Chapter Eighty-Eight: Go Receive Guests Yourself

Because she no longer had to get up at dawn to exercise and practice martial skills, Xuanxuan’s days were lived in utter ease. In the mornings, just before breakfast, her grandmother Tong Wan, or else her father, would wake her. After lunch, Xuanxuan would go keep an eye on the two in her family while they did their homework, and the reason she had to supervise them was that they had to do her share as well.

After dinner, she would stay with her father in his study for a while, then return to her room and log on to the star network to torment Elder Ji and the others. After that, she would go to Hundred Herbs Star and work with Zhan Yu on her various plants, or study mecha on her own, or make a little medicine or magical devices.

As for the converter for transforming magic crystals, Xuanxuan had still not managed to make it, mainly because she lacked the materials.

Recently, Muqian Lianhao and Zhan Yu had both become busier and busier, and Kuang Shao remained out of sight. Xuanxuan, however, only grew more idle. It was said that this was because the New Year was approaching. She did not quite understand what New Year meant to them, and even Tong Wan had become busier and busier. Yet Tong Wan being busy was a good thing for Xuanxuan, because what Tong Wan busied herself with was food.

Xuanxuan would always stand nearby, watching Tong Wan make it while she ate beside her.

The people around them grew busier and busier, and at last the New Year arrived.

On New Year's Eve, the entire family gathered together. Even Muqian Lianchen, who was usually nowhere to be seen, and Muqian Lianjun, who was always so busy his feet scarcely touched the ground, appeared as well. Early that morning, Xuanxuan sat at one corner of the large table, staring at the spread of dishes before her.

It was said that because the men of the household all had matters to attend to that evening, the annual reunion meal was moved to the morning.

Xuanxuan thought New Year was truly a wonderful thing. At the very least, her father was too busy to watch her, and her grandmother had made a whole mountain of delicious food.

And on New Year's Day itself, things were even better: there was an entire table of dishes, and no one would stop her from eating.

After New Year came the new year, and on the morning of the first day, Xuanxuan received four thick red envelopes. According to Muqian Weihe and the others, these were New Year's money, though Muqian Weihe and his brother kept theirs themselves. Xuanxuan looked at her father with deep resentment, for her money had been taken away by him.

She suspected her father simply did not want her taking money out to buy snacks, but as long as the two brothers had theirs, whether she did or not hardly mattered.

On the third day of the New Year, Muqian Yirang told Muqian Lianhao to take Xuanxuan to offer New Year greetings to the Kuang family and the Zhan family. Xuanxuan was carried into the car by her father, and they first went to the Kuang household.

Muqian Lianhao felt that since they had to visit the Zhan family anyway, they might as well prolong the trip a little. He had to stay on guard against Zhan Yu, that so-called child lover, and could not let him come within half a step of Xuanxuan.

Xuanxuan had no objection to visiting either family. Still, she had not seen Kuang Shao in several days, and she wanted to know what he had been so busy with that he was no longer clinging to Zhan Yu.

What was Kuang Shao doing?

Kuang Shao was being miserably put through his paces by his old man, following him around to repair a mecha. He had never had the fate of being any good at making mecha, otherwise he would not have chosen the mecha department at First Military Academy.

When he was with his old man, he was nothing more than a lowly laborer, a grunt who could be shouted at and hit at will.

Grinding his teeth in secret, he wondered just who had told his old man that his mecha had been damaged. The Muqian family had already begun repairs on their side, yet with one communication call, his old man had summoned him before him and given him a thorough tongue-lashing from head to toe.

Kuang Shao did not even dare to resist. Not only could he not resist, he had to help with the repairs too. For a full ten days, he had been holed up in the mecha workshop. It was only the two of them in the family, and they had not celebrated New Year at all, staying shut away in the repair room.

Only when the Muqian family sent word today that the Third Young Master Muqian was coming did Kuang Shao finally obtain his freedom.

The Muqian car stopped directly outside the Kuang family’s living room, a sign of respect toward them.

When Xuanxuan and the others arrived, Kuang Shao was already standing at the entrance to the living room to receive them. From afar, he looked like a band of crimson clouds at the doorway, dazzling beyond measure.

His red attire was always the most eye-catching thing about him.

Seeing their car stop, Kuang Shao stepped forward and very politely led Xuanxuan and the others into the living room. His condition was entirely different from what it had been some time ago. Whether it was an illusion or not, Xuanxuan felt that he looked terribly listless, as though he were forcing himself to stay spirited.

Who had mistreated him?

“Young Master Kuang, didn’t you sleep well last night?” Muqian Lianhao asked, holding Xuanxuan in his arms as he sat opposite Kuang Shao. Even the face that was usually so flamboyantly bright seemed somewhat dim today.

“No, no,” Kuang Shao said, waving a hand.

Muqian Lianhao did not press further. It was said that Kuang Shao’s private life was rather chaotic, and Muqian Lianhao felt his own daughter ought to keep far away from him. He shifted Xuanxuan back in his arms a little without making a sound before saying, “We mainly came to thank Young Master Kuang. We are still grateful that you saved Xuanxuan last time. It took us so long to come, so please do not take offense.”

“It’s nothing. It was no great matter. If I had not taken her to the small garden, nothing would have happened,” Kuang Shao said. Though he boasted to Xuanxuan on the star network, he would not dare claim credit for this.

Xuanxuan glanced at Kuang Shao. He did not seem like this when they chatted on the star network. So this is what being honest looks like.

“It was Xuanxuan who was mischievous, and it even caused Young Master Kuang’s mecha to be damaged. It should have been repaired by us, but I was worried we might not do it well. I wonder what materials Kuang Shao needs for the repair, or whether there is anything we can do. Please do not hesitate to tell us,” Muqian Lianhao said sincerely. No matter what a person’s private life was like, the fact remained that he had saved his daughter.

Xuanxuan puffed out her cheeks as she ate, her gaze toward Kuang Shao unfriendly. He even dared make demands after she had lost a high-grade antidote potion and said nothing at all.

At the mention of repairing the mecha, Kuang Shao’s face turned bitter in an instant. “No need, really. That mecha was made by my old man, so it’s best if he handles the repair too.”

Muqian Lianhao knew the Kuang family head, Kuang Hongyi, Kuang Shao’s father, was highly skilled in mecha production. The man did not lack for anything from them, and his technical ability was no worse than theirs, so Muqian Lianhao only said, “It really should have been our responsibility.”

“No need, no need,” Kuang Shao said, truly unconcerned.

“Where is Uncle Kuang?” Muqian Lianhao asked. They had already been here for some time, and no matter what, Kuang Hongyi should have come out to greet them.

Kuang Shao said awkwardly, “In the mecha repair room.”

He had long heard that the old man of the Kuang family was a workaholic, more passionate about mecha than about anything else, and it seemed that was truly the case. Even on New Year, he was still working. “At work?”

“Uh, repairing my mecha,” Kuang Shao said, slightly embarrassed.

Muqian Lianhao felt a little apologetic; his own daughter had actually made it so that others in their home could not enjoy the New Year properly. “Let’s go take a look.”

Xuanxuan’s eyes lit up when she heard this. She was going to see a real mecha. And not only that, a mecha being repaired. She had long wanted to take one apart in reality and see it for herself; she wondered whether it would be different from what she saw on the star network.

“No need, no need,” Kuang Shao hurriedly said. That was simply how his old man was. As for New Year, it had never meant much to their family.

At least, not for more than ten years already.

But Muqian Lianhao was insistent, and in the end Kuang Shao could only helplessly lead them to a place not far from the living room, which was Kuang Hongyi’s private repair room.

“It may be a little dirty and messy. How about letting Xuanxuan play outside instead?” Kuang Shao suggested. The room was for mecha repairs, so there was no risk of leaking secrets, but repair rooms tended to be rather dirty and disorderly. It did not seem quite right to bring in such a little girl dressed in a lovely princess dress.

Xuanxuan clutched her father’s neck tightly and glared at Kuang Shao. She still wanted to go in and see a real mecha; she had not had the chance before.

Muqian Lianhao tapped her on the forehead, then smiled at Kuang Shao. “No need. She’s not that delicate.”

Seeing that neither of them minded, Kuang Shao no longer cared either, and directly led them into the repair room.

The repair room was very large, with parts and tools scattered about. At its center stood Kuang Shao’s mecha. A middle-aged man of sturdy build and upright features, with a full beard that nearly obscured his face, stood before it. His skin was bronze, and his gaze was fixed intently on the mecha in front of him, as though nothing existed in his eyes except that machine.

After Xuanxuan looked over Kuang Shao’s father, she glanced at Kuang Shao as well.

She reached one conclusion: Kuang Shao absolutely took after his mother, and perhaps his mother had even given birth to him with the wrong sex in mind.

Seeing that his old man’s eyes were fixed entirely on the mecha, Kuang Shao hurriedly called out, “Old man, we have guests.”

“Guests are here; you can receive them yourself,” Kuang Hongyi answered without turning his head, tools in hand, seemingly weighing where to begin. He wanted to use the chance of Kuang Shao’s mecha being sent in for major repairs to add something new to it, and part of it had already been dismantled.

Kuang Shao nearly ground his teeth to pieces. You’re the one who should be receiving guests!

But that was his father.

Muqian Lianhao also looked a little awkward, wanting to laugh but too embarrassed to do so.

Xuanxuan, however, did not care at all. She lay in Muqian Lianhao’s arms, covered her mouth, and laughed aloud.

Hearing the little girl’s laughter, Kuang Hongyi finally turned around in surprise. “Where did this little girl come from?”

Kuang Shao had barely suppressed his temper, and his mecha was still in the hands of his old man. “This is Third Young Master Zhan, and his daughter.”

“Oh? The little third from the Zhan family is back?” Kuang Hongyi asked.

Xuanxuan laughed again. By now, she was no longer the Xuanxuan of the Marta Continent who knew nothing at all. She knew exactly what a “little third” meant.

Muqian Lianhao looked deeply embarrassed. He had just been about to laugh at Kuang Shao, and now the tables had turned. He tapped Xuanxuan in his arms once, yet still said to Kuang Hongyi with a smile, “Hello, Uncle Kuang. This is my daughter, Xuanxuan.”

“So your Muqian family has finally had a daughter?” Kuang Hongyi said in wonder, laying aside the tool in his hand and coming forward. “Come, let me hold her. So this is the precious little girl of your family.”

Kuang Shao hurriedly blocked him. “You should change your clothes first.”

Kuang Hongyi shot him a glare. How dare you look down on your own father? He lowered his head and glanced at his clothes, the corner of his mouth twitching. Wasn’t it all because of your mecha that I was covered in grease and grime?

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