The Best Possible Outcome

The siblings returned from the rainy Rong City to the chilly Jiangbin City. They took the high-speed rail and arrived at Yali.

Yali City—or more precisely, Yali Town—was located 200 kilometers southeast of Jiangbin City.

Although it was only a small town, it had a huge ski resort.

Although November was approaching and the resort was about to open, Jiang Xiao and Han Jiangxue had no interest in skiing.

In the afternoon, Jiang Xiao and Han Jiangxue followed the address Zhang Songfu had given them and took a taxi to a somewhat rundown residential area.

Jiang Xiao and Han Jiangxue looked around. The neighborhood was fairly decent, with pharmacies, fruit and vegetable shops, and everything else one could need. The siblings found a hotel and got a standard twin room.

Of course, they could not expect much from a small-town hotel. Han Jiangxue understood what Jiang Xiao meant—he did not want her to come along.

In the hotel room, Jiang Xiao looked into the mirror and changed his appearance. He then walked out of the bathroom, looked at Han Jiangxue, and asked, "Do I look like I'm thirty?"

Han Jiangxue was clearly stunned. Jiang Xiao, who should have had a youthful face, now looked extremely mature. Was this Jiang Xiao after entering middle age?

Jiang Xiao continued, "Would I look cooler with a beard?"

As he spoke, a beard appeared above Jiang Xiao's lips, while his Little Buzz Cut transformed into short, curly hair about an inch long.

Han Jiangxue pursed her lips slightly, as if she had seen Jiang Xiao in the prime of his life. His face had changed, but his bright, piercing eyes had not.

He was no longer that ignorant, bewildered boy. After enduring grueling training day and night, taking part in battles of all sizes,