’A Fox Spirit?’ Xiaoqian muttered to herself.

As if struck by a thought, Xiaoqian looked up and studied the young man before her. Pointing, she asked, "You are? You’re a Half-Demon too?"

Su Changliang said, "Let’s go inside first. It’s not good for us to be blocking the Mansion Gate."

"Oh, oh, right!" Xiaoqian replied obediently. "Let me help you with your things."

Su Changliang refused. "That’s not necessary. It’s not heavy, I’ll carry it."

Xiaoqian didn’t understand the etiquette involved. As a member of the host family, how could she just take a guest’s belongings?

If the head of the house saw, would they think Xiaoqian had bought these things, or that Su Changliang had brought them as a gift?

There was a proper way to do things.

Xiaoqian had been about to go out and buy some necessities for the two children, but after running into Su Changliang, she completely forgot her errand.

It wasn’t that anyone had asked her to buy these things. She had just been staying in the mansion, feeling bored, and had volunteered for the task. Otherwise, there were servants to do the shopping; there was no need for her to go out herself.

Xiaoqian skipped around Su Changliang. Very few people could see her for what she truly was, so she asked with great curiosity, "How did you know I was a fox?"

Su Changliang said nonchalantly, "I’m also a Half-Demon. Of course I can tell what you are."

As he spoke, a cyan light flashed in Su Changliang’s eyes.

Xiaoqian giggled. "Is that because I wasn’t hiding it?"

"Hiding it? What do you mean?" Su Changliang asked as they walked toward the rear courtyard.

Xiaoqian did a little spin. "Look now," she said, turning back to him. "Am I still a fox?"

Su Changliang studied her carefully. The person before him no longer had any trace of the Half-demon Race; she looked like an ordinary young woman.

"What’s this? How come I can’t tell anymore?" Su Changliang asked, confused.

Xiaoqian smiled faintly. Suddenly, two long, red, fuzzy ears popped up on her head. They twitched, full of life.

"See? I’m a Little Fox," she said. It was as if a switch had been flipped, and now Xiaoqian was a complete chatterbox, trailing after Su Changliang.

Perhaps because they were both Half-Demons, they felt an instant sense of familiarity.

Su Changliang grunted in understanding. "That’s one of your Talent Skills."

Su Changliang had read many books during his time working at the Taiping County Yamen.

Su Liyan, on the other hand, was not nearly as literate as her younger brother.

Back then, their family was poor, and Su Liyan’s father had never sent her to school.

Su Liyan’s father believed girls didn’t need to learn to read or write; they would all get married eventually anyway.

Once married, she would belong to another family, making her a losing investment.

This was especially true since Su Liyan’s father knew that his daughter, like her mother, was a Half-Demon.

In comparison, he doted on his son all the more.

Su Liyan’s father would willingly break his back farming under the scorching sun every day, just so he could send Su Changliang to a private school to learn to read.

Lu Yuan knew all about these old stories as well.

Xiaoqian said, "So, Big Brother, what’s your Talent Skill?"

Su Changliang said calmly, "I don’t have any Talent Skills. My parents told me not to use my Techniques in front of outsiders, so I don’t practice them much."

"Ohh," Xiaoqian replied.

"Brother, you’re back." Su Liyan, who had been sunning Bengbeng in the rear courtyard, looked up as her brother came into view.

Su Changliang said happily, "Yeah, Sis, I’m back. I came to see you and Mom."

Saying this, Su Changliang quickened his pace and walked briskly toward Su Liyan.

Xiaoqian stood where she was, watching the scene. Pointing at Su Changliang’s back, she thought, ’That silly boy is Sister’s younger brother. Does that mean we could be like siblings too? But would I be the older sister, or would he be the older brother?’

Xiaoqian shook her head, dismissing the thought, and followed him over to Su Liyan.

Su Changliang took Bengbeng from his sister’s arms.

Su Liyan cooed to Bengbeng, "It’s your uncle, isn’t it? Your uncle came to see his little niece."

Su Changliang said, "Sis, you’re feeding Bengbeng so well! She’s gotten so big."

"That’s because Aunt Zhao is a good feeder!" Su Liyan said.

’Oh, so that’s why,’ Su Changliang thought. Considering Aunt Zhao’s build, it was no surprise she could raise such a sturdy baby.

If Su Changliang had ever seen Aunt Zhao’s own children, he wouldn’t have thought that.

Bengbeng was simply a big eater who grew quickly.

Seeing Xiaoqian arrive with her brother, Su Liyan asked, "You two came together. Do you know each other?"

"We do!"

"We don’t!"

The two gave completely different answers.

Seeing Su Changliang’s stern expression, Xiaoqian said anxiously, "Hey! What do you mean we don’t know each other? We just ran into each other and talked for quite a while!"

Su Changliang, holding the baby, said, "Do you even know my name? We were strangers before."

Su Changliang’s reply left Xiaoqian speechless. It was true; she hadn’t asked for his name.

Seeing how dense her brother was being, Su Liyan stepped in to smooth things over. "His name is Su Changliang. He’s my own younger brother. And this is Xiaoqian, a dear sister to me. There. Now you’re formally acquainted."

Xiaoqian fiddled with her lips and mumbled, "So... is he an older brother or a younger brother to me?"

After they exchanged information, they found out that Su Changliang was over a year older than Xiaoqian.

"So he is my big brother, then," Xiaoqian said with a smile, revealing two charming little dimples.

Su Changliang looked at Xiaoqian and said, "Hello. I guess we’re family now."

"Hmph! What do you mean, ’I guess’? Your sister and I *are* family," Xiaoqian said, shaking Su Liyan’s arm intimately. She then made a face at Su Changliang and stuck out her tongue.

"Oh! Right, I forgot to buy things for my little niece. I can’t talk anymore, Sis, I’m going!" Xiaoqian suddenly remembered her errand and turned to leave.

As Xiaoqian walked past Su Changliang, she didn’t forget to let out a playful little huff in his direction.

A Little Fox’s nature is quite lively. Since leaving Dongchang City, surrounded by everyone’s care, Xiaoqian had become more and more cheerful and vivacious. She was no longer the reserved, helpless girl she had been when she was all alone.

The moment Xiaoqian stepped over the threshold of the Mansion Gate, she concealed her aura and skipped off to do her shopping.

Previously, many men on the street would look her up and down, staring at her face and figure until her skin crawled.

Back in Dongchang City, Xiaoqian hadn’t been allowed to go out, so she naturally didn’t understand why the men on the street would stare at her so intently.

Later, Xiaoqian learned that her unique aura was something ordinary men found irresistibly alluring.

So now, Xiaoqian had learned to conceal her aura, hiding it completely within her body whenever she went out.

But Xiaoqian couldn’t keep her aura completely suppressed for long, just as a fish cannot stay out of water. Even a massive whale has to surface for air every ten-odd minutes.

Xiaoqian was overjoyed as she picked out all sorts of things on the bustling street. Shopping was her favorite thing in the world.

Su Liyan looked at her brother. Su Changliang was still holding Bengbeng, but his mind was elsewhere. "Brother," she asked, "what are you thinking about?"

"About Xiaoqian. She’s a very lively girl," Su Changliang said calmly.

Hearing this, Su Liyan smiled and teased, "Brother, you haven’t fallen in love, have you?"

Su Changliang retorted, "What are you talking about? I..."

Seeing the slightly flustered look on his face, Su Liyan became even more certain she was right.

A woman’s intuition is always frighteningly accurate!

Su Liyan cut in, "Then why were you so cold to her just now?"

Su Changliang snapped out of it. "Me? Was I?"

"Yes!"

Su Liyan said decisively, "You are! You’re such a blockhead. You’ve been rigid and dense since you were a child!"

Exasperated, Su Liyan poked her brother on the forehead, then snatched the baby back from his arms. "Alright, that’s enough. Don’t hold her anymore, or you’ll infect our Bengbeng with your denseness."

Su Changliang was utterly baffled. "That... that’s not contagious, is it?"

"Go on, go! Mom’s in her room. Hurry up and take your things and go see her."

"Oh, okay." Su Changliang obediently picked up his things and went to see his mother.

Su Changliang was always very obedient when it came to his sister. Perhaps it was subconscious.

The moment Su Changliang entered his mother’s room, Su Liyan, who was right behind him with the baby, announced, "Mom, your son’s in love!"