Senior sister, stop working and go home for dinner.

Chapter 157 Bloodline Beyond Family

Qi Lan shrugged, crossed her arms again, and leaned against the carved door frame: "I have a good relationship with that fellow Daoist from Longhu Mountain. His family has a history with the Jiang family, so the news should be true. However, as I said, this matter is an open secret in certain circles in Sichuan, but no one will mention it openly, after all, it concerns the Jiang family's reputation and... the value of the marriage alliance."

Huiming lowered his eyelids and silently chanted Buddhist mantras, seemingly trying to dispel the shocking information he had just heard from his mind, but his slightly reddened ears betrayed his inner turmoil.

"Face? Value?" Feng Xiaolu scoffed. "For the sake of so-called face and profit, they want to put on a grand show together? They're dreaming!"

She suddenly turned to Chen Anran, her eyes shining brightly: "Junior Brother! This is our chance! This is our breakthrough!"

Chen Anran understood her meaning and pondered, "You want to... use this to make the Jiang family back down? Or at least make the Feng family realize that this marriage alliance is not as stable as they think, and may even become a laughing stock?"

"That's right!" Feng Xiaolu nodded vigorously, rubbing her hands excitedly. "As long as it's proven that Jiang Yun has no interest in me at all, and even that he has someone else in his heart, then the Feng family will have to think twice about the marriage alliance, right? A forced marriage won't be sweet, especially since this guy never even wanted to be with us! Then, those elders in the family who supported the marriage alliance, like Fourth Uncle and the others, will definitely lose face!"

Chen Anran shook his head after hearing this, "The Jiang family has backed down, but who can guarantee that a Li family or a Wang family won't suddenly appear?"

Feng Xiaolu grabbed Chen Anran's arm, her eyes shining, and said, "After this incident, junior brother, do you still think I'll stay here?"

Qi Lan, being quite perceptive, pulled Huiming outside the door.

The door was gently closed, leaving only Chen Anran and Feng Xiaolu in the room.

Feng Xiaolu tightened her grip on Chen Anran's arm slightly. She tilted her head back, her eyes filled with unprecedented seriousness and determination: "Junior Brother, I don't care what they think, nor do I care about family interests. This place may be the source of my bloodline, but Yunyin Sect is my home. Senior Sister, Second Senior Sister, Xiao Ling'er, and you are my family."

She took a deep breath and continued, "This incident has made me realize that what they need is not a Feng Xiaolu with her own thoughts, but a 'Feng family young lady' who meets the family's expectations and can bring benefits to the family. I can't do that. So, after we resolve this current troublesome matter, I want to go back with you."

Chen Anran smiled slightly and looked at Feng Xiaolu. "Even if you didn't say that, I would still take you back."

Feng Xiaolu's eyes brightened, but she quickly became dejected again. "The Feng family won't let me go easily."

Seeing Feng Xiaolu's dejected look, Chen Anran smiled gently and said, "Don't worry, Senior Sister, I'll take care of everything."

Feng Xiaolu blinked. "What are you planning to do?"

Chen Anran thought for a moment and then said, "Tomorrow, let's meet your uncle and your cousin Feng Wenyuan, who took you away and made a promise to us." He paused slightly, then continued, "He promised that you could return to Yunyin Sect anytime if you were unhappy."

"That's the only way." She shook the beer can, and her face finally regained some color, no longer the flushed red from excitement she had just been.

At this moment, Feng Xiaolu stopped thinking about it. She stood up, having fallen in love with reading, and began... She ran to the small refrigerator in the corner of the room, which clashed with the classical style, bent down, took out two cans of chilled beer, and then peeked out and called out, "Qi Lan, Huiming, would you like something to drink? We have cola and tea!"

Qi Lan, standing outside the door, replied, "No need." Huiming also quietly uttered a Buddhist chant to decline.

Feng Xiaolu didn't mind. She came back with two cans of beer, deftly pulled the tab, handed one can to Chen Anran, and took the other can herself. She gulped down several mouthfuls, then exhaled a satisfied breath and slumped back into the soft sofa without any regard for her image.

"Never mind! Let's have one first! To celebrate the arrival of my savior!"

Chen Anran took the beer but didn't drink it immediately. He just watched Feng Xiaolu switch gears so quickly and couldn't help but chuckle. His third senior sister really had a big heart and was truly good at finding ways to save face.

Feng Xiaolu felt a little embarrassed by the stares, scratched her face, and pointed to the PS5 and the huge LCD TV next to the gaming laptop: "Um... I'm just killing time anyway, want to play a couple of rounds? I just bought Street Fighter 6."

"it is good."

Some things are easier to say when you're focused on something else.

The two moved to the wool carpet in front of the TV and sat down. Feng Xiaolu skillfully turned on the TV and connected the controller. The background music changed from the previous "P5" to the exciting character selection screen sound effects of a fighting game.

"I choose Chun-Li!" Feng Xiaolu quickly locked onto the character, then urged Chen Anran, "Hurry up and choose."

Chen Anran casually picked Ryu. The match began, and Feng Xiaolu, controlling her Chun-Li, launched a fierce attack, muttering, "Take this! Hmph, you forced me into a marriage alliance, take this super burst attack!"

While steadily defending and counterattacking, Chen Anran listened to her veiled complaints and couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth into a smile.

After several rounds, the score remained close, with each side winning and losing. Feng Xiaolu's mood had clearly relaxed a lot, no longer like a firecracker that could explode at any moment. She put down the controller, picked up her beer and took a sip, staring blankly at the word "KO" on the screen.

"Junior brother," she suddenly spoke, her voice softer, "actually... when I first came back, I was really happy."

Chen Anran also put down the handle, turned her head to look at her, and quietly became a listener.

"The spiritual energy here is abundant, resources are plentiful, and there are many elders from my family whom I had only seen in books before. They were really kind to me at first." Feng Xiaolu unconsciously ran her fingers over the cold beer can. "I thought I had finally found the feeling of 'home,' that kind of... rooted feeling, you know? The Cloud Hidden Sect is great, Senior Sister, you, and Second Senior Sister are all good to me, but Master is gone, we're always like duckweed..."

Her voice lowered, carrying a hint of confusion and disappointment.

"I thought my blood-related family would understand me and accept me, just like... just like any other family."

"But later I found out that wasn't the case." Feng Xiaolu twitched the corners of her mouth, revealing a self-deprecating smile. "In their eyes, 'Feng Xiaolu' was more like a precious asset, a tool that could be used to maintain the family's prosperity and strengthen the alliance. My feelings and my wishes could be sacrificed and ignored in the face of the so-called 'big picture' and 'interests'."

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