Chapter 6: Let Me Massage It for You

Half an hour later, Zhang Xin drove Chen Xian to the Grand Palace Hotel.

The Grand Palace was a five-star establishment, its façade gleaming with opulent gold and jade decorations, and the parking lot at the entrance was packed with luxury cars of every brand.

Chen Xian couldn’t help but take a few extra glances at the hotel. It was his first time in a five-star hotel; if not for Zhang Xin and her sister-in-law inviting him for dinner, he would never have been able to afford such a place himself.

A simple meal here cost thousands, far beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Zhang Xin led him towards the entrance. Two rows of tall, elegant hostesses immediately bowed, greeting them with, "Welcome."

Passing through the doors, Chen Xian and Zhang Xin quickly arrived at a lavish private suite. Inside were the beautiful woman in the beige business suit whom they had met last night, and a little girl as adorable as a porcelain doll.

“Chen Xian, this is my sister-in-law, Xu Ruyuan. And that’s my niece, Zhang Xiaohan,” Zhang Xin introduced with a smile.

“Chen Xian, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Thank you so much for saving Hanhan last night,” Xu Ruyuan approached, a fresh scent of designer perfume wafting around her. She extended her delicate hands, her exquisitely made-up face lit up with a sincere smile.

Chen Xian gently shook her hand. “It was nothing, just a small effort.”

Humble despite his achievement, Chen Xian made a good impression on Xu Ruyuan.

“Hanhan, quickly thank your big brother,” Xu Ruyuan said, holding the little girl’s hand.

The child blinked her bright, lively eyes, looked at Chen Xian, and sweetly said, “Thank you, big brother!”

Her round face, still carrying the soft fullness of childhood, was framed by glossy, dark hair in neat braids adorned with fine accessories. Her dress was a pristine white tutu, and her feet wore sparkling white leather boots. She was dressed like a lovely little princess, irresistible in her charm.

Chen Xian crouched down, gently touched her smooth, creamy cheek, and smiled, “Hanhan, you’re such a good girl!”

“Chen Xian, please have a seat. Let’s get ready to eat,” Xu Ruyuan called everyone to the table.

Soon, the waiter brought out plates of delicious and beautifully-presented dishes. Since both Xu Ruyuan and Zhang Xin had to drive and couldn’t drink, and Chen Xian wasn’t fond of alcohol, they ordered fruit juice instead.

They chatted and ate, the atmosphere relaxed and free of the awkwardness that often comes with strangers.

Since discovering the extraordinary powers of the mysterious tree, Chen Xian’s mindset had transformed. Confidence replaced his former sense of inferiority; he no longer felt himself lesser than others. With the tree, he believed he would achieve great things beyond anyone’s reach.

If this had happened before—dining with strangers, and such beautiful women at that—he would have felt timid, flushed, and perhaps even stammered.

An hour later, everyone was nearly full.

Zhang Xin looked at Chen Xian, took a beautifully-packaged high-end phone and a bank card from her purse, and handed them to him.

“Chen Xian, this phone and card are from my sister-in-law and me, to thank you for saving Hanhan. There’s one hundred thousand yuan in the card, password is 123456. Please accept it.”

Chen Xian was stunned.

The latest model phone cost ten thousand; with the card, that made a total of one hundred and ten thousand—a fortune. If he worked while studying, it would take five or six years to earn that much.

This sum would cover his mother’s medical expenses for nearly seven years, and it would pay for his sister’s four-year university living costs and fees.

Yes, Chen Xian needed this money.

If he accepted it, his family’s hardship could be greatly eased.

But when he looked up at Zhang Xin’s kind and beautiful face, he hesitated.

“If I take this money and phone, will Zhang Xin look down on me?!”

For reasons unknown, he began to care about what Zhang Xin thought of him.

Finally, he shook his head. “These are too valuable, I can’t accept them. Saving Hanhan was just a small effort.”

“Chen Xian, you must accept them, otherwise we’ll feel uneasy!”

“Chen Xian, you have to take them. If you don’t, we’ll think it’s not enough!”

“Big brother, please take it. If you don’t, Hanhan will cry!”

At last, under the persistent insistence of two beautiful women and one adorable girl, Chen Xian sighed quietly and accepted the phone and bank card.

After saying goodbye to Xu Ruyuan and Zhang Xiaohan, Chen Xian got into Zhang Xin’s red Lamborghini, and she drove him back to his dormitory.

Looking at the exquisitely packaged phone, Chen Xian suddenly remembered Zhang Xin’s delayed attempt to add him on WeChat earlier, and asked, “Zhang Xin, was this phone from you or your sister-in-law?”

“It’s from me, to thank you for saving Hanhan.” Zhang Xin kept her eyes on the road, her voice gentle and melodic.

Chen Xian thanked her and said nothing more.

Piecing it all together, he considered a possibility:

At noon, Zhang Xin had noticed his reluctance to show his old phone, so she hadn’t immediately added him as a friend—she worried the notification sound would expose his lie and embarrass him.

Thinking of this, Chen Xian looked up at Zhang Xin as she drove. The warm glow from the streetlights spilled through the car window, illuminating her profile and casting a soft, gentle light on her face.

A sense of warmth welled up in Chen Xian’s heart: She truly was a thoughtful, considerate girl, someone who cared for the dignity of others. Anyone who married her would be very lucky!

Twenty minutes later, Zhang Xin parked the car in the school’s garage and prepared to get out.

Remembering Zhang Xiaoshuai’s request, Chen Xian asked, “Zhang Xin, do you have pen and paper in the car?”

“I do!” Her bright, star-like eyes sparkled with curiosity. “Do you need them?”

A bit embarrassed, Chen Xian said, “Could I trouble you for your autograph? My good friend is a fan and asked me to get it for him.”

“Haha, I never thought I’d be a celebrity. All right, I’ll sign one for you!” Zhang Xin joked.

She took out a pen and paper from her bag and signed her name with swift, elegant strokes, handing it to Chen Xian. “There you go!”

“Thank you!” Chen Xian took the autograph and put it away.

Then they got out of the car together and walked toward the living quarters.

“Ah!”

After a few steps, Zhang Xin suddenly cried out and crouched down.

“What’s wrong?” Chen Xian hurried over.

“I twisted my ankle!” Zhang Xin’s beautiful brows knit together in pain.

Chen Xian knelt to check. There was a small pothole in the road, and tonight Zhang Xin had worn shimmering pink high heels. She’d stepped into the hole and twisted her ankle; her white, jade-like ankle was already swollen and tinged red—a serious sprain.

Seeing her pain, Chen Xian felt a pang of sympathy. Suddenly, he recalled the Supreme Chaos Technique and the wisp of spiritual energy he’d cultivated at noon.

According to the Supreme Chaos Technique, spiritual energy possessed many miraculous effects, including nourishing life.

“Maybe this energy can heal Zhang Xin’s injury, or at least ease her pain,” Chen Xian thought. Seeing her suffering, he decided to try. “Zhang Xin, let me massage your ankle. It should help relieve the pain.”