Back in the room below, Qiu Ling glanced at the ceiling, his gaze growing pensive. That guy … Obviously, there really was something fishy about him. Otherwise, why would he try to leave so sneakily?
While Qiu Ling was able to figure out what was going on just from the fact that Xiao Li had been using his spiritual energy to bring Guanyu outside from the window, he still didn't bother to say anything. He had never liked that girl anyway and he wouldn't mind if she wasn't there to eat with his beloved's family. In fact, he felt that it was quite good if she wasn't there.
Anyway, most likely, that guy wouldn't do anything to her, would he? After all, if he really knew who they were, he wouldn't dare to make too much trouble. That Guanyu was worth more if she was alive. After all, she was Jing Yi's family. It was likely that he wouldn't want anything to happen to her and would try to keep her life. Thus, taking her as a hostage would be much better than killing her and dumping her body somewhere. Thus Qiu Ling wasn't concerned at all.
Zhong Gang and Mi Fang couldn't help but glance at the staircase every now and then as well, their expressions getting exceedingly embarrassed.
"Aiya, that girl! I can't believe it. She's probably throwing another tantrum and Xiao Li doesn't dare to scold her." Mi Fang turned to Jing Yi and Qiu Ling to explain, hoping that they wouldn't get a bad impression. "He really adores her. I'm happy she got such a husband but sometimes I also wish he was a bit more stern with her. What if she does this kind of thing in front of somebody one day who won't forgive her that easily?"
Jing Yi nodded hurriedly and then glanced at Qiu Ling in the hope of help.
Qiu Ling pondered and then nodded along. "Ah, I understand what you mean. A good husband should be caring to the extreme but he must also be able to protect his spouse if they make trouble. So being strong is almost as important."
Mi Fang stared at him in a daze, not quite sure what to say. Actually, she had meant that Xiao Li should try to rein her in but … well, this probably worked as well? After all, he was a cultivator and his Master was very important, right? Most people would probably think twice before they crossed him?
Thinking like that, she nodded to herself. "You're right. I was thinking too much just now. Anyway, she'll likely take her sweet time before she calms down and joins us. Why don't we start eating already? The two of you must be hungry."
Zhong Gang nodded along. "Yes, yes, Xiao Fang is right. "It'll take too long if we wait for them. The food will probably be cold by then. So let's just start."
"Mn, of course, uncle-in-law!" Qiu Ling smiled happily and then picked up some food, putting it in Jing Yi's bowl. Ah, eating together with his beloved and his family was so nice!
Jing Yi looked up at Qiu Ling and couldn't help but reciprocate his smile. The atmosphere was very nice like this. Why should he bother about whether or not Guanyu was there? As long as she wasn't making any trouble, he didn't mind too much. Anyway, he had mostly come to visit his mother.
Thus the five people ate together in harmony, only one of them privy to the fact that Zhong Guanyu had long vanished. By the time Zhong Gang and Mi Fang noticed, it was already too late and no trace could be found of her or her husband. Neither in their house nor anywhere else in the capital city that they knew of. It was as if the ground had suddenly opened up and swallowed them whole.
As for where the two of them had gone … Xiao Li hadn't had much of a plan in mind when he made the offer in the first place. Anyway, he had just wanted to leave and taking her with him had seemed beneficial since he could use her in case the dragon king went after him. Anyway, it was good that they had managed to leave the city without anything like that happening.
Xiao Li aimlessly wandered around for a while, trying to make up his mind as to where to go from here. He couldn't be short-sighted at this moment. His future depended on this. After all, he didn't know what would happen in the demon realm so it was best to find a place in the human realm.
The capital city wasn't safe as long as the dragon king could come by any time so he had to go somewhere else in the meantime. The capital of another kingdom? Another city in the Long kingdom? Some small town? None of that seemed very attractive to him. After all, in the capital city, he had been able to rely on the Zhong family and have their servants work while he just needed to appear, say some words and check their work from time to time.
But in another place, he would need to work himself. He would need to pretend to be a human and live a life that was just as pitiful as theirs. He didn't want that! Even though he wasn't a full-blooded demon, he still had half their blood running through his veins!
No, if he had to pretend to be human, he at least wanted a good life. A life where he could do what he wanted, where he wouldn't need to work in the fields or in some dusty old store. He wanted to have status and money and a good place to live.
All things considered … he should probably return to where he had already created that type of life for himself once.