The First Elder hurriedly found Xiao Ning. With Xiao Yu following, he dragged him toward Xiao Ze's residence.
"Grandpa, what are you doing?"
Xiao Ning looked bewildered as his grandfather hauled him along.
"Didn't I tell you to apologize to Xiao Yan?"
"I did apologize. Xiao Yan said we'd buried the hatchet."
Xiao Ning was utterly baffled. He'd done exactly as his grandfather told him, so why was he being dragged into this again?
"Then did you ask Xiao Yan to put in a good word for you with Xiao Ze?"
The First Elder pressed on.
"No. Xiao Yan said he couldn't do that and told me to handle it myself."
Xiao Ning scratched his head.
That made sense. Xiao Yan was the one who'd been beaten, and Xiao Ze had stood up for him.
If Xiao Yan then turned around and put in a good word for Xiao Ning, wouldn't that make Xiao Ze look like the bad guy either way?
So Xiao Yan certainly wouldn't help Xiao Ning. If he wanted to get on Xiao Ze's good side, he'd have to do it himself.
Hearing this, the First Elder could barely contain his exasperation. His voice grew sharp as he asked, "So did you actually go find Xiao Ze or not?"
"I did, but I couldn't find him!"
Xiao Ning looked aggrieved as his grandfather continued to interrogate him.
"Hm?"
The First Elder let out a puzzled grunt.
"Grandpa, we're already at Xiao Ze's place. Go ahead and see for yourself."
Seeing his grandfather's confusion, Xiao Ning pointed toward Xiao Ze's residence.
The First Elder eyed Xiao Ning suspiciously, unable to figure out what he was up to.
He straightened his clothes, went to the door, and knocked. After quite a while, there was still no response.
"He's not here!"
Xiao Ning came up beside him, explaining with a hint of grievance.
"Xiao Ze hardly ever stays in his room. I've come looking for him again and again, and I haven't even caught a glimpse of him."
"I went looking in the back hills too, but no luck. They're just too vast."
After hearing Xiao Ning's explanation, the First Elder's spirits sank.
But Xiao Ze was indeed the polar opposite of Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan practically holed up in his room every day to cultivate.
Xiao Ze, on the other hand, practically never set foot in his room. He wandered around outside every day.
Xiao Yu, who had been watching quietly all this time, suddenly spoke up.
"Isn't the ceremony coming up? He should attend. Even if he only shows up to go through the motions, he'll definitely be there!"
"We can wait for our chance and apologize to him then."
The First Elder considered it and decided she had a point.
The three of them headed back.
Before long, the clan's coming-of-age ceremony began. Gongs and drums rang out, and the grounds buzzed with activity.
A large number of distinguished guests invited by the Xiao Clan took their seats in the VIP section under the guidance of attendants.
Among them, one tall, striking figure drew particular attention.
Her graceful, curvaceous figure kept drawing heated glances from the crowd, all carefully disguised as casual looks.
Ya Fei wore a flawless smile as she entertained the prominent figures of Wutan City, handling them with effortless ease.
In between conversations, she also kept looking around.
Especially at the younger members of the Xiao Clan.
There was always a trace of expectation in her eyes.
Unfortunately, even after most of the Xiao Clan's important figures had arrived, she still hadn't seen the young man she couldn't stop thinking about.
Ya Fei beckoned over a young member of the Xiao Clan.
"May I ask how long until the ceremony begins? I'd like to look around the Xiao Clan."
"Miss Ya Fei, there are about three quarters of an hour left. Please feel free to explore."
"There'll be a bell before the ceremony starts. You can come back when you hear it. Or would you like me to show you around?"
"No need to trouble yourself. I'll take a look around on my own."
Ya Fei declined with a smile. Though she had refused, her smile was so warm and welcoming that no one could possibly take offense.
Xiao Ze sat cross-legged on a stone platform and slowly brought his cultivation to a stop.
Feeling the Dou Qi within him grow stronger once again, he clenched his fist with satisfaction.
"I finally broke through to two-star Dou Master."
Xiao Xun'er, who had been waiting nearby, rolled her eyes.
It hadn't even been that long, and he'd already broken through!
"Brother Xiao Ze, from the way you say that, anyone who didn't know you would think you'd been stuck at one-star Dou Master for years."
"Haha, don't tease me. We broke through on the same day, and you're already at three stars while I'm only at two."
"How can you compare us? I'm a Dou Zhe, and you're a Dou Master! All right, enough chatter. Go wash up!"
Xiao Xun'er led Xiao Ze to the hot spring and spoke to him.
"Wash up quickly. I've already prepared formal clothes for you. It's the coming-of-age ceremony, after all. You should at least show your face."
Xiao Ze nodded and quickly washed in the hot spring.
A set of formal clothes had already been laid out by the pool.
Xiao Xun'er stood outside the hot spring, a faint smile on her face.
When the rushing water finally fell silent, Xun Er turned around expectantly.
A figure slowly emerged from the entrance, wearing embroidered cloud-patterned boots inlaid with jade and a white robe trimmed in gold.
The outfit made the young man look tall and straight. With his exceptionally handsome features, he became the center of attention the moment he appeared.
Xiao Xun'er stared at Xiao Ze, her eyes shining. Once he put on those clothes, Brother Xiao Ze seemed completely different from before.
Xiao Ze touched his still-damp hair and gave Xiao Xun'er a helpless look.
"Xun Er, don't you think these clothes are a little too flashy?"
"Brother Xiao Ze, this is an annual ceremony. It's fine to stand out a little."
Xiao Xun'er looked him up and down. Brother Xiao Ze really was captivating today.
With a smile, she stepped forward and took his hand.
"Don't worry about the little details. Come on, let's hurry, or we'll miss the ceremony!"
The girl smiled as she took the boy's hand and ran down the mountain.
As they ran, Xiao Ze glanced over Xiao Xun'er's clothes.
She was dressed in white with gold trim too. It looked as if her outfit had been chosen to match his.
This girl...
Xiao Ze said nothing more and followed Xiao Xun'er toward the venue.
"Oh? There's someone over there. They look kind of familiar."
Xiao Xun'er, running ahead, suddenly spoke. Xiao Ze had noticed the person long ago.
"Did you forget? It's the person we rescued that night."
"Miss Ya Fei!"
Xiao Xun'er exclaimed, drawing Ya Fei's attention. She turned to look at them.
The moment she saw Xiao Ze, Ya Fei's eyes lit up.
Compared with the dim light in that alley, the young man's outfit now made him look all the more spirited.
Even after meeting countless young noblemen, Ya Fei had to admit that this young man gave her the strangest feeling of all.
It was almost as if her heart had skipped a beat.
"Miss Ya Fei, we meet again. I told you we'd see each other sooner or later, didn't I?"
Xiao Ze stopped and smiled. Today, Ya Fei wore an elaborate formal gown.
She knew exactly how to show off her assets. The gown she'd chosen displayed her figure to perfection.
Xiao Xun'er politely nodded to Ya Fei.
"I never imagined that my rescuer that night would be the Xiao Clan's Fourth Young Master, Xiao Ze. Ya Fei is once again in your debt, Young Master Xiao Ze. I'm truly grateful!"
Ya Fei hurriedly thanked him. The three of them chatted for a while before Xiao Xun'er spoke up.
"The coming-of-age ceremony is about to begin. We should hurry to the venue so we aren't absent."
"That's true. It wouldn't matter as much if I missed it as a guest, but it wouldn't look good for you to be absent, Xiao Ze. You're a young master of the Xiao Clan, after all."
The three hurried to the venue and arrived just as the bell rang.
The young man stood tall, handsome and full of vigor. He looked radiant, drawing everyone's attention.
The young woman was naturally beautiful. Though she hadn't fully grown into her looks, she already showed the promise of an unparalleled beauty. Her bright eyes sparkled, and a faint smile played on her lips.
The young man and young woman's outfits complemented each other perfectly, making them look like a match made in heaven.
And with the utterly charming Ya Fei beside them, their appearance immediately drew everyone's gaze.
Feeling the crowd's eyes on him, Xiao Ze wore a faint smile.
Now that was a dazzling entrance!
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