Chapter 929: Pearl Little Princess

Two people who were dead drunk, one a tight-lipped type, the other aloof, usually not the sort of respectable folk who gossip about others' private affairs, yet now in the private room they were grabbing each other's collars and questioning thoroughly.

Hui Yu is a bit younger than Ao Jing; if you trace their ancestry back a few generations, they could be considered distantly related.

Moreover, Li Qingying's ties to the Linghai Dragon Clan, along with their lifelong friendship, mean that Hui Yu and Ao Jing still share a strong brotherly bond.

Hui Yu also stopped hiding it: "I can tell you, but you have to promise not to go spreading it around; it's bad for a girl's reputation."

Ao Jing was curious.

Hui Yu actually carried on a secret romance right under his nose—just which girl had caught his eye?

Ao Jing urged Hui Yu on.

Hui Yu lowered his voice and whispered a name into Ao Jing's ear.

Ao Jing froze on the spot.

Ao Jing then grabbed Hui Yu's collar, eyes bloodshot: "You say that girl is Jiao Ning? Impossible! Jiao Ning has been raised by my mother since childhood, like my own sister—if anything were going on between you two, I'd notice."

Hui Yu replied helplessly: "Maybe… maybe it's precisely because we've always been under everyone's nose that no one thought of that."

After a pause, he continued: "It's just mutual affection; we're completely chaste, and I won't touch Jiao Ning so much as a finger until I successfully leap the Dragon Gate."

"But what if…"

Ao Jing wanted to say, "What if Hui Yu fails to leap the Dragon Gate? Wouldn't that ruin someone's whole life?"

After all, the difficulty and peril of a carp leaping the Dragon Gate are obvious to all.

The success rate is literally one in ten thousand.

Hui Yu is indeed outstanding, which is why he has a hope to give it a try.

But it's also just a gamble…

Shi Jiao Ning has been raised in the Linghai Dragon Clan since childhood; she is the eldest daughter of Shi Rou and Jin Wuya, the "Pearl Little Princess" who drops pearls whenever she cries.

Zhong Susu practically treats Shi Jiao Ning as her own daughter, doting on her, and Ao Jing also acknowledges her as his sister.

That's why he worries especially for Shi Jiao Ning.

It's not that he lacks confidence in Hui Yu; it's simply that reality is too harsh.

Even if we concede a hundred steps, if Hui Yu were to become his future brother-in-law, he'd still be quite pleased.

Ao Jing was now mostly sober, the resentment he'd felt at Shan Shan's place having mostly faded, and he asked Hui Yu: "Must you leap the Dragon Gate to marry Jiao Ning? Let me say this up front—my sister Jiao Ning is not only beautiful and good-natured, but her very ability to drop pearls when she cries makes many people covet her; by then, suitors will likely storm the gates of our Linghai Dragon Clan."

"I must successfully leap the Dragon Gate to be worthy of her," Hui Yu declared firmly. "Besides, I'm the eldest son in my family, and the most talented cultivator among my many siblings; my parents have high hopes for me. Brother Ao, you should understand my situation best—I have to live up to expectations."

Ao Jing could truly empathize.

His parents are too outstanding, and the vast resources they've accumulated would be a lifelong regret if no child could inherit them.

As a truly hot-blooded, responsible eldest son, it would be one thing if they were good-for-nothings, but instead they all strive to excel.

The more they excel, the greater the responsibility, and compared to himself, Hui Yu bears even more pressure.

Ao Jing couldn't help but pat Hui Yu on the shoulder and refill his wine cup—everything was now in the wine.

They drank some more, and as expected, both ended up dead drunk.

Each had someone come to pick them up.

When they parted, Hui Yu again urged Ao Jing to keep this absolutely quiet.

Ao Jing patted his chest and promised.

Hui Yu is his brother, Jiao Ning his sister—by reason and sentiment he must protect their reputations and their love; since success comes from discretion, Ao Jing still understands that principle.

Ao Jing returned to the Linghai Dragon Clan, sprawled spreadeagled on the bed, feeling completely dazed.

Zhong Susu wrung out a towel to wipe his face, while Xiaoye directed the servants to help Ao Jing change his clothes.

Zhong Susu muttered, "Goodness, how much did you drink to get like this? I've never seen you this drunk before."

Xiaoye snorted, "He's grown up, he's got things on his mind—best to ask less and interfere less."

Zhong Susu still agreed with Xiaoye's parenting approach on that point.

She instead teased Xiaoye: "When you were Jinger's age, you lacked his steadiness—you were all fire and brimstone, jumping around, stirring up trouble everywhere, acting as if the world revolved around you."

Xiaoye said awkwardly, "Susu, give me some face—don't air my dirty laundry in front of outsiders, okay?"

Zhong Susu covered her mouth and chuckled: "Turns out you also care about saving face."

Xiaoye strode over and swept Zhong Susu into his arms.

Zhong Susu exclaimed, "What are you doing? Put me down! I still need to make hangover soup for Jinger."

"Someone's already making the hangover soup," Xiaoye said. "I think we husbands and wives need to shut the door and have a proper talk."

Zhong Susu pushed against Xiaoye, unwilling to talk—not in the slightest.

She had realized that the older this man gets, the more he cares about face.

When he was young he was reckless beyond measure; now, in his old age, bringing up the past makes him explode.

He doesn't hit or shout at people; he just wears them out… in bed.

Zhong Susu actually also knows Xiaoye's little ulterior motive—he's been constantly finding various excuses to want a third child.

After all, the Linghai Dragon Clan is so vast that two sons simply aren't enough.

What's more, he still doesn't have a daughter.

Even the second son is still just an egg, and who knows when it'll hatch—maybe not till the Year of the Monkey and the Month of the Horse.

The clan's various elders are urging procreation in every imaginable way.

Xiaoye has always said he doesn't want a third child—two are already enough trouble for him.

But Zhong Susu knows he does want one.

He just holds himself back, also mindful of the injury he sustained back in the Dragon Transformation Cauldron.

So he merely tries his best; whether he can actually father a child is left to fate.

Zhong Susu is the person who understands Xiaoye best, and Xiaoye relies on and cherishes her the most.

They were lovers since youth, having endured all kinds of hardships; they finally achieved fruition, and both cherish this relationship deeply.

Though they have been married for a long time, Xiaoye still often gives Zhong Xuxu little surprises, and Zhong Xuxu always feels Xiaoye's deep affection.

Therefore, if fate permits, she is still willing to bear more direct-line descendants for the Linghai Dragon Clan.

Ao Jing had actually woken up long ago, but hearing his mother teasing his father, he hated to disturb them, so he continued pretending to sleep.

Only when his father carried his mother away did Ao Jing turn over, sit up, lean against the headboard, his eyes fixed on the closed door, the corner of his mouth twitching.

He envied his parents' love.

Their love was, to Ao Jing, practically a textbook example.

It is precisely because he has witnessed the finest example of love in this world that, once his heart is moved, he will give himself utterly and wholeheartedly...