Chapter 37: Strive hard while you’re young.

Black hair, smooth as silk, with a faint scent.

Ye Kui twitched his nose and couldn’t help but recall their first meeting—so dirty.

Her whole body was filthy, and it was Ye Kui who helped clean her up.

Especially this hair, which Ye Kui had personally washed for her.

So, Ye Kui reached out and naturally stroked her beautiful hair.

Just as he thought, it was smooth and felt good to the touch.

The doll girl took the initiative to tilt her head into Ye Kui’s palm, rubbing against it like a black kitten seeking affection.

Ye Kui tried to pull his hand back.

But she gripped his wrist with both hands, refusing to let go.

[Master, aren’t you going to keep petting me?]

[Master’s touch feels very comfortable.]

[I want more.]

Some kittens are naturally proud, ignoring you no matter how rich or poor you are; but some are clingy, wanting to rub against their master all the time.

Ye Kui seemed to have an illusion—was there a cat’s tail rubbing against him…?

No, it wasn’t an illusion!

Ye Kui stared in shock at the tail that had extended from behind the doll girl, brushing against his arm.

“Tail…tail?”

The doll girl raised a small wooden sign, hiding her face behind it.

A few strands of black hair fell onto her blushing cheek as if trying to conceal her embarrassment.

[Master… do you like it?]

Hiss!

Ye Kui sucked in a breath of cold air.

This doll understood his thoughts too well—he hadn’t even said anything.

But… Ye Kui still felt a bit strange.

It had only been three days, and he’d already accepted her?

Wasn’t something off about this?

Ye Kui didn’t think he was that easy to win over…

[Master, it feels so nice.]

Ye Kui tossed these thoughts aside.

Maybe he was just fated with this doll.

[Master, please have some coffee.]

The doll girl retracted her cat tail, hiding it under her skirt as Ye Kui watched “unintentionally”.

She then pulled out a cup of steaming coffee from under her skirt once again.

Ye Kui accepted it and, without much thought, took a sip.

This time, the coffee was thicker.

And there was a faint floral fragrance.

Did she add some special ingredient to the coffee?

[Master, how is it?]

“The taste is good.”

[As long as Master likes it.]

The doll girl watched as Ye Kui finished it all, then took the empty cup, gripping it in her palm to absorb the lingering warmth.

She put the coffee cup back under her skirt.

Turning her back to Ye Kui, she walked to the corner.

Her left hand discreetly wiped the inside of her thigh, moist and shimmering.

When retrieving the cup, a bit of coffee had accidentally splashed onto her leg.

The doll girl curled up in the corner again, hugging her knees, and silently watched Ye Kui.

On the table, Zina awoke from her dazed state and glared angrily at the doll girl.

How dare she take advantage while she was incapacitated!

Despicable!

Then Zina noticed something was off—why did the other party look so victorious?

What just happened?

Zina looked at Ye Kui, who was smiling with a slight curve at the corner of his lips, as if amused by something.

Zina’s pupils shrank, anxiety surging within her!

What exactly happened between those two while she was unconscious?!

—

Ye Kui noticed Zina had woken up.

But she seemed a bit emo.

Ye Kui was confused.

He could only attribute it to pet psychology—perhaps he needed to study it more.

However, according to Ye Kui’s calculations, some people should be arriving soon.

Ye Kui turned on the computer and glanced at the screen.

The task distributed above was also a test of his abilities.

He was to deduce an Alchemical Model.

Ye Kui smiled confidently.

He slapped the computer directly, and it trembled, then overclocked with a roar.

Pop-up windows flashed, and data surged wildly!

A minute later, construction complete!

Then the computer began to emit black smoke!

A light tap on the computer—the ancient ritual to please the machine spirit, handed down by the great Alchemist God!

Watching the screen flicker, Ye Kui smiled faintly and knocked it again.

The power of alchemy reinforced the computer once more.

Ye Kui stuck a lollipop in his mouth.

Done.

With just a little effort, he’d accomplished what others considered impossible.

Suddenly, the lollipop in his mouth was snatched away.

Ye Kui was stunned.

He looked up to see it was Zina.

At some point, the little thief had crawled onto his shoulder and eaten his imported lollipop clean.

Tentacles wrapped around the plastic stick, waving gently.

Was she showing off?

Master’s imported candy, super sweet~

Ah, someone who can’t have the master’s imported candy can only watch with longing, crying and fussing inside—so pitiful~

In that instant, Zina took the upper hand, mocking to her heart’s content!

In filthy, foul mud, no pure and beautiful flowers can bloom—only ugly, poisonous thorns grow.

They are insidious.

They are malicious.

They are hypocritical.

They excel at feigning weakness, even making themselves wounded all over just to draw more of his attention.

The doll girl was silent, her gaze deepening as shadows seemed to wriggle around her, threatening to swallow her whole.

At that moment, a knock sounded, breaking the strange atmosphere.

“Come in.”

Ye Kui said in a low voice.

The door was pushed open, and a group of more than a dozen people entered, most of them wearing white coats—clearly “research personnel.”

“Professor Ye, we’ve arrived!”

“Professor Ye, the Evolution Beast meat you requested is here!”

“Professor Ye, that thing…”

An elderly man with graying hair placed an unknown metal box on the table with a crisp clatter.

He suppressed his excitement and cautiously addressed Ye Kui.

Ye Kui opened the box and glanced inside.

The rich smell of blood spilled out, filling the room.

Fresh.

Ye Kui nodded.

“Good quality.”

He closed the lid, reached over to the computer case, and tossed a special storage device to the other party.

“Here, it’s all inside.”

“I’ve already deduced that model. You can take it.”

The old man scrambled to catch it, sighing in relief when he saw it was undamaged.

He instinctively wanted to scold Ye Kui—be careful! This is a perfect Alchemical Model they could never deduce in a lifetime!

But… he immediately remembered.

The deducer was right in front of him.

“Professor Ye, you must be exhausted. Three days without rest, diligently working to deduce the model…”

Ye Kui: ???

Isn’t it just a matter of having hands?

Ye Kui put on a serious face.

“Indeed, it took me quite some time. It was very hard.”

The old man nodded.

As expected, he wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, voice choked.

“Professor Ye…”

“Thank you! Thank you for your contribution to alchemy!”

“The Evolution Beast meat you wanted—we could only manage to get B-level at most. The rest… you may need to apply for yourself.”

“After all, we’re not as capable as you.”

At first, he’d looked down on Ye Kui’s youth.

But Ye Kui’s ability quickly won him over.

Ye Kui waved his hand.

“I understand. It’s fine.”

The old man’s face burned with embarrassment.

Just some B-level Evolution Beast meat, and yet it could be exchanged for supreme alchemical knowledge.

Ye Kui didn’t blame him.

The old man’s eyes reddened again.

“Professor Ye, you are truly generous and kind!”

“Professor Ye, you can be a bit more greedy!”

Ye Kui: “Since you put it that way… then I’ll take this!”

Ye Kui pointed at him!

The old man froze, then blushed, a bit shy.

“Um… Professor Ye, if you really want me, that’s okay too~”

“Though I’m straight, for you, I could bend like a mosquito coil.”

Ye Kui: ???

Ye Kui’s face darkened.

“Move aside! Don’t get in my way!”

“Why would I want an old dried sausage like you?”

“I want a doll—a beautiful doll!”

Old man: !

The old man quickly stepped aside, glancing at the doll girl in the corner, her black hair smooth and beautiful, some of it trailing on the ground.

Instinctively, he rubbed his own balding head, feeling an inexplicable sense of… regret.

“So that’s it. I thought…”

Seeing Ye Kui’s darkening face and dangerous eyes, the old man coughed and instantly changed the subject.

“Of course, no problem.”

“But Professor Ye, there’s one thing I must remind you of.”

He suddenly became serious.

“Youth does not know the value of essence—only to shed tears in old age when the pen runs dry. Professor Ye, you’re still young and full of vitality, but you must practice moderation.”

He’d once played with alchemical dolls, but due to excessive indulgence, he’d withered in his thirties—so he kindly warned Ye Kui.

Ye Kui shook his head.

“…How many times in life can one fight? If not now, then when? While young, strive hard.”

Old man: ???