023 Don't Tell Anyone

When they returned to the hotel, night had fallen completely. The other classmates had already made their way back, and the two parted ways in the hotel lobby.

As soon as he opened the door to his room, he was greeted by two mischievous grins and rather odd looks from his companions. He couldn’t help but ask, “What are you two up to?”

Tian Hai scooted over eagerly, his tone urgent. “Well? How did it go?”

Zhong Yun tossed his backpack onto the bed and began taking off his shoes. “How did what go?”

“You and Liu Yunqi, of course! The two of you spent the whole day alone together. Don’t tell me nothing happened!” Tian Hai’s excitement made it seem as if he himself were the one chasing after a girl.

“Well—” Zhong Yun tossed his shoes and socks into a corner, propped his chin in his hand as if pondering deeply, and started to spout nonsense. “I kissed her.”

Tian Hai felt a rush of blood to his head, nearly jumped to his feet, and pointed at Zhong Yun’s nose. “Are you out of your mind?” He sounded like a teacher reprimanding a hopeless student. “And then?”

“And then?” Zhong Yun acted as though he’d heard something hilarious. “What do you mean, ‘and then’? She slapped me across the face and stormed off.”

“You really are something. There’s eager, and then there’s whatever you are. You’re lucky she didn’t report you for harassment,” Tian Hai lectured earnestly.

Chen Wen, who had been quietly watching the drama unfold, couldn’t hold back any longer. He burst into laughter, doubling over on the sofa and pounding on the mattress, utterly unable to stop.

His laughter was contagious, and soon Zhong Yun was laughing along as well.

Tian Hai was left bewildered by their mirth. Suddenly realizing he’d been played, he exclaimed, “Alright, so you’re making fun of me!” and lunged at the instigator.

The two wrestled around, and before long, Chen Wen was dragged into the chaos.

Eventually, Tian Hai ran out of strength and collapsed onto the bed, gasping and cursing, “You two maniacs, how do you have so much energy?”

While Tian Hai was utterly spent, Zhong Yun and Chen Wen looked completely unfazed, their breathing steady and calm.

“Please, you’re always cooped up at home instead of exercising. I’m an athletic, outdoorsy guy,” Chen Wen declared, striking a bodybuilder pose.

The other two pretended to retch.

Remembering the original topic, Tian Hai asked, “Seriously, Ah Yun, what’s going on with you and Liu Yunqi? Spill it.”

Chen Wen perked up, all ears.

“You two are so nosy,” Zhong Yun deflected. “Did I ever say I was pursuing her? You’re just overthinking things.”

Tian Hai scoffed at his evasiveness. “Give it up, I know you too well. If you like her, just admit it. We’re not going to make fun of you.”

“Exactly,” Chen Wen agreed, nodding emphatically.

“Say whatever you like. I’m going to take a shower,” Zhong Yun said, not wanting to argue further, and slipped into the bathroom.

“Damn,” Tian Hai muttered, flipping a middle finger at the bathroom door. He turned to Chen Wen, resigned. “My buddy’s a good guy, but when it comes to feelings, he’s hopeless.”

Chen Wen gazed toward the bathroom, a thoughtful look on his face.

When Zhong Yun emerged from his shower, he caught sight of Chen Wen fiddling with his water bottle. “That bottle’s empty. I finished it,” Chen Wen admitted a bit sheepishly.

Ever since he’d tasted Zhong Yun’s tea, Chen Wen had begged for some every day, like a famished, greedy cat.

Seeing his expression, Zhong Yun chuckled. “Is it really that serious? I’ll save you a share starting tomorrow.”

“Are you serious?” Chen Wen was taken aback, his tone rising as he stared into Zhong Yun’s eyes. “You mean you’ll give me some every day? This stuff?”

Zhong Yun was puzzled by his overreaction. “Is there a problem?”

Chen Wen looked down at the bottle in his hand, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes. After a moment’s hesitation, as if making up his mind, he said, “I’ll pay you for it—market price.”

He felt a little guilty saying this; after all, the so-called ‘market price’ was meaningless—this stuff was beyond price. He knew he was taking advantage, but even the generous allowance from his family seemed pitiful when it came to buying something like this.

Zhong Yun frowned. “What do you take me for? Am I the sort of person who’d charge a friend for a little tea?”

Tian Hai leapt from the bed. “What nonsense are you spouting, Wen? Among brothers, what’s money got to do with anything? Say it again and I’ll be mad.”

But Chen Wen remained unmoved, shaking his head stubbornly. “That’s a different matter. Even among brothers, accounts must be settled clearly. I have my principles: friends are friends. But something this valuable, I can’t just accept for free.”

“It’s just tea, how valuable can it be?” Tian Hai scoffed at his insistence. “Is it really worth damaging our friendship over a little thing like this?”

Chen Wen sighed. “If it were something ordinary, I’d accept it without a word. But ‘Emerald Gold’ is too precious—I really can’t take it for nothing.”

Tian Hai looked at him, puzzled. “‘Emerald Gold’? You mean that green tea Ah Yun makes?”

Chen Wen didn’t answer directly; instead, he looked sincerely at Zhong Yun. “I don’t know what connections your family has, to be able to get so much ‘Heart-cleansing Elixir.’”

He gave a bitter smile. “My family is among the top in Mingzhou, and even we can’t get that much.”

“In any case, there are unspoken rules among the upper class. As one of them, I can’t break the code. Something as rare as ‘Heart-cleansing Elixir’ can’t be given away for nothing, and I can’t accept it for nothing.”

“So if you don’t take my money, I won’t accept it,” Chen Wen said firmly, leaving no room for negotiation. Though he craved the ‘Heart-cleansing Elixir’, his principles outweighed his desire.

Zhong Yun was inwardly shaken. He knew anything produced by Jialan was top-tier, but he’d still underestimated its value.

The recipe for this ‘Heart-cleansing Elixir’ was something he’d found in Jialan’s database. There were many formulas, but after searching, only this simplest one could be made with ingredients available on Davos.

‘Heart-cleansing Elixir’ nourished yin and strengthened yang, purged impurities from the body, and with regular use, not only prolonged life but also slowed aging.

These two effects made it wildly sought after by the upper class, especially women, for whom it was utterly irresistible.

Zhong Yun had never imagined ‘Heart-cleansing Elixir’ would surface on Davos, which was why he’d felt safe carrying it around in a water bottle as if it were an ordinary drink.

Now, however, he realized he might be in trouble. How was he going to explain this?

He understood that items from advanced civilizations were absurdly expensive on Davos, but if anyone learned he possessed the recipe for ‘Heart-cleansing Elixir’, countless problems would surely follow.

Who else had drunk his tea? Tian Hai, Chen Wen—and Liu Yunqi.

He suddenly understood: when he’d told Liu Yunqi he’d brewed the ‘Heart-cleansing Elixir’ himself, the strange look on her face must have meant she knew what it was. She probably thought he was boasting.

Fortunately, only these three people knew. Zhong Yun breathed a little easier; the chance of the secret leaking seemed small.

He relented. “Alright, I’ll take your money. But you have to promise me one thing.”

Relieved, Chen Wen quickly asked, “What is it?”

“Don’t tell anyone I have ‘Heart-cleansing Elixir.’”

“No problem.”