Chapter 39: A Final Settlement
Softly, the rustling sound of footsteps came from afar. Everyone looked over and saw Xiao Nuo, Da Qing, and Mao Mao arriving.
Xiao Nuo hid behind Xiao Bai, his gaze timid. However, he slowly looked at Fu Su, who was sitting on the grass. Fu Su unexpectedly gave him a smile, and surprisingly, Xiao Nuo also returned a sly smile from behind Xiao Bai.
I was stunned, retracting my gaze, puzzled by that smile.
Mao Mao bypassed Fu Su and the others from a distance, arriving in front of Mo Ming and me. “Brother, Sister Xiao Lan, are you alright now?”
“We’re fine,” Mo Ming said beside me, his voice deep, clearly still holding back his killing intent, waiting for a chance to release it. I hope he’s okay holding it in like this, he won’t get another nosebleed, will he?
This Fu Su is just asking for a beating. I need to find an opportunity for Mo Ming to give him a good thrashing to vent his anger.
After all, I’m Mo Ming’s master now, and I should care about his physical well-being.
Xiao Nuo, hugging Xiao Bai, walked past Fu Su while looking at him. Fu Su’s wicked gaze remained fixed on Si Yi Nuo, making the whole scene feel strangely intimate. Could it be that these two have a secret affair?!
But, there’s no sign of it at all!
One is from the royal palace, the other from the Waste House. They usually have no interaction. Xiao Nuo is always with us, and I’ve never seen him leave the Waste House alone. But now, the “exchange of glances” between them is too unusual.
Eh? That’s right! In anime, don’t honor students always end up with delinquent students? Like Tom Sue – Tom Sue and Mary Sue are the same concept. A Tom Sue is a guy who is inexplicably liked by all the other guys.
Then what about Feng Lingcan?
No, no, Fu Su is with Feng Lingcan, so how can he be with Xiao Nuo…
My mind started to wander again.
I’ve been in the Waste House for so long and I’ve never heard of Xiao Nuo and Fu Su being acquainted. If they knew each other, everyone would have known long ago. Could it be? This relationship is too taboo, so it’s been kept secret! Like a huge difference in family status or something. Fu Su is a descendant of the Fuxi family!
The Fuxi family!
And Xiao Nuo is a Gu Master.
Gu Masters are what are often referred to as Miaojiang Gu sorcerers in wuxia novels, but Xiao Nuo is more advanced than them, because Xiao Nuo belongs to the Gu God family. But even the most powerful Gu God is just someone who controls insects, how can they compare to Fu Su’s family?
Ah! Could Fu Su really be with Xiao Nuo?!
The surprise came too quickly for me to process, because I feel like the two of them… don’t match at all.
Xiao Nuo, hugging Xiao Bai, walked towards me. Fu Su, with a wicked smirk, kept watching his back. As Xiao Nuo sat down, his face, hidden behind Xiao Bai, turned slightly towards Fu Su, silver eyes flashing beneath his long bangs, a strange smile spreading across his lips once more.
Definitely not normal!
I suddenly remembered that when Fu Su “forcefully kissed” me, he said: Nuo, don’t get in the way!
How could such an arrogant guy like Fu Su address someone he doesn’t know so intimately? He calls me either “hey” or “feed,” but he calls Si Yi Nuo “Nuo”! Nuo!
So intimate!
There’s something going on! There must be!
Qing Ming went to Jiang Yan’s side and looked at him. Jiang Yan glanced at him listlessly, then patted the spot next to him. Qing Ming sat down, still staring at Jiang Yan with concern.
Jiang Yan patted Qing Ming’s leg. “I’m fine.”
“En.” Qing Ming finally withdrew his worried gaze.
All the Waste House members are here. I didn’t expect to alarm everyone. I’m really touched. Forget it, even if Xiao Nuo and Fu Su are having an affair, I believe he won’t betray the Waste House. Otherwise, Fu Su would have known about my situation long ago and wouldn’t still be in the dark.
I looked at Fu Su. “Why are you still here? Don’t tell me you’re planning to wait eight hours to grab me again.”
Fu Su put his hands behind his back, the black earring on his right ear glinting in the moonlight. He smiled wickedly. “You guessed right.”
I looked at him, speechless. “You’re so bored.”
“Why don’t we… make a final settlement…” Xiao Nuo, hugging Xiao Bai, said timidly from outside the circle.
“Yes, yes, yes! A final settlement!” Mao Mao glared angrily at Fu Su. “Don’t steal my sister-in-law!”
“Sister-in-law?!” Fu Su and Feng Lingcan said in unison. Fu Su’s face immediately darkened.
Senior Jiang Yan sighed again, holding a blood bag and facepalming. “Mao Mao is starting to act strangely too…”
Mo Ming lowered his head beside me, a hint of a smile on his face.
I immediately glared at him. “What are you smiling about?”
“Nothing.” He immediately straightened his face, but the occasional smile threatened to break his composure.
I continued to glare at him. “So, are you willing to give up being a god and become a mortal with me?”
When my serious words came out, strangely, everyone fell silent.
The air seemed to freeze instantly, becoming awkward.
Mo Ming’s smile completely disappeared, Senior Jiang Yan sighed softly, Senior Feng Lingcan lowered his head with a frown, and even the playful Fu Su suddenly furrowed his brow, looking disappointed.
Mao Mao looked at me dejectedly. “Sister Xiao Lan, you’re serious.”
I looked at her seriously as well. “So, don’t make that kind of joke again. What if I take it seriously?”
Mao Mao also lowered her head. I had completely killed the mood.
“Indeed, if you want to marry Xia Xiao Lan, you must give up your godhood and become a mortal.” Suddenly, Godfather’s voice appeared!
What’s going on tonight? Is everyone planning to play Duck, Duck, Goose? Why is everyone here?
Xuan Yuanchen’s figure slowly materialized in the moonlight. Hey, hey, hey, Godfather, don’t tell me you’ve been here the whole time, invisible, watching the show!
It’s shameful to be able to turn invisible!
Xuan Yuanchen adjusted his glasses, the lenses glinting under the starlight. “And the children you have will also be mortals, without divine power.”
Eh?
I silently lowered my gaze. Godfather’s words seemed to be directed at me.
“If Xia Xiao Lan truly falls in love with one of you…” Xuan Yuanchen’s sharp gaze swept over every guy present. “Which of you can take responsibility for her feelings?”
I looked at Xuan Yuanchen with near adoration. “Godfather! You’re amazing!”
“Don’t call me Godfather!” Xuan Yuanchen twitched his eyebrow, as if trying to suppress his anger.
I covered my mouth and shrank my neck.
He continued to look at everyone coldly. Although none of the guys looked at him, they finally calmed down.
“So, don’t make this kind of joke again.” Xuan Yuanchen glanced at them again. “Girls from the mortal world are more sentimental and take things seriously.”
“Eh? I’m not sentimental.” I uncovered my mouth, unable to resist complaining about my own history of heartbreak. “Ever since the guy I had a crush on turned out to be a scumbag, I’ve been completely disappointed in men. Guys are such jerks, looking at faces, looking at chests, not looking at brains, having one girl and wanting another, having a girlfriend but still thinking about their first love…”
“Sister Xiao Lan!” Mao Mao suddenly hissed, giving me frantic signals with her eyes. I glanced at her. “I’m not finished yet.” I could talk about the business of men for three days and three nights. “They’re full of flaws themselves, but they demand perfection from us girls. I won’t even mention how they laugh at us for being gold-diggers, but aren’t they gold-diggers themselves? Would they be willing to marry a girl with a bad job? Every time they go on a blind date, the first thing they ask is what the girl’s family does. If they hear her parents are civil servants, their eyes practically pop out, and they can’t wait to get married right away. If they hear her family runs a business, they’re even willing to marry into her family!”
“Sister Xiao Lan!” Mao Mao looked like she wanted to rush into the magic circle.
“Mao Mao, let me finish!” I glared at her. “Guys are also chauvinistic, arrogant, think they’re the most handsome in the world, take selfies all day, and speak in a commanding tone, as if talking to you is some kind of favor…”
“Xia Xiao Lan, are you done yet?!” When Xuan Yuanchen’s sharp shout came, I immediately shut up. Avoiding his gaze, I bit my lip and chuckled dryly. “Cough, hehe, well, well, we girls… also have a lot of shortcomings… hehehe…” I guess I’ve offended all the guys here today.
A chill instantly enveloped the surroundings, only Mo Ming’s hand remained warm.
“Fu Su, Can, let’s go back.” Xuan Yuanchen spoke again. I peeked over. Senior Feng Lingcan had already stood up. Fu Su was still sitting on the ground, chuckling. “Xuan Yuanchen, aren’t you being a bit too nosy? Are you going to control who I sleep with too?”
I peeked at Xuan Yuanchen again. He adjusted his glasses. “Of course I don’t want to control you, but your mother gave me specific instructions, and I have to obey. Your business with Xia Xiao Lan ends here!”
Oh yeah! Finally, someone is standing up for me.
Fu Su chuckled. “You say it ends here, so it ends here? Hmph, what right do you have to control me?”
“Then what do you want?” Xuan Yuanchen looked down at Fu Su coldly.
“A… final settlement…” Xiao Nuo spoke timidly again. Xiao Nuo is also acting a bit strange tonight. Why do I feel like his suggestion of a “final settlement” isn’t to help me, but more like he wants to see me and Fu Su fight?
“Yes! A final settlement!” Mo Ming looked at Fu Su darkly.
“Alright~~~” Fu Su stood up slowly, not looking at Mo Ming at all, as if he didn’t consider him a threat. Instead, he glanced at me. “Hey, let’s have a contest. If you lose, you become mine, and you’ll play with me however I want.” The corners of his lips curled into a wicked smile, his arrogant gaze certain that I would lose, so he didn’t even bother stating what would happen if he lost.
I accepted his provocation. “Fine!”
“Xiao Lan!” Feng Lingcan called out darkly.
Jiang Yan suddenly stood up lazily. “It’s fine, Mo Ming is here.”
“Yes, I’m here.” Mo Ming also looked at Fu Su seriously. “If you lose, you’re never allowed to go near Xiao Lan again!”
“Hmph.” Fu Su chuckled. “Like I would lose?”
I continued, “But if I lose, Mo Ming will play with you in my place.”
“Ah.” Mo Ming stared at me blankly.
Not just Mo Ming, all the guys were stunned. Xuan Yuanchen’s glasses flashed with a cold light.
“That’s not fair!” Mao Mao exclaimed anxiously, glaring at me. “Sister Xiao Lan, that’s not right!”
I looked at her anxiously too. “I’m a girl! Fu Su is so perverted, how do I know what he’ll do? If it’s Mo Ming, he won’t do anything out of line.”
Mao Mao paused. “That’s true.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll compensate your brother,” I promised seriously.
Mao Mao’s sapphire eyes immediately lit up. Xiao Nuo, standing next to her, also looked at me with sparkling silver eyes. “How… compensate?”
I gritted my teeth. “I’ll cook for him! I’ll give him massages! I’ll wait on him hand and foot like an emperor!”
Mo Ming immediately grabbed my hand, sat up straight, and looked ready to die a noble death. “I’ll gladly accept my fate!”
Holy crap, he agreed so quickly when he heard I was going to wait on him, as if he was the one making the sacrifice.
So, I can’t lose! Or rather, I must win!
