章 109: Chapter 109: Visiting the Xu Family
First day of the break.
In the early morning, Jing Shaoyu was still in a deep sleep when he was jolted awake by the sound of rapid footsteps. Groggily, he opened his eyes, trying to sit up, but before he could, his door swung open, and a soft figure landed squarely on him.
"Good morning, Shaoyu!" came a cheerful voice like silver bells. It was none other than Xu Xiaoyan, her face beaming with excitement. "The sun's almost up, and you're still sleeping?"
"Xiaoyan…" Jing Shaoyu sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Why are you here so early?"
"It's not early at all! It's already eight o'clock!" she replied enthusiastically.
He rolled his eyes, muttering, "You seem a bit too excited."
"Me? Excited? No way!" Xu Xiaoyan lay on top of him, her face just inches away from his, her voice playful and sweet.
"Alright, alright," he said, somewhat exasperated. "Since it's still early, how about we sleep in a little longer?"
With that, he gently shifted, pulling her close so that her arms and legs were locked securely in his embrace.
"Ah!" Xu Xiaoyan let out a small yelp of surprise, then lay comfortably in his arms, gazing up at his peaceful, handsome face. Listening to his steady breathing, her initial excitement softened, and soon, her eyelids grew heavy. Without realizing it, she drifted back to sleep, just like him.
Downstairs, Lin Xin, who had let Xu Xiaoyan in, noticed the silence from above. "Didn't she go up to wake Shaoyu? Why hasn't there been any sound?" she murmured, shaking her head and deciding to leave them be.
As noon approached, Jing Shaoyu found himself riding in a luxury car to the Xu family's estate. Yes, estate. Being one of Eastsea City's most prominent families, the Xu family's estate was vast, nearly large enough to hold two Eastsea Academies.
The car pulled up in front of the main mansion, an impressive, opulent structure. Xu Xiaoyan eagerly pulled Jing Shaoyu out of the car and led him inside, her steps light and excited.
"Grandpa, Dad, I brought Shaoyu here!" she called out loudly.
"Haha, that's wonderful." An elderly man with a kind smile entered the room alongside a middle-aged man.
Recognizing them instantly, Jing Shaoyu offered a respectful greeting. "Hello, Uncle, Grandpa."
"You must be Shaoyu! A fine young man!" The elder's keen eyes looked him over with approval. "Xiaoyan has told me so much about you. It's great to finally meet you."
"We're meeting for the second time, actually," Xu Mingcheng, Xu Xiaoyan's father, noted warmly. "Last time I saw you, you were just a young boy with Ouyang Jian. I can't believe how much you've grown into an impressive young man."
"You flatter me!" Jing Shaoyu replied modestly, smiling.
"No flattery, just honesty." The elder chuckled, taking Jing Shaoyu's arm and leading him further inside. "Come in, come in; it's far too cold to stand here."
They entered an elegant tea room with refined decor. The elder poured tea himself, grinning as he presented the cup. "Here, try this. It's a special Eastsea Sparrow's Tongue tea—one of the best."
Jing Shaoyu was taken aback but graciously accepted. "Thank you, Grandpa."
"Go on, try it! My grandpa treasures this tea; he carries it everywhere and doesn't let just anyone try it," Xu Xiaoyan teased, her playful smile dancing across her face.
"Well, in that case, I'll savor it carefully." Jing Shaoyu took a sip, surprised by the delicate aroma. The tea had a unique flavor, a gentle blend of freshness with a hint of sea salt that lingered on his tongue. His eyes brightened with surprise.
The elder laughed heartily, clearly pleased. "See? I told you this tea was excellent! Ouyang Jian and Ji Changming always say they can't appreciate it, but here's proof that they're just uncultured!"
Is this tea meant to settle a score? Jing Shaoyu thought, suppressing a smile.
"Dad, don't drag Shaoyu into your rivalry with Uncle Jian and Uncle Ji," Xu Mingcheng sighed, shaking his head. "Shaoyu, enjoy the tea without worrying about Grandpa's theatrics."
There wasn't much he could say, so he simply smiled and took small sips of tea, exchanging looks with Xu Xiaoyan, who was silently laughing across from him.
"Oh, go on, spoil the fun, why don't you?" The elder gave Xu Mingcheng a mock scowl. "Fine, I'll let it go."
After a few moments, Xu Mingcheng glanced at his daughter. "Xiaoyan, go see if your mother's back yet."
"What? Why me?" she pouted, reluctantly standing up. "Shaoyu, stay here with Dad and Grandpa; I'll be right back."
He nodded, smiling. "Alright, I'll be here."
Once Xu Xiaoyan had left, her grandfather and father exchanged a look before the elder nodded. Xu Mingcheng took out an ornate wooden box from his storage ring, placing it on the table before sliding it toward Jing Shaoyu.
"Shaoyu, this is our family's gift to you—a gesture of thanks for helping Xiaoyan evolve her martial spirit. Please, accept it," Xu Mingcheng said.
"Uncle, this isn't necessary," Jing Shaoyu replied, politely pushing the box back. "Helping Xiaoyan was something I wanted to do. I don't expect anything in return."
"Haha!" The elder laughed in satisfaction, clearly impressed. "What a fine young man! But take a look inside first—it might change your mind."
Curiosity piqued, Jing Shaoyu opened the box slowly. As soon as the lid lifted, a faint golden light filled the room, bathing everything in a warm, gentle glow that seemed to put everyone at ease.
Inside was a radiant golden skull, intricate and refined, emanating an aura that filled the room. All three men's expressions changed: Shaoyu was stunned, the elder looked nostalgic, and Xu Mingcheng seemed puzzled.
"A head spirit bone!" Shaoyu gasped.
"Indeed," the elder said softly, his eyes filled with memories. "The Skull of Starry Blessings, from a 75,000-year-old Star Beast. It was once part of the
Star Crown Sect's most prized collection but is now all that remains of it."
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