He Yuzhu returns in Siheyuan

Chapter 793 Long Si Discovers Something's Wrong

“Not bad.” Long Si withdrew his gaze from the distance, glanced casually at Xiao Shuai beside him, and said in a flat tone that revealed no emotion, “Although his cultivation level is really not good enough, his nose is quite sensitive. He can smell the traces from half a street away. It is indeed the signature skill of the fox demon clan.”

Xiao Shuai felt a surge of anger rising within him—he was a standout among the younger generation in his clan, possessing not only a keen sense of smell but also superior illusion techniques and speed. How could this lord praise him as if he were a dog that only knew how to detect scents? It would be a lie to say he wasn't angry, but when he caught a glimpse of the faint aura of a dragon surrounding Long Si out of the corner of his eye, how could he dare to show the slightest dissatisfaction? This person's strength was unfathomable; even his own ancestor had to treat him with utmost respect. With his own limited abilities, he probably didn't even have the right to resist in front of this person and could only obediently accept it.

He quickly bowed and replied, "You flatter me, sir. It is my duty to serve you, and I have no honor whatsoever." In his heart, however, he was secretly praying that when he saw He Yuzhu, this "sir," he would quickly resolve the matter so he could escape from this formidable figure as soon as possible. The wind at the alley entrance swirled with withered yellow leaves, carrying a sense of impending storm. Xiao Shuai subconsciously shrank his neck, feeling that this silent wait was more agonizing than a beating; a fine sweat quietly seeped down his back.

Seeing that Long Si didn't speak again, Xiao Shuai could only nod obediently in agreement: "What you say is true, sir. This sense of smell is indeed a natural ability of our fox demon clan, and it is somewhat useful."

Long Si nodded noncommittally, his gaze suddenly shifting to an old locust tree not far away. A faint smile played on his lips as he looked at the fourth brother beside him: "I didn't expect He Yuzhu to be so capable, hiding such an invisible bodyguard by his side. His aura is so well concealed; quite interesting." As soon as he finished speaking, a barely perceptible fluctuation of aura seemed to appear behind the old locust tree, before quickly subsiding again.

Xiao Shuai simply nodded silently, not daring to even lift his eyelids—in front of Long Si, he knew better than anyone that remaining silent was the safest course of action. The oppressive aura emanating from this dragon lord was like a heavy stone, making it almost impossible for him to breathe, and he dared not utter a single unnecessary word.

On the other side, He Yuzhu had just walked a short distance from the station when his gaze swept over the surrounding alleys and rooftops without making a sound. He asked his fourth brother in a deep voice, "Well, have you found out anything? Is anyone secretly watching us?"

The fourth brother had already thoroughly searched all the alleys around him while he was circling, not even missing the cat holes on the walls. He confidently replied, "Sect Master, rest assured, the surroundings are clean and there is no suspicious person or presence. You can go back with peace of mind."

He Yuzhu nodded and didn't ask any more questions—his fourth brother was always reliable and he trusted him. He turned around and led Ma Xiuxiu towards home, his steps lighter, as he had been away for many days and was already longing for the warm bed at home.

He had just reached the courtyard gate, and before he could even push open the mottled wooden door, Xiao Shuai, who had been waiting by the opposite wall, immediately jumped out like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. He bowed respectfully to Long Si behind him and then pointed in the direction of He Yuzhu: "My lord, this is Sect Master He of the Demon Suppression Hall."

Long Si had already taken a step forward to greet him, but the moment his deep, cold eyes swept over He Yuzhu, he suddenly stopped. His brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, and a hint of inquiry and doubt flashed in his eyes, as if he had sensed something amiss—an aura that faintly revealed a familiar dragon-like fluctuation, yet was mixed with something else, which he couldn't quite figure out.

Just as Xiao Shuai was about to say something more, such as about He Yuzhu's cultivation level and who he usually associated with, Long Si turned to look at him, his tone carrying an unquestionable authority: "Alright, don't ask what you shouldn't ask, and don't say what you shouldn't say. Let's find a place to stay first, and then we'll question He Yuzhu later."

Xiao Shuai dared not object and quickly bowed in agreement—the other party was a dragon clan member who had lived for over a thousand years and whose strength was unfathomable, while he was just a fox demon junior who had cultivated for less than a hundred years. Did he have the right to interfere? He could only obediently follow Long Si to the teahouse on the street corner, but his heart was pounding, and he couldn't figure out what this adult was up to.

When He Yuzhu pushed open the courtyard gate, Xiao Li was sitting at the table in the main room, picking vegetables. The greens in the bamboo basket were so tender they looked like they could be squeezed for water. Seeing him enter, Xiao Li paused in her work, her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but He Yuzhu gently shook his head at her. Xiao Li, being so clever, immediately swallowed her words and continued working with her head down, only her fingertips moved a little slower, clearly still pondering the meaning of that look from earlier.

He went into the inner room first and chatted with Ma Xiuxiu for a few minutes, asking if the children had been well-behaved during the day and if they had missed their father. Ma Xiuxiu yawned and rubbed her throbbing temples: "I'm going back to my room to rest for a while. I've been on the train all day, and my bones feel like they're about to fall apart."

He Yuzhu smiled and reached out to tidy up the stray hairs on her forehead: "Go on, get some rest. I still have some small things to take care of, then I'll go make dinner for you. I just bought an old hen, so I'll make some chicken soup to nourish you."

Ma Xiuxiu agreed and turned to go into the bedroom. Soon after, she could be heard snoring softly—she was truly exhausted.

After she fell asleep, He Yuzhu turned around and walked out of the inner room. He looked at Xiao Li, who was still picking vegetables, and raised his chin: "Now you can talk. What did you want to say when you came in?"

Xiao Li put down the vegetables in her hand, her nose twitching rapidly as if trying to catch any lingering scent in the air. Her eyes were filled with doubt: "He Yuzhu, you smell like Xiao Shuai, and it's very fresh. Something's not right, is it? Did you two meet today?"

He Yuzhu didn't intend to hide anything from her. He told her everything about meeting Xiao Shuai at the alley entrance, how Xiao Shuai seemed to be accompanied by a powerful figure, and how the two of them seemed to be waiting for him. He even joked at the end, "You're really something. You can smell that? Your nose is even more sensitive than a dog's."

Little Fox raised her eyebrows smugly, the tip of her tail swaying gently behind her: "Our fox clan's noses aren't for nothing. I smelled you as soon as you came in, and I thought that guy had sneaked in, but I didn't expect it was you who brought it back." She had wanted to remind him, but seeing He Yuzhu shake his head, she knew he knew what was going on, so she kept quiet to avoid alerting him.

He Yuzhu thought of his children and softened his tone: "You've worked hard these past few days, helping Ma Xiuxiu take care of the children. I hope they haven't caused you any trouble?"