A few hours later, Feng Yuxiang stopped moving above a city in the Eastern Continent.
“We have arrived,” she said to the other two girls.
“I see Yu Rou. She’s over there.” Meixiu pointed at the small figure standing outside the city gates.
Of course, she was surrounded by young men, just like when Yuan first found her.
“Young fairy, why are you standing out here alone? Why don’t you come with me and I will show you all around the city and some more?”
“No, you should follow me! My father is the—”
“Eh? Y-You’re floating?!”
The people there were shocked when Yu Rou suddenly started levitating off the ground.
“S-She’s not floating! She’s flying! A Spirit Grandmaster!”
They then watched as Yu Rou flew towards Feng Yuxiang and the others in the sky.
“It’s been a while, Yu Rou. I hope I didn’t interrupt your fun down there.” Feng Yuxiang said to her with a smile.
“You came just at the right time, Feng Feng.”
“Then let’s return to the Young Master’s side, shall we? We’re already behind schedule.”
Feng Yuxiang then carried all three of them back to Pang City.
Shortly after they began their journey, Yu Rou noticed someone there that she didn’t recognize at all— Chu Liuxiang.
“Hello, I am called Yu Rou. Are you also one of Brother Yuan’s friends? I’m his sister— little sister.” Yu Rou asked her.
Chu Liuxiang narrowed her eyes on Yu Rou with a profound smile on her face, “So you’re Yu Rou, huh? How surprising. You’re nothing like I’d anticipated— completely different from your parents. The polar opposite, even.”
“M-My parents?” Yu Rou’s eyes slightly widened.
“You’re from the Yu Family, no?”
“Oh… So you’re also a player… I assumed you were an NPC since Brother Yuan doesn’t really have any acquaintances out there. This makes more sense.” Yu Rou mumbled after realizing this fact.
“Name’s Chu Liuxiang.”
“How did you and my brother meet? What is your relationship with him? And for how long have you known him?” Yu Rou quickly began interrogating her.
“Brother Yuan and I go back… way back. I have known him for many years now. As for our relationship together, we’re friends… For now, at least.” Chu Liuxiang said, still with a smile.
“B-Brother Yuan…?” Yu Rou frowned slightly.
While Xiao Hua also addresses Yuan as ‘brother’, Yu Rou didn’t mind it as much since Xiao Hua was an NPC, and she also has the appearance of a little kid. Chu Liuxiang, however, is a young lady around Yuan’s age, so Yu Rou wasn’t as accepting this time.
Yu Rou turned to look at Meixiu for answers.
However, Meixiu acted as though she didn’t notice Yu Rou’s intensive gaze, leaving her alone to deal with Chu Liuxiang.
‘I’m sorry, Yu Rou, but I’ll let you experience— handle her…’ Meixiu sighed inwardly.
“C-Calling your friend ‘brother’ is a little bit weird, don’t you think?” Yu Rou asked a moment later.
“Weird? Why? Even if it’s a little weird, I cannot help it, as I’d gotten used to calling him that ever since we were young.”
“Young?” Yu Rou grew even more puzzled after hearing such words.
How could Chu Liuxiang possibly know Yuan when they were young when her family doesn’t allow Yuan to associate with the outside world, much less have friends?
“Are you a fan of my brother? From when he was still performing on the stage?” Yu Rou could only come to this conclusion after a quick pondering.
“Hm? No, we go even further back.” Chu Liuxiang shook her head.
“Even further back? That’s not possible—”
Yu Rou suddenly halted her mouth movements when she realized something.
“D-Don’t tell me…”
“That’s right! We were at the same orphanage! I have known him before he was taken away from me by your Yu Family!” Chu Liuxiang said with a smile on her face, unaware that Yu Rou wasn’t supposed to know this information.
Although Meixiu didn’t realize it at first, she realized the problem afterward, but it was already too late, as Chu Liuxiang had already revealed the secret that Yuan was adopted into the Yu Family— that he wasn’t really Yu Rou’s real brother.
“Hm?” Seeing Meixiu facepalm herself, Chu Liuxiang raised her eyebrows, still unaware that she had accidentally revealed a secret that Meixiu and Yuan had been hiding for many years now.
Even with her Chu Family’s intelligence agency, there was no way that they could’ve known that Yu Rou didn’t know Yuan was adopted.
Seeing Yu Rou’s blank face, Meixiu opened her mouth to try and salvage the impossible situation.
“Y-Yu Rou… I can explain…”
“It’s fine, Meixiu. You don’t have to explain anything to me.” Yu Rou suddenly interrupted.
“Actually, I have a confession to make.”
“I have known about Brother Yuan’s adoption— that he is not really my brother for a long time now.”
It was now Yu Rou’s turn to reveal this shocking information.
“H-How did you…” Meixiu stared at Yu Rou with a dazed face.
“How did I find out? It was actually by pure coincidence that I found out. I snuck inside my father’s room one time when I was playing hide-and-seek with you since I knew you couldn’t go there, and I stumbled upon it inside the closet. After learning about it, I began investigating it to confirm the information, and sure enough, it was true.”
“How long have you known about it?” Meixiu then asked.
“Shortly after Brother Yuan became unable to move his body…” Yu Rou sighed.
“For that long?!” Meixiu was truly shocked speechless now.
To think Yu Rou had managed to hide this fact for so many years. It was truly a shock to Meixiu.
“Wait… So you’re telling me that you didn’t always know about Brother Yuan’s adoption?” Chu Liuxiang finally spoke after comprehending the situation.
Yu Rou shook her head, “No… Actually… Perhaps I knew— but forgot about it since Brother Yuan always treated me like a real sister, and I was very young back then. Maybe I didn’t want to believe it and tricked myself into thinking that he was my real brother. Even I don’t know anymore.”