Gāo Yán looked completely bewildered and asked, "What is it? What happened?"
Lěng Yè awkwardly explained, "This ointment is for external use only. She went inside before I could explain, and I assumed she knew how to use it. If she ingested it, this medicine might turn into..." He leaned close to Gāo Yán's ear and whispered, "A kind of aphrodisiac."
Hearing this, Gāo Yán's eyes widened in horror as she hurriedly looked toward Liáng Xīn, realizing that her friend's condition was indeed suspicious. She angrily accused Lěng Yè, "You—you jerk! Why would you give her something like that?"
Lěng Yè spread his hands in an aggrieved manner. "This is clearly an external medicine! Who would have thought she'd be so desperate as to drink it directly?"
Liáng Xīn looked at them with a hazy gaze and said in a confused tone, "What are you two chatting about? I'm so hot... I really want to take off my clothes..."
Panicking, Gāo Yán grabbed Liáng Xīn and rushed straight into the bathroom. "Quick, take a cold shower!"
As soon as the bathroom door closed, the sound of rushing water came from inside, followed soon after by some indescribable noises that left Lěng Yè, standing outside the door, completely baffled.
After a while, the bathroom door opened. Gāo Yán walked out with a flushed face, completely soaked, her skin-tight clothes accentuating her graceful curves. Liáng Xīn was wrapped in a bath towel, her expression back to normal, though she gave Lěng Yè a cold glare.
Gāo Yán yelled at Lěng Yè, "Still staring?! Turn around! Look again and I'll dig your eyes out!" Lěng Yè immediately turned his back to them.
Liáng Xīn gave a cold snort. "A pervert and a scoundrel, and she's right!"
After that, the two women went upstairs to change their clothes.
Twenty minutes later, Gāo Yán and Liáng Xīn were sitting on the sofa, properly dressed. Liáng Xīn's scar was exposed once again, and she occasionally stole glances at Lěng Yè, seeming very concerned about his reaction.
Lěng Yè apologized sincerely, "It was my fault for not explaining clearly, and I sincerely apologize. But my ointment will definitely get rid of the scar with external application."
Liáng Xīn scoffed, "Who would believe you? You probably did it on purpose!"
Gāo Yán tried to mediate. "Xiǎoxīn, don't be angry anymore. If he really had bad intentions, why would he apologize? The important thing now is getting rid of the scar."
Liáng Xīn stopped arguing.
Gāo Yán asked Lěng Yè cautiously, "Does this ointment really get rid of scars? There won't be any side effects, right?" Lěng Yè nodded firmly. "Rest assured, nothing will go wrong. Otherwise, you can do whatever you want with me!"
Gāo Yán applied the ointment to Liáng Xīn's scar. Soon, white smoke began to rise, and Liáng Xīn frowned in pain. When the ointment was wiped away, the ugly scar had miraculously vanished, and her skin had returned to its original state.
Liáng Xīn's eyes widened in shock. "It's... really gone!"
She stroked her smooth skin, tears welling up in her eyes as she pulled Gāo Yán into a tight embrace. "Yán'er, my scar is gone! I'll never have to be afraid of people mocking me again!"
Happy for her friend, Gāo Yán's attitude toward Lěng Yè softened somewhat. "Even though you're lecherous, you're actually useful sometimes."
After the excitement subsided, Liáng Xīn said to Lěng Yè, "The medicine is good, but your character... I still think you're a pervert. Still, thank you. Name your reward."
After thinking for a moment, she added, "Except for me."
Lěng Yè smiled and said, "No reward is needed. You're Yán'er's friend, so this is only right."
Hearing Lěng Yè address her with such familiar affection, Gāo Yán felt somewhat conflicted inside, but ultimately chose to let it go.
"Then let me thank you on Xiǎoxīn's behalf," Gāo Yán said.
Lěng Yè gave a formal bow. "Then I'll take my leave first. I need to prepare to deal with Lín Hǔ."
Gāo Yán looked full of apology. "I'm sorry I can't help."
Lěng Yè left with a smile.
After Lěng Yè left, Gāo Yán sighed, while Liáng Xīn started gossiping. "Did you hook up with that guy? You feel different."
Gāo Yán hurriedly denied it. "How is that possible? Don't talk nonsense."
Liáng Xīn changed the subject. "Aside from being a pervert, Lěng Yè actually has a lot of principles, and his medical skills are great too. He's pretty good. What do you think? Is he a good match for me?"
Viewing him through her own biased lens, Gāo Yán commented, "He's just so-so. Someone that lustful deserves to be looked down upon."
Liáng Xīn chuckled and said, "What man isn't lustful? I was just teasing him on purpose. Aside from that flaw, he's pretty great. Do you think..."
Gāo Yán was startled. "Xiǎoxīn, you..."
Liáng Xīn looked bashful. "Even though we bicker the moment we meet, what he said struck a chord with me. It's been a long time since I met someone like that. Plus, he cured my scar, so I'm quite interested in him."
Gāo Yán was stunned for a moment before asking seriously, "Are you really interested in him?"
Afraid Gāo Yán would misunderstand, Liáng Xīn backtracked, "I'm just joking! Plenty of men chase after me, and he doesn't even make the cut. I was just curious."
Gāo Yán was relieved. "It's good that you aren't considering him."
Liáng Xīn didn't understand, but her interest in Lěng Yè deepened all the more.
Gāo Yán struggled internally before finally making a phone call. "Sister Jiāo, do you have time? I have a favor to ask."
After returning home, Lěng Yè hurriedly took a Xuányuán Pill to cultivate, but only managed to reach the peak of the First Layer of Qi Refining, unable to break through.
"Lín Hǔ could show up at any time, and relying on absorbing Spiritual Power isn't enough to break through. What should I do?" Lěng Yè was burning with anxiety.
Upon returning home and seeing Lěng Yè looking so burdened with worry, Wang Yujie asked with concern, "Xiǎoye, is something the matter?"
Unwilling to make her worry, Lěng Yè replied, "Sister-in-law, I'm fine. Just feeling a bit stuffy, I'm going to take a shower."
Knowing full well that Lěng Yè was hiding something, Wang Yujie muttered to herself, "This child Xiǎoye, he won't say a word even when something's wrong."
Just then, Lěng Yè's phone rang—it was a call from Zhang Yali. Wang Yujie answered the phone on behalf of Lěng Yè, who was currently in the shower, only to hear Zhang Yali's gloating voice: "Lěng Yè, you actually beat a Third Stage of Internal Energy expert to death—what a surprise! His older brother is a Fifth Stage of Internal Energy master, and he'll be coming to avenge him soon. Word is he's going to take your head to sacrifice to his younger brother! You're dead for sure this time!"
Wang Yujie felt as though she had been struck by lightning, staring blankly toward the bathroom.