After Zhaozhao returned to the small apartment, she searched the whole house but didn't see her cousin. She had rushed back early on purpose, worried that her cousin would be anxious if she came back at night and didn't find her.
But unexpectedly, they missed each other.
She couldn't be late for the appointment with Lu Chukong, so she had to call her cousin first, still holding the excited Taotie in her arms.
"Zhaozhao?" On the other end of the phone, Song Yao seemed to be doing something. It was quite noisy, and Zhaozhao vaguely heard Uncle Song's voice.
"Yes, it's me, cousin. I'm going out tonight. I'm just letting you know in case you come back and don't see me and get worried." Zhaozhao held the phone and reported to Song Yao while closing the door behind her.
As soon as Song Yao heard that she was going out at night, her voice couldn't help rising a few octaves: "You're going out? What for? Who are you going with?"
Because she had received a call from Su Yuan during the day and Su Yuan's crazy talk about taking Zhaozhao to raise, Song Yao was now extra concerned about Zhaozhao's whereabouts. She was afraid that the child would be abducted if she wasn't careful.
"I'm with Taotie. We're going to find Lu Chukong. He's going to show us something interesting."
Thank goodness. As long as she wasn't going with Su Yuan. Song Yao glanced at her father behind her and told Zhaozhao on the phone, "Remember to turn on the shared location, and come back early."
"Okay, I know, cousin."
After giving Zhaozhao the instructions, Song Yao hung up the phone.
Song Changyang looked calm on the surface, but actually his ears were always focused on Song Yao's phone call.
"Was that Zhaozhao calling? What did she say?"
Song Yao didn't answer her father. She turned around and gracefully sat down opposite him. She quietly scanned the others around, indicating for them to leave. She wanted to talk to her father alone.
Poor Song Changyang, the current head of the Song family, a great family in the mysterious world, had to bow his head in front of his daughter.
"Just say what you want. As long as it's not too excessive, Dad will find a way for you."
With her father's promise, Song Yao felt a bit more confident. She thought this wasn't an excessive request at all. It was something her father should do.
"Hey, girl. Don't just stare at your dad. Say it quickly." Song Changyang couldn't stand his daughter's strange look. He tapped the table with his hand, signaling Song Yao to speak up.
"Cough... cough..." Song Yao strategically cleared her throat and said, "I want you to warn Su Yuan. Tell him not to have any thoughts about a young girl at his age. Zhaozhao is still so young. That old monster has no good intentions!"
Father Song Changyang: "..."
"What's wrong? Isn't Zhaozhao your niece? Isn't this something you should do?"
Song Changyang knew that Song Yao was over - protecting Zhaozhao, but the temper of this little princess in the family was really something no one could provoke. He could only say euphemistically, "Yaoyao, Zhaozhao is already an adult."
It meant that Zhaozhao knew what she was doing and wasn't that easy to be deceived.
However, Song Yao didn't listen. She clung to her father stubbornly: "She is an adult, but her mental age is not that mature. Su Yuan is taking advantage of this. He even asked me to let him raise Zhaozhao today! Isn't that absurd? Sending the second young lady of the Song family to be raised by the head of the Monster Management Bureau. What's that all about? Don't you care about your reputation, Dad?"
Song Changyang was dizzy from her nagging. As for reputation, after living to his age and experiencing so many things, it didn't really matter to the head of the Song family.
Knowing that he had to explain it clearly to Song Yao today or she wouldn't let it go, he took a sip of tea and stated the facts and reasoned with her.
"Zhaozhao and Su Yuan are predestined lovers. They can't be separated. So stop causing trouble. And that child Zhaozhao likes Su Yuan, and Su Yuan is so good to Zhaozhao. Sometimes I really don't understand what you're not satisfied with?"
Song Yao was stunned by her father's words "predestined lovers". What the hell? How could they be predestined? How did the matchmaker tie the red string?
"How do you know they're predestined lovers?"
"Zhaozhao showed amazing talent during the competition. At that time, several elders wanted to take her as their disciple, so they called her over to have a look." Song Changyang slowly took another sip of tea, deliberately keeping his daughter in suspense and not continuing for a long time.
"And then? Dad, just tell me quickly!" Song Yao was so anxious that she almost wanted to grab her father's neck.
"Then Su Yuan accompanied her. When they passed by the Matchmaker Stone, the stone lit up, and it glowed red."
As the name suggests, the Matchmaker Stone is used to test the fate of lovers. It was brought back by an elder of the mysterious world after traveling all over the world. It is said that it was once enlightened by the matchmaker. As long as two lovers pray and make a wish in front of the stone together, they can see the fate between them through the stone.
And Su Yuan and Zhaozhao just passed by the stone, and it lit up, even glowing red. This was enough to show that they were a perfect match.
However...
Even so, Song Yao was still worried: "Monsters have a long lifespan, while humans only live for a few decades. Moreover, Su Yuan never ages. I don't believe he can be consistent when facing an old and gray - haired Zhaozhao in the future. Dad, this is not a good choice for Zhaozhao."
Hearing her mention the theory of life and death and lifespan, Song Changyang raised his eyebrows imperceptibly and only said, "You don't have to worry about this. Everything is up to fate."
"I... No, Dad, what do you mean?"
"Yaoyao," Song Changyang closed the teacup. He said to his daughter earnestly with a somewhat helpless tone, "What you choose may not be what Zhaozhao wants. Do you understand?"
Song Yao lowered her head and said nothing.
"Dad knows you're worried about her, but you can't watch over Zhaozhao like this for a lifetime. You should learn to let go."
"I know, but I just think it's not the right time yet." Song Yao raised her head and argued with her father.
Song Changyang looked into her eyes and asked seriously, "Then when do you think is the right time? Song Yao, you don't have to be so nervous. That incident back then wasn't your fault. It's long over."
Hearing her father mention that incident again, Song Yao's face instantly changed.
"I know." She put away all her expressions and rushed out of the door in a hurry.
Saying that the past was over, but could it really be over? Looking at the setting sun in the sky, Song Yao smiled self - deprecatingly.
She patted her face, forcing herself to pull out of her emotions, and then went to the place where the Matchmaker Stone was stored.
Song Yao borrowed the Matchmaker Stone. That huge stone shrank into the shape of a small mirror in her hand.
She was going to see just how deep the entanglement between Zhaozhao and Su Yuan was. There must be a way out. They couldn't be really bound together.