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Chapter 19 - Chapter 13: Cross the hidden path (1)

As Ah Jun slowly opened his eyes, he saw a familiar face coming towards him again. With a smile and pear-shaped wrinkles——, yes, it was Xiao Tianmei! She had followed him, probably to find Ah Jun. But how...

 

"Ping, you are not at home with your parents during the holiday, how did you come here by yourself? How worried the teacher and his wife must be about you alone!"

 

"Whats the big deal? Its a piece of cake! Im here to find you. How about that? Have fun!"

 

" Oh ?!"

 

When they heard this answer, Ah Jun and Xiao Xi were both a bit confused. Xiao Tianmei, seeing Ah Juns flustered excitement, laughed even more happily. She grabbed him by the arm and urged everyone to get moving—— But this seemed inappropriate. This was a training session, not a trip for sightseeing!

 

"What are you doing, Weiwei?"

 

"Im going on a trip with Ah Jun!"

 

"This is an experience, not a pure play —— its enough to have me!"

 

You? Or Ah Jun will take care of you!"

 

"That seems... to be true —— but its not possible, its inconvenient... youre too young..."

 

"None of your business! Humph..."

 

Faced with such a lovely sister, even if Xiao Xi misbehaved, she had no choice but to pamper her like Ah Jun, even losing her tongue. As for Ah Jun, he also looked at her with a reluctant face, how could he persuade her... Ah!

 

"Listen, Xiao Xi is doing this for your own good —— Otherwise, the teacher and his wife will worry. Besides, they wont agree to it!"

 

"Brother Jun is so sweet —— Well, its okay. My mom thinks Im too much of a troublemaker and wants to... my dad? Well..."

 

Little Sweetie was clinging to Ah Jun, cheerfully reassuring him. This left Xiao Xi speechless nearby – the gap was staggering! But just as she was about to give up, she spotted a parrot flying over from afar. It was Oo Oo, Little Sweeties pet parrot. Someone must have come to catch this little girl.

 

Oh Oh, the little parrot, fluttered to the childrens side. After a helpless glance at the scene, she perched on Ah Juns shoulder while Xiao Tianmei slipped behind him. Glancing at her little mistress, Oh Oh sighed and began chatting with Ah Jun. The young man nodded, then turned to Xiao Tianmei with a smile, inviting her to listen.

 

But Xiaotianmei was still skeptical, but with Ajuns opinion, she no longer hid, and bravely stepped forward to stare at the little parrot —— Oohoo got used to her eyes, did not care at all, and jumped playfully to Xiaotianmeis shoulder, and chattered a long speech.

 

The content was largely similar to the last sigh of Boss Daxiao, somewhat sentimental, and Xiao Tianmeis eyes welled up with tears. However, according to Ah Juns understanding of the teacher, there would definitely be more to it. Then, Xiao Tianmei grew increasingly displeased as she listened, her lips twitched, and her face showed clear dissatisfaction ——

 

"Brat, why cling to others like this! You love what Xiao Jun likes? That sweet bean paste? Youve never enjoyed it since childhood! When Xiao Jun goes to study under masters at Mount Dongyue, you must follow too—learn from them. If Xiao Jun stays home during summer vacation, you should stay there too—why live in your own house when you have one? Why make things hard for yourself? Every girl knows modesty. Look at you —— deliberately provoking your mother just for this? If youre upset with her, come find me. Want to see Ah Jun? You can ask me too, but I wont agree—how would a girl look following those two boys! Hurry home —— make your own decision—I wont say more! You? I need to go confront Durian..."."

 

Seeing the little sweet girls unhappy face, the brothers did not know what to do. At this time, the little parrot came to Ah Jun again and looked at him.

 

Ah Jun understood, gave it a piece of cake, and then, oh oh ran away by himself —— only to touch the little sweet girls head again, smiled and asked her what she was thinking, without refusing.

 

After all, this was the teachers instruction just now, so Ah Jun naturally had to follow his junior sisters idea and take good care of her. Meanwhile, Xiao Xi also changed her words and asked for her sisters opinion with a smile —— So the sweet girl wiped away her tears and became cheerful again, feeling refreshed by Xiao Xis teasing.

 

The trio then set off. Xiao Tianmei kept chatting and laughing with Ah Jun, leaving Xiao Xi alone by the side like a light bulb——. But Xiao Xi didnt misunderstand or feel gloomy. She kept grinning while still counting her victories in her head. Ah Juns prediction came true—they took first place. Yet Xiao Xi simply smiled through it all, then kept chatting about her esports journey from the previous tournament as she always did.

 

Of course, Ah Jun had long grown accustomed to this routine. While attentively listening to Xiaoxis words, he gradually regained his physical vitality by savoring snacks with his junior sister. When he turned away, the earplugs would automatically block out the chatter. Yet Xiaoxis constant musings still carried a heartwarming warmth and lively energy. Most days, Ah Jun found himself listening—after all, gaming was his true passion.

 

The children strolled and chatted merrily. After passing through a forest in northeastern China, they found themselves at the foot of a large mountain without realizing it. The mountain, though not particularly tall, was vast and rarely visited by humans. Before them stood a massive rock at the base that resembled a surfboard in shape.

 

At this moment, Ah Jun felt a bit lost. "It will take a long time to cross this mountain," he thought, realizing they needed to hurry up. But why did he stop again? It turned out Xiao Xi had her own agenda. He glanced around, then grinned at Ah Jun and the others, proudly showing off the achievements hed worked on over the past two years – the very forehead seal that Ah Jun needed to complete in his cultivation journey!

 

Then, Xiao Xi stood in front of the boulder, concentrated and began to resonate with his talent. Soon, a golden light began to flash at the brow of his forehead, but then it died out.

 

—— Well... it looks like its going to fail. Come on!

 

But Xiaoxi didnt lose heart. After several more attempts, he still ended up getting slapped hard. This kid was clearly not cut out for this —— He gave a sheepish glance at his brother and sister who were cheering him on, then kept trying. Finally, after what felt like an eternity—maybe 108 tries—he succeeded! Now Ahjun and his sister were almost asleep...

 

Just like most classmates, a scarlet orange pattern resembling a hydrangea gradually appeared at Xiaoxis forehead—the emblem of the Kirin County Guardian. At that moment, the stone surfboard in front of the children began to move. Ah Jun and Xiao Tianmei followed Xiaoxi and stepped onto it together.

 

The stone slab began to move, carrying the children slowly to the middle of the mountain, and Xiao Xi also continued to maintain the ability of this imprint —— at the moment of arrival, the rock wall in front of them also appeared resonance, a mark on the surface of the rock lit up, and in a moment, it shone with a net-like light effect.

 

At this moment, Ah Jun and Xiao Tianmei were shocked. How wonderful!

 

Then came the magical moment: The irregular stones forming the cliff began rolling in perfect unison, working like smart AI modules with coordinated operations. Before long, an arched passage emerged before the childrens eyes—resembling a compact tunnel designed for high-speed rail travel. How incredible!

 

Compared with the government offices in his hometown, Ah Jun felt that this place was more fun —— Although he had just experienced the fog forest before and had been there more than once, the wonder was only a moment, unlike this one, which felt like playing with building blocks in his childhood, building a shape of architecture little by little, visible and tangible.

 

After completing this miracle, Xiao Xi gathered his composure once more. After a moment of calm, he suddenly turned around with a smug smile. Of course, he wasnt showing off to Ah Jun—rather, it was a joyful exchange of friendship. The two were close friends, and Ah Jun knew his third brother well enough to understand each other perfectly. Though there was a hint of admiration in his heart, he didnt harbor any jealousy or resentment.

 

The forehead seal vanished with that smile, but the secret passage remained intact. Xiao Xi explained to Ah Jun this was the hidden tunnel of Qilin County—a testament to "using others strengths as ones own." Emboldened by their curiosity, he led the siblings through the cleverly designed passage, laughing and explaining as they walked. The group kept glancing back and up at the time, enjoying the adventure along the way.

 

However, in a tunnel like this, the light inside is insufficient and very dark. After just a few steps, Ah Jun found the problem and wanted to use a flashlight for lighting, but Xiao Xi said he didnt need it. He could —— Then, after a while, Xiao Xi began to feel a little depressed after many failures.

 

While comforting Xiao Xi and protecting the timid little girl who was afraid of the dark, Ah Jun reached for the flashlight when suddenly the light came on. It turned out that the secret passages lights were on, and as the children went wherever they went, the streetlights would illuminate them, ensuring that darkness would not surround them.

 

Such a design, Ah Jun and Xiao Tianmei thought it was really sweet, but their little Xi is confused, and he kept muttering something...

 

The moment they exited the passage, the secret passage gradually returned to its rocky state and was neatly hidden away like building blocks. The stones even came together to form a greeting shape, as if saying goodbye to the children. Hmm, how fun!

 

Not long after walking out of the tunnel, the children saw a pair of figures in the distance, it turned out that they were Xiao Xis father and mother, waiting at the gate of the city.

 

Xiao Xi looked familiar. Although she was still a bit distracted, she immediately noticed and ran over. Then she took out the certificate and reported it to her parents. Xiao Xis mother nodded in satisfaction and affirmed her child. Later, Ah Jun walked with Xiao Tianmei, feeling happy for Xiao Xi as they went along.

 

Of course, at this time, Ah Juns heart was also mixed with a mixture of feelings —— Xiao Xis father was as strong as Xiao Xi, and he also had a beer belly the size of Ah Juns brother-in-law. With his dark Chinese face, thick eyebrows and big mouth, he gave people a sense of being easygoing and smiling.

 

Xiao Xis mother is tall and thin, with a short haircut, delicate features, looks a bit like Ah Juns eldest sister, should be a strong woman...

 

Looking at the couple, who are talking to each other about their sons condition, Ah Jun thinks this picture is really good!

 

Suddenly, sensing something, Xiao Xis mother stopped joining her father in praising their son. She turned to look at Ah Jun and his sister standing nearby—— This realization made Xiao Xi jump back into the conversation. She rushed over to introduce them to her parents, introducing this new friend, brother, and sweet little sister. Her mouth started chattering again as she introduced them. The father beside her beamed with paternal pride, cheerfully chiming in as he welcomed both Ah Jun and the adorable girl.

 

However, Xiaoxis mother gave her a disapproving glance before gently explaining to Ah Jun that Xiaoxi had been constantly raving about her days in White Tiger County over the past two years, eagerly anticipating his visits every day——. She then looked at the girl clinging to Ah Jun with surprise. After learning they were just pretend lovers, her auntie smile remained unchanged.

 

After another round of polite words, Xiao Xis mother did not say more, but forced a smile, looked at Ah Jun, gently touched the childs head, then took the childs hand with warm hands, and said —— Lets go home!

 

Xiao Xi and his father were walking together, talking and laughing. The two of them walked in perfect sync, with almost the same expression, appearance and posture.

 

Ajun looked at the kind auntie, and then looked at the strange uncle who treated Xiao Xi like a friend. He felt that he had benefited from Xiao Xi. He finally realized another feeling of family love, which was the normal life that should have been rightfully belonging to a child.

 

Of course, Xiao Xis mother would look at Ah Jun from time to time or chat with them for a few words, but not much, because she had learned almost everything about Ah Jun from Xiao Xi.

 

The memory of Ah Jun still stings her heart, so she pays special attention to it. Now, seeing Ah Jun again, her heart aches even more, but she still tries to maintain a calm and happy appearance. On the surface, everything is calm, but inside, her heart is already turbulent and tears are falling like rain.

 

This is also because Xiao Xis mother is a very emotional person, who would cry every time she watched a TV series, so Xiao Xi and his father have long been used to it.

 

Ah Jun and his borrowed family members were enjoying the streets of Kylin County, admiring the culture and scenery along the way —— Here, except for the ancient buildings like ah Juns hometown, the other places are really different.

 

The architecture here showcases a unique, exaggerated, and imaginative style. Though not perfectly organized, it achieves order within chaos. The bustling streets teem with people greeting each other warmly, while the air is filled with poetic verses. Occasionally, groups of people can be seen reciting poems or practicing calligraphy, creating an exceptionally artistic atmosphere——. While occasionally noisy, it never becomes deserted...

 

Xiao Xis mother would constantly offer guidance, answering Ah Juns questions and helping him adapt to the environment. Meanwhile, Xiao Xi and his father would occasionally run out to buy delicious food, munching on it while handing over the fragrant treats. However, these purchases were always subject to strict scrutiny by the auntie, who would then issue stern reprimands.

 

Of course, occasionally there would be delicious food in front of Ah Jun and his family. The little sweet girl was very happy. She fed Ah Jun while enjoying the food herself. Xiao Xis mother gradually relaxed as she watched.

 

Before arriving home, Ah Jun and his family met an older-looking man with a wine pot in his hand —— Xiao Xi ran over as soon as she saw him, bowed respectfully and called him godfather.

 

This man is none other than Xiao Xis master, the head of the clan and the lord of the city, Duanmu Chen.

 

Ajun had learned from the book that the Kirin County had a unique style of life. People preferred to live freely and casually, and did not like the way of being an official. Therefore, it was enough to have one capable person, and Xiao Xis master was such a person, although he was also a man of temperament and fond of freedom.

 

As the Xiaoxi family and his masters household were longtime relatives, it was only natural that Xiaoxi became the masters last disciple at his parents insistence. This arrangement aimed to cultivate a formidable figure like his godfather, embodying the principle that "once a teacher, always a father" ———a creed instilled in him by his parents. Consequently, Xiaoxi showed unwavering respect and obedience to his master, who in turn cherished him as if he were his own child.

 

Then, after greeting the family, Xiao Xis master took a kind look at Ah Jun and his family and said hello —— To which Ah Jun was a little confused and had to respond with a smile.

 

Then, Xiao Xis master left, because he had important business and could not stay long —— At this time, Ah Jun was thinking, the people here are so friendly, friends, compared with his own country, um... Just as Ah Jun sighed and thought, home came.

 

The third brothers home is a large house with a big garden, with walls, a yard, and even a small bridge over flowing water and a large lawn. It looks much bigger than Ah Juns home. It is located in the central city of Dabieye.

 

The house has a very modern architectural style and a very modern artistic atmosphere, and the overall management is very clean and tidy. Xiao Xis family also has a housekeeper, a nanny, a chef... It is very high-end to work here, but it is a little incompatible with the approachability of this family.

 

As Ah Jun walked along, he looked at it, just like Grandma Liu entering the Grand View Garden——. Xiao Xi was there to introduce the design of the second brother and the name of the bodyguard...

 

Everyone greeted the young masters companions with great respect and friendliness. However, it was the first time that Ah Jun had been to such a magnificent place, such a beautiful place, and such a warm welcome to him, that he suddenly felt a little out of place.

 

At this moment, Xiao Xis mother suddenly understood the childs heart, walked over to touch Ah Juns head, and said let him take this as his home.

 

Then, under the instruction of the leader, Xiao Xis father smiled and put his arm on Ah Juns shoulder. He talked with Xiao Xi one after another and got familiar with the new home.

 

They also prepared a very large, luxurious and comfortable room for Ah Jun and his sister... Of course, Ah Juns little attic can not compare with it, but each has its own good —— Through the wide glass of this bedroom, the children can see the beautiful night view, so beautiful, but it seems that they can not see the stars in the sky.

 

At dinner that day, the family also prepared a welcome banquet for Ah Jun and Xiao Tianmei. A large table of delicious food was all made by their five-star chef, Duanmu, and they were specially customized for Ah Jun, so they could enjoy them at ease.

 

The family gathered around the dining table, enjoying their meal and chatting merrily as they ate in a warm, harmonious atmosphere. However, as the wine flowed freely, Xiao Xis mother began to look visibly unwell. She kept rubbing her eyes intermittently, her voice grew softer with each word, and her facial muscles twitched slightly. Though she tried to maintain a smile, Ah Jun noticed these subtle signs of discomfort with keen observation.

 

At this time, the child looked at the younger brother and sister who were still working hard on both sides, then looked at the front and asked with concern, "Auntie, whats wrong with you? Are you ok?"

 

When the child asked about her, the pretended calm auntie seemed to think of something and took a long time to come back to herself —— She smiled sweetly at the child: "Yes, good boy, Im fine, just a little sand in my eyes, its ok, it will be ok soon..."

 

"—— What? Sand?"

 

So, Xiao Xi and his father looked at each other, then they looked left and right, with a puzzled look on their faces: "Where is the sand?"

 

"Ouch!"

 

Then came the scene where Xiao Xis father curled up in his seat. As soon as he called out, he immediately bent over with a pained expression. Meanwhile, Xiao Xis mother glanced at him briefly before smiling and said to Ah Jun, "Auntie, go to the room and ask Uncle to blow out the sand from his eyes. You and Xiao Xi can enjoy your meal slowly..."."

 

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