The Treasures In The Bathroom

Chan Lee waited for Xue to answer, although all she wanted to do right now was head on over to her bed and slump over it like a ragdoll. She knew from his earlier words that he was upset with how he was staying here without any form of payment or something. It was for this reason that she kept quiet at the words of Hua Zhao and bargain.

'Does he want to stay with Hua Zhao now to not burden me?' She thought to herself and fought back a frown. 'Or perhaps he'd like to ask Hua Zhao to find his friend Kit, and then that's where he'll leave me.' It was something she couldn't wipe away like a nasty stain that couldn't be washed out. But her intention was simply to shelter him until he found his way back home...what would be the problem if he left with more capable hands?

"I wouldn't really want to call myself a Master Medicine Maker or some Legendary Immortal Physician… but I can produce pills and elixirs. That's why I'm with Chang'e, because I can produce them quite well." Xue smiled at her with a more relaxed expression. 

She nodded, silently waiting for him to continue. 

His brows knitted together, "That's why I want to strike a deal with Hua Zhao, because if I can produce something for him and other interested individuals, then you'd surely don't have to work for my sake, Miss Chan Lee."

It was all laid out quite neatly: Xue had a talent. Xue uses his talent. They would get paid.

Except for one thing. "But what about the ingredients and equipment needed for you to produce such pills?"

"Oh, that's already been taken care of."

She blinked, "How?"

"I've received a box full of medicinal herbs," Xue walked over to the bathroom and opened the door. "I think they were a farewell gift from Kit—"

"You placed them in the bathroom?" Why would someone put herbs in the bathroom?! Who would have thought that was a great idea?

"Well, the floor was dry so I thought it was a good storage area." Xue replied with a sheepish smile. "Was that a terrible idea?"

Chan Lee sighed, "Very, what if it was actually wet inside the bathroom and the herbs began to spoil? That would be a waste."

"I see, well I'll pull them out for you to see." The man lifted the box and presented it to her with a humble bow. He acted as if he was presenting a gift to the Emperor or something. She tried not to change her expression. "I actually had a...discussion with Han Jing about the herbs."

She looked up to his face, taking note of the sudden change in his tone. "What did he say?"

"Well, back in my time and until very recently, I could manage making pills and elixirs thanks to the help of a pill furnace and a pot. But I'm not really sure if we have anything like that… so Han Jing told me to use a pan and an electric stove?"

"Using modern equipment would allow you to have a steady flame and temperature, and maybe we could use the shared kitchen for it." Chan Lee paused for a moment. "The ingredients are not conspicuous are they? It would be a problem if somebody walked in and noticed we're making something strange."

Xue gave her a sheepish smile and opened the crate to show her what lay in them… and it was something like stumbling unto the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. The crate had looked nothing special but within them were treasure chests that would have made any King or Queen be filled with envy. Even Liu Guiren would surely be outstanded with the numerous chests within them.

She hesitantly picked one up, feeling the slightly heavy weight it held. It looked like the ornate chests were no fake treasure container. What did this one contain? She unlatched the lock and opened the top.

Beautiful shades of flowers lay in front of her, from dazzling pink plum blossoms and the reddest shade of azalea to the majestic yellows of the chrysanthemum and other varieties of flowers she could not name… "They're beautiful."

"Fair and beautiful… when all the flowers bloom in full, she smiles among them."

Chan Lee raised a brow at the man in front of her, a pout forming on her lips. "I'm not sure if I should blame Han Jing or the movies that I let you watch. You've turned into a poet."

A laugh escaped Xue's lips as he drew closer and poked her forehead with a gentle smile. "I didn't say anything wrong, Miss Chan Lee. I'm a little relieved that you picked this treasure box instead of the other ones though, there's um, some stuff that you'd rather not see." 

She let out a sigh and shook her head. "Well, I guess I'm lucky. So you want to produce some medicinal herbs with all of the ingredients available here… do you have anything you want to make in particular? Perhaps something that wouldn't take long."

"Oh, are we making them tonight?" Xue tilted his head at her like a surprised child or a curious pet would.

"I don't really have time to help you tomorrow with my classes, plus I don't think you'd want to bother Han Jing as well, don't you?" Chan Lee gave the man a half-smile. Why was she even offering this to him right now? She could probably really ask Han Jing to assist him or to postpone this until the weekend when she was free… but really when she saw the determination on his face and his words earlier? She couldn't help but give him a chance.

"Alright! Let's make a Body Tempering Elixir!" Xue beamed.

"Body Tempering…?" Chan Lee raised a brow, it sounded like something Han Jing would say. She half-wondered if Hua Zhao consumed something like that.

"It's a good foundational elixir to consume by cultivators and martial artists alike." Xue explained to her while he began to open the treasure chest. He grabbed a couple of herbs from one chest and placed it in the other, transferring rocks, plants and other materials from one chest to the other. "As the name suggests, it's related to tempering one's body."

"So basically it's homeostasis." Chan Lee nodded a bit.

Xue gave her a befuddled look, "Homeo?"

"Er, it's a state of balance or equilibrium where the body is complete and has no need for any exterior substance." She wondered if she messed something up with her explanation.

"Fascinating." Xue picked up the chest and cradled it in his hands like one would do a baby. "Body tempering will allow one's body to harness it's full potential, so I suppose it is only possible when one's body is balanced." 

Chan Lee nodded and approached her closet, grabbed a towel and held it out for the man. "I think that a chest like that would attract attention so let's keep it covered."

"Oh, good idea! Thank you." Xue wrapped the towel around the chest and smiled at her. "Shall we go?"

Bracing herself for a couple of more hours of staying awake, Chan Lee gave him a nod. "Yeah let's get going."