"You’re a girl?!" Angang’s eyes, as large as black grapes, widened in shock as he looked at Mu Hanyan.
"You..." Mu Hanyan too was startled but then unsurprised. This fur ball was extraordinary at first glance, so realizing she was a woman after coming in contact with her didn’t seem so strange anymore.
"Girl, you’re a girl. Oh my, you look quite pretty. Especially that red mole between your eyebrows. When I thought you were a guy, I even felt you were effeminate. But you’re a girl, oh my, you really are beautiful, so beautiful." At this moment, Angang was waving its little claws excitedly to death.
"Angang, is your owner Ye Lanfeng?" A smile spread across Mu Hanyan’s face as she watched the little fur ball dancing in the palm of her hand and she asked softly.
"Yes, my owner told me to give this to you..." Angang dug around in the small pouch on its belly, and this time quickly pulled out something—a small chestnut cake. However, this tiny cake, only the size of Mu Hanyan’s fingernail, was already crumbling at the edges.
So Ye Lanfeng had his pet bring this to her?
Why did Mu Hanyan feel that something was not quite right?
"Little Yan Yan, this is for you. It’s my most sincere token of affection, you must accept it. That’s from the owner, tastes pretty good though." At that moment, Angang pulled something else out of its pouch and handed it to Mu Hanyan. However, the nickname "Little Yan Yan" made Mu Hanyan’s mouth twitch slightly. Then, seeing what Angang handed her this time, her expression turned complex. It was a fresh flower.
It seemed, maybe, likely... that the flower was what Ye Lanfeng had intended to send with Angang. Mu Hanyan looked at Angang’s obsequious face with a complex feeling and a bizarre thought surfaced in her mind, yet it seemed the most plausible truth.
This little guy... had forgotten his master at the sight of beauty!
"Right, Little Yan Yan, let me tell you, this little pouch on my belly can hold a lot of things, but only I can put things in and take them out. Am I not awesome?" Angang proudly poked out its little belly and added, "Being my wife would be so great, I can fill it with lots and lots of delicious food."
Mu Hanyan laughed at Angang’s words, yet was even more astounded as to what kind of Exotic Beast Angang really was—a pouch on its belly sounded like a storage space, something she had never heard of any Exotic Beast naturally having.
"Then being your wife must be truly blissful," Mu Hanyan remarked, amused in her heart by the absurd cuteness of the little guy.
"Yes, yes!" Angang nodded vigorously, although its round, fluffy body made it difficult to see the nod clearly. Its eyes shone as it looked at Mu Hanyan, plainly suggesting how nice it would be to become his wife and that she should consider it.
Mu Hanyan chuckled to herself—had Ye Lanfeng ever imagined his pet would "steal from its own master"?
"He..." Mu Hanyan started to ask about Ye Lanfeng, but then didn’t know what to ask. Asking where he was, asking how he was—none of these seemed meaningful.
"Hey, Little Yan Yan, since I’ve delivered the item, I have to go now," Angang said, seemingly reluctant to leave.
"Then take this to him," Mu Hanyan said, picking up a small tangerine and handing it to Angang.
"Okay." Angang took the tangerine, put it into its pouch, then looked up again with sparkling eyes at Mu Hanyan.
Mu Hanyan smiled to herself and picked up two more tangerines, handing them to Angang: "These are for you."
"Wow! Little Yan Yan is truly wonderful," Angang twirled in a circle, carefully stashed away the orange, and then suddenly, it soared into the air from Mu Hanyan’s palm.
At that moment, Mu Hanyan was surprised to discover that Angang had a pair of small wings on its back. It was with these wings that it flew straight up.
"Well, I’m off, Little Yan Yan. Remember to miss me, okay? I’ll come again next time," Angang flapped its little wings and said reluctantly to Mu Hanyan.
"Mhm, I’ll remember. Angang is so adorable, of course, I’ll miss you," Mu Hanyan replied with a beaming smile.
Only then did Angang contentedly wave its paw and with a flap of its wings, zipped out the window like lightning.
Watching Angang disappear into the night sky, Mu Hanyan pondered. So this Little Fur Ball had flown to her ? Its speed in flight was astoundingly fast. Googlᴇ search Novᴇl_Fire(.)net
But who would have thought that Ye Lanfeng, of all people, would have such an adorable pet.
Mu Hanyan gazed at the bright round moon in the sky, her face breaking into a smile.
That night, Mu Hanyan slept incredibly peacefully.
Several days later, the outline of Heishi City came into view.
Mu Hanyan also stopped her travels. All these days of dedicated cultivation had not led to a rapid increase in strength, but her cultivation at the peak of Great Swordsman had become fully stable, and she was just waiting for the final push to become a Sword Master.
"Young Master Mu, I’ve thought it over and decided not to cause you any more trouble. I’ll find a place to hide for a while," Han Jinglun hesitated for a long time before finally saying to Mu Hanyan upon seeing her poking her head out.
"Manager Han, I don’t know your background or the troubles you’re facing, but when you were willing to risk your life to help me in Cangshan City, I, Mu Hanyan, am certainly not someone who forgets favors and abandons friends. I can’t boast about other things, but as long as I am in Heishi City, absolutely no one will be able to touch you," Mu Hanyan declared solemnly.
Her past experiences made her cherish true sincerity all the more and she was especially moved by Manager Han’s earlier actions. Therefore, no matter how much trouble taking him in might cause, she would not hesitate in the slightest.
"I don’t talk about the past not because I don’t trust Young Master Mu. Having lived in seclusion for many years, much of my desire for the affairs of the world has faded, and I don’t care to mention old events. Since Young Master Mu is not afraid of the trouble, I will then impose upon you," Manager Han was deeply touched by Mu Hanyan’s words. Having seen the warmth and coldness of human relations over the years, people as genuinely kind-hearted as Mu Hanyan were truly rare encounters for him.
The past, however, was too distant, and with too many entanglements, he really preferred not to dig it up—one reason he didn’t intentionally hide things from Mu Hanyan.
Mu Hanyan nodded, understanding all too well. Just like her, there were things deeply buried in the heart that one would rather not think about or bring up.
The carriage drove directly back to the Mu Residence. Mu Hanyan had a servant take Manager Han to rest in her own courtyard first before she went to see her mother.
Ever since Mu Hanyan had gone out for her training, her mother had been constantly anxious. Seeing her daughter return safely filled her with joy. Mother and daughter chatted intimately, sending away the servants.
Mu Hanyan didn’t dare to speak too much about the Exotic Beast Valley, fearing it would frighten her mother. She instead artfully diverted the conversation to entertaining stories, making her mother laugh heartily. After spending more than an hour with stories almost running out, she then went to see Mu Rui’an.
"Was there an accident during this training?" Mu Rui’an asked as soon as he saw Mu Hanyan.
"Dad, how did you know?" Mu Hanyan asked in surprise. Logically, since Pang Dezong had sealed the news, it shouldn’t have come out.
(Note: Angang’s appearance resembles that of a Dragon Cat, specifically a very fat Dragon Cat. Just imagine it with little wings and a small pouch on its belly.)