East Sea Hotel.
Today, the Xu family head had specially hosted a banquet here to entertain distinguished guests. The hall was brightly lit, servants moved about in orderly fashion, and every guest was a prominent figure in the city.
Xu Handong, head of the Xu family, brought a group here for the feast. Apart from his own people, the guests were Su Jiuyin and the two little ones.
Shen Nanxun and Na'er had taken their seats early, waiting for the banquet to begin.
Na'er leaned over and whispered, "Shen Nanxun, will dinner be all-you-can-eat?"
"How could someone invite us and not let us eat our fill? If you're still hungry, you can bite me." Shen Nanxun tapped her little head, rather speechless.
Our Silver Dragon King's other half really was too clever.
Na'er wasn't convinced. Instead, she covered her forehead, her eyes sparkling. "Really?"
"I was joking, and you're already taking advantage of it."
While the two of them bickered, the Xu family members arrived in formal attire.
Beside Xu Handong stood Xu Xiaoyan, wearing a long, moon-white dress. The girl had clearly been carefully dressed up. Tiny star-patterned embroidery adorned the hem, her pale blue hair was braided into a loose fishtail that hung over her shoulder, and a little star-shaped ornament tied off the end.
But her expression didn't match the elegant outfit at all. Her ice-blue eyes were fixed on Shen Nanxun across the banquet, searching his face.
Shen Nanxun lifted his teacup and took a sip without expression, pretending not to notice.
At Xu Xiaoyan's side stood a boy in his teens. He was tall and slender, his back straight as a pine. His face bore a four- or five-tenths resemblance to Xu Xiaoyan's, with refined features, but his bearing was completely different.
He was her older brother, Xu Xiaoyu.
"Father." Xu Xiaoyu bowed slightly, his manners impeccable. Then he turned and respectfully bowed to Su Jiuyin, seated at the head of the guest table. He paused, seemingly weighing his words, but eventually addressed her with utmost respect. "Aunt."
Xu Xiaoyan followed with a clear, bright greeting. "Hello, Aunt!"
Su Jiuyin nodded slightly. Perhaps it was seeing her nephew and niece that finally brought a genuine smile to her face since her return.
"You look alike." Her voice remained gentle and calm. "Xiaoyu looks like your father when he was young, and Xiaoyan looks like my sister-in-law."
The smile on Xu Handong's face faltered for a moment. Then he lowered his head and lightly brushed the corner of his eye with a finger. He hadn't let anyone see the gesture, but Su Jiuyin had. She said nothing, only lifted her teacup and took a sip.
Xu Handong quickly regained his composure and raised his head, turning his gaze to the two children seated beside Su Jiuyin.
Su Jiuyin naturally understood what he meant and said slowly, "The Shen Family of Ming Capital."
Those four simple words made Xu Handong's eyes widen. As Eastsea City's finance minister, he knew a thing or two about Ming Capital's great families.
Who would've thought the little one wolfing down appetizers with no regard for appearances would turn out to be on a secret visit?
Truth be told, if the Shen Family of Ming Capital so much as stamped their feet, his Xu family wouldn't be able to bear it.
He set down his teacup and stood, straightening his collar. Then he clasped his hands and bowed solemnly to Shen Nanxun. "So you are Young Master Shen and Miss Shen. Please forgive my discourtesy. I am Xu Handong, head of the Xu family of Eastsea City. I had no idea distinguished guests were visiting today. I hope you'll forgive our inadequate hospitality."
Shen Nanxun set down his teacup and stood, returning the bow without being obsequious or arrogant. "You're too kind, Patriarch Xu. Na'er and I are the ones imposing on you today."
At home, he could horse around as much as he liked, but outside, he was the Xu family's only son. Naturally, he represented the family's dignity.
Na'er also stood and copied Shen Nanxun, clasping her little hands together in a bow. Her form wasn't quite right, but she was earnest. She was just about to say something polite when her stomach betrayed her with a soft growl.
The sound wasn't loud, but it rang out clearly in the quiet banquet hall. Na'er's little face turned scarlet, her ahoge gave a sharp twitch, and she froze on the spot.
Shen Nanxun covered his forehead helplessly.
What a disgrace.
Xu Handong froze, then suddenly laughed. He waved his hand and called out, "Let the banquet begin! We can't let our distinguished guests go hungry!"
As the banquet began, music and dancing filled the hall, and the atmosphere grew lively. It almost felt like a foolish emperor had taken the throne.
Although Shen Nanxun had grown up in the Shen Family, its style wasn't especially extravagant, and they hadn't let him attend banquets or anything of the sort at such a young age.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have sent him to North Sea City for training when he was five.
As the dishes were served, Xu Xiaoyan, dressed in her long gown, took the seat beside Shen Nanxun.
The girl blinked her dark eyes and smiled. "Brother Shen, did you mean what you said at the Spirit Ascension Platform?"
"What did I say?" Shen Nanxun didn't understand at first.
"That you'd give me nightmares?"
"Well..." Shen Nanxun couldn't figure out what she meant, so he was about to ask the Ahoge King beside him for help.
But faced with a table full of feasting, the Ahoge King had already thrown herself into it with abandon, oblivious to everything. She didn't care about Shen Nanxun's plea for help.
So he could only steel himself and answer, "Of course I meant it."
"Good." The curve of Xu Xiaoyan's lips widened, and a sly glint flashed deep in her eyes.
Looking at her expression, Shen Nanxun felt that something was off, but the words had already left his mouth. There was no taking them back.
Xu Xiaoyan didn't press him further. She simply smiled and picked up her chopsticks, placing a piece of osmanthus cake on the plate in front of him. "Brother Shen, have some cake."
Her voice was sweet and bright, and paired with those ice-blue eyes curved into crescents, she looked for all the world like a little white rabbit eyeing a carrot.
Heroine Xu wasn't stupid. Someone this young, this strong, with top-tier looks and a superfamily behind him—and he even knew when to go easy and show mercy to a girl. He was even more awesome than the male lead of a romance novel!
For such a high-quality future partner, of course... she wanted him, wanted him, wanted him!
Shen Nanxun looked down at the piece of osmanthus cake, then at Na'er, who was hunched over her food beside him. The Ahoge King was clutching a garlic-and-vermicelli scallop in both hands and munching away, her cheeks bulging like a hamster's. She hadn't noticed a thing. He resigned himself to picking up his chopsticks and taking a bite of the cake.
Xu Xiaoyu, seated across from them, took it all in. He raised his wineglass and took a sip, the corners of his mouth lifting into a polite smile. Then he set the glass down and turned to Shen Nanxun, his tone warm yet solemn. "Young Master Shen, thank you for going easy on my little sister at the Spirit Ascension Platform today."
Shen Nanxun swallowed the cake and wiped his mouth. "No need to thank me. The Spirit Ascension Platform is a place for sparring. We should know when to stop."
Xu Xiaoyu nodded slightly, his gaze lingering on Shen Nanxun for a moment. He had seen plenty among Eastsea City's younger generation, but there was something about this ten-year-old boy before him that he couldn't see through.
"Three rings," Shen Nanxun answered honestly. "Level thirty-three."
The wineglass in Xu Xiaoyu's hand trembled ever so slightly. Three rings. Level thirty-three. He was nearly ten years older than Shen Nanxun, yet he was only a Soul Elder himself.
At that age and level, he was already outstanding among Eastsea City's younger generation, but compared with this ten-year-old boy before him, the gap spoke for itself.
He set down his wineglass and clasped his hands in a solemn salute. "Young Master Shen, your talent is exceptional. I'm impressed."
Shen Nanxun shook his head, his tone calm. "Brother Xu, you flatter me. I've just been a little lucky."
By the time the banquet ended, it was already deep into the night. Na'er was sound asleep, leaning against Shen Nanxun's shoulder, her ahoge drooping limply. Shen Nanxun carried her back to her room, tucked her in, and pulled the blanket back over her after she kicked it off.
Only after finishing all that did he quietly slip out and return to his own room. He was just about to sit and meditate when a knock suddenly sounded at the door.
He opened it to find Xu Xiaoyan standing prettily in the doorway. Her gorgeous moon-white dress was gone, replaced by fluffy pink bunny pajamas. Two long rabbit ears dangled from the back of the hood, and she wore a matching pair of fuzzy slippers.
She hugged a pillow to her chest and tilted her face up. Her ice-blue eyes sparkled in the dim hallway light.
"What do you mean by this?" Shen Nanxun asked, a trace of wariness in his voice.
Xu Xiaoyan replied with righteous certainty, "You said you'd give me nightmares tonight."
"So?"
"So I came to find you." She hugged the pillow tighter. "You beat us today, so you're my nightmare. You said you'd keep your word."
Having nightmares = having you.
What the heck kind of logic was that?!
Before you continue