CHAPTER 305: CHAPTER 305: HOPE

Xiao You didn’t make Ji You wait too long; the young girl’s clear voice soon rang out: "Sister, from the moment you told me to drink the Cloud Mist Tea, I’ve been watching for any changes here, but—I didn’t see anything."

Ji You: "!!!"

She couldn’t believe it and asked, "Are you sure? Are there really no changes at all? Like lots of energy glimmering around, the space getting bigger, feeling relaxed physically and mentally... none of these?"

Xiao You fell silent for a moment, and then said with some distress, "None."

Ji You: "..."

Ji You thought of something, and her face immediately turned ugly: "Could it be that this thing is for improving the Spiritual Silk Cleaning Rate, and because I only have six strands of Spiritual Silk with a natural 100% Cleaning Rate, it’s useless for me?"

This thought made Ji You’s complexion grow even more unpleasant.

Please don’t let this speculation be true.

Otherwise, what’s the use of this expensive Cloud Mist Tea for her?

But—

That shouldn’t be the case.

If it were useless, her foodie Spiritual Silk wouldn’t keep nagging her for it.

If it were useless, the mysterious Iron Plate wouldn’t have come out immediately to compete with the Spiritual Silk for it.

So, what?

What’s the specific effect?

Ji You was really at a loss.

Ah!

The more she thought, the more her head ached!

Suddenly—

Xiao You’s voice, hoarse, whispered, "Sister..."

Ji You: "Hmm?"

Xiao You’s brow furrowed slightly: "I... feel a bit strange in my body, a bit uncomfortable, stuffy, like I can’t breathe properly."

Ji You was shocked and turned pale: "What?"

"Um..." Xiao You suddenly fell silent.

Ji You was so anxious that she cried out: "Xiao You!"

"Don’t scare me!"

"What’s going on?"

"Answer me."

...

Ji You couldn’t see Xiao You’s situation inside the Iron Plate and could only fret helplessly, pacing circles around the dormitory, bubbling at the mouth with anxiety, while also filled with self-blame.

If anything happened to Xiao You, she would never forgive herself.

...

Panic, restlessness, fear... an array of tumultuous thoughts overwhelmed Ji You.

After a long while.

Within her mind, a tiny voice suddenly came through: "Sister..."

Ji You leapt up: "Xiao You! You’ve nearly scared me to death! Tell me, what just happened?"

Xiao You’s voice still sounded a bit weak, lacking the usual tenderness and sweetness, with a hint of hoarseness as she softly spoke: "Sister... don’t worry, I’m fine now. Really, I’m fine."

Ji You, full of anxiety, pressed on: "Really fine? You don’t have any hidden injuries, do you?"

Xiao You breathed a sigh of relief and said: "Sister, it’s weird, I suddenly feel a bit of a change in my body, around the heart area, but I can’t figure out exactly what it is. I’ve told you before, my body in this sealed space is an illusion. My hands, my feet, my head, my heart... all can be passed through with a hand without any harm. But now when I touch the area of my heart, it seems like there’s something there, soft, and it beats... it feels... feels like a real heart..."

Ji You widened her eyes: "Could it be, your body is becoming physically embodied?"

Xiao You spoke softly: "I guess it is, but the thing is still too small, probably only the size of a yellow bean. When I touch it, it feels a bit soft and has a regular beat, and its rhythm seems to match my breathing."

Ji You scratched her head: "So, does that mean your heart is starting to develop? Could it be the effect of Cloud Mist Tea? It didn’t expand the Spirit Space or the Iron Plate Space, nor did it strengthen my Spiritual Silk, but the heart area of your originally illusory body suddenly has a heart the size of a small yellow bean?"

Xiao You nodded: "Mhm."

Ji You couldn’t help but ask: "Do you feel discomfort anywhere else?"

Xiao You shook her head: "No, on the contrary, my body suddenly feels so comfortable, and my head is very clear, even more comfortable than any time I’ve had Butterfly Honey or Candy Beans."

Ji You asked further: "That... earlier when you mentioned feeling uncomfortable and chest tightness, was it very unbearable? You were so uncomfortable you couldn’t speak, it scared me horribly."

At that moment, she didn’t even dare to consider, what would she do if she lost Xiao You?

She simply didn’t dare to entertain that question.

Xiao You seemed to be truly fine now and suddenly laughed, her tone light: "Just now, it was a bit of chest tightness and shortness of breath. I didn’t have time to reply to you, I simply couldn’t speak at all. Actually, the shortness of breath lasted only a short time, less than 30 seconds, then it was gone, and after that, there was no other discomfort. By the time I could speak, the uncomfortable feeling was completely absent."

Only then did Ji You feel relieved.

Then, she became cheerful and even burst out with a bold idea: "Xiao You, do you think your heart will grow to the size of a normal person’s? Besides the heart, could other parts of your body become physical?"

"If everything becomes physical, could you come out of the sealed space?"

"And furthermore..."

It wasn’t just Ji You, Xiao You also listened and her eyes widened, both of them couldn’t help but get lost in such a wonderful fantasy.

For a long while.

Xiao You whispered quietly: "But, I guess it might be difficult. If I need to grow a body, I’ll need to drink lots of Cloud Mist Tea, then..."

The challenges were far from minor, the foremost being the need to spend a lot of money.

Where could they get so much money?

Moreover, Xiao You knew she couldn’t help at all, everything, once again, would fall onto her sister’s shoulders. Her burden was already very heavy, and if it were for her sake...

Xiao You’s expression dimmed slightly.

—She’d rather stay like this forever than have her sister go through such hardship for her.

Ji You snapped back to reality, and upon hearing this, she slapped her hand and laughed heartily: "Before we had no direction, but now the changes in your body give us hope, a direction to work towards! That’s enough! Any problem that money can solve is not a problem at all! Xiao You, rest assured, your task is to eat, eat, eat... even if it costs money, I’ll craft a body for you!"

If in the past she worked hard to earn money just to survive, once her survival was no longer in question, Ji You, despite being stingy and reluctant to spend money, appearing somewhat greedy, didn’t actually have a strong desire to earn money. Otherwise, she would’ve already abandoned her pressing studies and devoted herself to making Soul Devices for money. But now it’s different.

She had a clear, concrete goal: earn money to create a real body for Xiao You.

Although she didn’t yet know how many credit points it would specifically cost, that doesn’t matter, because once again, any problem that money can solve won’t be a problem, Ji You believed she definitely had the capability to do it.

Xiao You opened her mouth: "Sister..."

Ji You waved her hand decisively: "It’s settled!"