In A Different World(4)

As Dai Pengfei stood up, he heard a soft knock at the doorframe. He looked over to see a beautiful woman he had never seen before, her eyes filled with worry.

"Are you okay?" she asked. "I heard some strange noises coming from your room."

Dai Pengfei was taken aback by her concern.

"I'm fine," he replied. "I just had a breakthrough in my cultivation."

The woman, whose name was Shen Xia, didn't seem to understand.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

Dai Pengfei hesitated for a moment, unsure of how much to tell her. He decided to keep it simple.

"I've been studying martial arts," he said, "and I just reached a new level of power."

Shen Xia looked relieved but still seemed skeptical. "Are you sure you're okay?" she asked again.

Dai Pengfei assured her that he was fine, and Shen Xia eventually left, still looking concerned.

Dai Pengfei couldn't help but wonder who she was and why she had been so worried about him. But for now, he had other things to worry about.

Getting back into meditation, he pushes that thought behind and solely focuses his entire brain to remember anything else that he had read from the sect's library.

A while later, Shen Xia was still worried about Dai Pengfei, so she decided to come back to check on him.

When she saw him sitting there, she breathed a sigh of relief. However, she noticed that he looked different somehow. There was a new energy about him that she couldn't quite put her finger on.

As she approached him, she felt a strange sensation wash over her. Suddenly, she was hit with a wave of exhaustion. She knew that this was the price she had to pay for using her special power.

She could heal any damage, but it always left her feeling incredibly tired.

Despite her weariness, Shen Xia didn't want to leave Dai Pengfei alone. She sat down next to him and watched over him, making sure he was okay.

She didn't know why she felt so drawn to him, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she needed to protect him.

Dai Pengfei opened his eyes, breaking out of his meditation. As he looked around, he saw Shen Xia sitting next to him, her eyes closed as if she was asleep.

He felt a strange sensation in his body as if something had changed.

He sat up slowly, feeling his muscles stretch and flex. He looked down at his body, and to his surprise, he saw that his injuries had completely healed.

He felt stronger than ever before, and he knew that it was thanks to the woman sitting next to him.

He turned to her, but she still seemed to be asleep. Dai Pengfei felt a sense of gratitude towards her, and he knew that he had to thank her properly once she woke up.

Dai Pengfei goes to his small kitchen to make herbal soup for himself. He knew that the rest of the herbs he had purchased were useless for cultivation, but they could still be used to make a tasty and nutritious soup.

As he boiled the herbs, a strong aroma filled the room.

Shen Xia, who had fallen asleep next to him, suddenly stirred and sat up, sniffing the air. "What's that smell?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.

"It's just a herbal soup I made," Dai Pengfei replied, stirring the pot. "It's nothing special, just some leftover herbs I had."

Shen Xia got up and walked over to the kitchen, peering into the pot. "It smells amazing," she said, taking a deep breath. "Can I try some?"

Dai Pengfei nodded and poured her a bowl of soup. She took a spoonful and her eyes widened in surprise.

"This is delicious!" she exclaimed. "What herbs did you use?"

Dai Pengfei explained the ingredients he had used, and Shen Xia listened intently, impressed by his knowledge.

As they ate the soup together, they chatted and got to know each other better.

Dai Pengfei was enjoying the conversation, but he couldn't help feeling a little awkward. He had only just met Shen Xia, and he didn't know much about her.

When she asked him about his past experiences, he found himself stumbling over his words, unable to give a coherent answer.

Shen Xia noticed his discomfort and smiled reassuringly.

"It's okay, you don't have to share if you don't want to," she said. "I'm just happy to get to know you better."

Dai Pengfei felt a pang of gratitude toward her. He appreciated her kindness and understanding, and he knew that he could trust her.

"Thank you," he said softly. "I'm just not used to talking about myself."

Shen Xia nodded understandingly.

"I get it," she said. "It takes time to open up to someone. But just know that I'm here for you if you ever need to talk."

Dai Pengfei smiled, feeling a little more comfortable. He was glad that he had met Shen Xia, and he knew that he wanted to get to know her better.

As they finished their soup, he made a mental note to spend more time with her in the future.

After finishing their meal, Shen Xia thanked Dai Pengfei for the soup and got up to leave. Dai Pengfei walked her to the door, and as she opened it, he noticed that her door was just a few down from his own apartment.

Shen Xia's door was decorated with flowers and a basket of fruit, making Dai Pengfei think that she must have moved in recently.

"Thanks for the soup, Dai Pengfei," Shen Xia said, turning to him with a smile. "It was really delicious."

Dai Pengfei nodded, feeling a bit awkward.

"No problem, glad you liked it."

Shen Xia stepped outside, and before closing the door, she turned back to him.

"Hey, do you want to hang out sometime? Maybe show me around the city a bit? I'm still new here, and I don't know many people."

Dai Pengfei hesitated for a moment, feeling nervous about spending more time with Shen Xia.

He didn't want to come across as rude, but he also didn't know how to explain that he was still getting used to his new body and life.

"Um, I'm not sure," he said finally, feeling his cheeks flush. "I mean, I don't really know the city that well myself, and I'm not the best at socializing."

Shen Xia nodded, understandingly.

"That's okay. I just thought I'd ask. Maybe another time."

Dai Pengfei breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.

"Yeah, maybe another time."

With that, Shen Xia waved goodbye and closed the door. Dai Pengfei leaned against the wall, feeling a mix of relief and regret.

He knew he needed to start socializing and making friends, but it was going to take some time to get used to.