Cao Yu brought the three girls before the old azure ox.
The old azure ox was leisurely eating Blue Silver Grass. Seeing Cao Yu approach, it gave a friendly call by way of greeting.
"Moo!"
"Good morning, Oxie!"
Xu Jiujiu, Tang Ya, and Ning Tian greeted the old azure ox.
They had always liked climbing onto the old azure ox, while Cao Yu was held between them, enjoying the tenderness reserved for him alone.
The old azure ox was very clean, because the Cao Clan sent people to bathe it at regular times every day and clear away the rubbish around it.
So Xu Jiujiu and the others did not mind.
With the help of Cao Yu's Shadow Clones, they all successfully climbed onto the old azure ox's back.
They chattered away, their faces full of delight.
Sitting between them, Cao Yu breathed in their fragrance and praised them.
"Big sisters, your clothes look so pretty today!"
"Really, really? You think they're pretty too, Little Yu?"
"Yes!"
Cao Yu's praise made Xu Jiujiu's, Tang Ya's, and Ning Tian's eyes curve into shallow crescents, looking utterly lovely.
"Then where are you planning to go play today, Little Yu?" Tang Ya asked curiously.
Xu Jiujiu pinched his chubby cheek with her little hand and teased, "You're getting prettier and prettier too, Little Yu."
Ning Tian sat at the very back, watching Cao Yu with smiling eyes. She reached out to stroke his head but could not reach him.
Seeing this, Xu Jiujiu could only shift slightly aside before Ning Tian could touch his hair.
"Let's go stroll around the shopping street nearby. I happen to have something to check on there."
"Big sisters, are you coming?"
"Of course! We can keep you company while you look around," Tang Ya said playfully.
"I happen to want a few pretty new outfits too." Xu Jiujiu's little lips parted as she giggled.
Mwah~
While the other two were not paying attention, Ning Tian quietly leaned forward, reached around Xu Jiujiu, and stole a kiss on Cao Yu's cheek.
Her scheme a success, she looked at Cao Yu with a grin.
Doing this behind the other girls' backs gave Ning Tian an indescribable feeling.
What should I do?
I really want to kiss Little Yu again!
At that moment, something extraordinary seemed to have taken root in Ning Tian's heart.
So she leaned forward again to kiss him.
Just the cheek?
How could Cao Yu be satisfied with that?
He quickly turned his head, angling it slightly by forty-five degrees.
Then their lips met. Their eyes locked, and as they felt the warmth of each other's lips, both their hearts began to race.
What should I do?
Ning Tian panicked, her face instantly turning bright red.
Before she could finish thinking, she saw Cao Yu close his eyes, and she unknowingly fell into step with him.
Her long lashes lowered as Ning Tian closed her eyes too.
They were both a little inexperienced, and it took a long time before Cao Yu finally loosened his clenched teeth.
An unknown amount of time passed before a shriek broke the moment.
"You... you two! Ning Tian! How could you do this?"
Xu Jiujiu was the first to react, looking at the pair in petulant anger.
"Ning Tian! You've gone too far! You actually kissed Little Yu behind our backs..."
Tang Ya pointed at the two of them, her eyes filled with shock.
"I... I didn't..."
Hearing their voices, they broke apart immediately. Ning Tian hurriedly opened her eyes, her face scarlet and her heart filled with panic.
What should I do? They found out.
There was some panic in Ning Tian's heart, but even more than that was an indescribable excitement.
How could this happen? Could I like... Little Yu?
No! Little Yu...
Ning Tian hurriedly shook her head, but once the thought arose, she could not shake it off. It lingered in her heart.
Could she really like Little Yu?
Her heart was in turmoil now, yet looking at the two girls' petulant anger, she felt an inexplicable thrill.
Was this what it meant to have a secret romance discovered?
Seeing Ning Tian lower her head without a word, Tang Ya and Xu Jiujiu felt their anger flare. They huffed, then both looked at Cao Yu with strange expressions.
"Little Yu, Ning Tian bullied you. Let's ignore her from now on, all right?" Tang Ya could not help saying.
"That's right. Ning Tian is so bad, always bullying you," Xu Jiujiu agreed.
"I didn't... I..."
Ning Tian blushed, feeling a little angry, but did not know what to say.
"Big sisters, it's all right. I'm used to it anyway, and I really like you too. Big sisters are supposed to bully their little brother. I don't blame Big Sister Ning Tian."
Cao Yu blinked, speaking with a child's guileless honesty. Coupled with his innocent smile, this award-winning performance instantly won over Tang Ya and Xu Jiujiu.
That was right. Big sisters were supposed to bully their little brother.
Then they should just bully him more.
Tang Ya, Xu Jiujiu, and Ning Tian all looked at Cao Yu, while Cao Yu observed them too.
Their gazes were strange, and none knew what the others were thinking.
"Moo!"
The old azure ox curled its tongue around a mouthful of tender Blue Silver Grass and carried them to the shopping street.
Ten Shadow Clones protected them on either side. Although Cao Yu could now summon sixteen, he still maintained his original number of Shadow Clones to avoid arousing unnecessary suspicion.
They had only just arrived on the shopping street, and Xu Jiujiu and the others were still fooling around, when two clear peals of laughter suddenly came from nearby.
"Princess Jiujiu Xu! I never expected to run into you here. What, are you out having fun?"
"Jiujiu, why are you sitting on an ox's back? Aren't you afraid your brother will blame you? Come ride my horse. It's much more comfortable than that old ox."
Her lovely brow creasing slightly, Xu Jiujiu looked toward the voices and saw a crowd led by two lavishly dressed youths.
They rode two fine horses, one white and one black, each standing a full twice the old azure ox's height.
The horses' legs were far too long.
"And who are you?" Tang Ya asked with restrained anger, her tone unfriendly.
"Oh! Isn't this the Tang Clan's young lady? Call me big brother, and I might at least let you take a seat."
"Get lost, or you won't have another chance!"
Cao Yu looked at them and spoke casually, his eyes utterly calm, as though he were looking at dead men.
The passersby began pointing and commenting too. Naturally, they knew that the boy on the ox's back was the Cao Clan's young master, and quite a few were familiar faces.
"Which families do these two noble young masters belong to? Don't they know the Cao Clan isn't to be provoked?"
"Judging by their clothes and all those guards, they must be those two princes from the Heaven Dou Empire."
"Those two little princes? No wonder they don't know."
After all, word that the Cao Clan had a venerable Limit Douluo had not yet spread beyond the Star Luo Empire, so it was only natural for people from other empires not to know.
The shopping street had plenty of foot traffic too. Seeing something new happening here, everyone could not help looking over curiously.
"Where did this little brat come from? How dare you make Princess Jiujiu sit on an ox's back with you!"
"If you know what's good for you, get down right now and lead the horses for us brothers!"
"Listen here, brat! A princess can only marry a prince in the end. A little brat like you should stop dreaming of Princess Jiujiu!"
"Hahaha!"
Seated on horseback, the two looked down at Cao Yu from above.
Their towering figures blocked the gentle sunlight as they laughed loudly. Even the guards beside them joined in with mocking laughter.
"These people are in for it."
Only the surrounding pedestrians shook their heads helplessly, looking at the two riders as though they were fools.
They could almost see the fate awaiting these people.
(End of chapter)