The Elixir is for You, The Poison is for Me

#286 - Can't hide

Guo Shouhuai knew about the relationship between Lu Jing and Xia Huai. More precisely, Guo Shouhuai knew about her relationship with Lu Jing because he cared about Xia Huai.

He didn't expect to run into Lu Jing with another woman in the Scripture Repository. Although their behavior wasn't overly intimate, Lu Jing even brought her along to the Scripture Repository to organize books and researched methods of cultivating mystic power with her. No matter how you looked at it, their relationship couldn't be simple.

However, Guo Shouhuai only scorned Lu Jing in his heart. As the Vice Director of the Department of Celestial Observation, he naturally wouldn't get involved in any love triangles. But just as he was sizing up Xuan Ji, he made a new discovery.

"What's wrong with your hand?"

Guo Shouhuai noticed that Xuan Ji's right hand had been hidden in her sleeve and hadn't been extended, so he asked.

"Oh, I got burned while brewing tea earlier," Xuan Ji had to tell another lie.

"Is that so? Show me your hand."

Hearing this, Xuan Ji's heart suddenly contracted. She thought Guo Shouhuai had already begun to suspect her, but then she heard him continue, "I can help you ice it."

Xuan Ji was a little dumbfounded and wanted to refuse, but she couldn't find an excuse for a moment.

Seeing this, Guo Shouhuai added, "Don't worry, it's just a small spell. It'll be quick, and I won't touch your hand."

"Let me do it. Vice Director Guo, don't you have important matters to attend to?"

At this critical moment, Yu Qiuren spoke up to save the day. Guo Shouhuai didn't insist upon hearing this and nodded, "Alright, you take care of it for her. I'll go upstairs to read books."

After speaking, Guo Shouhuai ignored the three of them and strode towards the restricted area on the top floor.

When he went upstairs, the three of them breathed a sigh of relief.

Although it hadn't been long, the danger within those few short sentences was no less than a fierce battle.

Moreover, the three of them knew that the danger hadn't passed.

Because Xuan Ji was a person from the book, she couldn't leave this Scripture Repository, so they had to stay here until Guo Shouhuai went back.

It would be fine if Guo Shouhuai only stayed for an hour or two, but if he stayed for a long time, like until late at night, he would definitely become suspicious when he came downstairs and saw that Xuan Ji was still there.

"This won't work," Xuan Ji shook her head and said softly, "We can't hide it. Even if we hide it this time, Vice Director Guo will definitely suspect something the next time he comes and sees me still in the building."

Lu Jing and Yu Qiuren both knew that what Xuan Ji said was true.

However, seeing that they had already come this far, Yu Qiuren didn't want to give up here. He had to know that today might be the boldest day of his life.

Playing tricks under Guo Shouhuai's nose was something he wouldn't have dared to think about before, let alone asking his direct superior for a raise to his face.

Yu Qiuren felt that he was now fearless, so he said, "Don't be afraid. We can always come up with a solution." After speaking, he patted his chest and said, "As long as I, Yu Qiuren, am a secretary here for a day, I will definitely not let you return to the book."

However, although his words sounded nice, the three of them still couldn't find an effective way to completely dispel Guo Shouhuai's suspicions about Xuan Ji.

Moreover, as time passed, the thing the three of them were most worried about happened.

That was that Guo Shouhuai on the top floor of the Scripture Repository still hadn't come downstairs when the sun was about to set behind the mountains.

It seemed that this Vice Director of the Department of Celestial Observation had really encountered some thorny problem this time.

After waiting for a while, Xuan Ji and Yu Qiuren's stomachs were growling. Lu Jing was slightly better off. After all, he was a first-rate expert, and his tolerance for hunger was much stronger than ordinary people. But when it came to mealtime, he still wanted to eat.

Seeing that Guo Shouhuai wasn't coming down, Yu Qiuren put down the book he couldn't concentrate on reading, stood up, and said, "I'll go to the cafeteria to buy something to eat."

Xuan Ji was worried that Guo Shouhuai would come downstairs when Yu Qiuren left, so she said, "I'm not too hungry yet. I can wait a little longer."

However, Lu Jing shook his head, "We can't wait. The longer we wait, the more suspicious it will be."

Yu Qiuren nodded, patted his butt, "That's the logic. I'll be quick. I'll be right back. Vice Director Guo hasn't made any movements for so long, so it shouldn't be that coincidental."

"Alright then," Xuan Ji said upon hearing this and no longer stopped him.

However, he didn't know if Yu Qiuren was just having bad luck recently, but his jinx actually came true. As soon as he stepped out the door, Guo Shouhuai came down from upstairs.

He was also stunned to see that Lu Jing and Xuan Ji were still there, "You haven't left yet?"

Lu Jing raised the book 《Mystic Power Enlightenment》 in his hand, "I was too engrossed in this book."

In reality, Lu Jing didn't dare to look at a single word in this book because he was afraid that mystic power would emerge from his body for no reason again.

Fortunately, Guo Shouhuai didn't care about him and Xuan Ji's affairs at the moment. He just casually asked and then said, "Where's Yu Qiuren?"

"Oh, he went to buy food for tonight," Lu Jing replied.

Guo Shouhuai frowned upon hearing this, but he didn't say anything. He just walked to a row of bookshelves on his own.

Judging from his appearance, he seemed to be planning to find a book here.

Because of the existence of that strange object, finding books in the Scripture Repository became very easy and simple. You only needed to eliminate distracting thoughts and silently recite the name of the book in your mind, and the book would fly over on its own.

Of course, things wouldn't always go so smoothly.

For example, when the person looking for the book didn't know which book they were looking for, then naturally they couldn't use the ability of that strange object.

Guo Shouhuai looked like this now. He picked up a book and quickly flipped through it once, then put it down and picked up another one, his brow furrowed all the time.

Until a moment later, a voice suddenly came from behind him, "You… what book are you looking for?"

"I read books very quickly and have the ability to remember everything I've seen. I've read most of the books here. As long as you tell me which area you're looking for, I can find it for you."

Lu Jing wanted to stop her, but it was too late.

This year's freshmen have only been in the academy for less than three months. Even if they read one book a day, they would have only read a hundred books. Compared to the hundreds of thousands of books in the Scripture Repository, it was just a drop in the bucket. How could she have read most of them?

Guo Shouhuai's eyes flashed upon hearing this, but unexpectedly, he didn't question Xuan Ji. Instead, he said, "Okay, I'm looking for books related to secret realms."