The atmosphere instantly became harmonious.
Nan Shiying had the small kitchen prepare some pastries that the children liked. She pushed the pastries towards them: "These are rose shortbread, jade dew soup, chestnut crisp, and this one, glutinous rice balls."
Xiao Man had eaten them before. She loved glutinous rice balls the most, so she kept recommending them to Ya Dan: "Eat this, this one is especially delicious, sticky and soft, sweet and fragrant."
Ya Dan obediently picked up a glutinous rice ball. Gou Zi, however, thought the chestnut crisp was the most delicious. He picked up a chestnut crisp and stuffed it into Ya Dan's mouth.
Ya Dan was in the middle of eating a glutinous rice ball when she was stuffed with another chestnut crisp, almost choking. She drank a cup of tea to swallow the pastries.
Nan Shiying could see that Ya Dan was the pampered one.
She didn't mention that night immediately. Instead, she observed the state of the three children. Ya Dan, whom she was most worried about, was actually in the best condition. Gou Zi and Xiao Man seemed to have something on their minds and were deliberately hiding it, thinking they were doing a good job, but their thoughts were all over their faces.
"Have you been sleeping well these past two days?"
Nan Shiying picked up a piece of rose shortbread, took a bite, and the fragrance of the rose spread between her lips and teeth. She took a sip of tea, and the tea's aroma neutralized the sweetness of the pastry, making it just right.
She asked about the three children's recent situation. Xiao Man quickly chewed the glutinous rice ball and replied, "I was just a bit sleepless that day."
Ya Dan and Gou Zi nodded simultaneously.
Nan Shiying hummed, "That's good!"
She then added, "Do you have any questions or anything you want to know?"
The three of them had discussed why they were targeted for assassination. They unanimously agreed that they were merely collateral damage. Although Gou Zi had been in hiding for years due to his status as a "medicine person," his survival was more valuable than his death. If the assassination was because of him, they would have at least left him alive. However, the way those people attacked that night showed they intended to kill them, so Gou Zi felt it wasn't about him.
Xiao Man and Ya Dan felt they had no reason to be assassinated. So when Nan Shiying asked them what they wanted to know, Gou Zi and Ya Dan shook their heads. Only Xiao Man, Xiao Man was still a bit persistent. If Sister Lü Wan hadn't used martial arts, then what was it?
"Sister Lü Wan could turn the arrows shot at us into powder from a distance. Sister Lü Wan said it wasn't martial arts. I want to know, if it wasn't martial arts, then what was it?"
"Turn arrows into powder from a distance?"
Nan Shiying raised an eyebrow slightly. She knew Lü Wan could discern the original properties of substances, but she didn't expect this to be just an appendage to her ability. It seemed her ability was to turn any object into its initial form—powder!
Xiao Man nodded emphatically, "Yes, powder!"
"So what is it? Doesn't Miss know?"
"It's an ability."
Nan Shiying did not hide it.
"Ability?"
Xiao Man didn't understand.
Gou Zi and Ya Dan understood even less.
Nan Shiying nodded, "The ability of an extraordinary person."
"In this world, there exist extraordinary people who are different from the common folk. Extraordinary people possess various abilities, such as arson, water manipulation, tree control... Lü Wan is an extraordinary person."
Xiao Man's mouth fell open. Gou Zi and Ya Dan even forgot to chew. Before today, they had never heard of extraordinary people, nor did they know that such remarkable individuals and events existed in this world.
Extraordinary people, abilities.
They heard something far beyond their self-awareness, something strange, bizarre, like pages of a book turned to reveal content far exceeding expectations. The three of them were stunned into place for a moment.
It wasn't until Gou Zi was choked by the unchewed pastry crumbs in his mouth.
"Cough cough cough cough..."
He coughed violently.
"Water water water~"
His teacup was empty. The freshly poured tea was too hot. Gou Zi grabbed Xiao Man's teacup and drank it down in gulps, which finally eased his condition.
Xiao Man's face darkened, and she glared at him.
Ya Dan, afraid of suffering the same fate as Gou Zi, quickly swallowed the pastry in her mouth. She looked at Lü Wan with sparkling eyes, as if suddenly filled with starlight.
Ya Dan wanted to ask how to become an extraordinary person.
But remembering Sister Lü Wan's answer that night, she swallowed the words back.
She lowered her eyes, her eyelashes obscuring the light in them.
Ya Dan swallowed her question, but Xiao Man voiced it. After hearing Xiao Man's question, Nan Shiying was silent for a moment and then said, "There is no way!"
Actually, it wasn't entirely impossible. There were ways, otherwise, how could Shadow Pavilion have so many extraordinary people? Did they really think extraordinary people were like cabbage, sold by the pound?
But the danger involved was immense. It was better to cut off the possibility from the root than to let them harbor hopes or even take risks.
Moreover, even in Shadow Pavilion, the people chosen actually contained the bloodline of extraordinary people. Some could have their abilities self-stimulated, while others couldn't and needed external guidance and stimulation.
So, what she said was not entirely wrong, nor was it a lie.
Upon hearing this answer, Xiao Man, despite being mentally prepared, couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed.
She didn't dwell on the question anymore but wanted to know more about extraordinary people, their abilities, their deeds, the reasons for their appearance... and so on.
The three of them listened with great interest until dinner, when they interrupted the topic. Ji Jin Mo did not come to Xin Yuan Ge for dinner today. It wasn't that he didn't want to, but Nan Shiying had forbidden him from entering. If he sat there, the children wouldn't be able to eat peacefully.
After dinner, the three of them excused themselves. Although Nan Shiying could tell they seemed to be hiding something, she didn't ask.
Poison Elder finished wiping his mouth and also left.
Bai Zhi and the others tidied up the table, and only Lü Wan remained in the room.
Nan Shiying leaned against the couch, holding a storybook. Lü Wan placed the peeled grapes within Nan Shiying's reach, then slowly knelt down.
Nan Shiying put down her book and looked at her.
"Your subordinate, Ying Er, pays her respects to Your Ladyship."
"Ying Er?"
The imperial guards were ranked by ability. She was actually ranked second among the Shadow Guards?
"Your subordinate was given the name Lü Wan by Master after becoming his personal maid. Besides that, Your subordinate also has another name in the Dark Shadow Pavilion: Zero!"
"That's a codename assigned based on ability."
Nan Shiying: "..."
Nan Shiying was speechless for a moment, not knowing what to say.
She didn't actually care about Lü Wan's secrecy. The abilities of extraordinary people were comparable to martial arts techniques. Did anyone expose their martial arts manuals for anyone to see? It was one thing not to care, and Lü Wan's confession was another matter.
She waved her hand at Lü Wan and said casually, "Alright, I know. Get up!"