At this moment, it was hard to associate Meng Wantang with the fierce image of the Red Dragon Association.
Yet, this gentle woman at home was actually the notorious Tiger Hall Master of the Red Dragon Association.
Qin Chuan silently withdrew his gaze at this thought.
The task was completed, which repaid Meng Wantang for helping him acquire the Nine Dragon Pill Furnace.
So, Qin Chuan prepared to leave quietly.
However, just as he was about to leave, he felt Nannan's small hand tightly gripping his wrist.
As he moved, Nannan's eyes instantly widened.
This little one had been pretending to sleep all along.
Qin Chuan glanced at the sleeping beauty, then turned to the mischievous Nannan and said softly, "Nannan, why aren't you asleep yet?"
Nannan shook her head, raising a finger to her lips: "Shh, brother, keep your voice down."
"Alright... huh???"
Qin Chuan instinctively responded but immediately sensed something was off.
Nannan hadn't called him 'Papa' but instead sweetly called him 'Brother'.
"Nannan, you...???" Qin Chuan opened his eyes wide, looking at her in surprise.
Nannan blinked her clear eyes: "I'm not some three-year-old kid, I'm four this year. I can tell the difference between brother and papa."
"Uh..."
Upon hearing this, Qin Chuan couldn't help but twitch at the corner of his eyes.
So for these few hours, Nannan had been acting all along?
A 20-year-old adult was fooled by a four-year-old child?
Good grief!
Nannan's acting skills were far superior to those of young stars on TV.
"Nannan knows, brother is in love with mama, right?"
Nannan blinked, a wise smile spreading across her little face.
"Uh..."
Qin Chuan instinctively wanted to deny it, but when he saw the expectant look in Nannan's eyes, he couldn't help but soften his heart.
After all, it was a harmless little lie, just shifting from the role of father to boyfriend.
No big deal!
Qin Chuan smiled wryly and nodded, then tweaked her little nose: "You're such a clever little imp."
"Hee hee..."
Nannan beamed a bright smile, her innocent eyes brimming with joy.
"Brother, can you stay and sleep with mama more often?"
Nannan gazed at Qin Chuan with hopeful eyes: "I haven't seen mama sleep so soundly in a long time."
"Uh..."
Qin Chuan blushed instantly, muttering silently about kids speaking their minds.
"Brother, you go ahead and take care of your business. I'm going to sleep with mama now."
Nannan blinked her eyes, full of reluctance, but still bid Qin Chuan farewell.
Her understanding and sensibility left a deep impression on Qin Chuan.
He and Nannan had only met by chance.
It was uncertain if they would meet again.
But as he left, he waved at Nannan, saying: "Goodbye, see you next time."
"Goodbye, brother."
Nannan also waved her little hand, reluctantly bidding Qin Chuan farewell, then curled up into Meng Wantang's arms.
Qin Chuan carefully closed the door, feeling a wave of emotion.
If not for the existence of the Red Dragon Association, Meng Wantang might suit a normal life better.
Tending to her family, peace and joy.
Whew!
Qin Chuan let out a breath, spoke with Meng Wantang's nanny, and then left the villa.
...
The Dog Hall of the Red Dragon Association.
Xiang Dongsheng was already aware that the Yin Yang Beads had fallen into Qin Chuan's hands.
But he didn't know that Qin Chuan had returned the Yin Yang Beads to Meng Wantang.
"Dad, could it be that Meng Wantang found out about our plan?" Xiang Jinghui couldn't help but speculate.
Xiang Dongsheng's murky eyes flickered with uncertainty at this.
The Dog Hall and Tiger Hall had never had interactions.
Before this, there hadn't been any major conflicts either.
Meng Wantang's actions were really baffling.
He didn't believe Meng Wantang would publicly embarrass Xiang Jinghui just for some unknown nobody.
There must be another hidden reason.
"The Tiger Hall is in the spotlight; it's not the right time to clash with them. Since the Yin Yang Beads are in Qin Chuan's hands, we'll get it back from him."
Xiang Dongsheng looked at the Cheng brothers on one side: "You two have been following that Qin Chuan brat for some time now. Can you handle it?"
"Reporting to the Hall Master, if Gu's Martial Arts Hall doesn't intervene, the two of us brothers can kill him as easily as killing a chicken," said Cheng Feng, the elder brother.
"Don't be careless, prioritize the Yin Yang Beads above all."
Xiang Dongsheng cautioned: "Make sure to retrieve the Prayer Beads."
"Understood!"
The Cheng brothers bowed to Xiang Dongsheng and then left the Dog Hall.
Once they left, Xiang Jinghui couldn't help but ask: "Dad, what's the story behind these Yin Yang Beads? Why does he insist on us getting them?"
"They're not just any ordinary beads; they're a magical artifact, lifesaving in critical moments."
Xiang Donghai briefly explained: "In the hands of experts, even the slightest advantage could win or lose a thousand miles, having such a lifesaving artifact greatly increases the odds."
"A magical artifact?"
Xiang Jinghui nodded in half-understanding and asked: "Dad, when do Yang Bo and the others plan to make a move?"
"Mid-Autumn Festival!"
...
On the other side, after leaving Meng Wantang, Qin Chuan headed to Tongde Hall.
Seeing him return safely, both Grandpa Jiang and Wen Yaxin breathed a sigh of relief.
Grandpa Jiang immediately retrieved the Nine Dragon Pill Furnace from the safe.
He knew how important this furnace was to Qin Chuan, fearing any mishap, so he stored it in the safe upon receiving it, just to be safe.
After getting the Pill Furnace, Qin Chuan carefully checked it over.
Though small, the pill furnace had all vital components.
Inside, there was an array for Gathering Spirit and a safeguard array to prevent explosions.
To Qin Chuan's surprise, there was even an array to keep the alchemist's mind clear.
This small pill furnace contained three arrays.
The craftsman who made the furnace was no ordinary person.
Unfortunately, due to its age, the craftsman had long since passed away, or else Qin Chuan would have loved to discuss it with him.
"Master Jiang, could you lend me some herbs?"
Qin Chuan scratched his head, looking embarrassed as he spoke.
The eighty thousand he had was entirely given to Meng Wantang; even the few hundred left was spent on gifts for Nannan.
His pockets were now emptier than his face.
"The herbs are ready, Mr. Qin, this way please."
Grandpa Jiang had prepared beforehand and directly led Qin Chuan to the apothecary room.
Ten sets of ingredients for the Yang Gathering Pill were already prepared there, and they were all fine-quality herbs, not like the defective ones from last time.
Qin Chuan nodded, not putting on airs.
Even if he successfully refined just one elixir pill from these ten sets of herbs, it would be worth the cost of these herbs.
Then Qin Chuan started adjusting his state to prepare for alchemy.
Grandpa Jiang and Wen Yaxin quietly left the apothecary room, still evidently uneasy about what happened last time.
Back then, it was just a clay pot that blew up.
This time, it's a bronze artifact.
If this thing explodes, it could be fatal.
So, the two of them felt it best to stay away.
"Um, Grandpa, are you tired? Shall I help you outside to sit a bit?" Wen Yaxin found an excuse.
"Ha ha ha..."
Grandpa Jiang laughed it off, then earnestly said: "A bit tired, yes. Let's move further—not go sit outside, yes."
Thus, the cherishing-life grandfather and granddaughter fled hastily, not daring to look back much.
Meanwhile, the alchemy furnace in front of Qin Chuan began emitting crackling sounds like popping soybeans...