Shen An nodded. After all, he had done the same for Ning Rongrong before.
If it were just Zhu Zhuqing alone, Shen An might have been able to smooth things over. But with Ning Rongrong present, lying wasn't an option.
"Oh." Zhu Zhuqing let out a quiet, subdued sound, her expression dimming slightly.
Ning Rongrong, seeing Zhu Zhuqing's downcast look, felt a twinge of guilt.
But Zhuqing, if I hadn't interrupted just now, something I don't want to see might have happened. I'm sorry—I have to think of myself too, she silently told herself.
Shen An coaxed, "Zhuqing, look—this 'Ink Moon Begonia' is an immortal herb that will greatly benefit you. Its properties align perfectly with your martial soul. Taking it will bring unexpected gains."
Zhu Zhuqing accepted the bouquet from Shen An. Even though she knew Ning Rongrong had received one too, and that the flowers were mostly Tom's doing, she couldn't help the strange flutter in her heart.
She lowered her head to inhale the fragrance, the soothing scent filling her senses. Gazing at Shen An's handsome face, Zhu Zhuqing couldn't help but wish this moment could last forever.
"By the way, Tom—how is this flower supposed to be consumed?"
Tom mimed eating it raw, and Shen An immediately understood. "Zhuqing, you can ingest it directly, then refine it with your soul power."
Zhu Zhuqing stared at the mysterious and noble Ink Moon Begonia, reluctance flashing in her eyes.
It's so beautiful... This is the first bouquet Shen An has ever given me. And since it's an immortal herb, it should last forever, right?
She whispered, "Will this immortal herb stay preserved and never wither?"
Tom nodded—though what it meant was, Not just immortal herbs, even ordinary flowers can be kept fresh forever if I want.
But the meaning wasn't far off.
Zhu Zhuqing blinked her large eyes and looked at Shen An pleadingly. "Then... can I not eat it? I want to keep it forever."
Ning Rongrong, standing nearby, found this scene oddly familiar. Wait, isn't this exactly what I said when I got mine?
Shen An's lips twitched imperceptibly as he glanced at Ning Rongrong. Why are their reactions identical?
He patiently persuaded, "Zhuqing, this herb was specially chosen by Tom for you. It'll greatly aid your future cultivation. You should take it—I'll give you plenty more flowers in the future."
Zhu Zhuqing's eyes brightened slightly. He'll give me more flowers in the future? Who sends flowers casually unless they're in a relationship? Is he hinting at something?
Ahem. Ning Rongrong deliberately cleared her throat, expressing her displeasure.
Tom and Jerry exchanged helpless looks. Seems like helping Shen An manage two perfect romances won't be easy.
Shen An turned and mouthed to Ning Rongrong, I'll give you more too.
Only then did Ning Rongrong quiet down.
"Fine... I'll eat it." Zhu Zhuqing reluctantly stared at the Ink Moon Begonia Shen An had plucked from the bouquet, closing her eyes as she swallowed it.
Shen An found it amusing. She's so unwilling that she has to close her eyes to eat it?
The moment the herb entered her system, Zhu Zhuqing's hair darkened further, as if absorbing all the light in the room.
Then, a soft moonlight radiated from her body, making her look like a goddess of the night—mysterious and elegant.
Shen An was momentarily stunned. The already ethereal Zhu Zhuqing now seemed even more otherworldly under this moonlit glow. Is the herb's effect really this strong?
He recalled his own experience with immortal herbs—just an internal clash of ice and fire before jumping into the Yin-Yang Spring.
After that, he blandly gained a poison-resistant physique and a slight boost to his Nine-Leaf Sword Grass's sharpness.
But in terms of visual and temperamental changes, whether compared to Zhu Zhuqing's mysterious elegance or Ning Rongrong's noble grace, his transformation paled in comparison.
Shen An signaled Ning Rongrong not to disturb Zhu Zhuqing, then led her and Jerry out, leaving Tom behind to watch over her.
Never leave Tom and Jerry alone in the same room—something will inevitably go wrong. This was wisdom Shen An had gained from watching countless episodes of Tom and Jerry.
Absorbing an immortal herb required a quiet environment. Tom alone was enough supervision.
"Here, give this a try."
Ning Rongrong curiously examined the hexagonal-ended, smooth metal bar in Shen An's hand—something never before seen in the Douluo Continent.
"What is this?"
"It's called a dumbbell. Well... you can think of it as a divine artifact I stumbled upon."
Ning Rongrong covered her mouth, giggling. "Shen An, don't try to fool me. This looks completely ordinary—how can it be a divine artifact? I've seen all kinds of soul tools, you know."
Shen An sighed. "Would I lie to you? Let me demonstrate. You just need to repeat my movements for half an hour."
He proceeded to show Ning Rongrong how to lift the dumbbell, then handed it to her.
Ning Rongrong accepted it skeptically, muttering, "Doesn't feel special at all. Are you just messing with me?"
Still, she obediently mimicked Shen An's motions and attempted to lift it.
"Holy—!" The elegant young lady couldn't help but curse.
It didn't feel heavy when I held it, but lifting it requires full strength every time!
This only fueled her stubbornness. "Fine, it's not ordinary. But I love a challenge—just half an hour? Watch me!"
However, after fewer than twenty reps, Ning Rongrong's pace slowed. Pouting, she whined, "Shen An, it's too hard. Can I stop?"
Shen An stared at her, unimpressed. Three minutes of enthusiasm? Really?
"No. You have to finish the half-hour. Or else..." He smirked mischievously, scanning her up and down with a villainous chuckle.
To his surprise, Ning Rongrong didn't look scared—if anything, her eyes sparkled with anticipation. "Go ahead then. Let's see what you can do."
Shen An: "..."
In the end, under Shen An's supervision, Ning Rongrong completed the half-hour session.
Exhausted, she collapsed. "Never again. So tiring. Besides being ridiculously heavy, what's so special about it?"
The moment she finished speaking, a warm current flowed through her body, washing away the fatigue from the intense workout.
Ning Rongrong's eyes widened in shock as she felt the changes. "My... my strength increased?"
As a support-type soul master, her physical strength had never been remarkable. Thus, even a small increase of three pounds was noticeable.
Of course, this was also because she occasionally used her Nine Treasure Glazed Pagoda to amplify herself, making her more sensitive to numerical changes.
Shen An teased, "So... want to do it again tomorrow?"