Uncle Zhang was quite efficient. Just as Ruan Qiuping finished dinner, the Cook Lady had already started packing up, preparing to leave.
Meanwhile, Zhao Qingqing still had no idea what was happening and was happily doing a handstand.
Ruan Qiuping turned his head, feeling a bit reluctant to look at her anymore.
By the time the Cook Lady finished packing, Uncle Zhang had arrived at the villa.
He was a tall, thin man in his forties, appearing approachable and refined. Seeing Ruan Qiuping in this space seemed to surprise him a little, but he didn't show it too obviously. He just extended his hand to Ruan Qiuping, saying, "Hello, I'm Zhang Xuanzhong, the butler here. I usually live here, but I just happened to take a half-day off today."
"I'm Ruan Qiuping, I'm..."
Ruan Qiuping looked at the outstretched right hand, hesitating. Firstly, he wasn't sure whether to shake hands, and secondly, he didn't know how to explain his identity.
Butler Zhang tactfully withdrew his hand and smiled, "It seems you're the young master's guest."
"He's my friend," Little Yu Huan suddenly spoke up.
Ruan Qiuping looked down at him, "How can I be your friend? I'm so much older than you!"
Little Yu Huan retorted, "If not a friend, then what?"
Ruan Qiuping thought for a moment, then said, "Should be a brother, right? Don't you remember last... last year you even called me brother? Come on, try calling me again! Call me Brother Qiuping!"
Little Yu Huan called out, "Ruan Qiuping."
"Eh? How can you call me by my name? Call me Brother Qiuping."
"Ruan Qiuping."
"Brother Qiuping."
"Ruan Qiuping-ping-ping-ping-ping..."
"Brother Qiuping-ping-ping-ping-ping..."
Yu Huan: "...Sigh."
Ruan Qiuping: "..."
Ruan Qiuping slapped Yu Huan's forehead with his palm, "You little brat, dare to take advantage of me?!"
Little Yu Huan covered his head and shouted, "It's your own fault for being stupid!"
"Me, stupid? I've never been last in my class in exams!"
"Then it seems you've been second to last."
...
Butler Zhang smiled and shook his head.
It seemed this young man was indeed the young master's friend; their intelligence levels were on par.
How nice, the young master had a friend now.
.
Ruan Qiuping stayed at Yu Huan's house for a full thirty hours. It wasn't until his bracelet started flashing red, warning him that only three minutes remained, that he and Ruan Dongdong walked to the villa's entrance, preparing to leave.
"Can't you stay?" Yu Huan asked.
Ruan Qiuping shook his head.
"Then... when will you come next time?"
"Next year."
Little Yu Huan lowered his head, "Then where are you going? I'll see you off..."
"No need, I can go by myself." Ruan Qiuping looked down at his bracelet; only two minutes and thirty seconds left. He waved at Yu Huan, said "See you next year," and then turned to leave.
He walked somewhat hurriedly, his pace quickening noticeably.
It was all because he couldn't resist eating a lot of desserts before leaving, wasting time.
"Ruan Qiuping, when next year will you come?" Little Yu Huan shouted from behind.
Ruan Qiuping's steps faltered. He turned back and said, "I don't know."
Little Yu Huan opened his mouth, then said, "Then I'll wait for you every day!"
Ruan Qiuping was stunned for a moment, then waved and left.
Knowing that Little Yu Huan was still watching at the door, Ruan Qiuping didn't take the main road but led Ruan Dongdong into the woods by the roadside.
Thirty-five seconds remained.
Xia Fushui, who had originally said she would come to pick up Ruan Dongdong, hadn't appeared either. It seemed she hadn't managed to come down successfully.
This actually made Ruan Qiuping feel relieved. He had Ruan Dongdong climb back into the Universe Pouch and took her back to the Heavenly Court.
Worried that Ruan Dongdong in the Universe Pouch might be discovered, Ruan Qiuping asked for leave from the Recorder of Fate, intending to go straight home.
As Ruan Qiuping stepped out of the Gate of Vanity, two minor immortals walked towards him, chatting as they walked.
"Did you hear? Just ten minutes ago, the people at the Gate of Vanity caught a group of immortals trying to sneak down to the mortal world..."
Ruan Qiuping: ... No way.
"Hey, these people are quite unlucky. I heard that the Gate of Vanity people had never checked that abandoned descent point before, but today they suddenly decided to check it, and happened to catch those people just as they were lining up to go down."
"Do you know why they're so unlucky?"
"Why?"
"The first person in line to go down was the mother of the God of Misfortune!"
"No wonder..."
Ruan Qiuping: "..."
Ruan Qiuping stepped forward and stopped them, "Excuse me, do you know where those people were taken?"
One of them scratched his head and said, "Ah, actually I don't..."
"It's the God of Misfortune!" The other minor immortal's face changed dramatically, quickly tugging at his companion's sleeve.
The minor immortal who had spoken half a sentence to Ruan Qiuping realized and his face instantly turned terrified.
The two minor immortals immediately took to their heels.
After running a few steps, they both fell flat on their faces.
They scrambled to get up from the ground, increasingly convinced of the rumor that meeting the God of Misfortune brings bad luck.
When Ruan Qiuping got home, he immediately saw a notice letter stuffed in the crack of the door. Probably the messenger was afraid of encountering Ruan Qiuping, so he just stuffed the letter there and ran.
Ruan Qiuping opened the letter and saw that it indeed wrote about Xia Fushui being caught.
The punishment was 15 days of detention and not being allowed to apply for descent to the mortal world for three years.
Ruan Qiuping folded the letter and let out a long sigh.
He turned his head to look at Ruan Dongdong, who had already come out of the Universe Pouch, his expression softening a bit.
Although Xia Fushui had suffered some hardship.
At least Ruan Dongdong didn't have to go down to the mortal world.
She could also spend her carefree childhood peacefully in the Heavenly Court.
.
"Qiuping, I'm going to visit your mother with Dongdong. Do you want to come along?" Ruan Shengfeng asked, pushing open Ruan Qiuping's door.
Ruan Qiuping stopped what he was doing, "You go ahead, I won't go."
"Why not? Are you busy with something?"
"No, I just feel that Mom might not want to see me."
"How could Mom not want..." Ruan Shengfeng suddenly thought of something and his voice trailed off.
He paused for a moment, then said, "I made some porridge in the kitchen. Remember to drink it, don't always skip meals, it's not good for your health."
Ruan Qiuping nodded.
As Ruan Shengfeng was about to leave, he heard Ruan Qiuping say, "Dad, tell Mom I'm sorry for me."
Ruan Shengfeng closed the door, his back against the wall, and let out a long sigh.
.
"Given that many students have encountered various troubles due to losing their invisibility talismans or having them rubbed off, our Fate Academy worked overnight with the staff at the Gate of Vanity to upgrade everyone's bracelets. Everyone, please take a look at your bracelets. We've added an invisibility function. There's a button on it; press and hold for three seconds to switch invisibility status. However, I hope you won't cancel invisibility lightly. If you do cancel invisibility, try not to use magic. The human world is not like our immortal realm; there are cameras everywhere, it's quite scary..."
The Recorder of Fate was still rambling on in front of the Gate of Dust Observation, while Ruan Qiuping was already waiting anxiously. If the Recorder of Fate kept talking, Little Yu Huan would be waiting from autumn to winter...
"...Alright, that's all I have to say. Everyone, line up and go down one by one."
Ruan Qiuping had been waiting for just these words. As soon as the Recorder of Fate finished speaking, he darted to the front of the Gate of Dust Observation, becoming the first in line, and was the first to walk through the Gate of Dust Observation.
When Ruan Qiuping opened his eyes, he found himself in front of an unfamiliar villa. This villa was more grand and imposing compared to the one Little Yu Huan lived in, not only two or three times larger in area but also in a better location.
Where was Little Yu Huan? Ruan Qiuping looked around.
Just then, the sound of cars approached from afar.
Ruan Qiuping turned to look and saw three black sedans stopping in front of the gate one after another.
A middle-aged man with an imposing presence and his wife stepped out of the first sedan.
A strange boy, polished to a shine, got out of the second sedan.
Ruan Qiuping looked down at his bracelet, which showed a faint blue light.
Yu Huan was nearby.
It seemed he was in the third car.
But the couple and the child in front had almost reached the villa, while there was still no movement from the third car.
About five more minutes passed before the door of the third car was finally opened.
Seven-year-old Little Yu Huan stepped out.
He had grown a bit taller, his face expressionless.
Ruan Qiuping extended his left hand and waved vigorously at him.
Little Yu Huan walked closer and closer.
Ruan Qiuping smiled broadly: "Little..."
But Little Yu Huan walked past Ruan Qiuping as if he were passing through air, not giving Ruan Qiuping a single glance from start to finish, his expression not even changing in the slightest.
Ruan Qiuping: ...
The smile froze on Ruan Qiuping's face.
What's going on? Did Little Yu Huan not recognize him? Or was Little Yu Huan pretending not to know him? Was it because Little Yu Huan had grown up, his intelligence had increased, and he suddenly discovered that Ruan Qiuping was suspicious all over, seeming like a fraud, so he didn't want to bother with him? When he left yesterday, Little Yu Huan had said he would wait for him every day, and now he was already turning his back on him, what a liar! He really shouldn't have trusted this garbage God of Fortune! He must have been blinded by stupidity to think that this God of Fortune who had descended to the mortal realm in a doll's shell was super cute. A God of Fortune will always be a God of Fortune, a natural enemy will always be a natural enemy, a sworn foe will always be a sworn foe, and he, Ruan Qiuping, will forever hate the God of Fortune!!!
Suddenly, Ruan Qiuping noticed that he seemed to have no shadow.
Huh? What's going on?
Ah... he remembered.
It was the new invisibility function of the bracelet. It seemed that after descending to the mortal realm, it defaulted to invisibility.
Ruan Qiuping: ...
Ahem... Little Yu Huan! I'm here!
Ruan Qiuping followed Little Yu Huan into the gate with light steps.