...
In the Xiao Yuan courtyard, Xiao Yuan sat cross-legged on his bed, cultivating. After some time, he opened his eyes. "I think I can make a breakthrough in a few days," he muttered to himself. Then he remembered, "I need to go to the Xiao family market to buy a wooden sword," thinking of practicing his Sword Intent. But after a moment, he reconsidered, "Wait, I have the system mall. Why go to the Xiao family market?"
"System, give me a wooden sword that fits my size," Xiao Yuan requested.
["Ding! Congratulations, you've received a wooden sword for 20 mall points. It has been placed directly in the system space,"] the system replied.
With the prompt in his mind, Xiao Yuan decided to head to the back mountain to practice, as his small courtyard wasn't suitable for practicing sword techniques. He closed the door to his courtyard and made his way toward the mountain. Along the path, he passed by various courtyards and trees.
"Cousin Xiao Yuan! Cousin Xiao Yuan!" someone called from behind. Turning around, he saw a cute little girl in a pink skirt—the same girl he helped last night, Gu Xun'er.
"Cousin Xiao Yuan, where are you going?" she asked as she approached.
"I'm going to the back mountain," he replied gently.
"How about I join you, and we play some games there? I only arrived at the Xiao family yesterday and have just met a few people to play with," she said, making an adorably pleading face.
Seeing her expression, Xiao Yuan couldn't refuse. "Alright, cousin Xun'er, let's play together," he said softly.
They headed to the back mountain together, playing games like hide-and-seek and others. After playing for hours, Xiao Yuan easily found and caught Xun'er each time, thanks to his enhanced soul power and speed from using system points. This made it easy to catch the young girl, who had only just begun her cultivation.
"Cousin Xiao Yuan, you're so mean! You always win," Xun'er complained, looking dissatisfied. Xiao Yuan could only smile at her expression.
"Alright, cousin Xiao Yuan, I need to go wash up," Xun'er said, glancing at her now-dirtied pink skirt before leaving for her courtyard.
Watching her walk away, Xiao Yuan sighed inwardly. He knew her visit wasn't just a coincidence; she was likely curious about his recent changes. But for now, he could only keep his distance.
---
In her courtyard, Gu Xun'er sat on her bed as a black shadow kneeled before her.
"Uncle Ling, did you find anything?" she asked.
"Miss," Ling Ying replied swiftly, "according to rumors and files, Young Master Xiao Yuan is an orphan. His parents, both law enforcers, had many enemies and were killed, leaving Xiao Yuan to suffer from their grudges. He's five years old, and his cultivation has already reached Dou Zhe 7-star, but just two days ago, he was only at Dou Zhe Qi 8th stage."
Hearing this report, Xun'er was both shocked and saddened by Xiao Yuan's past and his rapid cultivation progress. She asked again, "Tell me about his relationships."
Ling Ying immediately responded, "He's an orphan and doesn't have many friends. According to rumors, he's in love with an older girl, Xiao Yu."
Upon hearing this, Xun'er felt a surge of jealousy.
....
Meanwhile, in the back mountain, Xiao Yuan was resting after his intense practice session. It was noon, and the sun hung high in the sky, casting a warm glow over the area. Soon, he noticed a young girl, about eight years old, walking towards him—Xiao Yu. Spotting her approach, he realized she might be here to bathe.
As she came closer, she noticed him resting and couldn't help but ask, "Junior Brother Yuan, what are you doing here?"
Xiao Yuan responded with a relaxed smile. "Just resting after practicing. I suppose you came here to bathe, right? If so, be careful of any onlooking perverts."
Before she could respond, he quickly got up and walked away, leaving Xiao Yu stunned and a bit flustered by his sudden departure. She hadn't expected him to be so direct.
After he left, Xiao Yu began preparing for her bath, but just as she was about to start, she heard suspicious rustling from a nearby bush. Alarmed, she stopped and focused her attention toward the sound.
In the bushes, Xiao Yan was hiding, peeking through the leaves. He had initially come to the back mountain to train but had spotted Xiao Yu preparing to bathe and couldn't resist watching her. Despite the trouble he had caused yesterday, he was surprised and relieved that Xiao Yuan and Xun'er hadn't reported his actions. This small mercy restored his confidence and emboldened him.
However, Xiao Yu quickly noticed his prying eyes and felt a rush of indignation. Outraged, she chased Xiao Yan down the mountain, her face flushed with anger as she shouted at him. She was determined to teach him a lesson for his shamelessness.
As she watched Xiao Yan disappear, Xiao Yu felt a newfound admiration for Xiao Yuan. His earlier warning now felt more thoughtful and sincere. She was grateful for his respectful consideration and decided she would visit his courtyard that evening to thank him personally, her heart warming at the thought of his subtle kindness.
...
At 7 p.m., Xiao Yu stood in front of Xiao Yuan's door, knocking lightly. Moments later, the door opened to reveal a strikingly handsome young boy, tall and poised despite his age. Standing close to six feet, Xiao Yuan greeted her with a friendly smile. "May I know why Cousin Xiao Yu has come to visit me?" he asked warmly, inviting her inside.
Xiao Yu entered, grateful for his welcoming demeanor. "I wanted to thank you for your warning earlier," she said earnestly. "Without it, I might have been... watched while bathing." She offered him a sincere look of appreciation, and they exchanged a few words, chatting comfortably.
As they spoke, someone appeared at the door—it was Xun'er. Catching sight of her, Xiao Yu quickly excused herself and left. Xun'er's eyes narrowed slightly as she watched Xiao Yu go. "Why was she here?" she asked, unable to hide her jealousy.
Xiao Yuan grinned mischievously. "She wanted a few battle tips and came to thank me," he replied playfully.
"And how exactly did she thank you?" Xun'er asked, her voice dripping with suspicion.
Xiao Yuan smirked. "She gave me a kiss."
Xun'er's face twisted with jealousy, but Xiao Yuan laughed, quickly reassuring her. "Relax, I'm only teasing you."
Still pouting, Xun'er muttered, "Xiao Yuan Ge Ge is so mean! He accepts kisses from others but won't even give one to me."
Xiao Yuan leaned in closer. "Do you want one?" he asked with a smile.
"Yes, I do," she replied, playfully but serious. Signaling to Ling Ying, her guard, to leave them alone, Xun'er waited. With her guard gone, Xiao Yuan leaned in and kissed her softly, making her cheeks turn red like a ripe tomato.
Meanwhile, outside, Xiao Yu watched the scene unfold, feeling a wave of sorrow wash over her. Heartbroken, she turned and left quietly. Back in her residence, she couldn't hold back her tears and cried softly, struggling with the pain of her feelings.