The Rabbit Queen glanced timidly at Piao and said, "No, just fur, just fur."
"How did I not realize you were such a modest rabbit before," Piao stated calmly.
The Rabbit Queen let out a couple of dry chuckles.
Feng Qishi glanced at the Rabbit Queen's embarrassed smile and then at Piao staring at the Rabbit Queen, and started to chuckle foolishly.
Hearing this, both Piao and the Rabbit Queen turned their gazes to Feng Qishi.
However, the moment both sets of eyes converged, Feng Qishi became embarrassed.
Yan shifted her gaze to the man in his thirties.
"He seems very concerned about her..." she observed, looking at Tian Jiang being feignedly supported by the woman. "Sister's words."
Mu Anxiao, worried that the man in his thirties would once again turn his attention to Xiao Nian, shifted her body to the side, shielding Xiao Nian protectively behind her.
"Sister, what's wrong with you?" the woman cried out feignedly.
"What did you do to her?" the man in his thirties pointed at Mu Anxiao and asked.
Mu Anxiao dodged his gaze and replied, "What could I have done to her? It's obvious she fainted on her own."
"It must have been you." The man in his thirties pointed at Mu Anxiao and then scanned the table, asking, "Where's the teapot?"
"It was broken long ago," Mu Anxiao replied honestly.
Xiao Nian tightly clutched Mu Anxiao's clothing hem, trembling all over.
"Auntie, you need to be careful," she whispered.
Mu Anxiao gently tugged Xiao Nian's hand and whispered back, "I know." Then, her gaze fixed firmly on the man in his thirties who was glaring at her.
The man in his thirties narrowed his eyes, and just as he was about to cause more trouble, Tian Jiang woke up.
The woman feignedly called out, "Sister."
Tian Jiang opened her eyes, then closed them again. When she opened them again, she finally saw everything clearly and said, "I'm fine." She deliberately pushed away the woman's hand resting on her shoulder and stood up by herself.
The woman crouched in place, looking at her hand, which had been pushed away by Tian Jiang, in astonishment. After a moment, she looked up at Tian Jiang and said, "Sister, you hate me now."
Hearing the woman's childish words, Mu Anxiao couldn't help but twitch her lips.
Feng Qishi moved to Mu Anxiao's side and said, "You've narrowly escaped this one."
Mu Anxiao glanced at Feng Qishi indifferently, "If you don't say an extra word, do you feel uncomfortable?"
Feng Qishi pursed his lips and smiled, "Yes."
Behind Mu Anxiao, Xiao Nian looked confusedly from side to side and asked, "Auntie, who are you talking to?"
Upon hearing this, Feng Qishi turned his head and smiled at Xiao Nian, saying, "Talking to an uncle."
Mu Anxiao, unsure why Feng Qishi was being so peculiar, glared at him and said while looking down, "A ghost."
"How can you scare a child like that?" Feng Qishi said, staring at Mu Anxiao's face.
Mu Anxiao looked up at Feng Qishi for a few seconds. Just as she was about to speak, Xiao Nian said, "That ghost hasn't left yet."
"Yes," Mu Anxiao lowered her head to meet Xiao Nian's eyes, "but don't worry, that ghost isn't as terrifying as your father and your stepmother."
"You're right," Xiao Nian nodded in agreement.
Feng Qishi was speechless.
Yan said, "Feng Qishi, I also think you've said enough. It's fortunate that the woman over there is making a fuss, otherwise you would have gotten Mu Anxiao into trouble."
Feng Qishi pouted and looked at Yan, saying, "I wasn't trying to harm Mu Anxiao."
"If not, then shut up," Yan said, then looked down at Xiao Nian, "I don't want to become a ghost like you."
Feng Qishi was speechless at this.
Mu Anxiao let out a cold laugh, glancing at the woman who was wailing incessantly and then at Tian Jiang sitting on the chair, unmoved. She asked, "What's going on?"
"My father likes the little madam's sister," Xiao Nian said.
"How do you know?" Mu Anxiao asked, looking down.
Xiao Nian said, "Mother told me. Mother said that she was never liked by Father, and Father only disliked her."
"Then why did your father marry your mother?" Mu Anxiao asked again.
Xiao Nian lowered her head and whispered, "Mother said not to say."
"Tell me, I won't tell anyone," Mu Anxiao said indifferently.
Xiao Nian slowly looked up at Mu Anxiao again and said, "My mother is a woman of celestial affinity, and that's what Father fancied about her."
"A woman of celestial affinity?" Mu Anxiao repeated the phrase aloud. She quickly turned and crouched in front of Xiao Nian, then met Xiao Nian's eyes and asked, "Is what you're saying true?"
"Mhm," Xiao Nian nodded.
Because of Yan's earlier words, Feng Qishi merely looked down at Mu Anxiao and Xiao Nian, not daring to speak.
Mu Anxiao stared at Xiao Nian's face in surprise, then turned to look at the man in his thirties who was trying to mediate. She thought: That guy was once a notorious bully in the streets, committing many wicked deeds. He never killed anyone directly, but he was involved in three cases of murder by proxy. He married Xiao Nian's mother only to cleanse his sins. Therefore, Xiao Nian's current situation is also his doing. Thinking this, her eyes widened.
Feng Qishi couldn't help but say, "I can see it now."
Mu Anxiao looked up at Feng Qishi, "Explain."
"If a woman of celestial affinity marries a mortal, that mortal will gain great fortune, but the prerequisite is to remain vegetarian for three years. I suppose that guy got skinny that way. However, if the person had committed evil deeds before, then the child... in very rare cases, would be affected and develop demonic affinity. Xiao Nian is one of those rare cases," Feng Qishi said, looking down at Xiao Nian.
"If Xiao Nian survives, will there be many problems?" Yan asked.
"Yes, Xiao Nian has a physique that attracts demons, but her condition will also bring her tribulation. That tribulation is," Feng Qishi's voice became low, "she won't live past nine years old."
Listening to Feng Qishi's explanation, Mu Anxiao looked down at Xiao Nian again, "Is your mother very beautiful?"
"Mhm, very beautiful, but Father... doesn't fancy her." Xiao Nian said, pouting, "Father ruined Mother's life."
"Your mother will return, and in the future, you will live lives a hundred or even a thousand times happier than now. Believe me," Mu Anxiao said, gently stroking Xiao Nian's cheek.
Xiao Nian nodded, "Mhm, I think so too."
"Mhm, then do you still want to find your mother?" Mu Anxiao asked without thinking.
At this, Feng Qishi and Yan both tensed up.
Xiao Nian shook her head slightly, "I won't look anymore. Mother will come back, I'll wait for her."
"I'll wait with her," Bi Hu said.
Mu Anxiao looked at Bi Hu's innocent expression, which was similar to Xiao Nian's, and nodded, saying, "Mhm, you two should be good friends for a lifetime, forever." As she said this, her heart began to ache.
Yan's eyes became moist.
Feng Qishi looked down at Mu Anxiao's expression as she forced herself to speak optimistically and said, "Silly girl, you give them hope like this and leave yourself with disappointment. I really don't know what you're thinking." Search "An Xiao Feng Qi Shi Jie Zhong Wen Xue" on Baidu for the latest chapters available for free reading.