Chapter 357: Mysterious Gift of Gratitude

“Xiaoyue, pack up the stall. We’re done for today,” Elder Lin called out to his granddaughter.

Lin Xiaoyue quickly agreed and began packing up her things with nimble movements.

They entered the small breakfast shop by the street. The space was modest, holding only three or four small, square tables, but it was clean and tidy. A slightly yellowed menu was pasted on the wall.

“Have a seat, young man. I’ll pour you a glass of water.” Elder Lin turned to get the water while Yang Xun found a seat. A moment later, Lin Xiaoyue walked in as well, taking a seat not far from Yang Xun and looking at him with a beaming smile.

Elder Lin placed the glass of water in front of Yang Xun, his voice choking with emotion. “Young man, I heard from Xiaoyue. If it weren’t for you that day, who knows how much she would have suffered. I really don’t know how to thank you.”

“Elder Lin, I don’t need any thanks, but I do have one request.”

“Go ahead.”

“Please don’t mention what happened that night to anyone,” Yang Xun said, his expression extremely serious. “You know those men aren’t good people. If they find out I was the one who interfered, it will bring a lot of trouble to me and my family.”

Grandpa Lin was momentarily stunned before nodding heavily. “Don’t worry. What happened that day will rot in our hearts. Xiaoyue and I absolutely won’t say a word.”

Lin Xiaoyue also nodded vigorously. “Yang Xun, I swear I won’t breathe a single word of this to anyone.”

“That’s enough for me.” Yang Xun smiled faintly, his gaze turning gentle as he looked at her. “Xiaoyue, don’t take on any more part-time jobs. Since you’ve been admitted to Zhonghai University, focus on your studies. If you don’t have enough money, I’ll sponsor you.”

“How could I do that?” Lin Xiaoyue’s eyes widened, making her soft, youthful cheeks look even cuter. She quickly waved her hands in refusal. “You already helped me so much. How could I possibly accept your money?”

“Consider it an investment,” Yang Xun replied. He could tell she was a good, grateful girl. He hadn’t expected any repayment when he saved her; he just couldn’t bear to see a young girl fall into the clutches of thugs. “Study hard, and after you graduate, you can come work for my company. That can be your way of repaying me.”

“Thank you, Yang Xun. I will definitely study hard and work for you in the future,” Lin Xiaoyue said earnestly, her eyes reddening.

Yang Xun couldn’t help but laugh. She made it sound like he was raising an assassin to die for him.

Just as the two were chatting happily, Elder Lin suddenly stood up. He walked behind the counter, bent down to unlock a drawer, and took out a palm-sized wooden box. The box looked quite old. Its edges were worn smooth and shiny, and most of the paint had peeled off, but it felt heavy, as if it were carved from some high-density aged wood.

Elder Lin returned to Yang Xun, placed the wooden box on the table, and pushed it toward him. “Young man, I don’t have much to repay you with. Please accept this.”

“Elder Lin, I already told you I don’t want anything from you. Please keep it.” Yang Xun didn’t know what was inside, but judging by the box, he guessed it was likely a family heirloom.

“Don’t be in such a hurry to refuse.” Elder Lin sat down across from him, pressing his callused hands gently onto the lid of the wooden box. “I can tell you’re no ordinary person. I’ve lived long enough to have at least that much of an eye for people.

“You must have taken a significant risk to save my granddaughter that night. We have no way to repay such kindness. This item will only gather dust in my hands, so I’d rather give it to you. It might be of more use to you. Open it and take a look.”

Yang Xun looked down at the wooden box. After a brief moment of hesitation, he reached out and opened it.

Inside the lid lay a layer of slightly yellowed velvet. Resting right in the center was a small blue sphere, roughly the size of a thumb. Its surface was smooth and delicate, shimmering with a gentle, almost translucent luster in the morning light. The blue color was incredibly unique, radiating a multicolored brilliance under the illumination.

Yang Xun picked up the blue sphere, and a refreshing fragrance filled his nose. The moment his fingertips touched its surface, he felt a warm, soothing breath seep into his palm. His pupils constricted slightly, and his tone became a bit more serious. “Elder Lin, what is this?”

Elder Lin smiled, his tone carrying a hint of mystery. “It’s the seed of a medicinal herb, though I’m not entirely sure what it’s called.

“When I was young, I traveled extensively and stumbled upon it in a deep mountain range. It was a secluded place rarely visited by anyone, so I didn’t dare say much about it.

“At the time, a passing old Daoist priest told me that if this seed could be grown, it would sell for a lot of money.

“There were originally two seeds. I tried planting one, but it didn’t survive. I don’t know if the soil or the water was wrong. After that, I couldn’t bear to risk planting the second one.

“I’ve always felt you weren’t an ordinary person. In your hands, it might actually survive.”

Yang Xun looked down at the blue sphere in his hand, feeling an inexplicable sense of excitement. Elder Lin certainly wouldn’t lie to him, and that warm pulse of Spiritual Qi was something ordinary plants simply didn’t possess. He decided to accept it and take it back to study carefully.

“Elder Lin, I can’t just take this for free. I’ll pay you for it,” Yang Xun said, looking up with a serious expression.

“No, no need!” Elder Lin waved his hands repeatedly, an open-minded smile in his voice. “This is a thank-you gift. If you think it’s useful, then just sponsor Xiaoyue’s education like you mentioned. I have no other requests.”

Looking into the old man’s sincere eyes, Yang Xun nodded and put the wooden box away. “Alright! I will sponsor Xiaoyue until she graduates. After she finishes her studies, if she’s willing, I can arrange a job for her too.”

Yang Xun wasn’t yet sure of the seed’s true value, so he didn’t make any overly grand promises. Even so, Elder Lin was already so moved that his eyes turned red, and he nodded repeatedly.

Yang Xun took out his phone and transferred ten thousand yuan directly to Lin Xiaoyue. “Don’t be hesitant to spend this money. Buy yourself some clothes and school supplies. When you run out, just let me know.”

“This is too much.” Lin Xiaoyue was dumbfounded. Her bank account had never held more than a thousand yuan.

“Alright, I have things to do, so I’ll be going now.” Yang Xun waved a casual goodbye and strode away.

Grandpa Lin chased after him, shouting, “Young man, if you have time, come visit often! Breakfast is on the house!”

Yang Xun turned back and smiled at him, carrying the breakfast he had bought as he walked out of the narrow alley.

When he returned to the bottom of Yue Feifei’s building, he glanced up at her window. The curtains were still drawn, suggesting she hadn’t woken up yet.

When he went upstairs and pushed the door open, Yue Feifei was sitting on the bed, wrapped in a blanket. Her hair was a messy bird’s nest, and her eyes still carried the dazed haze of someone who had just woken up.

Seeing him come in, the tips of her ears turned slightly red, and she looked away. “When… when did you go out?”

“I just went out to buy breakfast. Eat it while it’s hot.” Yang Xun placed the packaged soy milk and fried dough sticks on the nightstand.