XIAO SHUXIANG'S

250 - Farewell Prize [Revised]

Ling Qing Zhu wanted to leave this place. He did not like to see Xiao Shuxiang's serious face and eyes. He obviously doesn't want to be played.

This young man in front of him was always working on him every day. How could he possibly believe Xiao Shuxiang's words which seemed to be mere nonsense.

?!

"You why? Did my words sound scary to you?" Xiao Shuxiang was astonished as the girl in front of him seemed to resist trembling. Though he did not feel at all that he had uttered such harsh words, let alone terrifying ones.

"Are you worried that I'm messing with you?"

Exactly like Xiao Shuxiang's question. It was obvious that Ling Qing Zhu refused to be toyed with by the mischievous young man who had been acknowledged by every being in the Eastern Continent. He would never let anyone play with his feelings, including Xiao Shuxiang.

"You don't need to be this tight. I'm not kidding what I'm saying, but you don't have to be too serious. It's like you've only heard a young man's confession for the first time.. In fact, when I look, you obviously have a lot of experience in this,"

It was no matter the experience, Ling Qing Zhu was naturally shocked to receive such a sudden statement. He knew all along that Xiao Shuxiang hated him because he had once injured Lan Guan Zhi.

Moreover, as far as Ling Qing Zhu knew - There was not a single part of him that was like that could attract the attention of Xiao Shuxiang. If to attract the attention of others, even just walk normally.. The result is absolute. But it would be very much different if it was this young man in front of him.

Ling Qing Zhu was like wanting to ask what this young Alchemist saw of him. Because it's really shocking to hear a confession from someone who hates us so much.

Xiao Shuxiang opened his voice, "In the first place I was annoyed with you, but I am not someone who easily hates let alone to get revenge on others."

Xiao Shuxiang said, "You are a lousy girl and very bad at cooking. You can't even tell the difference between a carrot and a turnip. Other than your face, you obviously don't have anything worth considering. I don't know why I said that either,"

Ling Qing Zhu gasped, yet his expression did not change. He then replied in a toneless voice.

"You.. Also sucks,"

"Hmph, thank you." Xiao Shuxiang instead thanked him when called 'father' by Ling Qing Zhu. With his leisure he even took the chicken meat dumplings that have been cooked. The dumplings are getting cold, but they taste good.

"I never taught you how to make this, but you're pretty good, too. It seems you've learned a lot.." Xiao Shuxiang praised Ling Qing Zhu and said, "I'll take this as my lunch with Feng Ying. And oh, you're not going anywhere tonight. There is a gift I must give you before leaving the Eastern Continent tomorrow afternoon."

!!

There was not any expression on Ling Qing Zhu's face covered in a thin veil. But from the look in his eyes, he clearly looked surprised.

Feelings like love cannot be easily obtained. Moreover, it had been known that Ling Qing Zhu and Xiao Shuxiang were very rarely together. Both are a little familiar in the kitchen.

But indeed, the female heart is clearly more feeling. Getting an unexpected attack of words from a Xiao Shuxiang, it certainly made something inside his body shake.

It felt different when he got a confession from the other young man. This made him nervous and uncomfortable.

Ling Qing Zhu clutched his clothes, he did not like this feeling. He immediately looked for Ling Lang Tian and asked his brother's opinion.

It took about four hours for Ling Qing Zhu to search for his brother. He said everything he heard from Xiao Shuxiang to Ling Lang Tian without covering anything up.

"You're like you've just been proposed by a ghost. Is that how horrible she is for you?" Ling Lang Tian asked.

"He.. Scary when angry,"

Ling Qing Zhu never forgot Xiao Shuxiang's facial expression when killing her uncle, Ling Hao Yu. The young man was like a human coming from the realm of darkness.

"Sister, you've known her longer than I have. What do you think he is?"

Ling Qing Zhu only knew Xiao Shuxiang was a mischievous child and was extremely frightening. But after he thought again.. The young man he called naughty was kind and friendly, but not so when with him.

".. He's also talented,"

"Shuxiang has never hated you. You hurt his best friend, obviously he's angry. I'll do it if someone hurts you, too,"

Ling Lang Tian solemnly said that it was time for Ling Qing Zhu not to grieve over the past.

He gently rubbed his sister's head while advising that Ling Qing Zhu no longer harbored his emotions alone.

".. He's 'Your Guardian' now. You should be able to accept this. Don't hesitate to slash his neck if he dares to hurt you,"

Ling Lang Tian told his sister to open up a little to Xiao Shuxiang and try to befriend him.

"That's impossible, because he's leaving.."

Ling Lang Tian knew this, the 'Protective Guardian' should always be with his sister. But Xiao Shuxiang seemed to have no intention of taking Ling Qing Zhu away with him.

Ling Qing Zhu also said he did not want to come along. There are many people who need his help in this Continent. Xiao Shuxiang was intending to leave when conditions were not stable obviously it was something very urgent.

"You know, if I'd noticed you'd be paying attention to her.."

Ling Qing Zhu slowly said that he only considered Xiao Shuxiang a partner, as well as an absolute judge of his cooking. There was no special connection between him and the young Alchemist.

As Ling Qing Zhu was talking to her brother.. Elsewhere Xiao Shuxiang was asking the opinions of Lan Guan Zhi, Jing Mi, Yi Wen, Zhi Shu, and Hou Yong to help him look for a gift that only capitalized on one piece of silver.

".. If I thought I'd buy her flowers, it would make a girl happy,"

"Hou Yong, I need something memorable and extraordinary. Something she doesn't forget easily.."

Hou Yong and Jing Mi shook their heads, a single piece of silver was unlikely to be able to buy a memorable item, let alone an extraordinary one. That's something impossible.

"I don't actually like you like this, Brother Xiao. I should have been the one you applied for, we've been through a lot together. I even had a bath with you,"

"Yi Wen, you just massaged my back. We're not really taking a shower together,"

Yi Wen was seen swaying her lips while looking at Xiao Shuxiang who was leaning on the tree in front of her while playing her hair bangs.

"Brother Xiao, are you actually like Ling Qing Zhu or not?"

"I don't know,"

Xiao Shuxiang said that he initially wanted to laugh when he saw Ling Qing Zhu's response to his statement, but he immediately dropped the intention when Ling Qing Zhu was shaken.

Jing Mi and Hou Yong breathed a sigh of relief, both of them then patted Xiao Shuxiang softly on the shoulder while praising his friend for not laughing.

His brother can be a jerk if he dares to play with women's feelings. Xiao Shuxiang did not care about that, what mattered now was how he bought something for Ling Qing Zhu.

"Lan Zhi, do you have a suggestion?"

"Mnn, try giving him a paper stork,"

"I think it's good too, Miss Ling can make a lot of paper cranes as a reminder of you. It's possible that his wish can be granted if he succeeds in making a thousand,"

"Who would want to do such a troublesome thing? I definitely don't want to,"

Yi Wen and Zhi Shu were fighting with their mouths. The two were quickly stopped by Jing Mi and Hou Yong.

"I still have to think about it. Got any more advice, Lan Zhi?"

Xiao Shuxiang did not have much time, tomorrow he should leave immediately. It seemed that none of his companions had realized that Xiao Shuxiang's left palm now had a pattern like a pair of wings.

When this pattern turned into three pairs of wings, then someone from the Elf World had arrived to the Human World.

"Alantern,"

"Lan'Er, the lantern is a reminder of your friendship with me. No way,"

Yiwen and Zhi Shu immediately protested with Xiao Shuxiang's words just now. This brother seemed to only consider Lan Guan Zhi as a friend, even though they also flew paper lanterns together.

Hearing the word 'Lentera' and the word 'fly'.. Making Xiao Shuxiang enlightened. It seemed like he already knew the reward with the capital of one piece of silver for Ling Qing Zhu.

As per Xiao Shuxiang's request, this younger brother of Ling Lang Tian did not go anywhere at night. He was inside a building that was apparently inhabited by Xiao WeiWei and Yang Hao.

In fact, it was not only the two old Xiao Shuxiang who lived in this place. But also Yang Shu, Duan De, and some disciples from the third sect of the Stream.

This building is a temporary residence for them. Because there is still a lot of work that they have to finish.

?!

Ling Qing Zhu who was inside his room immediately picked up his sword and walked towards the window. He heard a knock coming from outside.

The one who knocked on the window of his room was none other than Xiao Shuxiang. This young man looked in a black uniform, this kind of look made him look like an angel of darkness.

Jing Mi, Hou Yong, Yi Wen, and Zhi Shu turned out to secretly follow Xiao Shuxiang and Ling Qing Zhu who started walking away.

Among them was also Lan Guan Zhi. This young man was obviously forced by Xiao Shuxiang's friends to come here. He actually did not want to interfere in the personal affairs of his best friend, but these four mischievous humans made themselves here.

Xiao Shuxiang had apparently led Ling Qing Zhu to the roof of the tallest building and had been completed. The five friends kept a good eye on Xiao Shuxiang.

Not far from their place.. Ling Lang Tian was there too. He seemed to want to ascertain what the long-haired young man could give his sister.

Xiao Shuxiang watched Ling Qing Zhu from top to bottom. This beautiful girl wears a white uniform with a blue wisteria flower motif. A thin veil was still the embellishment of his face.

Xiao Shuxiang began to say his goal of taking Ling Qing Zhu to this place during the night was because he was being challenged by Ling Lang Tian.

".. He asked me to buy you a gift with just one piece of silver. You should know, if this isn't a challenge.. I'll keep doing it, too,"

Xiao Shuxiang sincerely said he wanted to help Ling Qing Zhu forget about his sadness and so that this girl could be open to anyone.

Xiao Shuxiang also said that he had a very hard time giving a memorable gift to Ling Qing Zhu. He had to ask his friends for help to think about what gifts he deserved.

".. But now I know. Look up, please,"

Ling Qing Zhu followed the direction of Xiao Shuxiang's eyes. The moon shines brightly, decorated with stars. The sky looks so beautiful.

".. What you see is a gift from me. The sky was filled with the moon and I bought thousands of stars with a single piece of silver. This beauty is now yours.."

!!

Yi Wen and his friends could hear the remark from Xiao Shuxiang. She, as a woman, was obviously not willing if her brother gave such a precious gift.

"Wait, Brother Xiao bought a sky full of stars on whom? I'd like to buy it, too,"

"You're better suited to buying a river full of mud, Yi Wen.."

Xiao Shuxiang could hear the noisy sounds of his friends, yet he could still control himself not to get angry.

Ling Qing Zhu did not know what to respond to Xiao Shuxiang, because the gift from this young man could not be expected.

"A snob, you bought the beauty of the sky with just a piece of silver. Really arrogant,"

Xiao Shuxiang smiled instead, saying he had been lucky to be able to buy a star-filled, moonlit sky just to give it to a girl.

".. I hope this gift will cure your grief,"

This is a very memorable and unexpected gift. Ling Qing Zhu would likely never forget it.

Xiao Shuxiang began to explain about his departure tomorrow. He actually did not want to be Ling Qing Zhu's 'Protective Guardian', because protecting something was not just like him.

".. I know what a Guardian Protector means to someone outside your clan. Honestly, the rules of your family are very rigid. You should be able to make decisions about your own future,"

Xiao Shuxiang was staring at the starry sky, saying that he did not like to have a relationship with a weak woman, much less always worrying her.

".. Tomorrow I'll leave and I don't know when I'll be back. I can't take you, my journey might be fraught with danger, and I don't like carrying loads. I'm sorry if I'm rude, but my judgment on women is like this.."

Ling Qing Zhu did not feel any objection at all to Xiao Shuxiang's remark. He also felt that way, all this time that he had seen.. Women are always a burden.

Ling Qing Zhu also looked towards the sky. He said he did not want to come even though invited, he would only be in the Eastern Continent.

".. I will not be a weak person. You'll die if you think I do,"

Ling Qing Zhu said it seriously. He said he would become stronger in order to make anyone acknowledge him, including Xiao Shuxiang.

"A good spirit. Then you'll have to train hard,"

Xiao Shuxiang patted Ling Qing Zhu's back gently. He promised he wouldn't call it 'White Cat' if this girl could impress him.

It should have been a little more romantic tonight, it was a pity that the presence of Yi Wen, Zhi Shu, Hou Yong, and Jing Mi became a bully to Xiao Shuxiang.

Lan Guan Zhi himself had no intention of disturbing his friend any more than this. The thing is, before he actually left.. Yi Wen and Zhi Shu pull him to join forces as Xiao Shuxiang's bully.

***