Chapter 393 - 412: Extending an Olive Branch

"If you have something to say, just say it. Don’t make that face."

"Sister Ai’er, has my spiritual condition gotten much worse recently?" Fang Ping asked, his voice laced with worry.

Mrs. Ai’er: ...

"Have you been drinking your Spirit Nourishing Liquid recently? How many times a day? Have you been piloting mecha with the others, or doing holographic mecha PKs?"

"Th-that’s impossible to avoid," Fang Ping said. "In the entire retirement group, besides Old Iron, no one can manage that."

"Don’t change the subject. Has my condition gotten a lot worse?"

Fang Ping was on edge.

Mrs. Ai’er sighed.

Fang Ping’s heart pounded even harder.

"No, just a little." Mrs. Ai’er had said this countless times. "You’re all getting old. As you age, your physical condition will naturally decline."

And because you pushed past your limits and sustained more injuries when you were young, you degenerate much faster than ordinary people.

That’s why you need to give certain things up, start drinking Spirit Nourishing Liquid, and have a Spirit Healing Master regularly channel Healing Spiritual Power into you.

But, she could say it ten thousand times and no one would listen.

They just muddled through.

"Is it really just a little?"

"If you’re really so scared, you should be like Old Iron. He’s older than all of you, but he’s healthier than any of you."

Fang Ping shook his head. ’How could a normal person ever be like Old Iron?’

"Then what’s the point of complaining? Just wait for it to get worse."

And with that, their conversation ended.

It wasn’t until Jiang Qiuqiu started simmering soup in a clay pot and stir-frying meat in a hot wok that Fang Ping’s nostrils flared. He couldn’t help but glance at Mrs. Ai’er again. "It really hasn’t gotten much worse?"

"No..." Mrs. Ai’er was getting annoyed with his constant questions. "Why do you keep asking that?"

"If it hasn’t, why did you suddenly hire a master chef from the Revolving Restaurant to cook for me? I’m terrified."

"..."

Mrs. Ai’er was speechless for a moment. "You certainly have a wild imagination."

"She’s not from the Revolving Restaurant. Besides, you’ve eaten there before, haven’t you? Was it ever this fragrant?"

Mrs. Ai’er then explained who Jiang Qiuqiu was.

"So, she’s really a Spirit Healing Master?"

"Yes. She’s a Food System Spiritual Healer. Her culinary skills are exceptional."

"...There’s actually that kind of Spirit Healing Master?" Fang Ping was stunned.

"There are. We had one before." But that was a long time ago. Unlike Qiuqiu, the Food System Spiritual Healer from Mrs. Ai’er’s generation wasn’t a very good cook. In fact, she was terrible.

For some reason, the more disgusting her food tasted, the more effective it was.

Eventually, she slowly faded into obscurity, relegated to practicing as a low-tier Spirit Healing Master.

The meal would still take some time, so Mrs. Ai’er had Fang Ping go for his routine spiritual power and physical check-up. While he was being examined, Jiang Qiuqiu finished cooking all the dishes.

With practice, her Spirit Sea had expanded, and cooking a full meal no longer left her feeling too exhausted.

The first thing Fang Ping smelled when he came out was the mouth-watering aroma. He could barely walk straight as he went to the kitchen to bring out the dishes.

The three of them ate an incredibly satisfying lunch.

All the plates were empty.

From his seat, he lavished praise on Jiang Qiuqiu’s cooking, calling her a modern-day god of cookery. Under the intense assault of deliciousness on his mind, the healing sensation almost seemed secondary.

Fang Ping couldn’t resist inviting Jiang Qiuqiu to become his exclusive Spirit Healing Master.

"Whatever you want, little lady! As long as you want it and I have it, it’s yours!" The line, typical of an overbearing CEO’s confession of love, was quite a cute contrast coming from someone with Fang Ping’s face.

Jiang Qiuqiu just smiled.

Mrs. Ai’er kicked him. "What are you thinking? Exclusive? In your dreams. The little lady has her own things to do. You pay for one meal at a time. Now, hurry up and get the Mental Training Device."

"..."

"You’re too fierce."

Fang Ping still went to get the Mental Training Device.

During their subsequent conversation, Fang Ping seized every opportunity to try and win Jiang Qiuqiu over, asking if she had any interest in taking a position with him. It didn’t have to be exclusive; she could just come over every now and then.

But Mrs. Ai’er shot down every attempt.

"You wish."

"Qiuqiu won’t be coming over by herself—"

It was then that Mrs. Ai’er finally bared her fangs at her disobedient patient:

"You have to send me videos of yourself drinking Nutrient Liquid four times a day, every day for half a month straight. Only then will Qiuqiu come back."

Fang Ping was shocked when he heard this!

"Sister Ai’er! Y-You’re actually using this method to trick me!"