Leaving, Being Tricked

Six months later, the day arrived for Na'er to awaken her martial soul.

Su Jiu personally presided over the awakening ceremony for her, and just like in the original story, she failed to awaken any martial soul at all.

"Na'er, are you unhappy? Your Brother Su will take you to eat something delicious!"

"I don't want to eat. I want to be alone for a while."

Just as Na'er turned to leave in search of a quiet place, Su Jiu, quick as a flash, caught her. With the swiftness of a thief snatching a dog, he domineeringly pulled her into his embrace.

Ignoring her attempt to speak, Su Jiu tore open a deep rift in the void and arrived at the park where they had first met.

It was early spring, a time when the weather was still caught between warmth and chill.

"Na'er, I know you're feeling terrible right now. If you want to cry, then cry. If you want to be quiet, I'll stay with you. Don't force yourself..."

Na'er's body stiffened. These words falling by her ear felt incredibly familiar, and a layer of warmth spread through her heart. An inexplicable sense of security wrapped tightly around her, as if someone had said these exact words to her long ago.

The emotions she had suppressed for so long could no longer be contained. Tears welled up in her eyes, swirling until they finally broke through the dam.

She could no longer hold back, throwing herself into Su Jiu's broad embrace. Grievous, bitter tears fell in torrents, instantly soaking his lapels.

"Wuu... wuuu... Brother Su, am I really that useless?"

"I don't even have a martial soul. Every day, I just rely on you, eat your food, and always cause you so much trouble..."

"In your eyes, is a Na'er who is good for nothing like this really pathetic and a burden... wuuu..."

Su Jiu offered no verbal comfort; he simply tightened his arms, cradling the small Na'er in his embrace.

Six years ago, the great Gu Yuena had little A-Jiu by her side, the two of them relying on each other for warmth.

Now, little Na'er had met Su Jiu, someone she could lean on.

All her grievances, bitterness, and sorrow could finally be poured out to him.

A moment later, Na'er's sobbing gradually ceased, and her faint hiccups slowly subsided.

She slowly raised her reddened eyes, her clear gaze hiding a trace of unmistakable anxiety and unease.

"Brother Su, do you still want Na'er?"

Su Jiu could feel the little one in his arms; her small fists were tightly clutching his soaked shirt. It was clear that Na'er cared deeply about this answer.

"What are you thinking about, my little child bride? You must be hungry from all that crying. I promised to take you for something delicious. My treat today, but you're paying the bill—eat as much as you want!"

"Hmph! Old Su is such a stingy person. Na'er has plenty of money now. You arrange the place, and I'll pay!"

"Hehe~"

"Alright, King Na'er, please mount up. Your exclusive steed, Su Jiu, has finished parking."

Su Jiu crouched down, offering his back to Na'er. Na'er smiled and hopped on immediately.

"Giddy up! Steed Old Su, charge!!!"

Two and a half years later, at the small park in Aolai City.

"Brother Su, my family has found me, and at the same time, I've remembered my name. I am Gu Yuena."

Su Jiu feigned slight surprise, though it was all an act.

He had long known through A-Jiu that the little girl's memories had inexplicably unlocked the day her martial soul awakening failed.

Fine, fine. You, Gu Yuena, play the innocent Na'er, and I, Su Jiu, will play your strategist A-Jiu, is that it?

"Gu Yuena? That's a beautiful name, just as beautiful as my little child bride."

Gu Yuena's face flushed red at Su Jiu's smooth talk, and she shyly punched him in the waist. Little heartless thing, and she's got quite a strong punch, too.

"Na'er, today is the last day of our relationship. I've been very happy these past three years. Thank you, Gu Yuena."

Su Jiu didn't want Gu Yuena to leave without a word tonight, so he gave her a graceful exit, hoping she would feel less guilty and a little happier when she left.

"Mua~"

Gu Yuena stood on her tiptoes, imitating Leng Yaozhu, and kissed him—lip to lip.

After pulling away, the Little Silver Dragon's entire face was flushed with a spreading crimson, looking incredibly cute.

She shyly lowered her head, her long eyelashes fluttering gently, not daring to meet Su Jiu's gaze.

"B-Brother Su, I learned that from Sister Leng. I heard that only the most important family members do that. Y-you, don't misunderstand..."

Suddenly, Gu Yuena felt her hand being pulled. An irresistible force made her body feel light, and she tilted uncontrollably toward Su Jiu.

His warm breath brushed slowly against her ear, ambiguous and scorching, making her heart tremble instantly.

"Gu Yuena, you've learned how to flirt, too? If you were nine years older, I might not have hesitated to eat you up right here and now, but you're still too young..."

"Old Su, at least you have some conscience. If you really did that, just wait to rot in jail!"

Though Gu Yuena said this, she didn't move away from Su Jiu's warm embrace.

"Na'er, if you ever feel unhappy or uncomfortable in your new home, come to me. I will always welcome you here!"

Gu Yuena didn't answer with words, but tears welled up in her eyes, and her head nodded gently, beyond her control.

After returning this time, would she still be her?

"Let's not talk about such sad things. Tell me what you want to eat today, and I will satisfy every wish."

Gu Yuena pointed in a certain direction; it was the shady shop where they had their first meal.

That evening, after Gu Yuena gave Su Jiu a Silver Dragon Reverse Scale, she was taken away by a man with black hair streaked with gold and golden eyes—this person was none other than Di Tian.

Su Jiu did not try to keep her; with A-Jiu around, there would be plenty of opportunities to trick the Little Silver Dragon later.

Two months later, Lake of Life.

"A-Jiu must follow me. Na'er, you go to Shrek City by yourself!"

"No way, Gu Yue, A-Jiu belongs to Na'er!"

Having completed their separation, Gu Yue and Na'er began fighting over A-Jiu the moment they woke up.

They both understood that with the strategist A-Jiu by their side, their plans would be twice as effective with half the effort!

Of course, it wasn't because they were afraid of being lonely or having no one to talk to!

"A-Jiu, choose one of us!"

"A-Jiu, choose me!"

A-Jiu displayed a helpless expression on its screen and broke free from their clutches.

"A-Yue, Na'er, actually, I can also split..."

As soon as the words fell, A-Jiu split into two identical versions of itself, and was immediately pulled tightly into the arms of Gu Yue and Na'er.

"Now, can you two calm down? You are both the same person; it's not worth being angry at yourself."

"Hmph~ That's more like it!"

"Hehe~ A-Jiu is the best!"

Shrek City.

"A-Jiu, do you think Na'er can succeed?"

Na'er held A-Jiu in her arms, her small hands stroking it restlessly again and again.

"Na'er, you must believe in yourself. With your innate full soul power of level twenty and your god-tier martial soul, the Silver Dragon Spear, a whole crowd of Limit Douluos out there would fight to take you as their disciple! A mere second-ranked person in the world..."

"Really?"

Su Jiu clicked his tongue inwardly. As expected of the incarnation bearing the humanity of the Silver Dragon King, she was much easier to get along with (and deceive) than that other tsundere.

"Really."

"Actually, I have an idea. I wonder, Na'er..."

Na'er's eyes lit up instantly; when the strategist makes a move, it must be a brilliant plan!

"I heard A-Yue wants to be the disciple of that cold sister. Instead of going to the world's second-ranked Yun Ming, why don't we go back to Su Jiu and become his child bride?"

"Ah? Wouldn't that be inappropriate?"

Though Na'er said this, she showed no intention of refusing.

"Na'er, A-Yue bullies you so much; don't you want to bully her back? That would be A-Yue's master's wife; she wouldn't dare do anything to you on the surface, and would even have to treat you with respect."

"Besides, hasn't Su Jiu been good to you? Do you really not like him?"

A-Jiu's words caused a rosy flush to bloom on Na'er's face, and she became uncontrollably shy.

"I... I like him..."