The moment Xueji powered on her everyday phone, she knew she was dead.
The sheer weight of over a hundred missed calls sent a shiver down the spine of even a sage like her.
Finding an empty conference room, Xueji dialed her mom’s number with a heart full of trepidation.
The call connected almost the instant it went through.
“Mom.”
A brief silence hung on the other end before an angry, tearful voice erupted.
“Xueji! Where on earth have you been, you brat?! How many calls have I made that you didn’t answer! Such a huge incident in City A, and you couldn’t even make one call home? Your father and I have been worried sick these past few days, do you have any idea?!”
“Mom, I’m sorry. I was busy with some things and didn’t check my phone.”
“Busy with what? Tell me! With something this big happening, did you get isekai’d, or did you stumble upon some grand opportunity and ascend to immortality? Too busy to even return a call?”
Faced with the interrogation, Xueji was stunned for a moment.
“Mom, you guessed pretty accurately,” Xueji responded in a small voice, having unconsciously tapped into her acting cute skills.
“Stop talking nonsense! Your dad and I are coming to find you right now. Where are you?”
“You’re back?” Xueji’s heart gave a violent thump.
“Wherever you are, get to the entrance of Shelter No. 1 immediately.”
Her mom issued the ultimatum, word by deliberate word. If Xueji dallied any further, the ensuing scene would be even more impossible to manage.
The call ended, leaving Xueji under immense pressure. How long had it been since she’d made her parents this furious?
She went to find Ling Xiaoxiao and Shaya. Pushing the door open, she was greeted by the sight of Shaya dressed in a maid outfit.
“What exactly have you been doing all this time? Why haven’t you even learned the most basic posture?”
“Ling Xiaoxiao, don’t push your luck!”
Shaya slammed a plastic tray onto Ling Xiaoxiao’s desk, the veins on her hand bulging.
As the tension between the two crackled in the air, Xueji suddenly appeared.
“What are you two doing? Shaya, why are you dressed like that? So cute, come here and let me pet you.” Seeing the beast-eared little loli, Xueji had zero resistance. After all, Shaya in this form was a certified heartthrob for young girls.
“Sure!” Seeing Xueji’s reaction, Shaya tossed her earlier displeasure to the wind.
Shaya launched herself into a flying tackle, landing squarely in Xueji’s embrace. While enjoying the face-washing she turned her head and shot a triumphant, smug eyebrow raise at Ling Xiaoxiao.
Witnessing this scene, Ling Xiaoxiao’s aura instantly turned icy.
“Xiao Ji, what brings you here?”
She spoke first, seizing the initiative and conveniently glossing over the recent conflict between the two. She knew Xueji tended to play favorites in these situations, so it was best to move past this first.
“Oh, Ling Xiaoxiao, SOS! Quick, come with me to see my parents.” On the way over, Xueji had already figured out how to handle this crisis.
“What’s wrong with your aunt and uncle? They’ve got you this flustered?”
Xueji explained the situation with the hundred-plus missed calls. After hearing it, Ling Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but laugh.
“The great Sage herself, actually has a cowardly side like this?”
“Don’t make fun of me. Hurry up and come with me.”
Ling Xiaoxiao stood up, walked over to Xueji, deftly plucked the clinging Shaya off her, and whispered into Xueji’s ear.
“Alright. Any request from you, I’ll agree to.”
Warm breath crept into Xueji’s ear, the suggestive warmth causing her earlobes to heat up rapidly.
“Xiao Ji, your ears are so red,” Ling Xiaoxiao teased on purpose.
“Stop messing around, come with me.” Xueji grabbed Ling Xiaoxiao’s hand, turned, and headed for the door.
She walked briskly, but Ling Xiaoxiao could still clearly see the young girl’s shyness written all over her flushed cheeks.
Belatedly catching on, Shaya hurriedly followed.
“A-Ji, I’m coming too, wait for me.”
…
The weather today was stiflingly hot, the sky overcast and oppressive.
At the entrance of Shelter No. 1, only two fully armed superpowered warriors could be seen.
Xueji arrived, one hand gripping Ling Xiaoxiao in her red ruqun the other leading Shaya in her black-and-white maid outfit.
Along the way, she couldn’t help complaining about why Ling Xiaoxiao had specifically changed into such a flashy outfit. Ling Xiaoxiao just smiled without answering.
Arriving here and looking around, she didn’t see her parents.
“Huh? They’re not here. Ling Xiaoxiao, make a call, will you?” Xueji let go of their hands, grabbed Ling Xiaoxiao’s right arm, and shook it.
“Hmph, fine.” Ling Xiaoxiao knew exactly what little scheme was going on in Xueji’s mind, but seeing Xueji act cute like this made her wish it could always be like this.
Xueji watched as Ling Xiaoxiao, right in front of the two guards, took out her communicator.
“Hey, wait, you’re going to use that?!” Xueji quickly stopped Ling Xiaoxiao’s action. Seeing Ling Xiaoxiao’s mischievous grin, she suddenly realized something. “No, you can’t dial regular carrier phone numbers with that. Who are you trying to call?”
Ling Xiaoxiao couldn’t hold it in anymore and laughed out loud. An inexplicable irritation welled up in her; the heaviness brought by the weather was too strong.
“Xiao Ji, don’t you have even a shred of doubt about the people around you?”
“Did your aunt and uncle ever tell you what they actually do on all those business trips?”
With that, Ling Xiaoxiao’s gaze very deliberately shifted towards the two guards.
Xueji followed her look and saw her parents taking off their helmets.
“Whaaat?!”
“Well, actually, your aunt and uncle have been on missions during this time. I was the one keeping them updated about your situation.”
Ling Xiaoxiao spoke apologetically to Xueji’s parents: “I’m sorry, Auntie, Uncle. I am Chongmingniao (Vermilion Bird), the one who’s been contacting you on the terminal. I deceived you before. I am truly very sorry.”
Silence. A not-too-long, not-too-short, but utterly agonizing silence.
“Xiao Ji, come over here first.” Xueji’s father did not respond to Ling Xiaoxiao’s apology.
“The cute little one next to you, come over here too.” The moment Xueji’s mother saw Shaya, her eyes were glued, and she beckoned Shaya over.
Instantly, the entrance to the shelter on the outskirts of the ancient forest transformed into a standoff where four people scrutinized Ling Xiaoxiao.
“Auntie, Uncle, what is this?”
“Don’t call us that just yet,” Xueji’s father responded sternly.
Xueji’s mother, holding one adorable creature in each hand, looked quite pleased, but completely ignored Ling Xiaoxiao’s presence.
“Have I done something wrong to upset you both?” Ling Xiaoxiao began to panic. She had never faced a situation like this before.
Xueji’s father still wore a stern, even somewhat angry expression. “You lied yourself, that’s one thing. But you constantly put my child in unnecessary danger on top of that. Do you think we should give you a pleasant look?”
“I, I didn’t…” Ling Xiaoxiao wanted to defend herself, but felt any reason she gave would sound like a feeble excuse in the eyes of the girl’s parents.
After all, she had indeed relied on their entanglement from a past life to let Xueji indulge her in many outrageous actions. If the two of them found out, her image in their eyes would completely crumble.
“Xiao Ji, you really… even after turning into a girl, you need to be more assertive. Don’t always let others lead you by the nose.” As she spoke, Xueji’s mother gave Xueji’s cheek a slight pinch.
“I didn’t… sto-op pinching,” Xueji retorted in a muffled voice.
“You silly girl, still speaking up for an outsider? She’s rich and powerful, bullying you and you don’t even know how to fight back.”
Xueji’s parents were furious about Ling Xiaoxiao’s deception. Their original anger towards Xueji was instantly redirected onto Ling Xiaoxiao. They risked their lives outside, never imagining their child was being targeted like this.
Someone with power and influence, pretending amnesia with them, acting pitiful with Xueji. If they didn’t stand firm now, Xueji would only continue to be bullied in the future.
“Time’s up. Let’s go.”
“Go where?”
“Home!”
Xueji’s dad and mom pulled Xueji into a vehicle. Shaya, clueless about the truth, happily trotted along behind.
Only Ling Xiaoxiao was left standing there in a daze.
Boom. A clap of thunder shattered the silence.
Ling Xiaoxiao stood alone dazedly watching the vehicle carrying Xueji’s family fade into the distance through the pouring rain.