Interstellar Farming: I Make Potions and Climb to the Top
Chapter 297: Doting Favor
Ying Yaoshi subconsciously glanced in Ning Xuan’s direction. Ning Xuan couldn’t hear the conversation between Ying Yaoshi and Shen Shiye, but she felt his gaze on her and guessed that Yu Mingche must have arrived.
A smile bloomed on Ning Xuan’s face at the thought of Yu Mingche.
"Is Yu Mingche here? It’s about time he arrived. Come on, take me to him," Ning Xuan beamed.
Ning Xuan’s smile dazzled Ying Yaoshi. "Xuanyuan, does Yu Mingche really make you that happy? It hurts right here," Ying Yaoshi said plaintively, pulling her hand to his chest.
"So now you’ve learned to pout? What’s the matter, haven’t I been good enough to you lately?" Ning Xuan traced a circle over his heart.
Ying Yaoshi shook his head with a wry smile and started walking out with Ning Xuan.
As they walked, his thoughts returned to what Shen Shiye had just said, and a suffocating feeling tightened in his chest. Even though Ying Yaoshi knew Ning Xuan had no feelings for Shen Shiye, he couldn’t shake the sense that his precious treasure was being coveted.
Back in the conference room, Yu Mingche’s gaze on Shen Shiye was full of scrutiny. ’This man is so ugly, yet he dares to covet Ning Xuan?’
’How does Ying Yaoshi even manage his subordinates?’
’If this guy doesn’t know his place and rushes up to confess to Ning Xuan, he’ll offend her. And if she gets angry, won’t I be caught in the crossfire?’
’Then again, he’s Ying Yaoshi’s subordinate. If Ning Xuan decides to make trouble, she’ll go after Ying Yaoshi first. I’ll only get caught in the fallout at worst.’
Because of this little incident, the moment Yu Mingche saw Ning Xuan enter the conference hall, he strode forward, knelt on one knee before her, and saluted. "Yu Mingche pays his respects to Lord Contract Master."
Ning Xuan immediately pulled Yu Mingche to his feet, her eyes instinctively glancing toward his abdomen. "Ming Che, you’ve been through a lot. There’s no need for such formalities."
After pulling Yu Mingche up, Ning Xuan shot a glance at Ying Yaoshi, her eyes saying, ’See that? Now you know why he’s better at pleasing me, don’t you?’
The moment Ying Yaoshi entered the conference hall, his gaze locked onto Shen Shiye. When he felt Ning Xuan’s eyes on him, he respectfully clasped his hands in a salute. "Contractor, I’ve had a farewell banquet prepared for you. Please, you and Governor Yu go ahead and be seated. I need a few minutes to deal with some official business."
Ying Yaoshi called Lü Tianci over and instructed him to escort Ning Xuan to the banquet.
When Shen Shiye saw Ning Xuan enter, he had planned to step forward and confess his feelings immediately. But with Ying Yaoshi’s gaze pinning him in place, he didn’t dare move an inch. He understood at once. ’It seems General Ying disapproves.’
After Ning Xuan and Yu Mingche left the conference hall, Ying Yaoshi seized Shen Shiye by the collar and dragged him into a small adjacent room.
"When did you start getting these ideas?" Ying Yaoshi demanded, his eyes sharp as daggers as he stared at Shen Shiye.
"General Ying, I’ve had this idea ever since Miss Ning saved me. The whole point of matching with a Contractor is to receive spiritual power stabilization and have our lives saved in a crisis, isn’t it? If Miss Ning could save my life under those circumstances, she must be a compatible Contractor for me." These were Shen Shiye’s true feelings, so despite his fear of Ying Yaoshi, he summoned his courage and spoke his mind.
"Then do you know how many people Ning Xuan saved during the battle to resolve the wormhole’s self-destruction crisis?" Ying Yaoshi asked calmly.
"I saw the notice issued by Dean Wen. According to the statistics, Miss Ning single-handedly treated 3,561 people. They were all either critically injured and near death, suffering from rampant spiritual power, or on the verge of complete mutation," Shen Shiye answered.
"And that was just in a single battle. That doesn’t even count the wounded she’s treated elsewhere. If every single person Ning Xuan has ever saved wanted to become her Contractor, do you think that would be possible?" Ying Yaoshi demanded.
"But my own power is considerable, and my personal fortune is not insignificant. The benefits I can offer Ning Xuan can’t be matched by those ordinary soldiers," Shen Shiye explained.
"General Ying, I know my qualifications can’t possibly compare to yours or Governor Yu’s. I’m not trying to compete with you, and I won’t vie for her favor. I just want to use my entire fortune as collateral for a safety net—to be a Contractor in name only. Aren’t there many in the legion who do the same?" Shen Shiye wasn’t wrong. Most of the Spirit Controllers who remained by their Contractor’s side were low-Level and lacked combat strength. The more powerful ones were usually away on missions, earning resources for their Contractor.
"With Yu Mingche and me around, do you really think Ning Xuan is hurting for resources?" Ying Yaoshi asked, frowning at him.
"No, she’s not," Shen Shiye answered, his head hanging in dejection.
The passion that had been burning in his heart moments ago was now extinguished. It was true—Ning Xuan lacked nothing. And without the lure of material benefits, there was no reason she would ever look his way.
Ning Xuan was still unaware that one of Ying Yaoshi’s top officers had developed designs on her. In the banquet hall, she sat at the head of the table, pulling Yu Mingche to sit beside her. Concealed by the carved Purple Sandalwood tabletop, Ning Xuan’s slender, elegant hand slipped restlessly inside Yu Mingche’s clothes.
Ning Xuan’s fingers explored Yu Mingche’s abdomen, causing his muscles to tense. His well-defined abs felt good to the touch, but as she ran her hand over them, she couldn’t find anything out of the ordinary.
Being touched like this, however, made Yu Mingche blush. A crimson flush, like the bloom of early spring peach blossoms, spread across his fair cheeks and crept all the way to the tips of his ears, glowing with an alluring hue in the warm light.
Despite this, Yu Mingche didn’t resist. Instead, he leaned slightly closer to Ning Xuan to give her easier access. This subtle gesture, a silent act of submission and veiled intimacy, caused the smile on Ning Xuan’s lips to deepen.
Ning Xuan gazed at Yu Mingche’s stunning profile, her eyes settling on his lowered lids. The shape of his eyes was exquisite, the outer corners tilting up ever so slightly. Their lines were so smooth and refined, they looked like a masterpiece meticulously sketched by an artist.
’He’s truly beautiful.’
As Ning Xuan stared at him, his long, thick eyelashes trembled with shyness, like a startled bird’s wings. They cast small, fan-shaped shadows beneath his eyes, hiding the glimmer within but adding an even more flirtatious charm.
Every subtle flutter of those lashes felt like a feather lightly tickling the tip of Ning Xuan’s heart.
Ning Xuan found his bashful expression utterly captivating. The combination of his striking beauty and his shyness created a potent, almost bewitching allure, like fireworks suddenly exploding in the night sky—so dazzling it was impossible to look away.
Ning Xuan’s heart skipped a beat. An indescribable thrill, mixed with the satisfaction that came from a sense of control, swelled in her chest.
As if guided by some mischievous impulse, she couldn’t help but lean in close to his ear and whisper, "Didn’t you say you had an implant procedure? I can’t feel anything different."
Her warm breath, carrying her unique, crisp yet rich scent, brushed without warning across the sensitive shell of Yu Mingche’s ear and the side of his neck.