Song Xuanhe was the first to notice Xiao Yuanmu's bad mood - he did not hide it.
"What's wrong with you?" Song Xuanhe looked carefully at Xiao Yuanmu's gloomy and cold eyes, as well as his pale face. Something was wrong, and the smile on his face disappeared, replaced by worry: "Did something happen when I was away just now?"
Xiao Yuanmu pursed his lips slightly. Seeing Song Xuanhe's genuinely worried expression, he held his warm hand and suddenly felt a little better. He shook his head lightly, "It's okay."
Xiao Yuanmu and Zhou Nan came over a step behind. They did not notice any difference in Xiao Yuanmu's mood, because in their opinion, Xiao Yuanmu's expression had always been the same. However, after hearing Song Xuanhe's question, Zhou Nan still laughed and said, "Weren't you arguing when you just came here? You made up so easily after a while apart?"
Song Xuanhe's hand, which was being held by Xiao Yuanmu, froze. In fact, he had indeed forgotten about this matter, so he had just asked Xiao Yuanmu if he was unhappy. Now that Zhou Nan reminded him, he realized belatedly that perhaps Xiao Yuanmu was not unhappy because of something that happened when he was away, but had been unhappy since he was ridiculed by him in the morning.
Song Xuanhe narrowed his eyes and gave Zhou Nan a look. Zhou Nan understood instantly, but also realized belatedly that they had just reconciled and might be pushed to the battlefield again because of his words.
So he quickly made amends, "You are definitely true love. None of Song Er's previous lovers could make him angry and reconcile."
Song Xuanhe felt that there was something wrong with Zhou Nan's words, but before he could think clearly, he saw Xiao Yuanmu lowering his eyes to look at him and asked, "Which lovers?"
"No lover!"
Zhou Nan also realized that he had said the wrong thing again. After he finished speaking, he coughed and turned to look at Xiao Shenglin, hoping that he could help him make amends.
Xiao Shenglin smiled and said, "The banquet will start soon. Xuanhe has been looking for you since we finished talking about things. Now that we have met, let's go first."
Zhou Nan was stunned and wanted to ask Xiao Shenglin why he didn't say something to help Song Er. However, before he could open his mouth, he heard Song Xuanhe say, "Let's go. By the way, Shenglin, don't you need to go over there?"
Xiao Shenglin shook his head: "I am a distant branch of the Xiao family, and I have already greeted my uncle when I came here, so there is no need to go again."
Song Xuanhe nodded and pulled Xiao Yuanmu forward very naturally.
Halfway through the walk, he paused and turned to look at Xiao Yuanmu: "You hold me so tightly."
Xiao Yuanmu relaxed his grip a little, did not speak, and took the initiative to walk with Song Xuanhe.
However, when they stopped, Song Xuanhe finally realized something was wrong. He held Xiao Yuanmu's hand a little tighter and felt a chill in his palm. When he looked up again, he found that Xiao Yuanmu's face was a little paler than usual, so he asked, "Why are your hands so cold? Your face is a little pale, too."
Zhou Nan and Xiao Shenglin all looked towards Xiao Yuanmu upon hearing this. They also noticed that Xiao Yuanmu's face seemed to be a little paler than usual, but other than that, they didn't see anything else wrong. Just in case, Xiao Shenglin also asked, "Yuanmu, are you feeling unwell?"
"It's okay." Xiao Yuanmu looked calm, with his back straight. Although his face was a little pale, he did not look sick, and it seemed that nothing was wrong.
Song Xuanhe frowned slightly and was about to say something when he saw Xiao Ranyun and the young man named Xiao coming over. They stopped in front of them and said with a smile, "Brother, Dad asked me to ask you to sit over there with Brother Zhou Nan and the others."
Xiao Shenglin was a little surprised and said, "My uncle's place is full of guests. It's not appropriate for us to go there."
The young man surnamed Xiao glanced at Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu, and said calmly: "Uncle has his own reasons for asking you to go over, so you should go over."
Xiao Shenglin didn't say anything, and Song Xuanhe frowned slightly. The look this man gave him just now was full of hostility.
"Actually, Dad asked you to come over because he heard that you have a good relationship with Brother Guan Zhi." Xiao Ranyun glared at the young men surnamed Xiao and said to them, "Brother Guan Zhi didn't come today. He seems to be feeling unwell, so Dad wanted to ask you about his situation."
Xiao Shenglin frowned slightly. Based on his understanding of the Xiao family and Xiao Ranyun's father, he was not the kind of person who would invite a stranger to chat just for a guest who was not present. Most of the Xiao family members did things with a purpose, but when he thought about it carefully, he didn't know what his uncle Xiao Nan's purpose was.
"It'll be fine." Xiao Ranyun blinked, "My dad is easy to get along with."
This is someone else's banquet. It would be rude if the host didn't invite us. So we had to go no matter what. After Song Xuanhe figured it out, he nodded and said, "Then please lead the way."
"Xuanhe brother is too polite." Xiao Ranyun said with curved eyes.
Several people followed Xiao Ranyun to the host of the banquet. She walked over and hugged Xiao Nan's arm, saying coquettishly, "Dad, I brought Brother Shenglin and the others here."
Xiao Nan is a middle-aged man with a gentle temperament. Hearing this, he touched Xiao Ranyun's hair lovingly and looked at Xiao Shenglin and the others with a smile. He smiled at Xiao Shenglin first, then looked at Song Xuan and the three and said, "I'm sorry, I don't know if I disturbed you. I heard Ranran say that you took good care of her on the cruise ship. I should have gone to find you, but the people around me... I really can't leave, so I can only ask the three of you to come over and thank you in person for taking care of Ranran."
Zhou Nan smiled and said, "Uncle Xiao, you are questioning our friendship by saying that. Ran Yun is Sheng Lin's sister. To us, she is no different from our own sister. Besides, she is also very well-behaved. We can't say that we take care of her."
Xiao Nan smiled and shook his head, saying: "My own daughter knows herself very well, she..."
He didn't finish his words, but turned his gaze towards Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu, and said gently, "If I remember correctly, you two are the Second Young Master Song and Mr. Xiao of the Song family, right?"
Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu nodded at the same time, one with a smile on his face, and the other with a cold expression, but neither of them had any intention of responding.
Xiao Nan didn't mind at all, and smiled and said to Song Xuanhe: "Xuanhe, can I call you that? Thank you very much for taking care of Ranran on the cruise ship before. Ranran mentioned you many times. When I saw you today, I found that you are indeed a handsome man."
"Thank you." Song Xuanhe smiled and said, "It's just a small favor. Mr. Xiao, you don't have to thank me specially."
"A little help is not an excuse not to say thank you." Xiao Nan said with a smile: "Ran Ran mentioned earlier that you are very good at mixing drinks and you love wine very much, so I prepared a bottle of wine as a thank you gift and sent it to the Song family."
Song Xuanhe kept smiling and said, "Thank you, Mr. Xiao."
"It's just a thank you gift, why should I say thank you." Xiao Nan said: "But since you are all friends of Ran Ran and Sheng Lin, just call me uncle."
The three of them nodded. Song Xuan thought to himself that the Xiao family was indeed not simple. A bottle of wine was a very suitable thank-you gift, but the place where it was sent was very particular. When Song Guochao knew who sent the wine, he would definitely be even more wary of him having another "big backer".
Xiao Nan looked at Xiao Yuanmu again and said, "I always felt a sense of familiarity when I heard your last name before. Now that I see you, I also feel very close to you. Maybe this is the fate of having the same last name."
Xiao Yuanmu nodded slightly and said calmly, "Thank you for your kindness, but my surname was given by the dean who found me at the time. She used the surname Xiao when she saw me in the bushes. There is no other meaning."
Song Xuanhe was stunned and looked at Xiao Yuanmu with some surprise. The book said that when the dean picked up Xiao Yuanmu, he had a jade pendant on his body with the word "Xiao" engraved on it. That's why the dean did not let other orphans who had no memory use his or her surname, but named him according to Xiao Yuanmu's jade pendant.
It's impossible that Xiao Yuanmu didn't know all this, so why would he lie at this time?
"So that's how it is." Xiao Nan was not surprised to hear about Xiao Yuanmu's background. He smiled and said, "But it's fate that we share the same surname. Yuanmu, you don't mind me calling you that, right?"
"Please feel free to do so."
"Since the dean who picked you up chose the same surname as our Xiao family among so many, it is naturally fate." Xiao Nan said this with a smile, and then turned the topic to Zhou Nan: "I just talked to your father. I heard that the resort in Nanzhou was managed and built by you when you were in college. I went there once before. It was very good. It's true that heroes emerge from young people."
Zhou Nan also laughed and said, "Uncle, you may praise me, but it's just an internship during my studies. It's not worth mentioning."
Xiao Nan was very communicative and never ignored anyone. In less than five minutes, he had thanked them one by one. It was not until the assistant beside him came to call him that he politely said goodbye to them and asked Xiao Ranyun to take good care of them.
After Xiao Nan and the young man surnamed Xiao left, Zhou Nan said, "As expected of a member of the Xiao family, I've heard before that Uncle Xiao is gentle and refined, and this time I saw that he was indeed the case."
Xiao Ranyun smiled and said, "My father is very gentle, but don't think that all members of the Xiao family are like this. My brothers and uncles all have their own tempers, and my father has the best temper."
"But sometimes a good temper is not necessarily a good thing." Xiao Ranyun's smile faded a little when he said this, and then he smiled again: "I heard that there is a castle in the sky in this hotel. I have always wanted to go and see it. Brothers, please accompany me."
Zhou Nan and the others naturally had no objection and followed Xiao Ranyun into the elevator. This hotel's castle in the sky was very famous. On the 86th floor of the hotel, there were not many people here because Xiao Ranyun had made arrangements in advance.
Xiao Ranyun sat relaxedly on the glass where she could clearly see only a small amount of traffic and people on the 80th floor. She looked at the city view excitedly, asked a few characteristic buildings what they were used for, and pouted, "China is fun, and the capital is also very interesting. I wanted to stay in China for a while, but it will be the birthday party for Young Master Xiao's coming of age soon, and all the Xiao family members have to rush back home. I wanted to stay, but my father wouldn't allow me to. After his birthday party, I will start school, and I don't know when I will come next time. I really want to stay."
Xiao Shenglin also knew this, but he was very far from the bloodline of the Xiao family and was considered a declining branch, so he had no right to attend the birthday party. So he just smiled and comforted him, "When you have another holiday, you will be able to come over naturally. When you do, just take the plane from home and I will take you out to play."
Xiao Ranyun became happy after hearing this, and talked about several things that interested him. After finishing, he couldn't help but complain: "Dad can obviously find a reason not to go to Xiao Bocong's birthday party. He won't be happy if he goes. There are rules in the manor. I really don't know why Dad has to go."
"Young Master has come of age, and it's courtesy for all the Xiao family members to go back." Xiao Shenglin smiled and comforted him, "The coming-of-age ceremony will only take three days, just bear with it and it will be over."
"I don't want to endure it." Xiao Ranyun pouted: "Xiao Baicong doesn't talk to us except for a few brothers and sisters from his family. Moreover, in the manor, only Xiao Baicong is the eldest master and the prince, and everyone else is his servant. I don't want to stay there any longer."
Xiao Shenglin frowned when he heard this, glanced at the empty garden outside, and then said sternly, "Ran Yun."
Xiao Ranyun also realized that she had said the wrong thing. She puffed up her cheeks, and seeing that there was no one outside, she pouted and said, "That's what I meant. I was just complaining. Why are you so mean to me, brother?"
"You should know what you can and cannot say."
"Can't I even complain?" Xiao Ranyun didn't expect her brother, who had always been gentle, to be so mean to her. Her eyes turned red, and she refused to show weakness and said, "I just said that Xiao Bocong didn't talk to us, and I didn't say anything bad about him. Why are you so mean to me? Should I treat him like the people in ancient times treated the monarch, and not even discuss him?"
"Ran Ran." Seeing her excited, Xiao Shenglin softened his voice and taught her, "No matter who that person is, it is not ladylike to speak ill of others behind their backs."
"I'm sorry, brother." Xiao Ranyun calmed down after venting what he had been holding in his heart. He lowered his eyes and apologized softly: "I know I was wrong."
"Don't do it again." Xiao Shenglin sighed, gently touched Xiao Ranyun's head and said nothing more.
Zhou Nan and Song Xuanhe have not spoken since Xiao Ranyun started complaining about the Xiao family. Not to mention the Xiao family's status, it is really not easy for them to interfere in other people's family affairs.
Seeing that they had finally ended the topic, Zhou Nan laughed and said, "The dishes at Castle in the Sky are also excellent. Ranran, do you want to try them? Let's order some to taste."
"Okay." Xiao Ranyun looked at Zhou Nan gratefully and smiled.
Zhou Nan stood up and went to find the waiter waiting outside.
Song Xuanhe took a sip of his drink and lowered his eyes thoughtfully. Xiao Baicong is Xiao Yuanmu's half-brother, but he does not appear very often in the book.
The book wrote that Xiao Baicong was already an adult when Yuanmu returned home, and it was difficult for him to get close to his biological brother who had just been found, so he would avoid Xiao Yuanmu most of the time. It can even be said that he did not care about this biological brother who was found home. Xiao Yuanmu lived the same life as before after he returned home, and the two of them rarely even moved around in the same circle.
——Since he doesn’t have much interaction with the protagonist, Xiao Bocong naturally has very few scenes.
The chapter in which Xiao Bacong has the most scenes is in the later part of the book - in fact, Song Xuanhe didn't know whether it could be considered the later part, because the author had let it go when writing that chapter. He could only judge that the plot had entered the later part based on the fact that Xiao Yuanmu had already established a foothold in the Xiao family and inherited the Xiao family - in that chapter, Xiao Bacong was accidentally kidnapped, and Xiao Yuanmu went to rescue him in person, but he was still one step too late. The rescued Xiao Bacong had his leg bones completely crushed. Even the best medical technology in the world could not restore his legs, and the best option was amputation.
This book is about the part where the doctor tells the Xiao family that Xiao Bocong has to undergo amputation. The last sentence is that Xiao Yuanmu's mother couldn't accept the blow and fainted with a scream. After that, the author failed.
Because of Xiao Bacong's identity and because he was the supporting character with the most scenes in the last chapter, Song Xuanhe had a very deep memory of him. When he heard the news about Xiao Bacong from Xiao Ranyun, he felt a little strange in his heart and couldn't help but glance at Xiao Yuanmu.
Xiao Yuanmu lowered his eyes and his expression could not be seen clearly. The corners of his mouth were slightly pursed, as if he was thinking about something. Song Xuanhe frowned slightly. He didn't know if it was his illusion or the light here was too transparent. He always felt that Xiao Yuanmu's face looked worse than before.
Song Xuanhe called Xiao Yuanmu, and when he looked up and saw that there was nothing unusual on his face, he felt relieved and said, "What would you like to drink? I'll get it for you."
Xiao Yuanmu refused calmly: "No need."
"Have a drink." Xiao Shenglin said, "I remember Yuanmu didn't seem to have anything to drink since he got together with us. It would be good to moisten his lips now."
Hearing this, Song Xuanhe noticed that Xiao Yuanmu's lips were also very pale. When he looked at his face carefully, he found that his temples seemed a little wet.
Song Xuanhe reached out and touched his slightly wet hair. He also felt the coldness of his cheek. He immediately raised his hand to touch Xiao Yuanmu's forehead. After finding that his body temperature was normal, he said, "Are you feeling unwell? There is cold sweat on your forehead. I will take you to the hospital."
Xiao Yuanmu pushed his hand away calmly: "I'm fine."
Xiao Shenglin also noticed the light cold sweat on Xiao Yuanmu's forehead at this time, and couldn't help feeling a little worried. However, Xiao Yuanmu insisted that he was fine, and he didn't want to interrupt, so he could only look at Song Xuanhe.
Song Xuanhe didn't know what to do for a moment. It was winter and the indoor temperature was very suitable. There was no chance of sweating. Besides, Xiao Yuanmu's skin was cold and he didn't look like he was heated. Thinking back, it seemed that Xiao Yuanmu's hands were a little too cold in the banquet hall downstairs just now.
Thinking of this, Song Xuanhe grabbed Xiao Yuanmu's hand on his leg. After feeling the coldness, his expression changed. He stood up and said without hesitation, "I'll ask someone to get a thermometer later. If your temperature is abnormal, you must go to the hospital."
"I'm really fine." Xiao Yuanmu avoided his hand, frowned slightly, and explained in a calm voice: "I didn't get enough rest these days because I stayed up late."
"What's wrong?" Zhou Nan came up and happened to hear the last sentence. He said, "There is my private room downstairs. If you haven't rested well, you can go down and rest for a while. I'll have someone send food to your room later."
Xiao Yuanmu nodded and said to Zhou Nan, "Thank you for your help." Then he stood up and looked at Song Xuanhe, "I'll rest by myself, you stay here."
After saying this, he nodded to Xiao Shenglin and Xiao Ranyun again, then turned and left.
After a while, Xiao Yuanmu walked out of the glass house in the sky. Song Xuanhe pursed his lips, said to Xiao Shenglin and others, "I'll go to accompany him," and chased in the direction of Xiao Yuanmu.
Zhou Nan looked at Song Xuanhe's back and sighed, "Song Er is really in trouble this time."
Xiao Yuanmu didn't walk fast, and Song Xuanhe soon met him and the hotel manager who was leading the way.
Song Xuanhe walked up to them in two steps. Just as he was about to speak, he saw Xiao Yuanmu's expression was slightly cold, and he said in an almost commanding tone: "Don't follow me."
"I just wanted to make sure you were okay."
In fact, when Song Xuanhe saw Xiao Yuanmu's straight back and steady steps, he felt that Xiao Yuanmu should be fine. Now he heard his voice as clear as usual, which made him more convinced that he really just didn't get enough rest. But even so, it was true that Xiao Yuanmu was not feeling well, so Song Xuanhe patiently explained to him:
"I'll take your temperature later. If you're fine, I'll go up. Don't worry, I won't disturb your rest."
However, Xiao Yuanmu did not appreciate it at all. He stopped and said in an even colder voice, "I said, I'm going to rest alone, you don't need to follow me."
Song Xuanhe also stopped and looked up at Xiao Yuanmu's frozen eyes. He wanted to say something, but when he saw the cold sweat on his forehead, he pursed his lips and stood where he was, expressing with practical actions that he could not leave.
The manager came to the rescue at this time and said, "Master Zhou's private room in the hotel is very large. Together with the two master bedrooms, there are a total of ten rooms. If Master Song and Mr. Xiao want their own private space, they will not disturb each other."
Xiao Yuanmu then raised his legs and walked into the room and said, "Just find a room, don't go into mine."
Hearing the sound of the door closing and locking in front of him, Song Xuanhe suddenly laughed out of anger. He kicked the chest of drawers beside him, turned and went into the master bedroom next door, found a chair to sit on and play with his mobile phone, and swore with a cold face that he would never interfere in Xiao Yuanmu's affairs again.
Anyway, after Xiao Yuanmu returns to the Xiao family, there will be no contact between them anymore.
They didn't know how long they had been playing when the suite's butler knocked on the door and came in to deliver food. Song Xuanhe ate a little and was about to ask someone to take it away when he snorted again. He stood up resignedly and knocked on the door: "Xiao Yuanmu, eat."
There was no response from the door. Song Xuanhe knocked louder, but for two minutes there was no sound. He suddenly had a bad feeling in his heart. He paused and started hammering on the door instead: "Xiao Yuanmu! Are you okay? Xiao Yuanmu?!"
The sound of hammering on the door was very loud, but the hotel's sturdy solid wooden door remained motionless, and there was still no movement from inside.
Song Xuanhe suppressed the panic in his heart, calmly asked the housekeeper to get the spare key, and then quickly said to the system: [Scan Xiao Yuanmu's physical condition immediately and tell me. 】
The system hesitated and said: [I can’t scan at will now…]
[Three chances.] 】Song Xuanhe's expression was calm and his voice was also calm: [Use one now. 】
[You have to think carefully. These three opportunities can save your life. Xiao Yuanmu is the protagonist. It is impossible for him to really get into trouble. Are you sure you want to use the opportunities on him? 】
Song Xuanhe looked very unhappy and said directly: [Sure, right away. 】
Before the system could answer, the door in front of him was knocked from the inside. Xiao Yuanmu's condition seemed to be no different from when he just entered the room. He looked at Song Xuanhe coldly and asked in a deep voice: "What's the matter?"
"Are you okay?" Song Xuanhe opened his eyes slightly. The housekeeper who came with the key also came back. Seeing this situation, he bowed and retreated.
Xiao Yuanmu pursed his lips tightly, feeling slightly angry at being disturbed, and said nothing.
"If you're okay." Song Xuanhe thought of the door that didn't open no matter how hard he knocked. The worried expression on his face turned cold, and he said with anger: "I won't disturb you..."
Before he could finish his words, he felt his body sink and Xiao Yuanmu fell on top of him.
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