Chapter 25, Xiao Yang Secret (2)

Few minutes after their conversation, there was a knock on the door of the courtyard.  It wasn't often someone else visited this small  house and remote yard. Well, except the matchmaker that came twice in a row causing panic among the children. Therefore, as soon as the knock sounded, all of them looked at the gate involuntarily. 

"It should be Xiao Yang and his brother. I'll get the door. " Jing Xuan said as he walked up to the door with an excited smile painted on his face. He opens the door and immediately a gust of cold breeze hits him in the face.  This is definitely not the weather he expected to find today. The temperature outside was slightly different from in the yard.

Inside was a little warmer than outside the gate. But the courtyard doesn't have a roof covering it, so what's the difference? Hence he didn't notice until now.  Jing Xuan's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, he felt like he might have discovered something, but he didn't have enough brain cells to waste on it.

With the excitement still there in his heart though, he opened the doors wider and let Xiao Yang and Shen Yuan enter the gate without any hesitation. "You're here, I thought you wouldn't come." As he said this, he closed the door behind him and led them under the tree where the others were.

"Why wouldn't I come? We are friends after all. And I always wanted to see your home and meet your family. " Xiao Yang said with a smile.

"My father is not around. One of my four brothers is studying hard to become a Scholar. The other two...."  Jing Xuan trailed off, then continued with, "Forget it. You are going to love brother Zhang, he is fun to be with."

Seeing the complicated look on Jing Xuan's face when he mentioned the other two, Sheng Yuan began to be curious. He remembered Jing Xuan saying his older brother was very strict with him. 

The three of them arrived under the tree  where everyone gathered.  "This is Xiao Yang and his brother Sheng Yuan. " Jing Xuan introduced the Shen brothers and turned to his own family. "My three older brothers,  brother Cheng, brother Zhang and Jing Sheng. There is my younger brother Juanxin, who is fighting hard to become a Scholar." He pointed  to Li Juanxin who had his head down, practicing his calligraphy.

"I didn't say I want to be a Scholar." Juanxin pouted and retorted in his usual monotone voice.  

"If you don't have any dream of becoming a Scholar, then why are you practicing calligraphy day and night?"  asked Jing Xuan curiously. 

"This is the assignment given by daddy, of course I have to do it. Unlike you who haven't done yours yet. When daddy comes back, I will report you to him." Replied Juanxin while glaring daggers at Jing Xuan.

"If you report, you will be a busy body, and won't be cute anymore." Jing Xuan responded back casually.

"Really?" Questioned Juanxin doubtfully.

"That's right." Jing Xuan replied, smirking at Jing Xuan's annoyed expression.

"Oh, then I won't tell." Juanxin said with a sigh, and pick up his brush again.

Juanxin has been called cute, all his life. Therefore, he put a lot of attention to his image.

Everyone laughed at this interesting interaction. While the stiff atmosphere got a bit better.

"Don't just stand there, come and sit." Li Zhang said pointing to the bench.

Sheng Yuan and Xiao Yang took a seat. They looked around the courtyard. It was pretty much empty and it was quite warm.  Shen Yuan has already started cultivating his soul energy, he is at the second level of physical body. Therefore, he noticed that the spiritual energy in the courtyard is  much  richer than normal. It feels different.  He was about to ask someone, when  he noticed the eyes that were following him. 

He turns his head over to  meet with a pair of black eyes, which seemed a bit dull, staring at him.  His first reaction is one that usually happens when someone stares at him for  too long and his cheeks turn red, because of embarrassment. But he was  surprised by his current state instead of flustered as the eyes suggested.  

What made him feel even more surprised, was the fact that the person was staring  right into him. His pupils dilated for a moment. "You.... What's wrong?" He asked  carefully.  Not only did he notice that the boy was looking at him; In addition, the color of his eyes changed to  a darker shade and a shiver went down his spine, as if someone just poured cold  water on him.  

"Where are you from?" Li Cheng took his inquiry gaze away and said.

"I'm from Fengwu City. I came here to complete the assignment given to me by the academy." Answered Sheng Yuan with a straightened face.

"That's not what I'm asking, where are you from?" Asked Li Cheng, frowning.

"What do you mean?" Sheng Yuan tried to act nonchalant, but couldn't help  from getting agitated by the question. Didn't he just say he's from Fengwu City?

Seeing that the situation wasn't going right, Li Zhang intervened. "Hence, Shen Yuan, Xuan Xuan said you were bringing games with you. Take it out, let's play." He said and waved at Shen Yuan with a smile.

"Sure," answered Shen Yuan while taking the things he had brought from his bag, and placed them in front of Li Zhang.  They each took their share of the materials while Shen Yuan explained how to use them. A few minutes later, the game began. Everyone was engaged in their respective game.

 Except  Li Cheng who had a frown on his face. The Shen brothers are making him solve puzzles that he hates the most. their breath was similar yet different at the same time with a bit mysterious to it.  He felt that something wasn't quite right, but couldn't put his finger on it.

Meanwhile, while the game was going on, Jing Sheng had taken Xiao Yang away.  The latter tried to protest, but Jing sheng had his arms tight on Xiao Yang's shoulders and refused to listen to Xiao Yang's complaints. Xiao Yang sighed and gave in eventually.

"What are you hiding?" Jing Sheng asked coldly, his voice was laced with anger. 

Xiao Yang looked at him and shrugged his shoulders in nonchalance. "Nothing, I didn't hide anything." He replied indifferently.

At that time Jing Sheng was really angry and could almost slap him. "What's your purpose for approaching Xuan?" He asked through gritted teeth.

"My purpose?" Xiao Yang said incredulously, "What do you think of my reason  for doing that? I just wanted to be friends with him, that's all."

"Friends?" Jing Sheng chuckled sarcastically, "Are you stupid? If you don't have an ill intention of approaching him, then how do you explain the alluring aura that is emitting from your body? " He asked with a raised eyebrow.

Hearing this, Xiao Yang's expression changes to that of horror and realization.  He looked  at his Jing Sheng with a horrified face."I... I didn't know..." he stuttered, "I really didn't know." 

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