Chapter 8: The two brothers were really good at pinching each other

  "You guys seem to be having a lot of fun, I'll go attend the banquet first." The boss leaned against the old tree trunk, calmly watching for a while, and found that they had long been ignoring his existence, unable to help but speak out.

  The river water is babbling, a big one and a small one are jumping and playing in the soft mud, having a great time. On the ground, branches are drawn with stripes, as if it were a trampoline setup.

  "Boss, she bullied me because I'm short-legged." Zi immediately ran to her boss and hugged his leg, still muttering complaints.

  "Hey, what did you just say?" Fang Xiaoling narrowed her eyes and poked the soft face of the little doll with a twig in her hand, and saw Ah Zi's disdainful white eyes without surprise.

  The boss let out a long sigh and with a resolute hand gave each of them a loud slap on the face. "Get out."

  A Zi nodded reluctantly and replied, "Yes."

  Fang Xiaoling rubbed her head, made a silly face at Ah Zi with a mischievous grin, but didn't expect to be caught red-handed by the boss. Under his piercing gaze, Fang Xiaoling awkwardly touched her nose, let out a light cough, and turned away, no longer looking at Ah Zi's smug expression.

  All the way, Fang Xiaoling still didn't have the courage to ask, or rather, she didn't know what to ask. Too many words were tangled together in a knot, and she still couldn't find the thread.

  "Are you from the Xun family?" A man in a green shirt exclaimed with surprise as he saw two people, one big and one small, walking towards him. He had an inexplicable urge to burst into tears. Today, he was originally sneaking out of his house to find Xun Qing to pour out his troubles, but after wandering around for two circles, he got dizzy and hadn't even seen a single servant boy, luckily...

  Fang Xiaoling tilted her head, looked up and down at the person several times, feeling extremely familiar, but couldn't recall the person's name.

  The boss glanced at Fang Xiaoling, saw her tightly wrinkled face, and suddenly felt a pang of sadness. "We are guests invited by the Xun family, I don't know who this gentleman is..."

  "I'm here looking for Xun Qing, where is he?"

  "Xun's family is having a dinner party tonight, he should be there. I'm heading there with Xiao Tong now, would you do us the honor of joining us?" The boss spoke with a smile, his demeanor warm and elegant.

  The man had no doubt that he was someone else, but only felt that the man in front of him was elegant and refined, with words, tone, and demeanor all showing that this person was not ordinary, and suddenly had the intention to make friends.

  "Then I'll have to trouble you. My humble surname is Zhang, and my name is Zhang Zuoyan. May I ask how I should address you?" He bowed slightly and made a slight bow.

  The boss looked at him with some surprise, saying only, "Brother Zhang, the master has said that when outside, one must not reveal their name. Please forgive me for being unable to comply. Xun Qing calls me Mister, you can follow him as you please."

  Zhang Zuoyan didn't think much of him, but seeing his frank and open attitude, neither arrogant nor humble, made him want to get closer. He bowed respectfully and said, "Sir."

  The boss nodded and walked past him from the side, "If you don't leave now, dinner will be late."

  "Yes."

  Fang Xiaoling stared blankly at the scene, her tongue tied. She finally remembered this man, although Zhang Zuoyan was not a reckless person in his previous life, but that unbridled and unruly nature was indeed his trademark, just look at how he dared to play with ink on his husband's face before, it can be imagined what kind of person he is.

  But who can tell her that this humble and respectful person in front of her is actually a ruthless boss who can instantly kill with just one glance?

  A Zi glanced at her lightly and said in a low voice, "You think my family's old... Mr. is what kind of person? This foolish role really isn't eye-catching."

  Fang Xiaoling was shocked and quickly covered her mouth. Had she unknowingly expressed all her thoughts?!

  Zhang Zuoyan curiously looked at the delicate little doll and asked, "What is the little friend saying? Will you tell your brother?"

  "!!!!" Fang Xiaoling's hair stood on end, her mouth agape as she stared at him in bewilderment.

  The boss calmly stood in front of Ah Zi, stretched out his hand to Ah Zi, and gestured for him to hold it. "My little one is naturally mischievous, let Brother Zhang see the joke."

  "Haha, it's good that kids are mischievous... Yeah... I remember when I was his age, my old man controlled me so tightly, what a pain..."

  "Zhang brother is joking."

  ……

  The two of them chatted on and off, and soon they arrived at the main hall of the Xun family. Ah Zi was extremely bored, holding back her words, and it wasn't suitable for her to chat with Fang Xiaoling beside her, so she could only stare at the ground silently counting ants.

  Fang Xiaoling followed behind them, staring at the man in green shirt with a daze. After so many years, it was still these people, these scenes, and would she still be willing to be an ostrich like before, not thinking, not looking, not competing, not fighting, doing her duty as a member of the demon tribe, not interfering with human affairs... Would she?

  She patted her heart and asked herself, and the answer was always consistent - she wouldn't.

  How could humans be, and how could demons be? She only knew she had to guard him, on the path of human and demon, thousands of years ago because of this nonsense, she lost her most precious thing, he became a withered skeleton, became a lonely ghost abandoned in front of the market gate, while she became a walking corpse, locked by herself, waiting year after year...

  "Hmm..." A cold smile rose from the corner of her mouth, and the haze in her eyes gradually dissipated, like a sharp sword awakening from its slumber.

  "Huh, Zhang Zuoyan?! You little scoundrel, how did you get here without telling me? Don't you give me any face at all?" Not far away, Xun Qing sat in the seat and suddenly raised his head to see that familiar figure, but immediately changed his words to greet the person beside him.

  Only because, Ling'er is an unspeakable existence.

  "Xun brother, you actually still remember my existence, it's really too surprising for me." Zhang Zuoyan said with gritted teeth, then quickly walked up and grabbed his neck with one hand, slapped his head with a loud smack, shaking him back and forth until Xun Qing couldn't take it anymore and begged for mercy repeatedly before he finally stopped his "evil deeds".

  "Hmph, let's see if you dare to dump me with that old man again next time." Zhang Zuoyan finally vented his anger and casually picked up a cup of tea and gulped it down.

  The boss smiled and looked at them with deep and profound phoenix eyes that finally had a hint of warmth.

  "Cough... my kids are a bit mischievous, please don't mind, sir." Cuiniang helplessly looked at the two half-grown boys who were acting as if nothing was wrong, feeling extremely embarrassed, and quickly pulled the gentleman to sit down beside her. However, the doting look in her eyes didn't decrease one bit. "Come on, kids can sit here, it's good for sir to keep them company. Don't be too polite, eat whatever you want, at this age they mustn't go hungry."