Chapter 443: Not an Outsider

Ying Wuji raised his hand to catch it, his palm was slightly burned, his eyelashes twitched.

Yuan Yao did not notice Ying Wuji's change in expression, because she had already walked up to Xiao Lingwei and the others, sharing the roasted bird eggs with them.

"Try it."

Cang Li said, "Peel it for me."

Yuan Yao heard that and let out a soft hum, "No way."

Cang Li raised his eyebrows, deliberately teasing her, "Yuan Yao, do you know what respecting elders and loving the young means? I'm your senior brother, you should respect me—what's wrong with peeling a bird egg for me?"

"Then why don't you love the young?" Yuan Yao said.

Cang Li laughed, "First respect the elders, then you can love the young."

At that moment, Xiao Lingwei's brow twitched slightly, "Then could you peel one for me?"

Cang Li: "……"

Yuan Yao and Song Yan couldn't help but laugh.

At that moment, a noisy clamor came from not far away.

They followed the sound and saw that the place was actually hosting a lantern riddle guessing event.

Various kinds of lanterns hung on the racks, looking especially beautiful in the night.

"Let's go take a look," Song Yan said.

No one objected.

While walking, Cang Li peeled a roasted bird egg for Xiao Lingwei, then peeled another for Yuan Yao.

Yuan Yao naturally took it, then put it in her mouth and tasted it.

She pursed her lips, somewhat disappointed, and said, "The roasted bird eggs from Fusang Island seem a bit fishy, not very tasty."

"I came back from Fusang Island earlier and tried these roasted bird eggs here; I also thought they weren't tasty, so I didn't bring any back for you." Xiao Lingwei said, "Since they're not good, just don't eat them."

Yuan Yao nodded.

At that moment, Yuan Yao seemed to realize something and turned her head to glance back.

She saw the youth with phoenix eyes following behind, seeming a bit absent-minded.

"Youngest Senior Brother," she called.

Upon hearing the sound, Ying Wuji raised his head and looked toward Yuan Yao.

Yuan Yao asked, "Youngest Senior Brother, what were you just thinking about?"

"I was thinking about cultivation techniques, and I zoned out for a moment," Ying Wuji said.

Yuan Yao said with a hint of resentment, "Youngest Senior Brother, we six senior siblings rarely get together to go out and play; just temporarily set aside cultivation and wholeheartedly join us in strolling around."

Ying Wuji chuckled, the gloom in his heart dissipating a little, he replied indulgently, "Okay."

"Want to guess lantern riddles?"

"Yes!"

After they squeezed into the crowd, they began guessing lantern riddles.

Those who guess the riddle correctly can take away a lantern.

At the same time, on a nearby tavern, a handsome young boy was staring at Xiao Lingwei's group; when he saw Xiao Lingwei and the other five chatting, his gaze grew colder.

Another boy, about fourteen or fifteen, somewhat chubby, held a chicken leg in one hand, nibbling while peeking over to look; upon seeing Xiao Lingwei's face, which resembled Xiao Lingchao's, he asked, "Is she your sister, Xiao Ling'er?"

"Xiao Lingwei."

Xiao Lingchao said in a low voice.

The chubby boy nodded: "Oh oh."

Immediately, he continued to bite big mouthfuls of the chicken leg, his mouth constantly uttering "delicious, delicious" sounds.

Xiao Lingchao's mood grew increasingly irritable.

The chubby boy finally noticed Xiao Lingchao's bad mood, wiped his mouth with a handkerchief, and earnestly asked, "Lingchao, have you talked to your sister?"

Xiao Lingchao fell silent for a moment, "No."

Saying this, Xiao Lingchao's gaze fell on the nearby lantern riddle area, "She treats me like a stranger, and she treats her junior fellow disciples better than me."

"Huh?" the chubby boy blinked.

Xiao Lingchao turned his head toward him, "Every time she sees me, she puts on a cold face, so I feel she doesn't like this younger brother of mine at all. Cousin Ru always smiles when she sees me, speaking softly and gently, treating me very closely. I can't understand how a biological sister could treat me so distantly."

"Besides, even my parents don't think there's anything wrong with this!"

The chubby boy said, "Lingchao, have you ever taken the initiative to approach your sister?"

"Yes." Xiao Lingchao's face darkened; he had previously taken the initiative to walk up to her, but she merely glanced at him indifferently.

Before she could speak, he couldn't bear her gaze and ran away.

After hearing Xiao Lingchao's words, the chubby boy's mouth twitched slightly.

He knew his good friend Xiao Lingchao had been extremely proud since childhood, with strong self-esteem and also cared about face.

Furthermore, Xiao Lingchao had been groomed from youth as the young island master of Fusang Island, where everyone must show him respect or even flatter him, so he naturally would not easily lower his proud head.

"Lingchao, are you perhaps waiting for the Eldest Miss to come and speak to you first?" the chubby boy mused, unable to hold back his question.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Lingchao's lips twitched a few times, then he said bluntly, "No."

Seeing his expression, the chubby boy naturally guessed his thoughts and said, "She is your sister, after all—not an outsider."

Xiao Lingchao let out a cold snort.

He did not answer.

He snorted in defiance, saying, "I have only one sister, and that is Cousin Ru."

At that very moment, his gaze caught a figure on the street below.

And that girl also slightly lifted her head.

"Lingchao." The girl looked about seventeen or eighteen; she was delicate and gentle, with a smile in her brows and eyes, and she called out softly.

"Ru, elder sister." Xiao Lingchao also didn't expect that just after he finished speaking, he saw her; he pressed his lips and called out.

At this time, Xiao Ru had two more people beside her, one man and one woman.

That young man resembled Xiao Ru quite closely; he was Xiao Ru's elder brother, Xiao Fu. And the other young woman was Xiao Fu's wife, Qiao Ruoning.

"Lingchao, want to come down and stroll?" Xiao Ru looked toward the handsome young man on the second floor of the tavern.

Hearing that, Xiao Lingchao frowned slightly, as if he were thinking.

"Then let's go down and walk around." The chubby boy rubbed his big belly; he had also grown fat, so let's get some exercise.

Xiao Lingchao nodded with a cold, aloof expression.

Soon, Xiao Lingchao and the chubby boy Fang Xiu set off together with Xiao Ru.

Xiao Ru asked with concern: "Lingchao, have you spoken with Elder Sister Lingwei these past days?"

Xiao Lingchao said coldly: "No."

Xiao Ru was startled, then soothed softly: "Lingchao, perhaps Elder Sister Lingwei is busy with important affairs and has no time to chat with you. It's fine; if you feel bored, you can also come find me."

Qiao Ruoning said curiously: "I heard that the junior fellow disciples of Lingwei's younger female cousin have all gathered; they might now be at the Island Lord's Manor."

Xiao Lingchao was about to answer, but he didn't expect to see Xiao Lingwei and six people squeeze out from the crowd guessing riddles, and they happened to bump into them head-on.

Moreover, Xiao Ru, Xiao Fu, and Qiao Ruoning had already seen Xiao Lingwei before, so they recognized her at a glance.

"Lingwei, older/younger cousin!" the three shouted almost simultaneously.

And Ying Wuji, upon seeing them three, his eyes narrowed slightly.