"Okay."
Xue Tianyu nodded.
He looked gently at Qian Renxue, letting her hand caress his face. "Once I've taken care of a few things, I'll stay with you. Always."
Seeing how serious he looked, Qian Renxue beamed with joy.
She reached out her pinky finger and hooked it into a curve.
"Here, pinky promise! Anyone who lies is a puppy!"
"Pfft…"
Xue Tianyu couldn't help but laugh.
He didn't expect Qian Renxue to have such a childish side.
Seeing the anticipation in her eyes, he couldn't bring himself to ruin the mood, so he reached out his own pinky and linked it with hers.
Just like two children, they made a promise.
"Pinky promise, hang it up, no changes for a hundred years!"
"Hahahaha!"
Qian Renxue laughed so hard she cried.
So this was what happiness felt like—so simple.
But she had chased after this simple joy for twenty years.
She once thought she was the most unfortunate child in the world, so at many moments, she would unconsciously fall into bouts of pessimism.
At times, she even felt inferior.
So she tried to imitate Bibi Dong in everything, learning all that she could see in her.
But in the end, she still failed.
Qian Renxue could never become a second Bibi Dong.
Because at the very least, she had experienced fatherly love.
Throughout her growth, her grandfather Qian Daoliu had always protected her.
So when she learned she had a younger brother, it suddenly dawned on her—he was the one who was truly pitiful.
She had monopolized all the love and affection that should have belonged to her brother.
The guilt in her heart felt like a black hole, as if it would swallow her whole.
So she made up her mind to make it up to her brother, no matter what.
Looking at Xue Tianyu, who was smiling like a child just like her, she thought, 'Forget it, let's not say anyone's a puppy.'
After all, if Xue Tianyu is a puppy, then wouldn't that make her…?
'Forget it, forget it. No one's a puppy!'
At this moment, Xue Tianyu carefully put away the pearl Qian Renxue had given him.
The pearl felt warm in his hand, and the texture was quite pleasant.
Xue Tianyu really liked it.
He liked it not only because it was a gift from his sister, but also because it genuinely made him feel comfortable.
"Tianyu, has a girl ever given you a gift before?"
Qian Renxue looked at his satisfied expression and felt happy as well, but then she remembered that he had grown up in the Extreme North and only joined Tianshui Academy later. She couldn't help feeling a little worried.
After all, Tianshui Academy was a school dominated by girls.
With Xue Tianyu's looks and temperament, she imagined countless girls probably adored him every day.
He was probably drowning in gifts from girls.
Qian Renxue started to worry whether her gift was just another average trinket to him.
After all, she hadn't confessed her identity to him yet.
At this point, even she didn't know what she meant to Xue Tianyu.
Hearing her question, Xue Tianyu thought for a moment.
Excluding Aunt Xue and Aunt Bing, if he had received a gift from any girl, maybe Shui Bing'er counted.
Though he had studied at Tianshui Academy for years, he hadn't had many close interactions with girls.
But… why was his sister asking this?
After some thought, Xue Tianyu replied, "Not really."
Qian Renxue was stunned.
In her mind, she immediately filled in the blanks: he probably hadn't received any gifts at all.
Her heart ached, and she pulled Xue Tianyu into her arms. "It's okay, don't be sad. From now on, I'll give you lots of gifts."
Xue Tianyu: "???"
He thought, 'I didn't say I was sad though…'
…
While Qian Renxue and Xue Tianyu were having their heart-to-heart, over at the outskirts of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan—
Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Clan Master Ning Fengzhi had brought Ning Rongrong back first.
They were confident that Bone Douluo Gu Rong could make it out of Heaven Dou City safely even while surrounded by enemy forces.
After all, spatial abilities were incredibly rare across the entire Douluo Continent.
"Once Rongrong and I get home, Uncle Sword, please go and help support Uncle Bone," Ning Fengzhi said as he stood at the gates of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, glancing at the distracted Chen Xin.
He understood—Chen Xin was worried about Gu Rong.
After all these years of working together, losing even one of them would be devastating.
Earlier outside Heaven Dou City, Chen Xin had pretended to be indifferent only because he was worried about Ning Fengzhi and Ning Rongrong's safety.
"It'll be fine. Old Bone has spatial transfer. Even if he can't win, he can always run. No need to worry," Chen Xin said with a smile.
But both Ning Fengzhi and Ning Rongrong could tell that smile was a bit forced.
Just then, a spatial rift opened beside them.
"What's that—"
Before Ning Fengzhi could react, Sword Douluo's expression lit up with a smile. "See? I told you he could come back on his own. Old Bone!"
"It's Grandpa Bone!"
Ning Rongrong immediately recognized it as Gu Rong's teleportation.
"Thank goodness, Uncle Gu, you're alright."
Ning Fengzhi finally breathed a sigh of relief.
However, just as they were rejoicing over Bone Douluo's return, what came out of the spatial tunnel was a half-dead, one-armed Gu Rong.
"Old Bone!"
"Uncle Bone!"
"Grandpa Bone!"
The three of them rushed to his side at once.
Bone Douluo's eyes were dazed. The moment he saw Ning Fengzhi, he coughed up a mouthful of black blood.
His entire aura was weak to the extreme.
It felt like he might die at any second.
"Who did this?!"
Chen Xin held Gu Rong in disbelief. "Tell me who did it!"
Even with Gu Rong gasping in his arms, he couldn't believe it.
Someone had actually beaten Bone Douluo—who had spatial transfer—into this state?
There were very few Title Douluo in the world who could kill Gu Rong outright.
As long as he activated his ninth spirit ability, escape was practically guaranteed.
Ning Rongrong looked at Bone Douluo, covered in blood, not knowing what to do.
She could only kneel by his side, clutching his sleeve. "Grandpa Bone, hold on! We're back at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. There has to be a way to save you!"
Ning Fengzhi's face was cold and grim, his fists clenched tight. He was truly furious now.
"It's… no use… cough…" Bone Douluo's voice was faint, every word like a dying breath.
He struggled to turn his head toward Chen Xin and Ning Fengzhi.
"It was… the Angel…"
"Angel?" Chen Xin's eyes sharpened, his expression ferocious. "Was it Qian Daoliu?!"
"Damn that Spirit Hall!"
Ning Fengzhi's face was dark. In his eyes, it was clear—Spirit Hall had finally moved against the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.
"No, it was…"
Bone Douluo's voice was getting quieter, almost inaudible.
Chen Xin thought there might be more to the story and quickly leaned in.
But in that very instant, Bone Douluo stopped breathing…