Chapter 49
Lin Feng slept deeper and longer than usual. Between fixing his damaged body, absorbing all that medicinal energy, and using the Comprehension Card, he was completely worn out — mind and body both.
When he opened his eyes, the sun was already high in the sky, shining bright through the window. It was well past noon.
He stretched his arms and sat up, feeling way better than before, though still a little sore here and there. The daily sign-in from the system had already gone through earlier that morning — it only refreshed once every twenty-four hours, so nothing new popped up now.
"Still a bit stiff, but much stronger," he muttered to himself.
Just as he swung his legs off the bed, there came a soft, careful knock on the door.
"Young Master… are you awake?"
A quiet, timid voice sounded from outside.
Lin Feng gave a small smile. "Come in."
The door creaked open slowly. A young girl peeked inside first before stepping in fully. It was Yi Fei Fei — the girl his parents had adopted years back. She acted a bit like a little sister and a maid all in one, always looking after things around the place.
In her hands she carried a wooden tray, with a bowl of warm porridge, some simple side dishes, and a cup of tea. She walked in quietly, steps light, and kept her head bowed a little as she usually did.
"I brought you something to eat, Young Master. You didn't come out of your room since yesterday, so I got worried you might have fallen ill or something."
She placed the tray gently on the small table beside the bed, then stood there, unsure if she should stay or leave right away.
Lin Feng nodded. "I'm fine, just needed a good long rest. Thanks, Fei Fei."
Hearing him call her name like that, her shoulders tensed slightly, and her cheeks turned a faint shade of pink. She quickly lowered her head even more, fingers twisting the edge of her sleeve.
"It's… it's nothing. Just doing my duty," she mumbled softly.
She picked up the spoon, stirred the porridge carefully, and blew on it a few times to cool it down before handing it over. When their fingers brushed by accident, she pulled her hand back fast like she'd touched something hot, her face turning even redder.
"Here… it's not too hot anymore."
Lin Feng took the bowl and started eating. He could feel her eyes glancing at him every now and then, but whenever he looked back, she'd quickly look away — pretending to straighten the table or tidy up the corner of the room.
After a little while, she worked up the courage to speak again. "Young Master… what have you been doing these past days? You look stronger now, but also like you've gone through something heavy."
"Just sorting out some old problems," Lin Feng replied simply. "Nothing you need to worry yourself over."
She nodded obediently, though her eyes still held a trace of concern. She'd followed him around since they were small kids — wherever he went, she wanted to be nearby; whatever he did, she wanted to help. She didn't really understand why her heart would beat faster whenever he spoke to her or looked at her directly; she just knew she wanted to be useful to him and make him happy.
Seeing her standing there so quiet and shy, Lin Feng reached out and gently patted the top of her head. "You don't have to be so nervous all the time, you know. This is your home too."
Yi Fei Fei froze right there. Her face flushed bright red, all the way up to her ears. She didn't dare lift her head, but a small, happy smile tugged at the corner of her mouth before she quickly bit her lip to hide it.
"I… I understand, Young Master," she whispered.
They stayed like that for a short while longer. She asked him small things — if the food tasted alright, if he needed more water — and he answered her in a calm, patient way. No loud laughter, no big jokes, just that soft, comfortable feeling between them.
Soon enough, she started gathering up the empty bowls and cups.
"I should go now, Young Master. I have to help Third Uncle with some chores around the yard. If you need anything else at all, just call me, alright?"
"Alright, I will," Lin Feng said.
She gave a slight bow, then turned and walked toward the door. Before stepping out, she paused for just a second, glanced back quickly, gave him a tiny shy smile, and then hurried off, closing the door softly behind her.
Lin Feng stood there for a moment, the faint scent of her hair still lingering in the room. The gentle look on his face slowly faded, turning serious instead.
Now that he was alone again, all the heavy thoughts came rushing back.
He walked over and sat down, tapping his fingers lightly against the table.
Right…
He leaned forward, frowning just a little.
That dark energy from Zhao Lei is still stuck inside me. To get rid of it properly, I need the Body Purging Pill. But to refine that pill, I need a decent alchemy cauldron — and those things cost a fortune. Then there's the family competition coming up fast.