Feng Huo narrowed his eyes, looking at Zhao Xue with a hostile gaze. "What do you mean by that?"
"You're too close to her," Zhao Xue frowned, shifting his body slightly to shield Zhu Xu completely.
"I'm too close to her?" Feng Huo couldn't help but retort when Zhao Xue said that.
After speaking, Feng Huo continued to ask:
"Don't you know who I am? I'm Zhu Xu's brother!" Feng Huo emphasized his words, but Zhao Xue still blocked Zhu Xu from view.
Zhao Xue ignored Feng Huo's subsequent words, merely reiterating his earlier point: "Too close."
"Heh, I really feel like spitting fire," Feng Huo tilted his head in exasperation.
He had assumed that between Zhao Xue and Zhu Xu, Zhu Xu was the one who loved first and thus would be the one to love more deeply and be more wronged.
Now, it seemed Zhao Xue's affection for Zhu Xu was even more unfathomable.
Feng Huo turned his head away, no longer seeking to embarrass himself.
Before long, the flower viewing event began to unfold in an orderly fashion.
Many celestial maidens started dancing and singing in the center of the grand gathering, showcasing their brilliance.
Feng Huo drank wine as he watched, quickly finding himself amused.
"Hey, Zhu Xu, look! Isn't that one quite good? Are you interested in learning?" Feng Huo subconsciously raised his hand, intending to rest his elbow on Zhu Xu's shoulder.
Feng Huo received no response for a long time after speaking.
Feng Huo couldn't help but slowly turn his gaze towards the person beside him, only to realize that the person he had placed his hand on was not Zhu Xu but Zhao Xue.
"No, I mean, can you switch places with Zhu Xu? Are you really taking me as a love rival? According to mortal customs, I'm your elder brother-in-law, aren't I?"
Feng Huo frowned, clearly displeased with Zhao Xue pulling Zhu Xu away.
What Feng Huo didn't expect, however, was that after his words, Zhao Xue's first reaction was not to appease his elder brother-in-law, but to turn to Zhu Xu.
"What is it?"
Zhu Xu's face was already flushed red. Sensing Zhao Xue's gaze, she shyly glanced at him before lowering her head again.
Because of this, Zhu Xu didn't notice the probing and nervousness in Zhao Xue's eyes.
Zhao Xue asked, "Is that what you think too?" Su Dan Novel Network
"Huh? What?" Zhu Xu looked up in confusion, then quickly lowered her head again.
Zhu Xu truly hadn't paid attention to what Feng Huo had said earlier. From the moment Zhao Xue pulled her aside and mentioned she was too close to Feng Huo, Zhu Xu's face had begun to turn red.
Zhu Xu's mind was entirely occupied by Zhao Xue's apparent concern. The feeling was like floating on clouds, an unreal, ethereal bliss.
Zhao Xue thought Zhu Xu was displeased with his action of pulling her away earlier.
Zhao Xue's lips pursed tightly. After a moment, he turned his head to face Feng Huo.
Feng Huo thought Zhao Xue had come to his senses and relaxed a little.
Unexpectedly, the next moment, Zhao Xue spoke, but his words did not indicate any intention of switching back with Zhu Xu.
Zhao Xue cupped his hands, his expression far from respectful. "Sitting for too long harms the body. I'll take Xu Xu for a walk around. I won't disturb you, elder brother-in-law."
Without pausing, Zhao Xue took Zhu Xu's hand and led her away.
Feng Huo watched their retreating figures, amused and annoyed.
"Xu Xu? Could it get any more mushy?" If not for the nearly a thousand years of their longest periods of playful interaction, Feng Huo wouldn't be this unaccustomed now.
Only now did Feng Huo feel a pang of bittersweetness, like his sister was about to get married.
...
"Zhao Xue, are you feeling unwell?" After walking a short distance with Zhu Xu, Zhao Xue finally reacted to what he had said earlier.
Recalling Zhao Xue's words about sitting for too long harming the body, and seeing his currently troubled expression, Zhu Xu involuntarily focused her gaze on Zhao Xue's waist.
"Zhao Xue?" Seeing Zhao Xue unresponsive, Zhu Xu stopped walking.
"I'm fine."
"Does your back hurt?"
At this moment, Zhu Xu accurately perceived the gloom in Zhao Xue's eyes and, worried, placed her hand on his side.
Zhao Xue's expression changed, and he took a few steps back, his breathing slightly uneven.
"What's wrong?" Zhu Xu was stunned and immediately walked towards Zhao Xue, failing to notice that the sunset had, at some point, tinged Zhao Xue's earlobes red.
Zhao Xue calmed himself, took Zhu Xu's hand again, and said, "It's nothing."
"Then what's wrong, Zhao Xue? Why aren't you happy?" Zhu Xu leaned in, tilting her head up. The blush had faded from her face.
"Do you really not know?" Zhao Xue looked down at Zhu Xu before him, his gaze deep and full of affection.
Zhu Xu shook her head, but quickly seemed to recall something and asked uncertainly, "Is it because of Feng Huo?"
"Mm."
As soon as Zhu Xu spoke, Zhao Xue's phoenix eyes instantly turned dark. He then directly kissed Zhu Xu's cherry-red lips.
A hint of sweet blood passed between their lips, and Zhu Xu couldn't help but frown slightly.
After an unknown amount of time, Zhao Xue finally released Zhu Xu.
"Does it hurt?" Zhao Xue gently traced Zhu Xu's face with four fingers, touching her lips with his thumb.
Zhu Xu shook her head.
Although Zhao Xue had accidentally bitten her lip, he had quickly healed the wound with spiritual energy.
Therefore, Zhu Xu didn't hurt at all now.
Although Zhu Xu and Zhao Xue were standing in a corner of the flower viewing gathering, their initial attention had drawn the gaze of everyone present. As a result, the scene of Zhu Xu and Zhao Xue kissing had been witnessed by the attendees of the flower viewing event.
A group of immortals stared intently at Zhu Xu and Zhao Xue. While immortals of several thousand or tens of thousands of years wouldn't shout and yell, the situation made Zhu Xu feel that it would have been better if the immortals had been shouting.
"Zhao Xue, let's go get something to eat," Zhu Xu said, pulling Zhao Xue towards the outer edges.
"Xu Xu, you don't want others to know about our relationship?"
Zhao Xue pulled Zhu Xu back, his gaze fixed on her with intensity.
Completely unprepared for Zhao Xue's words, Zhu Xu was instantly taken aback. "No, that's not it."
"Then why did you want to take me out earlier? And why do you want to hide in a corner now?" Zhao Xue slightly lowered his eyes, appearing to be trembling.
When Zhu Xu had initially wanted to take Zhao Xue away, Zhao Xue hadn't thought much of it.
But after seeing Feng Huo and Zhu Xu's familiar and intimate interactions, Zhao Xue couldn't help but overthink, worrying that Zhu Xu might leave him at any moment.
"How could that be? Zhao Xue, really, it's not like that," Zhu Xu's eyes widened slightly, looking innocent and helpless.