Chapter 364 - 362: The Difference

Chapter 364: Chapter 362: The Difference

Gu Nuan Nuan hadn’t slept for very long, but it was enough.

She sat up in bed and stretched, feeling instantly refreshed. A glance at the time showed it was just a little past five, but the sky was already growing dark. She hopped out of bed, swiftly got dressed and washed up, then headed straight for the main hall.

The main hall was bustling with activity. With heaters placed in every corner, there wasn’t a hint of cold inside; instead, a cozy warmth enveloped anyone who entered.

Gu Nuan Nuan glanced around and saw that the whole family was there. Everyone was gathered around the large, square table in the center, chatting idly. The tabletop was laden with all sorts of homemade snacks, peanuts, melon seeds, longans, red dates, and a variety of fruits, drinks, and tea.

"You’re awake? Why not sleep a little longer?" Zhang Minzhen said with a smile when she saw Gu Nuan Nuan appear. "We were just saying we probably shouldn’t even bother waking you for the next few days. We could just postpone dinner and eat together whenever you’ve had a good rest."

"I’ve slept enough," Gu Nuan Nuan replied, a warm feeling swelling in her heart as she looked at everyone.

The others, who had been chatting amongst themselves, all turned to look at her, greeting her with smiles. Zhang Wei Qiang spoke up, asking, "I heard you want to skip a grade when school starts? But you want to jump straight to the third year of junior high so you can start high school next semester. Are you sure that won’t be a problem?"

"Of course it’s not a problem. When have I ever made an empty boast?" Gu Nuan Nuan said with a confident smile. "I didn’t skip grades before because I didn’t see any particular need to. But now... I want to have more of my own time sooner, so I can do the things I really want to do."

"Alright, then. After the holidays, I’ll go talk to your school’s principal. The Zhang Group donates so much money to them every year, he won’t make a fuss over a small thing like this," Zhang Wei Qiang said, nodding with a cheerful smile in support.

Gu Nuan Nuan didn’t speak too plainly in front of everyone, but besides the three children—Zhang Su, Zhang Kai, and Zhang Laodi—everyone else present knew that the recipes she possessed weren’t limited to just the Hundred Herbs Rejuvenating Ointment. They all thought they understood, immediately interpreting her desire to finish school early as a plan to focus on cracking those other medicinal formulas.

When Gu Nuan Nuan was this confident, there was nothing she set her mind to that she couldn’t achieve. So naturally, no one tried to discourage her.

"Since Nuannuan is up, we’ll head to the kitchen. Everything is prepped and ready. All that’s left is the stir-frying, which won’t take long. The rest of you, don’t fill up on these snacks. Dinner will be ready in half an hour at most." Wen Xiu stood up and beckoned for Lin Qin and Zhang Minzhen to head to the kitchen. Zhang Laodi also stood up, but Lin Qin held her back. "Stay put. There’s nothing left to help with in the kitchen. You can’t help with the cooking anyway, so the three of us are enough."

"Auntie, I actually know how to cook a little," Zhang Laodi said quietly, her face flushing. "Or... I can help serve the dishes. I won’t get in the way."

"It’s not that I’m afraid you’ll get in the way—" Lin Qin broke into a laugh. Seeing Zhang Laodi’s anxious expression, she couldn’t help but feel a surge of affection and patted her on the head. "Oh, alright. If you want to come, then come. How about you cook one of your specialty dishes for us to try?"

"Okay!" Zhang Laodi’s eyes instantly lit up, and her expression became much more animated. Gu Nuan Nuan, who had turned her head to watch, gave her an encouraging smile. However, her attention was quickly pulled away by her uncle’s words.

"Nuannuan, we got a call from the Mu Family in Beijing a couple of days ago. The effects of the Hundred Herbs Rejuvenating Ointment you made for Mr. Mu were simply astounding. Even though his family tried to keep it under wraps, too many people came to visit. With his condition plain for all to see, they couldn’t hide it. A lot of people have been asking about it, and they’ve managed to give vague answers to most of them. But there are some people that even their family can’t easily refuse."

Zhang Wei Qiang’s expression turned serious. He knew full well that bringing this out was both an opportunity and a crisis for them. "Can you give us an exact number of how many Hundred Herbs Rejuvenation Pills you can make with the herbs you gathered this time? Also, can the herbs you need be artificially cultivated? Is there any possibility of mass-producing these pills?"

Zhang Wei Qiang’s questions drew everyone’s attention, and all eyes turned to Gu Nuan Nuan.

"It’s hard to say how many Hundred Herbs Rejuvenation Pills I can make this time," Gu Nuan Nuan replied after a moment’s thought. "There’s a failure rate. I can’t achieve a one-hundred-percent success rate yet; it’s unstable, probably a little less than half. The herbs are no problem—they can be cultivated. I even brought back a lot of seeds this time. As for mass production... it’s impossible for the Hundred Herbs Rejuvenation Pills. I don’t think anyone besides me can refine them. But for the Hundred Herbs Rejuvenating Ointment, it’s possible if you can accept a reduced efficacy."

"Mass production... how much would the efficacy be reduced?" Zhang Dazhuang interjected.

"Less than one-tenth of the effect of the one Mr. Mu used."

Gu Nuan Nuan answered without hesitation this time. "If Mr. Mu had used that version, his tumor would still eventually disappear if he persisted with several more jars, but it would take much longer. Moreover, he wouldn’t have experienced that immediate effect of feeling better right after taking it. At best, he might have regained his appetite, but he would still feel the pain and discomfort. With that in mind, do you still think it’s worth mass-producing?"

"Less than one-tenth?" Zhang Dazhuang, Zhang Wei Qiang, and Song Yong all frowned.

"Grandpa, you know that the one I gave Mr. Mu wasn’t even the best version. The effects of the best one are even more astonishing, so I didn’t dare to bring it out," Gu Nuan Nuan said, looking at Zhang Dazhuang. "Grandpa, you and the others have been taking it for a while now. The medicinal effects should have mostly integrated. You should be able to feel the difference more clearly, right?"

"That’s right. At first, I just felt much lighter and more energetic, even more so than when I was young. I thought that was the extent of it. I never expected that when I practiced those Internal Cultivation Methods, my Inner Strength would deepen by at least ten years’ worth. And your grandma! She originally found Cultivation with those Internal Cultivation Methods very difficult. She practiced for a long time with no results, so she gave up on it. But this time, her Inner Strength suddenly surged. Now that she’s had a taste of success, she’s even more diligent about her nightly practice than I am."

Zhang Dazhuang couldn’t hide his glee as he spoke, while the others listened with their mouths agape, completely stunned.

It can increase one’s Inner Strength?

Everyone present practiced those Internal Cultivation Methods, and upon hearing this, they all stared at Gu Nuan Nuan with feverish eyes.