th

Seeing Chen Yang frozen in place, Senior Sister Wan inquired, "Senior Chen, do you find the amount insufficient?"

Chen Yang waved his dismissively. "No, no, not at all. I was just teasing this little one. I wouldn't dream of taking advantage of her."

Xue's eyes lit up. "I knew it! Uncle wouldn't take it!" She cheered and reached for the spirit stones.**

Ming intervened before Xue could grab them all. "Xue, wait." She turned to Chen Yang and with a swift movement, produced an empty spatial bangle. In a blink, she transferred all the spirit stones on the ground into the bangle.**

"Senior," Ming addressed Chen Yang directly, "please accept this as a token of our gratitude for your help. It would be disrespectful to decline."

Senior Sisters Wan and Li joined the persuasion effort. "Senior Chen," Wan said, "it would truly reflect poorly on us if you refused this token of our appreciation."