"Holy crap."
Ling Yun opened the refrigerator and immediately blurted that out. The fruit I worked so hard to grow is already gone?
His cousin was a textbook glutton. Keeping her at home was like putting a rat in the rice jar. He would have to find another opportunity to fill it up again.
In this situation, Ling Yun was racking his brains over how to supply fruit for so many people. Then he had an idea. There were watermelons in his space, each weighing more than ten pounds. He took out seven or eight of them. But what am I going to say if they ask where these watermelons came from? This is giving me a headache!
"Everyone's getting impatient for the barbecue, right? Have some watermelon first." As he spoke, Ling Yun placed a large platter of watermelon on the table. There was more than enough for them to eat until they burst.
Lin Yueyan's eyes lit up when she saw the watermelon, though she was also puzzled. There was watermelon in the refrigerator? But she stopped worrying about it, picked up a slice, and happily gnawed on it. Mmm! The texture is the same, and the taste is the same. And it's even chilled. One word: refreshing!
Gao Feifei and the others remained unmoved. They were hungry, but they ate watermelon all the time. How could it compare to the aroma of this grilled meat? It would be ready soon, so they could wait a little longer. Watching the meat on the rack, they had already swallowed mouthfuls of saliva. They would leave the watermelon for Yueyan.
"You're not eating watermelon? If you keep staring at it, there won't be any left." Ling Yun looked at the few of them. It'd be a waste not to eat such good watermelon.
Gao Feifei felt a little embarrassed under his gaze, and her cheeks immediately flushed. "Brother Yun, I don't like watermelon."
"Same here." Jiang Ning had already seen through Gao Feifei's intentions. She was saving room for the grilled meat.
"Brother Yun, I'm not hungry yet. Just give the watermelon to Yueyan." Song Song looked as though she had seen right through the two of them.
Ling Yun shrugged indifferently.
Gao Yunjie was comparatively simple-minded and had no ulterior motives. He could easily eat watermelon while waiting for the barbecue. Besides, his mouth was a little dry, so watermelon would be perfect for refreshing him.
He took one bite and was instantly stunned. It was too delicious! Is this really watermelon? Damn, how can it be this good? He had only planned to eat one slice, but then one slice became another, and he ended up eating seven whole slices. If he hadn't cared about saving face, he would have left nothing behind.
Perhaps he felt embarrassed under his sister's stare. After finishing the seventh slice, he wiped his mouth. "Sorry, I was just too thirsty. Hehe." He scratched his head awkwardly. He had already eaten seven slices, yet he still wanted more.
"If you're thirsty, go drink some water. You've completely embarrassed me. Have you never eaten watermelon in your life?"
I really have never eaten watermelon this good in my life. The stuff I ate before feels fake. No, it was artificially made fake watermelon. Gao Yunjie thought this, but he didn't dare say it aloud. No, I'll eat another slice when they aren't paying attention.
"Mine! This is mine, Song Song. Don't fight me for it."
"What do you mean, yours? I've been watching it grill this whole time."
"Auntie, don't fight over it. This is Qianqian's."
"Qianqian, stop it. You already have four or five skewers in your hand." Jiang Ning was already wondering how she could trick the skewers out of her hands. Good gracious, this grilled meat tastes even better than it smells.
Left with no choice, Ling Yun had to set up another rack. This time, he decided to lend a hand with a certain flame he had on hand. Otherwise, he really wouldn't be able to keep up with how fast they were eating.
"Little sister Qianqian, I'm here! Is there something tasty again?" Beibei smelled the fragrance as soon as she reached the villa entrance. She also heard the voices inside and immediately felt she had missed something.
"Slow down, Beibei. Don't run! Be careful." Long Yanran and the others had all smelled it too. Apart from Qin Lan, who was unable to remain calm, the rest wondered whether such a fuss was really necessary.
Qianqian was eating skewers when she heard someone call her. She wasn't sure whether it was her imagination—the area was simply too noisy. She turned toward the villa entrance and saw Beibei running over.
"Why did you come, Sis? Did you bring me a present?" Then she held out her filthy left hand.
"Mhm, I did. Sis brought you a present this time." Beibei spoke while looking at her empty hands. Only then did she remember that she had gotten tired of carrying it and handed it to her mother.
"Wait a moment, little sister. The present is with my mom."
"Mhm, then I'll wait. I'll treat you to grilled skewers." As she spoke, she handed the two skewers in her hand to Beibei.
The little one wasn't being stingy this time. The several girls beside them thought they must have been seeing things. Was this really the same Qianqian who had refused to share even a single skewer despite all their coaxing and tempting?
Long Beibei had been staring at the grilled skewers in Qianqian's hands for a long time. Now that she finally had some, she took a bite. "Mmm, delicious! Delicious! Handsome uncle's cooking is the best!" As she ate the skewers, she even drooled.
By then, Qin Lan and the others had also reached the front courtyard.
"Wow, Ling Yun, you threw a barbecue party without inviting me?" Qin Lan was a little angry. Seeing that so many people had been invited while Ling Yun had actually left her out, she was, after all, Qianqian's godmother!
"Oh dear, listen to me. How did I forget you?" Ling Yun pretended not to know anything and not to remember a thing.
Qin Lan stamped her foot and huffed angrily. Since Ling Yun had put it that way, what could she do to him? She knew perfectly well that he was lying.
"Qianqian, your godmother's here."
"Xiao Lan, don't be angry. He's just like that. Don't bother with him." Lin Qiuyan helped smooth things over.
"Mhm, Auntie. I won't stoop to arguing with certain people." As she spoke, she snorted.
"Auntie, this is my sister Beibei's mother, Qin Xianglian. This is Beibei's aunt, Long Yanran, and that one is her bodyguard." Qin Lan briefly introduced them to Lin Qiuyan.
Long Yanran and Xu Le also saw Ling Yun. They had already thought Qianqian looked a little like the girl carried by that mysterious man yesterday. Now that they saw Ling Yun, they could no longer remain calm. It really was him.
Long Yanran was still relatively composed, though she found it somewhat hard to believe. Someone of this caliber actually lived such an ordinary life, seeking neither fame nor wealth.
Xu Le had been flustered ever since he saw Ling Yun. His heart trembled at the thought of how he had spoken disrespectfully to him yesterday. Then he suddenly realized something, and the clothes on his back were drenched in sweat. His legs weakened.
This was District 11, 2403. District 11, 2403. Good heavens! Last night, he had been drinking with Lin Hao, who had said that he had tracked Tokugawa Nakaji to District 11, number 2403, before losing him. Moreover, the incident in the woods opposite 2403 the previous evening, where the Blood-colored faction had been wiped out by a Stone Monster of unknown origin, had already spread to the ears of every Dragon Group member in Jiangbei.
When all these events were linked together—Tokugawa Nakaji, the heavenly thunder, Beibei's return from the dead, and the Stone Monster—they were all connected to this man called Ling Yun. The more Xu Le thought about it, the more alarmed he became. It seemed he had discovered an astonishing secret.
He could control heavenly thunder. That Stone Monster must be his subordinate, right? Lin Hao had said that the Stone Monster possessed Tianren Realm strength. Then who exactly was Ling Yun? Why did he possess such terrifying power? They couldn't see through him, and they couldn't sense even the slightest trace of internal energy in his body. He was completely an ordinary person. Could he have surpassed the Tianren Realm?
Xu Le's heart was racing, his face had gone pale, and he kept sweating.
Why?
He saw the weather in the sky—or, more accurately, the weather above this villa. Half of it was overcast, while the other half was sunny.
It was different from before he had entered, and the pattern kept alternating. He could control the weather and command heavenly thunder. Was he even human?
His legs finally gave out. He didn't dare think any further, afraid he wouldn't be able to bear it. Seeing Xu Le in this state, Long Yanran was frightened. She had never seen him like this since she had known him, so she hurriedly helped him up.
"Xu Le, what's wrong? Why do you look so awful? Did you see something?"
"No, no. I don't know anything. If it's something you shouldn't ask about, then don't ask." Xu Le shook his head after speaking. He couldn't tell her about this. She wouldn't be able to bear it.
Xu Le simply sat on the lawn, sweat dripping steadily from his head. Everything had shocked him far too deeply.
Before you continue