The Silly Alchemist

“Let’s not talk about that. Don’t think about what’s in the pan while you eat with the bowl! The scar is still on your face, yet you’re already thinking about other things,” Ye Lang said.

“Uh…hehe, why don’t you do this first…” his cousin laughed, embarrassed.

“Alright, lie here and don’t move. If you feel tired, you can take a nap,” Ye Lang said.

“No, it’s fine, you’re not even tired, how could I be tired…” his cousin shook her head, smiling.

“Oh, then lay down and we’ll begin…”

Just like that, Ye Lang carefully rubbed his cousin’s skin while she laid there with her eyes closed, unmoving. As for Ye Lanyu, she did not sleep as well, she just sat there, watching silently.

As time passed, the scar on his cousin’s forehead slowly faded…

Later that night...

“Okay, we’re done! I’m so tired I’m going to fall asleep any minute now…” Ye Lang immediately slept after he was done without another word.

“…” Ye Lanyu and her cousin were quiet for a moment, and smiled.

“Why are you so late today?” the girl in Ye Lang’s dream asked. Her tone had a hint of resentment but also surprise.

“I was helping my cousin with her skin so she can change her hairstyle in the future,”

“Oh…”

…

“That’s strange, why do I feel like my body is heavy, as if something is squishing me?” Ye Lang told her about his condition while they were talking.

“There’s nothing on your body,” the girl only looked at Ye Lang.

“Maybe it’s just my imagination…” Ye Lang threw this thought to the back of his head and continued talking.

In the morning, when Ye Lang woke up, he realised that the feeling he felt last night was not from his imagination, but it was real. It felt a lot heavier now!

Why?

If there were two girls asleep on you, of course you would feel a lot of weight!

“Sister? Cousin? What are you two doing? You know how heavy you both are, why would you still want to lean on me?” Ye Lang woke the two of them up, not giving them a chance to sleep a while longer.

“You’re the one who’s heavy!” Ye Lanyu immediately gave her reaction, and softly said, “your sister hasn’t taken a nap with you in a long time, and this is what you say? You ungrateful brat, wanting to disown your sister because you’re all grown up.”

“Of course, I’m getting a wife when I grow up, what do I do with a sister like you?” Ye Lang was being honest, but his words were too harsh.

Ye Lanyu’s reply to that was a fist to his face. She was angry, eyes blazing, “Try disowning me, you idiot! And iif you do that, don’t even think about having a wife in the future!!”

“So be it if I don’t have a wife, I’m not scared of you!” Ye Lang immediately replied, only then thinking about his words.

If he didn’t have a wife, didn’t it mean he’d have to spend more time with his sister? He was losing this argument badly. 

“You little idiot! Get up and be a good boy, I don’t want you to be alone in the future, I will find you a good wife, just remember not to disown your beloved sister!!” Ye Lanyu smiled with love.

“Oh, understood…” Ye Lang said.

Their cousin finally spoke up...

“Hey! Aren’t you guys being a little bit selfish? I’m leaving today, and none of you give a damn about me!!”

“Says who! I let you squash me for an entire night, how could I ignore you?” Ye Lang asked.

“Uh…”

“Since we’re up, why don’t you go pack?” Ye Lang exclaimed, ”It’s always like this, you keep procrastinating...”

Ye Lang’s cousin always had a habit of delaying her departure. Usually, when she said she was leaving, it would take up to a few days before she left. There was even a time when she took ten days!

“…Hmmph! How dare you say that!” his cousin copied Ye Lanyu’s movements, punching him in the face.

“Okay, I’m leaving…” Ye Lang dodged the punch and leapt out of the room, leaving the two girls behind.

“…”

At noon, everyone at the Ye family gathered around, including Ye Chengtian and his wife, Ye Lang and Ye Lanyu. They were going to say goodbye to their cousin.

“Everyone, I’m leaving! Little Lang, remember to come visit, you promised!” before she left, she specifically reminded him of that.

This was all because Ye Lang said he had plans to travel and might pass the Vermillion Bird Empire. When she heard that, she only thought of him visiting her, and ignored the word ‘might’.

“I know, I know, stop nagging and go already!” it was as if Ye Lang was shooing away a housefly, hoping to shoo away his cousin. His face had the word ‘annoyed’ written all over it.

“You little troublemaker! Whatever! Just remember what you promised!” his cousin shook her head, turned around and walked towards her car. She stopped suddenly.

She turned around and looked at Ye Lang, “Little Lang, I heard that your singing skills are exceptional, will you sing for your dear cousin? As a parting gift?”

Ye Lang stared at her, and while everyone was looking forward for his singing, Ye Lang opened his mouth to say one word –

“Impossible!”

She trembled...

His cousin almost jumped off her carriage, and everyone almost fainted. This Ye Lang was a brat indeed, all she wanted was to hear his voice, and he rejected her.

“Humph! I will remember this!!” his cousin bit her teeth, mumbled something to herself, and went into her car.

“Yeah, I will remember it as well,” Ye Lang nodded his head.

“Go to hell…” a voice from the car came out with anger, followed by something that was thrown out, which flew toward Ye Lang. Probably thrown at him out of anger. 

“What’s this?” Ye Lang slowly picked it up and took a good look at it. It looked something like jade. As an experienced prodigal son, he knew this thing was expensive, something very valuable.

Which was why it, in theory, should not be tossed around like that!

There were two characters carved on it: Ye Lang. This further implied it was for him, not thrown at him out of anger.

“This is my gift for you, and only you. When you come to the Vermillion Bird Empire, use this to find me, don’t forget it!” his cousin told him.

“Cousin…”

“What!’”

“Can I sell this?”

“…Go to hell!”

“Ha ha, I’m joking, I have something for you as well, catch!” Ye Lang threw a little bottle, as a gift in return.

“What’s this?” his cousin asked when she caught it.

“This is a beautifying pill, eat one every day, but not too much,” Ye Lang replied. There was no need to further explain the powers of such a pill.

“Little troublemaker! All my kindness spent on you wasn’t for nothing,” his cousin smiled, but the smile was quickly gone, because Ye Lang said something next –

“You’re starting to age, which means you need to take care of your skin, otherwise you won’t get a partner,”

“Go away!!”

“…”

Just like that, Ye Lang bade his farewell to his cousin, but before he had the chance to celebrate, his father pulled him aside for a lecture. Of course, the lecture was not about his attitude, for even his cousin did not mind his attitude, how could he?

“Son, are you really not going to join the practice?” Ye Chengtian asked.

They were still talking about last year’s competition. His parents were disappointed he chose not to participate.

It was every parent's dream for their child to have a bright future.  In the past, Ye Lang’s parents might not have high hopes for him, but lately, his talents seemed to be growing by the day. They hoped their child could become something more...

This competition was a good chance in the eyes of his parents, which was why they wanted Ye Lang to take part in it.

“No! Stop asking me that, and don’t talk about it anymore, I won’t change my mind no matter what! I might come watch the next competition, yes, but I want to travel too!” Ye Lang shouted.

“If you want to go out, why don’t you participate in the competition while you’re at it. With your alchemy skills, it’ll be easy for you to get some good results,” Ye Chengtian said.

Ye Lang shook his head, saying, “I only said maybe. I might even be travelling somewhere else that time. If so, then I won’t have time. Even if I do have time, I don’t want to go!”

“Where will you go? Wait, you mean you want to travel somewhere else before the competition?” Ye Chengtian asked when he realised.

“That’s right! I plan to start this year, after my coming-of-age ceremony. I will travel the world. I have planned this for a long time,” Ye Lang nodded.

“Absolutely not!” screamed all three people immediately. Their objection was strong on this one.

“Stop treating me like a child! After the adulting ceremony, I will be a man, and it is the duty of a man to travel and experience. Which is why I must go!” Ye Lang slowly said.

“We wouldn’t be as concerned if you weren’t you. But you... how are we going to relax if it’s you? You always do silly things!!” Ye Chengtian said straightforwardly.

“Those were things of the past, how could I possibly do silly things now?” Ye Lang immediately replied.

“Wouldn’t you? Who was the one that almost caused an explosion in the seventh princess’s bedroom? Who almost got eaten by a dragon for being stupid? Who…?!”

“Stop right there, those were just accidents. Besides, I’m one piece, no?” Ye Lang was still stubborn as ever.

“This is because of your other mother…” Ye Chengtian said. He was referring to Lady Luck, everyone believed there was a special bond between Lady Luck and Ye Lang, or how could they explain his fortune?