Chapter 226 - 225: Suitor

Chapter 226: Chapter 225: Suitor

The Huo Family’s Book Collection Pavilion was a standalone, nine-story octagonal building. The books within were arranged by rarity, from the top floor down.

The entrance to the Book Collection Pavilion was guarded by two young men. When they saw Huo Yunjing approaching with others, they let them pass without a single question.

"Family Head, Zhang Qiuyan of the Zhang Family just went inside."

Huo Yunjing nodded. "Understood." He turned to the mother and son behind him. "The books on Arrays are on the fifth floor. Anyone without proper authorization will be struck down by the Guardian Array. You two should wear these."

Gu Qingyin took them. They were a pair of badge-like objects with a rather beautiful, vintage design.

She crouched down to pin one on Huo Xingchen’s chest, then fastened the other to her own collar.

The two guards looked from Huo Xingchen to Gu Qingyin, and then it dawned on them. ’So that’s the mother of the Family Head’s son! She’s gorgeous!’

Since they were guarding the Book Collection Pavilion, they always heard the news a step behind everyone else, but they were still getting the latest gossip fresh. Once the Family Head had led the others upstairs, the two shared a look and whispered, "No wonder. They really are a perfect match."

"Let’s just hope Zhang Qiuyan doesn’t see them. Otherwise, who knows what kind of scene she’ll make."

"I know, right? She’s been chasing the Family Head for years. She’s been rejected time and again but never gave up. The entire Mystical World thought Zhang Qiuyan would eventually win over our unattainable Family Head. Who would have guessed he was making such big moves in silence? He even has a son!"

The pair thought they were whispering, but the two adults heading upstairs were Special-level Heavenly Masters and naturally heard every single word. Even Huo Xingchen faintly caught a snippet.

’It was no surprise that Huo Yunjing had admirers,’ Gu Qingyin thought. ’It would be weirder if someone so exceptional didn’t. Her Huo Yunjing never lacked suitors, whether he was alive or a ghost.’

Still, Gu Qingyin felt a little awkward. ’What if that Zhang Qiuyan gets the wrong idea? Wouldn’t that make me a homewrecker?’ After a moment of thought, she decided she had to ask and get things straight.

"You and that Zhang Qiuyan..."

She had barely begun to speak when Huo Yunjing stopped in his tracks. He turned slightly to look down at her. "Yes?"

Gu Qingyin felt a bit sheepish. "Do you like her? If you’re worried she might get the wrong idea, I can explain everything."

Huo Yunjing turned back and resumed walking. "That won’t be necessary."

Gu Qingyin was confused. ’Not necessary to explain? Or not necessary to worry about it?’

Huo Xingchen tugged on her hand, his tone all-knowing. "We don’t need to explain anything. Uncle Huo doesn’t like Zhang Qiuyan."

"Is that right?" Gu Qingyin sounded doubtful. ’After all, aloof types like him are usually too stubborn to admit they like someone.’

But Huo Xingchen was adamant. "If he really liked her, he wouldn’t have kept her around for years without making a move. Mom, trust me. It takes a man to know a man."

Gu Qingyin looked down at the little guy beside her, her expression complicated. "Son, listen to me. Don’t use that little body of yours to discuss adult topics with me. It gives me a complex."

Huo Xingchen blinked his big, round eyes and suddenly broke into a pure, innocent smile that only a child could manage. "Okay, Mommy!"

Satisfied, Gu Qingyin ruffled his hair. "Good boy."

As fate would have it, the trio ran right into Zhang Qiuyan the moment they reached the fifth floor.

Zhang Qiuyan was dressed in a moon-white, modern Tang-style outfit. Her features were gentle and her temperament ethereal. With no excessive adornments, she had a natural, fairy-like aura about her.

’Whoa,’ Gu Qingyin thought to herself. ’What a beauty!’

Zhang Qiuyan was sizing them up as well, her gaze lingering on Huo Xingchen and Gu Qingyin.

She’d heard a couple of days ago that Huo Yunjing’s son had come back from the future to find his mother.

It was no exaggeration to say her breath had caught in her throat with nervous anticipation. Then, she heard that Huo Xingchen’s mother was named Gu Qingyin, and her heart felt so still it might as well have stopped.

It took her several days of mental preparation before she dared to set foot in the Huo Family estate again to see the truth for herself. If it was true, she would give up on Huo Yunjing for good. If it wasn’t... she wanted one more chance to fight for him.

’The future,’ she thought, ’isn’t set in stone.’

But as soon as she arrived at the Huo Family estate, she heard that Huo Yunjing had gone down the mountain first thing in the morning to pick up Huo Xingchen’s mother.

Zhang Qiuyan’s mind went blank. All she wanted was to avoid everyone, and she had wandered to the Book Collection Pavilion without even realizing it.

’And yet, she’d run into them anyway.’

Huo Xingchen was practically carved from the same mold as Huo Yunjing, but from certain angles, he also resembled the woman holding his hand. ’That must be Gu Qingyin,’ she thought.

’Just as I thought. I have no place here.’

Zhang Qiuyan felt extremely awkward. She fiddled with her hair and said softly, "I’ve been researching Arrays lately, so I came to look for some materials. What a coincidence, ha ha."

Gu Qingyin offered a polite smile and waited for Huo Yunjing to respond. After two seconds of him remaining utterly silent, the atmosphere began to grow awkward.

’He just let the beautiful woman’s words fall flat! Come on, can’t you show a little chivalry?!’ If the situation hadn’t been so delicate, Gu Qingyin would have spoken up herself.

Just as Zhang Qiuyan was about to say something to save face, a sweet, childish voice piped up from across from her.

"What a coincidence! We’re here looking for materials, too." Huo Xingchen tilted his head back, blinking his big eyes. "Miss, do you know where we can find information on the Space-Time Array?"

Zhang Qiuyan let out a sigh of relief. She smiled gratefully at the little boy. "I can take you." Only after saying it did she remember to seek the approval of the two adults.

Gu Qingyin remained silent, determined to keep a low profile.

It was then that Huo Yunjing finally deigned to speak. "We’d appreciate that."

Zhang Qiuyan’s eyes lit up. "It’s no trouble at all. Follow me." She turned and led the way. "I’m actually very interested in Space-Time Arrays myself. I come to read about them often. I hope that one day I can personally build an Array that can truly traverse time and space."

Gu Qingyin’s interest in Zhang Qiuyan grew.

Perhaps because so few Heavenly Masters studied Space-Time Arrays, the materials on the subject were relegated to the deepest corner of the fifth floor.

"Here we are." Zhang Qiuyan pointed to three shelves in the middle of a bookcase. "These are the basics. The lower you go, the more difficult the material. Once you’ve finished the bottom shelf here, you can move on to the upper levels." She paused, then looked at Huo Yunjing and added helpfully, "I’m not sure if you’ve looked before, but I feel like there’s a gap in the materials here."

"There seems to be something missing between the advanced material on these shelves and the expert material on the upper floors. The leap in difficulty is just too great." Zhang Qiuyan sighed. "It makes it very hard to make any real progress."

Huo Yunjing nodded. "Thank you."

Zhang Qiuyan’s cheeks flushed slightly. "Well... I’ll let you get to it, then. I won’t disturb you."

Huo Xingchen looked up at her. "Miss, are you done reading? You don’t have to worry about bothering us. We can just each take a book and read separately."

Zhang Qiuyan couldn’t help herself; she reached out and patted his cheek. ’He’s so cute,’ she thought, but her expression was just a gentle smile. "No, it’s okay. This auntie should be heading home now. Goodbye."

Huo Xingchen nodded meekly, his own little face flushing slightly.

’Even though he looked like a child, he was actually twenty-two years old. And this was the first time a woman had ever touched his face.’