The carriage slowly ambled along for an entire day, and it was only by noon the next
day that they finally returned to the Jin residence.
As soon as they reached the outskirts of the city, someone was dispatched on a fast
horse to send word ahead.
This time, as the carriage entered the Jin residence, a crowd gathered around in a flurry.
Xiao Bao, lively as ever, hopped off the carriage, sporting his usual carefree grin.
"Xiao Bao—my son!!!!" Lady Jin, seeing her son who had been missing for several
days, burst into tears and rushed to embrace him, refusing to let go.
She was heartbroken as she felt him all over, checking, "My son, are you hurt? You've worried your mother to death. You're going to be the death of us, your parents!!"
Old Master Jin also came over with tears in his eyes, tenderly stroking Xiao Bao's
face over and over again.
Xiao Bao, with a big smile, comfortingly patted the backs of his parents, "Dad, mom,
don't cry. I'm fine, nothing's wrong. I just passed out for a few days, no injuries. I'll
tell you all about it later. Please, stop crying, don't cry, be good."
Old Master Jin, being the head of the household, was the first to stop his tears.
Seeing that her son was indeed unharmed, Lady Jin also felt considerably relieved.
It was no wonder their reaction was so intense. This precious child of theirs had
never experienced such an incident before. Every trip he made was always well
protected. When had he ever disappeared for three whole days? The Jin family had
nearly turned the area within a hundred miles upside down in their search. The
elderly couple was so frantic they were almost driven mad. If anything had happened to Xiao Bao, they wouldn't have wanted to go on living.
Jin Xiaoyu also squeezed through the crowd to cling to Xiao Bao's legs, crying. Xiao
Bao picked up the little girl and cooed at her vigorously until she finally cracked a
smile through her tears.
"You little rascal, what exactly happened these past few days? Tell me everything."
Old Master Jin looked at him sternly.
If this incident was orchestrated, then they must immediately eliminate any potential danger to his son. If it was an accident, those who made his son suffer must
not be let off easily.
"Dad, don't rush me. Let me have a drink of water first, alright? I'll explain everything slowly, don't worry." Coming up with excuses was second nature to Xiao
Bao; fabricating stories came as easily to him as breathing.
Xiao Bao, arm in arm with his parents, was about to head inside when suddenly, a
servant from behind exclaimed, "Young Master Su has returned."
Xiao Bao turned around in surprise, only to see Su Yin striding in through the door
with an air of casual elegance.
Dressed in dark cyan robes embroidered with golden koi patterns, his tall figure and
extraordinarily handsome features radiated a noble charm that was impossible to
ignore. His thin lips curved in a slight smile, his demeanor carrying a hint of world-
weary nonchalance, but his narrow, phoenix eyes gleamed with a sharp brilliance.
There are some people who are born to catch everyone's eye, like Huai En, and like
Su Yin, this childhood friend whom he had envied from the moment he knew what
jealousy was.
"Su Yin! What brings you here?"
Old Master Jin hurriedly explained, "I sent someone to the Su family for help. We
couldn't find you and were so worried, we thought to ask the Su family for assistance."
Xiao Bao grimaced, somewhat displeased, but realizing how anxious his disappearance must have made his parents, he refrained from commenting further.
Su Yin was his best friend, or so Xiao Bao thought, with a degree of self-awareness
about the unreciprocated nature of this friendship.
His feelings towards Su Yin were exceedingly complex.
Jealousy enveloped him in a full, three-dimensional embrace.
Imagine someone of the same gender, the same age, with a similar level of fame as
you, yet surpassing you in every aspect.
Crowned the number one beauty in the
martial arts world at just fourteen, the eldest grandson of the Prince of Li and the sole
heir to the Martial Alliance Leader, his status was unattainably high. His martial skills
were unmatched among his peers, and he had already earned a name for chivalry in
the martial arts community at a young age.
To make matters worse, due to business
dealings between their elders, they had been in close contact since childhood, leading to incessant comparisons where Xiao Bao always came up short. How could he not feel jealous? Sharing an era with such a person was a tragedy for all emerging talents in the martial arts world.
Yet, at the same time, he deeply admired him. Su Yin's handsome appearance,
extraordinary courage, unparalleled martial skills, and even his cunning duplicity
were aspects men could only aspire to but never reach. Any man would admire such
qualities.
Torn between the desire to mar his looks and the pride in being his friend, Xiao Bao
harbored these complex feelings and yet managed to remain friends with him for over
a decade. It was only in recent years that he had gradually come to terms with these
emotions.
Su Yin's temperament was unpredictable, blowing hot and cold towards Xiao Bao
based entirely on his mood. Yet, his willingness to help during Xiao Bao's
disappearance suggested he still valued their brotherhood.
Approaching swiftly, Su Yin grabbed Xiao Bao's arm, testing its strength with a
concealed effort, and frowned, "Where the hell have you been these past few days?"
Xiao Bao pulled a face and glared at him, prying his hand away, "Ouch, let go."
In the presence of Xiao Bao's parents, Su Yin never felt the need to be particularly
polite to him and didn't plan on releasing him. Dragging him along, he said, "Uncle
Jin, Aunt Jin, Xiao Bao is fine now. But, I need to talk to him about something to make
sure he won't get into trouble again. You two rest up; I'll send him back in a bit."
Old Master Jin paused, then caught on, "Alright... come back for dinner later." Su
Yin carried an inherent regal aura, his words laced with an authority that was hard to
challenge. His actions were always marked by prudence, earning people's trust.
He frequented the Jin residence several times a year, familiar with everyone, and
without any pretense, treated it like his own.
Thus, he unceremoniously pulled Xiao
Bao into his own courtyard, as if he knew the place like the back of his hand.
"Su Yin, can you fucking let go? Don't you know your own strength? My arm's about
to break."
Su Yin turned, offering a light laugh before releasing him, "All that flesh you've put
on, and it's good for nothing."
Xiao Bao glared at Su Yin with all his might, pushing him into the room.
"Where have you been these past few days? Tell me the truth."
Xiao Bao's complexion wasn't great. He knew Su Yin was too shrewd for his own
good, and trying to use the same story he prepared for his parents on him was
obviously futile. If Su Yin saw through his lies, he'd be in trouble.
But to tell the truth was absolutely out of the question. Which man could openly talk
about being overpowered?
This left Xiao Bao in a real bind, unsure of how to proceed.
Su Yin casually took a seat in the armchair, reading Xiao Bao's thoughts in an
instant, "Jin Xiao Bao, let me tell you, don't try to bluff me. I've heard quite a bit these
last few days. You've gotten yourself involved with some serious trouble. I want the whole truth from you."
His visit served dual purposes: to aid in finding Xiao Bao and because the rumors
surrounding Xiao Bao's disappearance coincided with some significant rumblings in
the martial world. If these were connected, it might mean "that person" who had been
lying low for over a decade was finally making a move, potentially upsetting the
martial world and even the entire realm. He needed to clarify this as soon as possible.
Moreover, Xiao Bao's mishap was linked to King Shen, a figure beyond their station
in the martial community and the imperial family, warranting his concern for Xiao Bao
and the entire Jin family.
Sighing, Xiao Bao sat down as well, "Actually, it's pretty straightforward. You've
probably heard about it. I saved someone on the road a while back. I took a liking to him and wanted to get closer. That day, after taking him to see a play, he was pursued
on our way back. I intervened, but then I got ambushed by enemies, and later, his
subordinates rescued me. I was unconscious for three days, woke up, and then sent word for someone to fetch me.
That's pretty much it." Xiao Bao spoke without batting an eyelid because, after all, it was all true.
Su Yin scrutinized Xiao Bao with his sharp, discerning eyes.
This young man was like an open book in front of him, his intentions and thoughts
transparent.
His feelings towards Xiao Bao were equally complex.
Contempt, for certain.
Everyone in the world knew Jin Xiao Bao, the young master of the Jin Clan, as a
wasteful scion, one who gained nothing from his indulgences. If not for his father's
wealth, what set him apart from a useless person? Su Yin, restless like his father,
frequently visited many places during his childhood, with the Jin residence being a
regular stop. The Jin family was their biggest patron, not only paying hefty protection
fees annually but also closely collaborating with them in business ventures across the
southern regions. People in the martial arts community might look down on the Jin
family yet found themselves needing to curry favor and treat them kindly.
Surprisingly, his father got along well with Old Master Jin. Despite their inability to
spar in martial arts, they shared hobbies like playing chess and bird watching, finding
common ground in their interests.
Sometimes, his father would stay at the Jin
residence for a month at a stretch, enjoying the hospitality without a desire to return
home. When he once asked his father why he enjoyed staying with the Jin family so
much, the reply was simple: comfort.
Indeed, with all expenses covered and spared from his mother's constant nagging, and considering Old Master Jin's generous and straightforward nature, unlike the pretentious orthodox scholars, the Jin residence was a haven. Thanks to his father, Su Yin spent much of his childhood playing with Xiao Bao.
Initially, Su Yin didn't like Xiao Bao at all.
Xiao Bao was chubby, and it was comical
how his flesh jiggled when he ran behind Su Yin, his eyes lighting up at the sight of
food, and was so gullible that he believed anything told to him. Despite these traits
making him an inefficient lackey, Xiao Bao's presence brought much joy to Su Yin's
childhood, leaving behind numerous happy memories. Whether willingly or not, they
became childhood friends and confidants over the years.
Thus, when he heard that Xiao Bao, always protected within his golden cage, had
disappeared, Su Yin rushed over from his home without even changing his clothes.
Despite always finding joy in teasing Xiao Bao, he was fiercely protective of his
childhood companion.