At this moment, Xun'er was in secluded cultivation within the Gu Clan. However, the instant Xiao Yan brought Hun Dai'er to her room, she immediately sensed the disturbance and swiftly withdrew from her cultivation state. Although she didn't possess the acute senses of someone like Hun Dai'er, she was exceptionally attuned to Xiao Yan's aura. As long as he was nearby, she could always sense it right away.
"Brother Xiao Yan, why are you here?" When Xun'er saw him, her beautiful face lit up with uncontrollable joy. But soon, her gaze fell upon the silver-haired woman beside him. For some inexplicable reason, a strange and subtle emotional fluctuation rippled through her heart the moment her eyes landed on this woman.
"It's been a long time, Xun'er." Looking at the now graceful and elegant young woman before him, Xiao Yan's voice involuntarily softened. This beautiful face had become deeply etched into his heart after the Path of Reincarnation, replacing Hun Dai'er as the irreplaceable figure in his soul.
Off to the side, Hun Dai'er felt a sudden sense of unease upon seeing Xiao Xun'er. Though Xiao Yan's words and actions toward Xun'er were not overtly intimate, Hun Dai'er could clearly sense that the moment he laid eyes on Xun'er, he had deliberately withdrawn all his killing intent, and even his tone became noticeably gentler.
Even though they had only just met, Hun Dai'er could faintly feel that the combined threat from all the other girls she had seen in Xiao Yan's life paled in comparison to the one posed by the girl before her. 'Who is she, really?'
"Brother Xiao Yan, who is this beside you? A new little sister?" Not only Hun Dai'er, but Xun'er also shared the same question. She knew Xiao Yan had many women around him, and she'd met most of them—some even sworn sisters. But this silver-haired woman, she had never once heard Xiao Yan mention.
"Oh, her? She's just a dog I raised. You don't need to bother with her." Xiao Yan glanced at Hun Dai'er and said with a light smile.
"Huh?" Xun'er's delicate face revealed a trace of confusion upon hearing this, clearly puzzled by what he meant. Before she could think it through, Xiao Yan gently pulled her into his arms. The sudden intimacy brought a flush of red to Xun'er's cheeks, but she didn't resist. Instead, she quietly leaned into his embrace, silently savoring the rare tenderness.
'Brother Xiao Yan has really changed so much...' she murmured inwardly. Although he had always treated her gently, it had been more like a big brother's care. They hadn't even held hands before, let alone embraced like this. This felt like something out of a dream she'd once had.
Hun Dai'er stood watching the two, her expression growing increasingly unsightly. If it weren't for the force Xiao Yan had bound her with—rendering her immobile—she might have already lashed out at this so-called Xun'er. Her gaze locked tightly on the girl in Xiao Yan's arms, brimming with an unprecedented killing intent. 'What is she? How is she even worthy?'
"I came to take you away. I'll speak to your father myself," Xiao Yan said gently, patting Xun'er's head.
Xun'er's body trembled slightly at those words. Her heart was filled with sweetness as her mind conjured an image of Xiao Yan sitting warmly with her father, sharing drinks and laughter. She imagined her father taking her hand and placing it in Xiao Yan's with heartfelt words: "I entrust my precious daughter to you. If you ever mistreat her, I won't forgive you."
But clearly, her idealistic thoughts were quite different from what Xiao Yan had in mind.
What he envisioned was forcibly beating up those old geezers from the Gu Clan, breaking their limbs one by one, and then holding a cleaver to Gu Yuan's throat while shouting, "You old bastard, hurry up and hand over your daughter!"
To be honest, Xiao Yan didn't have a good impression of the Gu Clan elders. During the Path of Reincarnation, they had obstructed him more than once, and he still held a deep grudge. He had long considered finding time to beat up each and every one of them.
"Are you two done hugging?" Hun Dai'er finally couldn't bear watching anymore and snapped.
Xiao Yan looked at her in surprise. Under his suppression, she shouldn't have been able to move a single finger, yet she could still speak? It seemed he needed to apply even more pressure. But before he could act, Xun'er gently stepped out of his arms and walked toward Hun Dai'er.
Facing Hun Dai'er's venomous gaze, Xun'er remained calm. She gave a faint smile and asked, "We haven't met before, have we? Yet you seem to hate me deeply. Can you tell me why?"
"You're not worthy!" Hun Dai'er gritted her teeth, venomously spitting the words.
Though Hun Dai'er hadn't said much, Xun'er understood the implication. She turned to glance at Xiao Yan, who was silently watching, and responded calmly, "You say I'm not worthy. But does that mean you are?"
The moment those words left Xun'er's mouth, Hun Dai'er's pupils shrank. That sentence might not have affected anyone else, but it struck a nerve with her. After all, she was the one who had once brought Xiao Yan the deepest pain. A quiet question echoed in her heart: Am I worthy?
Unaware of the storm in Hun Dai'er's mind, Xun'er looked tenderly at Xiao Yan and said, "Besides… Brother Xiao Yan and I share mutual affection. Is there even a question of worthiness?"
"You do realize, don't you, that you're just a substitute? The one he truly loves is me." Hun Dai'er forced down her inner turmoil and pressed on. Even now, she was still trying to drive a wedge between the two.
"Just being by Brother Xiao Yan's side is enough for me. Even if I were just a stand-in—or even a mere servant—I'd still be content," Xun'er replied nonchalantly.
"Xun'er…"
Her humble words stirred compassion even in Xiao Yan's heart. Hun Dai'er had never expected Xun'er to respond this way. And just as she was momentarily stunned, Xun'er added, "Also, you say I'm your substitute? But how is it that I see no resemblance between us at all?"
(End of Chapter)
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