...
"Then why are you telling me all this now..."
Dugu Yan bit her lip, asking uncertainly, "Could this also be part of your scheme?
To make me... develop feelings for you?
Or lower my guard?"
"Oh."
Xuan Hao couldn't help but laugh out loud, and reached out to poke her forehead.
"You can have doubts, but it's best not to say them out loud."
"Why?"
"Because it will make you look silly."
"You—!" Dugu Yan angrily slapped his hand away. "You brat!
Do you only feel comfortable if you don't scold me?!"
"Whether it was a scheme or not is unimportant." Xuan Hao withdrew his hand, unconcerned.
"What's important is that you've grown up.
You know how to be suspicious, how to be on guard, and you've even started to think about my motives.
You're no longer that naive and innocent girl who only knew how to act recklessly because of your grandfather's name."
"That's the key point."
"Congratulations, Miss Dugu, you've grown up."
"..."
Dugu Yan's face darkened, and she felt her fist harden again.
That bastard!
They kept finding ways to insult her for being brainless!
"You've grown up?" Dugu Yan puffed out her chest and said irritably, "Aren't I much older than you?
I'm thirteen this year!
How old are you?
Eight?
Nine?"
"What's the use of getting old but not having a brain?"
Xuan Hao retorted mercilessly.
"Some people live to be eighty and are still giant babies, while some can outwit a bunch of old foxes at the age of eight."
"You've been too well protected by your grandfather and too highly praised by the people around you."
"Because Dugu Bo is around, no one dares to harm you, or even say a harsh word to you.
So you think that's how the world is, black and white, and that you can solve all problems as long as you give your name."
"But have you ever thought about whether your grandfather can protect you for a lifetime?"
"Even titled Douluo will die and grow old. If one day he is gone, or he can no longer protect you, what will you have to fight against those ruthless and powerful figures?"
"Like being kidnapped by me today. If I were truly a ruthless villain, what do you think your fate would be now?"
"Can your pathetic pride and temper save you?"
Dugu Yan fell silent.
She looked at Xuan Hao and felt a deep chill for the first time.
yes.
If Xuan Hao really wanted to kill her today, or if he had any ill intentions towards her... she would have absolutely no ability to resist.
Her grandfather, whom she was so proud of, was even on his way.
Although his grandfather was strong, he was ultimately just one person.
Faced with the royal family's manipulation and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's power struggles, he could only passively accept it.
"You still have to grow your brain and learn from your mistakes."
Xuan Hao sighed and turned his gaze to Na'er, who was eating obediently beside him. "Na'er is the same."
"ah?"
Na'er, who was struggling with a giant chicken leg, was suddenly called upon.
She looked up, somewhat bewildered, with sauce still on her lips, and asked, "Brother?"
"Brother will protect me," Na'er blinked her big eyes and said innocently.
"Brother said that as long as you're here, no one can bully me."
"It's possible now, but not necessarily in the future."
Xuan Hao took out a tissue and gently wiped her mouth, his movements gentle, but his tone was somewhat serious:
"Na'er, you must remember. Unexpected events can happen at any time, and misfortune can strike at any moment."
"Maybe one day I'll be struck by lightning when I go out, or I'll run into an enemy I can't beat and die."
"What will you do if I'm no longer here?"
The chicken leg in Na'er's hand fell onto the plate with a "thud".
Her face turned deathly pale instantly, tears welled up in her eyes, and she gripped Xuan Hao's sleeve tightly with her small hands, her voice trembling:
"Brother...where are you going?
Don't you want Na'er anymore?"
"Silly boy, your brother didn't say he was leaving, he was just using an analogy."
Xuan Hao gently rubbed her head and said softly, "In this world, no one is indispensable to anyone else, nor can anyone be indispensable to anyone else."
"The road ahead is ultimately one you have to walk yourself."
...
"Knock knock knock!"
A heavy knocking broke the silence of the room.
"I'll go open the door!"
Na'er jumped off the sofa, ran to the door, and tiptoed to open it.
Outside the door stood a group of important figures with solemn expressions and menacing demeanor.
Leading the group was Poison Douluo Dugu Bo, dressed in a green robe.
Behind him were Prince Xue Xing, Ning Fengzhi, Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, and Sword Douluo Chen Xin.
They had already prepared for the worst, and even had prepared their negotiating arguments and the means to take action.
However, the moment the door opened, everyone was stunned.
There was no tense atmosphere in the room as one might have imagined, nor was there any tragic scene of Dugu Yan being bound hand and foot, crying and begging for help.
On the contrary, the art style... is a bit strange.
Xuan Hao was lying on the thick Persian carpet like a big shot, while behind him, Dugu Yan, who should have been the "victim," was kneeling on the ground, looking unwilling but still obediently massaging Xuan Hao's shoulders.
After opening the door, Na'er skipped back, took off her shoes, and jumped directly onto Xuan Hao's back, giggling as she stepped on his back.
The scene was so heartwarming, it looked like three siblings playing together.
"..."
The people at the door froze instantly.
Dugu Bo rubbed his eyes, even wondering if he was hallucinating from worrying too much.
"Yanyan?!"
Dugu Yan paused in her movements, looked up, and saw the group of important figures at the door.
A hint of panic flashed in her eyes, but she quickly followed Xuan Hao's script and put on a puzzled expression:
"Grandpa? What brings you here?"
"this..."
Dugu Bo was stunned by this rhetorical question. He pointed at Dugu Yan, then at Xuan Hao, and stammered:
"No...didn't you say you were kidnapped by this kid?"
"Kidnapping?" Dugu Yan rolled her eyes, pointing at Xuan Hao who was lying on the ground.
"Him? Kidnapping me?"
"Grandpa, don't you even know how old he is?
Besides, didn't we leave a message when we left the academy?
We said we were at the Tiandou Royal Hotel.
What kind of kidnapper would announce their identity after abducting someone?
And stay at a hotel right under the nose of the royal family?
Is that kidnapping or courting death?"
"Then... then what are you doing?"
Dugu Bo pointed to the shoulder massage he had just performed, his tone slightly unsteady.
"Oh, a bet's a bet, I guess." Dugu Yan pouted, looking like she couldn't accept defeat.
"I sparred with him this afternoon and lost. According to the bet, I have to be his... cough, babysitter for one night."
"Anyway, it's nothing serious, so I'll accept my loss."
Dugu Bo: "..."
Prince Xuexing: "..."
Ning Fengzhi: "..."
Everyone felt like their brains weren't working properly.
Especially Prince Xuexing, who told Dugu Bo with absolute certainty that his granddaughter had been kidnapped. Now, how are they going to handle this situation?
"Cough cough."
Ning Fengzhi, being a shrewd man, was caught off guard by this sudden turn of events, but he quickly recovered, coughing twice in an attempt to break the awkward atmosphere:
"It seems... it really was a misunderstanding."
"We also received information that extremely dangerous criminals had infiltrated the hotel.
We were worried about everyone's safety, especially about Miss Dugu, so we joined forces with the royal family and rushed over overnight to check the situation."
"A villain?" Xuan Hao sat up abruptly, pulled Na'er into his arms, and looked at Ning Fengzhi with a half-smile:
"The villain that Sect Leader Ning mentioned... could it be me?"
"This..." Ning Fengzhi was speechless.
All the words of comfort and negotiation he had prepared were now stuck in his throat.
The parties involved have already said everything is fine, so what can you say?
Say, "No, you're the kidnapper, hand over the hostage immediately?"
Isn't that just plain crazy?
"How could that be?"
Xue Qinghe stepped forward at the right moment, with a gentle smile on his face.
"We are worried about the young brother's safety.
After all, Tiandou City is a mixed bag, and it would be bad if some ignorant fools offended you."
"Oh, I see." Xuan Hao nodded, looking as if he had just realized something.
"Then thank you all for your kindness. But... wasn't blocking the door enough this morning?
To bring so many people to show concern for me so late at night, I'm really flattered."
These words were spoken in a sarcastic tone, but the people present were all shrewd and could naturally hear the sarcasm in them.
"Um... Yan Yan, are you sure you weren't threatened?"
Dugu Bo was still a little worried, looking at Dugu Yan with suspicion.
"If this kid dares to threaten you, just say so! With Grandpa here, no one can touch you!"
"Oh, Grandpa!"
Dugu Yan stamped her foot and said impatiently, "I already said I'm willing to accept the consequences of my bet!
Why don't you believe me?
Besides, look how young he is, what can he possibly threaten me with?"
"Alright, alright, since everything's alright, you should take your people and leave now. It's so noisy late at night."
"Yanyan." Dugu Bo stepped forward with a stern face.
"Since everything's alright, come back with Grandpa.
What kind of behavior is it to be out here so late at night?"
"No, what's wrong with it so late at night?
Could he possibly be plotting something against me?"
Dugu Yan said speechlessly.
"And even if he had those thoughts, what could he possibly do?"
"You've spit on me?"
"???"
Xuan Hao was completely dumbfounded.
No, what kind of inappropriate and offensive language is this?
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