Chapter 686: Chapter 407: Among the Best
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Many guests eventually began chatting among different groups; some discovered books they could read, while others appeared to be discussing gossip or politics from across the Capital. The City Lord’s eyes surveyed the room, laughter slipping from his lips. Yan Xiaobao held a favorable impression of the cheerful and fortunate City Lord, but he was also acutely aware that this towering figure had dimensions far beyond what his current demeanor revealed.
"We host banquets like this every week," the City Lord explained as he settled into his chair, with three others placed next to him. Yan Xiaobao and Cai Jie joined him. "If you’d like to join us weekly, I would be deeply honored. I understand Gao Yan is one of your friends, so you might not know much about this city or its intrigues. However, there are some matters among the upper echelons that are not discussed openly by the servants. Occasionally, we converse about these topics. Perhaps this would benefit the two of you." He proposed this, and Xu Yue gave it some thought. Before accepting, he did not need to hesitate; he was in need of allies, and these experts appeared to play significant roles within the Capital. Aligning with the upper classes of the Sun Kingdom was an option he could not overlook.
"Thank you for the opportunity," Cai Jie agreed. Why he accepted, Yan Xiaobao was uncertain, but he refrained from questioning it. He had long understood that Cai Jie was an enigma, far too difficult to fully fathom.
As they leaned back in their chairs, listening to the responses, the City Lord’s face showed a faint smile. "In that case, I believe the best approach would be to spend an evening introducing you two to some individuals," he explained slowly, as Yan Xiaobao and Cai Jie navigated the room, introducing themselves and being introduced to others. These were the clan leaders of some of the most distinguished families. A few were highly prominent, while others were Nouveau Riche, who had managed to purchase aristocratic statuses. Although certain experts seemed skeptical about meeting Yan Xiaobao, he noticed that everyone admired him for achieving so much at such a young age.
The banquet ended late, and Yan Xiaobao wondered if his friends were still waiting for him. When he thought of reuniting with Wang Julong at last, a sharp pang pierced his chest once again. A brilliant smile spread across his face, and his steps quickened with anticipation. He rushed back to the home shared with the Rong twins and all his friends. The journey back from the banquet was filled with complex emotions, but now that Yan Xiaobao returned, excitement and joy were the only feelings that overwhelmed him. His face shone as brightly as the stars, a smile he couldn’t suppress lighting up his features, and his blue eyes sparkled with exhilaration. He would shortly see Wang Julong again, alongside Gao Yan. For the first time in years, their entire team would be complete once more. Cai Jie smiled beside him, Yan Xiaobao’s excitement permeating everything around him. Although Cai Jie didn’t know the people Yan Xiaobao was thinking about, he understood their significance to this young man. He couldn’t help but smile too, moved by the happiness expressed by his newly found friend.
They raced through the city, and soon they arrived at their residence. Gazing at the Asian-style mansion, Yan Xiaobao saw the windows still glowing with light, a sign that everyone might still be awake. Seeing this, his smile grew uncontrollable, and he accelerated his pace as quickly as he could. When he reached the gates, the young man managed to dart through the open entrance without alerting the guards to anything other than the breeze sweeping past them. As they approached the entryway, Cai Jie’s smile widened, and suddenly his skin shimmered with a silver hue before returning to normal. His feet lifted about ten centimeters off the ground, gliding past the guards unnoticed. Yan Xiaobao followed closely behind him, entering the mansion. Once inside, Cai Jie’s skin gleamed once more briefly before dimming again in an instant.
Yan Xiaobao stepped into the house, standing in the foyer. Across from Xu Biao’s office was a small sitting room used for waiting, though today it was packed with all of Yan Xiaobao’s friends — even Ma Kong was present now. As he peered inside and realized they had all been waiting for him, his heartbeat quickened. Their faces were illuminated as brightly as his own. Rising to his feet, Yan Xiaobao entered the room, his pulse racing as his eyes locked onto Wang Julong. She had grown older since the last time he saw her. Her hair was longer now, pinned up in an intricate bun. Her attire had shifted from her usual boyish clothing to feminine dress. Even faint traces of makeup could be seen on her face. At the sight of her, Yan Xiaobao felt as though his heart might burst from the intensity of its beating. Without hesitation, he ran toward her. He pulled her into a warm embrace, lifting her off the ground, spinning her while laughing out loud.
Xu Biao, Deng Wu, and even Sha Yun had anticipated this scene, while the Rong twins, Ma Kong, and Gao Yan stood utterly stunned by the sight of Yan Xiaobao’s actions. Seeing the blush rise across Wang Julong’s cheeks, their astonishment deepened, especially as her arms tightly encircled Yan Xiaobao with tears glistening in her eyes.
"You idiot!" she swore as she hugged him, as if terrified he might vanish again. "Don’t ever do something like this again! We should have journeyed together, not you going off on your own. And then you dive headlong into a stupid war! Do you have any idea how worried we’ve been here??" she cried out. Usually an incredibly reserved girl, often tirelessly working in the infirmary to save lives, the beautiful and icy Wang Julong — often called the Ice Queen — now found herself shedding tears in the arms of the man she genuinely cared for. Seeing the crying girl embracing him, Yan Xiaobao was somewhat stunned. He gently ran one hand through her hair while firmly holding her with the other. Lowering his voice, he murmured apologies until she regained composure and returned to her senses.