Chapter 3 What Are You Doing Here So Late?

"What are you doing here so late?"

A clear, youthful voice interrupted Lu Xiaoyao's thoughts of testing her limits.

Everyone turned to look at the person standing at the door, their expressions varied.

Mei Jiu was completely oblivious, her face blank.

A flash of surprise crossed Mingmei's bright eyes.

However, she concealed it well. The only one who lost her composure was Lu Xiaoyao.

"B-Big Boss? You're here too?!"

Like Mingmei, who had shrunk into a tiny little thing, Lu Xiaoyao didn't immediately recognize her, but she easily recognized Mu Chen's teenage appearance.

However, this wasn't the Mu Chen they knew.

"Big Boss?"

The boy raised an eyebrow slightly upon hearing this. Mingmei inwardly cursed.

The boy, sensing the undisguised familiarity, asked, "May I ask which peak this senior sister is from?"

Lu Xiaoyao: ???

This tone, this attitude, could it be…

Was she mistaken?

Before Lu Xiaoyao could say anything, Mei Jiu instinctively pulled Mingmei behind her, her small face full of vigilance, and asked, "And who are you? Your attire doesn't look like someone from Pure Cloud Mountain."

Pure Cloud Mountain disciples wore special white snow-silk robes.

Embroidered with protective runes in gold or silver thread, while the boy before them was dressed in a lake-green robe, clearly different from Pure Cloud Mountain's attire.

Since Mingmei hadn't left the peak in the morning, Mei Jiu had been with her and didn't know who had arrived today or who was staying here.

Hearing Mei Jiu's question, Xie Chen's gaze naturally fell on the two similar-looking young girls beside her. He smiled, gentle as a spring breeze, and bowed. "My name is Xie Chen. My master is Xie Zhen, the Sect Leader of Bu Tian Gate."

"Oh, oh~~ You're the big…!"

Before Mei Jiu could blurt out "big liar," Mingmei quickly covered her mouth.

Back when she was born, Sect Leader Xie Zhen had declared her a Heavenly Star of Solitude, destined for shallow relationships. Over the years, her mother had often called the Xie Sect Leader a big liar, saying everything he said was false.

"So you're the disciple of Sect Leader Xie that my mother mentioned. Pleased to meet you."

Her baby fat hadn't completely disappeared, yet the polite words she spoke like an adult were strangely endearing.

Lu Xiaoyao was immediately amused by their exchange. Then, a thought struck her.

This ten-year-old boy looked just like the Big Boss! And the two little girls, especially the one with the cold face who spoke so seriously, didn't she look like Mingmei?!

"Holy crap!"

Lu Xiaoyao was shocked by the game planner's "sly" move.

What kind of ultimate CP fan was this?

Having been rebuffed by the "Big Boss" earlier, and seeing Mingmei, along with another cute little girl, she instinctively thought Mingmei was also an NPC.

"What are you shouting about? You're holding a plate." Mei Jiu, who hadn't caught Lu Xiaoyao's outburst, looked at her and tilted her head. "You newbie disciple is so silly~"

Lu Xiaoyao: ???

Was this tolerable?!

"Little brat, I…" Lu Xiaoyao took a deep breath, intending to verbally educate Mei Jiu. However, the boy's dark, deep eyes suddenly turned to her, and he said, "This junior… junior sister, since you've just joined the sect, it's best to refrain from saying certain things."

After he spoke, Lu Xiaoyao couldn't help but shiver.

She was once again certain that his gaze was too terrifying. Although Mu Chen's eyes were usually cold, this sudden burst of murderous intent, looking at her as if she were a dead person, was almost nonexistent.

What was going on with this NPC?

Lu Xiaoyao wasn't the only one confused. Mingmei was equally puzzled.

Mu Chen wasn't surnamed Mu, but Xie?

Mingmei instinctively lowered her head, staring at the floor tiles, carefully recalling her vague childhood memories. However, the more she thought, the more horrified she became—

Her clear childhood memories, except for those about her family, seemed to be fading away.

Was this boy really the Mu Chen of the past?

Mingmei turned her head again and met those same eyes that had been filled with murderous intent but now were gone, replaced by gentle eyes looking back at her.

"My master is having a nightcap with Sect Leader Qi, and sent me to check if the Spirit Food Hall has anything left to eat." Remembering why he was here, Xie Chen explained his purpose to the three of them.

"Ah, there's nothing left here."

Lu Xiaoyao knew about this. She washed the dishes, scrubbed the pots, and the last plate of snacks was in their stomachs. There really was nothing left in the Spirit Food Hall now.

"That's unfortunate." Xie Chen sighed softly, then greeted the two of them. "It's getting late. Should this disciple escort you two junior aunts back?"

"Eh? Junior aunt?"

Lu Xiaoyao was stunned. Looking at the two little girls who were only a few years old, how had they suddenly become seniors?

"You really don't know?" Where else in Pure Cloud Mountain could you find such different twins?

One was surrounded by spiritual energy, while the other had no spiritual energy at all. Who else could they be besides Real Person Mingxiao's twins?

"The two of them are daughters of Real Person Mingxiao, the Grand Elder of Pure Cloud Mountain. Real Person Mingxiao's seniority is such that even Sect Leader Qi must call him 'Uncle Master.' Naturally, the two of them are of the same generation as the Sect Leader. For now… you can temporarily call them 'Junior Aunt' as well."

Xie Chen didn't make his words absolute, implying that if Lu Xiaoyao were to be accepted as a disciple by someone in the sect and their seniority was very low, then the address…

Xie Chen's words carried a lot of weight, but Lu Xiaoyao's heart was already stampeding with ten thousand mythical beasts!

She had naturally heard the senior sister's explanation while working today.

The explanation was about the origins of the big boss in charge of the Spirit Food Hall, and the fact that he had two daughters.

So…

The daughter she had been trying to curry favor with today had not only been petted by her, but she had almost lectured her?!

Mingmei watched as Lu Xiaoyao suddenly slumped, her figure seemingly turning gray.

Oh heavens, what was she going to do?

Was she going to lose even the leg hair this time?

"No need for you to escort us. My sister and I will go back ourselves." Mei Jiu, like a little adult, wrinkled her nose, seemingly unimpressed by the sudden display of goodwill.

After rejecting him, Mingmei was led away by Mei Jiu, who was as protective as a mother hen. Leaving the Spirit Food Hall, Mingmei couldn't help but look back at the boy who had been standing at the door the entire time, without ever stepping inside.

Before him was light, and behind him was an endless darkness.

He wasn't Mu Chen.

Mingmei also realized that this boy wasn't being played by Mu Chen. She was worried about where Mu Chen had been placed in this game world.