Chapter 454 - 7: Meeting the Parents Already?
After leaving Yu Xueqian, Song Changsheng returned to the grand hall where the meeting had taken place. The Restriction was still active, but the two inside must not have come to blows. Otherwise, the hall would have long since been reduced to dust.
Zhuang Yuechan and Xing Zhao were seated in a domed pavilion not far away, looking as if they had been waiting there the entire time.
"Are your master and my grandfather still not done talking?" Song Changsheng asked, glancing at the position of the moon. A full ancient hour had already passed.
"Not yet. But I don’t think it’s anything serious. Just relax and wait," Xing Zhao replied, as calm as ever.
Nodding slightly, Song Changsheng walked over and sat down beside them.
Zhuang Yuechan suddenly wrinkled her small, elegant nose. A hint of suspicion appeared on her face as she asked, perplexed, "What’s that scent on you? Why is it so fragrant?"
"Now that Junior Sister mentions it, there really is a strange fragrance. Hmm... It seems to be the scent of the Moluo Flower. I’ve smelled it before at Sixth Senior Sister’s place."
"Isn’t that something women use? Junior Song uses scented powder, too?" As he said this, Xing Zhao couldn’t help but give Song Changsheng a strange look.
Song Changsheng felt incredibly awkward under his gaze, as if ants were crawling all over him.
"He used to only smell of the lingering furnace fire from his Artifact Refining, and occasionally a bit of alcohol. He’s never smelled of scented powder. He must have picked it up from someone he was just with, right?"
"I hear the powder made from Moluo Flowers is very rare and even possesses some special effects. It seems you hold a rather special place in her heart, for her to use such a powder on you this late at night," Zhuang Yuechan said, a faint, knowing smile playing on her lips.
She wasn’t entirely ignorant of pharmacology. The moment she heard the name "Moluo Flower," she had a good idea of what had happened.
It was simply a case of someone wanting to use the Moluo Flower’s special properties for some shady purpose.
Although she trusted Song Changsheng’s character, for some reason, she couldn’t help but feel a little jealous.
"She was just a guest," Song Changsheng said with an awkward smile. This matter was truly difficult to explain.
Just then, the sealed doors of the grand hall suddenly opened. Song Xianming and Shen Qingxiu walked out one after the other, their expressions serene and their auras calm. It didn’t look like they had been in a conflict.
Zhuang Yuechan’s attention was immediately drawn to them, which made Song Changsheng let out a sigh of relief.
"You two must be the high disciples of the Great City Lord," Song Xianming said, looking at them with a very amiable expression.
"Yuechan, Zhao’er, come and greet Clan Leader Song."
"Juniors Zhuang Yuechan and Xing Zhao greet Elder Song!" the two said, hurrying forward to pay their respects. Xing Zhao was composed, maintaining the basic courtesy of a junior without being either servile or arrogant, but Zhuang Yuechan couldn’t help but feel a surge of nervousness.
Song Xianming’s gaze lingered on Zhuang Yuechan for a moment before he gave a warm nod. "Not bad. Both of you are of heaven-blessed talent. The Great City Lord truly has a discerning eye."
"Since this is our first meeting, this old man can’t come empty-handed. These are a couple of trinkets I refined in my spare time. Take them for your protection."
From his wide sleeve, he took out a ring and a crystal pendant, gifting one to each of them.
As a Tier Three Low-Grade Array Master and Artifact Refiner, anything Song Xianming produced was naturally no Mortal Grade item. These two Protective Talismans could each block a full-powered strike from a Purple Mansion Cultivator.
"Thank you for your generous gift, Elder," the two said in unison as they bowed in thanks.
Shen Qingxiu nodded. "I’m a bit tired, so I’ll go rest now. You two, remember not to wander around. Vast Mist Peak is not Luoxia City. Don’t be rude."
With that said, she gracefully departed.
"Grandfather?" Song Changsheng looked at Song Xianming. After some thought, he had finally remembered what he’d forgotten. He was also very eager to know the answer to that question.
Song Xianming just shook his head and chuckled. "We’ll talk about it tomorrow. Don’t neglect your guests. You young people should get to know each other. This old man won’t be a third wheel."
After saying his piece, he too left, leaving the three of them to stare at each other.
Xing Zhao suddenly spoke up. "Since it’s our first time visiting the Song Clan, shouldn’t we pay our respects to Junior Song’s mother? Otherwise, wouldn’t we seem terribly rude?"
"Wouldn’t you agree, Junior Sister?"
"Ah?"
Hearing this, Zhuang Yuechan felt an inexplicable panic. Why were they suddenly going to meet an elder?
She subconsciously wanted to refuse, but Xing Zhao had a point. Since they were already here, it would be far too rude not to pay a visit.
Zhuang Yuechan’s heart was a mess of conflict. Her elegant hands twisted the end of her sash into knots.
’This day was bound to come sooner or later...’
Thinking this, Zhuang Yuechan gritted her teeth and nodded. "Senior Brother is right. We should."
Seeing her expression, Song Changsheng couldn’t help but feel a flicker of suspicion. ’My mother is gentle and virtuous, with a warm temperament. She’s not some kind of flood or fierce beast. Does she really need to look like she’s marching to her doom?’
It just goes to show that Song Changsheng, despite having lived two lives, was single by his own merit. How could he possibly understand the nervousness and inner turmoil a woman feels when meeting her potential future mother-in-law for the first time?
Fortunately, he wasn’t a complete idiot, so he only thought this to himself and didn’t dare ask it out loud.
The group arrived at Song Changsheng’s courtyard. Just as they stepped inside, they saw a golden tortoise as large as a small hill lying on the ground, with a cherubic little boy playing happily on its back.
Nearby, a woman in a simple white dress sat under a Parasol Tree, watching the scene with a gentle smile on her face, her eyes filled with motherly love.
"Is that the descendant of Golden Armor? It’s already reached Tier Two Low Grade. Having such a fine bloodline is truly enviable," Xing Zhao said with a touch of awe.