"I forgot to ask Xiao Qian what style she'd like." When he arrived at the market, Xiao Yu said ruefully.
He wasn't short on money, but he really wasn't good at picking gifts, especially gifts for girls.
Thinking back, all the gifts he'd given Xun'er had been fish, crabs, rabbits, all kinds of butterflies, and caterpillars.
Giving that girl jewelry was a first for him.
"What do you think you're doing?!"
Suddenly, an angry shriek rang out from ahead and to the right.
At a stall, two women were surrounded by a group of men.
From Xiao Yu's angle, he could only see their backs. He couldn't make out their faces, but one of the women had a curvy, graceful figure.
The men looked like members of a mercenary group. Their clothes were torn and dusty, and their faces were filthy and covered in stubble.
When he saw one of them reach out to grab a woman, Xiao Yu hurried over.
After all, this was the Xiao Clan's market. If word got out that someone had been harassed here, it would tarnish the market's reputation.
"Pretty little lady, let big brother spoil you." The man's eyes were full of lust, and drool trickled from the corner of his mouth.
They were a group of mercenaries who had just finished exploring the Magical Beast Mountain Range. They'd returned to the city to restock.
After all, the Magical Beast Mountain Range was extremely dangerous, and they went through their medicine quickly.
Accustomed to seeing nothing but trees and magical beasts, the men suddenly came across a pair of beauties. They could barely keep the wicked thoughts inside them under control.
Just as the man began to imagine his fingers touching the softness beneath her clothes, a tremendous force suddenly seized his wrist!
"Ah!"
The man felt something in his wrist go "crack."
The pain brought him to his senses. He saw a cold-faced young man standing in front of the woman, one hand clamped around his wrist.
"Let go! You're going to break it! Let go, quick!" the man cried out in pain.
Behind him, the other mercenaries surged forward, gripping their weapons.
They said nothing, but their faces were full of menace!
Xiao Yu calmly swept his gaze over them and said coolly, "Whoever dares make a move, I guarantee you'll be carried out of here!"
Faced with his chilling threat, the men couldn't help feeling wary.
The man roared, "We're not afraid of magical beasts, but you're scared of a little brat who hasn't even grown hair?!"
The men immediately began to stir again.
Xiao Yu furrowed his brow. Before anyone could see what happened, the man's body suddenly shot into the air and then crashed down.
His arm was twisted at an unnatural angle. It was clearly broken!
The others didn't hesitate. With roars, they charged at Xiao Yu.
Just then, a group of guards dressed in the Xiao Clan's uniform rushed over.
"Protect the young master!"
"Quick!"
Their leader recognized Xiao Yu and charged forward with a roar.
The mercenaries saw dozens of people rushing toward them and were so scared they froze in place.
The Xiao Clan's guards surrounded them.
One of the squad leaders inside the group walked up to Xiao Yu and asked, "Young master, are you all right?"
Xiao Yu waved a hand and said coldly, "Security at the market needs to be improved. If we can't even protect our customers, who'll dare come here in the future?"
The squad leader broke out in a sweat and didn't dare argue. He simply promised that nothing like this would happen again.
Only then did Xiao Yu turn around, ready to apologize to the woman.
He looked up.
And froze.
"Ya Fei?" Xiao Yu said in surprise.
Of the two women, the younger one had a bright red face and eyes full of admiration, mixed with a little shyness. She stole glances at Xiao Yu's face.
The other woman, more mature and poised, smiled openly. "Young Master Xiao Yu, do you know me?"
Xiao Yu had simply been surprised to run into her. Once he recovered, his expression returned to normal, and he smiled. "You're a beauty known throughout Wutan City. Of course I've heard of you."
Ya Fei pursed her red lips, the corners of her mouth lifting ever so slightly.
Clearly, no woman could refuse a compliment on her looks.
Especially a woman who loved being beautiful!
"Young master, what should we do with these men?" the squad leader asked.
Xiao Yu turned his head. "We don't need to worry about them. There aren't many people who can offend Miss Ya Fei in Wutan City and still get away with it."
As soon as he finished speaking, a group of flustered people came running over.
"Miss!" They bowed to Ya Fei. "We failed to protect you. Please..."
"No need. Take them away. Break one hand each, then make them kneel outside the auction house for a day!" Ya Fei cut them off.
Soon, the others had taken the men away.
Some wanted to stay and protect Ya Fei, but she sent them away too, saying that the young master of the Xiao Clan was with her.
Ya Fei was decisive and forceful, just like a strong woman. She spoke as though there was no room for discussion.
Before Xiao Yu knew what was happening, he'd become Ya Fei's shopping companion.
"Young Master Xiao Yu, aren't you happy to go shopping with me?" Ya Fei asked with a smile, her eyes full of curiosity.
This was her first time getting so close to Xiao Yu. The manly confidence he'd shown for that brief moment was nothing like the useless reputation others had given him.
Compared with his older brother Xiao Yan, who flaunted his sharpness, Xiao Yu was more like a treasured weapon kept sheathed, biding his time until the moment to strike.
The contrast made Ya Fei feel a little fond of him.
Because she knew one thing.
The tallest tree in the forest was the first to be felled by the wind!
Xiao Yu replied, "Miss Ya Fei, I have something else to do, and besides..."
He trailed off. Ya Fei grew curious and watched as his expression turned serious. "I only ever go shopping with my wife. Are you saying you want to be my wife?"
Thump, thump—
In an instant, Ya Fei felt her heart flutter like a startled fawn.
Her eyes widened in surprise.
Had she just been flirted with?
She studied Xiao Yu again and again. The young man before her was much younger than she was.
Besides, as a young master of the Xiao Clan, he knew who she was and should understand her status. Didn't he know that the Mittel Family was one of the three great families of the Jia Ma Empire?
"Miss, Miss, Young Master Xiao Yu's getting far away." It wasn't until Xue Li tugged at her twice that Ya Fei came back to her senses.
She said, "That brat's got quite the nerve!"
Then Ya Fei took Xue Li and hurried after him.
At Ya Fei's recommendation, Xiao Yu bought a hairpin and left the market.
Thump, thump—
"Xun'er, are you in your room?" Xiao Yu stood outside a door.
He waited for a while.
The door opened. A young woman stood at the entrance, and the light fell on her face. Xiao Yu felt as if the whole world had suddenly brightened.
She wore a pale-blue dress. Her skin was fair, and her features were exquisite. Without saying a word, she radiated a pure, immaculate grace, like a fairy descended from heaven.
Seeing her, Xiao Yu felt his heart skip a beat.
"Is something wrong?" Xun'er's expression was a little cool.
Hearing the distant tone in her voice, Xiao Yu couldn't help giving a wry smile. "This is for you."
He took out the box containing the hairpin, opened it, and lifted out the pin. With Xun'er watching, he placed it in her hair.
The jade hairpin glimmered softly, a perfect match for the young woman's temperament and making her look even more beautiful and otherworldly.
She was like a fairy who had fallen into the mortal world, ready to return to the celestial realm at any moment.
Unable to resist, Xiao Yu brought back the hand he'd withdrawn and gently ruffled her hair.
Perhaps that would make her aloof, otherworldly aura a little less intense.
When Xiao Yu came to his senses, he realized he'd been too familiar. Afraid Xun'er would hit him once she recovered, he hurriedly ran off.
Inside the room, bathed in sunlight, the young woman watched the boy's somewhat awkward retreat. Her fair cheeks, first marked with surprise, slowly took on a faint blush.
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