The awkward silence only broke when Zhou Keqiang entered the room, clearing his throat as he looked at the two of them. Li Yundong snapped back to reality, coughed dryly, and said to Zhou Keqiang, "Uncle Zhou, I'll come again tomorrow."

Zhou Keqiang gave him a meaningful look, nodded, and said, "Yes, that's fine too. You should spend more time with Qinqin; after all…" He had intended to say, "After all, she's sacrificed so much for you," using those words to press Li Yundong, ensuring he wouldn't be ungrateful.

But Zhou Qin keenly sensed what Zhou Keqiang was about to say, and she quickly cut in, "Li Yundong, if you have plans tomorrow, you don't have to come; I'll be fine."

Li Yundong was already standing up and walking toward the door. He turned back with a smile and said, "It's no trouble; I'm free tomorrow anyway."

With that, he fled the scene as if desperate to escape.

Zhou Keqiang watched Li Yundong leave and sighed. "Why are you so stubborn? If some things aren't spoken plainly, some people will never understand them in their lifetime, or they'll pretend not to."

After Li Yundong departed, a mask seemed to settle back onto Zhou Qin's face. She spoke coolly, "That's none of your concern. I don't want anything that's begged for. What I, Zhou Qin, desire, I take myself; it's not for others to give!"

Zhou Keqiang gave a bitter laugh. "Are you truly foolish, or are you pretending? If you don't seize the chance to claim him now, when will you?"

Zhou Qin’s expression was complex. After a long silence, she slowly said, "I am not one to take advantage of another's predicament, nor am I one to repay kindness with ulterior motives. I like him precisely because of his steadfast devotion; if he were fickle and promiscuous, I would leave him instead!"

Zhou Keqiang’s eyes widened as he looked at his daughter, as if seeing her for the first time. "Aren't you setting yourself up for a lifetime of misery? Are you… are you perverse? Won't you end up utterly alone living this way?"

Zhou Qin's gaze grew hazy, and she spoke dreamily, "If he can spare an extra glance for me when he's free, speak a few more words to me, or cook one more meal for me, I am already overjoyed!"

Zhou Keqiang stared at Zhou Qin in utter shock and roared, "Qinqin, you've truly gone mad! You…"

Before he could finish, Zhou Qin suddenly shrieked at him, "Get out! I don't need you to manage me! Get out!" Saying this, she grabbed everything within reach and hurled it at Zhou Keqiang.

Helpless, Zhou Keqiang ducked and bolted out of the room, leaving Zhou Qin alone, clutching a pillow, suddenly quiet again, weeping silently to herself.

When Li Yundong returned home, he found Ruan Hongling sitting in his living room watching television. Ziyuan was busy in the kitchen, the rhythmic ding-dang of vegetable chopping audible.

Li Yundong blinked. "Don't you have your own place? Why are you here watching TV?"

Ruan Hongling rolled her eyes at him irritably. "My Sister Ziyuan spends all day looking after you; can’t I just come over and sit for a bit? What, you don't welcome me? Fine, if you don't, I'll leave!"

With that, she stood up, brushed off her backside, and prepared to go, but before leaving, as if unable to resist stirring up trouble, she shouted toward the kitchen, "Sister Ziyuan, someone finds me bothersome and thinks I'm an eyesore. I’m leaving!"

Li Yundong was still reeling from his encounter with Zhou Qin, and facing this situation upon returning home gave him an instant headache. He quickly held up his hands. "Alright, alright, I give up! Do whatever you want!"

Ruan Hongling snorted, looking smug. "See, you said it! I didn't force you!"

Li Yundong felt a surge of anger, glaring at Ruan Hongling. "You’re getting the benefit and still playing innocent, aren't you?"

Ruan Hongling, who naturally struggled against Li Yundong’s power, was startled by his glare and jumped backward, crying out loudly, "Sister Ziyuan, look! He's bullying me again!"

Ziyuan emerged from the kitchen carrying a dish, looking at them with exasperation. "Why don't you two go back to kindergarten and argue?"

Li Yundong and Ruan Hongling pointed at each other simultaneously and shouted, "He (She) started it!"

They both stopped mid-sentence, looked at each other, and yelled in unison, "Why are you copying what I say?"

Ziyuan set down the dish she was holding and let out an amused sigh. "Have you two mastered the Art of Telepathy? You’re so perfectly in sync."

Ruan Hongling immediately stomped her foot and cursed, "Ptooey! Who wants to be in sync with him!"

Li Yundong retorted without hesitation, "I wouldn't bother. I'm only in sync with my own girl!"

Ruan Hongling snapped back angrily, "What's so great about that? She’s just some vixen!"

Li Yundong was instantly furious. "What did you say? Say that again!"

Ruan Hongling fled quickly behind Ziyuan, stamping her foot and complaining petulantly, "Sister Ziyuan, look! This person shows you no respect at all! He’s bullying your junior sister right to your face! You’re not backing me up at all!"

Ziyuan rubbed her temples, utterly overwhelmed. "Can you two just quiet down a little?"

Li Yundong held considerable respect for Ziyuan, so he huffed, turned, and walked toward his bedroom.

Ziyuan called out, "Hey, dinner will be ready soon!"

Li Yundong mumbled sullenly, "No appetite!" before slamming his bedroom door shut.

Back in his room, Li Yundong set down the Qibao Tongling Fan. He sat on the edge of the bed, picked up the pink elly piggy bank, and stared into the distance blankly.

"My girl…" Li Yundong gently stroked the money box, his gaze unusually tender. He murmured softly, "Where in the world are you? I miss you so much."

...

At the Fox Charm Sect, Ao Wushuang looked helplessly at Su Chan, who was peering around, craning her neck, scratching her ears and cheeks, unable to sit still for a moment. She sighed heavily. "What is wrong with you? Why have you been so unsettled all day?"

Su Chan shrunk her head slightly and glanced timidly at Ao Wushuang. "Don't be angry if I tell you, okay?"

Ao Wushuang had been guiding Su Chan in her cultivation lately and noticed that not only had Su Chan made no progress, but her distraction was making it impossible for Ao Wushuang to concentrate either.

In the past, though Su Chan wasn't blessed with top-tier cultivation talent, she was certainly among the first-rate. With effort and a bit of fortune, she should eventually reach the level of a Six-Tailed Spirit Fox.

But now, it seemed that ever since meeting Li Yundong, the girl's cultivation had completely stalled. Her former first-rate standing now looked like the very lowest tier—it was infuriating!

Ao Wushuang felt her internal heat rising, but she forcibly suppressed her anger. "If I don't know, will I not be angry?"

Su Chan whimpered an affirmative and said mournfully, "Then I won't say anything."

A vein throbbed on Ao Wushuang's forehead. "Say it!"

Su Chan asked weakly, "Do you really want me to say it?"

Ao Wushuang lost her patience and roared, "If you don't tell me right now, I'm kicking you out!"

Su Chan jumped in alarm, stood up, and rushed toward the door.

Ao Wushuang was momentarily stunned. "Hey, where are you going? You haven't told me yet!"

Su Chan hid by the doorway, poking one eye out from behind the wooden door, looking timidly at Ao Wushuang. "Didn't you say you were kicking me out?"

Ao Wushuang burst into a laugh of pure exasperation. "I meant kicking you out of the sect, not out of this room! Hurry up and get back in here!"

Su Chan made an 'Oh' sound, then shuffled to the threshold. Suddenly, her eyes darted, and an idea struck her. She threw her hands up and actually tumbled across the floor, rolling back into the room.

Ao Wushuang was dumbfounded!

She stammered, "W-what are you doing?"

Fortunately, the floor was made of bluestone, so there was no dust, and Su Chan didn't look dirty. She pretended to brush imaginary dust off herself, blinked, and feigned confusion. "Didn't you tell me to roll in?"

Ao Wushuang took a deep breath. "Very well, you wicked disciple! I see you’ve made up your mind to try and outwit your master!"

Su Chan giggled, quickly clinging to Ao Wushuang, wrapping her arms around her master's arm, and whining sweetly, "Master, don't be cross!"

Ao Wushuang was defeated by her beloved disciple's antics. She glared at Su Chan. "What nonsense are you spouting? Tell me quickly! If you don't, I really won't be polite!"

Su Chan wasn't afraid; she shamelessly plastered a playful grin on her face and said, "I think I just heard Yundong calling me!"

Ao Wushuang groaned and raised a hand to rub her temples. "Heavens, how many days have you said that without it being true?"

Su Chan pouted high. "But it was true just now!"

Ao Wushuang snapped, "Then tell me, when was it not true?"

Su Chan clung to her arm, acting spoiled and infatuated. "I don't care! It must be true this time; I can feel it!"

Ao Wushuang was exhausted by the ordeal. She pointed toward the door. "Go, go, hurry! I'm scared of you! I won't force you to practice anymore. After that boy survives his Heavenly Tribulation, I’ll send you over to him. Then, let him deal with you! See if he finds you bothersome!"

Su Chan, who hadn't been focused on training anyway, let out a cheer and ran out. She reached the doorway, remembered something, and turned back, grinning mischievously. "Master, Yundong dotes on me. He would never find me annoying!"

Ao Wushuang let out a bark of laughter. "We'll see about that!"

Su Chan huffed. "We'll see then!"

She hurried out of her dwelling and into the back courtyard. This courtyard was elegantly arranged with artificial rockeries, pavilions, small bridges, flowing water, and lush greenery, giving it a serene and refined atmosphere.

Su Chan sat on a stone bench, looked left and right, then pulled a thousand paper cranes from her pocket. She tapped one with her finger and whispered, "Hey, wake up. I need you for something!"

Su Chan intended to have this paper crane fly to Li Yundong to send a message again, but when she poked it with her finger, the crane tilted over and remained motionless, looking like an ordinary piece of paper, showing no sign of magic.

Su Chan was startled. "No way? Dead? Or has its power run out?"

Su Chan poked the paper crane repeatedly, but it showed no reaction whatsoever. Her heart sank in deep disappointment. "No way? This useless? Did it die after just a few trips?"

Realizing she couldn't send him a message by crane, Su Chan stamped her foot petulantly and threw the crane forward with a whine, "Useless! You’re infuriating me!"

But the moment the paper crane left her hand, it suddenly fluttered its wings in mid-air and soared up to the roof.

Damn it, playing dead?

Su Chan immediately became furious, planting her hands on her hips beneath the eaves and shouting, "You scoundrel! You dare try to outwit me! Are you tired of living? Get down here right now, or I’ll tear you apart!"

Having finally escaped the clutches of danger, the paper crane certainly had no intention of returning, shaking its head furiously like a rattle drum.

Su Chan rolled up her sleeves and growled, "Fine! You think you can escape me!" With that, her figure blurred into a streak of green light and shot after the crane like lightning.

But while Su Chan was fast, the crane was not slow either. Every time she got close enough to grab it, the crane would twist its body and narrowly evade her.

Su Chan was boiling with rage, chasing the paper crane. After flying over a dozen courtyards, she finally made a final leap and caught the crane under the eaves of a building.

Su Chan started laughing triumphantly, but just as she was about to speak, she heard rustling sounds coming from inside the room.

A sudden curiosity overcame Su Chan, and she crept to the crack in the door to peek inside.

The moment she looked, she felt a jolt run through her entire body!