Max Level Return—I'll Protect That Fragile One

”Teacher Xu, do you want me to show you around the other herbal fields?”

Xu Xingguang shook her head, ”Return the Ice Crystal Grass in your hand and go busy yourself, don’t worry about me.”

”Alrighty.” Dajuan, having worked with the old dean for a long time, had picked up some of the dean’s laid-back manner.

Since Xu Xingguang asked her not to worry, she really just turned and left.

Xu Xingguang inspected the herbal fields, offering some insights and suggestions to the old researchers there. Seeing that Teacher Xu was willing to provide guidance, the old researchers all put down their work, pulled out paper and pen from their pockets, and focused on taking notes.

Xu Xingguang observed their reaction, feeling deeply gratified.

Those who do plant research should have such dedication.

Once she finished inspecting the fields, she headed outside. The old dean was together with Cheng Yue and Ye Mingluo, moving precious extinct medicinal plants into a suitable herbal field greenhouse.

Xu Xingguang wasn’t in a hurry. She waited until the old dean had settled everything before going over to him. ”Dean Su, the matter of the translator Zhang Zhiyi has been quite the stir the past few days; you would have heard about it, right?”

Upon mention of this matter, the old dean’s expression turned sad instantly, ”I heard, such pity for the children.”

Relating that Xu Xingguang was not only adept at growing herbs but also a skilled doctor, the old dean eagerly asked, ”Teacher Xu, do you have a way to treat those children? If you need anything, just say, our plant research institute will offer every support.”

”I don’t have a solution for now.”

Hearing Xu Xingguang’s reply, the old dean felt a surge of despair.

He sank onto the tiled wall of the flower bed behind him, lost in a long silence.

After a while, the old dean sighed, ”I just hate that I’m powerless.”

”Dean Su, this matter is too baffling, none of us have a way out.” Xu Xingguang sat alongside the old dean by the flower bed, ”I’ve decided to attend the Hundred Medicines Conference and go to the Divine Martial Realm to find a solution.”

”Teacher Xu is going to the Divine Martial Realm?” Dean Su’s expression changed drastically, full of worry, ”They all say the Divine Martial Realm is full of hypocrites who don’t treat us as humans. Teacher Xu, you’re definitely going into a lion’s den!”

”But the Divine Martial Realm is so much ahead of us in medical research and technological development. Venturing into the Divine Martial Realm might reveal a way to save those children.”

”Dean Su, this is our hope.”

Dean Su certainly knew that seeking help from the Divine Martial Realm was the best approach.

However, in the Divine Martial Realm, where everyone keeps their heads held high, Teacher Xu will have an arduous journey full of obstacles, and seeking help will be even harder.

”As you said, the Divine Martial Realm is fraught with danger, I’m not even sure if I can come back alive this time. I’ve come to hand over some things to your institute.”

With hesitation, Dean Su asked, ”What are these things?”

”Find a place where no one is around, let’s talk alone.”

Upon hearing, Dean Su’s expression shifted to seriousness as he quickly stood up, yelling towards the inside of the greenhouse, ”Dajuan, go to the talk room and pour two cups of tea!”

”Got it, teacher.”

Dajuan hurriedly went jogging into the talk room.

Dean Su and Xu Xingguang walked silently all the way to the talk room, where after Dajuan finished pouring tea, he instructed her further, ”Dajuan, stand guard by the front door.”

Understanding that Teacher Xu and Dean Xu had important matters to discuss, Dajuan nodded and headed to stand guard downstairs.

Ye Mingluo and Cheng Yue also waited by the door.

Ye Mingluo lazily glanced over at Dajuan, peeling a mint candy, then suddenly looked up at Dajuan again.

Noticing Dajuan staring stolidly back at him, Ye Mingluo’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, ”Are you Qiu Chanjuan?”

Upon hearing this, Cheng Yue arched his thick, wild brows as he looked at Qiu Chanjuan. Seeing that Qiu Chanjuan looked proper, dressed simply, with dirt under her fingernails, it was a completely different style from the kind of woman Ye Mingluo liked.

Ye Mingluo preferred mature women with big chests, slim waists, and large curls.

Cheng Yue then glanced elsewhere.

Qiu Chanjuan naturally knew Ye Mingluo, he was the heartthrob during their school days.

Qiu Chanjuan chuckled, ”Ye Mingluo, you still remember me.”

”Of course!” Unexpectedly meeting a high school classmate at the plant institute, Ye Mingluo was somewhat pleased. He said, ”I remember, you used to love wearing skirts and leaving your hair long; you were the fairest and prettiest in our class.”

”Didn’t we date for half a month back then?” Ye Mingluo looked at Dajuan now, feeling a bit surprised.

The former class beauty had become a plant researcher.

Knowing that this woman was actually Ye Mingluo’s first love, Cheng Yue’s fingers curled slightly, unable to help but study Qiu Chanjuan.

Noticing Cheng Yue observing her, Qiu Chanjuan smiled openly at him then turned to talk with Ye Mingluo. ”Yes, you lost a bet with your friend and came after me, I quite liked you back then.”

”What about now?” Ye Mingluo gave Qiu Chanjuan a flirtatious smile. ”Don’t like me anymore?”

Qiu Chanjuan pouted, ”I think I was quite blind back then.”

Ye Mingluo laughed heartily, ”You woman, so heartless.”

Qiu Chanjuan laughed too, saying, ”You looked good back then, how many girls in our school were secretly in love with you? But after dating you for a week, I realized your mind was particularly...”

Qiu Chanjuan pointed to the far herbal fields, saying, ”You were like the soil in the fields; dig a spade, and you’d loosen a bit. Not digging, you were like a wooden stake. Good as a friend, but boring as a lover.”

Ye Mingluo burst into laughter again.

”How did you end up at the plant institute?” Ye Mingluo asked, ”I remember you started drawing since elementary school, I thought you’d become an artist.”

Shaking her head, Qiu Chanjuan said, ”Do you remember my sister?”

”Yes, the little cutie with the pigtails,” Ye Mingluo replied, ”She should be thirty by now, right? Married yet, if not, I can introduce her to a boyfriend.”

Qiu Chanjuan gazed at the horizon, saying wistfully, ”If reincarnation truly exists, she must be thirteen by now.”

On hearing this, Ye Mingluo’s smile instantly vanished. ”Little Ting’er, she’s gone?”

”Yes, she passed away from illness,” Qiu Chanjuan replied, her eyes turning red, ”She was unlucky, just lacked one essential medicinal ingredient that couldn’t be found. After she left, I transferred schools, pursued plant studies, and became Teacher Su’s student.”

”Now, whenever I witness new extinct plants successfully cultivated, I’m especially joyful, happier than winning a first prize for painting. Ye Mingluo,” Qiu Chanjuan said, ”Now I understand the feeling you described after graduating high school when you said you wanted to save people — to save one person is one person.”

”You’re not a good boyfriend, Ye Mingluo, but you’re a good doctor.”

Ye Mingluo and Qiu Chanjuan talked for a long time, as Cheng Yue leaned against the Roman column listening to Ye Mingluo’s candid talk about life principles, repeatedly glancing back at him.

Ye Mingluo looked radiant during serious moments.

Cheng Yue couldn’t help but remember the first time she saw Ye Mingluo; lying on the surgery table, wearing just an undergarment, he held a scalpel dressed in sterile surgical attire, with only his eyes exposed.

Those eyes diligently focused on her wound with such sincerity and reverence that it moved her.

Ye Mingluo inadvertently glanced up, meeting Cheng Yue’s gaze.

Cheng Yue immediately turned her head to look elsewhere.

Ye Mingluo paused, then continued chatting with Qiu Chanjuan.