Wolf in Sheep's Clothing!

"I believe you." Li Mu Yang said.

Although Yan Xiangma was flamboyant in both speech and manner, he had his own depths.

That was Li Mu Yang's understanding of him.

Moreover, based on Li Mu Yang's previous contact with him, this man was not a bad person. At least, he had not seemed bad enough so far—otherwise, their first meeting would never have ended on such an intimate and friendly note.

With his identity as the City Lord's Mansion's eldest young master, what kind of expert could he not invite? What kind of thing could he not do?

Li Mu Yang had shown that he could snap Lapis Lazuli apart with one hand, but that was definitely not the real reason Yan Xiangma had retreated. Li Mu Yang did not know what a true expert was like, but he knew very well that the man beside Cui Xiaoxin who could release the light of the sun was far beyond anything he could compare with.

That was also why, when he was caught between two choices, Li Mu Yang was willing to trust Yan Xiangma with the care of his parents and family. If Li Mu Yang had held a poor opinion of him, he would never have entrusted his family to him, no matter what. He would rather not take the examination, and not go to Xifeng University.

"What?" Yan Xiangma froze for a moment, then looked at Li Mu Yang and asked, "What did you say? You believe me? You believe this isn't a laxative?"

"I believe you won't hurt my family." Li Mu Yang smiled. He split his lips into a grin, his smile carrying the clean vitality unique to young people. It was worlds apart from his previous appearance, when his eyes had been blood-red and murderous intent had filled the air. "Otherwise, I wouldn't have asked you to take care of them—"

"You didn't ask. You demanded it—" Yan Xiangma said crossly. He felt that he had performed poorly in their previous negotiation. He had clearly held the upper hand, so how had he ended up being coerced? "But I was telling the truth. This really is a laxative—no, this really is an antidote. It detoxifies. It contains Sungrass."

Li Mu Yang nodded and said, "I know. Is there any more of this medicinal soup?"

"Yes. We brewed a huge pot. Aside from our young master drinking a large bowl, the rest is still being kept warm over the fire." Li Da Lu added.

"—" Yan Xiangma stared at Li Da Lu with boundless sorrow. Damn, are you a hereditary master of twisting the knife?

"Thank you." Li Mu Yang thanked Li Da Lu, then went into the kitchen and filled two bowls with medicinal soup. He fed one bowl to his father and carried the other to Li Sinian.

Li Sinian shook her head frantically and said, "I'm not drinking it. It's black and bitter, and I'll—I'll get diarrhea."

"You have to drink it." Li Mu Yang looked at her with immense tenderness, his voice gentle. "You still have Smoke Barrier Poison in your body. You have to expel it. Otherwise, it won't be good for your health—even if it doesn't threaten your life now, who knows what harmful effects it might have on your internal organs?"

Li Sinian continued shaking her head. She hated bitter things most of all.

So Li Mu Yang pinched her nose and forcibly poured the bowl of medicinal soup down her throat.

After drinking it, Li Sinian covered her mouth and wailed, angrily saying, "Li Mu Yang, you're awful! It's so bitter, so bitter—"

Li Mu Yang set the empty bowl aside and said, "If I were you, I'd return to my room immediately."

Li Sinian was clever as ice and snow. After glancing at Yan Xiangma, she immediately got up and ran toward her room.

Li Mu Yang shook his head and chuckled softly. This younger sister of his truly was dear to him to the very marrow of his bones.

Yan Xiangma stared blankly at Li Sinian's retreating figure. It took quite some time for him to recover before he walked over to Li Mu Yang and asked, "Li Mu Yang, is Sinian your younger sister?"

"Yes." Li Mu Yang nodded. Seeing the look of anticipation all over Yan Xiangma's face, he watched him warily and asked, "Why are you asking?"

"You two aren't blood siblings, are you?" Yan Xiangma said.

Hearing this, Li Yan, who was drinking medicinal soup, nearly choked to death.

He glared furiously at Yan Xiangma and shouted, "Yan Xiangma, what are you talking about? Li Mu Yang and Li Sinian share the same mother. They're as blood-related as siblings can possibly be! If you don't know anything, don't spout nonsense—"

Yan Xiangma smiled and apologized to Li Yan, saying, "I didn't mean to say that. I just thought—I just thought Li Mu Yang and Li Sinian looked too different."

He sized up Li Mu Yang seriously and said, "And I'm not the only one who thinks so. If the two of them went out together—"

"They'd be siblings wherever they went." Li Yan cut him off without the slightest courtesy.

Li Mu Yang glanced at Yan Xiangma, signaling for him to drop the subject. He knew his father disliked hearing others question whether he and Li Sinian were truly siblings. When they were young and went out together, whenever people heard that the delicate, doll-like little girl following behind him was his younger sister, they would begin wondering whether Li Sinian had been adopted from outside. Whenever that happened, his father's mood became especially foul. Their mother, on the other hand, was gentler, smiling as she explained that her eldest son's health was so poor because he had suffered an illness when he was young.

Li Yan had the physique of a martial artist. Although his cultivation was not high, years of diligent training had made him stronger than ordinary people. Li Sinian had begun practicing the Body-Breaking Technique under her master when she was very young. She did not look particularly hardworking, but with her long-term persistence and considerable intelligence, she had still developed a decent foundation.

Luo Qi's constitution was the weakest, and she was also the last to awaken.

The first thing she did upon opening her eyes was search for Li Mu Yang. When she saw him standing unharmed beside her, her eyes reddened, and she rushed over, hugging him as she said, "Mu Yang, are you all right? Are you hurt anywhere? What about that bad man—where did he run off to? What about your father and your sister? Are they all right?"

"Mom, they're all fine." Li Mu Yang hugged his mother tightly and said with a smile, "Dad and my sister are fine too. Everyone in our family is fine."

"That's wonderful. Truly wonderful—" Tears filled Luo Qi's eyes as she held tightly to Li Mu Yang and refused to let go.

Only after experiencing life and death could one truly understand how precious life was.

After comforting his mother and having her drink a bowl of detoxifying medicinal soup as well, Li Mu Yang finally finished settling the entire family.

Li Mu Yang walked over to Yan Xiangma and said gratefully, "Young Master Yan, thank you for taking care of my family this time. I'll remember this favor. If I ever have the chance, I'll repay you with all my heart—"

"You're too polite. Too polite." Yan Xiangma waved his hands with a smile and said, "We're all young people, and you're my Cousin Xiao Xin's classmate, so we're all family. Don't keep calling me Young Master Yan. That title is for outsiders—you can call me Cousin as before."

"All right, Cousin—"

"That's more like it. Oh, right, I'll go upstairs and see how Sinian is doing. After drinking the medicine, she'll probably have an upset stomach for a while. I still have some Daoist medicinal pills here—"

Before Yan Xiangma could finish, he started running upstairs.

"Yan Xiangma, stop right there—" Li Mu Yang shouted from behind him.

"I just want to go take a look—"

"No." Li Mu Yang blocked Yan Xiangma with an utterly domineering stance.

"Can't I at least stand at the door and express my concern?"

"No."

"I helped you earlier—"

"I said I would repay you."

"Can't I collect a little interest first?"

"No."

"Li Mu Yang, you're heartless and ungrateful—"

"Yan Xiangma, you're greedy and lustful—"

—

Cui Xiaoxin pushed open the main gate and entered the courtyard, just as Li Mu Yang and Yan Xiangma were glaring at each other, each refusing to yield.

Her long eyelashes fluttered. The corners of her lips curved upward slightly, blooming into a sweet and alluring arc as she said, "Did I walk into a zoo?"

"—"