"Aunt Lisa, stay strong!" Lilly reassured anxiously.
While Lilly wasn't entirely certain about the specific side effects of using the Passionate Top-Up Ointment, she knew her father had successfully managed the side effects through closed-door cultivation before. She pondered whether the same approach could alleviate the side effects this time.
Lisa didn't hide her emotions as most people would. She blurted out, "I'm experiencing a burning sensation in my stomach, and I feel the need to run six miles."
Her idea of running six miles wasn't quite the same as Lilly's understanding. Anthony always likened it to feeling like running two miles, not causing fatigue at all. So, Lisa would insist, "Then, it must be like running six miles."
Lilly took Lisa's words literally and suggested, "Aunt Lisa, why don't you go out and run six miles for real?"
"Huh?" Lisa glanced outside, confused. "Run out here? Are you sure?"
Lilly nodded confidently. "Yes! This area is safe, with no dangerous beasts around. It's the witch clan's territory."
Lisa stood up and said, "Alright! But Anthony isn't here. How am I supposed to run?"
Scratching her head, Lilly asked, "Aunt Lisa, do you want someone to accompany you?" She sensed that Lisa might be missing Anthony, considering him even while running. This realization tugged at her heart.
Lisa thought, Running with Anthony would count as wanting company, right? She nodded and said, "Yes!"
Lilly set aside what she was holding and proposed, "In that case, I'll join you for a run!"
Lisa looked stunned. Her mind took a moment to process, and then her face filled with horror. "No, Lilly, no! I can't run with you!"
Lilly was puzzled by Lisa's reaction.
Meanwhile, Ivan glanced at the Passionate Top-Up Ointment. He contemplated Lilly's revelation about her parents beating her. He was still trying to grasp the situation when Lisa mentioned feeling a burning sensation, expressing a desire to run six miles, and insisting on running with Anthony.
It wasn't until Lilly volunteered to run with Lisa, who appeared terrified, that he started to connect the dots. His ears turned red as he began to comprehend. Struggling to maintain composure, he spoke casually, "Aunt Lisa might not mean it that way."
Lilly asked, "Then, what does she mean?"
He found himself at a loss for words. Despite attempting to speak, a million thoughts swirled in his mind, leaving him unable to articulate a single word. "You… you should let her run on her own at this moment," he stammered. "Right now, there's nothing we can do..."
Lilly looked perplexed.
Lisa, equally confused, questioned, "How can I run on my own?"
Ivan's mind buzzed, and he coughed, reminding himself to stay calm. He stated coldly, "This run is unlike your usual ones. Just go out, run around, and that's it."
Lisa finally grasped the meaning behind his words. "Oh, I see," she responded.
In the witch clan village, everyone observed a woman wrapped in bandages sprinting frantically from one end to the other and then back again. As she raced, she hollered, "Yo ho ho!"
"Yo ho ho!"
The descendants of the witch clan exchanged puzzled glances, trying to make sense of the unexpected spectacle.
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