Yang Yunhai fell silent.
Last time, when he was at the academy, it was understandable that he didn't go. But this time, he was already in Heaven Dou City. If he didn't stop by, it would be outright disrespectful.
In the original story, Dugu Bo dared to openly say to Tang San that he wanted to marry off his granddaughter because he knew Tang San's identity. Even if Tang San had been drugged that night and things had progressed to the point of no return, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan still wouldn't dare to harm him. But as for me,just an ordinary soul master with no background,Dugu Bo should still be cautious. At least he wouldn't do anything rash while Dugu Yan was still in a relationship.
Thinking of this, I nodded slightly and smiled.
"Yan-jie, I'll gladly accept your invitation."
Dugu Yan smiled at once. "That's how it should be. Without your help, I might never have recovered in this lifetime."
Then she turned toward Yu Tianheng. "Tianheng, do you want to come along?"
"I'll pass." Yu Tianheng quickly waved his hand.
From Dugu Yan's earlier tone, he already knew that Dugu Bo wasn't very fond of him right now. Going there would just be asking for trouble.
"All right then." Dugu Yan nodded slightly, but a hint of disappointment flashed in her eyes.
It wasn't the rejection itself that bothered her,it was Yu Tianheng's immediate choice to avoid the situation.
If he couldn't even face her grandfather, how could he prove himself? She had wanted to bring him along to help ease the tension between them. With Yang Yunhai,her savior,present, her grandfather wouldn't lose his temper on the spot.
That way, Tianheng would have a chance to show goodwill: at the dinner table, he'd only need to offer a cup of tea and thank Yang Yunhai in person, proving that he saw himself as her boyfriend, maybe even her future husband, and showing kindness to someone who had helped his partner.
Indirectly, it would show her grandfather how much he valued her.
As a direct heir of one of the Upper Three Sects, being willing to humble himself in this way would surely change her grandfather's opinion of him.
This was why she had invited Yang Yunhai twice in front of Yu Tianheng.
Even the last time, when she returned to the academy early in the morning with Yu Tianheng to meet Yang Yunhai on the training field,she had rushed over to bow and thank him, making a grand display. Aside from genuine gratitude, it was also meant to hint to Tianheng about the importance of Yang Yunhai in her life and to prepare him for her grandfather's attitude, so he could perform well later.
The reason she just said that without Yang Yunhai, her illness would never have been cured, was also part of this plan.
Of course, she didn't tell Yu Tianheng in advance. She wanted to see if he had changed on his own,just as her grandfather said, she needed to re-examine Tianheng from another perspective to see if he was truly worth entrusting her future to.
But in the end… disappointment rose in her heart.
She quickly composed herself, turned to Yang Yunhai and Zhu Zhuqing, and smiled. "Xiaohai, Zhuqing, see you tomorrow morning."
"Okay." Yang Yunhai smiled and nodded. Zhu Zhuqing also gave a faint smile and nodded.
Only then did Dugu Yan turn to Ye Lingling. She slapped her thighs lightly, stood up, and nodded.
"Lingling, let's head back to our room!"
"Mm." Ye Lingling nodded gently and stood in a ladylike manner.
Dugu Yan had said she didn't feel at ease letting Lingling stay alone, so they booked a room together. But to be honest, with a woman's intuition, she could tell that Dugu Yan was deliberately keeping her distance from Yu Tianheng.
As an outsider, she didn't want to interfere.
Just being there for her friend was the greatest support she could give.
"I'll head back too." Yu Tianheng got up and followed the two women out.
"Zhuqing, let's go back as well." Yang Yunhai took her soft hand, got up, and strolled toward their room.
Watching Dugu Yan and Yu Tianheng walking ahead, Yang Yunhai couldn't help but think. When Yu Tianheng refused Dugu Yan's invitation, her expression had changed slightly,she hid it well, but with his strong spiritual sense and close proximity, he could clearly feel her disappointment.
So clearly, she had really wanted him to come along.
Why was she so eager for him to join?
From her perspective, the answer became clear in moments. Yang Yunhai's lips twitched as he muttered inwardly: "As expected of Dugu Bo's granddaughter."
"But with hints this subtle, has she considered whether Yu Tianheng could even pick them up?"
"Then again, Yu Tianheng is truly Yu Xiaogang's nephew,when it comes to relationships, his first instinct is to run away. The first time, he thought about writing a letter to have the elders decide, avoiding it himself. The second time, he just straight up refused to face Dugu Bo. He never stops to think why the girl would even ask."
"Too bad Dugu Yan is no Bibi Dong or Liu Erlong. This time, Tianheng might really be in trouble."
Thinking this, he glanced at Zhu Zhuqing and smiled, then headed into their room.
Before long, after they had both showered, they lay in bed,though with Yin'e still clinging to his arm.
"Yunhai, are Yan-jie and the captain having a fight?" Zhu Zhuqing asked suddenly after some small talk.
With a woman's intuition, she too sensed something was off between them.
"It's probably not as simple as a quarrel." Yang Yunhai shook his head. Thinking he hadn't told her about Dugu Bo testing Yu Tianheng before, he lowered his voice. "It started when I suggested using a soul bone to detoxify Yan-jie."
"In truth, she wasn't suffering from some lingering illness,she was poisoned, and could have died at any time."
Zhu Zhuqing's eyes widened in shock, her expression turning serious. She began listening intently.
Yin'e tilted her head up, curious.
"…And just now, when Yan-jie invited us over and also invited the captain,if I'm right, it wasn't just to thank me. There was another reason…"
Yang Yunhai went on to share his reasoning in detail, leaving out any speculation about Dugu Bo's possible ulterior motives,since he had no proof, saying it would sound narcissistic.
When Zhu Zhuqing finished listening, a sweet warmth rose in her heart. She moved closer to him, glancing at Yin'e. Despite some small mishaps, her man was clearly decisive, responsible, and a true man.
Compared to Yu Tianheng or Dai Mubai, they fell far short.
Yin'e, though she didn't quite understand, also felt her "Yun" was amazing and kind.
On the other side, Zhu Zhuqing suddenly thought of something, and a shadow of worry crossed her face. She raised her head slightly. "Yunhai, today you defeated Yu Tianheng in front of everyone, and with what happened before… do you think they might…?"
"Don't worry, with Grandpa Dugu around, nothing will happen. He's a man who distinguishes between gratitude and resentment. I saved his life,he won't just stand by." Yang Yunhai smiled.
So treating Yan-jie was also part of Yunhai's plan?
Zhu Zhuqing thought for a moment and realized he had already done so much for her, for their "family," without her even noticing. From designing her training plan to befriending Dugu Yan, then approaching Dugu Bo, a titled Douluo,none of it could have been easy.
Anyone strong enough to be a titled Douluo was never simple. The vast gap in strength meant every step of this plan had to be taken with extreme caution,dancing on the edge of a blade wouldn't be an exaggeration.
No wonder Yunhai never slacked in his cultivation,like her, he must also have an intense desire to become stronger. Only that way could he protect himself… and protect her.
Her eyes grew hot with emotion at the thought.
"All right, Zhuqing, don't overthink it. Let's sleep,we have to get up early tomorrow." His arm tightened around her waist, his voice gentle.
Zhu Zhuqing came back to herself and nodded softly. "Mm."
If you want to read 40 advanced chapters and 3 new chapters daily, please subscribe to my : patreon.com/Moorowkeel