Chapter 1978 — Truly Speechless: If Granny Sun's true qi had not been in her head but elsewhere in her meridians, Wei Zhao could have helped drive it out; but the true qi was in her head, and Wei Zhao dared not act rashly for fear of doing her head further harm, so the prudent course was for Granny Sun to cultivate it away herself.

After seeing Uncle Qing off with Granny Sun, Granny Sun went back to her room to continue cultivating. These days, apart from the daily housework, she spent every remaining hour in cultivation. At least she had found something to occupy herself with, so her days were not too dull.

Wei Zhao was just about to head back to school when he heard the doorbell ring outside the villa. Who would come calling at this hour?

It was plainly not Xiaoshu and the eldest miss. For one thing, they had rehearsal that afternoon too, and even if they did come back, they had keys. And Uncle Qing had only just left — could he have turned around and come back?

He opened the villa's front gate, and there, standing outside, was Han Jingyi!

"What are you doing here? Is there something else?" The sight of Han Jingyi put Wei Zhao in a sour mood. This girl was far too clingy, and she was forever asking tricky questions that were hard to answer, so as a rule he kept his distance from her.

"I want to go pick up my property deed. Would you come with me?" Han Jingyi asked.

"My car's at school. How am I supposed to get there without a car?" Han Jingyi said.

"Pfft... Your car's at school, and you still mooched a ride home with me? Is there something wrong with your head?" Wei Zhao truly had no idea what to say to that.

"Saves gas," Han Jingyi said, as though it were the most natural thing in the world. "Riding in your car means one less tank of gas to pay for, doesn't it?"

"You came home just to pick up these documents?" Wei Zhao glanced at the file folder in Han Jingyi's hand. He had one too, given to him by the agent; once the property deed came through, he would take these materials to the service hall to collect it.

"Yes." Han Jingyi nodded.

"Then if you knew you had to go get the property deed, why didn't you drive?" Wei Zhao was at a loss for words.

"Isn't that what you're for?" Han Jingyi looked at him strangely. "You're driving, so why would I drive? Do I look stupid?"

"..." Wei Zhao drew a deep breath. Stupid? If you're not stupid, then I am! Fine, I'm the stupid one, all right? He shook his head, steadied himself, and said, "Wait here. I'm going to pick up my property deed too!"

"Oh, so you're going to get your property deed too! Why didn't you say so earlier? I was feeling a little guilty there for a moment. Now it's fine — you're just giving me a lift on your way!" Han Jingyi said happily.

"I... I..." Wei Zhao pointed at Han Jingyi, but in the end said nothing. Is this girl from Planet Namek or something? How is her thinking so different from a normal person's? He figured talking to her would be a waste of breath anyway, so he might as well not bother.

Turning, he went into the villa and took out the file folder the agent had given him. According to the agent, the property deed would be ready in about half a month and could be collected at the service hall. Military training was over now, and it had been just about half a month, but Wei Zhao was in no hurry; he had meant to wait for the weekend and go then. He had not expected Han Jingyi to wreck that plan.

Once in the car, Wei Zhao set the navigation to the service hall, and he and Han Jingyi drove out of the Xueshang Estate.

"You're just leaving your car at school? Not going to do anything about it?" Wei Zhao asked.

"I am, so tonight you can come with me to the school and help me get it back — and pick up my little brother from school while we're at it!" Han Jingyi said.

Wei Zhao wanted to slap himself. That mouth of his — why did it have to be so quick? He had only been making small talk, and now he had landed himself a chore.

"Can't your brother just drive it back?" Wei Zhao suggested.

"My brother can't drive," Han Jingyi said.

"...Then why did you ride back in my car? Do you have nothing better to do?" If Wei Zhao had not been through such rigorous training, and if his mental fortitude were not already far beyond that of ordinary men, he would have broken down right then.

"Why do you say that? Aren't you going to pick up Yaoyao and Xiaoshu tonight?" Han Jingyi asked.

"That's perfect, then. They can both drive — have them drive your brother's car back for him." Wei Zhao thought it over; she had a point. He did have to pick up Gu Mengyao and Shen Yushu.

"Great!" Han Jingyi agreed readily.

Wei Zhao finally let out a breath of relief. He was just about to say something when Han Jingyi went on: "But my brother doesn't have the car key. We'll have to go give it to them."

"...Forget I said anything. We'll go to the school together tonight." With that, Wei Zhao shut his mouth and did not say another word to Han Jingyi. He was afraid he would die of sheer exasperation.

At this hour the service hall was empty. Wei Zhao parked downstairs, and he and Han Jingyi collected the property deeds without any trouble, wasting no time at all.

Back in the car, Wei Zhao was about to head back to the villa when Han Jingyi said, "Is there an antique market around here? Brother Wei Zhao, could you take me to have a look?"

"What are you going to an antique market for?" Wei Zhao asked, puzzled.

"I want to buy a medicine cauldron," Han Jingyi said.

"A medicine cauldron? What do you want one of those for?" Wei Zhao frowned, and something in his heart gave a small jolt. A medicine cauldron was a tool for alchemists. In ancient times the Daoist sects had used them for refining pills as well, so such things did occasionally turn up in antique markets — but Han Jingyi was a student. What did she need a medicine cauldron for?

"To study alchemy!" Han Jingyi concealed nothing, answering him honestly.

"Alchemy?" Wei Zhao was startled. Who was this Han Jingyi, that she even knew about alchemy? Could she be the child of some hidden clan or ancient sect?

"Yes. You don't know about alchemy?" Han Jingyi's expression grew even stranger as she looked at him. "You came here to study medicine, and you've never even heard of alchemy? Then do you know what an alchemist is?"

Wei Zhao looked at her astonishment and smiled bitterly to himself. Was alchemy as a profession really so common — so common that even ordinary people knew about it?

"You mean the alchemists of the legendary cultivation world?" Wei Zhao asked, betraying nothing.

"Ah, so you do know, Brother Wei Zhao! I said as much — anyone who comes to Bailingtou to study medicine is more or less from a family in the medicine trade!" Han Jingyi nodded. "I want to become an alchemist, that's why I applied for the medicine program."

"Then do you know how one becomes an alchemist?" Wei Zhao pressed on.

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