Chapter 150: The Little Packrat’s Loss of Face
The little packrat’s sudden appearance from out of nowhere stunned Jun Xiaomo for a while. But moments later, after Jun Xiaomo finally managed to collect herself, she became incredibly moved by its appearance. She picked it up gingerly and kissed its cheek. Then, she tenderly rubbed her cheeks against the little packrat’s fur as she called out, “Little Packie…”
She had never thought she would be able to see the little packrat again. Unexpectedly, not only did this little thing reappear before her eyes, it was even alive and seemed completely unscathed right now.
Then her hands trembled slightly when her thoughts turned to how the little packrat had blocked the ice arrow for her. She immediately set the little packrat down and started parting its fur in various places, evidently afraid that there would be scars or traces of injuries on her little packrat.
Squeak squeak squeak…squeak squeak squeak… The little packrat found itself rather embarrassed by Jun Xiaomo’s “search”. Furthermore, Jun Xiaomo’s actions had inadvertently tickled it, and it involuntarily started squirming about as it squeaked in laughter.
However, Jun Xiaomo was unable to tell that its present squeaks were any different from its usual squeaks. After all, its squeaks sounded the same to her.
Jun Xiaomo felt much more reassured seeing how her little packrat was filled with vitality. She lifted up her little packrat and kissed it on the cheek again, as she sincerely thanked it, “Thank you, little Packie.”
If not for her little packrat, she would certainly be reeling with a grievous injury right now.
The little packrat was slightly dazed from all the kisses from Jun Xiaomo, and it curled up its tail in embarrassment.
If its body were not covered entirely with fur, perhaps this snow-white looking little packrat would already have become a red packrat by now.
Regardless Jun Xiaomo thought that her little packrat had run such a long distance to come looking for them. It must be tired.
“You cannot force the issue like that next time, understand?” Jun Xiaomo stroked the little packrat’s head as she chided, “I was truly worried for you.”
Squeak squeak. It was only at this moment that the little packrat discovered that Jun Xiaomo’s eyes were reddened and puffy. She had evidently been crying. Her cheeks were even strewn with tear stains.
Squeak squeak squeak… The little packrat wished that it could put its arm around Jun Xiaomo’s shoulders to console her. Unfortunately, its body was far too small, and it was only the size of a human fist. Even its paws were tiny.
Nevertheless, the little packrat attempted to stretch itself out, only to discover that it was barely as large as the size of Jun Xiaomo’s palm. Thus, it did its best to hug Jun Xiaomo’s finger and gave it a few licks, as though it was telling Jun Xiaomo that everything was fine now!
Jun Xiaomo looked at the caring little packrat in her palm right now, and she could not help but burst into a lighthearted chuckle – Pfft!
At the same time, Shao Sirong chuckled out loud where she stood in mid-air as well. She, Chi Hongyi and old man Chi had all arrived together with the little packrat, but they had all also hid their presence so that they could silently observe what exactly this daughter-in-law of theirs looked like.
In the end, Jun Xiaomo certainly did not disappoint them. At the very least, she could tell from Jun Xiaomo and the little packrat’s interactions that Jun Xiaomo was truly fond of and cared for their child.
However, what Shao Sirong had overlooked was the fact that Jun Xiaomo had never considered the little packrat as a human. She had always treated it as an extremely clever and spiritually aware little animal.
Thus, the “beautiful” misunderstanding continued.
Finally, old man Chi thought that it was about time to make their appearances. Therefore, he removed the invisibility barrier and several ripples appeared in the sky. Then, the three figures slowly stepped out from among the ripples in the air.
Coincidentally, Jun Xiaomo was looking at the sky when all of this happened, and she immediately noticed these three people stepping out of the barrier when they made their appearance.
Jun Xiaomo stared vigilantly at the three persons standing in mid-air as she quickly stuffed her little packrat into a safe place in her clothing, scrambled to her feet and stood protectively in front of Rong Ruihan. Ye Xiuwen had gone into the woods to hunt for food, so the only ones around were Jun Xiaomo, her little packrat and the still-unconscious Rong Ruihan. In the circumstances, the burden of protecting all of them around was clearly on Jun Xiaomo’s shoulders.
Shao Sirong, Chi Hongyi and old man Chi slowly descended to the ground. Chi Hongyi and old man Chi remained completely expressionless, their eyes were even filled with a deep sense of profundity, and they looked extremely somber.
These three are incredibly strong! As soon as the three of them descended to the ground some distance away from Jun Xiaomo, Jun Xiaomo could immediately detect the pressure accompanying the difference in their cultivation levels.
Jun Xiaomo did not know the identity of these three persons, nor whether these three persons were friend or foe. The only thing she knew right now was that there was no way she would be able to survive a single attack from them with her present abilities.
But even then, she could not leave Rong Ruihan in the lurch and turn tail. After all, Rong Ruihan was a friend who had been through thick and thin with her.
Furthermore, Ye Xiuwen had not returned from his hunt yet. She did not want Ye Xiuwen to run into these people if they were here for their lives. Therefore, she would have to take the necessary precautions to warn Ye Xiuwen if things came to a head.
Jun Xiaomo continued to stare vigilantly at the three persons walking over. Her entire body was primed to move at the shortest of notice, just like a bow that had been prepared to shoot.
Shao Sirong raised her eyebrows. Nodding in Jun Xiaomo’s direction, she commented to Chi Hongyi and old man Chi who were beside her, “This young sprout’s personality isn’t too shabby. I like her. No wonder Little Chi would stick so closely to her.”
With their cultivation levels, how would they not be able to assess that Jun Xiaomo’s present cultivation was only at the third level of Qi Mastery? Despite that, the fact that Jun Xiaomo could resolutely remain in front of her companions in the face of their insurmountably oppressive auras revealed that she was not a selfish and vicious person.
Chi Hongyi and old man Chi remained taciturn. They were still observing her – especially old man Chi. After having lived for thousands of years, and he knew far better than anyone else the wretched personality of human beings. Therefore, he was far more diligent and meticulous than any of the other two when it came to judging a person’s character.
The little packrat heard its mother’s voice and immediately scrambled out of Jun Xiaomo’s clothing. Then, it squeaked twice as it continued to stare at Shao Sirong and the others with its black beady eyes.
It was trying to say – Don’t bully Xiaomo like that!
Shao Sirong sighed as she muttered, “This little kid has really forgotten about his mother now that he’s got a fiancée.” As she remarked, a smile crept up her lips as she hooked her fingers and ordered, “Little Chi, come here!”
The little packrat hesitated for a moment before it slipped out of Jun Xiaomo’s clothes and scampered back to Shao Sirong’s feet. Shao Sirong picked it up gingerly and set the little packrat in her palm.
“Little Packie!” Jun Xiaomo did not know why the three persons were calling the little packrat “Little Chi”, and she could not understand why her little packrat would run over so obsequiously. Most importantly, they were afraid that the three persons would hurt her little packrat.
Shao Sirong noticed the unmistakable look of worry in Jun Xiaomo’s eyes, and she nodded her head in approval. Moments later, she furrowed her brows as though thinking about something as she asked, “You addressed him as…little Packie?”
What kind of a name is that? Why is the pet name given by his fiancée no different from a little packrat’s name?
The little packrat’s body stiffened, before it played dead in its mother’s palm.
A young master of a hidden sect acting like a little pet packrat for half a year – this is something that was incredibly shameful!
The little packrat could hardly imagine how its parents and clansmen would poke fun at it and tease it when they realized how it had kissed up to Jun Xiaomo for the last half a year! At the very least, he would be the object of table talk for some time.
On the other hand, Jun Xiaomo did not find anything strange about the nickname she had given to her little packrat. After all, her little packrat was such a small ball of white fluff that calling it “Little Packie” was incredibly apt, not to mention the fact that it was also an adorable and memorable name.
That said, Jun Xiaomo had also judged that the three persons approaching her did not bear any hostility towards her. At the very least, they seemed to be well acquainted with her little packrat.
Jun Xiaomo thought and hesitated for a moment, before she politely asked, “If I may ask, was it these seniors who had rescued my little packrat?”
This was the only possibility that Jun Xiaomo could think of for now.
Jun Xiaomo felt that this was the only way she could explain how her little packrat could have fallen from the sky earlier on. After all, with her little packrat’s abilities, there was no way that a mere little packrat could have run so far to cover the distance that her Teleportation Scroll had taken her to.
Shao Sirong was slightly shocked by the question, and she mulled over how her daughter-in-law were addressing her son. The more she thought about it, the stranger it seemed.
Regardless, Shao Sirong decided to respond to Jun Xiaomo’s questions first, “We were the ones who had saved him. However, it’s not like we saved him for no reason, so there’s no need for thanks.”
“This…” Jun Xiaomo had initially intended to express her gratitude towards them. But now that the female cultivator had preempted her response, she found herself at a loss for words.
Jun Xiaomo furrowed her brows as she thought about it. Then, her attention turned to the fact that the female cultivator had addressed the little packrat as “Little Chi”.
“Could it be that…you already knew the little packrat before this?” After much hesitation, Jun Xiaomo’s eyes widened.
Shao Sirong cast an approving look at Jun Xiaomo as she replied, “Indeed, we had already known each other before this. Why don’t you guess our relationship with this…this little fella?”
Forgive Shao Sirong. She truly could not bring herself to call her own son “Little Packie”. The thought of doing so made her feel as though she had brought up a tiny little pet over the last seventeen years rather than a son.
Shao Sirong’s clues had been rather obvious. From her perspective, it was not going to take Jun Xiaomo very much to be able to guess their identities.
As expected, Jun Xiaomo’s eyes brightened as realization dawned on her. She even slammed her fist into her palm.
“I’ve got it!”
Shao Sirong revealed a tender and caring smile that a senior would look upon their juniors with.
However –
Moments later, Jun Xiaomo looked at the little packrat in Shao Sirong’s embrace with some measure of reluctance as she responded, “Senior must be little packrat’s previous owner, right? You must be here to bring little Packie back… Even though I’m quire reluctant, perhaps little Packie would be safer by your side…”
Previous…owner…
Just like that, Shao Sirong’s tender and caring smile on her face stiffened.
Chi Hongyi, old man Chi: ……
Shao Sirong did not even hear the rest of Jun Xiaomo’s response. Her mind had completely seized up when she heard her “daughter-in-law” address them as “previous owner”.
No wonder…no wonder she called him “Little Packie”…
Her daughter-in-law had always treated their son as no more than a pet!
This…this…can this still be called a reciprocal relationship?!
At this moment, Shao Sirong realized the extent of their misunderstanding. At the very least, as long as Jun Xiaomo continued to treat their son as no more than a little packrat, there was no way she would fall in love with their son.
After all, it was not as though Jun Xiaomo had some form of a weird fetish.
The little packrat squeaked once as it covered its eyes with its paws. At this moment, it felt as though its thick, luscious coat of fur could do nothing to prevent his complete loss of face.