The younger sister mistakenly identified her brother when visiting relatives and was kissed by the c

The new woman nodded repeatedly, stuffed her notebook into her pocket, and patted her chest to assure her, "Girl, I've written it all down in this notebook. Don't worry, I can do this job well. I'll be thorough and make no mistakes."

That night, Qiao Xinxin led her older sister through the process. Seeing that her sister was already proficient at collecting tickets, distributing tokens, and calling people at the door while keeping time, Qiao Xinxin was completely relieved.

After handing over her work, it was almost time to leave. Qiao Xinxin took her old cotton-padded coat, which she usually wore for night shifts, from behind the door and draped it over her arm. Standing at the door of the management office, she turned back and took one last, deep look at the small room.

She'd worked here for a long time, from initially feeling flustered and blushing with embarrassment when facing a group of shirtless, rough men, to later becoming adept and composed. This little room held many memories for her. Now that she was really leaving, she felt a mix of emotions she couldn't quite put into words.

Qiao Xinxin took a deep breath of the cool early spring air outside, suppressing her sadness, and encouraged herself in her heart: "Starting tomorrow, it's a brand new beginning!"

I jogged home, and as soon as I opened the door, the aroma of food and warm, cozy air wafted out.

The adoptive parents were comfortably sitting on the sofa in the living room watching TV, which was showing the news. The eldest brother, Bai Zhengyuan, had been discharged from the hospital and was recuperating at home, but his leg hadn't fully recovered yet. He was leaning against the other end of the sofa, reading a newspaper.

Hearing the door open, Bai's mother turned around and saw her daughter had returned. She casually asked, "Xin Xin, why are you back earlier than usual today? Did you run into any troublesome people at the bathhouse?"

"Mom, I just had some great news to tell you!"

Qiao Xinxin changed into cotton slippers, sat down next to Bai's mother, and smiled excitedly: "They've found someone to replace me at the bathhouse! I handed over all my work to that lady tonight. From now on, I won't have to work the night shift anymore! I've made up my mind, I'll focus all my energy on studying medicine from now on. During the day, I'll go to the military medical department to learn skills from Teacher Lin, and at night I'll have plenty of time at home to read medical books and research new drugs."

Bai's mother was stunned for a moment, but after she came to her senses, she slapped her thigh with joy and couldn't stop smiling: "Quitting is good! Quitting is good! I've been worried sick about you running around day and night. Now that there's a better way out, let's take this path! You don't need to worry about anything at home. If the restaurant gets too busy, your father and I will take care of it. Just focus on your studies!"

Mr. Bai put down his newspaper. He was usually a serious and upright man, not one to smile much, but now a relieved smile appeared on his face as he nodded vigorously in agreement: "That's right! Zheng Yuan was so badly injured this time, almost died, and it was thanks to the medicine powder you concocted that he was saved! Your ability to concoct such a life-saving medicine is a great service to the army; it's much more promising than collecting tickets at the bathhouse. Study hard, and the whole family will sell everything we own to support you!"

Bai Zhengyuan leaned over from the other end of the sofa, rubbing his hands excitedly: "Xinxin, does that mean the medicine you concoct can be sold directly to our troops for the soldiers on the front lines? That would be a fantastic thing!"

Qiao Xinxin blushed at her family's praise and scratched her head shyly, "Oh dear, I've only just started learning from Teacher Lin, and I'm still far from being able to mix medicines at will! But don't worry, big brother, I'll definitely work hard."

That evening, after washing up, Qiao Xinxin returned to her room and locked the door. She sat on the edge of the bed, silently recited a phrase, and instantly entered that magical portable space.

Now that she no longer had to work the night shift at the bathhouse, she finally had plenty of time to study in the evenings. The air in this space was not only fresh but also filled with spiritual energy, which helped clear her mind. Reading here was much more efficient than outside, and it was quiet and undisturbed. She could delve into the thick medical materials Lin Zhengping had given her without any interference.

She first walked to the ethereal spring, cupped her hands in the cool, sweet water, and washed her face, feeling completely refreshed. Then she stood up, walked to the black soil where the medicinal herbs were planted, squatted down, and carefully examined their growth.

It must be said, the soil in this space is truly excellent. The Blood Coagulation Grass and Green Spirit Vine are growing extremely lushly, having entered a stable growth period. Their leaves are plump and thick, a glossy dark green, looking even more vibrant than the previous batch. Other newly planted medicinal herbs are also sprouting tender green buds one after another, showing promising growth.

Qiao Xinxin mentally estimated that if things continued at this pace, the medicinal herbs would be ready for harvest in another month. Then, she could provide the pharmaceutical factory with a more stable and larger supply of raw materials, and she wouldn't have to worry about the hospital pressing for delivery anymore.

However, she also knew in her heart that farming could not be rushed, and the growth of herbs took time. All she could do now was wait patiently.

After inspecting the medicinal herb field, she felt at ease. Qiao Xinxin took off her coat and walked to the naturally formed pool next to the spiritual spring, intending to take a relaxing bath to unwind.

The facilities inside this space are different from those outside. This natural pool is like a hot spring, with the water temperature maintained at a comfortable level year-round. Qiao Xinxin walked into the pool and sat down. The warm spring water just covered her shoulders, making every pore on her body feel relaxed and comfortable, so much so that she sighed.

She leaned against the edge of the pool, closed her eyes, and tried to clear her mind, but her mind uncontrollably began to think about tomorrow.

Tomorrow is Saturday. She had already arranged to meet Zhou Liguang. She planned to tell him her piece and reject him outright. However, several days had passed since she made that decision, and she still hadn't quite figured out what to say as her first words.

That's too direct. Zhou Liguang is a soldier who cares about his reputation, and we're afraid of hurting his pride.

That's too euphemistic. I'm afraid people won't understand and will continue to have illusions. Wouldn't that be delaying them?

She leaned against the pool wall, tossing and turning in her thoughts for a long time. Finally, she decided that a short, sharp pain was better than a long, drawn-out one, and the best way was to be honest. She planned to tell Zhou Liguang directly that she had seriously considered it and felt that they were better off as ordinary friends.