Xia Kong and Ya Fei were chatting and laughing as they agreed to go together in three years to witness the Three-Year Agreement that would shake the entire Jia Ma Empire. Just then, several soft knocks sounded at the door, and the maid Xiao Qin's voice came through it.
"Miss, Nalan Yanran, the young sect master of the Misty Cloud Sect, and Steward Ge Ye have come to visit."
"Understood. I'll be there shortly."
Ya Fei answered, then turned to Xia Kong with an even deeper smile in her eyes. Half teasing, she invited him, "Hehe, the leading lady herself has come knocking. Want to come meet her with me? Perhaps she's here for the Spicy Jade you brought out. Besides, I've met Nalan Yanran before. She's graceful and lovely, with beauty that could topple cities and kingdoms. Her looks are no less striking than mine."
At Ya Fei's description, a flicker of interest did indeed pass through Xia Kong's heart. But when he met her teasing gaze, that thought vanished without a trace.
"No need, Sister Ya Fei. Go attend to your guests. I'll wait here for a while."
"Oh?"
Ya Fei had assumed that, with their transaction complete, Xia Kong would take his leave even if he chose not to meet Nalan Yanran. His words clearly suggested that he still had something else left unsaid. Most likely, he had not yet made up his mind earlier.
A glimmer of interest crossed Ya Fei's eyes. She instructed Xiao Qin to take good care of Xia Kong and meet all his needs, then turned and left the VIP room.
Only Xia Kong and Xiao Qin remained. Without any instructions from him, Xiao Qin did not dare approach on her own initiative and stood quietly by the door. Xia Kong did not wander around either. Still seated where he had been, he propped his cheek on one hand and tapped his fingertips against the armrest, lost in thought.
Should I use the Mittel family's extensive intelligence network to investigate the whereabouts of this body's original parents, along with all the shady dealings behind the Ao Ba Family?
Xia Kong's original plan had been simple: stay in the relatively peaceful Wutan City, cultivate to the Dou Shi realm, polish a few Dou Techniques, then spread his wings and fly far away, perhaps never setting foot here again. The entanglements of this body's past would slowly return to dust as the distance grew.
But the Ao Ba Family's sudden surveillance had disrupted his plans. Memories of this body's original parents, which he had deliberately buried deep in his heart, surged through his mind, scene after scene.
The couple had not treated their son badly. He had never lacked food or clothing, and they had carefully guided his Dou Qi cultivation. At least they were unlike the father of a certain God King in a neighboring world, who needed his child to worry over him and keep him from starving to death. Still, this body's parents could hardly be called affectionate. To be honest, they had seemed more like a couple living their own lives. Their love for each other was the real thing; their son had been more like an unexpected free gift.
Fine. Since the Ao Ba Family has already gotten involved, I might as well get to the bottom of the truth and settle this karmic entanglement once and for all...
Meanwhile, in another VIP room, Ya Fei's meeting with Nalan Yanran was drawing to a close.
After several rounds of pleasantries and negotiation, Nalan Yanran finally purchased five Spicy Jades from Ya Fei at the steep price of forty thousand gold coins apiece.
Ya Fei watched Nalan Yanran and Ge Ye slowly depart, her gaze gentle as she inwardly sighed. Poor girl. Whenever I think of the outcome awaiting you three years from now, I can't bear to squeeze any more gold coins out of you.
No sooner had that thought arisen than something else stirred in her mind.
The outcome three years from now is still far off. Why have I already decided that Nalan Yanran will certainly lose? Have Xia Kong's views influenced me this much without my even realizing it?
Ya Fei shook her head lightly and let out an involuntary laugh.
Yet she had to admit that when Xia Kong had confidently assessed Xiao Yan and Nalan Yanran earlier, his spirited bearing-the air of someone holding every winning card, pointing out the course of the world-had been especially captivating.
Having finished attending to her guests, Ya Fei returned to Xia Kong's VIP room and briefly told him the terms of her transaction with Nalan Yanran. This was Mittel's business intelligence, and she had no obligation to disclose it to an outsider. Yet, for reasons she could not quite name, she told him honestly anyway.
"Little Sister Yanran isn't bad at heart. You could tell from her expression that she knows she acted far too rashly by going to their door to break off the engagement yesterday."
Xia Kong nodded in agreement with Ya Fei's assessment of Nalan Yanran. Had someone more ruthless been in her place, they would not even have mentioned breaking off the engagement. Why not simply ask a Dou Ling Steward to slaughter the entire Xiao Clan?
"There's really no right or wrong in this matter. It's just young people's pride and a clash of tempers."
Ya Fei nodded slightly, her bright, captivating eyes fixed unblinkingly on Xia Kong. Her gaze seemed to contain a thousand words, as though asking, Aren't you a young man with fierce pride yourself?
Xia Kong had not yet cultivated a hide impervious to every poison. Under such an alluring gaze, he simply could not keep his heart as still as water.
"Ahem, Sister Ya Fei, I actually stayed because there's something else I'd like your help with."
Xia Kong hurriedly diverted Ya Fei's attention.
"Mm-hmm, go ahead. Whatever it is, I'll certainly do everything in my power."
It was plainly an ordinary reply, yet Xia Kong somehow heard a suggestive undertone in it. He could not help grumbling inwardly, Just whose mind is so filthy here?
"This is another spirit fruit I happened to obtain. Please consider it payment for troubling you to help."
Xia Kong raised his hand and took out a new spiritual medicine. The fruit had a lustrous sheen; one glance was enough to tell that its medicinal properties were extraordinary and its effects powerful.
Ya Fei marveled inwardly at Xia Kong's good fortune. Curiosity and desire filled her heart, but she forced down that stirring and gently pushed his hand back. Her tone held a touch of reproach, as though Xia Kong were some heartless scoundrel who had abandoned his wife and children.
"Oh, little brother Xia Kong, are you treating me like an outsider? You've helped the auction house so much, and you trust me this deeply. Why would you need to pay me just to ask for my help?"
"Sister Ya Fei, even real siblings should keep their accounts clear. Besides, I prepared this Marrow-Washing Fruit especially for you. It can cleanse your essence and marrow, improving your cultivation aptitude. Its effects are a full tier above the Spicy Jade and potatoes from before, and it couldn't be more suitable for your current Dou Zhe cultivation. Surely you wouldn't let your little brother's heartfelt gift go to waste?"
The corners of Xia Kong's lips lifted as he looked at her with a teasing half-smile, making as if to put the spiritual medicine away.
"Uh..."
As though he had struck her most vulnerable spot, Ya Fei stiffened slightly, and the corners of her mouth twitched beyond her control. Her gaze clung to the Marrow-Washing Fruit, scarcely able to move away. If she could further improve her cultivation foundation, who would willingly spend year after year navigating among merchants, enduring those men's undisguised, nauseatingly greedy stares?
But she had already spoken. With her temperament, she could not bring herself to act like a coy little woman and take it back. For a moment, they fell into a delicate stalemate.
Xia Kong quit while he was ahead and stopped deliberately teasing her. He placed the fruit from before on the table along with three other level-two cherry tomatoes, making four in total.
"What I'm asking won't be easy, so please don't refuse these again. I'm still hoping that one day, I'll see you reach a higher realm, tear through space at will, and appear at the grandest auction on the Dou Qi Continent."
As he voiced that hope, Xia Kong applied a little pressure and pushed the four level-two cherry tomatoes into Ya Fei's hands.
At this point, Ya Fei could no longer act against her own heart.
"Since you've put it that way, little brother, it would be rude of me to refuse. I wouldn't dare dream of an unknown, elusive realm where I could tear through space. If I can one day form Dou Qi Wings and soar through the sky, I'll already be perfectly content."
Xia Kong thought that day would come sooner or later.
Then Xia Kong briefly recounted his background, the basic circumstances of this body's original parents, and the old entanglement with the Ao Ba Family over becoming a live-in son-in-law.
When she heard that the Ao Ba Family had once wanted to recruit Xia Kong as a live-in son-in-law, Ya Fei's expression became wonderfully animated. Had the man himself not been right in front of her, she would probably have burst out laughing on the spot.
Seeing Xia Kong's expression gradually darken, Ya Fei barely managed to rein in her smile and said seriously, "Don't worry. I'll investigate every secret behind this. I'll even find out exactly who wanted to take you as a live-in son-in-law."
Meeting Xia Kong's faintly "murderous" gaze, Ya Fei hastily stopped joking and summoned Xiao Qin, arranging for Xia Kong to stay temporarily in one of the auction house's guest rooms. This was a precaution for his safety.
Although Xia Kong was not afraid of the Ao Ba Family, with his current strength, he was still far from their match, so he did not refuse.
"Ah, in the end, I've still wound up living off a woman."
Xia Kong sighed softly and followed Xiao Qin out.
Ya Fei understood the teasing behind his grumble and did not know whether to be annoyed or amused. At the same time, a faint blush quietly crept onto her cheeks.
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