Chapter 218 - 218: Lies
Chapter 218 - 218: Lies
“Mmm! Not bad, really good!” Xue Zhong didn’t spare his praise. Although watermelons were abundant in the summer, ones with such perfect sweetness, crispness, and seedlessness were not easy to find. That made it even more perfect.
“Hehe, this is a new variety we just developed on our side. It’s great that you like it!” He Xin chuckled heartily.
“Uh-huh,” Xiao Taowu kept eating bite after bite, not even lifting his head, expressing his fondness through actions.
Fu Xian, on the side, breathed a sigh of relief. When he had just learned that He Xin was coming, he was a bit nervous. Although he hadn’t known He Xin for long, after learning about Xue Zhong’s story, Fu Xian felt a deep sympathy for him. He couldn’t help feeling that He Xin’s sudden interest in Xue Zhong was a bit hypocritical.
From Xue Zhong’s perspective, although He Xin claimed to be a relative from Xue Zhong’s mother’s family, they hadn’t shown any concern for Xue Zhong’s life in the past ten years. Xue Zhong had been under soft captivity, and no one had come to rescue him. It seemed insincere that they were only now coming to acknowledge their relationship.
However, it seemed that optimism and a friendly nature were inherited traits from Xue Zhong’s mother’s family. Xue Zhong had naturally accepted this cousin’s identity, without any apparent resentment for the lack of contact over the years.
He Xin also seemed completely at ease, without the usual awkwardness of a first meeting. He showed up in slippers, carrying a watermelon, and explained his reason for visiting Xue Zhong and the encounter with Ji Jing a while ago in just a few words.
Fu Xian didn’t have a lot of pretense and appreciated He Xin’s straightforwardness. The watermelon he brought had certainly won over everyone in the house.
What he didn’t know was that, although Xiao Taowu and Xue Zhong seemed busy eating watermelon, they were secretly scrutinizing He Xin.
After years of not seeing their relatives, Xue Zhong’s first thought wasn’t excitement at a long-lost reunion or resentment for their past absence; it was, “What’s his purpose?”
“Oh! Little one, don’t eat the watermelon rind, it’s not tasty!” He Xin saw Xiao Taowu finishing the red part of the watermelon and starting to gnaw on the rind, and he quickly intervened.
“It’s fine.” The rind wasn’t as tasty, so Xiao Taowu decided not to savor it and simply threw it into his mouth, chewing a couple of times before swallowing.
‘ He Xin was dumbfounded.
He had just swallowed such a big piece of rind directly?! And, in that split second, this child’s appearance didn’t even look human?!
“Don’t worry; he’s a glutton. He can eat anything,” Fu Xian explained with a smile.
“Oh…” He Xin stared, looking left and right, “So, you’re a glutton, huh… Ha, ha…”
Of course, he remembered the Taoist’s words that there was a glutton living in this household, but since Fu Xian was the one who had welcomed him in, displaying no surprise at his arrival, He Xin had assumed that Fu Xian was the glutton mentioned by Ji Jing!
He had never imagined that it was this cute child.
That was a legendary monster! Who could connect a fierce creature like that with this child?
Xiao Taowu felt a bit displeased, and his gaze turned sharp. “What, don’t I look like one?”
“Not, not at all! It was just my misunderstanding!” He Xin quickly waved his hand. “If you like this watermelon, I’ll have more sent over next time.”
“Hmph.” In exchange for his delicious watermelon, Xiao Taowu decided to forgive this human who clearly had no discernment.
“Can’t you tell the difference between people and monsters?” Fu Xian was curious. He thought that people with knowledge of the supernatural could instantly see through such things. As for himself, although he could vaguely see ghosts, he couldn’t differentiate between monsters and humans at all.
“I’m not that good, hahaha,” He Xin scratched his head. “Actually, I don’t have the ability to see ghosts, let alone differentiate between monsters and humans.”
“Hmm?” Xue Zhong looked over with curiosity. “But didn’t you say earlier that your family is a prominent paper-crafting family in the north?”
“Controlling paper figures is a skill passed down in our family, but it doesn’t require the ability to see ghosts. Anyone in our family can control them,” He Xin explained. “The few exceptional talents in our family do have the ability to see ghosts, and the paper figures are very powerful when used by them. However, I’m just an ordinary person without much talent.”
“Is that so? But you seem pretty good,” Xiao Taowu grinned menacingly. This guy was lying..