Inside the reception hall, candle flames flickered.
Ye Qingxian's meaningful words drifted through the air, but to Xue Yao, they carried a gentle yet resolute sense of pressure.
Cheng Bo rubbed his hands together, looking at Xue Yao with eager anticipation. His eyes shone as if he were ready to slap the table and cheer at any moment, while Ye Qingxian waited with a smile, teacup in hand.
Xue Yao sat at the table, lightly rubbing a fingertip along the rim of his teacup. His expression was as calm as still water.
He could have deftly steered the conversation away. With his quick mind and eloquence, it wouldn't have been difficult to distract the two of them.
But he didn't.
Qian Renxue's words still echoed in his ears. He didn't like keeping people in the dark, especially the family of someone who might one day become truly close to him.
He lowered his eyes and set his teacup steadily back on the table, then spoke slowly.
"Uncle, Auntie." His voice was unhurried, his composure far beyond his years. "There is something I must tell you honestly."
Cheng Bo's smile faltered slightly. Ye Qingxian's brows lifted a fraction. They exchanged a glance, then both turned their eyes back to Xue Yao.
"Dugu Yan." Xue Yao calmly said the three words. "Poison Douluo Dugu Bo's granddaughter. She's currently studying at the Royal Academy as well. She and I share a... hard-to-explain connection."
He didn't use any roundabout phrasing or try to dress it up or down. He simply said it outright.
For a moment, the reception hall fell silent.
The eager look on Cheng Bo's face froze. His mouth fell open, and for a moment, he couldn't process what he'd heard.
Ye Qingxian's teacup paused at her lips. Then she gently set