Bringing his thoughts back, Jiang Fan finally nodded.
"Hehehe, my cousin just messaged me saying something needs to go back right away, so I won't be able to go with you guys."
As he spoke, the fat man secretly winked at Jiang Fan, signaling him to keep going.
Jiang Fan completely ignored the fat man's hints.
After walking a short distance away, the fat man immediately hid behind a sign, watching with a smirk and muttering something to himself.
" Brother Fan, keep going! This is all I can do to help."
Suddenly, a soft female voice rang out behind my ear.
"What are you doing, sneaking around like that?"
"Drink!"
The fat man gasped in surprise, then turned around and, upon seeing that familiar, beautiful face, exaggeratedly patted his chest.
"It's you, Ancestor! What are you doing here? Why are you walking so quietly? You scared the soul out of me!"
"Are you feeling guilty? Tell me, what are you doing? Being so secretive and sneaky."
Sleazy? Not at all.
The fat man muttered something to himself, but didn't dare say it aloud; he just gestured with his lip forward.
"Look!"
Hearing the excitement hidden in the fat man's voice and seeing the gossip gleam in his eyes, Wang Yao became interested and looked in the direction the fat man's crossbow was pointing.
Upon seeing a man and a woman walking side by side, she raised her delicate eyebrows slightly.
"Grandpa, is this your first time seeing Lan Shengxue in real life? What do you think? Isn't she incredibly beautiful? Ahhh—she truly deserves to be my number one goddess!"
Wang Yao eyes narrowed slightly as she watched Lan Shengxue and Jiang Fan exchanging words back and forth, and she said something.
"Really? But I find it a bit of an eyesore."
Huh? The fat man was a little stunned.
He said he couldn't understand women's thoughts.
Before long, Jiang Fan took Lan Shengxue and her sister to the Lan Family.
"We're here. This is my home. What do you think, Brother Fan? Isn't it grand?"
Lan Xinyu wasn't showing off; it was just something the young girl said naively.
"Yes!" Jiang Fan nodded emphatically.
"It is indeed very impressive!"
It was even more impressive than the Jin Family and Zhou Family he had ever seen.
"Then why don't you stay at our house tonight?" The little girl looked at Jiang Fan expectantly.
"Cough cough." A sudden coughing sound rang out.
The white-haired patriarch of the Lan Family walked out from the gate and saw the boy standing between two Little White of different sizes in his family.
Especially when she saw Little White holding the boy's hand, Lan Mingxi's droopy eyelids twitched involuntarily.
Um?
Jiang Fan muttered to himself, wondering if it was just his imagination, but he felt that the other party seemed to be hostile towards him.
That shouldn't be the case. He was certain that he had never met this head of the Lan Family before, let alone offended him.
Grandpa, why did you come out?
Lan Xinyu pouted. Although she was still young, she could sense that the old man's gaze towards Jiang Fan was not very friendly.
So she stepped forward, blocking Jiang Fan's path.
Even if she's too small to block it all, she'll still try.
Lan Mingxi's chest heaved noticeably, clearly angered by her granddaughter.
But he was utterly helpless against his own little princess.
So he could only glare at Jiang Fan, this pig who was trying to steal their cabbage.
Feeling the gaze directed at her grandfather, Lan Shengxue frowned slightly, fearing that her grandfather might lose control, so she stepped forward and stood in front of Jiang Fan.
Lan Shengxue is 175 cm tall. Standing next to Jiang Fan, she reaches about ear level, blocking a lot of his view.
Lan Mingxi almost jumped up in anger at this scene. He hadn't even said anything yet, only glared at the boy a few times, and the two of them were already protecting this Little White.
If he really does something, who knows how much trouble the little Little White will cause him.
It's true what they say, daughters grow up and leave home; daughters grow up and leave home!
Just as Lan Mingxi was sighing deeply, Lan Shengxue turned to Jiang Fan and said:
" Jiang Fan, he is my grandfather, and also the current head of our Lan Family."
Lan Shengxue's words only made things worse; they made Lan Mingxi feel as if she were introducing Jiang Fan's parents, causing her face to stretch even further.
Jiang Fan nodded, stepped forward, and cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Lan Mingxi.
"Patriarch Lan Family."
Lan Mingxi's chest heaved again.
"Grandpa, this is Jiang Fan," Lan Shengxue introduced to Lan Mingxi.
"I know!"
Lan Mingxi gave her granddaughter a disapproving look before speaking to Jiang Fan:
"I still want to thank you for bringing my two granddaughters back. It's getting late. Although Fortress No. 1 very safe, there are always some shady characters who come out at night. You're only at the Late-Stage Second Rank, which is still not enough in the chaotic Fortress No. 1. So you'd better go back soon."
Lan Xinyu ran to her grandfather's side, hugged his arm and shook it, saying in a coquettish tone:
"Grandpa, since it's so dangerous, can't we let Brother Fan stay overnight?"
Lan Mingxi reached out and ruffled Lan Xinyu's hair, smiling kindly.
"My dear child, it's not that I don't want him to stay, but he has his own family, and they're waiting for him. Let's not force him."
At this point, Lan Mingxi looked at Jiang Fan.
"Is that right, Jiang Fan?"
Jiang Fan wasn't stupid; he could tell that the other party was telling him to leave.
Since that's the case, he naturally wouldn't try to curry favor with someone who doesn't reciprocate.
Besides, he originally only intended to take the Lan Shengxue sisters home.
" Lan Family is right. My family is still waiting for me. It's getting late, and I should go back."
After saying goodbye to Lan Shengxue and Lan Xinyu, Jiang Fan turned and left.
"Hmph! This kid knows what's good for him."
Lan Mingxi snorted irritably, his beard flying.
"Grandpa is a big bad guy!"
Lan Xinyu yelled and shook off Lan Mingxi's hand, then ran quickly into the house with her short legs.
In that instant, the old man felt as if he had been struck by a thousand blows.
At the same time, she developed more resentment towards Jiang Fan.
As Lan Shengxue passed by Lan Mingxi, the old man was momentarily at a loss for words, fearing he might hear hurtful words from his eldest granddaughter.
Just as the old man was racking his brains trying to figure out how to start the conversation, he suddenly noticed that his eldest granddaughter had a new hair clip.
There was no other way but to change the subject.
"Ahem, Little Shengxue, I remember you really liked the hair clip Grandpa gave you before, you always wore it on your head, why did you decide to change to a different style today?"
Lan Shengxue stopped in her tracks, raised her hand and gently touched the blood-flower hair clip in her hair, a barely perceptible smile curving her lips.
"It's nothing, I just like it."
"Oh, then--"
"Grandpa, it's late, I'm going to bed."
Without giving Lan Mingxi a chance to continue speaking, Lan Shengxue left on her own.
The scene changes.
Jiang Fan had only been away from the Lan Family for a short while when a frail voice suddenly came from behind him.
"A young genius, especially one from a barren place like Fortress No. 31, is indeed extraordinary, but—"