“Young Master Xuanyuan, stay and become our Mobei tribe’s son-in-law!”

Wave after wave of enthusiastic calls rose up, one after another, surrounding Xuanyuan Lige completely. Amid the commotion, Yu Xiaomeng was pushed forward by the crowd until she stood right in front of Xuanyuan Lige!

Xuanyuan Lige deeply disliked this kind of enthusiasm, deeply unaccustomed to it. His brow furrowed tightly, and his first instinct was to stand and leave.

This reaction startled everyone. Then someone in the crowd suddenly burst out laughing, “Young Master Xuanyuan is shy!”

At this, everyone immediately chimed in again — Young Master Xuanyuan had been rescued by Yu Xiaomeng and had been living in her household this whole time; Yu Xiaomeng liked him, and Aunt Yu had always treated him as a son-in-law — this was something the whole tribe already knew!

A scene like this was, to almost everyone present, simply entertaining, and everyone joined in the teasing without a second thought.

Soon, a group had blocked Xuanyuan Lige’s path entirely, and it was then that Xuanyuan Lige’s quiet, calm eyes finally turned cold.

He truly, genuinely could not get used to this.

Yu Xiaomeng had only meant to innocently pull him along to dance — she never imagined things would spiral this far.

“Alright, alright, stop joking around!”

“Enough! Everyone disperse! Stop teasing us like this!”

She tried to calm everyone while attempting to push through the joyfully blocking tribespeople, not even understanding why she didn’t dare look at Xuanyuan Lige. She kept her head down, urging everyone continuously.

But did her urging do any good?

“Look, look, even Xiaomeng is blushing!”

“How rare! He’s clearly caught your heart!”

“Ha, why not just settle the marriage right here at the bonfire festival? Young Master Xuanyuan would be Mobei’s first outsider son-in-law!”

…

Xuanyuan Lige didn’t look at Yu Xiaomeng, didn’t look at anyone in the crowd. He kept his head down, so no one could read his expression clearly, and everyone simply assumed he was shy and at a loss for words.

Finally, he stepped forward, one step at a time, toward the crowd blocking him. Someone in the group gave him a shove, “Young Master Xuanyuan, we’re not letting you leave today!”

At this, unexpectedly, Xuanyuan Lige’s hand shot out instantly, gripping the man’s shoulder firmly. Though his head remained lowered, his eyes were unmistakably cold and menacing.

Though the gesture appeared to be nothing more than a hand resting on someone’s shoulder, the murderous intent radiating invisibly from him was palpable even to the ordinary tribespeople who knew nothing of martial arts!

In that instant, all the cheering stopped dead. Everyone’s eyes turned immediately toward Xuanyuan Lige’s hand. Without needing to guess, it was clear this man had grown angry — and if anyone provoked him further, even with a single word, whoever was beneath his hand would surely be crippled.

The tribespeople, shocked and confused, only now realized their joke had gone too far.

So it turned out there was nothing at all between Young Master Xuanyuan and Xiaomeng!

So it turned out Young Master Xuanyuan’s temper wasn’t so mild after all.

The man pinned by Xuanyuan Lige was so frightened his mouth hung open, unable to close it, beads of sweat rolling down along his hairline.

For a moment, the entire scene fell into awkward silence.

Aunt Yu, hiding within the crowd, watched anxiously, not knowing what to do. She wished now she hadn’t pushed him so hard.

If he really got angry and hurt someone from the tribe, he wouldn’t be able to stay in Mobei any longer — and wouldn’t her daughter be heartbroken then?

Aunt Yu, without further thought, started pushing forward, but at that moment, Yu Xiaomeng spoke up first — she was, after all, standing closest to Xuanyuan Lige, and had felt that murderous aura most keenly of anyone.

“Alright, that’s enough! Young Master Xuanyuan is going to take my mother as his adoptive mother, I’m his adopted little sister! What are you all making such a fuss about, honestly!”

Yu Xiaomeng feigned anger, turning to meet Xuanyuan Lige’s gaze. Though she had already braced herself, when she met those cold, merciless eyes, her heart still couldn’t help but ache.

Though they had lived peacefully together for so many days now, she had always known this man wasn’t nearly as gentle and warm as he appeared on the surface.

He was cold. His eyes held no trace of feeling at all.

Yu Xiaomeng sometimes couldn’t help wondering — was there anyone in this world who could truly move his heart, who could draw out even a flicker of genuine emotion from him?

She deliberately put on this show of anger, performing it for the tribespeople, to cover for Xuanyuan Lige’s abnormal reaction!

She understood now — so many little gestures, so many small details, she had noticed them all. This man would never fall for her.

Only, sometimes, she really couldn’t help herself — like just now, watching him play the qin, half of her heart that had already died came back to life again.

With Yu Xiaomeng having said this much, Aunt Yu quickly stepped forward too, saying with displeasure, “Oh, what’s gotten into all of you! Out of nowhere, causing such a commotion, you’ll scare off our guest! Young Master Xuanyuan is the adopted son I’ve claimed as my own, Xiaomeng’s adopted older brother — don’t any of you go spreading nonsense!”

Aunt Yu, pushing through the crowd, walked over to Xuanyuan Lige’s side and quickly pried his hand loose, adding firmly, “Everyone disperse, disperse! If anyone spreads rumors about this again, I won’t let it go!”

Yu Xiaomeng, naive to the ways of the world, had only worried about Xuanyuan Lige’s dignity — but her mother had to worry about her own daughter’s reputation!

If this whole farce wasn’t handled properly, it would be Yu Xiaomeng’s reputation that suffered, and how would she ever find a husband in the future?

Though Aunt Yu hadn’t entirely given up hope regarding Xuanyuan Lige, she also had to leave her own daughter a way out.

She couldn’t see Xuanyuan Lige’s expression, but his hand allowed itself to be pulled away by Aunt Yu without resistance.

Soon, the crowd dispersed. Aunt Yu glanced at Yu Xiaomeng, standing off to the side looking dejected, then looked at Xuanyuan Lige, and said with displeasure, “Young Master Xuanyuan, I told you on your very first day here — you’re not allowed to raise your hand against anyone in this place. Do you want to make my daughter and me criminals in the eyes of Mobei?”

“My apologies,” Xuanyuan Lige said flatly. Despite his moment of impulse, he had remained composed. Though he wasn’t used to this kind of lively atmosphere, he liked this place, and had already firmly decided to stay.

Aunt Yu took a deep breath and continued, “I don’t know exactly what’s going on between the two of you, but… you’d both best take care of yourselves.” With that, she turned and walked away without looking back.

Yu Xiaomeng watched her mother’s retreating figure grow smaller in the distance, gritting her teeth, just about to speak — when Xuanyuan Lige, once again, said he was sorry.

“There’s nothing to apologize for. It’s me who’s brought you trouble,” Yu Xiaomeng said with a smile, not even sure what she was smiling about. She wanted so badly to cry.

She had always known this day would come eventually, just never imagined it would come so soon — the bonfire festival hadn’t even happened yet.

Yet Xuanyuan Lige remained perfectly serious, earnest as an older brother. “You are a girl. No matter where this is, no matter what customs exist here, you are still a girl — your reputation matters greatly.”

If he had been a little crueler, a little more ruthless, perhaps she would only feel resentment toward him, not love.

But he wasn’t. He was cold, distant — and yet his heart was, in truth, kind.

She didn’t know how to respond. He continued, “Tomorrow, I’ll move out and live elsewhere… From now on, I’ll be your adopted older brother. If anyone ever bullies you, I’ll stand up for you without question.”