Chapter 403: The Touching Sister

Chen Shu and Ning Qing sat in the front, with Ning Qing controlling the steering wheel and brakes, weaving through the crowded greenway. Looking at the drastically changed seaside scenery, the two spoke in low voices, comparing the images in their respective memories with reality, feeling the changes of the world and time.

The little girl and Chen Banxia sat in the back seat, responsible for controlling the speed of travel.

Simply put: responsible for pedaling.

The little girl was wearing a pair of platform sandals today, the kind with very thick soles.

The product details said the soles were 4.5 centimeters thick when she bought them; after receiving them, the little girl immediately measured them, and they were only 4.43 centimeters thick.

Although it was a little bit off, it was still acceptable.

Compared to the foam flip-flops with only one-centimeter soles she had before, these platform sandals narrowed the height gap between her and her sister by 3.43 centimeters. For her, having been stuck in a growth plateau for the past few years, this was undoubtedly a major breakthrough.

Just a moment ago, she had specifically stood next to Sister Banxia to compare; she, who had originally been a little shorter than Sister Banxia, had now achieved an overtake.

Unfortunately, no one noticed this.

Even the stupid Sister Banxia beside her did not realize that her own height had unknowingly gone from second-to-last to last place.

"Stupid."

As the little girl pedaled, she didn't want to pedal anymore, so she simply turned her head to admire the scenery by Jinghai.

There was only one person left pedaling.

"Hmm?"

Chen Banxia keenly sensed the decrease in power and turned her head to look; sure enough, only one engine was still working. More importantly, with the two parallel rear engines, only one on the side remained, making the power output somewhat awkward.

But this could not stump a Fifth Stage engine.

Chen Banxia buried her head and pedaled vigorously.

While pedaling, she was moved by herself—

A sister is always so silently giving for her younger brother and sister.

"Pedal faster."

"Oh, oh, okay..."

Chen Banxia slightly increased her speed; in her imagination, she was radiating a selfless glow at this moment.

The four-wheeled, four-seater bicycle made a creaking sound, as if equipped with a motor, driving along the seaside greenway and startling a flock of foraging seagulls. The seaside wind made the bicycle's canopy flap, and the strong light made people squint involuntarily.

"Did this place change? It was turned into a lawn."

"It used to be reeds."

"I also remember it used to be reeds, such a large patch, all blown by the wind in one direction, it was beautiful, like a scene in a cartoon."

"Yes."

"I don't know why they had to shovel it away and change it into this, those idiots with rocks in their heads."

"Don't use foul language."

"Okay, Mother Ning."

"Brother-in-law, have some potato chips."

"Thank you, Xiaoxiao."

Some people were discussing the scenery by the road, some were eating potato chips, and a cat was yawning in the sun; only one person was pedaling the bike, moved while pedaling.

I suppose my younger brother is also very moved, right?

The next day, July 18th.

The four people and one cat were already on the flying car.

The sunlight outside the window was still blindingly bright, the sky was azure, and the clouds were very, very small, like little cotton balls, hanging softly and lazily at the edge of the sky, lined up in straight rows; the sky alone was extremely beautiful.

"Bai City is still good."

Chen Shu looked out the window, thought for a moment, and said, "I think we can come back to Bai City to spend the winter in the future. Yujing is too cold in winter, and the weather is gloomy. It just so happens that your flowers and plants are dormant in winter, so you don't have to worry about them. We'll go back when spring comes next year."

Ning Qing pursed her lips and did not answer.

Chen Banxia said from the side, "If you like Bai City so much, why don't you stay in Bai City?"

"Don't you like Bai City?"

"I do."

"Then why don't you stay in Bai City?"

"..."

Chen Banxia scratched her head and stopped asking.

Bai City is good, but it's too small and too remote.

For Chen Banxia and pharmacology, Yujing has the best research resources in the world. Besides research institutions, rare materials are also easy to buy. It gathers big shots from all over the country, and it is easy to monetize results. Whether starting from self-improvement or making money, staying in Yujing is a better choice.

It is the same for Chen Shu.

Yujing has many big shots, is more tolerant of ancient cultivators, the Daoist sects provide ready-made free testing grounds, and it is close to the Spirit Sect.

"..."

Chen Shu rested his chin on his hand and looked out the window: "When I get old, I will definitely go back to Bai City to retire."

"That's fine."

Chen Banxia immediately replied: "Anyway, you and Qingqing will support me in my old age. I will work hard to make money; in the future, I will pay, you cook, and I will go wherever you go. Just tell me which house you like, and I will pay for it. Anyway, I'll handle the money."

"Tsk! You're making this very difficult for me..."

"What's difficult about it? We'll be old by then; are you afraid I'll disturb the two of you in your world for two? The more people, the merrier."

"That's not it!"

"Then what is it?"

"I want to eat hand-peeled bamboo shoots, but I don't want to peel them..." Chen Shu showed a troubled expression.

"I'll peel them for you!"

Chen Banxia immediately picked up the hand-peeled bamboo shoots. After peeling them, she didn't forget to snap off the slightly tough roots at the very bottom to hand to Taozi nearby to eat, while taking the tender, crisp parts at the top to give to her younger brother, hoping he would agree to support her in her old age.

"Hmm, sensible."

"How about it?"

"Let me think..."

"If you don't agree, give the bamboo shoots back to me!"

"Hey, don't snatch them!"

"Give them back!"

"Fine, fine, fine..."

Chen Shu agreed repeatedly, then glanced at her again, truly unable to resist teasing: "Are you stupid?"

"You're the stupid one... you must be respectful to your older sister."

"You'll definitely grow old before me, and you aren't getting married, with no children, so who will look after you besides me? Can I just let you fend for yourself?"

"That's not necessarily true."

Chen Banxia was suddenly stirred into a professional mode: "The lifespan of a High-Tier Cultivator isn't much higher than an Intermediate Cultivator; by old calculations, it was only a few decades. It's unknown for Cultivators under modern Spirit Method, but the vast majority of the lifespan increase for High-Tier Cultivators compared to Intermediate Stage Cultivators comes from the high degree of Spiritualization of the body. I have already begun research on this. Regardless, within a hundred years, it will definitely be solved, if not by me, then by someone else. That's why I told you before that it wasn't worth it to promote to High-Tier just for longevity, because a 'longevity medicine' will inevitably be invented within our lifetime, but you didn't listen."

"Too long, not listening."

"You..."

Chen Banxia was absolutely furious.

At this moment, her brother tilted his chin at her again: "While your gloves are still on, peel another bag for me."

"!!"

Chen Banxia was puffed up with anger, but she started peeling again.

As she peeled, she felt a little touched inside—

Her older sister was just like this; even if she had just been angered by her brother, she still couldn't help but want to be good to him.

I am just such a great older sister.

She took another quiet peek at her brother—

Her brother was also staring at her... hands.

She didn't know if he felt touched inside, or if he felt regret and self-reproach for his terrible attitude toward his sister just now.

At this moment, she only heard her brother's voice: "After you finish peeling, use your thumbnail to split the bamboo shoot down the middle. Because it's pickled, every section inside is full of that juice; pour the juice out, otherwise every bite I take is full of liquid."

"..."

It seemed he did not.

Chen Banxia silently withdrew her gaze.

Beside them, Ning Qing sat quietly, her body leaning against the backrest, glancing at them with an indifferent expression, as if she knew everything they were thinking.

That afternoon, the group arrived at Yujing.

The group deliberately detoured to the gate they didn't usually use, and before they even got close, they caught sight of a tall woman sitting at the entrance of the security office.

A bamboo chair, a dark green tight-fitting tank top outlining a slender waist, a camouflage baseball cap, a pair of dark green cargo pants, and high-top leather boots similar to tactical boots on her feet, with the pant cuffs tucked into the boots. At this moment, she was sitting with her legs crossed, leaning back, with a basin of large strawberries on her stomach, humming a song from her nose while eating strawberries, looking quite at ease.

The property owners would probably be envious and jealous if they saw this.

"Security! Open the gate!"

Chen Banxia ran over and shouted loudly.

"You're back?"

Zhang Suannai turned her head and glanced at them, lazy and unwilling to move. She only reached out to grab a remote control from the side and pressed it, and the gate opened. Then she muttered suspiciously: "Why didn't you bring your access card?"

"Why aren't you wearing your uniform?" Chen Shu asked.

"It's not good-looking, I don't want to wear it."

"What kind of work attitude is this? And your service attitude is also poor; you aren't respectful to the owners at all! Where is your security captain? The property manager?" Chen Shu reached his hand into the strawberry basin on Zhang Suannai's stomach and took a strawberry, "I want to file a formal complaint against you."

"Heh~~"

Zhang Suannai yawned. Having basked in the sun all afternoon, she was a bit sleepy. She rubbed her eyes and pointed in a direction: "Over there, go find them."

"Your attitude..."

"These strawberries of yours are actually quite tasty." Chen Banxia also tasted one, "Is your daily wage enough for this basin of strawberries?"

"Definitely enough, I make four thousand five a month."

"They don't withhold a month's pay?"

"They said they would, but I didn't agree."

"Do you just sit here every day?"

"Oh! It's so idle!"

Zhang Suannai continued eating strawberries: "This is the back gate, very few people come by usually. Occasionally there are cars, but they are all cars from the residential complex. I only need to open it when the automatic barrier can't recognize them, and then there are food deliveries. Other than that, there's nothing to do. There isn't even a single thief; I'm actually a bit bored..."

"Entering retirement life early."

"Pretty much..."

The group stood there eating strawberries and chatting, and the opened gate of the complex closed automatically again, with no intention of leaving.

It wasn't until it was time to go back and cook dinner that they finally started walking.

Before leaving, Chen Shu grabbed another handful of strawberries. The quality of these strawberries was quite good; the fragrance was rich with a hint of milk, the sweetness was moderate, and they were slightly tart. Then he asked Zhang Suannai a question: "When do you have time off?"

"I get six days off a month."

"When is your next time off?"

"Seems like the day after tomorrow."

"Let's go, behind Yuan'an Temple, test a Spell for me."

"Sure!"

Zhang Suannai agreed readily, but this was purely due to her personality; in reality, her inner thoughts were a tiny bit complicated—

This person looked a bit like a strong contender for her status as the protagonist, and now that he was constantly improving, threatening her position as the number one of the current generation, she still had to help him improve because of their friendship, which was equivalent to helping him surpass her.

Seeing that his whatever-the-hell Spell last time was already very powerful, if he improved it further, she feared that even her Ten Thousand Swords Return to Origin would be ineffective against him?

Zhang Suannai felt complicated and indescribable inside.