"Is he even more amazing than Brother Lin?"
"Huh?"
Wanwan's unconventional question left Lin Lan speechless for a moment, and when she spoke again, she stammered, "That...that's right, the masters my brother invited are all experts, so of course their martial arts are better than my brother's."
"But Wanwan has already made an agreement with Brother Xiao, and Brother Xiao is willing to teach Wanwan!"
With her little head drooping, she looked somewhat troubled, her small brows furrowing slightly involuntarily. Her earnest contemplation seemed to indicate that she was pondering matters of great importance concerning the nation and its people.
Lin Lan felt she had the upper hand, her eyes beaming with joy. She reached out and ruffled the little dumpling's hair. "Young Master Xiao won't mind, after all, Wanwan is striving to reach even greater heights, right, Young Master Xiao?"
Lin Lan childishly shifted the topic to Xiao Qi.
Xiao Qi, who had been silent all along, watched the brother and sister discussing excitedly with a cool gaze. His eyes were as calm as ever, and even the corners of his mouth were tinged with a meticulous and clear coldness.
It wasn't until Lin Lan suddenly asked for his opinion that his usual indifference flickered.
Like a pebble thrown into a calm lake under the moonlight, the ripples spread out and create a shower of light.
"Although Wanwan is only three years old, she is quick-witted and intelligent. She will definitely make her own choice. If there is a martial arts master with more superb skills, she will naturally choose the one with the best skills."
Xiao Qi was unaware that he was feigning indifference. "Wanwan and I didn't make any strict agreement. It's not unreasonable for the young lady of the Wan family to change her mind and choose again."
Xiao Qi's expression returned to its usual coldness, and a sense of heaviness welled up in his heart. Unconsciously, he deliberately distanced himself from Wanwan, and even changed his way of addressing her to the unfamiliar "Wan family's little girl".
Lin Lan noticed Xiao Qi's unease, but she was even more smug and gloating, completely unaware that she was pulling at a six-year-old child.
In high spirits, he even patted Wanwan's little shoulder affectionately and said with a grin, "Wanwan, look, even Young Master Xiao supports you. You can rest assured and learn from the master your brother chose!"
Wanwan felt a little awkward, her little head drooped down again, and her delicate eyebrows furrowed even more deeply.
Lin Lan spoke again, "Wanwan, don't you want to become powerful? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Young Master Xiao doesn't object. If you can't bear to part with Young Master Xiao, how about I find him a few more masters?"
Lin Lan kept comforting Wanwan, smiling brightly, and couldn't help but glance at Xiao Qi's expression.
At this moment, Xiao Qi's dark eyes remained as calm as a pool of black water, his eyelashes drooping down, casting a shadow in his dark pupils.
Xiao Qi is very good at hiding his emotions.
Seeing this, Lin Lan continued to praise her master to Wanwan, but Wanwan no longer gave a positive response. Her eyes, which had been bright just moments before, now became even more dull.
Finally, Wanwan suddenly shook off Lin Lan's hand, turned around and hugged Xiao Qi's arm again.
Xiao Qi was caught off guard by this sudden change. For a moment, his limbs stiffened, and he stood there blankly as Wanwan hugged his arms tightly.
His pupils constricted instantly, and his heart seemed to tighten in an instant. It took him a moment to adjust to the warmth from her arm, and his tense face gradually softened.
"Brother Lin, Wanwan thinks it would be better to learn martial arts from Brother Xiao."
As Wanwan embraced Xiao Qi's hand, it was as if she had entered a small boat into a harbor. The heaviness she felt while carefully contemplating earlier vanished, and she seemed to have just completed a difficult task. Her face became warm and radiant again.
Like sunlight shining on newly thawed spring water, just looking at it makes one feel warm all over.
“Brother Lin, it was Wanwan who asked Brother Xiao to teach her martial arts before, it’s wrong of her to go back on her word now, and also that… that…”
Wanwan pursed her lips, thought hard for a moment, and finally remembered the sentence she hadn't said correctly last time, "That! A gentleman's word is as good as his bond! Wanwan will also be a gentleman!"
Wanwan smiled so hard her eyes narrowed into two crescent moons. She looked up at Xiao Qi, her eyes sparkling with joy. "I won't abandon Brother Xiao until I've mastered my skills!"
With a determined yet joyful look in his eyes, like a vow or a comfort, the coldness in Xiao Qi's eyes was instantly replaced by tenderness.
Perhaps it was because it was getting late afternoon, but a soft, faint glow appeared under his eyes. "Hmm... I will teach Wanwan properly."
Lin Lan, who was standing to the side, felt as if a black crow had flown overhead.
Xiao Qi looked up at him, and when their eyes met, Lin Lan had a strange feeling that he was going to be retaliated against.
"Young Master Lin."
Xiao Qi's tone lost its coolness, and the corners of his lips curled up slightly. His words seemed to carry a deeper meaning: "I've said before that Wanwan is quick-witted and principled, and certain little tricks can't fool her."
Lin Lan was speechless, feeling both humiliated and provoked!
Ultimately, why does this kid surnamed Xiao always give him the illusion that his gaze can see right through his body?
Lin Lan's offer to help was unsuccessful, but Wanwan still decided to practice martial arts with Xiao Qi. After the festival, Wanwan visited the Xiao family even more frequently.
On this day, when Wanwan went to the Xiao family as usual, she ran into Xie Yongnian, who was picking up pebbles on the way.
Xie Yongnian shielded his eyes from the sunlight with his hand. After recognizing who it was, he became excited and quickly wiped his dirty hands on his clothes. He ran up to Wanwan with an excited look on his face, as if he had a big secret to tell her.
"Waist!"
Xie Yongnian, a secret smile on his face, said, "I have some big news for you!"
She tilted her head to look at him, the emerald green ribbon tied in her hairpin hanging down with her movements, obediently sticking to her cheek.
Xie Yongnian lowered his body and looked around, looking like he was conducting an underground transaction. He then gently covered his mouth with his hand before speaking: "Let me tell you, Wan Qiufeng got beaten up on his way home yesterday! He's still hiding at home and doesn't dare to go out! He must be afraid of getting beaten up again!"
Wanwan only responded softly. Xie Yongnian was not surprised as he had expected, and added somewhat unwillingly, "Yesterday, wasn't Young Master Xiao pushed into the water by Wan Qiufeng? I suspect that things are not that simple!"
Xie Yongnian remained elated, feeling that he had grasped the key to the secret.
In fact, although there was no concrete evidence, his guess was basically correct. Wanwan did not express her opinion at the time, but she also began to have doubts in her heart.
When she arrived at the Xiao family residence that day, she noticed Xiao Qi's guards acting suspiciously, which gave her even more reason to suspect something...
Wanwan had the answer in her heart; all that was left was to verify it. The wait for the opportunity to verify it was incredibly agonizing, and so, as expected, she kept getting distracted while practicing her horse stance that day.
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