But Sun Xiao Mei merely smiled, bold and unrestrained. "Apart from thanking you, I had to see something for myself."
Her gaze softened, and a flicker of genuine warmth appeared in her eyes. "I have two close friends, so close they are like my younger sisters."
She cast a meaningful glance at Dugu Xiao Yi, whose cheeks were already beginning to turn suspiciously pink. "One of them deplores you. Her hatred for you runs so deep that not even a flood could drown it. While the other… has strong feelings for you. So strong, in fact, that she roots for you with all her heart. Whenever she speaks of you, her words burn with such passion that it feels as if her very life would lose its worth without your existence."
Jun Mo Xie raised his brows, startled, yet inwardly thrilled by the delicious drama.
Dugu Xiao Yi, on the other hand, was struck as if lightning had pierced through her tender heart. She twisted her slim waist and leaned to one side, her whole body tingling as heat rushed up her delicate cheeks. Her small hands flailed nervously before she finally stamped her foot and cried out in protest, her voice sweet yet trembling with embarrassment:
"Sister Xiao Mei!"
Her face was as red as a ripe apple, her lips pouted in wounded indignation, but the sparkle in her eyes betrayed her. She looked both furious and flustered, like a kitten whose tail had just been stepped on.
Jun Mo Xie laughed loudly, the sound rich and teasing, as he leaned back, crossing one leg over the other. His body swayed lazily, like a cat toying with its prey.
"May I know," He asked with deliberate mischief, "which of your sisters is so deeply attached to me? Ha ha… I am one of the most bitterly detested individuals in all of Tian Xiang City. If you asked ten people, at least eight would spit my name in disgust! But someone being deeply attached to me... this is the first time I've heard such nonsense. Truly, I am curious to meet people with such… discerning eyesight."
Dugu Xiao Yi's hands clenched in her lap, her knuckles pale as she nervously glanced at Sun Xiao Mei. Her wide eyes were practically pleading. 'Don't say it, Sister Sun, please don't say it!'
But Sun Xiao Mei ignored that silent appeal. Her smile curved with a mysterious composure, like a general who had already planned three steps ahead.
"I speak of someone who once seemed far away, beyond the horizon…" She said slowly, each word laced with meaning, "yet now stands right under your nose. Young Master Jun, you have even exchanged a token of affection with her and you still pretend confusion?"
"Exchanged a token of affection?" Jun Mo Xie froze, aghast. His mind spun, and in an instant, an image surfaced of Dugu Xiao Yi, with cheeks flushed like rose petals, pressing her jade pendant into his hand.
His heart skipped a beat. 'Could it be… oh heavens…'
The Young Master Jun turned sharply. His eyes fell upon Dugu Xiao Yi, who sat with her head ducked so low her delicate chin was nearly swallowed by her collar. Her slender neck glowed red, and her tiny frame seemed to curl inward, as though she wished she could vanish into thin air. It was clear, she would not raise her head again, come what may.
Jun Mo Xie sighed deeply.
'That bastard Jun Xie... He made this mess and now I have to clean his mess...'
He had not expected that this silly little girl, with her innocent eyes and childish temper, would be so bold as to attempt marriage through such dubious means.
The realization left him with a strange heaviness in his chest. Yet at the same time, he felt a bit funny.
Meanwhile, Dugu Xiao Yi's mind was growing hazy. Her heart pounded as if it would burst from her chest. 'Sister Sun, why must you speak so loudly, so directly? I could almost die of embarrassment!'
Sun Xiao Mei, however, was calmly watching Jun Mo Xie, her eyes sharp as knives. Every twitch of his brow, every faint shift in his expression, she caught it all.
Finally, she said softly, "Now I understand. My younger sister, the one who hates you to her bones, is justified... her opinion is not baseless. But as for my other younger sister… it seems her affection for you is not without reason either."
Jun Mo Xie spread his hands helplessly, his smile turning a shade bitter, putting a great act. "Miss Sun, this discussion has left me utterly puzzled. I find myself lost in confusion. I still cannot grasp your true intention."
"You don't understand?" Sun Xiao Mei's lips curved into the faintest smile. "That is for the best. To understand everything too clearly would be most unfortunate."
Her tone carried a quiet gravity, like a teacher addressing an errant pupil. Then, her eyes hardened. "Third Young Master, you are not a good man. You are no upright gentleman. And I wonder… how many people do you truly deem important?"
Jun Mo Xie's relaxed posture stiffened. His head lifted, his voice suddenly serious. "What did you just say?"
"Arrogance," Sun Xiao Mei answered, her tone ringing like steel. "Disdain for all under heaven. These qualities shine through your eyes as clear as day. Others may see serenity, calmness, composure... perhaps even peace. But I see the truth. Behind that facade is a pride so towering, so absolute, that even your efforts to conceal it are meaningless before someone who knows how to look."
Her smile turned gentle, but her words cut all the same. "Let me offer this as a customary gift for our first meeting: rein in your arrogance and be amicable. No matter how much wealth you wield, no matter how high you stand, now is not the time for hubris."
Her words lingered like the chill of winter air. Then, as if nothing had happened, she stood up, glided over to Dugu Xiao Yi, and lovingly stroked the younger girl's silky hair. Her voice softened, warm as an elder sister's. "Little sister, your heart sees clearly, and your way of looking at people is good… but it is such a pity."
Dugu Xiao Yi's blush had only just begun to fade when her head snapped up, panic written across her delicate face.
"What's a pity, Sister Sun?" She asked anxiously.
"It is a pity," Sun Xiao Mei said with a smile that hid more than it revealed, "that you are still so very young."
Her heart yearned to say more, but the words remained unspoken.
'Such a man cannot be tamed by any woman,' She thought silently. 'Little sister, the road ahead for you will be steeped in bitterness…'
Jun Mo Xie's own heart shivered. 'This woman is dangerous. She sees too much... almost as if she has a sixth sense. Even the pride I bury deep within myself… she pulled it out into the light without effort. Truly, she is formidable.'
Then, his lips curved into a devilish smile as a dark thought slithered through his mind. 'But if she marries Tang Yuan… wouldn't that mean I gain a capable helper for free? Heh…'
--- ✦ ✦ ✦ ---
Spoilers for the next five chapters!
Chapter 151: Aristocratic Hall
Chapter 152: A Shocking Storm
Chapter 153: Aristocratic Hall (2)
Chapter 154: The Emperor
Chapter 155: The Powerful Families
--- ✦ ✦ ✦ ---
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