Chapter 369 - 169: A Love of Unknown Origin, Yet Unswerving Devotion

Chapter 369: Chapter 169: A Love of Unknown Origin, Yet Unswerving Devotion

"Aina, you’re about to turn nineteen. You need to learn to be a little more mature. You can’t just let your body mature without your mind growing up too."

Su Ran had never touched this girl, only kissed her. He had never visited the other Holy Domains.

Hmm, she was about the same as Xie Yiren in that regard—both of their relationships with Su Ran were completely platonic.

Of course, Su Ran had no intentions toward Aina at the moment. He didn’t want to cause a total meltdown.

As for Xie Yiren, Su Ran had told her, "I won’t touch you until I’ve found your family."

"...Yiren, is Su Ran always like this?" Aunt Luo glanced back at Su Ran, who was being playfully tormented by the three women. Her gaze returned to the butterfly on Xie Yiren’s head, and she felt herself growing fonder and fonder of the young girl.

"Su Ran is just that good to everyone around him."

"A ladies’ man?"

"Not really. He’s only this good to the four of us."

"Oh..."

Aunt Luo, ever the drama-loving bystander, said no more. ’As long as this old bag of bones is still around,’ she thought, ’I’ve got to see how Su Ran is going to deal with this situation down the road.’

Strangely enough, the butterfly seemed to have taken a liking to Xie Yiren, staying on her head and refusing to leave. Xie Yiren didn’t shoo it away, treating it like a hair ornament. It only flew off when Xie Yiren went back to the cave dwelling to change her clothes.

Aunt Luo had lived abroad for many years, but whenever she came back to the country for the holidays, she would return here to stay for a day or two.

At that moment, Xie Yiren was accompanying Aunt Luo to borrow eggs from a neighbor. In the courtyard, Xiao Wanqing and Liu Jinyu were busy preparing dinner at the firewood stove they had built. Su Ran and Aina were supposed to be weeding, but Aina was just slacking off, sliding her hands up and down her broomstick. With a sigh full of emotion, she said, "Su Ran... I’m so envious of the love Aunt Luo and Qin Liheng have—loving only one person for a lifetime. Aren’t you envious?"

"I guess."

"Then why did you..." Aina glanced toward the other two women. "...get involved with both of them?"

"..." Su Ran stood up, leaning on his hoe. "How about this? I’ll just take my hoe and get rid of one of them. Then there’ll be one left, and we can be a happy couple for life. How does that sound?"

"That’s ridiculous."

"I think you’re the one being ridiculous. Aren’t you just asking me that to mock me?"

By now, Su Ran was sick and tired of being asked about this "one love for a lifetime" ideal. There was nothing he could do. He longed for that kind of love, but his reality didn’t permit it. And even if it was all his fault, the facts were the facts. What could he do? It was what it was.

"And you, Aina, stop taking it out on the broom. It’s innocent."

Huh?

Aina frantically tossed the broom aside, muttered, "Stinky Baby Ran," and trotted over to Liu Jinyu to tattle on Su Ran for bullying her.

Liu Jinyu raised her palm and landed a firm smack right on Aina’s butt, making Aina yelp, "Ow!" She clutched her backside. "What’d you hit me for?"

"You little brat, can you just give it a rest? Do you know what’s going on right now? And you’re still in the mood to mess around? Shut your mouth, not another word, and go stand quietly on the side."

"You’re playing favorites! Your ’little brother’ is fooling around too, but you only hit me! Ah—I’ll shut up, I’ll shut up! Don’t hit me again!"

"Stop your yapping and go get the salt."

"The salt..." Over by the vegetables, it dawned on Xie Yiren. "Oh, I got the eggs from Aunt Qing, but I forgot to buy salt at the village entrance. I’ll go get it now."

"You rest. I’ll go." Su Ran put down the broom and started to head out of the courtyard. The landscape here was all yellow earth, giving it the feel of being on the White Deer Plain. He had only taken a few steps when Xiao Wanqing called out to him from behind.

Today, Xiao Wanqing was wearing black jeans, a form-fitting sweater, and a trench coat on top. The jeans accentuated the long, beautiful curves of her legs. She hurried to his side, took his arm, and said, "I need to grab something too."

"Is it that time of the month?"

Seeing the disappointed look on Su Ran’s face, Xiao Wanqing smiled, stood on her tiptoes, and whispered in his ear, "Nope. I’m in my safe period right now."

"Sigh, Uncle Qin just passed away. I’m trying to be abstinent for a few days. I hope Sister Wanqing can understand. Ouch—what are you pinching me for?"

"You deserve it."

Xiao Wanqing knew better than anyone what a sanctimonious act Su Ran put on day after day. He looked all righteous and proper now, but at night? He was a total pervert, staring endlessly at her long legs.

"Here." Xiao Wanqing lifted the cuff of her jeans, revealing the black stockings she was wearing underneath.

"Seriously, I don’t get you girls. Why wear pants and then put stockings on underneath? Is it about being secretly frisky or something?"

"’Frisky’ my ass. Is that any way to talk to me, your dear Sister Wanqing?"

"Well, are you saying you’re not frisky?"

Su Ran pressed Xiao Wanqing against the mud-brick wall, tilting her chin up with his hand to look at her exquisite face.

"So... is this how you’re going to bully your Sister Wanqing from now on, whenever you feel like it?"

"What’s the matter? You don’t like it?"

"I wouldn’t dare."

Xiao Wanqing shook her head, playing the part of a shy little girl perfectly. She loved acting like the weaker one in front of Su Ran. She wouldn’t use her taekwondo on him unless it was the absolute last resort.

"Su Ran..." Xiao Wanqing tugged on his sleeve, pulling him closer. "Uncle Qin loved Aunt Luo so much... will you love me like that, too?"

"Of course."

"Then if I were to die, would you still love me that much?"

"What are you talking about? I’ll never understand why you girls are always bringing up this ’will you still love me if I die’ nonsense. Using death to test love is a really stupid thing to do, you know that?"

"Okay, okay, I get it. Don’t be angry, all right?"

She let go of his sleeve, wrapping her arms around his neck instead. Looking into his eyes, she flashed a smile. They had been together long enough to understand each other without words. That look could only mean one thing: ’You can kiss me now.’

Su Ran glanced left and right to make sure no one was around, then instructed, "We agreed, just a peck. No t..."