"I! I..."
When asked by Gu Yuan, Xun'er became visibly flustered. The words she wanted to say were on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't get them out.
"Am I really content with this?"
The image of Gu Fei appeared in her mind, and Xun'er felt a hollow emptiness in her heart.
After a moment of silence, she nodded slightly and whispered, "Yes..."
"Sigh..."
Hearing Xun'er's response, Gu Yuan sighed deeply, his expression filled with helplessness.
"Xun'er, you must realize that the fault lies with you in your separation from Gu Fei. Since you still care for him, why did you do what you did back then?"
Gu Yuan, usually calm and unperturbed as the clan leader, couldn't help but feel anger whenever he thought of this matter. He was angry at his daughter's lack of judgment.
Xun'er knew she was in the wrong and kept her head down, saying nothing.
"I won't interfere in your matters with Gu Fei anymore. I don't want that boy to hold a grudge against me in the future... Also, your talent is extraordinary, but if you keep getting tangled in this, even the best talent will be wasted..."
With those words, Gu Yuan disappeared from Xun'er's sight, leaving her alone.
Some pains need to be deeply felt. If Xun'er is always coddled, she'll never grow up beyond being a spoiled princess.
After Gu Yuan left, Xun'er stood there, feeling lost and helpless in the empty surroundings.
She hadn't expected that even her own father wouldn't support her in trying to win back Gu Fei.
Could it be that what she did before was all a mistake? Is there really no chance for her and Gu Fei...
...
"Women really are troublesome, one after another. I haven't even dealt with Xun'er, and now Huo Zhi is here..."
After the banquet, Gu Fei returned to his mountain.
He thought that his firm rejection would make Huozhi back off, but she ended up clinging to him even more. What a headache.
"Gu Fei, you're back. How did things go?"
As Gu Fei returned, Xiao Yi Xian hadn't even spoken yet when Zi Yan asked eagerly.
Hearing this, Gu Fei looked at Xiao Yi Xian and said, "Huo Zhi did come to the Gu Clan to propose marriage, and the proposal was indeed for me."
Hearing this, Xiao Yi Xian smiled teasingly, "So, did you fall for her after she threw herself at you?"
"Of course I didn't agree. After the Huo Clan delegation stated their intentions, I rejected them immediately. But... Huo Zhi herself suggested that we spend more time together before making a decision."
"What's there to discuss? Let me handle her with my fists!" Zi Yan threatened, showing off her strength.
"She's a Dou Ancestor; you wouldn't stand a chance..." Gu Fei said, shaking his head.
Zi Yan rubbed her head and grinned sheepishly, "I may not be able to beat her, but you can!"
Gu Fei patted Zi Yan's head and turned his attention back to Xiao Yi Xian, gently pulling her into his arms.
"I don't have any intention of interacting with her further, but the clan leader spoke up, asking me to spend a few more days with her. He's giving the Yan Clan face, and with my grandfather involved, I can't outright refuse."
"It's just a temporary measure; I had no choice but to agree."
Gu Fei's patient and gentle explanation made Xiao Yi Xian feel warm inside. She already trusted Gu Fei completely and wouldn't doubt his feelings for her even without an explanation.
"It's okay. I trust you," Xiao Yi Xian said, holding Gu Fei's hand.
"Ah, so that woman will be staying in the Gu Realm for a while!" Zi Yan grumbled, "But it's alright. After a few days, Gu Fei, you can tell her clearly how you feel..."
Now that she knew Huo Zhi was stronger, Zi Yan's tone was less aggressive.
Gu Fei knew that the elders in the clan had disregarded Xiao Yi Xian's feelings in this matter. They treated her like she was invisible, just a hidden beauty.
He was aware of this but powerless to change it.
Though he was a genius, a genius is not the same as a strong person. In the Gu Clan, strength determined one's voice. Until Gu Fei had the power to command the respect of the elders, his opinions would not carry weight.
After explaining everything, Gu Fei took Xiao Yi Xian into the inner room. Seeing this, Zi Yan and Qing Lin tactfully left.
...
The next morning, Gu Fei woke up and saw that Xiao Yi Xian was still asleep. He gently kissed her lips before getting up to head to the training ground.
To his surprise, Huo Zhi was already waiting there.
"Good morning!"
Huozhi greeted Gu Fei enthusiastically as soon as she saw him approaching.
"Morning," Gu Fei replied casually, intending to leave and focus on his training.
"Greetings, Fifth Commander!"
As Gu Fei passed by, the Black Submerged Army looked at him with respect, a clear sign of their admiration.
Seeing how highly regarded Gu Fei was within the Black Submerged Army, Huo Zhi's admiration grew even more.
Since ancient times, heroes have loved beautiful women, and beautiful women have also loved heroes. A man like Gu Fei, even if he already had a woman or was married, would still attract others.
Although Huo Zhi wasn't quite there yet, she couldn't help but feel a growing affection for him.
"Gu Fei, good morning!"
Just as Huozhi's feelings stirred, another voice interrupted her. It was Xun'er.
Xun'er noticed Huozhi's gaze and returned it with a challenging look, as if to say, 'Gu Fei is not your man. I can see him whenever I want!'
Her purpose for coming was simple: to prevent Huo Zhi from being alone with Gu Fei.
Although she didn't believe Huo Zhi could win Gu Fei's heart, she still felt uneasy. If Huozhi did succeed, Xun'er would feel utterly humiliated.
After all, Huozhi had already declared war on her at the banquet.
Seeing Xun'er arrive, Gu Fei frowned slightly. What were they up to?
"Good morning," Gu Fei responded politely to Xun'er but kept walking without stopping.
But he had barely taken a few steps when another pleasant voice called out.
"Gu Fei, your collar is undone!"
Hearing this, Gu Fei paused, turned around, and saw that it was Xiao Yi Xian.
"What are you doing here? Weren't you still asleep just now?" Gu Fei sent her a mental message.
"I was pretending to sleep. If I hadn't come, someone would've taken you away!" Xiao Yi Xian's playful voice echoed in Gu Fei's mind. She felt that now was the time to be more proactive, not letting others take advantage of the situation.
She stood before Gu Fei and placed her hand on his collar, even though there was no loose button. She intentionally unbuttoned one and fastened it again.
Her purpose was clear: to assert her claim.
No matter how hard they fought for Gu Fei, he was her man right now! His heart belonged to her!
Gu Fei, who had been in a hurry, stopped because of Xiao Yi Xian, a silent understanding between them.