When that handsome face appeared before her eyes, the moment their eyes met, Yan Luo felt as if she had been struck by lightning.
She froze instantly.
The hostility and disdain that had previously occupied her expression hardened.
Her eyes widened, and her mouth hung slightly open, but she couldn’t utter a single word.
After being stunned for several breaths, an indescribable sensation washed over her.
Her cheeks began to burn uncontrollably.
‘Could it be? Could it be…?’
The brilliant, extraordinary youth who had shone so brightly at the Alchemy Convention… The one her grandfather had praised to the heavens… No, how could that be considered “praising to the heavens”?
Everything Grandpa said must have been the truth…
In short, that exceptionally outstanding young talent… was him?
Yan Luo’s lips trembled slightly.
A storm was raging in her heart, and a complex mixture of shyness, excitement, and agitation began to surge within her.
As for beating him up or giving him a hard time… ‘Did that even happen?’
Chen Yuyang’s gaze swept indifferently over Yan Luo.
Seeing her standing there in a daze with an unfriendly expression, he couldn’t help but ask, “It seems you aren’t particularly happy to see me, Fellow Daoist Yan? Could it be that I have offended you somewhere?”
“No, no, no! That’s not it! I’m very…” Hearing this, Yan Luo hurriedly tried to correct him.
However, when the word “happy” reached the tip of her tongue, she felt too embarrassed to say it.
If she said she was happy because of his arrival, wouldn’t that be… a little too obvious?
Upon hearing this, Yan Dangmo also raised an eyebrow and looked at Chen Yuyang with some confusion.
“You two actually know Radish…?”
“Grandpa!”
Hearing that rustic nickname used in front of Chen Yuyang caused Yan Luo’s face to turn beet red instantly.
She stomped her feet in annoyance and rushed forward, pounding on Yan Dangmo’s chest as she shouted anxiously, “I told you not to call me that! I have a name! It’s Yan Luo! Yan Luo!”
Yan Dangmo felt his granddaughter’s “fists of fury.”
Although they lacked any real strength, his heart was filled with confusion.
‘What is wrong with this girl today?’
Usually, when he called her that, she didn’t have such a big reaction.
Chen Yuyang maintained his usual calm expression.
He turned and answered Yan Dangmo’s previous question.
“Back when the Ziyang Secret Realm opened, I had some minor misunderstandings and disputes with Fellow Daoist Yan, but that’s all in the past now.”
“Misunderstandings? Disputes?”
Upon hearing this, Yan Dangmo’s brows furrowed immediately.
He was fully intent on playing matchmaker for them; having misunderstandings and disputes simply wouldn’t do!
Yan Dangmo immediately turned to look at Yan Luo, who was still acting spoiled in his arms.
His tone took on a hint of severity.
“Yan Luo! Explain yourself clearly. What exactly happened? You weren’t making things difficult for him or throwing one of your lady-like tantrums, were you?”
Being questioned like this, Yan Luo’s previous embarrassment instantly turned into guilt.
‘How did Grandpa know it was my fault?’
The young girl broke free from Yan Dangmo’s embrace and lowered her head.
Fiddling with the corner of her clothes, she muttered softly, “Grandpa, you haven’t even asked about the cause and effect yet. Why are you already blaming me?”
Looking at his granddaughter’s behavior, Yan Dangmo let out a cold snort.
“I can see Yuyang’s character for myself,” he said sternly.
“This boy is very steady and mature. Why would he cause trouble for no reason? It must have been something you did to upset him!”
Yan Luo bit her lip.
Hearing her grandfather make such a judgment, she couldn’t help but feel depressed.
Fine, Grandpa was now completely biased toward Chen Yuyang.
‘Which one of us is your actual relative?!’
However…
Despite her indignation, Yan Luo knew that her grandfather was right.
At that time, she had indeed been the one to speak rudely first.
“Alright, Elder Yan. That’s all in the past. Miss Yan and I have already reconciled privately, so there is no need to mention it again.”
Seeing the situation, Chen Yuyang silently noted that Yan Dangmo certainly knew his granddaughter well, and he quickly stepped forward to smooth things over.
Hearing this, Yan Dangmo nodded repeatedly with a face full of smiles.
“In that case, I can rest easy. Radish is still young and ignorant, so please be patient with her. This girl has been spoiled by me.”
“In the future, with you by her side to give her guidance, I will be much more at peace.”
As Yan Dangmo spoke, he specifically emphasized the word “guidance” while observing Yan Luo’s reaction.
To his surprise, the girl didn’t argue at all.
She didn’t show any sign of displeasure or impatience.
Instead, she kept her head down, her face flushed red as she gripped her clothes, lost in thought.
‘Could it be that this girl actually likes the boy?’
Guessing this, Yan Dangmo’s mood brightened considerably.
His decision to let them interact first was clearly the right move.
“Cough, anyway, Radish.”
Yan Dangmo cleared his throat and intentionally elongated his voice.
His gaze fell solemnly on Yan Luo, and his tone was stern.
“From now on, Yuyang will personally teach you how to control the Solar Fire. You are not allowed to be stubborn or lose your temper like before. Do you hear me?”
Intimidated by her grandfather’s rare display of severity, Yan Luo subconsciously shrunk her neck.
Her cheeks remained flushed.
After a moment of thought, Yan Luo lowered her head shyly and nodded twice.
Feeling like she should say something more, she gathered her courage and raised her eyes to look directly at Chen Yuyang.
“That… Um, I… I am Yan Luo. I am inexperienced in the ways of the world. Please… please give me your guidance in the future.”
Hearing this, the corner of Chen Yuyang’s mouth couldn’t help but twitch.
The way she said it… why did it feel like it was the wrong occasion?
The youth muttered to himself internally, but outwardly, he only nodded slightly.
“Miss Yan is too polite. There is no such thing as ‘guidance.’ We are simply encouraging each other and making progress together.”
Seeing his granddaughter’s bashful appearance, Yan Dangmo was in high spirits and couldn’t help but stroke his beard and laugh loudly.
Before long, the other disciples of the Yan family gathered outside the courtyard.
With a wave of Yan Dangmo’s hand, a luxurious and imposing flying boat, covered in burning golden flame patterns, slowly manifested.
This flying boat was both a transport and a warship.
Running it normally consumed an immense amount of resources, something only top-tier powers could afford.
After boarding the flying boat, Chen Yuyang was assigned a spacious and comfortable room, which happened to be right next to Yan Luo’s.
After settling Chen Yuyang in, Yan Dangmo gathered the Yan family members privately and warned them sternly, “Young Chen is an honored guest of our family. Everyone must treat him with absolute respect. There is to be not a single instance of offense. If anyone violates this, they will be punished according to family law. No exceptions!”
This severe speech and specific warning made all the Yan family disciples shudder.
At this moment, they couldn’t help but start speculating.
Would this young man, whom the Ancestor valued so highly, truly become Miss Yan’s husband and one of the future leaders of the Yan family?
Chen Yuyang didn’t care about the rumors or the speculations of others.
After putting away his luggage and adjusting his breathing, he walked straight to Yan Luo’s room next door.
His fingertip tapped lightly on the door, making a knock knock knock sound.
Inside the room, Yan Luo was sitting in front of her dressing table, staring blankly into the bronze mirror.
It was because she knew the deep meaning behind her grandfather’s arrangement.
Or perhaps it was because she knew that for her, this was already the best possible choice… Yan Luo, who had previously felt nothing toward the idea, couldn’t help but let her imagination run wild.
At this moment, a scene was uncontrollably playing out in her mind.
In a room decorated in wedding red, Chen Yuyang walked in and dominantly pulled her into his embrace.
Then, using those eyes that were as deep as the night sky, he gazed at her affectionately, while his forceful posture made it impossible for her to resist…
Before things could develop further, the girl quickly shook her head to banish the scene.
‘This is wrong.’
‘He and I aren’t even that familiar yet… Grandpa only asked him to teach me how to control the Solar Fire… How—how can I be thinking such shameful things…? Nothing has even been decided yet.’
Feeling the heat on her face, the girl clenched the lapel of her robe, her heart beating wildly.
But the more she tried to suppress it, the more the thoughts grew like wildfire.
Lifting her head, she looked at her unnatural expression and confused eyes in the mirror.
‘Anyway, I shouldn’t think so much… Wait, if we have a son, what should we call him…?’
‘If Yuyang marries into the Yan family, the first child must take our name… the second could take the name Chen… separating them like that would save the children from fighting over power in the future…’
Knock knock knock!
Just then, the sound of knocking suddenly rang out.
Startled, Yan Luo’s body jolted violently, and her hand knocked the comb off the dressing table and onto the floor.
“Who—who is it?”
Yan Luo stood up quickly, smoothing her expression and collar as she shouted toward the door.
“Miss Yan, it’s me.”
Chen Yuyang’s familiar voice drifted in from outside.
But that calm voice caused Yan Luo’s heart to tighten instantly.
He was here!
He had come to find her!
Yan Luo took a deep breath, trying her best to calm her racing heart.
She walked quickly to the door and pulled it open with trembling fingers.
Opening the door just a crack, the girl lowered her head slightly, not daring to look Chen Yuyang in the eye.
“Fe—Fellow Daoist Chen, do… do you need something?”
Yan Luo’s voice was very soft, filled with tension and perhaps a certain expectation.
Seeing her like this, Chen Yuyang felt helpless.
He decided to ease the atmosphere, so he deliberately curled the corners of his mouth into a somewhat teasing smile.
“Even now, you’re still calling me ‘Fellow Daoist Chen’?”
Hearing those words, Yan Luo felt as if her heart had been struck hard by something.
Her face, already slightly red, now looked as if it could drip blood.
Yan Luo quickly flicked her eyelids up to glance at Chen Yuyang before immediately lowering her head again.
“I… I understand…”
Biting her lip, the girl seemed to make a certain decision.
Then, using all her strength, she squeezed two words out of her throat.
“Hu—Husband.”