Chapter 188

Chapter 188: Running Into Yan Zi Mo

Rong Shu shook her head: “No, senior brother is very nice.”

“Khkh, he is a grown man, how could he really take proper care of a little young lady?” Xiao Zi An flicked his broad sleeve and said with triumph: “These were prepared by a senior sister from our sect. All are custom-made for your age, ordered specially from several jewelry houses and clothing shops.”

As he spoke, Xiao Zi An glanced at the two maids and gave the order: “Go, take my little junior sister next door to change.”

The two maids dipped in a curtsey. One carried all the clothes and ornaments into the guest room next door that belonged to Rong Shu, and the other stepped forward a few paces to invite softly: “Young lady, please come this way.”

Rong Shu looked at the maid, then at Xiao Zi An: “Fourth Senior Brother, this…”

“Go on,” Xiao Zi An said with a squinting smile as he watched the maids lead Rong Shu into the next room.

A step behind, Xiao Zi An walked out the door. As he turned his head, he saw Wu Hua rubbing the Little Hamster’s head.

The Little Hamster nestled obediently in Wu Hua’s hand, from time to time chirping a soft: “Gugu…”

“Yo,” Xiao Zi An came sidling up and said with a grin: “Third Senior Brother, lend me this Little Hamster to play with.”

Wu Hua gave him a sidelong glance: “This is little junior sister’s pet beast, not your plaything.”

“I just saw you playing with it…” he began, but under the chill of Wu Hua’s knife-like stare, Xiao Zi An did not dare go on.

Seeing that a direct request would not work, Xiao Zi An took a strawberry out of his storage pouch and deliberately held it near the Little Hamster’s nose to tempt him: “Little fellow, want a bite?”

The Little Hamster looked at the strawberry, then pressed a tiny paw over his little belly.

[Hmm, a little hungry.]

So the Little Hamster stretched out his paw and accepted the strawberry.

Leaning against the wall, Xiao Zi An watched the Little Hamster gnaw the fruit, and a glint of interest flashed in his peach-blossom eyes: “Third Senior Brother, what kind of spirit beast do you think this Little Hamster is? Or is it a demon beast?”

“I am not a beast tamer and I am far less versed in this path than Second Senior Sister, but I have seen quite a few rodent-type spirit beasts and demon beasts, and none match this little guy.”

He did not avoid speaking in front of the Little Hamster, and the Little Hamster went on eating his strawberry as if the “Little Hamster” in Xiao Zi An’s mouth were not himself at all.

Lowering his gaze to study the small ball of fur in his palm, Wu Hua said: “Little junior sister came by him by accident in Cloud Link City and has kept him on her person since.”

Xiao Zi An stared fixedly at the Little Hamster, then suddenly said: “Senior brother, this Little Hamster’s origin is unknown. Why not throw him away? If he stays by little junior sister’s side, he might cause some trouble one day.”

“Gugu!” At this, the Little Hamster bristled all over and glared at Xiao Zi An, full of vigilance.

“Yo, the little fellow bristled,” Xiao Zi An said with a smile at the corner of his lips, not taking the Little Hamster’s show of force to heart.

Wu Hua shook his head slightly and shot Xiao Zi An a warning look: “He is little junior sister’s pet. Only she may decide what to do with him. Zi An, do not overstep.”

“Tsk.” Xiao Zi An curled his lip and shook the paper fan in his hand: “Fine, fine. Worst case, I will keep a cat. If this Little Hamster shows any odd behavior, I will let the cat bite him.”

The Little Hamster grew even angrier. He even stopped eating the strawberry Xiao Zi An had given him. He wanted to throw it away but could not bear to, so he kept holding it.

“Enough,” Wu Hua said with a helpless sigh, having heard the teasing in Xiao Zi An’s tone: “He is just a young little thing. Why are you frightening him?”

In the blink of an eye Xiao Zi An was all cheek and mischief again: “Heh heh heh, senior brother, look, isn’t he hilarious when he bristles?”

The Little Hamster chirped furiously: “Gugu gugu gugu!” [You are the ridiculous one!]

A long moment passed.

Dressed up and adorned, Rong Shu came out of the guest room with the two maids clustered around her.

Seeing her two senior brothers, Rong Shu greeted them: “Senior brothers.”

Both turned their heads at once.

The fifteen-year-old young lady wore a pink outfit, like a brilliant flower bud growing beneath the first snow. Her long black hair had been redressed and combed; the ornaments were all perfectly suited to a fifteen-year-old, lending her even more lively clarity.

“Yo, little junior sister is truly beautiful,” Xiao Zi An was the first to applaud.

Rong Shu smiled shyly: “Thank you for the compliment, Fourth Senior Brother.”

Wu Hua handed the Little Hamster, now curled into a ball, back to Rong Shu and said: “Keep all the remaining clothes and jewelry.”

“Yes, yes,” Xiao Zi An picked up the thread with a squinting grin: “They are Second Senior Sister’s goodwill. Little junior sister must not refuse.”

Rong Shu’s heart warmed. She nodded: “Mm, when I see Second Senior Sister, I will thank her in person.”

“Come on, let’s go for a walk. Little young ladies must not stay cooped up indoors,” Xiao Zi An said, then took a Disguise Pill: “Since little junior sister is hiding her identity, I will hide mine as well, so I do not expose her.”

“Mm,” Rong Shu looked at her new clothes and nodded happily.

…

Out on the street, Wu Hua and Xiao Zi An deferred to Rong Shu, letting her decide where to go. Rong Shu was at a loss, so she simply pointed in a random direction.

On the way, they happened to pass a shop where a server was driving off a beggar.

“Out of the way.”

“You stinking beggar.”

Rong Shu glanced at the beggar being driven away and did not pay much attention at first. The beggar was chased out and, by accident, fell to the ground. When he climbed back up, the half of his face that showed by chance felt a little familiar to Rong Shu, and her footsteps slowly came to a halt.

Wu Hua and Xiao Zi An saw Rong Shu stop. The latter asked first: “What is it, little junior sister?”

Rong Shu looked to Wu Hua and motioned with her eyes toward the beggar: “Senior brother, that man looks familiar. He seems to be Yan Zi Mo. Why has he become a beggar?”

Moreover, there was not the slightest fluctuation of cultivation on him, as if he were an ordinary mortal.

At Rong Shu’s reminder, Wu Hua looked more closely and finally recognized Yan Zi Mo as well.

Rong Shu continued: “At the sect tournament in Cloud Link City, I saw Yan Zi Mo. He came to find Yu Ruan Ruan at the time. He was wearing a sect disciple’s robe then, but now… was he expelled?”

“Senior brother, I find this strange.”

[How did Yan Zi Mo suddenly become like this? Where is Yu Ruan Ruan? Does she know?] She could not say for sure what their relationship was. Still, Yan Zi Mo was so down and out, and Yu Ruan Ruan counted as his friend at least; could she really be unaware and have offered no help?

Xiao Zi An snapped his fan shut with a slap: “If you find it strange, then we can just ask him ourselves.”

Wu Hua said: “There is no need for us to appear. Xiao Zi An has come to Wanderer’s City. With his Central States identity, he can be the one to meet Yan Zi Mo. You are concealing your identity to enter the alchemy convention. It is unwise for you to use your true identity to meet him.”

Rong Shu nodded: “Mm, then I will trouble Fourth Senior Brother.”

Xiao Zi An took out a Nine Palace Mirror and seemed to call someone. In just a moment, two men took Yan Zi Mo away from the roadside, and Xiao Zi An separated from the two of them for the time being.