Fortunately, Min Ziqiong took the initiative to help Ying Chen resolve the awkwardness.
"Mr. Ying doesn't have a phone. How about Miss Qu keeping my number? I'll be with Mr. Ying for a while anyway."
Hearing Min Ziqiong's words, Qu Jianping looked at her with a hint of understanding and then said, "That's fine. It's a win-win. Miss Min and I hit it off today, and if Miss Min encounters any difficulties, you can still ask me for help. For example, your family's messy affairs, or your daughter's medical treatment..."
Clearly, in this short while, Qu Jianping had already investigated Min Ziqiong's information.
"Then thank you, Miss Qu."
"Miss Min, you're too kind. Who told us we're half-day besties?"
The two women looked at each other and smiled, appearing to be in perfect harmony, as if they had become best friends after spending half a day together.
However, anyone with a high EQ could tell that these two women were not best friends at all, but rather sworn enemies drawing their swords!
Min Ziqiong had specifically emphasized that she would be with Ying Chen for a while, deliberately telling Qu Jianping: Ying Chen is currently closer to her!
And Qu Jianping, pretending to care, said she could help Min Ziqiong solve her family problems and daughter's problems, actually telling Min Ziqiong: The Min family is just a messy small family! Min Ziqiong also has a daughter! She's not worthy of Ying Chen!
The seemingly peaceful conversation was filled with hidden daggers.
But how could a thousand-year-old straight man like Ying Chen understand this?
Even if he understood, Ying Chen wouldn't bother.
Women only slow down Ying Chen's draw!
Only strength is truly eternal!
"Then... goodbye." After exchanging phone numbers with Min Ziqiong, Qu Jianping cast a reluctant glance at Ying Chen and waved goodbye.
This "flower of the army" who had never thought highly of any man now felt something she had never felt for Ying Chen.
It wasn't love, but at least not dislike;
It wasn't infatuation, but she was full of curiosity.
If others had long been marked with a big cross in Qu Jianping's heart, then Ying Chen was a question mark.
A question mark that could evolve into any outcome.
Soon, Qu Jianping left.
Min Ziqiong then started the car and drove towards the Shouyang Mountain villa.
Ying Chen breathed a sigh of relief, finally able to have some peace and quiet.
Upon arriving at the villa, Ying Chen went directly to the backyard.
In the backyard, a small figure of Nannan sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, meditating and visualizing.
The fetal light on her body was becoming more and more obvious, like a tiny Buddha, radiating Buddhist light.
Min Ziqiong followed behind Ying Chen and, seeing that Nannan was fine, her hanging heart finally settled, and she quietly left.
However, in Ying Chen's view, Min Ziqiong's worry was completely unnecessary.
Since Ying Chen dared to leave Nannan alone at home, he was one hundred percent confident.
Firstly, the Dutian Qilu Great Formation was not something anyone could intrude upon; at least one would have to be on the level of the deceased Di Zhenyi.
Secondly, even if someone broke through the great formation, they might not be able to find Nannan's location. This was because the backyard was the core of the great formation. To outsiders, it appeared as a dense fog, and nothing could be seen.
Thirdly, before leaving, Ying Chen had left the Xuanpin Leiyang Sword by Nannan's side. As long as an enemy attacked, the Xuanpin Leiyang Sword would automatically unleash three sword lights without Nannan needing to activate it.
And it was rare in this world to be able to block Ying Chen's three sword lights.
If there were such people, they wouldn't be bored enough to come to the villa to harm a child.
Therefore, Min Ziqiong's worry was unfounded.
"Take a break," Ying Chen patted Nannan's head and said.
Nannan opened her eyes and, seeing that Ying Chen was back, a happy smile immediately appeared on her little face.
Ying Chen then took out the Dao character talisman.
It had a silk thread threaded through it, made into a pendant, and was hung directly on Nannan's neck.
"This is an introductory gift from me. You absolutely cannot take it off without my permission. Not even when you sleep or bathe. Do you understand?"
Nannan blinked her eyes and nodded.
"Alright, now you can meet your protector."
With that, Ying Chen pointed at the Dao character talisman.
The next second, Cao Ye's phantom slowly appeared before Nannan.
Normally, a child seeing this scene would either cry or scream in fright.
But Nannan was unfazed, even blinking her big eyes and looking at Cao Ye's phantom with curiosity.
"Interesting," Cao Ye couldn't help but stroke his beard and smile upon seeing Nannan.
He was clearly very satisfied with this student whom he was to protect.
"Hmm, born mute?"
"This might be a disadvantage in the eyes of others, but in my eyes, it's a great advantage!"
"Because she is mute, she can perceive the world with her heart; because she is mute, she can be more diligent in her studies. Not to mention her innate intelligence and overflowing spiritual light, she is truly a born scholar!"
"I guarantee that if she studies with me, within ten years, she will be a young Zhuangyuan (top scholar)!"
Cao Ye said excitedly.
In the hearts of scholars like them, there was clearly only one unshakable belief: "All professions are inferior, only reading is noble."
This was why Cao Ye, despite his profound research into Xuanmen Daoism, had unhesitatingly abandoned all his Daoist essence.
"In the Age of Dharma Decline, everyone is struggling to cross over. You no longer belong to this world, but she is still in the torrent of the present world. If she has no divine abilities or cultivation, do you think she can survive this torrent of Dharma decline?"
"If survival cannot even be guaranteed, how can one talk about crossing over and reaching the other shore?"
Ying Chen asked Cao Ye calmly.
Cao Ye seemed not to have realized the situation of this era. He tentatively sensed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
Then he soared into the air, ascending straight up, and hovered in the sky for a long time, observing the mountains and rivers.
After a while, he descended back to the ground, his face filled with regret and melancholy: "So the world has become like this?"
"You are right, it is better to be a dog in peaceful times than a person in troubled times. This current era is even more terrifying than troubled times. I can sense a dangerous aura brewing. It might become a situation where everyone is on guard and struggling against the current at any moment."
"Then let her focus on cultivation! I don't want my first student to be protected to perish before even graduating!"
As Cao Ye spoke, he suddenly extended a finger and touched his brow. A golden light flew out from his brow, like a golden butterfly, fluttering and drifting into Nannan's brow.
A moment later, a butterfly mark, invisible to the naked eye but visible with spiritual sight, appeared on Nannan's brow!
This represented the formal formation of the protector-student relationship between Nannan and Cao Ye!
From then on, when Ying Chen went out, he would no longer need to set up any protective measures for Nannan, nor would he need to leave the Xuanpin Leiyang Sword by her side.
Because if Nannan encountered danger, Cao Ye would personally appear to protect her!