Weaving through the Market District and passing several stalls, Xiao Yan finally stopped.
"Could this be that Immortal Chen's stall?" There were so many onlookers that Xiao Xun'er wanted to squeeze in for a look, but could find nowhere to set foot.
"Want to see?"
"Yes, but there are too many people."
"Come on, climb up. You'll be able to see from there."
As he spoke, Xiao Yan patted his shoulders, signaling for her to climb onto them.
Xiao Xun'er's lovely face turned as red as an apple. Biting her pink lip lightly, she said, "Brother Xiao Yan, wouldn't that be a little inappropriate...?"
"What's inappropriate about it?"
"It's just..."
Before she could finish, Xiao Yan had already hoisted her up high.
At once, countless people turned to look.
This made Xiao Xun'er's lovely face turn even redder. She kept lightly kicking Xiao Yan's chest with her little feet, murmuring shyly, "Brother Xiao Yan, put me down already. This will make you lose face."
Strictly speaking, this was not merely a fantastical world of bizarre wonders, but also a feudal society steeped in conservative thinking.
The notion that men were superior and women inferior had endured for years.
Thus, Xiao Yan's act of giving her a "horsey ride" undoubtedly brought shame upon his fellow men. How could he let a woman ride on his head?
"I was wondering who would dare disgrace himself like that. Isn't that the Xiao Clan's third young master?"
"That good-for-nothing with only third-stage Dou Qi?"
"Who else could it be?"
"Isn't the girl riding on him that young genius, Xiao Xun'er? She's not even fourteen, yet she's already reached the Ninth Stage of Dou Qi. No wonder that good-for-nothing is groveling like this."
"He's clinging to her coattails!"
Their words were as ugly as could be.
And their behavior had undoubtedly crossed Xiao Xun'er's bottom line.
Seeing that the girl was about to lose her temper, he smiled and said gently, "Xun'er, don't get angry. Have you forgotten what I told you before? Only when you can let go can you take hold. Those who can take up and put down freely are truly at ease."
His voice was still a little youthful, yet it warmed her heart to its depths.
"There's no need to care what they say. As long as you're happy, that's enough."
"But... this isn't good for your reputation, Brother Xiao Yan." No matter when it was, Xiao Xun'er's first thought was never of herself, but always of the young man before her.
The girl's wholehearted devotion was just as heartwarming. Xiao Yan continued with a smile, "Reputation? Is it really that important? Even having my name go down in history couldn't compare to growing old alongside the woman I love."
"Brother Xiao Yan, you're so mushy. How did I never notice you were so good at sweet-talking young girls?" After that coy reproach, Xiao Xun'er's face blossomed into a radiant smile.
As they chatted in this relaxed, cheerful way, she gradually let go of her worries.
With the advantage of being held up high, she finally got a clear view of what lay ahead.
"Brother Xiao Yan, it looks like we've come to the right place. This should be that Immortal Chen's stall." Through Xiao Xun'er's descriptions, a rough outline of Immortal Chen began to take shape in Xiao Yan's mind.
He wore black robes, and his face could not be seen.
The stall was small, but it was covered with pitch-black jars thirty to forty centimeters tall.
Very few people stepped forward to smash the jars. The vast majority were simply watching the show.
"Young Master Xiao Yan, Miss Xun'er, you're here too!" Just then, Jia Lie Ao's voice suddenly rang out from the crowd.
Whether intentionally or not, his voice was especially loud, as though he feared others might not hear him.
"Xiao Yan?" Upon hearing that name, the stallholder-Immortal Chen-raised his head slightly and looked toward the back.
At a glance, he spotted Xiao Xun'er dressed in Lolita fashion.
Lolita fashion? Did I ever include anything like that before? He was full of confusion, for he did not remember ever putting anything like that into the jars.
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