After cooking dinner and feeding Yuan, Yu Rou said, "Even though you’d moved out of the house and everything, there’s still about two days before you’re officially disowned, so I plan on keeping it a secret until then. Who knows, maybe mother and father will even change their minds about disowning you."
"Okay. However, even if they change their mind, I have already decided to leave the family. After all, if one day I recover from this condition, I don’t want them to believe that it was all due to their help. I want to prove to them and myself that I can survive even without them." Yuan said.
"If that’s your decision, brother, I won’t say anything else. I also believe that you’ll one day make a full recovery," said Yu Rou.
"Anyways, it’s getting late, so I’ll head home tonight. I’ll be back tomorrow, though." Yu Rou said.
"Okay. See you tomorrow."
After leaving Yuan’s apartment, Yu Rou locked the door with the spare keys and quickly returned home.
Meanwhile, Meixiu stayed behind to take care of Yuan.
"Do you need anything, Young Master?" Meixiu asked him.
"Yes, I actually do... Meixiu, can you stop calling me Young Master? I am no longer part of the Yu Family, and there’s no need to be so formal to me. Just call my Yu Tian, or even better, Yuan."
"..."
Meixiu did not immediately respond.
After a moment of silence, she suddenly asked him, "When do you plan on telling the Young Lady the truth?"
"..."
"..."
"..."
"The truth... huh."
A bittersweet smile appeared on Yuan’s face, and he said, "I wanted to tell her yesterday— No, I planned on telling her if she refused to let me leave the family, but I guess that’s no longer needed. However, that’s not to say I intend on keeping that secret forever. Once the time is right, I’ll tell her."
"I understand."
"Thank you, Meixiu..." Yuan suddenly said, and he continued, "Thank you... for not telling her even though you work with her pretty much every day."
"It’s not a big deal, really. I don’t think it would change your relationship that much even if she knew."
"Perhaps... But I don’t want to risk it." Yuan sighed.
"But she will find out sooner or later, especially now that you’re no longer part of the family." Meixiu said, and she continued, "Who knows, maybe the Masters will reveal everything to her once they officially disown you."
"..."
Yuan turned silent after hearing her words.
And he spoke in a solemn voice, "If that happens, it is what is it."
Meixiu shook her head and sighed, "I really don’t understand you sometimes, Young Master— Yuan. How hard would it really be for you to say ’we’re not blood-related since I was adopted into the family’?"
"You won’t understand it even if I told you, Meixiu. The fear of being ignored once someone realizes that you’re not who they think you are." Yuan sighed.
"I don’t think the Young Lady is that kind of person. Even if you’re not real siblings, she won’t abandon you." Meixiu said.
"I know she’s not, and she most likely won’t abandon me, but I still fear that minuscule possibility, and I can’t shake off this feeling no matter how much I try. I... really don’t want her to hate me for lying to her all these years."
"I wouldn’t consider that lying so neither should you. After all, everyone has a secret or two in their lives. Don’t think too much about it." Meixiu shook her head. This belongs to .
"If our parents don’t tell her first, I’ll tell her the truth once I recover from my condition somewhat," Yuan said.
Meixiu looked at Yuan’s still body for a moment before speaking, "Yuan... Do you really believe that you’ll be able to recover fully?"
Yuan chuckled at her words and said, "Of course not. However, there’s no harm in hoping for the best."
"I see..."
"Anyway, you can go rest. I’ll be on Cultivation Online tonight to see if I can bring you to the Eastern Continent." Yuan said.
"I understand. Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
Once Yuan entered the game, Meixiu went to the bathroom to wash herself before going to sleep shortly later.
Inside the game, Yuan called for Feng Yuxiang and asked her, "Feng Feng, do you think you can bring someone from the Western Continent to the Eastern Continent?"
"The Western Continent? I can. But why?"
"I have a friend there, and I have some business with her. How long do you think it’ll take to bring her here?"
"It shouldn’t take too long— probably a few days, even less if we take the teleportation devices. Do you want me to bring your friend from the Western Continent here, Young Master?" Feng Yuxiang asked.
Yuan nodded, and he said, "Yes, but before that, can you bring my sister, Yu Rou, to a place called Red Pearl City? She’s still in Phoenix City, and her permit expired."
Feng Yuxiang nodded, "That won’t be a problem. When do you want me to go?"
"You can start making your way there now. I’ll tell her to meet you there sometime tomorrow." Yuan said.
"It’s fine, I have memorized her aura, so I will be able to find her no matter where she is as long as she’s within the city. However, it’ll still be better to have a meeting point. How about the Golden Phoenix Bazaar where we first met?"
"Okay. I’ll tell her that."
"Then I’ll be back after I transport your sister. See you later, Young Master."
"Thank you for your help, Feng Feng."
"Don’t even mention it, Young Master. It’s my pleasure to assist you."
Feng Yuxiang left the Dragon Essence Temple shortly later and soared towards Phoenix City, shocking the sect elders and disciples within the sect with her fiery appearance.
And shortly after Feng Yuxiang left, someone knocked on the door to Yuan’s house.
"Is this where Disciple Yuan lives?! You had an official match today, and you missed it! If you don’t show up tomorrow, you’ll be punished according to the sect rules!"
"What?" Yuan was shocked when he heard this. Where did this match come from? And who’s he fighting?