique and learn new Magic Arts.”
After hearing Hong Lingyan’s words, Ling Xiaoyou’s eyes immediately sparkled with delight, shining like little stars.
“That’s great! Thank you, Sister Ling, you’re the best!”
Ling Xiaoyou immediately hugged Hong Lingyan’s arm again, shaking it gratefully.
“Of course.”
Hong Lingyan laughed softly and rubbed her little head.
“I’m your Guardian, so of course I want what’s best for you.”
After finishing the topic of rewards, the two chatted about daily life for a while.
But mostly, it was Hong Lingyan giving advice, and Ling Xiaoyou listening.
“Xiaoyou, when you get home, don’t just laze around like a salted fish. At least clean up the house once in a while. Last time I went to your place, your clothes were scattered everywhere.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“And also, don’t just toss takeout boxes into the trash and call it done. Remember to dispose of them in time, or else it’ll attract Ghost Cockroaches.”
“I know already.”
“And…”
Hong Lingyan’s words suddenly paused.
Seeing Ling Xiaoyou looking a bit distracted, she sighed and helplessly rubbed her little head.
“Alright, since you don’t want to hear me nag, you should go home now.”
“Ehehe, it’s not like I don’t want to hear it.”
Ling Xiaoyou stuck out her little tongue, scratched her head, and skillfully acted cute to get away.
“It’s just that, Sister Ling, you’ve said these things so many times already. I still remember to do them.”
“I’m only worried you’ll forget.”
Hong Lingyan flicked Ling Xiaoyou’s forehead with her finger.
Ling Xiaoyou immediately acted like she was in pain, though it didn’t actually hurt.
“Alright, I won’t nag anymore.”
Hong Lingyan chuckled softly.
“Xiaoyou, you’ve been through so much tonight and must be tired. Go home and rest.”
“Yay! Going home to rest!”
Ling Xiaoyou cheered like a student finally allowed to leave school, then energetically bounced and skipped out of the Office.
Watching Ling Xiaoyou’s lively figure leave, Hong Lingyan smiled and went back to preparing things for Ling Xiaoyou’s cultivation.
She had been working on it before Xiaoyou arrived. Looking at the Photograph of Xiaoyou and Bai Shuanglian was just for a moment’s relaxation.
Now that she’d had her break, it was time to get back to work.
“Um… training ghosts to resist the pure yang force of Yang Flame, huh?”
Picking up the Training Plan she had drafted for Ling Xiaoyou, Hong Lingyan pondered for a moment.
“Maybe I can ask Bai Shuanglian to help with this. I’m sure she’d be happy to assist Xiaoyou.”
***
“Uwaah! It’s so comfortable at home! I feel like I never want to leave ever again!”
Back home, Ling Xiaoyou immediately dove onto her big bed and let out a satisfied hum.
“Who cares about Bai Shuanglian or Black Shuanglian? They’re definitely not as comfortable as my big bed!”
Ling Xiaoyou rolled around on the bed, then suddenly remembered something and lifted her little head.
“Wait, I seem to remember talking about Bai Shuanglian on the bed before too… was it…?”
Thinking back, Ling Xiaoyou’s expression became complicated.
“No, that’s not it. Now I remember what I forgot!”
She buried her little head in her pillow, her white-socked feet kicking restlessly.
“Guwah!!! I forgot! I forgot to use ‘Meimeng’ to get revenge on Bai Shuanglian!”
“Damn it!!”
Ling Xiaoyou let out a strange, incomprehensible cry, hugging her pillow tightly to her face as she rolled back and forth on the bed.
After rolling for over a dozen turns, she finally loosened her grip on the pillow and revealed her little face again.
At this moment, she looked like a lifeless salted fish, her expression that of someone who had lost all hope.
“Forget it. It’s come to this, so I’ll eat first.”