A Chance Encounter with Xu Xiaoyu

Before long, Na'er finished her bath, changed into a new set of clothes, and stood beside Ye Ran.

Her short, silvery-white hair shimmered with a pale blue luster, adorned with feathers and white flowers, with a thin braid woven along the side. Her eyes were clear and limpid, glistening with moisture.

Her white dress was trimmed with pink lace and petal-like edges, featuring a large pink bow and a red heart ornament on the chest, making her look like a princess who had stepped right out of a fairy tale.

Ye Ran held her hand as they went downstairs. Her steps were light, and her eyes held a sense of delight; other people's children were indeed much more normal.

Her own child spent every waking moment researching soul guidance devices.

In the living room, Xiao Ming was already seated at the dining table, where a sumptuous meal had been laid out. His gaze lingered on Na'er for a brief moment before he looked away.

Xiao Mu emerged from his laboratory, having confirmed the effects of his soul skill; his expansion capabilities were quite extensive.

He glanced at Na'er, and if he had to describe her appearance, it would be:

Three years in prison with a smile, walking toward the underworld with a laugh.

Then, saying nothing more, he simply pulled out a chair and sat down to eat.

Na'er looked at the food before her, her stomach letting out a low rumble.

Ye Ran pushed a bowl of soup toward her. "Don't be afraid, drink some soup first to warm your stomach."

Na'er picked up the bowl, took a spoonful, brought it to her lips, and swallowed.

"Is it good?"

"Mm."

Then she began to wolf down her food, the scrambled eggs and rice disappearing into her mouth with a near-voracious speed.

Rice grains clung to the corners of her mouth, but she didn't wipe them away, simply continuing to eat like a small beast that had been starving for too long and had finally found prey.

Ye Ran watched her without a word, then served another bowl of rice and pushed it toward her.

Xiao Mu felt no surprise, knowing that Na'er had inherited the world-shaking appetite of the Silver Dragon King.

A larger appetite was perfectly normal.

All this food was meant to help her recover faster.

"Eat slowly, no one is going to take it from you," he said.

Xiao Ming paused slightly, wondering if the little girl had been abandoned because she ate too much and her family couldn't afford to keep her. However, he certainly didn't care about such a small food bill.

Although he wasn't as wealthy as the Tang Sect, he was one of the richest men in East Sea City and a major taxpayer to boot.

Besides, he had relied on his parents when he was young, and now in middle age, he was relying on his son; his life was truly a series of ups, with no downs to speak of.

With so many patents, the Federation wanted them all.

He wondered if he would be able to rely on his grandson when he was old.

After the meal, Na'er was taken by Ye Ran to a room on the second floor.

The door opened, and the room came into view. Moonlight poured in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, spreading a layer of white frost across the floor.

The bed in the room was large, the bedding was a clean light gray, and a small nightlight sat on the bedside table, its warm yellow glow swaying gently in the darkness.

"You can sleep here tonight," Ye Ran said gently. "If you need anything, call me; I'll be right next door."

Na'er looked a little flustered and said, "Thank you."

Xiao Mu returned to his own room, sat on his bed, and began his first session of cultivation.

He guided the soul power within his body, letting it flow slowly along his meridians. At first, it felt stiff, but then it gradually smoothed out, trickling down like a stream.

The essence of heaven and earth was drawn to him.

At first, it was faint, gathering from all directions like mist, thin strands seeping through his skin and merging into his body.

Xiao Mu clearly felt that his body was undergoing some kind of change, a warm sensation, and he finally understood why those people in novels were always going into seclusion to cultivate.

The night deepened, and the lights of East Sea City gradually extinguished, like a galaxy falling into a deep slumber.

When Xiao Mu opened his eyes again, the first rays of morning light were rising from the horizon outside the window, like a golden blade slowly slicing through the boundary between night and day.

A new day had begun.

The next day, Ye Ran took Na'er to the Federation Police Station to file a report. Everything went exactly as Xiao Mu had expected; the Federation Police Station was just a bunch of useless bureaucrats.

Reporting the case, filling out forms, waiting.

The officer searched the light screen for fifteen minutes, but there was no record of such a person in the database.

No birth certificate, no household registration.

It was as if Na'er had simply appeared out of thin air.

Ye Ran remained silent for a long time, finally ruffling Na'er's hair and saying, "Forget it. With an appetite like yours, you wouldn't even get enough to eat at an orphanage. You might as well stay at my place for now."

Na'er looked up and said gratefully, "Thank you, Auntie."

After that, Ye Ran took her shopping. The mall was brightly lit and crowded with people, and Na'er held Ye Ran's hand as they walked from one shop to another.

Ye Ran picked out clothes for her, trying them on one by one.

Dresses, shirts, and little jackets.

Na'er stood before the full-length mirror, the hem of her dress falling to her knees. She looked down at herself, then back up at Ye Ran.

"This one looks good."

"This one looks good too."

Ye Ran smiled, her desire to shop climbing, and in the blink of an eye, she had wandered through half the mall.

Xiao Mu leaned against a pillar at the store entrance, hands in his pockets. He appeared nonchalant, but in reality, he was already panting for breath.

He caught sight of an ice cream cart at the street corner and, without a moment's hesitation, headed over to buy some.

He couldn't fathom why they had to visit so many stores when everything could have been bought in just one.

No wonder the Ballad of Mulan said: "Buy a fine horse at the eastern market, a saddle at the western market, a bridle at the southern market, and a long whip at the northern market."

So, it was a realistic account after all.

Xiao Mu straightened up and walked toward the ice cream stall.

"Boss, two strawberry sundaes, please."

The boss nodded, and a wave of cold air billowed out, creating a white, misty haze.

Xiao Mu took the sundaes and turned to leave, but a figure suddenly flickered in his peripheral vision. He turned his head and saw a young man standing on the other side of the cart, holding two ice creams and examining them intently.

The youth was much taller than him, appearing six or seven years his senior, with a cold expression and a look of aloof arrogance etched between his brows.

Yet, he was muttering to himself, "Accompanying my mom and sister shopping... why is it so exhausting? My legs have gone numb from all the walking."

Xiao Mu took a bite of his sundae and glanced up at the blue-haired youth.

Their gazes collided, and then each looked toward the brightly lit clothing store behind the other.

There was a sense of meeting a kindred spirit, a feeling that they should have met much sooner.

"You too?"

"I suppose so."

Before long, Ye Ran walked out, holding Na'er's hand. Xiao Mu handed a sundae to Na'er; it had been bought for her all along.

"Thank you, Brother."

Na'er took it with both hands, her voice sweet and soft.

She took a bite, leaving a dab of ice cream on the corner of her mouth, and squinted her eyes in pure enjoyment.

Ye Ran's gaze fell upon the blue-haired youth, and she asked curiously, "Are you the noble son of the East Sea City Finance Director?"

The blue-haired youth turned his head, clearly not expecting to be recognized.

"Ma'am, do you know me?"

He knew that anyone who could recognize him in East Sea City likely held a position of no small status.

"The noble son of the East Sea Finance Director, Xu Xiaoyu—who wouldn't know you?" Ye Ran smiled. "I met your parents at the city banquet last year."

Xu Xiaoyu nodded, acknowledging his identity.

Only then did Xiao Mu realize that this was Tang Wulin's famous rival, the renowned Xu Xiaoyu.

Just then, the door of the clothing store on the other side opened, and a mature woman walked out, followed by a tiny figure.

The young girl had sky-blue hair tied into fluffy twin tails, and her dress of the same color swayed lightly. Her little face was pink and tender, her eyes curved into crescents; at five years old, she looked soft, adorable, and well-behaved.

She clutched a plush rabbit in her hand, its ears drooping and swaying with her every step.

Xu Xiaoyu's footsteps faltered. He looked down at the little one, and his cold, haughty face suddenly softened, filled with warmth.

Xiao Mu watched Xu Xiaoyu's strange expression. He didn't immediately recognize the little girl's identity, but looking at her appearance, he knew that "three years is the starting sentence" for this kind of thing.

Xiao Mu patted Xu Xiaoyu on the shoulder and said, "My friend, restraint, restraint. At this age, it's easy to get shocked."

As he spoke, faint electric arcs began to emanate from his hand, as he wanted to test his control over electrical energy.