Ye Wanqing squatted in front of a shop, her chin resting on her hand, her cheeks puffed out in anger.
Her gentle and mature figure sat sulking in front of the shop, attracting quite a bit of attention to the street and the store.
The shopkeeper chuckled, "Miss? Has the person you're waiting for not arrived yet?
Why don't you come inside and sit for a while?"
Ye Wanqing shook her head. "It's fine. I'll wait outside for her. Maybe she got lost?
If I stay outside, she'll see me right away."
The shopkeeper smiled. She was just being polite. She secretly hoped Ye Wanqing would stay outside. With such a beauty attracting customers, today's sales had already increased significantly.
Bored, Ye Wanqing fiddled with the pebbles on the ground, picking one up and tossing it into the distance.
"Stupid Ling Yuan, how dare you stand me up! I'm never talking to you again!"
A figure in a black tight-fitting outfit suddenly appeared out of thin air, a smile on her face:
"Really? You're not going to talk to me?"
Ye Wanqing pouted, stood up, and brushed off her skirt.
"Talk to you? Is someone talking? I can't hear anything. Oh, it's time to eat. I'm leaving~"
Ye Wanqing walked past Ling Yuan as if she didn't exist, deliberately bumping her shoulder against Ling Yuan's to vent her frustration.
"Giggle~"
Ling Yuan couldn't help but laugh. She reached out and took Ye Wanqing's hand, pinching her round cheek under Ye Wanqing's fierce gaze, teasing:
"You're still acting like a child. You're so cute when you're angry."
"Ugh, get away from me~"
Ye Wanqing blushed furiously, swatting away Ling Yuan's mischievous hand. Every time they met, Ling Yuan would touch her there. It was so annoying...
Ling Yuan clicked her tongue. "It's gotten bigger again. Tell me, is there some secret? Spill it!"
Ye Wanqing looked down at her with disdain:
"It's natural talent. And isn't yours enough? Just the right size to hold. If it were as big as mine, you'd feel so heavy walking around every day."
"For us soul masters, what's a little extra weight?
I'm serious, tell me, is there a secret or not, huh?"
Ye Wanqing stopped walking and looked at Ling Yuan suspiciously:
"What's wrong with you today? You never cared about these things before.
Unless...
Oh~ I get it. The few hours you stood me up, you were off meeting a little lover, weren't you?!
Tsk tsk, I never thought you'd finally open your eyes!"
Ling Yuan's face turned red, and she coughed lightly:
"Don't talk nonsense. Who's fallen in love? Not me.
It's just... I suddenly wanted to take better care of myself."
Ye Wanqing narrowed her eyes and sneered:
"I said you've fallen in love? You're giving yourself away!"
Ling Yuan's expression stiffened. She grabbed Ye Wanqing's hand, ignoring her protests.
"Come on, let's go eat. I'll treat you to your favorite emperor crab."
Ye Wanqing shouted:
"Even if you feed me and shut me up, you can't change the fact that you've fallen for... mmm."
Ling Yuan panicked and covered Ye Wanqing's mouth, glancing around to make sure no one was paying attention. She sighed in relief.
"Ye Wanqing, my dear, please, stop talking nonsense, okay?"
Ye Wanqing looked at Ling Yuan with a hint of resentment. "Ling Yuan, you've changed. You used to call me Qingqing."
"Did I? I don't remember."
"Yes, you did."
...
The two arrived at a restaurant. Ye Wanqing sucked on her fingers and wiped off the grease.
She asked seriously:
"So, you're saying you've fallen for a man younger than you?"
Ling Yuan nodded.
"Ah, what's the big deal? My brother-in-law is a few years younger than my sister too. What are you afraid of? Just go for it!
With your beauty, just a flick of your finger, and those men would come crawling to you."
Ye Wanqing looked up, humming proudly.
Ling Yuan spoke weakly:
"Well, he's quite a bit younger..."
Ye Wanqing frowned, sensing something was off:
"How much younger?"
"Um...", Ling Yuan turned her head away, "about a dozen years."
"How much?!"
Ye Wanqing shot up from her seat, fast.
Her pupils dilated, and she stared at Ling Yuan in shock.
Ling Yuan, embarrassed by her reaction, rubbed her forehead and forced a bitter smile.
"Well, that... uh..."
Ye Wanqing scratched the back of her head, her face conflicted.
"Well, it's not a big deal. Title Douluo can live for hundreds of years. Just wait for him to grow up a bit, and it'll be fine, right?
You have no idea, but in Heaven Dou City, I've heard... just heard, okay!
Those nobles are wild. There's a lady in her forties in the west of the city who married a soul master who just became an adult a few years ago.
And no one really criticized them.
So, don't worry about it. I support you, no matter what."
Ling Yuan sighed softly. "Qingqing, it's so good to have you."
Ye Wanqing sat down beside Ling Yuan, gently rubbing her hand, comforting her:
"Of course! We're best friends, after all. Friends should unconditionally support each other's choices!"
Ling Yuan was deeply moved and ordered three more plates of emperor crab for Ye Wanqing.
Ye Wanqing wiped her mouth, thoroughly enjoying herself.
After finishing the meal, Ye Wanqing patted her round belly and let out a satisfied burp.
"Come on, let's go back with me. I'll give you some advice."
Ling Yuan looked at her in confusion:
"You?
You've been single your whole life. What kind of experience do you have?"
Ye Wanqing paused, then retorted:
"I may not have experience, but my sister does!
Did I forget to tell you? My sister and brother-in-law are in a similar situation as you."
Ling Yuan suddenly realized and asked:
"Speaking of which, your sister had a baby, right? If I recall, she's over three years old now?
Her martial soul awakening..."
Ye Wanqing's eyes dimmed, her tone melancholic:
"Yeah, if nothing goes wrong, once Lingling awakens her martial soul, my sister will..."
Ling Yuan's heart tightened:
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought that up..."
Ye Wanqing forced a smile:
"It's fine. This is the fate of our Nine-Hearted Begonia family. Everyone knows it...
Let's not think about that. Come with me. Let's ask my sister for some advice. She can give us a proper lesson."
"Alright..."
Ling Yuan was pulled along as they headed east. Watching Ye Wanqing's lively figure, she couldn't help but sigh.
Heaven had given the Nine-Hearted Begonia family the most powerful healing-type martial soul in the soul master world, but it had also taken away the possibility of further family inheritance.
Every time a Nine-Hearted Begonia soul master awakened, the previous one would lose their life.
It was truly a cruel twist of fate. Not only did the martial soul have only one soul skill, but the inheritance also came with such a restriction...
Restriction?...
Ling Yuan's eyes lit up. Perhaps this was a martial soul defect?
Could Xiao Feng possibly solve this problem? After all, his theoretical talent was unparalleled.
Thinking this, Ling Yuan's previously heavy heart lightened a little.
She went from being dragged by Ye Wanqing to walking side by side with her.
She took Ye Wanqing's hand and smiled:
"Let's do as you say. We'll visit your family first."