Second Miss, we're your own people! (revised)

"Chen Xin, you're not thinking of becoming a child trafficker, are you?"

As a friend who delighted in ribbing him, Gu Rong made no attempt to hide his thoughts. In all these years, he had never seen Chen Xin approach a child and strike up a conversation, though he too thought this little girl was rather cute and immediately likable.

"If you can't say anything sensible, shut up."

Chen Xin shot Gu Rong a sharp glance. Gu Rong instinctively closed his mouth, then pursed his lips, not actually afraid of him. "I was asking out of kindness, yet here you are. Can't you tell a friendly word from an insult?"

"..."

Chen Xin was speechless. "He's talking nonsense. Don't take it to heart."

He turned to Qian Renyue and made sure to explain, afraid Gu Rong's words might have frightened her.

Of course Qian Renyue knew Gu Rong was talking nonsense. She had read plenty of fanfiction about this pair of bickering soulmates. "It's okay, I know! You look like good people. You definitely aren't child traffickers!"

She smiled sweetly, her eyes shining with the crystal-clear stupidity of a college student.

"Well, aren't you nice!" Gu Rong couldn't resist a quip. He had never met such an easily fooled little girl. Still, jokes were jokes; he and Chen Xin weren't actually child traffickers, and certainly wouldn't abduct a girl neither of them knew to make her their granddaughter.

After all, they already had a little princess to attend to.

Chen Xin shook his head and waved Gu Rong away, signaling him not to say things that could so easily be misunderstood. Gu Rong shrugged, looking utterly unconcerned.

He wasn't the one trying to lure a child away, anyway.

Chen Xin was speechless.

"..."

Seeing the two seemingly converse without words like Yue Guan and Gui Mei, Qian Renyue couldn't help marveling inwardly, They really are the best of bromantic buddies!

In reality, they weren't having a conversation. Gu Rong was simply yammering away on his own while Chen Xin listened in silence, utterly speechless.

Had they not been out in public, he would definitely have given that old bag of bones a proper fight, lest his bones get so itchy that he went looking for a beating.

"Uncles, if there's nothing else, I'll be going now." It was getting late, and Qian Renyue wasn't planning to reach out to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect just yet. Today's meeting would merely lay the groundwork for the future. As for Ning Rongrong, she didn't think a Little Demoness like her would necessarily stay at a shabby academy if she had other options. Besides, Zhu Zhuqing had already left, leaving only her and Xiao Wu among the girls. Xiao Wu clung to Tang San all day, leaving her all alone. Surely she wouldn't actually go hang out with the boys?

That would really deserve a sarcastic "thanks a lot."

Hearing this, Chen Xin stopped bothering with Gu Rong. He stood, patted Qian Renyue's head, and said gently, "Little girl, since you're a Soul Master, could you show me your martial soul?"

Chen Xin kept finding something familiar about Qian Renyue. Her aura seemed like one he had encountered before, but without a definite answer, he dared not be certain.

He wanted to see her martial soul?

No way was Qian Renyue showing him!

"I can't, Uncle. My grandfather told me to keep a low profile when I'm out, not to show my martial soul to just anyone, and not to activate it and fight people casually. So I'm sorry, Uncle, but I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you."

Qian Renyue spoke with a perfectly earnest expression, as though Qian Daoliu really had told her all that.

"In that case, never mind."

Chen Xin believed her without question. He wasn't unreasonable; whatever excuse Qian Renyue used to refuse him, he wouldn't press her further. "By the way, little one, where do you live? Would you like us to escort you? It's dark now. It might not be safe for you to go alone."

Perhaps because Qian Renyue had said they seemed like good people, Chen Xin automatically cast himself in that role-though he really was a good person.

"I'm a student at Heaven Dou Royal Academy. If you're really willing to escort me, Uncles, then please do!"

Qian Renyue was delighted to get two bodyguards for free. Perfect-if anyone was still following her later, she could borrow their blades to do the killing. She refused to believe these two bodyguards could be weaker than her!

"Haha, of course we are!" Looking at Qian Renyue's dainty, endearing face, Chen Xin instinctively laughed aloud. He held out his hand to her, his broad palm strong and sturdy. The sight suddenly reminded Qian Renyue of Guang Ling, who had brought her back to Spirit Hall a few months earlier.

Come to think of it, she hadn't seen him for a while.

"Mm-hmm! Thank you, Uncle!"

Qian Renyue nodded obediently and offered Chen Xin her hand, letting him lead her along.

Gu Rong walked on her other side. He had wanted to hold the little girl's hand too, but she kept looking around and fidgeting, so he had to abandon the idea.

Dugu Yan had been waiting for Qian Renyue for quite some time outside the gates of Heaven Dou Royal Academy. From afar, she saw a little girl between two men. The men were complete strangers, so Dugu Yan immediately rushed over and called out to Qian Renyue, "Yueyue!"

"Yanzi!"

Letting go of Chen Xin's hand, Qian Renyue threw herself into Dugu Yan's arms.

Dugu Yan gave Chen Xin and Gu Rong a wary look, then whispered into Qian Renyue's ear, "Who are they? Did your plan work? How did it go? Were you hurt?"

"I'm fine, Yanzi!" Qian Renyue soothed the anxious Dugu Yan, then stepped out of her embrace and looked toward Chen Xin and Gu Rong to introduce them. "These two uncles are good people I met on the way. They were worried I might run into danger, so they brought me back while they were passing by!"

"..."

Qian Renyue wasn't normally like this. She might look cute, but what she had just said sounded a little too foolish.

Clever as she was, Dugu Yan immediately caught her meaning. After a moment's silence, she bowed to Chen Xin and Gu Rong in thanks. "Thank you for escorting her back, seniors."

"No need to thank us. This little girl still looks quite young, so you should be more careful from now on. If she really meets bad people next time, there's no telling what might happen." Gu Rong gestured for Dugu Yan to rise. Children who studied at Heaven Dou Royal Academy were either nobility or descendants of people with distinguished service. It seemed this little girl's background really was no ordinary one.

Gu Rong glanced at Chen Xin, conveying a message with his eyes. Chen Xin understood. Ever since learning that Qian Renyue was headed to Heaven Dou Royal Academy, he had planned to ask Ning Fengzhi to investigate the child. For now, however, there was something more important to deal with.

Chen Xin and Gu Rong had detected the two Soul Douluos lurking in the shadows. The two men exchanged bewildered looks, having no idea where their Second Miss had found two Titled Douluos to bring back with her.

"Did your families send anyone to protect you?"

To avoid beating up the wrong people, Gu Rong specifically asked Dugu Yan and Qian Renyue.

Dugu Yan shook her head to indicate they hadn't, and Qian Renyue promptly did the same. This time, she was absolutely going to have whoever was following her beaten properly. Whether it was Tang Hammer or someone else with ulterior motives, she didn't care-as long as they weren't from Spirit Hall!

"Understood." Gu Rong nodded. It seemed someone had set their sights on these two children-no, one older girl and one little girl.

Exchanging a glance with Chen Xin, Gu Rong knew it was best for him to handle this. After all, he could come and go without a trace and wouldn't cause much of a commotion.

Realizing they had been discovered, the two Soul Douluos intended to reveal their identities in front of Qian Renyue. Before they could speak, however, an immense pressure appeared behind them. It descended, forcing them straight to their knees. Gu Rong had no intention of giving them a chance to speak and punched them one after the other. Surprisingly, neither Soul Douluo fought back. Gu Rong simply beat them until their faces were bruised and swollen, then tied them up and dragged them before Qian Renyue.

"Little girl, it looks like you've offended someone lately. Two powerful Soul Douluos were actually following you..."

Before Gu Rong could finish, the two hapless men whose faces had been beaten into pig heads suddenly spoke. "Second Miss, we're your own people!"