What Is She Hinting At?

Mingdu was still the same Mingdu, but today, an especially eye-catching group of pedestrians had appeared in the main urban district.

One man and five women were shopping together, and all five women were exceptionally beautiful. The single men passing by could not tear their eyes away from the sight, while a few with poorer self-control were so envious that they were practically drooling.

Naturally, this group was Xu Tianming and the others. Faced with all sorts of stares from the people on the streets, he did not care in the slightest.

Xiao Xiao, the shortest of the group and wearing twin ponytails, skipped along at the very front.

Although she had lived in Mingdu for quite some time, she spent most of her days cultivating within the Prince's Estate. Since it was rare for her to come out, and she was visiting places she had never explored before, Xiao Xiao could not help but feel delighted by all the new sights.

Jiang Nannan, with rabbit ears atop her head and a pair of long legs that could drive anyone mad, walked near the back of the group. Though she was only two years older than Xiao Xiao, her temperament was as steady as that of an adult.

Before leaving the Prince's Estate, she had wanted to get closer to Xu Tianming and narrow the distance between them through casual conversation and the like.

But plans could not keep up with changes.

The moment they left the Prince's Estate, Xu Tianming led the group straight to the Red Dust Duke's Estate and brought Meng Hongchen along.

Then, Jiang Nannan discovered that Meng Hongchen had directly wrapped herself around Xu Tianming's left arm. No one was holding his right arm, but Ye Guyi was standing extremely close to him...

Clearly, if Jiang Nannan wanted to get close to Xu Tianming under such circumstances, she could only squeeze one of those two women aside.

But the question was, whom should she squeeze out?

Or, more directly... whom could she squeeze out?

There was no need to even consider Meng Hongchen. This woman would likely become a princess consort in the future, so trying to edge her out was nothing but a dream.

As for Ye Guyi on the other side, there was no concern over status, but the problem was that this woman was rather strong. Jiang Nannan could not beat her...

Thus, she could only obediently follow behind Xu Tianming.

To avoid making herself upset, Jiang Nannan shifted her attention. One moment, she looked at the roadside stalls and considered whether to buy something to bring back for her mother. The next, she looked at Zhang Lexuan, who was walking beside her, slightly taller than her, yet clearly somewhat absent-minded.

Come to think of it, this older sister had been living in the Prince's Estate for so many days, yet Jiang Nannan did not seem to have had a proper conversation with her.

With that thought, Jiang Nannan moved a little closer to Zhang Lexuan and took the initiative to speak.

"Sister Lexuan, you look like you have something on your mind. If it is convenient, could you share it with me? Maybe I can help."

Caught off guard by Jiang Nannan suddenly speaking to her, Zhang Lexuan paused. She then swiftly put aside her other thoughts and gave Jiang Nannan a gentle smile.

"It is nothing. I have merely been overthinking. Speaking of which, Nannan, why do you not get closer to them? People your age should find it easier to have things to talk about."

At that, Jiang Nannan helplessly shrugged.

"Sister Lexuan, why don't you take a good look? If I went over there, wouldn't I just be making a fool of myself? Where is there even a place for me... Come to think of it, I am rather envious of Xiao Xiao. At an age when she is still ignorant of most things, she can instead live without a care in the world."

Zhang Lexuan had a somewhat different view on the matter.

"Everything has two sides. At an age of innocence and ignorance, one can indeed live without worries, but it is also the time when a person is most weak and powerless. Once something major happens, all they can do is wait for events to unfold..."

After hearing Zhang Lexuan's words, Jiang Nannan thought about them seriously and realized that it really was true.

Two years ago, she too had been at an age when she could have lived carefree. But when her mother suddenly fell seriously ill, aside from the Dark Nether Sect's condition that she sell herself, she had almost no other options.

Had fate not turned in her favor and allowed her to meet Xu Tianming, she did not dare imagine how miserable her fate would have been if she had lost her head and rashly agreed to the Dark Nether Sect's terms.

It was all thanks to His Highness...

After silently giving thanks for Xu Tianming's kindness, Jiang Nannan curiously asked Zhang Lexuan in return.

"Then, Sister Lexuan, do you prefer the age of innocence and ignorance, or the age when you can change your own fate?"

Upon hearing the question, Zhang Lexuan had initially wanted to answer directly that she naturally preferred the age when she could control her own destiny.

But when the words reached her lips, she subconsciously glanced at Meng Hongchen ahead of her, whose face was filled with happiness; Ye Guyi, whose eyes brimmed with affection; and Xiao Xiao, carefree and without a trace of worry or sorrow in her eyes.

"If there were a canopy that could protect me from all harm, I suppose I would also prefer an age where I could live without a care in the world."

Though the two spoke quietly, Xu Tianming, who walked ahead of them, heard every word clearly.

Zhang Lexuan's answer struck him as somewhat strange.

At the same time, within his sea of consciousness.

After half a month of recuperation, Mavuika, whose condition had almost fully recovered, spoke up to tease him.

"Tianming, I suspect this girl is hinting at something to you, but I have no proof."

"Even you feel that way, Mavuika?"

Hearing their exchange, Columbina was utterly confused.

"What are you talking about? What hint? I do not quite understand. Can you explain it to me?"

"Ahem... let Mavuika explain it to you. I am still out on the street, so I cannot be too distracted."

There were still plenty of things to do in Mingdu.

The group first visited a popular scenic attraction, then found a soul tool cinema and booked out the entire place to watch a comedy film.

At noon, they enjoyed a lavish lunch in the Heaven-class private room at the Mingdu Grand Hotel. After that, they headed together to the largest soul fighting arena in Mingdu and watched several intense, thrilling duels between soul masters.

After a full day of sightseeing, the sky was nearly dark.

However, something unexpected happened as they made their way home.

A plainly dressed young man suddenly stopped Xu Tianming's group. He looked excitedly at Zhang Lexuan, who stood near the back.

"Sister Lexuan! Is it really you?"

The moment he heard that, Xu Tianming, who had been about to speak, immediately grew interested. He swallowed the words he had intended to say, stepped aside with great interest, and looked toward Zhang Lexuan.

Zhang Lexuan was also somewhat surprised at being called by name so suddenly. Yet after seeing who stood before her, the confusion in her heart only deepened.

"Sorry... who are you? Do we know each other?"

The words stabbed Dai Yueheng through the heart, but he quickly comforted himself.

"I only passed the assessment and entered the inner court near the end of last year... There are so many inner court students. It is perfectly normal that Sister Lexuan does not remember me..."

There was no need for him to care about such a trivial matter.

What mattered most was that he had truly discovered Zhang Lexuan's whereabouts within the Sun Moon Empire!