The little fellow seemed to understand his young master's thoughts. It lifted its watery eyes, sparkling like black gems, and let out two soft whimpers. Then, sticking out its tiny pink tongue, it began licking Jun Mo Xie's chest and neck with unabashed intimacy.
It wriggled again, claws clutching tightly at his clothes as if declaring that it would never let go. If someone looked at it now, they would think the cub intended to cling to Jun Mo Xie for the next five hundred years without pause!
But for all its joy, the little creature also carried a trace of caution in its eyes. As though it could sense that Jun Mo Xie was guarded, it clung even tighter, unwilling to give him the chance to toss it away.
Jun Mo Xie's lips twitched, and his face darkened slightly. "Hmph… this little thing is practically glued to me. And if it's here, then…"
'If this thing is here, that girl is most definitely around as well.'
That thought alone made his temples throb.
Dugu Xiao Yi was someone Jun Mo Xie least wished to meet right now. Among all the people in Tian Xiang City he hadn't encountered yet, the Emperor himself could appear before him, and Jun Mo Xie wouldn't flinch.
But Dugu Xiao Yi was on his list of people he sincerely hoped to avoid.
Already standing at the entrance, Jun Mo Xie knew he could not retreat.
"Fatty Tang," He muttered. His companion waddled over immediately, cheeks still stuffed from their earlier indulgence. Together, they dismounted and strode toward the restaurant.
They had no idea that the path before them, seemingly ordinary, was in truth a tiger's trail.
Inside, the atmosphere was telling. The entire hall had been cleared out, clearly reserved for this very meeting. A single table was placed in the center, polished until it gleamed.
And at that table, two figures were already waiting.
One was petite, dressed in a light-green vest, her long braids bouncing lightly as she spoke. Even without looking closely, Jun Mo Xie immediately recognized her: Dugu Xiao Yi.
The other figure sitting beside her was far less familiar. A burly man with wide shoulders and thick arms, his stocky build radiated raw strength. His hairline was slightly thin, but his expression carried the fortitude of someone used to command.
Jun Mo Xie's eyes narrowed slightly. Clearly, the Dugu Family had sent one of her elder brothers to act as a guardian. Though they had arranged this meeting with Tang Yuan, they were not about to let their treasured granddaughter meet without a protective wall.
Compared to the other Dugu brothers, this one seemed to have better manners, a steadier bearing. But that did not change the truth: Jun Mo Xie had just walked straight into the den of tigers.
Jun Mo Xie's sharp eyes swept over the stocky man at Dugu Xiao Yi's side, yet he could not place which one of the famed seven 'heroes and legends bravely rushing forward' he belonged to. His brows knitted ever so slightly. 'Strange… could it be that the Dugu Family actually has an eighth son hidden away?'
Tang Yuan and Jun Mo Xie had only just stepped through the door when an uneasy sensation crept up on them, making the air seem heavier.
Something was wrong here.
Both men, seasoned in their own ways, felt it as they slowly made their way toward the central table.
Jun Mo Xie rubbed his forehead, half in irritation, half in disbelief. 'What am I even doing here? This is Fatty's blind date, not mine! I'm just here as a spectator… so where is the Sun Family's granddaughter? Why is the only girl here Dugu Xiao Yi?!'
His instincts flared, and an inexplicable dread unfurled inside his chest, as though he had stepped into a trap woven with smiles.
A thought struck him suddenly, wild and improbable, but he immediately brushed it aside. Still, unease gnawed at his heart. Tugging at Tang Yuan's sleeve, Jun Mo Xie leaned in and asked in a hushed tone, "Fatty, your fiancée, the Sun Family's granddaughter, you've never actually seen her before, right?"
Tang Yuan, already a bundle of nerves, was sweating profusely. His palms were clammy, his round face flushed with the pressure of wanting to impress his unknown bride-to-be. Pulled so suddenly, he nearly stumbled before answering in a whisper, his fat cheeks quivering,
"No… but my fiancée is graceful and ladylike, that much is certain. Besides, we've only just entered... maybe she hasn't appeared yet. How can you be sure no one else is here?"
His words trailed off, but his eagerness was apparent.
Then, as though remembering something, Fatty's eyes gleamed. He leaned even closer to Jun Mo Xie's ear, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "However… I once overheard my grandfather speaking about her. My grandfather's judgment is always sharp, you know. He wouldn't be mistaken!"
Jun Mo Xie's curiosity was piqued. "Oh? What did your grandfather say?"
Tang Yuan puffed up his chest proudly, his voice trembling with excitement as he whispered, "He said, 'The Sun Family's granddaughter has a very fat ass, guaranteed to bless you with a son. You and she are a perfect match!'"
Jun Mo Xie blinked.
Tang Yuan's face lit up like a man struck by divine enlightenment. He let out a low, obscene chuckle, his thick eyebrows twitching up and down as he licked his lips in anticipation. "Third Young Master, you don't understand. I've always had a special fondness for women with big butts. My fiancée will be my dream woman! Hehehe… but, of course, my true dream woman... Ahhh!..."
"Enough!" Jun Mo Xie rolled his eyes heavenward, striding ahead with long steps to escape the Fatty's obscene rambling. 'This shameless fool… I almost pity the poor girl who's doomed to marry him.'
Yet the more he thought about it, the more the matter seemed strange. 'The Sun Family didn't cancel this engagement, despite Fatty's years of debauchery. With his reputation, most noble houses would've pulled out immediately. Why are they so persistent?'
Before he could dwell further, a sharp, cheerful voice cut through his thoughts.
"Jun… Brother Mo Xie! You actually came!"
Jun Mo Xie froze mid-step, and a chill ran down his spine, his body shuddering from head to toe.
The culprit was none other than Dugu Xiao Yi, who had suddenly called out to him with joy sparkling in her eyes. But what sent goosebumps crawling across Jun Mo Xie's skin was not her appearance, but it was her words.
She had just called him Brother Mo Xie for the first time.
That unruly, tempestuous little girl who used to stomp her foot and shout his name in anger was now addressing him with a gentle sweetness that felt utterly unnatural.
'Why is this little demoness suddenly being so polite? What's she plotting?'
Jun Mo Xie forced a smile, masking his inner turmoil. "Young Miss Dugu! It seems fate has granted me the pleasure of meeting you here. But our true purpose today is to meet your sister, the Sun Family's granddaughter. Where might she be?"
"You're still calling me Young Miss Dugu?" Dugu Xiao Yi's lips curved into a pout, her expression brimming with mock bitterness. Her big eyes shimmered with reproach, her voice softening with an intimacy that made Jun Mo Xie's scalp tingle.
Jun Mo Xie quickly reached into his robe and pulled out Little White, who had clung to him like glue since earlier. The little creature nestled stubbornly against his chest, unwilling to part. At least it gave him a shield against her too-sweet stare.
"You didn't notice?" She murmured again, cheeks puffing slightly.
Meanwhile, Tang Yuan's eyes were darting around like a starving wolf. He had been fantasizing endlessly about his fiancée's beauty ever since hearing about her, but no matter where he looked, the only female in sight was Dugu Xiao Yi! He craned his fat neck, stretching like dough being pulled, desperate to glimpse someone else.
But alas, aside from Dugu Xiao Yi, the only other person at the table was that burly man, currently pouring himself a drink in perfect calm.
Tang Yuan's face froze. His thick lips quivered, and a dreadful suspicion began to creep into his mind.
At the same moment, the same thought hit Jun Mo Xie.
'Don't tell me… that's the Sun Family's granddaughter?!'
His expression stiffened, his jaw tightening.
Then, unable to stop himself, Jun Mo Xie cursed inwardly. 'Grandpa Tang… damn it, you were right! Truly a match made in heaven—Fatty Tang and that "fiancée." Heaven must be laughing at us all.'
--- ✦ ✦ ✦ ---
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