Yan Zhen held the Ice Coagulation Dew and Snow Wind Pearl as he headed to Mentor Yu Xuan’s room on the right side of the main house. He knocked on the door.
A moment later, the door opened. Mentor Yu Xuan, dressed in a thin nightgown, revealed her beautiful face. When she saw Yan Zhen, her eyes widened slightly in surprise.
“Yan Zhen, what brings you here?”
He cut straight to the point. “The weather’s gotten hot lately, and I noticed you seem to hate the heat, so I prepared two things to help you cool down.”
With that, he handed over the two gifts.
Mentor Yu Xuan recognized them at a glance as Ice Coagulation Dew and a Snow Wind Pearl. Though they were only 1st Tier, they weren’t cheap—comparable in price to some Second-Order items.
The price wasn’t the key point, though. It was his words. The way he said it made it sound like he’d been paying close attention to her. Did this kid really admire her a little?
Though her heart warmed at the thought, Mentor Yu Xuan still shook her head and refused. “As your mentor, how could I accept gifts from a student? I appreciate the thought, but take them back.”
Yan Zhen had expected as much. He quickly said, “Mentor Yu Xuan, I’m not trying to bribe you. I just want to apologize to you.”
“Apologize?” Her brows furrowed lightly. “Did you get into some trouble?”
“It’s about the bathroom incident the night before last.”
The night before last… His mention jogged her memory, and her cheeks flushed bright red.
Bumping into each other by accident was one thing, but then her mind had heated up, and she’d actually helped him release. No matter how she looked at it, she’d gone too far.
Seeing Yan Zhen about to say more, Mentor Yu Xuan grabbed his arm and yanked him into the room before swiftly shutting the door.
Yan Zhen jumped, thinking she was furious and about to trap him inside for a beating. He immediately raised his hands in surrender. “Mentor, I know I was wrong! I’m sorry—don’t act on impulse. Impulse is the devil—mmph!”
Mentor Yu Xuan clamped her hand over Yan Zhen’s mouth and scolded him softly. “Keep it down. Meng’er’s room is right across the hall.”
Yan Zhen felt her small hand, soft and slightly damp, carrying the fresh scent of her bath. It stirred an urge in him to take a bite.
He blinked and nodded obediently.
Only then did she withdraw her hand, releasing his mouth. Her expression was a bit unnatural as she said, “The other night, I just acted on impulse. Don’t take what I did to heart.”
As expected, Mentor Yu Xuan was still bothered by it.
Yan Zhen felt a twinge of guilt. “I’m sorry, Mentor. I caused you trouble.”
“No need to apologize. I was at fault too. When I saw your clothes scattered all over the floor, I should’ve realized you hadn’t left the bathroom yet. Then none of what followed would have happened—especially since I…”
Mentor Yu Xuan glanced at Yan Zhen’s crotch. The scorching sensation seemed to linger on her palm. She subconsciously clasped her hands behind her back.
“Ahem. Anyway, what’s done is done. Let’s not bring it up again. Just be more careful in the future. After all, you’re the only guy here, so there are bound to be some inconveniences.”
“Got it, Mentor.” Yan Zhen nodded and offered the gifts again. “So, can you accept these two things? If you don’t, I’ll feel uneasy.”
Seeing his stubborn expression—like he wouldn’t leave without her taking them—Mentor Yu Xuan hesitated for a moment before finally accepting the apology gifts.
“Fine, I’ll take them.” She smiled softly, her eyes reflecting Yan Zhen’s figure, a trace of affection brewing within. “I do hate the heat, and with the temperature rising every day, both the Ice Coagulation Dew and Snow Wind Pearl will come in very handy. Thank you, Yan Zhen.”
“It’s just a small gesture. I’m glad you like them, Mentor.” Yan Zhen smiled back, then stood to leave. “I’ll head back to my room then. Good night, Mentor.”
A sudden reluctance welled up in Mentor Yu Xuan. She wanted to keep him here, alone with her a little longer. Without thinking, she called out, “Wait, Yan Zhen.”
He turned back, his big eyes filled with innocent curiosity: Wha…?
That tilt of his head made Mentor Yu Xuan’s heart pound faster. She felt her body heating up, fine beads of sweat forming on her forehead as a faint, alluring body fragrance quietly wafted into the air.
“Well… let’s try out these two items tonight. It’s still pretty hot.”
Uh… Yan Zhen didn’t quite get why Mentor Yu Xuan suddenly wanted to do that. Was she doubting the quality of his gifts, thinking they might be fakes?
System products were top-tier!
Oh, wait—he got it. She must suspect they were low-quality at first, so she’d keep him to test them on the spot. Then she’d be amazed to find they were supreme grade, letting him show off just a little.
Perfect timing too. The System wanted him to play the protagonist role more anyway.
With that in mind, Yan Zhen nodded. “Sure, let’s give them a try. I’m curious about how well they work too.”
Mentor Yu Xuan secretly rejoiced, mentally giving herself a thumbs-up for her cleverness.
“Have a seat first.”
The two sat down at a stool by the table. Mentor Yu Xuan placed the Ice Coagulation Dew and Snow Wind Pearl on the surface. Yan Zhen watched with interest as she took the Snow Wind Pearl from its box.
The Snow Wind Pearl consisted of a bead and a base. Mentor Yu Xuan picked up the bead, channeled a bit of mystic power into it, and set it back in the center of the base.
Soon, the Snow Wind Pearl lit up, releasing strands of cool air that swirled around them.
The temperature in the room gradually dropped.
“Is that all it takes, Mentor?”
“Yes, the base lets you adjust the range of the chill. The wider the range, the faster it consumes mystic power. This one seems portable—big enough to cover the whole room at max.”
“Pretty user-friendly.”
“And the chill is so pure. This is a supreme-grade Snow Wind Pearl. It must have cost a pretty penny.”
“Heh, not really.”
System giveaway, Yan Zhen thought to himself.
But Mentor Yu Xuan assumed he’d splurged on the best ones just for her. A wave of sweetness surged in her heart.
They weren’t priceless treasures, but buying the finest for her showed real thoughtfulness.
This kid really did admire her a little…
Mentor Yu Xuan felt a secret thrill, her lips curving into a noticeable smile.
This kind of admiration wasn’t love yet—it would fade with time if ignored. But if she seized the chance to spend more time with him, could she turn that admiration into something more?
“Next, let’s try the Ice Coagulation Dew.”
Mentor Yu Xuan uncorked the jade bottle and took a light sniff.
“Fresh scent. The quality seems better than what I’ve used before.”
She poured some onto the back of her hand and spread it evenly. A bright smile lit up her face.
“So cool~ It’s definitely top-quality Ice Coagulation Dew. Yan Zhen, you try it too.”
Following her lead, Yan Zhen extended his right hand, palm up.
Mentor Yu Xuan dripped some onto the back of his hand. She set the bottle down and took both his hands in hers, carefully spreading it for him.
Yan Zhen froze for a second—he hadn’t expected her to apply it personally. Seeing nothing odd in her demeanor, he didn’t make a fuss.
Her soft, damp hands rubbed and massaged the back of his hand. As the dew took effect, it felt just like smearing on ice—utterly refreshing.
