Xiao Mei was so bored.

For a while now, she had a habit of possessing Mei and messing around at night.

Mei hadn't slept yesterday and at this rate, because of that stupid Senior Han, it might continue.

Xiao Mei was getting restless at not getting "her turn" to pilot the body.

No wonder the sect master said that sentient nascent souls tended to try to take over the main body. Even after she got over the existential crisis, being stuck here sucked!

Right now, Mei was waiting while Senior Han flew off into the distance, asking her to tell him his movements over a communication jade.

"No way!"

Yeah, whatever. Xiao Mei didn't really care for his shocked reactions. The real Mei was being smug however.

What was there to be smug about? It was just an ability she was born with, one she wasn't making good use of.

While they started as the same person, Xiao Mei felt like she had changed a lot after being confined in her dantian for so long.

At times, she even felt somewhat resentful.

Finally... it was over. After being tested by Senior Han, he agreed to give her a few days before dragging her into his investigations.

She was back at the library, gathering the book slowly. Luye reminded her she still needed to return all the books in a week, unless she paid for extention fees, to which Mei grudging handed 10 Jade over.

"Hey. Mei Xiu."

Mei jumped up in shock. Xiao Mei was actually taking the initiative to talk to her?

"Yes?"

"Go get some sleep. It hurts the both of us when you have unhealthy habits."

"Oh, uh, thanks."

A bit weird to be given advice from a clone of hers.

Well, she was planning to have a good sleep after this anyway.

As she returned to her room, she thought of something.

"Say... Xiao Mei. I notice you don't talk a lot. Does it get lonely?"

"It does."

"Oh... sorry."

Was what people felt when they talked to her? She felt bad, but this was so awkward!

Maybe she could get another puppet for Xiao Mei to control so she wouldn't be so confined?

Morning came soon.

Mei woke up, refreshed. She didn't even realise until now how fogged her mind was yesterday.

There was a slight sense of guilty indulgence as she turned on her bedframe. While her friends were sleeping in the dingy rooms of the monks, she was able to sleep here.

Mei decided to go get her usual vegetable buns as a snack. No reason to pass up the octopus's luxury meals while she was here!

...

"Mei Xiu? What are you doing here?"

A girl suddenly called out to her at the canteen.

Ning Xing, that "Auntie" friend of Xiuying! How was she running into another acquaintance after just coming back?

"Oh, I was just borrowing some books from the library and decided to get something to eat while I was at it."

Ning Xing laughed, nudging her.

"Can't resist old Hai Huang's food huh? I get it, I get it!" she said. "So how's Xiuying and your other friends doing? And how's life at the Buddhist sect like?

"Erm, fine, I guess. Uh, if you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to have to head back now, before they find out..."

Mei laughed nervously before running off. She was not good with the chatty type...

"Okay, bye and have fun!"

She took out her teleportation token and tried to activate it.

"Please top up your charges." the Heavenly Array's voice came from it.

Seriously?

That would be 50 Jade down the drain... She probably should have been more conservative with her usage.

After thinking for a while, she decided to make the most of her time here if going back and forth was so expensive.

"Hey, Xiao Mei?"

No response as usual...

"I was thinking yesterday, but do you think you can possess and control a puppet like Su Qing?" she continued. "So you can actually move around and do stuff?"

Finally, the nascent soul answered.

"I... that would be great. Thanks."

Was it her, or did Xiao Mei sound a little guilty somehow?

She rummaged around in her bag. Previously, when she got a puppet made for Su Qing at Song Woodworks, she got a 20 Jade discount voucher.

Aha! She pulled out the wooden card, snapped in two after that stupid deer fired cannons at her.

Hopefully it was still valid...

...

Shortly, she arrived at the carpentry shop. The same burly man slouched over the counter.

She roughly described her request, also that cheaper wood would be fine- Wait wait wait!

Didn't she buy a lot of strong vine wood back then? But it was all with Su Qing!

"Sorry, give me a moment!" Mei rushed off.

Please tell her there was some in her room... there was no way she was paying another 50 Jade just to fetch it from Su Qing.

She rummaged through her drawers, pushing aside junk.

Gah! That stupid flying shuttle Feng Shen tricked her into getting back at the city! She forgot about it. Maybe she should pawn it at some point.

Finally, she decided to check the qi imbuing vase. To her surprise, it was indeed stuffed with the vine wood! ...and rocks.

Yup, Su Qing was definitely behind it.

...

Mei rushed back to Song Woodworks and finished describing her request.

"Oh, and please don't add muscles this time..." she added.

The last thing she needed was a super buff Xiao Mei...

"Aww. But girls with muscles are awesome!"

"No!"

"Ahahaha, just messing with you! Okay, that will be 110 Jade, 90 Jade with the discount." the carpenter chuckled.

"Yeah, whatever."

"Thanks again! Just let me take some measurements, and your order will be done by tomorrow."

Ah.

She forgot it was going to take a while.

But the turtle...

Hnnnnn...

She was really going to have to spent another additional 50 Jade! Stupid overpriced teleportation formation!

Okay okay... fine. Maybe she could sell some of the chestnuts to cover her losses. Mei felt a tiny bit better after thinking that.