Just as Xia Lan was bickering with Liu Hua, she caught a glimpse of a figure among the bustling hospital corridor.
A woman in a suit and skirt was walking toward her slowly.
She looked like an experienced secretary, silent and radiating an aura that kept others at a distance.
The pupils behind those round-rimmed glasses fixed on Xia Lan.
Her shiny high heels clicked against the mottled sunlight on the floor.
‘It’s her.’
The smile gradually faded from Xia Lan’s face.
She stopped in her tracks.
The woman passed by Xia Lan, but then paused at the moment of brushing shoulders.
With her back to Xia Lan, she spoke slowly.
“Long time no see, Na Gou. I didn’t expect to run into you in this small city. This time, are you the main body or a clone?”
“Both are possible. That’s the answer.”
Xia Lan tucked her long hair behind her ear, her tone calm but carrying a trace of coldness.
“I’m quite surprised too, actually. I didn’t expect you to come here, Miss Annie… or should I say, the over-thirty-year-old magical granny Kong Nue.”
“Just following orders from the young miss.”
Annie looked at the high-rise buildings outside the corridor, her voice like an emotionless puppet.
“For Natasha to send you here, it can’t be because of the Lianshan High School incident. That matter isn’t important enough.”
Xia Lan murmured.
“It seems this small city has something precious that’s caught the Lennard Corporation’s interest.”
“Still, since you didn’t choose to fight the moment you saw me, that means this matter shouldn’t be blown out of proportion.”
Annie didn’t confirm or deny.
After a moment, she pulled a box of cigars from her pocket and offered one to Xia Lan.
“Want one?”
“Sorry, I don’t smoke.”
“A boy your age still doesn’t know how to smoke?”
Xia Lan’s mouth twitched.
She wasn’t sure whether to say she was now completely a girl, no longer the poor little boy she used to be.
And besides, smoking or not had no necessary connection to being a boy.
Annie took back the cigar, looked at Xia Lan for a long moment, and gave a charming smile.
“I didn’t expect you to grow up so lovely. Looking back, I’ve watched you grow up. I remember the first time I met you, you were just a six-year-old boy, just after Dr. Xia transformed you into Na Gou…”
“Miss Annie, if you want to reminisce, we can do it another time.”
Xia Lan interrupted her.
“You’re not here specifically to find me this time, are you?”
“Yeah, I suppose.”
Annie’s smile faded.
“Next time… well, I’ll probably be fighting you then.”
With that, Annie gradually disappeared into the flow of people in the corridor.
Xia Lan stared at her figure until she could no longer see her.
‘I didn’t expect that. I thought the Lennard Corporation would at most send a small team to investigate the Lianshan High School incident, but they actually called over the Kong Nue magical girl’s transformer.’
Liu Hua’s tone was dead serious.
‘It seems this city has something more troublesome than we anticipated.’
“Looks like I’ll be busy for a while. I’ll send my male clone to attend school in my place after this.”
—
Because Lianshan High School had a particularly serious public safety incident, under pressure from above and public opinion, all grades except the senior year were forced to take a one-month holiday.
The prestigious high school not only had to worry about whether it could still keep its reputation, but also faced a continuous stream of transfer applications from countless parents and students.
However, these things had little to do with Luo Xiao.
Perhaps because he had been chosen by Na Gou, his recovery speed was noticeably faster than that of other students and teachers.
He was judged fit for discharge on the third day after waking up.
The elderly director of the orphanage came to pick him up herself, despite her advanced age.
Listening to her endless chatter of concern, Luo Xiao gently supported her hand as usual and walked along the path where flower petals danced, stepping through the sunlight back to the orphanage.
“That school of yours is no good! Grandma will transfer you to a safer school later…”
“There’s no need, Grandma. That’s too much trouble.”
“What trouble? Something like this happens—I’m already being kind by not asking them for compensation! Sigh, I don’t know when Bai Jia will wake up.”
“He’s always been healthy since he was little. He’ll be fine.”
Luo Xiao was an orphan.
When he was still very young, his parents died in a car accident, leaving him alone in the world.
Grandma couldn’t bear it back then, so she adopted him, along with a few other scattered children.
To Luo Xiao, the word “family” referred only to Grandma and Bai Jia, who had grown up with him.
Returning to the orphanage entrance with Grandma, Luo Xiao glanced at the clock under the eaves.
He roughly calculated the time—
It was about time to go meet that girl.
“Grandma, I’m going out for a bit. I’ll be right back.”
“Going where?”
“Yihe Jiayuan, to see a friend.”
“A friend? A girl?”
“Uh, yes.”
Grandma’s cloudy eyes instantly became clear.
She turned to look at Luo Xiao, sizing up this child who was no different from her own grandson.
“Grandma? What’s wrong?”
Luo Xiao felt a bit awkward.
“…Sigh, you’re at that age.”
Grandma sighed.
“Bring her home sometime. Grandma will cook for her!”
“No, Grandma, you’ve misunderstood. She’s just an ordinary friend…”
Luo Xiao tried to explain, but seeing Grandma’s stubborn expression, he finally gave up.
The walk to the milk tea shop was very short.
In less than ten minutes, the lavishly decorated store appeared in Luo Xiao’s sight, and that familiar green silhouette was already seated at the innermost table.
The blazing sun streamed through the floor-to-ceiling window, tracing across her clean white dress.
Her gentle, breeze-like aura flowed softly.
She was holding a finely bound book in her hands, like the flowers and wind described by poets.
This scene was like an infinitely beautiful painting, deeply imprinted in Luo Xiao’s heart.
It would have been perfect if the book the girl was reading wasn’t One Hundred Methods for Training Ancient Male Concubines.
“Sorry, I’m late.”
Xia Lan put down the book and glanced at her watch.
“Three minutes early. That’s fine. I came too early.”
“Want something to drink?”
Xia Lan pointed at the menu on the table, smiling.
“My treat.”
“Hey, you’re a girl. How can I let you pay?”
Luo Xiao clearly disagreed.
“Because I’m your master now.”
The girl blinked, speaking mischievously.
“This…”
Luo Xiao was momentarily speechless.
The shop assistant next to them looked at them in shock, seemingly unable to believe what this seemingly sensible and gentle girl had just said.
Were young people these days so bold?
The assistant drew a sharp breath and tried to act as if he hadn’t heard anything, but his mind was already filled with countless explosive scenes.
Too bad there was no mind-reading artist to draw them into a doujinshi—
Otherwise, they’d definitely sell out!
Seeing Luo Xiao’s awkward expression, Xia Lan let out a silvery giggle.
“Alright, alright, I’m just joking. But I’m still paying.”
“But…”
“If you keep this up, I’ll get angry.”
“Fine.”
Luo Xiao sighed helplessly.
Soon, two cups of regular iced milk tea were brought up, except Xia Lan asked for double sugar in hers.
“Mmm… still a bit bland.”
Xia Lan took a sip and frowned.
“This is still bland?”
Luo Xiao was sweating.
“Personal taste.”
Xia Lan put down her milk tea, then snapped her fingers.
An invisible barrier instantly enveloped them.
“This way, we won’t have to worry about ordinary people overhearing us.”
Xia Lan murmured, looking at Luo Xiao.
“So, classmate Luo Xiao, what would you like to know first?”