Chapter 3, Meeting

But what surprised her was that Anlong did not pick up on her hints, and he was staring at the guest in a very impolite manner, his eyes even reflecting shock and... resentment? What exactly happened? Does her husband know this person?

Upon hearing this, Mina quickly said, "Then let's hurry back. My house is right by the edge of the woods, it's the two-story house with the blue roof."

Is it him and ... ... Mary

She thought for a moment and then told the man about what had happened today. However, she remembered her father's admonition and the serious consequences that could arise from a moment of indiscretion, so she did not mention Veronica's name or the incident where she had frightened herself with a knife. She merely described her as a fierce woman who was whispering with her father in the study.

Since you are afraid that I might misunderstand, you should not engage in actions that could lead to misunderstanding

Mina widened her eyes, staring at the sword hilt that appeared at the man's cuff. How is this possible?! When did he hide such a large object in his sleeve?!

This is the latest creation of the chief alchemist of the City of Magic, a mosquito repellent box, effective only against snakes, insects, mice, and ants, harmless to humans and mounts, priced at only 20 gold coins, with a lifespan of three years. Customers can also enjoy personalized customization, choosing the box's exterior design and the color of the light according to their preferences. The man looked at the dazed Mina and smiled, saying, "I am just helping a friend with some advertising, please do not mind."

The man smiled slightly and said, "You're welcome." He seemed to realize that the young woman before him was a beautiful and elegant lady, and instinctively displayed a graceful demeanor

Suddenly, a beam of deep purple light shot out from the box, startling Mingna. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was a glowing thin thread, with a small black and gold ball the size of a thumb cap attached to its end. After colliding with something in the air, it quickly retracted back into the box. At the same time, another thread shot off in a different direction, but this time, upon making contact, it emitted a hissing sound, and a burnt smell wafted through the air.

Dora felt a surge of joy upon hearing this and immediately recalled the responsibilities of a wife that she had neglected due to her sulking with her husband: "It's getting late, are you hungry? Should I have someone prepare a meal?"

Dora glared angrily: "I saw him in the garden, in broad daylight, with Mina and the servants present! Meeting you secretly in the study is entirely different! Moreover, although his gift is valuable, it is merely a piece of clothing. I only accepted it because it is the most fashionable style in Yidong City this season. Last year, I wore an outdated dress to the May Festival ball and was laughed at for three whole days! I just wanted to save you some face! Furthermore, do you not know who Goodwin represents? Last year, I wore an outdated dress to the May Festival ball and was laughed at for three whole days! I just wanted to save you some face! Furthermore, do you not know who Goodwin represents?"

Mina, facing her mother's glare, timidly shrank her neck, fearful of being scolded again. However, no matter how much Dora wanted to reprimand her daughter, she would not forget to maintain decorum in front of the guest. This young guest, although dressed in ordinary clothes, spoke with a tone and carried himself in a manner that clearly indicated he was not an ordinary person. She politely thanked him: "Thank you for bringing my daughter back, sir; we were looking for her." This young guest, although dressed in ordinary clothes, spoke with a tone and carried himself in a manner that clearly indicated he was not an ordinary person. She politely thanked him: "Thank you for bringing my daughter back, sir; we were looking for her."

The man listened and pondered, saying: "It sounds like your father is merely discussing some confidential matters with that woman; otherwise, they would not be in the study but in the bedroom. Moreover, anyone with a bit of sense would not bring a woman home to fool around with, knowing his wife is at home. I think your mother is just misunderstanding the situation and will calm down eventually. However, as a wife, lacking even this level of trust in her husband and only causing a commotion is not a wise approach." He looked up at Mingna and smiled: "Furthermore, even if she is angry, she should not say to you that she no longer wants you. That can be very damaging to a child."

The man did not realize that his actions had already caught the attention of the little girl. While focusing on the movements of the male host, he divided a bit of his attention to observe the layout of the hall, ready to retreat at any moment. When he saw the two portraits hanging on the wall, he was taken aback

The man smiled and shook a finger, saying, "Don't worry, I have tough skin and thick flesh, so I'm not afraid of mosquitoes. Moreover, I have a secret weapon." With a flick of his wrist, a palm-sized black wooden box appeared in his hand, adorned with several gemstones. He smiled mysteriously, opened the lid, and a purple glow emanated from the box. Mina curiously leaned in, feeling that the box contained a glowing mass of purple mist. He smiled mysteriously again, opened the lid, and a purple glow emanated from the box. Mina curiously leaned in, feeling that the box contained a glowing mass of purple mist.

But I think it's quite good. After all, it is summer now, and it seems that the heavens have no intention of raining. Spending the night here not only saves on accommodation costs but is also quite cool. The man stretched his limbs and casually leaned against a large tree trunk, enjoying it as if he were sitting on a comfortable sofa

Anlong revealed a mocking smile on his face: "Yes, it has been so many years, and this is the first time you are seeing me, isn't it? Father"

Dora took a deep breath. She recognized the charm of the other party, but as a reserved, cautious, and virtuous noblewoman, she decided to leave the matter to her husband. Thus, she signaled Anlong with a glance, indicating that he should attend to the guest.

My name is Mina. Mina happily played with the box, opening and closing it, and even tried to close the lid when the light was shining through to see what would happen. As a result, the line had not yet touched the bug before it drooped down, hanging outside the box like an ordinary string. When the lid was opened again, it regained its vigor and took down a nearby little flying ant. She found it very interesting and tried to close the lid just as the line was about to return to the box, trapping the small ball outside, or directly grabbing a bug and throwing it into the box to see how it would react. Hanging outside the box like an ordinary string, when the lid was opened again, it regained its vigor and took down a nearby little flying ant. She found it very interesting and tried to close the lid just as the line was about to return to the box, trapping the small ball outside, or directly grabbing a bug and throwing it into the box to see how it would react. Fortunately, this thing truly lived up to its reputation as a creation of an alchemy master; no matter how much she played with it, it remained "spirited" and its movements precise.

Anlong fell silent for a moment and said: "Can you really not accept my journey this time? I can swear by the God of Light that I set out on this trip for a just and honorable purpose"

Mina did not mind; she did not understand at all, merely staring at the box, finding it quite interesting. She looked at the man, her eyes reflecting a hint of longing

Mina hesitated upon hearing his words: "But... there will be mosquitoes and insects..."

"Anlong, what is wrong with you? This is too rude." Dora felt uneasy about her husband's reaction and quietly reminded him.

Whenever this topic arose, Anlong found himself at a loss for words. Deep down, he understood that his wife's concerns were valid. Regardless of his opinions about his half-brother, he could not confront him in front of Madame Mirabel. The affluent life he had enjoyed since childhood made it impossible for him to refuse anyone bearing the Cardo surname. Therefore, even though Goodwin Chulov was merely Elon’s brother-in-law, he had to accept the latter's visit, even if it was possible that the visitor harbored some ulterior motives that he would find difficult to tolerate.

Mina timidly asked, "Who are you?" The man smiled and replied, "Me? I am just a passerby, wandering around nearby to see if I can find a place to spend the night." He looked up and surveyed the dense canopy of trees, saying, "This place is nice; is it your little haven? May I borrow it for a night?"

Anlong felt a sudden headache; how could he casually disclose matters concerning national secrets to his family? Yet, he did not wish to jeopardize his relationship with his wife over such a trivial misunderstanding. After some thought, he sighed and said, "I understand now; if I don't go, then I won't go."

At this moment, Mina recalled the sorrowful event from earlier, and her nose felt a twinge of acidity again. She closed the box and remained silent

Mina sniffed her nose and looked at him with confusion: "But... this is just a tree"

Mina widened her eyes and looked carefully several times before she discovered that the small ball at the tip of the purple light was striking insects such as mosquitoes and moths. On one occasion, it even eliminated a caterpillar on the tree trunk. It seemed to possess a mysterious power that could silently make small insects disappear, only making a sound when encountering larger insects. It was unclear how many "threads" were in the box, but Mina could see a maximum of six appearing simultaneously, with the longest one capable of reaching over two meters. It seemed to possess a mysterious power that could silently make small insects disappear, only making a sound when encountering larger insects. It was unclear how many "threads" were in the box, but Mina could see a maximum of six appearing simultaneously, with the longest one capable of reaching over two meters.

Mina tilted her head to look at him; this person gave her a very friendly impression. He even gifted her such an interesting item, so he shouldn't be a bad person, right

The man said: "Can't you tell me? I just want to help you, perhaps I can offer you some suggestions"

The man parted the branches and took a glance, quickly locating his target: "So your home is so close, no wonder you dared to run into the woods with a book at night." He lifted Mingna into his arms and leaped up. As they jumped from branch to branch, they soon found themselves on the grassy area outside the forest. Mingna only felt the sound of the wind in her ears, and before she could fully grasp the sensation of flying, they were already standing in the small garden. She opened her mouth wide, staring blankly at the man holding her, and saw him smile slightly: "How is it? Cool, right?"

The man amusingly placed the box in her hands: "Here, take it. I have plenty anyway. By the way, what is your name?"

At that moment, a light cough came from behind her. Turning around, she saw a young man with black hair and black eyes, holding his daughter Mina's hand, standing at the corridor entrance. He smiled at the couple and said, "I apologize for the interruption. Your daughter was in the woods just now and seemed quite upset, so I brought her back."

... ...

Mina was completely bewildered, but she understood the last sentence: "My mother will not hurt me..." However, thinking about how no one had come to find her for such a long time, she felt a bit uncertain again

Anlong and Dora had not actually noticed that their daughter was missing, or rather, even if they had, they would not have worried, as Mina's tendency to wander off had long been a habit. This couple had been in a cold war for some time, but when Dora discovered that her husband was packing luggage for tomorrow's itinerary, her anger erupted once again. They had just finished arguing and were now exhausted, slumping onto the sofa in the hall.

The man was taken aback by the words, and the tense muscles on his body immediately relaxed. However, the look he directed at Anlong was quite complex: "You are... Anlong? Xiao Anlong? You have... grown so much... gotten married, and even have children..."

"Did you not also invite Goodwin to your home? You even accepted his gift, an expensive gift!" He emphasized these words, "I did not say anything, nor did I get angry with you."

Cool? Mingna blinked in confusion, but the man merely smiled, glanced around, and then carried her into the house, paying attention to the voices of the people inside as he headed towards the hall

The man smiled and said, "Of course, parents always love their children the most. Where is your home? I can take you back. It's not very safe for a child to walk alone at night." He noticed the hesitation on Mina's face and smiled faintly, saying, "Don't let your parents worry; a beloved child going missing would cause them unbearable pain." A fleeting look of loneliness passed through his eyes.

The guest clearly sensed Anlong's gaze and felt a chill in his heart. He scrutinized the young man with brown hair and blue eyes, who seemed somewhat familiar. Could he be an enemy from the past? Or perhaps a relative of an enemy? It was hard to believe that merely comforting a little girl could lead to encountering an adversary; his character seemed too good for that. He slowly released the hand of the little girl he was holding, and his right hand quietly moved towards his back, preparing for a potential attack.

Dora looked at him with some surprise, and he smiled wryly in response: "Since you have brought it up to this extent, should I still stubbornly hold onto my own opinion? However, although I will not be going to Meidun, I must make a trip to the dwarves, as it is a matter of official business." Fortunately, half an hour ago, Veronica sent a message stating that another task had been assigned. Originally, he and Veronica had planned to return from Maicheng before proceeding, but acting separately could also save time. The original task, while important, did not involve an enemy nation, and the intelligence station in Maicheng was adequately staffed. Moreover, Veronica's speculation was quite plausible; it was merely a matter of dragging a certain dandy out of a woman's bed, which did not require the involvement of two swordsmanship experts.

"Are you joking? Everyone knows that the descendants of the Xiao family are not followers of the God of Light! If you truly have nothing to hide, why won't you tell me?" Dora sneered, pulling at the corner of her mouth, her expression of mockery rivaling that of Veronica. "No excuses, no evasion! Anlong Kado, if you really go with that woman this time, I will immediately return to Matte Harbor!"

Anlong rubbed his forehead and said weakly, "Why do you have to cling to this matter? I was discussing serious business with Veronica in the study, and I closed the door simply to avoid being overheard. I asked Mina not to tell anyone because I was afraid you would misunderstand if you found out."

When the man saw Mingna having such a good time, he smiled and pulled her over, letting her sit in his lap, and gently asked: "Little Mingna, can you tell me why you are crying here?"