"Hey, Young Master Song..." Yong Shanling coughed twice and was about to speak.
"Please, don't call me that!" Song Yiran waved his hands quickly. "Just call me by my name, Little Immortal!"
"Okay, Yiran," Yong Shanling snickered. "I didn't expect you to welcome me so much. I'll give you a welcome gift!"
She pretended to rummage through her small bag and stuffed a bead into Song Yiran's hand. The bead was round and smooth, emitting a faint glimmer in the sunlight.
There was a curve in the center of the bead. At first glance, it looked like a cat's eye stone, but upon closer inspection, it was more lively than a cat's eye stone.
"What... what kind of treasure is this?" Song Yiran held it carefully, afraid that it would slip out of his hand.
"This is a heavenly bead that's rarely seen on the top of Tianshan Mountain in a century," Yong Shanling said seriously. "Meeting me is also your good fortune. Remember to do a good deed every day and pray to the heavenly bead in the future!"
"Sure, I'll find a box to put it in right away!" Without even greeting Mu Yijie, Song Yiran carefully climbed up the stairs with the bead in his palm.
Yong Shanling burst out laughing at his funny look.
"Did you lie to him?" Mu Yijie, who had been watching silently for a long time, suddenly asked.
"Not really. The heavenly bead is indeed from the top of Tianshan Mountain and is a precious item. But the rarest one is the nine - eyed heavenly bead, and the one I gave him is just a three - eyed one," Yong Shanling stuck out her tongue. "But the three - eyed heavenly bead can also bring him good luck. I didn't lie. I just wanted to teach him a lesson for his attitude when we first met."
"Uncle, you're not mad at me, are you?" she asked with a grin.
"It's time for Yiran to learn a lesson. He should be less showy in the future," Mu Yijie said without getting angry. "But don't use your abilities to deceive people in the future. Be more low - key. Understand?"
"Okay—" Yong Shanling drawled. "Uncle, you sound so old - fashioned. You're just like my old man." She made a face. "I got it!"
"Let's go. I'll show you your room upstairs."
Mu Yijie bent down to pick up her small suitcase and led Yong Shanling upstairs to a room next to the master bedroom.
"My bedroom is just on the other side of the wall. Since you're my bodyguard, you should live close to me. Assistant Fang will prepare your daily necessities. If you need anything else, just tell me."
Looking at Yong Shanling, whose height only reached his chest, Mu Yijie had an illusion that he was exploiting child labor.
After he left, Yong Shanling happily took a shower, put on a light nightgown, and happily rolled on the bed a few times.
"It's a pity that the old man didn't come with me. I really wish he could live in a big house and sleep on a soft bed..."
"Knock, knock."
"Little Immortal, it's time for dinner."
Yong Shanling opened the door. Song Yiran was standing outside respectfully, inviting her to go downstairs. To welcome her, the nanny had cooked a table full of delicious dishes, which made Yong Shanling's mouth water.
But in front of the adoring Song Yiran, she had to maintain her grace and eat slowly. Opposite her, Mu Yijie was looking at her with a half - mocking look.
She puffed out her cheeks and had to accept the consequence of trying to look cool.
"Uncle, can I stay here tonight?" Song Yiran asked.
Considering that Song Yiran had had a bad day and was scared because of him the day before yesterday, Mu Yijie nodded.
Unexpectedly, Song Yiran took advantage of the situation and looked at Yong Shanling eagerly. "Can I stay with the Little Immortal?"
"Pfft!" Yong Shanling almost choked and her face turned red.
Mu Yijie's eyes instantly turned cold and his face was solemn. "Song Yiran, I think you should be sent for proper discipline!"
"Don't, don't, Uncle. Don't be angry!" Song Yiran waved his hands frantically. "I have no disrespect for the Little Immortal. I'm really scared," he said with a mournful face. "I feel like monsters will come for me as soon as I close my eyes..."
"You're a grown man. How can you be so timid?" Yong Shanling looked at him with disdain.
"Please, Little Immortal. Do something to save me," Song Yiran bowed to her.
Mu Yijie was both angry and amused. These two unreliable people together were just double the trouble.
"You'll stay in the same room with me. She's just next door," Mu Yijie finally compromised. After all, he was still worried about his nephew.
"Thank you, Uncle!" Song Yiran cheered.
At nine o'clock in the evening, the three of them were sitting on the sofa watching a projection. Song Yiran sat in the middle, claiming it made him "feel safe".
After a while, there was a sudden knock on the door.
The nanny went to open the door. At the same time, Song Yiran shrank into the sofa and stammered, "Who would come here at this late hour? In movies, this kind of situation usually means..."
"Shut up!" Mu Yijie scolded him speechlessly.
The door opened. Before the person appeared, the crisp sound of high - heeled shoes clicking on the floor could be heard.
"A Jie~"
Hearing this soft voice, Mu Yijie relaxed his expression.
Noticing this, Yong Shanling puffed out her cheeks for some reason and felt a bit uncomfortable.
"Who is it? She sounds so intimate. Uncle seems happy..."
The sound of high - heeled shoes came closer. First, a large embroidered skirt came into view. A woman in a long dress walked in gracefully. Her hair was curled perfectly, with light makeup and red lips. She was charming and attractive.
She smiled at Mu Yijie. Then her eyes swept over the other two on the sofa, and her expression suddenly changed. The smile disappeared.
Yong Shanling suddenly felt a strange sense of nervousness. She watched as the woman walked quickly over— and slapped Song Yiran on the head!
"Are you crazy, you stupid kid? Don't you have any sense? Why are you here as a third wheel at this late hour!"
"Mom! Why are you hitting me? You've wronged me!" Song Yiran cried out with a look of despair.
"Mom?!"
Yong Shanling was so shocked that her mouth fell open. This beautiful woman was actually Song Yiran's mother? Then that meant...
"Sister Yun, stop hitting the kid," Mu Yijie calmly pulled Xu Yun to sit beside him.
Xu Yun gave her stupid son another sideways look. Then she turned to Yong Shanling and immediately smiled brightly. "Oh, this must be Little Ling'er. You're just like your name, so full of aura!"
She grabbed Yong Shanling's hand and motioned for her stupid son to get out of the way with her eyes. Then she asked with a smile, "How old are you this year, Little Ling'er?"
Yong Shanling was rarely at a loss. She stammered, "I... I'm eighteen..."
"Adult? That's good, that's good." Xu Yun seemed to relax. Then she asked "kindly", "How did you meet our A Jie?"
Yong Shanling saw Mu Yijie's hint and blinked her eyes. "Uncle is a good person. He helped me a lot!"
"Oh, so it's a hero saving the beauty!" Xu Yun's dimples showed as she laughed. She looked radiant.
"Yeah!" Yong Shanling nodded along with her words. "Yiran also helped!"
"What help could he offer? He's more likely to cause trouble!"