Over the next few days, Myriad Dreams was genuinely bewildered by the overly frequent concern shown by her two mothers.
Her phone chimed punctually almost every day, with the content always going something like this:
Brilliant Radiance: "Myriad, are you tired from training today? How does your waist feel? Any soreness or aching?"
Swift Stride: "How is your sleep quality? Do you feel like you're lacking energy? You absolutely mustn't push yourself too hard!"
While chewing gum, Myriad Dreams always replied honestly:
Myraid Dreams: I'm really resting well, not tired at all! My training volume is within the normal range, my waist is fine, and I'm bursting with energy!
She even hopped in place a few times to prove she was in peak condition.
She truly couldn't understand why her mothers were suddenly so focused on her "fatigue levels" and "waist health."
Then, one day, Brilliant Radiance told her mysteriously:
"Myriad, your mother and I pulled some strings to get some 'premium goods' from the Changbai Mountains. We've handpicked several gifts and sent them to you! They should arrive soon, so remember to check for them!"
"Gifts?" Myriad Dreams' curiosity was instantly piqued.
'Is it limited edition gum? Or a new game cartridge?'
She waited for two days with high expectations.
Sure enough, a large, heavy package was delivered to her dorm.
Excitedly, she and Yaeno Muteki hauled it inside.
"Myriad, what's this?" Yaeno Muteki asked, looking at the substantial box with some confusion.
"Gifts from my moms!" Myriad Dreams' eyes sparkled as she began unboxing it.
"I wonder what's inside? Could it be a giant gift pack of my favorite brand of gum?"
Yaeno Muteki looked at her innocent, expectant face and smiled helplessly, reaching out to rub her head.
"You... can you fit something else in that head of yours besides gum and racing?"
The box was opened, revealing a pile of cushioning material packed to the brim.
Myriad Dreams impatiently pushed aside the filler, and the first thing that caught her eye was a beautifully packaged bag of dark red berries—
"Goji berries?"
Next was a high-grade ginseng with clearly defined rootlets.
Then, carefully wrapped slices of velvet antler...
As she continued to rummage, she found the box was filled with a dazzling array of traditional supplements. Almost everything one could think of for strengthening the body.
There were even some medicinal herbs she couldn't name but could tell were incredibly expensive at a glance.
Myriad Dreams picked up a bag of goji berries and tilted her head, her face a giant question mark.
"Eh? Aren't these all body supplements? Why did my moms send me these? I don't need a major health boost..."
Being in the prime of her youth and full of stamina, she really couldn't grasp this display of affection.
However, Yaeno Muteki, standing beside her, froze for a moment as she looked at this entire crate of supplies.
It was as if she understood everything in an instant, two clouds of red uncontrollably drifted onto her fair cheeks.
'A-Aunts... is this... tacit approval? They've even... provided "logistical support"?'
Looking at Myriad's face of pure, oblivious innocence, Muteki felt a mix of amusement and a secret sense of sweetness rising in her heart.
She cleared her throat, suppressing the flutter in her chest.
She reached out to take the goji berries and a few slices of ginseng, her tone carrying a trace of subtle tenderness and resolve:
"Since these are from your mothers, we shouldn't let them go to waste." She walked toward the electric kettle.
"Myriad, let me brew a cup of 'special' wellness tea for you. It's good for your body."
Just as Muteki was preparing to show off her skills and carry out the "elders' expectations," the dorm door swung open with a clatter.
Seiun Sky's energetic voice drifted in:
"Myriad! Muteki! Let's go... Whoa! Are you guys opening a traditional pharmacy?"
She leaned in curiously, looking at the table full of supplements.
Her eyes darted around, and she immediately broke into a mischievous grin. "Oh~ I get it~"
Myriad Dreams: "???"
'What do these gifts mean? And Sky, why do you look like you understand everything too?!'
She watched her two friends— one seriously brewing herbal tea and the other rolling up her sleeves to study medicinal soup recipes— then looked back at the table of herb-scented gifts.
She felt as though she had fallen into a strange mystery where everyone understood the situation except for her.
It seemed that the storm ignited by parental love had only just begun...