Chapter 886: Extra 4: 123

The reception hall was clearly spacious, yet at this moment everyone felt as if even the air had frozen, that unbearable oppressive feeling making hearts race.

Just now Feng Ran had been convulsing nonstop on the ground, but she suddenly fell silent.

She curled her body, closed her eyes, and her body trembled slightly.

Xiao Jiu instinctively glanced back, furrowing his brow.

Just now she was clearly running over with Liu Junyan—where is he?

When Xiao Jiu looked toward Feng Ran again, his steps faltered.

Li Qingying had also retreated to Xiao Jiu's side.

Everyone in the reception hall stepped back, their gazes locked on Feng Ran as her trembling on the floor grew ever more violent.

Directly facing Feng Ran's face, a massive dragon head slowly approached from above, its whiskers sweeping with each breath, seeming to stir a cold wind that slapped her cheeks.

Then, everyone saw a faint phantom slowly drift from between Feng Ran's eyebrows, fall to the ground, and turn into a tiny snake as thin as a chopstick.

Though thin, the snake was quite long—over a meter—its body a yellowish orange, especially its spine, which bore a vertical row of bright orange scales.

It kept its head lowered, not daring to meet the dragon's gaze, yet held the upper part of its body defiantly, looking wild and untamed.

At this moment, Feng Ran finally came to her senses.

She pushed herself up, stumbled, and ran toward Xiao Jiu.

Even as she began to rise, Xiao Jiu had already opened his arms, swept her into an embrace, and whispered comfort.

Leaning in Xiao Jiu's arms, Feng Ran glanced at Chishe; the aggrieved girl finally had a powerful backer, and her gaze toward the creature now held a note of steel.

Chishe also sensed Feng Ran's provocative stare, glanced at her, slightly opened its mouth, revealing two sharp fangs above.

Those two fangs gleamed coldly, as if laced with poison.

Feng Ran instantly shrank her neck, pressing closer into Xiao Jiu's embrace.

She could never forget the feeling of those fangs pressing against her carotid artery, scraping with each pulse…… Chishe had never sought to harm her life, and even during their time in Southern Fujian, it had continually helped her.

Feng Ran felt some gratitude toward Chishe, yet that could not erase the fact that it had caused her trouble.

It entangled her, controlled her body, forcibly kept her in that ancient building, cutting her off from the outside world.

Again and again it brainwashed her, saying she was destined to bond with it, that even if she fled to the ends of the earth, fate would ultimately bring her to its side.

Feng Ran had grown up beside Xiao Jiu from childhood, so such talk was not unfamiliar to her.

She knew she could live like a normal child, studying peacefully at school all these years, all thanks to her foster mother's favor.

Now perhaps the time had come when she could no longer avoid facing these matters.

From her going to Southern Fujian to all that happened there, her foster parents had not interfered much, so Feng Ran realized she had to rely on herself.

Or…… she might indeed have to stay in Southern Fujian.

Thus, deep down, she did not outright reject Chishe, yet she remained wary.

To be honest, Feng Ran had not expected Guyun Que to appear.

Moreover, she had not imagined she would be brought back to Yin Dang Hang, with Chishe brought along as well.

Her foster parents simply could not bear to let her go.

Thinking this, Feng Ran embraced Xiao Jiu and whispered in his ear, "Foster mom, what do you plan to do with him?"

Xiao Jiu softly replied, "How do you feel about it, Ranran?"

Feng Ran shook her head, obediently saying, "I'll do whatever foster mother says."

Xiao Jiu affectionately patted her head, saying, "Then we'll see how he behaves."

Feng Ran hummed, stopped looking at Chishe, acted cute saying she was hungry, and Li Qingying said the pot held hot food, taking her to eat.

Xiao Jiu then took Feng Ran's hand, greeted Tang Tang, and followed Li Qingying to the rear kitchen to start a meal.

Chishe was cowed by Liu Junyan's aura and dared not move, yet when Feng Ran was about to leave it called out, "Feng Ran……"

Feng Ran did not turn her head, as if she hadn't heard.

That night, Feng Ran slept with Xiao Jiu in the east wing of the main courtyard.

She clung tightly to Xiao Jiu but could not sleep, keeping her ears pricked for any outside sound.

At first, Chishe seemed to resist, but Liu Junyan subdued it in just a few moves.

Then came a period of silence; Feng Ran thought they might be negotiating.

Later, she heard them arrive at the main courtyard.

Chishe was forced back into the wood carving.

The entire Yin Dang Hang fell silent.

Feng Ran also began to feel drowsy.

But before she could fall asleep soundly, fighting erupted outside again.

Chishe, unwilling to yield, tried to slip away but was caught red-handed.

Throughout the latter half of the night they tossed back and forth three or four times; by the time dawn approached, Chishe finally submitted.

Subdued by force.

Obediently returned to the Chishe wood carving.

Everyone was busy.

Her foster parents each had their own mansions, Aunt Qingying had her own work; during this period everyone was occupied outside, and for a while Yin Dang Hang had nothing but Feng Ran left.

At school, Tang Tang helped explain the situation; Feng Ran's advisor granted her a short leave, letting her create a project based on this visit—if done well, she could earn extra credits.

Feng Ran then stayed peacefully in Yin Dang Hang, guarding it while organizing materials for her project.

She had asked Xiao Jiu whether from now on she could no longer attend school.

Feng Ran knew Xiao Jiu's story: he had gotten into Jiangcheng University but never got to attend, which she feared was a major regret in his life.

Feng Ran felt fortunate enough; no matter what, she was nearly finished with her sophomore year.

But Xiao Jiu told her, it's just a short break; afterwards she can still go to school, she just might not be able to stay at school all the time like other students.

Feng Ran was very happy; hearing her godmother say that, she had nothing to worry about.

In her major, the basic knowledge is mostly covered in the first two years; capable students with insight usually start social practice in their third year, and as long as they can produce results, it won't affect her credits or graduation.

Feng Ran spent the few days guarding Yin Dang Hang alone, but never saw the Chishe.

She wasn't sure whether the Chishe was just sulking or recuperating from an injury.

At first she still kept away from the main hall, but eventually she couldn't resist; using the pretense of needing to closely observe the Chishe wood carving for her project, on the fourth day Feng Ran finally went to the main hall and stood before the Chishe wood carving, examining it carefully.

As she watched, the Chishe wood carving moved; a yellowish-orange Chishe crawled onto the carving, stuck out its tongue at Feng Ran, and commanded imperiously: "Go tell your godfather that you must send me back to Southern Fujian."

Feng Ran raised her eyebrows and thought, "How the tides have turned..."