2544 Side Story 48: Grown Up
The young girl’s body was unbelievably soft. When she approached, the sweet fragrance entered his nose, making it impossible to avoid her.
She threw herself into his arms with a very warm and soft aura.
Zi Chen’s hand paused for a moment before finally landing on the back of her shoulder. He patted her gently and smiled. “Yes.”
Tuan Zi wasn’t satisfied with his answer. She took a step back from his arms and looked up at him, pouting. “But why didn’t you say you missed me?”
Although it was only a month for Zi Chen, she had stayed inside for a hundred years!
Zi Chen sized up the little girl in front of him.
No, she shouldn’t be called a little girl. The glutinous rice ball—Tuan Zi, who originally only reached his thigh—had already grown to his chest. She was slender and tall, and her long dress outlined her waist extremely beautifully.
Her black hair was tied into a scorpion tail braid with a golden bell on a red string, revealing her smooth and full forehead.
The chubby little face in his memory had also turned into a small and exquisite oval face. Her facial features could still be vaguely seen from when she was young, but she was undoubtedly much prettier.
The most familiar thing was her eyes. They were round as black and bright as black grapes, and they were clear and pure.
Her thick and long eyelashes curled up. When they trembled gently, they were like butterflies flying.
Her eyes were originally rather round, always carrying a natural cuteness, but the corners of her eyes were now slightly raised. When her eyelids fell, her eyes looked indescribably playful.
She had a smile on her face, and the small dimples seemed to be filled with dazzling sunlight, energetic and dazzling.
When she looked up, her expression was still the same, but she had really grown up.
Facing her gaze that contained a little wheedling and complaint, Zi Chen chuckled. “Yes, I miss you.”
Only then was Tuan Zi satisfied, and starlight seemed to fall from her eyes.
She took a few more steps back and turned around. “Do I look good? Zi Chen, I’ve grown up. Do I look good?”
She still looked like a child asking for candy.
Zi Chen nodded. “Yes, you look good.”
Tuan Zi immediately burst out with joy, and the smile on her lips widened.
Seeing her like this, Zi Chen sneered. “Didn’t they already praise you just now?”
“That—how is it the same?” Tuan Zi scoffed. “You’re different from them!”
Zi Chen’s eyes flickered.
To Tuan Zi, Zi Chen had lived with her for many years, and they had relied on each other for life and death. He was almost an existence second only to A’Yue.
Although Yi Ming and the others had a good relationship with her, they still couldn’t be compared to Zi Chen. Moreover, how difficult was it to hear praise from Zi Chen?!
She was happy, and her eyes were bright. “A’Yue will definitely be shocked when she sees me now!”
As she spoke, she imagined the scene of reuniting with A’Yue. She couldn’t wait to return to the Fantasy Divine Hall now.
Zi Chen said, “If you want to return, you can do it anytime.”
When Tuan Zi heard that, she lowered her little head in embarrassment. “Not yet. Godly Phoenix Hall still needs to undergo final maintenance for about half a month.”
Although she missed A’Yue very much, she also wanted to settle everything here first. After all, she was still the red-gold heavenly phoenix race’s young mistress.
Zi Chen thought for a moment. “Do you still need to go in?”
Tuan Zi shook her head and smiled again. “That’s not necessary! I only need four hours a day!”
This wasn’t difficult for her.
Upon hearing that, Zi Chen was relieved.
She had always been playful, so it was really not easy for her to calm down. Now, she could finally relax a little. Even if she didn’t say it, he knew that her mind was already thinking about something else.
“Let’s go back and rest?” Zi Chen asked.
Tuan Zi nodded. “Okay!”
She took a step forward and automatically grabbed Zi Chen’s hand. As usual, she still only pulled a finger.
Zi Chen lowered his eyes and took a calm look.
In the past, it had become a habit for Tuan Zi to either lie in his arms and be hugged by him or follow beside him and pull one of his fingers. Although she had already grown up, this habit of hers hadn’t changed.
However, Tuan Zi didn’t seem to notice anything wrong. She turned around and waved at Yi Zhao and the others. “Clan Leader Grandpa, I’ll go back first! I’ll come later!”
Yi Zhao and the others naturally had no objections and immediately agreed.
Tuan Zi pulled Zi Chen and was about to leave.
She had just taken a step when she sensed that Zi Chen didn’t move. She looked at him in a daze. “Zi Chen, what’s wrong?”
Zi Chen had already retracted his gaze the moment she looked over. He looked ahead calmly with a calm expression.
The little girl had grown up, and her chubby little hand had already become slender and long. However, it was still as soft as before, as if it had no bones.
He replied, “Nothing much. Let’s go.”
Tuan Zi didn’t doubt him.
However, the two of them had just taken a few steps when a young man’s clear and nervous voice suddenly came from behind. “Tuan Zi!”
Tuan Zi subconsciously turned around. “Yi Ming? What’s the matter?”
Zi Chen didn’t turn around because he only thought that they wanted to bid farewell to Tuan Zi. Then, he heard Yi Ming ask, “Are you going back because of an urgent matter?”
Tuan Zi was stunned and shook her head. “No.”
Although she planned to go back and rest, her current state was actually very good.
She opened her round and clear eyes and gazed at Yi Ming inquiringly, clearly asking for his intention silently.
Being stared at by such a pair of eyes, Yi Ming’s ears were already red.
The few youths behind him were pushing him and winking.
After a while, Yi Ming stepped forward. He was a little uneasy and nervous, but he still asked softly, “I think… We’re going to Wind Valley today. Do you want to come?”
Wind Valley was a valley on Godly Phoenix Mountain, where the Heaven and Earth Force was abundant. In the valley, half of it was filled with luxuriant flowers all year round, and the other half was covered in white snow that didn’t melt all year round.
The two extreme scenes fused together, strange and beautiful.
The younger generation of the clan liked to go over and play. Tuan Zi was no exception.
Her eyes lit up immediately. “Okay!”
With that, she let go of Zi Chen’s hand and said hurriedly, “Zi Chen, I won’t go back with you first then!”
Before Zi Chen could answer, she had already run toward Yi Ming and the others.
A group of people quickly surrounded her and walked in a certain direction with a smile.
Yi Ming stood beside her. From this angle, she could still see the young man’s eager and burning gaze land on her face.
She seemed to have heard something and widened her eyes slightly, revealing a bright smile.
Everything happened in the blink of an eye. When Zi Chen returned to his senses, the girl snuggling beside him had already disappeared.
He looked down and saw that there was still a trace of warmth on his fingertip. A breeze blew over, bringing with it a hint of coldness.
After a long time, he raised his eyebrows and snorted. He seemed to be laughing in anger.
So Tuan Zi has grown up?
The corners of his mouth curled up slightly as he muttered, “She has really… grown up.”