What If Xun Er Becomes My Sister-in-Law?

"Cough."

Fang Yi's words and Xun Er's gaze nearly made Chu Xiao choke on his tea.

Good lord, mother and son really did think alike.

"Nalan Yanran's mother was named Mu Xuan. She was from the Mu Family, a Dou Wang clan in the imperial capital, and married into the Nalan Family through an alliance. Her relationship with your aunt was nothing special," Chu Xiao explained.

This was the first time Xiao Yan had heard of it too, his face the very picture of someone eager for gossip.

Could there be some hidden story behind this?

"What do you mean, nothing special? We couldn't stand each other." Fang Yi did not hold back, her face full of displeasure. "Brother Zhan and I were childhood sweethearts, while she was bound by a marriage pact with the Mu Family. She claimed I stole her man. Ridiculous."

There really was gossip here!

Xiao Yan looked at Xiao Zhan, who awkwardly rubbed his nose.

Chu Xiao: Case solved. Nose-rubbing was hereditary too.

"That woman Mu Xuan never knew what was what. I opposed that marriage from the start, but the old men from both families insisted on joining through marriage." Fang Yi looked thoroughly displeased. "See? Such a shameful thing happened, though the outcome turned out rather well."

"It's all in the past, it's all in the past." Xiao Zhan poured Fang Yi some tea, his expression ingratiating.

Fang Yi's parents had been guards to Xiao Lin, the Xiao Family's former Dou Wang patriarch. Both were Dou Ling experts. They had been poisoned and died while fighting the Chu Yun Empire alongside Xiao Lin.

Xiao Lin had raised Fang Yi as his own daughter. Since her talent surpassed Xiao Zhan's, she received greater resources for cultivation. Later, she married Xiao Zhan and gave birth to Xiao Ding, Xiao Li, and Xiao Yan in succession.

Xiao Zhan was an only son, with one older sister—Chu Xiao's mother.

Back then, Chu Xiao's father had been an itinerant cultivator who was meant to marry into the Xiao Family. However, he died protecting the pregnant Fang Yi. Thus, Chu Xiao did not take the Xiao surname and instead followed his father's surname.

"Could Nalan Yanran's mother have been the one urging her to break off the engagement?" Xun Er guessed.

"No. Mu Xuan died on the battlefield against the Chu Yun Empire ten years ago." A trace of admiration flashed through Fang Yi's eyes. "At least in that regard, there wasn't a coward among the Mu Family."

"Perhaps because she lost her mother so young, Nalan Yanran was spoiled into becoming so willful. I even held her when she was little. She was such a cute, obedient child."

Her words left everyone silent.

Chu Xiao, meanwhile, was thinking that if not for the butterfly effect caused by his transmigration, Fang Yi would also have died from complications while giving birth to Xiao Yan.

Little Yan Zi, Nalan Yanran, Xun Er, and even Zi Yan all had fathers but no mothers.

Still, they were far better off than Xiao Yi Xian, Medusa, and Ya Fei, who had neither father nor mother.

Wait, hadn't he arrived here as an orphan too?

"Eat, eat." Seeing the mood turn heavy, Fang Yi waved a hand and changed the subject. "Your aunt's cooking may not be as good as Xiao'er's, but it's still quite good. Today is Xiao'er's birthday, so we can't have him cooking for himself."

"My wife's cooking is the best in the world." Xiao Zhan immediately picked up some food and placed it in his bowl.

A smile appeared in Fang Yi's eyes, but she feigned displeasure. "Are you saying that because you want me to cook for you forever?"

"How could that be? Even if I like it, I can't eat it too often. It depends on my wife's mood." Xiao Zhan fawned over her shamelessly.

Chu Xiao raised an eyebrow slightly and used his chopsticks to place a leg from a five-colored chicken into Xun Er's bowl. "Xun Er, eat more. This chicken was prepared with first-tier medicinal ingredients. It nourishes yin and replenishes yang."

"Thank you, Brother Chu Xiao. You should eat too." Xun Er smiled sweetly and placed some fish in Chu Xiao's bowl.

The two served each other food, occasionally meeting each other's eyes. The atmosphere was sweet.

Xiao Yan:?

Why did everyone seem to be pairing off, making me look so unnecessary?

I shouldn't be here. I should be under the table.

"Teacher, do you think I'm unnecessary?" Xiao Yan asked in his mind.

"So you're calling me Teacher now?" Yao Chen chuckled. "Weren't you going to test your teacher's strength?"

"That was only something I told my cousin." Xiao Yan felt a little embarrassed.

A soul in such a state, yet at his peak he was at least a Dou Zong—and an alchemist who looked down on sixth-tier alchemists. He was an expert beyond the level of the Jia Ma Empire. Harming him and the Xiao Family would be effortless for such a person.

Though Xiao Yan had been unwilling to spend three years as trash, his temperament had indeed been tempered. In exchange for the chance to take such an expert as his teacher, he had simply struck gold.

"You aren't unnecessary, hehe." Yao Chen stroked his beard. "You have Old Yao to keep you company."

Xiao Yan: "..."

Why did that hurt even more?

"Xiao'er, take Xun Er home."

After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, Fang Yi sent Chu Xiao and Xun Er off with a smile in her eyes.

Xiao Yan, who had been sitting on pins and needles, hurriedly rose to take his leave as well. He still wanted to chat with Chu Xiao.

"Sit down!" Fang Yi slapped the table and stared at Xiao Yan. "Your mother still has something to tell you."

Xiao Yan's legs went weak, and he sat right back down, casting Chu Xiao a pleading look.

In the past, Chu Xiao would have spoken up for him, but today he simply took Xun Er's hand and stood. He bowed to Xiao Zhan and Fang Yi. "Uncle, Aunt, Xiao'er is taking his leave."

The two smiled at each other, then left hand in hand, making Fang Yi nearly laugh aloud.

Her nephew had finally caught on. A good girl like Xun Er should be seized—how could he treat her as a little sister?

"Mother, what did you want to tell me?"

Once Chu Xiao and Xun Er had left, Xiao Yan asked eagerly.

"Sit for another cup of tea, then you can leave." Fang Yi waved dismissively.

"Huh?" Xiao Yan did not understand.

Xiao Zhan could not bear to look at his foolish son and sighed. "Your mother doesn't want you ruining things between Xiao'er and Xun Er."

"What things?" Xiao Yan asked in confusion. "Does Xiao Xun Er have that kind of ability?"

"Yan'er, you'd best get rid of your hostility toward Xun Er." Fang Yi's expression turned stern.

"Why?" Xiao Yan was unhappy.

He should have been the one closest to his cousin.

Fang Yi did not answer. Instead, she asked, "Yan'er, what would you do if Xun Er became your sister-in-law in the future?"

"Impossible!" Xiao Yan shot to his feet, unable to accept it.

If this woman became his cousin's wife, and he had to call her sister-in-law, wouldn't she have him completely under her thumb?

"Why is it impossible?" Fang Yi ladled soup for her foolish son. "Are Xun Er and Xiao'er not a good match?"

Xiao Yan: "..."

He wanted to say they obviously were not, but honestly, that woman's looks, temperament, and cultivation talent were all outstanding.

He really could not go against his conscience and say they were mismatched.

So he was already doomed to lose?

"See?" Fang Yi smiled. "Shouldn't you be a little more polite to your future sister-in-law?"

Xiao Yan: "..."

"Besides, Xiao'er has finally caught on." Fang Yi smiled. "Whenever I asked him before, he always said he only saw Xun Er as a little sister. And you little brat were even more clueless, always getting in the way."

"But today, he was much more considerate toward Xun Er. That wasn't the way an older brother felt toward a younger sister. Good, very good."

Xiao Yan: I wasn't even this upset when my engagement was broken off.

After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Chu Xiao escorted Xun Er to the entrance of her small courtyard.

The two looked at each other and spoke at the same time. "Xun Er—" "Brother Chu Xiao—"

"You go first."

"I'll go first, then."

"No, you go first."

After several identical exchanges, they suddenly both laughed.

Ling Ying: If Gu Yuan saw this, would he be pleased—or would he kill me to liven things up?