Wan Qiusui struggled in the water like a fat pig rolling in the mud. The splashing and screams finally attracted the attention of the villagers, and people from the vicinity gathered around the three of them.

When he struggled to his feet from the water, the villagers had already surrounded the three of them in a circle, craning their necks to look inside, as if invisible hands were pulling their heads up.

"You two!"

Wan Qiusui trembled uncontrollably, whether from anger or cold, her lips turning blue. "Such a young age, yet so wicked! She actually plotted to harm me! What will she be like when she grows up?!"

After saying that, he imitated the shameless face of his family members when they tried to extort money, and spread his arms to show everyone his soaking wet clothes, just like a street vendor selling his handicrafts. "Come and see, everyone! How vicious are those two kids from the Wan and Xiao families! They actually conspired to push me into the water!"

He cried and sobbed, using his disheveled, drowned state as a means to gain pity. He stood with his arms outstretched, shouting and showing it off to everyone. Several little girls in front of him quickly covered their faces with fans and hid in the back when they saw him coming.

This persistent effort finally sparked discussion among the crowd:

"I've heard that the Wan family's granddaughter possesses extraordinary strength, could it be..."

"Young Master Xiao is a few years younger than that boy from the Wan family. Isn't it a bit absurd to deliberately drag someone into this mess..."

Just as Wan Qiusui was enjoying the discussion, Xiao Qiqing's clear voice brought an end to this farce that was continuing to escalate.

"I thought they were just playing a game with us."

Wan Qiu Sui was stunned upon hearing this. Her head, like a piece of rotten wood, turned towards Xiao Qi, only to see that the other party had a calm expression, and his obsidian eyes reflected a light unique to children, completely unaffected by the discussions of the crowd.

Compared to his intense reaction, Xiao Qi seemed to be the older one.

He couldn't stand Xiao Qi's calm and composed demeanor, and his anger flared up until his throat felt like it was burning.

"Weren't you just playing a game when you suddenly rushed out and pushed me into the sea?"

Xiao Qi seemed to be scrutinizing him from head to toe, the threatening intent quietly concealed, and the innocence in his eyes appeared instantly, making everyone who saw it think that the young master of the Xiao family was extremely naive.

"you!"

Wan Qiu Sui was furious. This guy had deliberately put him in a difficult position. He was indeed very cunning.

“Yes!” Wanwan stepped forward and stood side by side with Xiao Qi again. “When I came to find Brother Xiao, I saw Uncle Wan push Brother Xiao into the water! I thought you were playing some kind of game, but Uncle Wan left after pushing him, so we didn’t have enough fun! Look, look, our clothes are wet too.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the focus of the discussion immediately shifted, and many people began to question Wan Qiuhui.

"What's going on? Are they really playing a game?"

"Why are children playing such dangerous games? Don't the adults at home care?"

Veins bulged on Wan Qiusui's face as he glared fiercely at the two children standing side by side. The two of them, working in unison, had put him in the eye of the storm!

Now caught in a dilemma, Wan Qiu Sui, who had long been known as a troublemaker in the village, racked her brains, which weren't used much, and finally suppressed her anger: "Just like Wanwan and Young Master Xiao said, we were just playing around! Inviting everyone over was just a joke! It was all just us kids playing around!"

The crowd gasped and dispersed. A few hot-tempered individuals even reprimanded Wan Qiusui, causing her already furious face to quickly turn from ashen to a deep liver color.

After the crowd dispersed, Lin Lan, who was carrying Lin Yang'er, easily spotted the two of them.

He asked a few questions from the onlookers about what had just happened, and was about to go forward to check if his sworn sister was alright, when he saw the little dumpling who had fallen into the water excitedly chirping next to Xiao Qi.

Covered in water, Wanwan was like a rice cake that had rolled around in water, even softer and stickier. She grabbed Xiao Qi's sleeve and excitedly recounted what had just happened, even gesturing wildly when she got excited.

"Brother Xiao is really amazing!"

The little dumpling couldn't help but repeatedly express its admiration.

Xiao Qi let her pull him along, looking down at her and patiently listening to her recount the details he knew perfectly well. When he heard her praise him, the corners of his mouth involuntarily curved into a slight smile, which he then subconsciously suppressed, saying awkwardly, "Wanwan is also very clever."

The heartwarming scene of the two little figures talking seemed too incongruous to accommodate another person, so Lin Lan stopped to the side.

Although his adopted sister was young, her temperament was exceptionally unique. She rarely showed such closeness to someone with such a cold personality. Now, her attitude toward Xiao Qi was even more affectionate than toward her adopted brother, which made him feel a little jealous.

Thinking of this, he shook Lin Yang'er's wrist, "When did Wanwan and that young master Xiao meet, and when did they become so close?"

Lin Yang'er raised her little face and counted on her fingers, saying, "Young Master Xiao is teaching Sister Wanwan martial arts! Brother, let me tell you, Young Master Xiao is very powerful!"

As Lin Yang'er spoke, her round almond-shaped eyes revealed a childlike admiration and excitement.

"Really?" Lin Lan's voice was a little muffled. His two younger sisters seemed to particularly like an outsider. It was no wonder that he, as the older brother, was angry.

"Am I as good as my brother?" Lin Lan pointed to herself, the smile on her lips already unnatural.

Lin Yang'er suddenly sensed that her brother's expression was strange, and her throat tightened, unable to respond.

Before her younger sister could even think, Lin Lan pulled her along and quickly walked up to the two of them, greeting Xiao Qi as if she were talking to an adult.

Since their last meeting, he knew that Xiao Qi's mind was different from that of ordinary people, and he could not talk to him like he would to an ordinary child.

"I heard that Young Master Xiao is teaching my sworn sister martial arts. Young Master Xiao is quite skilled." Lin Lan glanced at the two of them, met Xiao Qi's usual indifferent gaze, automatically ignored him, and then turned to look at Wanwan, smiling brightly.

"Wanwan, your brother has a better martial arts teacher who can tailor a course specifically for you. Although Young Master Xiao is skilled, he is only three years older than you. I think he probably doesn't have any teaching experience. What if you get injured? The teachers your brother has found are all very experienced and skilled!"

Lin Lan herself didn't realize that she was being a little deliberate; a hint of cunning had crept into her bright smile.

"Really?"

Upon hearing the word "amazing," Wanwan's eyes lit up instantly, like pearls in autumn water suddenly illuminated by sunlight. "Is Brother's master more amazing than everyone else?"