Oh, Little Brother's Blushing?

The moonlight in the courtyard was like water.

Ya Fei was pushing open the courtyard gate and walking in, the hem of her red dress swaying gently in the night breeze.

After a full day of work, Ya Fei's makeup was still exquisite, but the weariness between her brows could not be concealed.

Ya Fei sat down dejectedly on a stone stool. The back she had kept so straight before those men finally slumped.

She casually pulled the golden hairpin from her bun, and her long hair instantly cascaded down over the shoulders of her fiery red dress.

Lu Heng stood to one side, watching this woman who was so socially adept and polished before outsiders. Now that she had let down her guard, an irrepressible fatigue showed through her languid demeanor.

He felt a little sorry for her.

"Big Sister Ya Fei, are you tired?" Lu Heng walked behind her, keeping his voice soft.

Ya Fei did not turn around. She merely gave a soft hum in reply.

Lu Heng reached out and rested his hand on her soft, rounded shoulder. The instant his fingertips touched it, he could feel how tense her muscles were.

He pressed his two thumbs against Ya Fei's Wind Pool Acupoints and began kneading them with just the right amount of force.

"Mm..."

A comfortable hum escaped Ya Fei's nose. She tipped her head back and leaned against Lu Heng's still somewhat slight chest.

"Little Brother Lu Heng is the one with a conscience."

Ya Fei closed her eyes, her long lashes casting shadows beneath her eyelids.

"The men outside, every last one of them, looked at me as if they wanted to strip these clothes right off me.

"Even those two old fools, Jia Lie Bi and Ao Ba Pa, could not keep their eyes in line while discussing business."

Lu Heng did not stop. His hands moved down along her neck, pressing her sore trapezius muscles.

"The Xiao Family produced a genius. Those two families have not been doing well lately, so naturally they want to win over the Miteer Auction House. Do they want to join forces?"

"In their dreams."

Ya Fei gave a scornful laugh. The mockery at the corner of her lips made her appear exceptionally alluring at that moment.

"The Mite'er Family never takes sides. Let them tear each other apart. We only need to make gold."

Ya Fei paused. Perhaps feeling that talking about such matters with a child was rather dull, she changed the subject, her tone teasing.

"But speaking of which, did I really look that good in this outfit today?

"I thought Jia Lie Ao's eyes were about to fall straight into my neckline."

Lu Heng lowered his head.

From his angle, he could see the pale, deep curve at the neckline of her red dress, gleaming fair beneath the moonlight.

"Beautiful."

Lu Heng nodded honestly.

"Big Sister Ya Fei is the most beautiful woman in Wutan City. No, in the entire Jia Ma Empire."

Ya Fei burst out laughing, her body trembling like a flower in the wind as the fullness at her chest rose and fell.

She reached back and lightly smacked the back of Lu Heng's hand, saying coquettishly,

"You little rascal, all you know is how to sweet-talk your sister. With such a sweet mouth, who knows how many girls from good families you'll lead astray in the future."

"I'll sweet-talk Big Sister Ya Fei first."

Lu Heng added a little more pressure and worked loose a stiff spot on her shoulder.

For a moment, the atmosphere became somewhat suggestive. Even the insects in the courtyard seemed to chirp louder.

Ya Fei enjoyed this rare moment of peace, mentally going over tomorrow's auction list.

Though she claimed not to care, the stir Xiao Yan from the Xiao Family had caused was indeed considerable. If they did not bring out something worthwhile, the auction house might lose its edge in popularity.

"Big Sister Ya Fei."

Lu Heng suddenly spoke, and his hands stopped moving.

"Mm? What is it? Used up all your strength?" Ya Fei asked lazily.

"I have some good news."

Lu Heng walked around to the stone table and sat across from her.

Ya Fei propped her cheek up with one hand and looked at him with interest.

"Let's hear it. Have you prepared yourself to break through tomorrow?

"Or did you find some treasure on the Back Mountain?"

Lu Heng met Ya Fei's alluring peach-blossom eyes directly, a smile rising on his lips.

"Big Sister Ya Fei, I broke through."

"I'm now a one-star Dou Zhe."

The wind stopped.

The smile on Ya Fei's face froze in that instant.

She remained propped on her hand. Her eyes, which usually carried a hint of amusement, slowly widened, her pupils contracting slightly.

"Y-you... what did you say?" Ya Fei's voice was a little dry, as though she had not heard clearly.

"I said, I'm already a Dou Zhe." Lu Heng repeated himself, his tone as calm as if he were saying that the moon was full tonight.

Ya Fei abruptly rose to her feet, the force of her movement knocking over the teacup beside her.

The celadon cup rolled onto the ground and shattered with a crisp crack, but she did not spare it a glance.

She hurried over to Lu Heng and grabbed his wrist. Her jade-like hand, so carefully maintained, was trembling slightly.

Although Ya Fei was not a Dou Zhe, she could sense the change in Lu Heng's aura.

That was a Qi Vortex.

A Qi Vortex that only a Dou Zhe could condense!

"How is this possible..."

Ya Fei muttered to herself, her gaze sweeping over Lu Heng as though she were looking at some little monster.

"I only gave you the Qi Gathering Powder this morning, and by evening you... You didn't need to adjust your condition? You didn't need anyone to guard you? You just broke through like that?"

Lu Heng scratched his head, looking utterly innocent.

"It felt like the time was right, so I just let it happen naturally."

Naturally?

Ya Fei only felt dizzy.

A nine-year-old, not yet ten, who was already a Dou Zhe!

Even Xiao Yan, who had been praised to the heavens, was only at the Eighth Duan of Dou Qi now.

Yet this boy she had picked up had silently crossed that threshold!

This was not a genius at all. He was practically a monster!

The overwhelming surprise made Ya Fei lose her composure for a moment. She could not help opening her arms and gently pulling Lu Heng, who was sitting on the stone stool, into her embrace.

"Little Brother Lu Heng! You're truly your sister's lucky star!"

Ya Fei's voice was filled with irrepressible delight, and her fingertips trembled faintly.

Lu Heng only felt a fresh, elegant fragrance wash over him, his cheek brushing against the soft silk of her bodice.

He froze for a moment, his hands hovering in midair, unsure how to react.

This was Ya Fei!

Perhaps noticing Lu Heng's stiffness in her arms, or sensing his hurried breathing, Ya Fei suddenly came to her senses and quickly released him.

Although Lu Heng was a transmigrator and mature beyond his years, this sudden intimacy still made the tips of his ears heat up.

Though he was taller than children his age at nine, he only reached Ya Fei's shoulder. When she hugged him just now, his entire face had ended up buried against the front of her dress.

Ya Fei released him and stepped back half a pace, though she did not completely let go. Her hands still rested on Lu Heng's shoulders.

When she saw Lu Heng's flushed face, Ya Fei paused. Then amusement flashed through her beautiful eyes.

Ya Fei leaned down slightly, bringing her stunning face close to Lu Heng's ear, her breath fragrant.

"Oh? Little Brother's blushing?"

Ya Fei's finger lightly traced Lu Heng's burning earlobe, her voice turning low and ambiguous.

"It seems my Little Brother Lu Heng really has grown up."

Lu Heng took a deep breath, trying hard to suppress the restlessness in his heart. He shrank back slightly and gave a dry cough.

"Cough... Big Sister Ya Fei, I... I still have something important to say."

"Something important?"

Ya Fei straightened up. She was clearly in an excellent mood, and even her earlier exhaustion had vanished.

She sat back down on the stone stool and crossed her legs, her fair calves appearing and disappearing beneath the hem of her skirt.

"Go on. Even if you wanted a star from the sky now, your sister would find a way to pluck one for you."

Ya Fei then changed the subject, her tone regaining its professional shrewdness.

"But now that you've become a Dou Zhe, you'll need a cultivation technique. The auction house also has cultivation techniques used by families. Tomorrow, take a look and see whether there's one that suits you."