I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to “Daoist_Culture” for their generous gift of a “Magic Castle.” Your kindness is truly appreciated, and I am filled with immense joy upon receiving such a delightful present. Thank you ever so much for your thoughtfulness and support.
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Upon hearing Yuan’s teasing voice, Rose’s cheeks flushed red, and she immediately let go of the hug, distancing herself from Yuan.
“I-I… This…that…” Rose stuttered, feeling flustered.
She had never encountered a situation like this before. Lost in the comfort and relaxation of the hug, she had lost track of time and enjoyed the warmth, forgetting that they were in the presence of her mother, brother, and others who witnessed the act.
‘Oh, God! How could I forget that everyone was watching me hug Yuan so intimately? I’m so stupid! Aww, this is so embarrassing!’ Rose cried inwardly, feeling mortified by her actions.
As the acting head of the village, Rose carried numerous responsibilities, akin to the actual head. Acting so inappropriately by hugging a young man for an extended period, even if he was her future husband, felt out of place for someone in her position.
‘I’m acting like a little girl in love… though it’s true in a sense…’ Rose mumbled to herself, feeling self-conscious in front of everyone.
A moment later, Yuan chuckled and said, “Hahaha! Don’t worry, I was just teasing you earlier.”
Hearing Yuan’s chuckle, Rose’s eyes widened in surprise. So he was just teasing me earlier?
“H-How could you do that to me…?” Rose mumbled in a low voice, pouting and pretending to be angry with him.
“So cute…” Yuan thought inwardly, finding her reaction adorable.
“I just wanted to tease you a little bit. And besides, there’s no need for you to feel embarrassed about it. It was just a hug, and hugs are very common,” Yuan reassured her a moment later.
Despite Rose’s act of being angry with him in front of everyone, Yuan knew that she wasn’t actually angry. He understood her true feelings.
‘He is right; hugging is quite normal among people, so there’s no need for me to feel embarrassed…’ Rose thought to herself, trying to regain her composure.
It wasn’t as if they were openly kissing or engaging in intimate moments to be embarrassed about. So why should she feel embarrassed?
“I-I will try not to get myself embarrassed over such a small thing…” Rose nodded bashfully, determined to regain her composure. ｎ𝚘𝚟ｌ.ｃｏ𝚖
“I know you can do it…” Yuan nodded with a warm smile.
Even though she agreed with Yuan’s words and resolved not to feel embarrassed, Rose still felt a lingering sense of embarrassment. However, it was not as intense as before, as she gradually regained her composure.
As Yuan flirted with Rose in front of everyone, Ava and Julie smiled, pleased to see their usually reserved older sister enjoying herself.
“Looks like big sis really enjoyed the hug with Mr. Yuan. Look at the bright smile on her face. I rarely see her smile like this, even at home,” Julie said to Ava.
“Naturally, it’s quite a rare sight. But I can understand her feelings since we also experienced it a moment ago,” Ava replied, her face blushing.
“I couldn’t agree more,” Julie nodded in agreement.
Meanwhile, Madam Layla watched her daughter Rose getting closer to Yuan, overcoming her shyness and hesitation. She was happy to see Rose following her heart without any hint of hesitation, and a delightful smile appeared on Madam Layla’s face, as though she was experiencing a moment of pure bliss.
For a mother, there is nothing more blissful than watching their children find happiness. The same applied to Madam Layla, although her only disappointment was that while her daughters had found their fated ones, her son was still a virgin without a girlfriend.
‘This girl… It seems she has finally found her happiness! Look how happy she is while flirting with each other! It’s strange, but I never thought before that all my daughters would fall for the same person… It must be some kind of fate,’ Madam Layla mumbled to herself, seemingly lost in thought.
“I’m surprised too, Mother! But I haven’t seen Big Sister this happy in a long time… Since our father fell gravely ill, her smiles have been rare,” James said to his mother with a smile.
‘Watching them flirt like this… It brings back some nostalgic memories from the past,’ Madam Layla thought inwardly, reminiscing about her youth.
After a moment, Madam Layla snapped out of her daze and turned towards James, who was standing beside her.
“By the way, James. Now that your sisters have found their fated ones, who happen to be the same person, when will you bring a daughter-in-law for me? Or are you planning to stay single for the rest of your life?” Madam Layla teased, her voice filled with amusement.
Madam Layla was concerned about James, as he was at an age when most people would have their own families. Despite his decent looks, James remained a virgin, and Madam Layla wondered when he would find the right girl to spend his life with.
“Mom…?” James exclaimed, taken aback. Where did this come from?
“What?! Don’t tell me you’re into men now…” Madam Layla said, her voice filled with surprise as she covered her mouth with her hand, her face turning slightly rosy at the thought of her son with another man.
“What?! No, it’s not like that!” James was astonished by his mother’s assumption. How could she think such a thing?
“It’s not like that…?”
“I mean, I’m not into that kind of stuff, okay! I like girls, but the thing is, I haven’t found the right girl for me yet, someone I can spend the rest of my life with,” James explained, shaking his head.
“I don’t know if I’ll be interested in any girl after witnessing such a magnitude of beauties…” James thought inwardly, stealing a glance at Yuan’s wives.
The beauty of Yuan’s wives had left an indelible mark on James’ mind, something he could never forget even if he tried.
“I see… Well, don’t keep us waiting. Your father’s illness is worsening by the day, and I don’t think he’ll live much longer. I’m already in my mid-sixties, so hurry up and find a girl. I want to hold my grandchild as soon as possible,” Madam Layla urged James.
“I’ll try…” James replied, a bitter smile on his face, aware of the urgency in his mother’s words.
However, the conversation between Madam Layla and her son James didn’t go unnoticed by Yuan’s two mothers, Anna and Grace, his elder sister Lily, and his beloveds Emma and Xi Meili. They heard every word of their conversation, as though it was whispered directly into their ears.
Hearing the discussion, they couldn’t help but find it amusing.
“Hahaha! I can’t even imagine a man being with another man… Just thinking about it makes me sick!” Lily whispered to Anna, Grace, Emma, and Xi Meili.
“I wonder how Madam Layla could entertain such bizarre thoughts about her son… Does she lack confidence in him?” Grace murmured softly.
“Well, I don’t think it’s entirely her fault. Her son is old enough to marry and start a family, so it’s only natural for her to worry since he hasn’t found a girl yet,” Anna explained, smiling knowingly.
“I see…” Grace nodded, understanding Anna’s point as she was also a mother herself.
Moments later, Lily interjected, “Let’s stop pondering over other people’s lives. Look at Yuan and Rose. Don’t you think our Yuan is attracted to her? Or should I say, he has fallen in love with her?”
“Haha, have you just noticed now? I’ve known it since the moment he laid eyes on her. Unlike her sisters, Rose is quite shy, which is why it took this long. Otherwise, they would have become a couple long ago,” Grace replied to Lily.
A little while later, Yuan turned to Madam Layla and said, “Madam Layla, let’s pause our conversation here for today. Morning will be upon us soon, and we’re all quite tired after battling the hordes of monsters. We should freshen up and get some rest.”
Madam Layla was taken aback by Yuan’s suggestion, realizing that in the midst of their conversation, she had nearly forgotten that they had just returned from a grueling battle against thousands of monsters.
‘Oh, dear Lord! How could I forget such an important detail? They have been fighting for hours, slaying thousands of monsters. They must be exhausted… I must apologize to them…’ Madam Layla thought inwardly, feeling a sense of regret.
“I apologize for keeping you all here for my selfish reasons. I nearly forgot that you are all exhausted after battling thousands of monsters, not to mention defeating the Lord of the mountain and saving our village from destruction,” Madam Layla said, bowing her head in apology.
“There’s no need to apologize, Madam Layla. It was an honest mistake, and mistakes happen to everyone,” Anna reassured her with a smile.
“Yuan, since you and your companions are worn out and in need of rest, we can discuss the rewards tomorrow,” Madam Layla informed Yuan.
Madam Layla then turned to Rose, who was standing beside Yuan, and instructed her, “Rose, please guide our esteemed guests to their resting place and inform the servants not to disturb them. I will personally punish anyone who disobeys.”
“Understood, Mom…” Rose nodded, ready to fulfill her mother’s instructions.