Chapter 26: Theater, Green Sandalwood, Knee Pillow

After finishing her speech, Qingtan looked at Lin Yan with a mixture of anticipation and fear, waiting for his response.

The reason for her mixed emotions was mainly because during this period, Qingtan secretly confirmed her own feelings.

It seemed, perhaps, maybe, she really liked Lin Yan.

Earlier, when Qingtan asked her mother how it felt to like someone, her mother said that she would feel happy when she saw him, sad when they were apart, and her mind would be full of thoughts about him when they were not together...

At that time, Qingtan felt that she might really like Lin Yan, because her symptoms seemed to match exactly what her mother had described.

So, during this time, Qingtan had been feeling quite conflicted.

It was because Lin Yan had been seriously practicing all this time that she didn't want to disturb him. Otherwise, she would have initiated contact with him much earlier.

Now that she knew Lin Yan had some free time today, Qingtan mustered the courage to approach him. Otherwise, what if he became busy again?

"What about Lin Dong? Is he not coming?"

Lin Yan was unaware of the whirlwind of thoughts in Qingtan's mind. After hearing her words, he looked at her with some confusion and asked.

Shaking her head, Qingtan replied, "Lin Dong said he's going to practice."

Actually, Lin Dong wasn't practicing tonight, but even if he wasn't, he still needed to practice. He couldn't disrupt her plans.

Lin Yan nodded in understanding and looked at Qingtan's expectant expression. He found it hard to refuse her.

He agreed, "Alright then, let's go watch the play."

Qingtan's face lit up with a radiant smile.

In truth, making this move today required a tremendous amount of courage from her. But at this moment, she was glad she had mustered that courage, because now she had the opportunity to get closer to Lin Yan.

"Let's go, Lin Yan."

With a joyful smile, Qingtan's steps became lighter as they walked.

The two of them soon arrived in Qingyang Town, with Qingtan drawing quite a bit of attention as they walked. This was mostly because of Qingtan's cute appearance and although her outfit wasn't overly eye-catching, it revealed a pair of fair and beautiful legs, catching people's eyes.

"If I could find a chance to hold hands with Lin Yan, that would be great. His hands are so big, holding them would definitely feel safe."

As they walked, Qingtan noticed many couples holding hands and couldn't help but feel a bit envious. However, she didn't want to say it directly, so she was feeling conflicted.

Just then, a gust of cold wind blew by, and Qingtan had a clever idea. She grabbed Lin Yan's hand.

"What's wrong, Qingtan?"

Lin Yan was puzzled by her actions and asked.

"Hehe, Lin Yan, I feel a bit cold."

Blushing, Qingtan admitted.

Lin Yan raised an eyebrow. "Do you want to go back then?"

Qingtan was startled. She had worked up the courage to invite him out; there was no way she'd let him go now.

"No, no, it's alright. Actually, it's not that cold. Lin Yan, can I hold your hand? It'll keep me warm."

Lin Yan found this request a bit strange. Could holding hands really provide warmth? Nevertheless, he didn't refuse and agreed.

Qingtan's smile widened, and she hummed a little tune, feeling the warmth of Lin Yan's hand. She couldn't wipe the grin off her face.

"Lin Yan's hand is so big, so firm, so warm..."

She wiped away the drool that almost escaped her mouth with her hand, suddenly becoming conscious of her appearance. She didn't want to leave a bad impression on Lin Yan because of something like this.

The two of them soon arrived at the theater and took their seats to watch the play.

However, Qingtan felt a bit disappointed because once they arrived at the theater, Lin Yan didn't continue holding her hand. She wished he would.

"I wish... he would continue holding my hand. It's so warm and comforting."

Qingtan thought to herself, adjusting her seat subtly closer to Lin Yan, hoping to get a little closer.

Lin Yan was engrossed in the play and didn't notice these small movements. He continued to watch.

However, he wasn't particularly interested in the performance. The experience felt like being back in class, listening to the teacher drone on, and he began to feel drowsy.

Lin Yan even dozed off at some point, without realizing it.

"Lin Yan?"

Qingtan whispered Lin Yan's name as she noticed he had fallen asleep. She gently placed his head on her lap, making her thigh his pillow.

"It must be because he's tired. He's been practicing diligently lately, working hard to gain strength. Progress comes at a price."

Talking to herself, Qingtan gently ran her fingers through Lin Yan's hair, feeling a sense of tenderness.

While he slept, a faint breathing sound emanated from Lin Yan's nose.

Feeling the gentle breeze, Qingtan's cheeks turned warm, and the sensation of Lin Yan's hair on her legs made them slightly itchy. She adjusted her legs to ensure Lin Yan wouldn't wake up.

"Sorry... I fell asleep."

When Lin Yan woke up and realized he had dozed off, he scratched his head awkwardly.

Qingtan blushed slightly, but she didn't blame Lin Yan. In fact, she quite enjoyed the scene. She smiled at him and said, "That's okay. Shouldn't you compensate me by going out with me again next time?"

Lin Yan agreed, "Sure."

Qingtan's face lit up with a mischievous smile. Seeing that it was getting late, they returned to the Lin residence.

...

In the following days, Lin Yan continued to practice diligently in the Lin family residence.

While not as intense as before when he focused on nurturing the beast flame and learning combat techniques, he still spent the majority of his time in practice.

With this continuous practice, Lin Yan's breakthrough grew closer, and his mastery over the Purple Flame became more refined.

"Young friend, perhaps you can start attempting to refine second-grade pills."

One day, as Lin Yan's control over the Purple Flame improved, the voice of the Yao Elder suddenly resounded, reminding him.

"Is that so? Then I'll give it a try, Yao Elder."

Lin Yan readily agreed and received a second-grade pill formula from the Yao Elder. He headed to Qingyang Town to purchase the necessary herbs, preparing to refine a second-grade pill for the first time.