"Ahh!!"
Xiao Lingxi let out a startled scream, jumping back like a frightened little rabbit. She touched her inexplicably tingling lips, her beautiful eyes wide with shock as a blush quickly spread from her snow-white face to her neck. "You... you... you kissed me again!"
"You always react this way." Xiao Che, clearly the one at fault, looked completely innocent and even hurt. "When we were little, you loved playing kissy-face with me. Now every time I kiss you, you act as if you're greatly shocked."
"You... you know that was when we were kids!" Xiao Lingxi's face grew redder by the second. "We're adults now, so no more random kissing! And... you're about to have a wife soon, so from now on, you can only kiss your wife!"
"Why..."
"Because I'm your younger aunt!" Xiao Lingxi stamped her foot in frustration.
"Then... what should I do if I keep wanting to kiss you?" Xiao Che tapped his chin thoughtfully, smiling brightly. The cute and sweet fifteen-year-old girl in front of him had none of the authority expected of a "younger aunt."
"Hmph... then marry me!" Xiao Lingxi tossed her nose up playfully, teasing him.
"Hey! You're my younger aunt, how could I possibly marry you..." Xiao Che's voice trailed off, but his eyes widened slightly.
"If you know that, why do you keep kissing me randomly! If you dare to sneak-kiss me again, I'll tell your wife Xia Qingyue, and let her deal with you, hah!" Xiao Lingxi tilted her head proudly, looking at him with smug satisfaction.
At this moment, Xiao Hong's voice came from outside once again: "Young Master, are you ready? It's time to go to the Xia family for the wedding procession."
"Alright, I'll be out in a moment." Xiao Che glanced at his current attire and prepared to leave. He had taken only a few steps when Xiao Lingxi grabbed his hand, her expression serious. "Che'er! Before you go to fetch Xia Qingyue, repeat the agreement we made yesterday, word for word. Otherwise, you're not allowed to leave."
Yesterday's agreement? Xiao Che casually thought about it and reluctantly said, "Alright... after marrying Xia Qingyue, don't forget about your younger aunt because of having a wife. Don't reduce the time spent with your younger aunt, and respond to her calls just as promptly as before... Is that all correct?"
"Hehe, that's right." Xiao Lingxi smiled cutely, but she didn't let go of Xiao Che's hand. "But there's one more condition, something I forgot yesterday... Even though Xia Qingyue will become your wife, her status in your heart cannot surpass mine! Repeat it immediately, say it, say it, say it!"
Xiao Che glanced sideways at her beautiful eyes and said, "If you kiss me, I'll agree."
"Then... will you marry me?"
"... " Xiao Che was defeated.
"Master, are you not ready yet?" Passing the set "auspicious time" was a major taboo, and Xiao Hong's urging voice came from outside once again.
Xiao Che's hand rested on the door, but he didn't push it open immediately. Instead, he softly said, "This matter, I can't promise Younger Aunt... because your place in my heart is something even a hundred Xia Qingyues can't compare to. I wouldn't even think of comparing her with you."
After speaking, he pushed the door open and walked out gracefully.
Xiao Lingxi stood there in a daze for a while, then her lips curved into a joyful smile. Like a little girl who had just received her most beloved candy, she bounced happily and followed him out.
As Xiao Che stepped out of the room, the wedding procession, which could be considered modestly splendid, was already waiting for him. Xiao Hong gave him an amiable smile: "Young Master, please mount the horse. On the wedding procession road, I will fully protect your safety... Of course, it's your big day, so there will only be joy and no disasters, and old man Hong probably won't be needed."
"Hong Elder, thank you for your efforts." Xiao Che smiled faintly at Xiao Hong and directly leapt onto the horse. At this moment, a kind voice suddenly came from his left:
"It seems I've arrived just in time. Xiao Che, are you going to fetch your bride? Congratulations, congratulations."
Xiao Che's eyebrows slightly furrowed as he turned toward the sound and saw two young men walking towards him. The speaker was around twenty years old, of average build, exquisitely handsome, with bright eyes and a warm smile that made people feel at ease. Behind him, following closely, was a somewhat thin youth who appeared slightly younger, always keeping a step behind.
Seeing them, Xiao Che smiled. "It's Brother Yulong and Brother Xiao Yang. Did you come here specially to see me off?"
Xiao Yulong, the only son of Xiao Yunhai, the current leader of the Xiao family, was exactly twenty years old. In terms of appearance, talent, eloquence, and intelligence, he was undoubtedly the top among the younger generation of the Xiao family. His Xuan Force had already reached the third level of the Entry Xuan Realm, a source of pride for Xiao Yunhai and full of hope for the Xiao family. If nothing unexpected happened, he would be the next leader of the Xiao family. Despite being surrounded by numerous accolades, he possessed no arrogance. He treated everyone with grace and elegance, even showing respect and care toward someone like Xiao Che, who was considered a cripple, never revealing any hint of mockery. Instead, he often expressed concern for Xiao Che's damaged Xuan Meridians.
Xiao Che had always harbored deep feelings of admiration and gratitude toward him... at least, the Xiao Che from before today.
The person behind Xiao Yulong also held a significant position, not an ordinary disciple of the Xiao family, but the youngest grandson of the second elder, Xiao Yang. Currently nineteen years old, he was at the ninth level of the Initial Xuan Realm and had followed Xiao Yulong since childhood, always obedient to him. However, he wasn't as friendly toward Xiao Che as Xiao Yulong. Although both were grandsons of elders, Xiao Yang had always looked down on Xiao Che. Occasionally, when Xiao Che tried to talk to him, Xiao Yang either ignored him or responded with a disdainful sniff.
As the grandson of an elder, Xiao Che not only had his own residence but also an independent courtyard. But aside from his grandfather Xiao Lie, his younger aunt Xiao Lingxi, and his only close friend, very few people visited him regularly. Now, Xiao Yulong had personally brought Xiao Yang here, perhaps solely to see him off for the wedding procession.
"Haha, of course." Xiao Yulong laughed heartily and approached. "The woman you're going to fetch today is the first pearl of our Flowing Cloud City. This isn't just a big event for our Xiao family, but for the entire Flowing Cloud City. To think you could marry such a pearl, I, as your elder brother, truly feel gratified and envious. Of course, I also feel somewhat ashamed, hahaha."
Xiao Che also laughed. "Brother Yulong, you're joking. With your talents, if you wanted to marry, all the excellent women in Flowing Cloud City would be at your disposal."
"Master, we should go." Xiao Hong reminded them.
"Xiao Che, hurry along. We're eagerly waiting for you to bring our Flowing Cloud City's pearl home in style." Xiao Yulong smiled and said.
Xiao Che nodded, sat firmly on the horse, and the wedding procession immediately left the courtyard, heading straight for the Xia family amidst the sounds of gongs and drums.
The moment Xiao Che disappeared from sight, the smile on Xiao Yulong's face froze, and his expression darkened. He abruptly turned around and slapped Xiao Yang hard across the face, his voice low and menacing: "Worthless!"
Xiao Yang was sent flying by Xiao Yulong's slap, his left cheek swollen. He scrambled to Xiao Yulong's feet, panic-stricken. "I... I definitely put the 'Sishi Powder' in... and the news of his sudden collapse earlier was true... I... I don't know what happened..."
"Hmph!" Xiao Yulong frowned deeply, his face contorted in anger. "I spent so much effort obtaining this poison that even Situ Yun couldn't detect, and you messed it up! Am I supposed to watch helplessly as Xia Qingyue marries that waste of a person, Xiao Che?"
"Big Brother, that guy has just left. There will be plenty of opportunities on the wedding procession... although we shouldn't appear openly, we can incite the people from the Yutian family and a few gentlemen from the city lord's mansion. They all covet Xia Qingyue and are furious that she's marrying Xiao Che. Just a little encouragement, and with them all going together, it will surely work..."
"If it were that simple, would I have gone through so much trouble to obtain the Sishi Powder?" Xiao Yulong coldly interrupted Xiao Yang. "Xiao Che may be a useless piece of trash, but his grandfather Xiao Lie is at the tenth level of the Spirit Xuan Realm, unmatched in Flowing Cloud City. Who dares to provoke him? Xia Qingyue's father has never opposed this marriage either. Anyone who openly causes trouble would offend both Xiao Lie and the Xia family. Even if the Yutian family and those from the city lord's mansion dared to do it, their families would absolutely stop them... Besides, didn't you see that old man Xiao Hong went along personally? With him there, who could possibly cause trouble?"
As Xiao Yulong spoke, his tightly clenched hands made constant "pop pop" sounds as bones shifted. The first time he met Xia Qingyue, he was utterly captivated. No matter when, he was always composed, but at that moment, he lost all composure. From then on, he vowed that Xia Qingyue would be his woman in this lifetime.
But now, Xia Qingyue was about to marry Xiao Che, the most despised person in the Xiao family. How could he bear it!
"Big Brother, actually... you don't need to worry too much," Xiao Yang cautiously observed Xiao Yulong's expression and said timidly. "Think about it, given Xia Qingyue's temperament, she never spares a glance for the top talents in Flowing Cloud City. Is it possible that she likes Xiao Che? She's marrying him only because of the agreement sixteen years ago. I think even after she marries Xiao Che, she absolutely won't allow a waste like him to touch even a finger of hers... And after she marries into our Xiao family, Big Brother will have far more opportunities to interact with her. With Big Brother's looks and talent, plus the stark contrast to Xiao Che, over time, wouldn't it be easy to win Xia Qingyue's admiration? Then..."
Listening to Xiao Yang's words, Xiao Yulong's dark expression gradually softened, and his narrow eyes slowly narrowed further. He tapped his nose with his finger and murmured softly, "What you said does make sense... It seems that failing to poison that waste might actually be a good thing after all."