Lin Mu's POV:
My return to Willow Creek felt different this time. The usual sense of detachment, of observing a world moving at a snail's pace compared to the vibrant rush of the Verdant Heaven, was tempered by a newfound focus. Ling Yue. The system hadn't explicitly confirmed her as a Dao Companion, but the subtle resonance during our brief encounter, the almost imperceptible pull I felt towards her, suggested a significant connection.
I maintained my usual unassuming demeanor, helping my parents with their chores, listening to the village news with a feigned lack of interest. But my eyes often strayed towards Ling Yue. I saw her tending to Master Qin's small apothecary, her brow often furrowed in concentration as she meticulously prepared remedies. I noticed the respect she garnered from the villagers who sought her help, despite her young age.
One evening, as I was 'coincidentally' passing by Master Qin's shop, I overheard a worried conversation. A blight had struck a nearby field of vital feverfew, a crucial ingredient for a common ailment. Master Qin was wringing his hands, lamenting the potential shortage and the hardship it would bring.
Ling Yue stood beside him, her expression thoughtful. "Master," she said softly, "I remember reading about a similar blight in an old herbal text. It mentioned a specific type of soil fungus that thrives in damp conditions. Perhaps if we…"
Master Qin, set in his ways, waved a dismissive hand. "Nonsense, Yue'er. It's just a bad patch. Nothing to be done but wait it out."
I felt a flicker of annoyance. Ling Yue's intuition seemed sound. Back in the Verdant Heaven, I had encountered similar fungal blights affecting certain spirit herbs. I knew there were ways to combat it, simple remedies involving specific types of ash and careful soil aeration.
The system remained silent, offering no direct guidance on how to proceed with a potential Dao Companion. This, I realized, was a path I had to navigate myself. I couldn't rely on blatant intervention; it would shatter my carefully constructed facade of mediocrity. My aid had to be subtle, almost accidental.
The next morning, I 'happened' to be working in the fields bordering the blighted feverfew. As I tilled the soil, I made sure to loosen the earth around the affected plants more thoroughly than usual. I also 'carelessly' discarded the ashes from our cooking fire near the edge of the field, ensuring a decent amount would be carried by the breeze towards the infected area.
Over the next few days, I observed Ling Yue as she continued to tend to the feverfew, her efforts seemingly futile against the spreading blight. Master Qin remained pessimistic. But I noticed Ling Yue experimenting, carefully examining the soil and the affected plants.
Then, a few days later, a flicker of hope appeared. The blight seemed to be slowing its advance in the area where the ashes had settled. Ling Yue noticed it too. Her eyes widened with a dawning realization. She began to experiment further, mixing small amounts of ash into the soil around other affected plants.
Slowly but surely, the feverfew began to recover. Master Qin, initially bewildered, scratched his head and attributed it to a change in the weather. But I saw the knowing look in Ling Yue's eyes, the subtle nod of understanding she gave the recovering plants.
A few days later, as I was leaving the village to return to the Verdant Heaven, I saw Ling Yue near the edge of the feverfew field, carefully tending to the recovering plants. I approached her casually.
"The feverfew seems to be doing better," I remarked, keeping my tone neutral.
Ling Yue looked up, a small smile gracing her lips. "Yes, it is. I… I tried a few things. It seems to have helped." She hesitated for a moment, then her gaze met mine. "Brother Lin, did you… were you working in the field near here the other day?"
I shrugged, feigning ignorance. "Just helping my father. Why do you ask?"
A thoughtful expression crossed her face. "I noticed… the soil near where you were working seemed looser, and there was some ash nearby. It was around those plants that the blight first started to recede."
My heart skipped a beat. She was perceptive. More so than I had initially realized.
"Just coincidence, I suppose," I said with a casual wave of my hand. "Glad the feverfew is recovering."
Ling Yue's gaze remained fixed on me for a moment longer, a hint of suspicion mixed with curiosity in her eyes. Then, she smiled again, a genuine, warm smile that reached her eyes. "Perhaps. But… thank you, Brother Lin."
I simply nodded and continued on my way, a quiet satisfaction settling within me. I hadn't revealed my abilities, hadn't shattered my facade. But I had offered subtle aid, a gentle nudge in the right direction, allowing Ling Yue's own talent and intuition to shine.
Back in the Verdant Heaven, the system remained silent on this interaction. But I felt a deeper connection to Ling Yue, a sense of budding trust that transcended mere acquaintance. The Dao Companion Affinity, it seemed, wasn't just about grand gestures or dramatic encounters. It was about subtle understanding, quiet support, and the gentle weaving of two destinies. The seed of connection had not only been planted; it was beginning to sprout. And as it grew, I knew my hidden world and the oblivious one outside would become increasingly intertwined.