What can he do? Spit on me?

"Then why are you telling me this now..."

Dugu Yan bit her lip and asked somewhat uncertainly, "Isn't this also part of your plan? To make me... develop feelings for you? Or let my guard down?"

"Heh."

Xuan Hao couldn't help but chuckle, reaching out to poke her forehead. "You can doubt me, but it's best not to say it out loud."

"Why?"

"Because it'll make you sound stupid."

"You--!" Dugu Yan angrily slapped his hand away. "You brat! Don't you feel uncomfortable if you don't insult me?!"

"As for whether it's a scheme, that's not important," Xuan Hao retracted his hand, unconcerned. "What's important is that you've grown a brain. You know to doubt, you know to be defensive, and you're even starting to think about my motives. You're no longer that naive sweet girl who only knew how to charge ahead relying on her grandfather's name."

"That's the main point."

"Congratulations, Miss Dugu, you've grown up."

"..."

Dugu Yan's face was a mess of black lines. She felt her fists clench again.

This jerk!

He was calling her brainless in a roundabout way!

"Grown up?" Dugu Yan puffed out her chest and said irritably, "Aren't I much older than you? I'm thirteen this year! How old are you? Eight? Nine?"

"Growing older without growing a brain, what's the use?" Xuan Hao retorted mercilessly. "Some people live to be eighty and are still overgrown babies, while some can outsmart a group of old foxes at the age of eight."

"You, you've been protected too well by your grandfather and praised too highly by those around you."

"Because Dugu Bo is here, no one dares to harm you, and no one even dares to speak harshly to you. So you think the world is like this, black and white, and that everything can be solved just by stating your name."

"But have you ever thought, can your grandfather protect you forever?"

"Titled Douluo will also die, will also grow old. If one day he's no longer here, or if he can no longer protect you, how will you fight against those power-hungry nobles and strong individuals who devour people without spitting out bones?"

"Like being kidnapped by me today. If I were truly a ruthless villain, what do you think your fate would be now?"

"Can your pitiful pride and temper save you?"

Dugu Yan fell silent.

She looked at Xuan Hao, feeling a deep chill for the first time.

That's right.

If Xuan Hao had truly wanted to kill her today, or had ill intentions towards her... she would have had no ability to resist at all.

And her proud grandfather was even still on his way.

Although Grandpa was strong, he was still only one person. Facing the exploitation of the royal family and the calculations of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, he could only passively accept.

"The brain that needs to grow must grow, and the losses that need to be taken must be taken."

Xuan Hao sighed, his gaze shifting to Na'er, who was obediently eating nearby. "Na'er is the same."

"Ah?"

Na'er, who was wrestling with a large chicken leg, was suddenly called out. She looked up blankly, sauce smeared around her mouth. "Brother?"

"Brother will protect me," Na'er said with wide, innocent eyes. "Brother said that as long as you're here, no one can bully me."

"You can now, but not necessarily in the future."

Xuan Hao took out a tissue and gently wiped her mouth. His movements were tender, but his tone was somewhat serious:

"Na'er, you must remember. The weather is unpredictable, and fortune and misfortune are unpredictable for people."

"Maybe one day I'll be struck by lightning when I go out, or I'll run into an enemy I can't defeat and die."

"At that time, if I'm gone, what will you do?"

The chicken leg in Na'er's hand fell onto the plate with a "thud."

Her small face instantly turned pale, tears welled up in her eyes, and her small hands tightly gripped Xuan Hao's sleeve, her voice trembling.

"Brother... where are you going? Don't you want Na'er anymore?"

"Silly girl, Brother didn't say I was leaving, I was just using it as an example."

Xuan Hao rubbed her head and whispered, "In this world, no one can't live without someone else, and no one should be unable to live without someone else."

"In the end, the path must be walked by oneself."

"Knock, knock, knock!"

The heavy knocking broke the silence in the room.

"I'll get the door!"

Na'er jumped off the sofa and trotted to the door, standing on her tiptoes to open it.

Outside the door stood a group of important figures with grim expressions and imposing auras.

Leading them was the Poison Douluo, Dugu Bo, clad in a green robe. Following him were Prince Xue Xing, Ning Fengzhi, Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, and Sword Douluo, Chen Xin.

They had already prepared for the worst, even readying their negotiation tactics and their resolve to fight.

However, the moment the door opened, everyone froze.

Inside the room, there wasn't the tense atmosphere of a standoff they had imagined, nor the tragic scene of Dugu Yan bound and crying for help.

Instead, the situation was... a bit bizarre.

Xuan Hao was sprawled on the thick Persian carpet like a lord, and behind him, Dugu Yan, who should have been the "victim," was kneeling on the floor, looking reluctant but diligently massaging Xuan Hao's shoulders.

After opening the door, Na'er skipped back inside, took off her shoes, and jumped directly onto Xuan Hao's back, giggling as she stepped on him.

The scene was so heartwarming it looked like three siblings playing.

"..."

The group at the door turned to stone.

Dugu Bo rubbed his eyes, even suspecting he was hallucinating from worry.

"Yan Yan?!"

Dugu Yan's hands paused. She looked up and saw the important figures at the door. A flicker of panic flashed in her eyes, but she quickly switched to a confused expression, following Xuan Hao's previous script:

"Grandpa? What are you all doing here?"

"This..."

Dugu Bo was taken aback by her question. He pointed at Dugu Yan, then at Xuan Hao, and stammered, "Didn't... didn't you say this kid kidnapped you?"

"Kidnapped?" Dugu Yan rolled her eyes and pointed at Xuan Hao, who was still sprawled on the floor. "Him? Kidnap me?"

"Grandpa, look at his age. Besides, when we left the academy, didn't we leave a message? Saying we were at the Heaven Dou Royal Hotel. What kidnapper announces their location? And stays in a hotel right under the royal family's nose? Is that kidnapping or suicide?"

"Then... what is this?" Dugu Bo pointed at her shoulder-massaging action, his voice trembling slightly.

"Oh, a bet's a bet." Dugu Yan pouted, looking like a sore loser. "I sparred with him this afternoon and lost. According to our bet, I have to be his... cough... nanny for the night."

"It's not a big deal anyway, so I'll just accept my loss."

Dugu Bo: "..."

Prince Xue Xing: "..."

Ning Fengzhi: "..."

Everyone felt their brains couldn't keep up.

Especially Prince Xue Xing, who had emphatically told Dugu Bo that his granddaughter had been kidnapped. How was he going to salvage this situation?

"Ahem."

Ning Fengzhi, being the astute person he was, although caught off guard by the sudden turn of events, quickly recovered. He cleared his throat twice, attempting to break the awkward atmosphere:

"It seems... it was indeed a misunderstanding."

"We received information that extremely dangerous individuals had infiltrated the hotel, and we were concerned for everyone's safety, especially Miss Dugu's, which is why we, along with the royal family, rushed over late at night to check the situation."

"Dangerous individuals?" Xuan Hao had also sat up by now, pulling Na'er into his embrace. He looked at Ning Fengzhi with a half-smile, "Sect Master Ning, are you referring to me when you say 'dangerous individuals'?"

"This..." Ning Fengzhi was speechless. The soothing words and negotiation tactics he had prepared were all stuck in his throat.

The person involved said they were fine, what else could he say? "No, you're the kidnapper, hand over the hostage"?

That would be insane.

"How could that be?" Xue Qinghe also stepped forward at the opportune moment, a gentle smile on his face. "We were concerned for this young brother's safety. After all, Heaven Dou City is a mixed bag, and it wouldn't be good if some ignorant folk bumped into you."

"Oh, I see." Xuan Hao nodded, looking as if he suddenly understood. "Then I truly appreciate your concern. However... weren't you done blocking the door this morning? And now you bring so many people here late at night to worry about me? I'm truly flattered."

His words were laced with sarcasm, but the people present were all shrewd enough to understand the mockery.

"Um... Yan Yan, you really weren't threatened?" Dugu Bo was still worried, his gaze suspiciously fixed on Dugu Yan. "If this kid dared to threaten you, just say the word! With Grandpa here, no one can touch you!"

"Oh, Grandpa!"

Dugu Yan stomped her foot, saying impatiently, "I already told you it was a bet! Why don't you believe me? Besides, look at his age, what could he possibly threaten me with?"

"Alright, alright, since everything's fine, you should take your people and leave. It's so noisy this late at night."

"Yan Yan." Dugu Bo's face darkened as he took a step forward. "Since you're fine, come back with Grandpa. What are you doing out so late at night?"

"No, what's wrong with being out late at night? Could he possibly have improper intentions towards me?" Dugu Yan was exasperated.

"And even if he did have those thoughts, what could he do?"

"Make me spit?"

"???"

Xuan Hao looked utterly bewildered.

What kind of suggestive words were those?