...
Thinking of this, Bibi Dong sighed silently.
She stood up, walked to sit down next to Xuan Hao, and then stretched out her arms, naturally and gently pulling the boy, who was already half a head taller than her, into her embrace.
"Um?"
Xuan Hao was visibly startled when he was suddenly hugged.
He inhaled the pleasant, elegant fragrance emanating from Bibi Dong and blinked, somewhat bewildered, "Teacher, what's wrong?"
Bibi Dong didn't speak, but simply rested her chin gently on his shoulder and tightened her arms slightly.
Feeling the warm, strong body in her arms, she murmured softly, "It's nothing. It's just that suddenly... I miss the old days."
"I miss the days when you were just a tiny little thing, always following me around like a little tail.
Now, in the blink of an eye, you've grown up so much, you're even bigger than me."
Bibi Dong's tone carried a hint of melancholy and tenderness:
"If only... you could always be a child, how wonderful that would be?"
Hearing these slightly sentimental words, Xuan Hao looked strange and couldn't help but spoil the mood by making a sarcastic remark:
"Sister, do you want to hear what you're saying?
If I really stay that little kid who never grows up, then I'm doomed, okay?"
"Smack!"
Bibi Dong raised her hand in annoyance and gently tapped him on the head, saying irritably,
"Do you think you're the only one with a mouth?
Stop messing around and let me hug you for a while."
After receiving the light but firm blow, Xuan Hao pursed his lips and obediently shut his mouth.
He relaxed his body and lay quietly in Bibi Dong's arms, enjoying this rare tranquility and tenderness.
Holding the boy in her arms, Bibi Dong's gaze flickered uncertainly.
After thinking about it, she decided to take it slow.
This deeply ingrained, somewhat distorted emotion cannot be changed overnight. Because in Xuan Hao's mind, his feelings for her and his possessiveness are perfectly justified.
If she were to forcefully deny this "taken-for-granted" idea now and tell Xuan Hao that it was completely wrong, it would undoubtedly be like stabbing him in the heart with a knife, which would be too hurtful.
She could only guide him slowly, like peeling back layers of an onion, to shift his attention to other girls his age.
Thinking of this, Bibi Dong released Xuan Hao, straightened his slightly disheveled collar, and said softly:
"Speaking of which, you're not young anymore."
"I used to think that once you broke through the bottleneck of the Soul Emperor realm, I would officially bring you back to the Spirit Hall and, in front of the whole world, confer upon you the title of Holy Son of the Spirit Hall."
"But plans can't keep up with changes.
You're in Heaven Dou City, and you're carrying the identity of a young master from a reclusive family.
You even have to sneak around when you go back to the Spirit Hall, for fear of revealing your whereabouts.
The matter of bestowing the title of Holy Son can only be postponed and discussed in a few years."
At this point, Bibi Dong changed the subject, her gaze falling on Xuan Hao's face:
"However, matters of the heart can wait, but matters of the heart, I don't think I've paid much attention to you in the long run."
"You're surrounded by so many outstanding girls, and I've never had the heart to ask too many questions.
After all, as your teacher, I naturally favor your senior, Lena, and would support you two getting together."
"But I also know in my heart that you are a womanizing scoundrel who attracts all sorts of women, so this matter is not so easy to settle."
Bibi Dong straightened her posture and asked earnestly in the tone of an elder:
"But have you thought about the future?"
"You're both still young now, and dating is all about novelty.
You're all clingy and affectionate, so naturally you haven't thought too much about the future.
But what about later?"
"When you all come of age, those girls will definitely want a clear title.
And people are all human, you will inevitably show favoritism at times.
In this situation, you can't personally handle many of the conflicts in the backyard, you have to let the girls resolve them themselves."
Bibi Dong looked directly into Xuan Hao's eyes and posed a very real question:
"So, who will take charge?"
"Or rather, with so many proud and arrogant girls, who can help you keep things in check?"
"Is it Na'er?
Or your senior sister Hu Liena?"
Before Xuan Hao could answer, Bibi Dong began her analysis on her own:
"Lena is obedient and devoted to you, but given her personality and methods, I'm afraid she can't control that little dragon, Na'er."
"As for Na'er, although she is still young and seems innocent and naive, she is extremely smart and her mind works faster than anyone else's.
Moreover, her talent for cultivation and even her strength are absolutely top-notch."
"Although this may sound somewhat utilitarian and unpleasant, in our world of Soul Masters, what will ultimately determine a person's status in the future is this absolute strength."
"It's the same even at home."
Bibi Dongzheng's analysis was very logical, and he tried to guide Xuan Hao to think about his future "official wife".
However, before she could finish speaking, Xuan Hao cut her off with a single sentence.
"But..."
Xuan Hao looked at Bibi Dong and interrupted her directly:
"Teacher, what you just said about suppressing the backyard and taking charge of the overall situation..."
"Isn't it more suitable for you than Na'er?"
"..."
Bibi Dong's expression suddenly froze.
Her composure and the authority of an elder froze instantly, and her heart skipped a beat.
"no the same!"
Bibi Dong hurriedly avoided Xuan Hao's direct gaze, her voice unconsciously rising an octave:
"How can this be the same!
How can I get involved in your petty squabbles?"
"Why not?" Xuan Hao frowned slightly.
"Nonsense!"
Bibi Dong took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the panic in her heart, and with a stern face, reprimanded in an unprecedentedly serious tone:
"Xuanhao, wake up!"
"I am your teacher, the older sister who watched you grow up!
I can help you without reservation in your cultivation and career, and pave the way for you."
"But matters of love, marriage, and career are not my concern, and I cannot interfere!"
Bibi Dong stared into Xuan Hao's eyes, speaking slowly and deliberately, as if she were speaking to Xuan Hao, but also warning herself:
"In the future, you will have your own home and a wife who will accompany you for the rest of your life."
"A man who wants to settle down, build a career, and be a pillar of society should have his family and his future in his heart..."
"You can't... and you can't always be thinking about me."
Faced with Bibi Dong's "strict" instruction, which clearly drew a line between them, Xuan Hao did not try to brush it off with a joke as he usually did.
He simply stared at Bibi Dong, his sky-blue eyes seemingly holding a bottomless vortex, stubborn, focused, and with a hint of aggressive heat.
Under his unwavering gaze, Bibi Dong felt a strange pang of guilt.
The dignified elder she had painstakingly cultivated instantly crumbled, and she instinctively avoided his gaze, unable to meet his eyes directly.
Just as she turned her head to the side.
"Bang--"
A sudden dizziness.
Xuan Hao suddenly sprang into action, his movements incredibly fast.
He grabbed Bibi Dong's wrist and shoved her down onto the large, soft velvet sofa.
Then, his long, imposing body pressed down on her, trapping her firmly between his arms.
"What are you doing?!"
Bibi Dong's heart skipped a beat.
Looking at the handsome face so close to hers, her breathing instantly became erratic.
"I just wanted to ask..."
Xuan Hao looked down at her, their noses almost touching.
He lowered his voice, "Why can't I think about it?"
"No means no!" Bibi Dong panicked completely.
She placed her hands on Xuan Hao's chest, feeling the boy's strong heartbeat, and forced herself to remain calm as she said:
"I am your teacher, the older sister who raised you! You will have your own life and your own wife in the future.
There is a boundary between us... and no one can cross it!"
Xuan Hao remained unmoved, merely tilting his head slightly, his eyes filled with pure confusion: "And then?"
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