The Chosen Boy☆ / The Best of Times, Like a Dream

Luo Xiyan smiled Qianqian, seemingly not taking it to heart.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked," Ling Mengxue said apologetically.

She hadn't realized that her momentary lapse in concentration had led to this oversight; she was upset, realizing she hadn't considered things carefully...

"Don't overthink it. It's just a minor matter. When you get home, keep an eye on me... hmm? I'll just go through the motions. Don't feel pressured." Luo Xiyan turned and smiled at her, her small lips curving into a faint smile, revealing a mysterious and adorable air.

Before Ling Mengxue could react, Luo Xiyan took out a pink petal hair clip from her person, reached out, and gently put it on her.

Luo Xiyan looked at her with anticipation and doting eyes, gently touching her soft, silver hair, which was like brocade, seemingly mirroring their current state of mind.

Upon arriving at the door, Ling Mengxue took out the prepared items. Her heart was calm, her hands were steady, and she didn't seem as uneasy as she had imagined.

Everything went smoothly. After all, it was Luo Xiyan's own home, and it felt similar to the previous neighborhood, except the house was bigger, the furnishings were more elegant and luxurious, and it was also quieter.

There were hardly any people in the villa, only two or three maids who took care of the daily needs.

Hearing the commotion, the head maid came out and her face lit up with joy. "Miss, welcome back."

Luo Xiyan nodded slightly when she saw her, and quickly asked, "Sister Yan, have you seen my mother?"

"Madam is upstairs. She just came back from outside and is probably in the study."

"OK."

Would you like me to prepare some tea for you?

"No."

Luo Xiyan held Ling Mengxue's hand, somewhat impatiently.

After watching the two leave, the maid simply smiled and continued with her work.

Although her young mistress was often away from home, she had worked here for five years and was quite familiar with Luo Xiyan, but she didn't really understand her and was still a bad fan.

All I know is that the girl is elegant and dignified, and a super popular idol. She is serious and meticulous in her work and can handle everything perfectly. She is just a bit aloof, but she is always gentle to everyone. Despite her plainness, she seems like a fairy who has mistakenly fallen to earth and become tainted by worldly affairs.

The study is on the second floor. The room is very large, like a small library, with countless books and classics stacked high, and ladders piled up next to the bookshelves for easy climbing of the mountain of books.

However, after entering the room, Ling Mengxue couldn't find a single person.

Inside the study, on a corner desk by the window, sat a freshly brewed kettle of hot water.

The tea leaves unfurled in the cup, floating and sinking in the water, releasing a gentle steam and a delicate fragrance that drifted into every quiet corner, like a lingering melody. Clearly, someone had just been here.

Some might even speculate that the person was there a second ago, but ran away after they arrived.

Ling Mengxue's mental strength is quite high now. She can vaguely capture some subtle details and movements from a great distance, making her a "master of detail" in the biological world.

In contrast, Luo Xiyan seemed to have gotten used to it, and after putting her things away, she walked through the bookshelves in the room.

Soon, a strange voice came from inside, and for a moment, Ling Mengxue couldn't tell who was speaking.

"Oh dear... Xi Yan, it's rare for you to bring your girlfriend home, can't you spend more time playing with your mother?"

"Let Xiaoxue keep you company; she's very good at it. It's okay if you don't like it; I can gradually come to like it myself."

Luo Xiyan pulled her mother out from behind the bookshelf. Her mother looked to be only about twenty years old. The scene before them was wonderfully idyllic, filled with childlike innocence and warmth, which surprised Ling Mengxue.

Anyone who doesn't know them would never guess they are mother and daughter.

Su Mei wore a plain-colored long dress, light blue socks, and women's sandals, exuding an air of dignified elegance, yet also a childlike innocence beyond her years.

Her long, violet hair cascaded down to her waist, partially tied back with a blue ribbon. She radiated warmth that seemed capable of melting everything.

She rested her chin on Luo Xiyan's shoulder, and upon seeing Ling Mengxue, she couldn't help but be somewhat amazed. "Is this Miss Ling? Come, little sister, let Mom have a good look at you~"

Ling Mengxue felt that the script was very different from what she had imagined, and she was completely confused. A blush inexplicably appeared on her cheeks, and she nodded with a red face.

Suddenly, Luo Xiyan took their hands and pulled them to chairs, preventing the situation from getting out of control. She also reminded her mother, "Don't you dare have any designs on Xiaoxue."

"Cough... Xi Yan, don't look at Mom like that, okay? Your little sister cured your 'illness,' how could I have any ulterior motives? Even the dark witch in fairy tales doesn't have that many ulterior motives, does she?"

Su Mei's eyes were like spring blossoms, her face like a lotus, her eyebrows like willows, and her captivating eyes, as alluring as peach blossoms, were incredibly enchanting. Her voice was as clear and melodious as spring water, as pure and noble as clear water. She seemed almost like an eighteen-year-old girl.

After Luo Xiyan's explanation, Ling Mengxue and Su Mei were relieved.

It seemed that the three of them mainly centered around Luo Xiyan, and Ling Mengxue was quite impressed by their eloquent and skillful words.

It turned out that because he had "cured" Xi Yan, her mother's personality had become much more cheerful. Although she was very happy, she sometimes couldn't handle things and acted like a child.

Su Mei held Ling Mengxue in her arms, closed her eyes slightly, and said with great relief, "Little Xue, from now on we are family. If Xi Yan bullies you, just tell me. This child has a rather strong personality, so please be patient with her. You two are both so beautiful and have special identities, so remember that safety is the most important thing."

"Yes, thank you, Auntie..." Ling Mengxue responded softly, though she wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but she felt like she had said it backwards.

"Come chat with Auntie whenever you have time. If you want to play any games, Auntie will take you. And... Xi Yan's dad is just a bit cold, so you don't need to pay attention to him. Besides, you rarely see him anyway." Su Mei had a Mona Lisa-like charming smile on her face, and the tenderness in her eyes was impossible to hide. She was definitely a virtuous wife and loving mother.

"Okay, I got it..."

"It's okay if you can't remember. When you have time during the holidays, Auntie will take you out to play. But you have to call her 'sister' when we're out together..."

"..."

Luo Xiyan sat alone to one side, holding a warm teacup, feeling the warmth from her palms. Like the tranquil Jiangnan, she felt undisturbed by any hustle and bustle, simply listening to the two talking quietly, and it all felt wonderful.

[img=700,764]htt [img=700,693]htt I originally wanted to write something more detailed, but I couldn't keep it steady... o(╥

Chapter Twenty-Five: The Chosen Youth☆

"It's almost noon. What would you like to eat? I'll have someone prepare the ingredients. Mom will cook it herself. Remember to come downstairs for lunch later!"

It's unclear how long Su Mei stayed in the study, but Su Mei finally gave the two of them a sweet smile, got up, and left with light steps.

Ling Mengxue stared at the doorway. Only after everyone had left did she let out a long breath, and her tightly clenched fingers slowly relaxed.

Although it wasn't quite the serious scene I'd imagined, all the anticipated feelings of unease were present.

Sunlight streamed in through the window, and Luo Xiyan, dressed in a white dress, sat there, holding a teacup in both hands and sipping tea, in a pleasant mood.

A sidelong glance, a smile, a silent sigh, utterly wonderful--

Ling Mengxue lowered her head in annoyance, her heart aching, but she still managed a smile, "Xi Yan, your mother... is so cute..."

"In my memory, my mother wasn't like this before, and maybe she was still the same. It's just because of me that she's lost so many smiles. Even though she had excellent grades, she always seemed to be worrying and sad about me. I didn't understand that before..."

Luo Xiyan put down her cup, then rested her chin on her hand and leaned against the desk, staring intently at Ling Mengxue with a pure and beautiful smile. "But now, thank you~"

It's raining in Tokyo, and Paris is getting soaked--?????∮

"Excuse me, Xi Yan, I need to take this call."

Luo Xiyan: "..."

The sweet and warm atmosphere that was about to begin was suddenly broken. Ling Mengxue was a little embarrassed, smiled apologetically, and quickly left the study to take out her phone.

It wasn't that she felt guilty or anything; it was just that the atmosphere was too sweet, and she was too shy to handle it, so she needed to calm down first.

Even if you can't calm down, you have to pretend to be calm. Don't panic or get flustered in the face of adversity, at least don't lose your composure.

The call was from Zhao Ping. He's usually quite well-behaved, so I don't know what's wrong with him now, but the timing was "very opportune."

Ling Mengxue took out the "Voice-Changing Magic Patch" and answered the call. Soon, an excited voice came from the other end...

"Holy crap, Ling Feng, this is huge! Are you free lately? I'll take you to pull off a massive heist! There's even a perk!"

"Don't make such a fuss. Tell me how big it is?" Ling Mengxue asked, somewhat amused and helpless.

"Awakened Ones, have you heard of them? If not, you know what a superhuman is, right?" Zhao Ping spoke loudly.

Ling Mengxue thought for a moment, seemingly not sensing anything amiss, and comforted him, "Zhao Ping, aren't you already a martial artist? Why are you still thinking about that awakened ability? The news reports it was a pyramid scheme!"

"No, no, no, this isn't a pyramid scheme!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ping immediately retorted, his tone firm, "You know the Ninth Bureau? Those mysterious black-clad men who suddenly appeared to rescue us in Central Prefecture last time, they were incredibly cool! Zhao Lei has already joined them, and he's planning to treat me to a life of luxury. He can even awaken superpowers! Do you have superpowers? It's like a cow flying in an airplane, absolutely awesome... I immediately thought of you, so tell me, are you a good buddy?!"

As he spoke, Zhao Ping seemed to straighten his back, his tone carrying a hint of arrogance and a subtle air of haughtiness.

Even through a screen, Ling Mengxue could almost picture the scene.

However, when Zhao Lei was mentioned, her heart skipped a beat, and she asked cautiously, "Zhao Lei didn't say anything to you, did he?"

Ling Mengxue wasn't too surprised that Zhao Lei would join the Ninth Bureau; she was just a little astonished and curious. After all, even though this guy had only recently unlocked his Gene Lock and was "limited in strength" (low emotional intelligence: a weakling), and was still just a student, she didn't know what he was thinking.

The only thing that bothered her was what happened at 'Miss Ghost Manor' last time. Zhao Lei had promised to help keep her identity a secret to avoid getting into trouble, but she didn't know if he had revealed anything.

Zhao Ping was initially confused by Ling Mengxue's words, but he wasn't stupid and quickly realized what she meant, unleashing a torrent of profanity!

"Damn it! Ling Feng, you guys were really hiding something from me, weren't you? Are you even brothers anymore?? Zhao Lei skipped class for several days the other day. I went to his class to look for him, but he wasn't there, and he wouldn't answer his phone. Later I found out he went on some kind of adventure to the Star Prefecture Ghostly Secret Realm. He's been acting really strange ever since. Sometimes when we're together, he laughs like crazy whenever your name is mentioned. Did you guys go on some big adventure without me??"

After Zhao Ping's analysis, Ling Mengxue couldn't help but admire his imagination.

Although the guess was wrong, rounding it off, it seems to be pretty close to the truth?

They just happened to meet by chance in a secret realm of the 'Ping'an District' supernatural world, and ended up teaming up to clear it; it's really nothing big.

"Stop overthinking! Haven't you seen those secret realms on TV, the internet, or even the news? How could you not know how dangerous they are? We risked our lives there and almost didn't make it back!" Ling Mengxue organized her thoughts and said with a hint of exasperation, her tone quite indignant, as if she had truly encountered danger during that process.

This acting was absolutely phenomenal!

Little golden man~ Little golden man~

On the other end of the phone, Zhao Ping was standing in the corridor outside his classroom. He was taken aback when he heard Ling Mengxue say this.

That makes so much sense!

After believing Ling Mengxue's "nonsense," Zhao Ping asked with some surprise, "Brother Feng, I know your strength, and... ah, I mean, I highly acknowledge it! Could it be that even you can't handle this?"

Ling Mengxue sighed softly and began to ramble, "Zhao Ping, this world is vast. No matter how powerful I am, can I turn the world upside down? You are the chosen one, only you can save this world and defeat the final boss. We can only wait for you to grow up before you can lead us..."

"That's right! Haha, you really are the protagonist. You haven't fully grown up yet, otherwise you would definitely be a big shot!" Zhao Ping laughed heartily, seemingly agreeing wholeheartedly.

"..."

I need to calm down first; there's just too much information.

Ling Mengxue leaned against the wall with one hand, lost in thought.

"So when are you planning to come back? I heard from Zhao Lei that you're still in Star Prefecture. You've transferred schools and aren't even going to class? But don't worry, once my superpowers awaken and develop, I'll be a Star Warrior and a Superpower User. I'll protect you guys!" Zhao Ping patted his chest forcefully.

"I'll be taking my final exams soon and will be going back soon. Let's talk about it during the holidays; we'll have more time then," Ling Mengxue replied simply after a moment's thought.

"Okay, I have to go to class now, let's talk later."

"Good."

Ling Mengxue also heard the familiar school bell ringing on the other end of the phone and quickly hung up.

Judging by the time, it should be the last period of the morning at school by now.

[img=700,499]htt [img=700,456]htt Chapter Twenty-Six: Fleeting Years, A Dreamlike Encounter

At noon, the family enjoyed a sumptuous lunch, mostly home-style dishes. However, Su Mei's culinary skills were top-notch. Coincidentally, it was the Dragon Boat Festival, so there were also sweet rice dumplings. The three chatted and laughed, enjoying a warm and pleasant time.

Ling Mengxue had never tried sweet zongzi before. After giving it a try, she found that the taste was similar to what she remembered, but with a unique flavor.

Glutinous rice, red beans, pork belly, chestnuts...

Soft and delicious--

The glutinous rice in zongzi has a high starch content, making it sticky and unappealing to the touch, which makes me feel a bit guilty.

We're in someone else's home, so... is that a bit "inappropriate"?

"Xi Yan, if you don't have class today, why don't you take Xiaoxue out to play? She's come all this way, don't you know how to treat a guest?" Su Mei said with a smile, giving her daughter a meaningful look.

Luo Xiyan paused for a moment, then continued eating, "We've already 'played' it, and Xiaoxue is very 'happy'."

Is this "playing" serious?

"Is that so?" Su Mei was a little confused, then chuckled, "How about this, you two come shopping with me later? I haven't had a proper shopping trip with Xiao Xiao's mom in ages, it's been kind of boring~"

Luo Xiyan didn't speak, but continued drinking her soup, smiling gently with her eyes lowered. Then she secretly gave Ling Mengxue an inquiring look, her demeanor serene and elegant, her eyes full of tenderness.

Upon seeing this, Ling Mengxue instantly snapped to attention, immediately understanding, and nodded nervously, "Auntie... oh no, Mom, I'll do whatever you say."