Chapter 49

Xuan Qing tried to explain, though even he knew the excuse he'd come up with was pretty flimsy.

"I'm only ten. You want me to wait until you grow up? How many years will that take? What if I turn out ugly? What will you do then? By the time you regret it, it'll be too late."

Even he didn't believe that excuse. Soul Masters with Dragon-type Martial Souls who cared even a little about their appearance were rarely ugly.

The Bone Dragon was an exception. That thing was just a skeleton. There was no way to make it look good.

Shui Yue'er waved her hand, looking unconcerned.

"No problem. I can wait another eight or ten years. Besides, you won't turn out ugly. I've always been good at judging people. With your looks, you're sure to grow into a handsome man."

"So it's settled. From today onward, I'm your fiancée. In a few years, I'll marry you."

"You're not allowed to go back on your word. Otherwise, I'll complain to your parents and tell them you bullied me."

Xuan Qing's mouth twitched violently. Complain to his parents? Where was he supposed to get parents?... Wait, he had an idea.

He pointed at Zi JI, then at Zhu Zhuqing, and solemnly spouted nonsense.

"I like the cool, aloof type. You're too lively. You're not my type, so we're not suited for each other. You should find someone else."

"Just look at those two. They're so composed and aloof. That's my type."

But who was Shui Yue'er? A beauty-obsessed girl with a wonderfully unconventional mind. Instead of backing down, she lit up and smiled sweetly, showing off her little tiger teeth.

When Xuan Qing saw that smile, his heart lurched. What kind of trouble was this girl about to stir up now?

"That's fine! My older sister is exactly that type. Look, blood is thicker than water. You can have both of us sisters."

"My sister will serve you during the day, and I'll serve you at night. I guarantee you'll be so happy you won't want to leave the house."

Pfft—

The entire hall fell silent.

Everyone was stunned by the girl's train of thought. Wasn't that a little too bold? He could have both sisters? She was going to drain Xuan Qing dry!

But considering what he had going for him... Well, it was understandable. Who wouldn't want to keep such a peerless genius close?

Shui Yue'er might have been lovestruck, but she wasn't stupid. She knew to invest early, and even at his young age, Xuan Qing already had plenty of tricks up his sleeve.

In a few more years, with more experience under his belt, he'd be even harder to fool. Making her move now really was the best timing.

Xuan Qing wanted to slap himself. How could he have forgotten about this? He'd dug himself a hole, jumped right in, and then packed the earth down on top of himself.

Both sisters at once? He couldn't handle that!

Xuan Qing looked at Xue Qinghe.

"Remember to send the payment to Dugu Manor, or I'll tear down your Crown Prince's Eastern Palace!"

With that, he turned and ran, moving like a dog was chasing him. In the blink of an eye, he was gone.

If he stayed any longer, he was genuinely afraid Shui Yue'er would tie him up and drag him home.

Shui Yue'er shouted after him.

"You can't escape! I've set my heart on you. When you grow up, I'll come marry you—no, I mean, I'll marry into your family!"

Xuan Qing ran even faster, vanishing from the hall in an instant.

Seeing this, Zi JI followed after him, barely holding back her laughter. Zhu Zhuqing hurried after them too, the corners of her mouth lifting despite herself.

After the three of them left, the hall erupted in laughter. Dugu Bo laughed so hard he slapped the table, tears streaming from his eyes.

"Hahahahahaha! So the kid finally got a taste of his own medicine! Usually, he's the one driving everyone half out of their minds. Now it's his turn! That's satisfying! So satisfying!"

Dugu Yan covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking, though she wasn't laughing nearly as hard.

Chen Xin sat in his seat holding a cup of tea. He looked calm on the surface, but the tea was trembling—he was clearly struggling to keep from laughing.

Xue Qinghe was in high spirits. So Xuan Qing could get flustered too. It was truly delightful.

Ning Fengzhi smiled and shook his head.

"It's good to be popular with the younger generation, but this is a little too much."

"Still, considering our young friend Xuan Qing, it's understandable. Who wouldn't want to keep such a peerless genius close?"

Xue Qinghe nodded in agreement, unable to resist gloating.

"I think it's a good thing. At least someone can keep that sharp tongue of his in check now. There's always a match for every pot. Let's see if he dares to run his mouth from now on."

Ning Fengzhi turned to Ning Rongrong and teased her.

"Rongrong, you have some serious competition."

"Shui Yue'er may be a little lively, but she's straightforward and pretty. And she has an older sister too. Two beautiful sisters together—their appeal doubles."

Ning Rongrong blushed.

"D-Dad... What are you talking about? Who... who likes him? He's so annoying. I don't like him at all."

Ning Fengzhi gave her a knowing smile. As her father, how could he not understand what his daughter was thinking?

Someone like Xuan Qing was one of a kind in the history of the Douluo Continent. His daughter was just too shy to say it.

Besides, Xuan Qing didn't seem to have caught on to matters between men and women yet. Otherwise, Shui Yue'er wouldn't have scared him into running away.

Meanwhile, Shui Yue'er returned to Shui Bing'er, grinning triumphantly.

"Big sister, you heard him, right? He said he likes the cool, aloof type. That's you, isn't it? What do you think?"

"Let's team up and win him over. You can be the first wife, and I'll be the second. We'll keep him in line together."

Shui Bing'er's pretty face reddened, and she chided her.

"Yue'er, what nonsense are you talking about? You can't just say things like that. Besides, he ran off. That clearly means he doesn't want us. Let's not flatter ourselves."

Shui Yue'er giggled.

"Oh, big sister, you don't understand. He's afraid we'll gobble him up—that just means he's shy and easy to train."

"Once he grows up, won't he be at our mercy? If you tell him to go east, he won't dare go west. If you make him kneel on a washboard, he won't dare stand. Just imagine it—it's wonderful!"

Shui Bing'er involuntarily pictured it.

After they were married, Xuan Qing would kneel at her feet, looking pitiful as he called her "big sister" and begged for forgiveness. That scene... actually seemed rather nice.

But she shook her head at once, driving the thought away. She hurriedly covered her face, feeling her cheeks burn. How could she have such a thought? It was too embarrassing.

Then she reconsidered.

If she had to marry someone, why not choose someone good? Aside from his sharp tongue, Xuan Qing didn't seem to have any other flaws so far.

If Xuan Qing had known what she was thinking, he would surely have said:

"This Love Continent is terrifying. The girls here are all wired wrong, and each one is bolder than the last."

After the banquet ended, Xue Qinghe returned to the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace, removed her disguise, and resumed her appearance as Qian Renxue.

She sat before the mirror, watching her own face as the corners of her mouth kept rising. Today had been so satisfying. That jerk Xuan Qing had finally gotten his comeuppance. She could laugh at his miserable expression for a whole year.

Just then, a figure appeared silently behind her.

Qian Renxue didn't need to turn around to know who it was. Only a handful of people knew about this secret chamber.