Why Do I Feel Something's Off?

"Sect Master, word has arrived from Suotuo City, along with a letter from the young miss."

Within the inner grounds of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect stood an ornate little building. In its simple yet elegant study, a refined man dressed in a blue casual robe sat at his desk handling official business.

By the nearby window, two white-haired old men, one in blue and one in black, were engrossed in a game of Go.

"Did they mention anything besides the letter?" Ning Fengzhi slowly set down his brush and looked pleasantly at the black-clad shadow guard who had just entered to report.

"Reporting to Sect Master. They said the young miss encountered Boss Tang of the Great Tang Merchant Guild. The two had a pleasant conversation, and the young miss successfully registered at Soto Soul Master Academy.

"As for the other details, they are all written in the letter." The shadow guard remained kneeling on one knee, answering swiftly and respectfully.

"Good. Present the letter, then you may leave." Ning Fengzhi nodded to show that he understood, then waved him away.

After the shadow guard had gone far enough, Ning Fengzhi looked up at the two men who were bickering and chuckled as he tapped the envelope on the table. "Uncle Sword, Uncle Bone, come take a look together. That way, neither of you will argue with me over who gets to read it first."

Bone Douluo Gu Rong immediately tossed down his chess piece and strode away from the window. Sword Douluo Chen Xin also hurriedly set aside the game and walked over.

The three grown men crowded around the desk, eagerly opening their little princess's letter first. Before long, they were laughing heartily at what it described.

"Fengzhi, who would have thought that you had less pull with Boss Tang than our Rongrong? No wonder Rongrong wrote to show off!" Bone Douluo laughed as he patted Ning Fengzhi on the shoulder, his face full of teasing amusement.

"They're about the same age, so they naturally have more to talk about together. Besides, Rongrong has always had a good personality. Of course they get along." Sword Douluo patted Ning Fengzhi's other shoulder as if consoling him, smiling until his eyes narrowed.

Ning Fengzhi held the letter, delighted for his precious daughter while inwardly sighing that the girl was far too mischievous and always thinking of ways to poke fun at her father.

Bone Douluo and Sword Douluo caught sight of his expression and, long accustomed to it, ignored him as they opened the other letter. Ning Fengzhi immediately abandoned his inner dramatics and hurried over to look.

"I see. It seems I should prepare a proper gift and visit the Great Tang Merchant Guild to offer my thanks." Ning Fengzhi let out a long sigh as he read the detailed account in the letter.

"Exactly! If not for Boss Tang, our Rongrong would have suffered at the hands of that school that appeared out of nowhere!" Bone Douluo nodded in agreement.

They truly needed to thank them properly. Who could have imagined that such a school existed in Suotuo City?

"I'll make the trip myself, thank them in person, and take a look at that academy while I'm there." After pondering for a moment, Sword Douluo looked up at the other two. Ning Fengzhi exchanged a glance with Bone Douluo, and both nodded in agreement.

Thus, Ning Rongrong, who was currently lingering at Tang Estate in Suotuo City and refusing to leave, had no idea that her Sword Grandfather was already coming for her.

"Fine. Then you can stay in the side room on the west wing, all right?" Tang Ling helplessly nodded at the little girl throwing a tantrum before her.

She silently sighed in relief. Fortunately, not all the side rooms beside the main residence had been turned into studies. Steward Roger truly deserved his reputation as a top-tier steward—he had even anticipated the possibility of female guests visiting.

Roger: Deeply concealing his merits and fame!

"As long as I can stay with Sister, I can sleep anywhere!" Ning Rongrong clung to Tang Ling, speaking with a bright grin.

Across from the affectionate pair sat Xue Qingxi, his face full of curiosity, and Tang San, whose expression was frosty.

"Rongrong, go arrange your room with the servants first. We'll be eating soon." Tang Ling glanced at Tang San's dark expression and smiled as she coaxed the little girl hanging off her away.

At the sight of that smile so close to her, Ning Rongrong nodded dazedly, then eagerly ran out the door.

"How fascinating. I never expected Teacher to like this sort of personality." Xue Qingxi watched the little girl's skipping figure retreat, then turned to Tang Ling with shining eyes.

Tang Ling shot him a sidelong glance and crushed his restless idea at once. "Don't imitate her. She's innocent and adorable. If you did it, you'd just look foolish!"

Xue Qingxi did not take the rebuke to heart. He chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "I understand, Teacher. Then should we postpone our trip to the Star Dou Great Forest?"

"We can't postpone it. Someone from the Ning family will arrive soon. A Titled Douluo travels very quickly." Tang Ling looked at him approvingly before shaking her head.

Xue Qingxi nodded in understanding. Then, seeing the even lower pressure radiating from the person beside him, he quietly shut his mouth.

"A-Xuan will always come first with Senior Sister. How could Senior Sister delay A-Xuan's matters because of anyone else?" Tang Ling shifted her chair closer and patted Tang San's hand with a smile.

Tang San turned to look at her, the tips of his ears bright red. "I know, Senior Sister, but she keeps clinging to you. I've never even done that."

"Then shall Senior Sister only let A-Xuan cling to her? All right?" Tang Ling coaxed him gently, then lowered her voice. "She has the best support-type martial soul on the entire continent. Doesn't A-Xuan want someone that talented by Senior Sister's side?"

"Of course I do!" Tang San's eyes sparkled as he blinked, then he muttered awkwardly in a quiet voice, "

"I know her martial soul is the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, and that she'll be very useful to Senior Sister. I want to help Senior Sister too, so I was very obedient today.

"I really couldn't hold it in anymore, so I only showed it just now. Senior Sister, I'm sorry..."

"Senior Sister understands. Senior Sister neglected A-Xuan a little. And A-Xuan did very well today, so there's no need to apologize.

"Senior Sister promises, just this once, all right?" Seeing his increasingly aggrieved expression, Tang Ling tenderly rubbed his head before pulling him into her arms to comfort him.

"Okay. A-Xuan believes Senior Sister." Tang San buried his head against her shoulder and spoke in a muffled voice. Then he raised his eyes, shooting a sharp look at Xue Qingxi in the distance.

Xue Qingxi promptly turned around and stopped watching the show, though he silently calculated, So who had the upper hand over whom here?

When Ning Rongrong sat down at the dining table, she immediately discovered that her seat had changed.

The person who should have been beside her was fragrant, lovely Sister Lingling, but now she had been replaced by the grinning Young Master Xue. Meanwhile, the person she had been longing to be near was sitting across from her, talking closely with Tang San.

"Miss Ning, you're here. We were too hungry, so we sat down first. Now that you're here, let's begin!" Xue Qingxi smiled at Ning Rongrong, scratching his neck with an embarrassed expression as he explained.

The carefree girl noticed nothing unusual and nodded excitedly. "It's fine, it's fine. At home, I always sit by the table ahead of time too."

Xue Qingxi raised a brow and chuckled at her appearance, then called for the servants outside to bring in the dishes.

"Why do I feel like Sister Lingling and Tang San are acting a little strangely?" Ning Rongrong scooted closer to Xue Qingxi as she ate and asked in a low voice.

"What's strange about them? They're perfectly normal. They've always been like this." Xue Qingxi looked at Tang San across the table, who was attending to Tang Ling in every possible detail, and curled his lips into a fake smile.

"Really?" Ning Rongrong stole another puzzled glance. After meeting Tang San's smug, flaunting gaze, she became even more confused.

"Of course. You'll get used to it. Eat, eat! This vegetable dish from the kitchen isn't just delicious—it won't make you gain weight even if you eat a lot of it." Xue Qingxi saw Tang San's look as well. He sighed helplessly, then smilingly pointed at a dish to draw Ning Rongrong's attention away.

Sure enough, the carefree girl instantly stopped dwelling on the matter and eagerly reached for some food to sample.

Seeing this, Xue Qingxi began introducing the dishes on the table to her, completely diverting her attention.

Then he looked helplessly at the person happily eating and sighed inwardly that Teacher truly had a good eye. This innocent personality really would make it easier for her to fit in.