"This flower is truly lovely," he said.
On either side of the flower stem bloomed two large vermilion flowers, resembling a pair of freshly blown bugles or the fiery red dancing skirts of two young girls.
When Bai Fan first saw this flower, he was reminded of the day they fought. Zhao Shuning's red dress on that day had captivated his gaze.
The amaryllis had a cluster of long, broad leaves. Their emerald color was like flawless jade, brimming with youthful vitality. Each leaf was so strong and powerful, like a sharp sword, yet also carried a hint of tenderness.
This was very much like Zhao Shuning.
Although she was a woman, she had a fortitude that even men couldn't match.
Yet, amidst her fortitude, she also had the unique tenderness of a woman.
The flower was hexagonal, with a cluster of heavy yellow stamens that were fluffy. The whole flower tilted slightly downward, like a young girl lost in thought after just finishing her makeup.
"Do you like this flower?"
"It's okay."
"Then I'll give this flower to you. Will you accept it?"
Zhao Shuning gave a charming smile.
"No need. This flower can only reach its true value when it falls into the hands of someone who truly likes it."
Bai Fan also said, "You're right."
Forcing something one likes onto others doesn't mean they'll like it.
Zhao Shuning stood up.
"I have to go."
"Stay and have a cup of tea before you leave?"
Zhao Shuning smiled.
"Seeing you doing good deeds like this, I'm relieved. I have something important to attend to. I just happened to pass by here."
"May I ask where you're going?"
Zhao Shuning didn't hesitate.
"The Sect Association."
"The Sect Association? What are you going there for?"
Zhao Shuning didn't answer but instead looked at Bai Fan thoughtfully.
Bai Fan quickly explained, "Miss, don't misunderstand. It's just that Elder Xia from the Sect Association came to the island two months ago. I'm afraid if you go to the Sect Association looking for her, you'll come back empty-handed."
"Do you mean Xia Wanning came to your island?"
"Yes."
"Alone? Why did she come to this island?"
Bai Fan said, "She, she came with my sister."
Zhao Shuning was quite surprised.
"You have a sister?"
Bai Fan nodded.
"I have a sister named Bai Zhi. But she was adopted by a mysterious organization since childhood, and we rarely see each other."
Bai Zhi?
"Do you mean Xia Wanning came with your sister Bai Zhi?"
"Yes."
"Do you know where they went?"
No wonder when Zhao Shuning landed on the island before, she heard someone say that two good-looking girls had come to the island some time ago.
Presumably, those two were Bai Fan's sister and Xia Wanning.
"I'm not sure, but I vaguely heard my sister mention a place called Gui—Gui?"
"Ghost Domain."
"Yes, that's the place, Ghost Domain."
Zhao Shuning fell silent.
Ghost Domain?
Could it be that Xia Wanning had gone to the Ghost Domain?
"How do you know Xia Wanning isn't at the Sect Association now?"
Seeing that Zhao Shuning was still very wary of him.
Bai Fan explained, "The other day, because the residents on the island wanted ducks, I went out. I heard someone say that Elder Xia from the Sect Association had been missing for a long time. So I guessed that she probably went to the Ghost Domain with my sister two months ago and never came back."
There was Zhao Shuning's spiritual power on Bai Fan's spiritual root, so he couldn't lie to her. As long as he told a lie, Zhao Shuning would easily detect it.
"Okay, I'm sorry, Bai Fan."
"Miss doesn't seem like the type to say sorry."
"I misunderstood you, so of course I should apologize."
"Dad, Xiaobao and Erbao in the school are fighting. Please go and have a look quickly."
A chubby little boy rolled over. He was extremely cute.
The way he stretched out his hands and called Bai Fan "Dad" made Zhao Shuning like him very much.
Actually, if there was a child waving their hands and calling Bu Ran "Dad" and her "Mom", it seemed not bad.
"Go back first. Tell them not to fight. Say I'll be there soon. If they still fight then, they'll have their palms slapped."
"Okay."
The little chubby boy ran back home.
Zhao Shuning said, "Is this your child?"
Bai Fan was in a daze. After a long time, he said, "He isn't. I picked him up outside the Misty Rain Tower five years ago. He was an abandoned baby."
"Moreover, I don't have such good fortune. As you said back then, I don't deserve to have a lover."
"I was young and impulsive back then. I said a lot of things on impulse. Don't mind."
"Of course I won't mind. You're right. My junior sister died because of me back then. I'm sorry for her. I really don't deserve to have a lover." Moreover, the person I love is destined to be out of my reach in this lifetime.
"Forget it. Thank you for telling me about Xia Wanning today. Otherwise, I would have made a wasted trip to the Sect Association."
"You're welcome."
Zhao Shuning didn't plan to stay here. She said, "I'll leave first. By the way, I have some beauty pills here. If you need them."
"I don't need them."
Bai Fan then said, "Back then, my sister also went to great lengths to get a beauty pill for me, but I didn't take it. I think it's good to experience birth, old age, sickness, and death." The world is so bitter. He didn't want to live for thousands or millions of years.
So now, his sister still looked as beautiful as she did back then.
But he had already passed his half - century mark and had become an old man with gray hair.
"In that case, I won't force you. See you later."
"Miss."
"Is there something else?"
Bai Fan thought for a while and still said, "I heard that you're acquainted with the Kong siblings, the administrators of the Misty Rain Tower."
"Yes."
They were more than just acquainted. Back then, Miss Kong had actually fought Zhao Shuning.
"I also heard that you once practiced in the Misty Rain Tower for a while. Although you graduated early, you're still a disciple of the Misty Rain Tower. So I wanted to tell you this."
"What's wrong?" Zhao Shuning frowned slightly, as if having a bad premonition.
"The Misty Rain Tower's status in Shanhuazhou Peak is in jeopardy now."
"Why? Isn't the Misty Rain Tower always the highest school for cultivating spiritual pharmacists in Shanhuazhou Peak? And the Kong siblings are quite capable. They shouldn't have fallen to such a state, right?"
Bai Fan said, "It was indeed the case before. But the Misty Rain Tower was originally a school under the jurisdiction of the Wang family. After the Wang family was destroyed, other small families swarmed in. Because it was once the place where you practiced, not many people dared to act recklessly. But a few years ago, a gang emerged. This gang specialized in looting and causing trouble. Many disciples of the Misty Rain Tower died at their hands."
"What gang?"
"Shui Yunsheng!"
"How is that possible? Most of the senior members of Shui Yunsheng came from the Misty Rain Tower. How could there be such a conflict with Yan Ruyu? Besides, Kong Shishuang from the Misty Rain Tower is also a member of Shui Yunsheng!"
"Miss, don't you know that Shui Yunsheng has had nothing to do with the Misty Rain Tower later on? Miss Kong of the Kong family later left the Shui Yunsheng gang for the sake of the Misty Rain Tower."
"How could this be?"
"I heard that it was because Kong Shishuang had a conflict with the leader of Shui Yunsheng, so she left the gang."
"Miss, do you think it's because the snakes of Shui Yunsheng wanted to take revenge, so they allowed their subordinates to attack the Misty Rain Tower?"