Chapter 15: Warm Affection

Could it be that Lu Qiwen went to see his girlfriend? But he doesn’t have a girlfriend, does he?

Lu Qiwen didn’t notice He Xuan’s changing expressions; his mind was filled with thoughts of Liu Suyan’s lovely face.

“Oh no, I forgot!”

Even though He Xuan had never been in a relationship, it was obvious to anyone, even a fool, that Lu Qiwen was in love.

Coupled with the faint fragrance emanating from him, He Xuan thought the girl he met must be very beautiful.

For some reason, He Xuan felt a hollow emptiness in her heart, as if she was about to lose something precious.

Seeing Lu Qiwen’s smile, she asked, “Qiwen, did something good happen?”

Lu Qiwen smiled back, “Sister Xuan, you keep reading. I’m going to the kitchen to refine some pills.”

He Xuan was taken aback. Though she didn’t know Lu Qiwen very well, she knew he came from a family of pill refiners.

She had seen him take out pills but never actually witnessed him refining them. In her mind, pill refiners wore robes and spent their days in front of large furnaces, but Lu Qiwen didn’t fit that image at all.

She had always doubted whether he had truly inherited his family’s craft. But hearing him say he was going to refine pills piqued her curiosity.

If Lu Qiwen donned a robe and went to a mountain to guard a large furnace, she wouldn’t be too surprised. But hearing him say he was going to refine pills in the kitchen made her wonder if there was a furnace hidden there.

She had been in the kitchen before and knew there was no furnace. Even if Lu Qiwen had hidden one, it wouldn’t fit in the small kitchen.

While He Xuan pondered this, Lu Qiwen was already in the kitchen, muttering to himself, “A pill to treat frigidity… That would be the Spring Passion Pill. It’s a mild aphrodisiac that also nourishes and beautifies. It’s perfect for stimulating desire without being as intense as a typical aphrodisiac. I can’t give Liu Suyan something that would make her lose control.”

Recalling the recipe for the Spring Passion Pill, he noted that it required Tianshan Snow Lotus and several rare herbs. Fortunately, his Heaven and Earth Ring was well-stocked with these precious ingredients, saving him a lot of money.

Quickly gathering the herbs, he categorized them and prepared to start refining.

He Xuan entered the kitchen just as he finished setting up the herbs. Seeing no furnace or charcoal, she asked, “Qiwen, are you really refining pills?”

Lu Qiwen nodded, “Of course. Do you doubt me?”

He Xuan smiled, “I believe you, but isn’t a furnace and charcoal necessary? I don’t see them here.”

Lu Qiwen chuckled, “Who said you need charcoal and a giant furnace to refine pills? Let me show you my modern method.”

He Xuan, knowing Lu Qiwen came from a family of pill refiners, wasn’t surprised he could refine pills. Intrigued, she said, “Alright, show me how you do it without a furnace and charcoal.”

Lu Qiwen smiled proudly, “Step back and give me some space. I’ll show you something special.”

He Xuan, seeing his proud expression, couldn’t help but smile. She watched him intently.

Lu Qiwen took out a small furnace, about the size of a pressure cooker, without any elaborate carvings.

Under He Xuan’s curious gaze, he turned on the gas stove, igniting a flame.

Seeing him place the furnace on the gas stove, He Xuan exclaimed, “You’re using gas to refine pills?”

Lu Qiwen, pleased with her reaction, nodded, “Yes, why not?”

He Xuan, her lips slightly parted, said, “It’s unusual. I thought pill refining always used charcoal.”

Lu Qiwen, adding herbs to the furnace, explained, “That was in ancient times. Charcoal was the most stable and long-lasting fuel. But nothing is set in stone. Gas flames work just as well and have an advantage.”

He Xuan, intrigued, asked, “What’s the advantage?”

Lu Qiwen covered the furnace and adjusted the flame, “See? Now it’s on low heat. You can easily control the flame size by adjusting the gas. With charcoal, only an experienced refiner can maintain the right flame size.”

He Xuan, surprised, nodded, “I see. I didn’t expect you to use a gas stove for pill refining. My little husband is quite remarkable.”

Lu Qiwen almost choked on her last words, his face turning red. He glared at He Xuan, but she had already giggled and left the kitchen.

Seeing her in a better mood, Lu Qiwen shook his head and focused on the furnace. Although the gas flame was controllable, he still needed to manually adjust between low and high heat.

Lu Qiwen stayed in the kitchen, not coming out. At first, He Xuan peeked in occasionally, but after a few times, she returned to her room, as Lu Qiwen told her he would be watching the furnace all night.

While Lu Qiwen could stay up all night, He Xuan couldn’t. By ten o’clock, she was too tired to continue reading and went to bed after saying goodnight to Lu Qiwen.

The night passed quickly. Around five in the morning, Lu Qiwen closely watched the furnace, which was emitting a faint medicinal fragrance. The pills inside were almost ready.

Slowly extinguishing the flame, Lu Qiwen felt a bit nervous as this was his first time refining the Spring Passion Pill. He carefully opened the furnace, and a burst of white pill vapor escaped. Seeing the pure white vapor, he sighed in relief, knowing the pills were successfully refined.

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