Qingyuan stirred. “You can look through a book and see whether you’ve forgotten what you learned before.”
Honestly, did she think all that time in the cultivation world had been for nothing?
Jiang Chan stopped talking to Qingyuan and picked up a mathematics textbook. As she skimmed rapidly through it, the material felt wonderfully familiar. It was as though she had never spent five or six hundred years in the cultivation world at all. Every concept remained perfectly clear in her mind.
Realizing she had not forgotten any of it, Jiang Chan let out a great sigh of relief. She absolutely had to maintain her reputation as a top student. Besides, she was counting on the scholarship from the assessment at the start of the school term.
It took only a little thought for Jiang Chan to understand why. Alchemists and formation cultivators were known throughout the cultivation world for their powerful mental strength. As an outstanding alchemist, Jiang Chan naturally possessed exceptional mental strength herself.
Mental strength might sound mysterious in the cultivation world, but in scientific terms, it could be understood as developing the brain’s potential. Although Jiang Chan had returned from that world, her soul was still very much her own.
Qingyuan might have tricked her into becoming a treasure-hunting mouse on this trip, but Jiang Chan’s gains had been enormous. She had become a great alchemist, yet privately she felt her greatest gain was the tremendous leap in her mental strength.
With that, her lingering dissatisfaction with Qingyuan vanished. She was the one who had benefited, so there was no need to make a fuss. She had reaped all the rewards. Besides, becoming a rodent spirit beast had been a unique experience.
Watching Jiang Chan study, Qingyuan bobbed about and returned to her jade pendant. Before leaving, she said, “The piece of Soul-Nourishing Wood you found this time is very large. I’ll need some time to absorb it. I won’t have time to pull you into any missions for a while, and I doubt you’ll have the time either.”
Jiang Chan nodded. “I really do need a break. I’ve skipped ahead to second year, and the coursework is heavy. I also have competitions to prepare for, so I won’t have the energy for missions for a while.”
With that settled, Qingyuan concealed herself in Jiang Chan’s jade pendant. With this piece of Soul-Nourishing Wood, her injuries should recover relatively quickly, rather than leaving her with such bleak prospects.
Of course, Jiang Chan would still have to complete missions. Every little bit counted, Qingyuan thought like a ruthless taskmaster. In truth, she would have liked to kick Jiang Chan straight into another mission, but on reflection, she decided against it.
If she became absorbed in nourishing her soul within the wood, and something happened to Jiang Chan in a mission world, she might not receive the news in time. Then it would be too late for regrets.
Where would she find another partner who suited her as well as Jiang Chan? Better to wait a little longer.
In Jiang Chan, she saw the hope of returning to the cultivation world. No matter how long it took, Qingyuan had the patience to wait. Patience was one thing cultivators never lacked.
Without Qingyuan bobbing around in front of her, Jiang Chan found studying much more peaceful. She had just finished a second-year mathematics textbook when someone knocked. Dean Fan came in carrying Kang Kang.
“Xiao Chan, you’re still awake? You took the grade-skipping exam today and spent so long using your brain. Why not get some more rest?”
Dean Fan sat on the little stool beside Jiang Chan’s desk. Kang Kang climbed out of her arms and hugged Jiang Chan’s lower leg affectionately. Grandma Fan had just told him he was going for surgery tomorrow, and that Jiang Chan had earned all the money for it.
The child had been unable to sit still after that and insisted on coming to see Jiang Chan. Dean Fan could not persuade him otherwise, so she brought him to Jiang Chan’s room.
“Sister Chan, can studying really earn money?”
His heart condition had left Kang Kang very thin. Looking up at Jiang Chan now, his eyes seemed especially large.
Jiang Chan stroked his dry, yellowish hair. “Kang Kang, I can’t promise that studying will definitely make you money, but learning will never do you any harm. If you don’t know what you want to do in the future yet, then for now, just study hard.”
Kang Kang nodded, only half understanding. “Sister Chan, I’ll study hard too and become someone amazing like you! When I grow up, I’ll live with you!”
The door suddenly opened, and An An and the other little children squeezed inside. An An had become much more lively. He hugged Jiang Chan’s arm and glared at Kang Kang. “No! Sister Chan belongs to all of us, not just Kang Kang!”
Kang Kang might be small, but he refused to back down. “No, she doesn’t! Sister Chan loves me most! All the money she earned this time is going toward my treatment. None of you got any!”
Watching the two little ones argue, Jiang Chan ruffled their hair, then hugged the other children who were looking on hopefully. “We’re all family. We need to care for one another. An An, you’re the older brother. Kang Kang isn’t well, so you mustn’t let him get too worked up.”
An An nodded. “I know, Sister Chan. I’m just upset. Sister Chan belongs to all of us!”
“Yes, Sister Chan belongs to all of us!” The little girls nodded too. Jiang Chan did not know whether to laugh or cry. “Alright, I belong to everyone. But Kang Kang is everyone’s little brother too, isn’t he? His health is different, so we all need to take good care of him, right?”
After soothing the older children, Jiang Chan stroked Kang Kang’s hair. “You’re the little brother now, but you’ll grow up someday. Your brothers and sisters take care of you because they care, not because they have to. You need to be grateful and not bully them.”
After experiencing so many mission worlds, Jiang Chan naturally had her own approach to raising children. They needed to learn responsibility and duty from an early age, rather than simply being spoiled.
In her view, although Kang Kang was sensible, he was also the youngest child at the orphanage and had a heart condition. The other children all looked after him, and this had made him a little overbearing.
Fortunately, he was still young enough for that to be corrected. If she waited until he was older, it would become a real headache.
“You’re going for surgery tomorrow, Kang Kang. Once you’ve recovered, you’ll need to help your brothers and sisters with things you can manage. We should learn to do things for ourselves from an early age, understand?”
Jiang Chan took the opportunity to teach him. As the saying went, education had to begin in childhood!
“I understand, Sister Chan.” Kang Kang tugged at her clothes. “Sister Chan, will I be better after tomorrow? Will I be able to play football and run like Brother An An?”
He sounded so envious when he mentioned An An that Dean Fan’s eyes reddened.
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