The Xiao Family

"Obviously, they're mine. Do I look like someone who wears other people's hand-me-downs?"

Lu Chuan frowned slightly, deliberately putting on a displeased expression.

Xiao Yan panicked at the sight and hurriedly waved his hands.

"No, no, no! That's not what I meant. Don't get me wrong, bro!"

He quickly glanced around, leaned forward a little, and lowered his voice before speaking cautiously.

"The heavenly king covers the earthly tiger."

"The precious pagoda subdues the river demon?"

"!!"

Hearing the familiar code phrase, Xiao Yan grew so excited that he couldn't hide the fire in his eyes. He grabbed Lu Chuan's hand.

"Bro! Don't tell me you're one too!"

Lu Chuan pulled his hand free with a look of disgust and scrubbed it hard against his clothes.

"Keep your distance. I'm not into men!"

Xiao Yan's face instantly stiffened, his excitement freezing in place. His hand still hung in midair, and for a moment, he had no idea where to put it.

He had never expected that answer, and his face flushed red with embarrassment.

"No... bro, you've got it wrong! I'm not gay! Xun'er, you have to believe me! I like women!"

Xun'er covered her mouth and giggled.

"Oh, you never know~"

Xiao Yan looked embarrassed, unsure whether to laugh or cry.

"Well, well, now even you little rascal are making fun of me."

He scratched the back of his head helplessly. Most of his earlier excitement had cooled, and he turned to Lu Chuan again.

"Bro, so are you or aren't you?"

Lu Chuan drawled, "Yes~ and no~"

"What does that mean?" Xiao Yan looked utterly bewildered, unable to make sense of his words.

Lu Chuan casually glanced at the pedestrians passing along the street. People came and went, and quite a few kept casting looks their way.

"Are you sure you want to talk about this here?"

Only then did Xiao Yan realize that passersby surrounded them. Something this secret really wasn't suitable for a public conversation.

He instinctively lowered his voice.

"Then... how about we talk at the Xiao Family estate?"

"Let's go. Lead the way."

Lu Chuan didn't refuse. After all, he still needed to get his hands on the Foundation Establishment Spiritual Liquid. Not only could he and Zhu Zhuqing use it, but he could also sell it as a treasure to the people of the Douluo Continent.

"Sure thing, bro. This way, please."

Xiao Yan happily walked ahead, introducing his family to Lu Chuan along the way. He had never shown even Xun'er this much enthusiasm.

Following behind him, Xun'er felt a little jealous and quietly watched Lu Chuan and Zhu Zhuqing's every move.

Zhu Zhuqing likewise followed silently behind Lu Chuan. Her gaze also rested on Xun'er as she discreetly sized up the girl with the remarkable bearing.

Their gazes suddenly collided in midair.

Xun'er smiled faintly and gave Zhu Zhuqing a gentle nod.

"Hello, my name is Xiao Xun'er. I'm from the Xiao Family. May I ask where you're from, big sister?"

"Zhu Zhuqing. The Star Luo Empire, the Zhu Family."

Zhu Zhuqing nodded slightly in response, then withdrew her gaze and paid the other girl no further attention.

Looking at Zhu Zhuqing, who had fallen silent again, Xun'er felt a little frustrated.

What a cold, aloof woman. What should I do?

She had taken the initiative to show goodwill, and although the other girl had responded politely, there had been a faint distance in her manner, without the slightest desire to converse.

The Star Luo Empire? The Zhu Family? What places are those? Why have I never heard of them? Could they be some secluded family?

Beside her, Zhu Zhuqing remained outwardly composed, but quietly moved farther away from Xiao Xun'er. She kept feeling that this pretty girl was no simple soul either, so she would keep her distance as much as possible.

Each occupied with their own thoughts, they walked all the way to the Xiao Family's main gate.

"Greetings, Third Young Master!"

The servants guarding the entrance hurriedly bowed to Xiao Yan, curiously studying the two unfamiliar faces behind him, Lu Chuan and Zhu Zhuqing.

Xiao Yan waved a hand.

"No need for formalities. We'll talk inside."

With that, he led Lu Chuan and the two girls into the Xiao Family courtyard.

Lu Chuan surveyed the courtyard's old-fashioned buildings and nodded inwardly. As expected of one of Wutan City's three major powers, their estate was truly enormous.

Still, judging by what a hundred-year Spirit Bone would be worth here, he could easily buy this entire estate with one.

He withdrew his gaze, turned toward Xiao Yan ahead of him, and asked a question.

"Xiao Yan, how old are you now? What's your cultivation level?"

The light in Xiao Yan's face slowly dimmed. He let out a long sigh, an unshakable sense of loss buried in his eyes.

"Ah... I'm fifteen this year, and I'm only at the third stage of Dou Qi."

He clenched his hands, his voice tinged with bitterness.

"Three years ago, I came down with some strange illness. The Dou Qi inside me kept leaking out for no reason, and my cultivation kept falling uncontrollably.

"I used to be a genius who drew everyone's attention. Who could have imagined that in just a few years, I'd end up as the trash everyone mocks behind my back..."

Xun'er stood quietly beside Xiao Yan. Her brows drew together slightly as she looked at him, her eyes filled with heartache.

"Brother Xiao Yan, you're not trash. I believe you'll return to the peak one day."

"Xun'er."

"Brother Xiao Yan."

Zhu Zhuqing remained silent at the side, watching the scene calmly without speaking.

Yet her heart was filled with envy. Look at them—even after he had become trash, his other half still refused to leave his side.

Then look at me... abandoned outright, left to live or die on my own...

How can the gulf between people be so vast?

After that brief sorrow, her heart slowly settled again.

On second thought, if that coward hadn't abandoned her, she would never have met her senior through that stroke of chance.

She raised her eyes slightly, her gaze settling somewhat dazedly on Lu Chuan's profile.

Just then, a mocking voice that practically begged for a beating suddenly rang out from the courtyard entrance.

"Oh~ isn't this our great genius? And you've brought two outsiders along?"

Xiao Ning sauntered over with a group of Xiao Family disciples, his arms folded across his chest and his face thick with mockery.

The followers behind him also looked eager for a show, their gazes moving back and forth between Lu Chuan and Zhu Zhuqing.

When Xiao Ning saw Zhu Zhuqing's appearance, he was briefly surprised, but thought little of it. In his heart, no one could ever compare to Xun'er.

A provocative smile still lingered on his face as he looked at Xiao Yan.

"Xiao Yan, you're getting more idle by the day! If your clan-leader daddy weren't protecting you, you'd have been sent to the Marketplace to do odd jobs long ago."

With a cruel smile at the corner of his mouth, Xiao Ning stepped forward and deliberately raised his voice.

"Trash for a day, trash for a lifetime. If you know what's good for you, get out already instead of wasting the clan's resources!"

He then looked at Lu Chuan and Zhu Zhuqing and offered them some advice.

"You two don't know, do you? He's famous throughout Wutan City for being trash. I'd advise you not to get too involved with Xiao Yan. It's liable to cheapen your own standing."

The Xiao Family disciples behind him clamored in agreement, their mocking gazes all falling on Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan's chest heaved violently, his nails digging deep into his palms as humiliation surged up from the depths of his heart.

Three years of endless ridicule and oppression nearly crushed him at that moment.

Being so viciously humiliated in front of someone from his own world, especially, sent fury churning through his heart.

"Xiao Ning! Don't push it!" Xiao Yan snarled through gritted teeth.