Zhou Family.

“It’s so late, why haven’t you gone to bed yet?” Zhou Kanghe walked into the room and casually asked Sun Miaoyin.

“Miaomiao sent me a message. Today, Xiao Jingting and Xiao Qingyan’s sons fought with each other,” Sun Miaoyin said.

“I heard about it.” The four great families all had spies in each other’s houses; whenever something happened in one family, the other three knew immediately.

“The most outstanding person in the Xiao family’s second branch has always been Xiao Qingyan. But now, both Xiao Jingfeng and Xiao Jingting have reached the fifth level of Qi Refining. Xiao Qingyan is at a disadvantage both in cultivation and in age. If Xiao Jingting and Xiao Jingfeng have plans to join forces, Xiao Qingyan’s position is on shaky ground!” Zhou Kanghe smiled.

“This time, after coming back, Xiao Jingting really seems to have turned over a new leaf,” Sun Miaomiao said.

Xiao Jingting used to listen to everything Miaomiao said. Now, from what she had heard, not only was he cold toward Miaomiao, there even seemed to be hatred.

“Exactly. I never realized in the past that this Third Young Master Xiao was such a person. We really can’t underestimate him in the future. Xiao Jingting helped Xiao Jingfeng when he was down and out. Xiao Jingfeng is a straightforward person and is now very close with Xiao Jingting.”

When Zhou Kanghe mentioned Xiao Jingfeng, Sun Miaoyin felt a bit complicated. Sun Miaoyin’s engagement with Xiao Jingfeng had been arranged long ago, but as she grew up, she became very dissatisfied with the arrangement. Because of her own outstanding cultivation talent, the Sun family even regretted hastily setting up the betrothal back then.

After Xiao Jingfeng’s parents “died,” the Sun family took the chance to break off the engagement.

After the engagement was broken, Sun Miaoyin was relieved. She had thought that Xiao Jingfeng would be depressed for a while after losing her, but she soon heard that before the engagement was broken, Xiao Jingfeng had already gotten involved with someone named Mu Shuyu, and that Mu Shuyu already had Xiao Jingfeng’s child at that time.

Knowing about Xiao Jingfeng and Mu Shuyu, Sun Miaomiao felt very uncomfortable.

She had also heard that Mu Shuyu’s abilities were good and her cultivation was the same as hers—both at the fifth level of Qi Refining—which made her feel even more uncomfortable.

……

Early the next morning, Xiao Jingting’s family left the house.

Xiao Jingting invited Xiao Jingfeng and Mu Shuyu along. Although Xiao Jingfeng felt it wasn’t quite right to go out for a stroll right after Xiao Xiaofan had smashed Xiao Yuerong, he could not resist the eager looks from Xiao Xiaofan and Xiao Xiaodong, so he agreed.

Xiao Xiaofan had never really gone out shopping before. When he saw the bustling streets, he was dazzled by all the strange and wonderful things, and Xiao Xiaodong curiously looked around everywhere.

When Xiao Jingting came back to Mo City, he had already sold off his fields and houses in Tuqiu Village, and had kept some money left. His finances were generous, so he bought everything Xiao Xiaofan liked.

Xu Muan watched Xiao Jingting spend money like water and said helplessly, “Don’t spoil him—let him do whatever he wants, you’ll get him used to it.”

Xiao Jingting smiled and said, “Xiaofan is still young. This is the age for fun and play.”

Xu Muan smiled and didn’t try to dissuade him further. Since Xiao Xiaofan was born, he had suffered a lot, and Xu Muan always felt guilty toward Xiao Xiaofan.

Xiao Xiaodong wore a sour face, dismissing the toys that Xiao Xiaofan picked, but deep down there was a hint of envy in his eyes.

Xiao Jingting looked at Xiao Xiaodong and said, “Xiaodong, is there anything you want?”

Xiao Xiaodong put his hands behind his back, stood stiffly, and said proudly, “I haven’t played with toys in a long time.”

Xiao Xiaofan looked at Xiao Xiaodong in surprise and said, “Brother, did you use to have toys? Why didn’t I know? You must have played with them in secret.”

Xiao Xiaodong exploded and glared at Xiao Xiaofan. “Idiot.”

“Brother, don’t call me names. I wasn’t stupid, but you keep calling me stupid until I feel like one.” Xiao Xiaofan said, feeling aggrieved.

Xiao Xiaodong: “……”

After getting up in the morning, Xiao Qingyan felt unwilling to accept things as they were. He wanted to go find Xiao Jingting to settle things, but heard that Xiao Jingting took his family out shopping, and almost fainted with anger.

……

Xiao Jingting and Xiao Jingfeng found a restaurant and sat down.

Sitting in a restaurant in Mo City again felt unreal to Xiao Jingfeng, like a lifetime had passed.

Looking at the menu, Xiao Xiaofan ordered one dish after another.

Xu Muan looked at Xiao Jingting and said, “You ordered so much food, we can’t finish it.”

Xiao Jingting didn’t mind and said, “What’s the matter? It’s not every day we get to indulge like this, and it’s our son’s first time here. He should eat his fill.”

Xu Muan smiled, “Alright, then.”

Mu Shuyu said casually, “I haven’t eaten at a big restaurant in a long time. Last time, it was after the mercenary team… we did a big job and celebrated.” Mu Shuyu stopped in the middle of her sentence and looked apologetically at Xiao Jingfeng.

Xiao Jingfeng held Mu Shuyu’s hand and said, “You’ve gotten so thin. When the food comes, you have to eat more.”

Mu Shuyu said helplessly, “Where am I thin? You’re just talking nonsense.”

Xiao Xiaofu in Mu Shuyu’s arms yawned out of boredom.

After ordering, Xiao Xiaofan excitedly looked around.

The dishes were served quickly, and soon the table was full of all kinds of food.

Mu Shuyu picked up a spoon to feed Xiao Xiaofu some egg custard. Seeing Mu Shuyu busy with the child and unable to eat, Xiao Jingfeng picked up a dumpling and brought it to her mouth. “Try this, the dumplings are very good.”

Mu Shuyu’s face turned red. She felt a bit embarrassed, but didn’t refuse.

…………

“Master Zhou, Madam Zhou, please this way.” The waiter led two guests upstairs.

Xiao Jingting looked at the two newcomers, and a touch of interest flashed in his eyes. They were old acquaintances: Zhou Kanghe and Sun Miaoyin.

Xiao Jingfeng glanced indifferently at the two and, keeping his usual composure, picked up a bowl of sweet dumplings and offered it to Mu Shuyu. “Shuyu, these sweet dumplings taste good. Try one.”

Mu Shuyu smiled awkwardly and swallowed one down.

Seeing the loving scene between Xiao Jingfeng and Mu Shuyu, Sun Miaoyin felt as if she had swallowed a fly.

Zhou Kanghe smiled at Xiao Jingting and Xiao Jingfeng and said, “Both of you, it’s been a long time.”

“It has indeed, Young Master Zhou.”

“Xiao Jingfeng, is this your wife?” Zhou Kanghe looked at Mu Shuyu sitting next to Xiao Jingfeng and asked.

Xiao Jingfeng nodded, “Yes.”

“And this is your son, right? He’s really cute and already so big.” Zhou Kanghe looked at the child in Mu Shuyu’s arms.

“Almost three months old.” Knowing Zhou Kanghe was probing, Xiao Jingfeng answered openly.

“You and your wife must have known each other for a while,” Zhou Kanghe said.

Xiao Jingfeng nodded and gazed at Mu Shuyu affectionately. “Yes. We met in the mercenary team—I saved her life, and she saved mine. We’re what you’d call a couple forged through hardship.”

Sun Miaoyin’s face turned red from being stumped. When Xiao Jingfeng’s engagement was broken off, some people had felt sorry for him, thinking he had lost a beautiful fiancée for a low-born dancer, and assumed he must be lonely and miserable.

Who could have guessed that, not even a year later, Xiao Jingfeng would return not only with a wife, but also a child.

Now some said Xiao Jingfeng was worthless, having an engagement with Miss Sun yet fooling around until he even had a child—truly outrageous.

Those who delighted in the misfortune said that Sun Miaoyin was no great catch anyway, that Xiao Jingfeng didn’t care for her, and that breaking off the engagement was exactly what he wanted. No matter how talented Lady Sun was, in Xiao Jingfeng’s eyes, she couldn’t compare to a “shuang’er” (a man with a feminine appearance).

“Young Master Zhou, you brought your wife here for a meal? The food here is very good,” Xiao Jingting said lazily.

Xiao Xiaofan looked at Xiao Jingting and said, “Dad, you finished all the sweet dumplings—leave me a couple!”

Xiao Jingting knocked Xiao Xiaofan on the head and said, “Don’t be picky, there’s plenty of other food.”

Xiao Xiaofan glared at his father in dissatisfaction, but in the end, he accepted the suggestion.

Zhou Kanghe said to Xiao Jingting, “As the saying goes, you have to treat someone with new eyes after just three days apart—you really have changed a lot, Third Young Master Xiao. I didn’t expect you to reach the fifth level of Qi Refining so quickly. At your age, your big brother was only at level four. With your talent, if you wanted to enter Bifeng Academy, I suppose you’d have no trouble.”

Xiao Jingting smiled and said, “I just had good luck. How can I compare with Young Master Zhou, who’s solidly at level six Qi Refining? I’m already past the age for Bifeng Academy, so I dare not dream of joining.”

“That’s a pity. If you had taken the Bifeng Academy exam a few years earlier, you might be at level six now, with your talent getting nurtured there.” Zhou Kanghe said.

Xiao Jingting smiled, “You jest. If reaching level six Qi Refining were that easy, the streets would be filled with them.”

After exchanging pleasantries, Zhou Kanghe and Sun Miaoyin left. Xiao Jingting watched their retreating backs, a glint flickering in his eyes.

Sun Miaoyin turned back and looked at Xiao Jingfeng a couple more times.

…………

Xiao Family.

“Cousin Qingyan, you didn’t go out today?”

Xiao Qingyan glanced at Xiao Muhong and asked, “Go out? Where would I go?”

Xiao Muhong answered as if by chance, “Jingfeng and Jingting left early this morning to go shopping and didn’t invite you? I thought, since they’d both come back, the three of you brothers would get together and catch up.”

Xiao Qingyan glanced coldly at Xiao Muhong and said, “You seem to know a lot about our family.”

Xiao Muhong smiled, “I just happened to see. How’s Yuerong?”

“He’s fine now,” Xiao Qingyan said.

Xiao Muhong seemed to let out a sigh of relief. “That’s good. When are you going back to the Academy? When you leave, your wife and child will have a hard time at home, being outnumbered.”

“That’s my business. Why do you care? You’d better watch your wife—I think she still has lingering feelings for my third brother. My third brother isn’t what he used to be. I saw the two of them together in the corridor last night, alone in the dark, and who knows what they said.” Xiao Qingyan said sarcastically.

Xiao Muhong’s face instantly darkened. Xiao Qingyan sneered. Back when the news of his parents’ deaths spread, Xiao Muhong had certainly worked against him—now acting all brotherly was just disgusting. Xiao Qingyan turned and walked toward his own villa.

Xiao Qingyan took a deep breath. Of course he knew why Xiao Muhong said that: he was trying to instigate conflict between him and his two brothers. But even knowing it, Xiao Qingyan still couldn’t help being angry. Xiao Jingting and Xiao Jingfeng had indeed joined forces now. The two of them simply didn’t take their big brother seriously anymore.

Xiao Muhong looked at Xiao Qingyan’s retreating back and couldn’t help clenching his fists.

After marrying him, Sun Miaomiao had become much more understanding, but deep down, Sun Miaomiao was still a strong-willed woman who admired the powerful.

Xiao Jingting’s transformation gave Sun Miaomiao quite a shock. Although she still acted as understanding as ever toward him, whenever Xiao Jingting was mentioned, she’d always lose herself in thought.

Xiao Muhong thought to himself: Men and women are the same—what they can’t get is always the best.

 

 

Edited by: Tetsu

Proofreader: Taalia

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