"I was just showing concern for my daughter. Why are you competing with me over her?"
Seeing this, Zhu Yanyi hurriedly said, "Dad, Mom, I’m back for a vacation. I have nearly four months off. My studies aren’t finished yet, so I can’t stay permanently. I’ll have to go back eventually. Also, I didn’t suffer outside. Look, Mom, my body is strong and healthy."
"Strong? What strong? Look how thin you’ve become." In a mother’s heart, even if her daughter returned fat, she would still be called thin.
Fine, Zhu Yanyi didn’t argue. At home, her mother was always right. Even if she was wrong, she was right.
"Dad, Mom, I missed you so much," Zhu Yanyi said seriously. "I also missed all the delicious food at home. Is there anything good to eat today?"
"You’ve turned into a greedy cat after one trip out," Zhu Shun Yao laughed, his excitement settling into amusement.
"Is that how you describe your own daughter?" Xie Xinlian was displeased again. She turned to Zhu Yanyi and said, "Yes, we have plenty of food at home. If nothing else, we have food. What do you want? Mom will make it for you."
"Dad, Mom." Just as they were talking, Yan Aohan walked in with Yi Yunfei and the other two.
"Little Yan is back too. Good. You must have picked up Ani. Were you tired?" Xie Xinlian instantly forgot about Zhu Yanyi and started caring for Yan Aohan.
"Not tired," Yan Aohan smiled. "Mom, let me put the things I’m carrying in the small room first." They had brought quite a few items, mostly health-preserving pills from Zhu Yanyi. Yan Aohan knew where the Zhu family usually stored such things.
"No, no. We cleaned the house these past few days. I found the small room was too cluttered. Many things haven’t been used for a long time. Even if they aren’t expired, it’s not good to keep them there. So, I moved the health items to the cabinet in our bedroom. It’s easier to access them daily. Give them to me." Xie Xinlian explained while taking the items from Yan Aohan’s hands.
"Let me help you carry them," Yan Aohan smiled.
Xie Xinlian didn’t refuse. She led Yan Aohan to the room, opened the cabinet, and let him put the items away. When she came out, she saw Yi Yunfei and the other two. "Who are these three young men? They are so handsome."
"Mom, these are my three senior brothers. They are all elites from the Saint Academy," Zhu Yanyi introduced quickly. "I’m here for vacation, and they are here to train."
"Oh, they are Ani’s senior brothers. Now that you’re here, treat this place as your home. Don’t be polite." Xie Xinlian smiled warmly.
Then she turned to Zhu Shun Yao. "I’m going to the market to buy some meat. You have someone send over fresh vegetables. Also, remember to call An, Yuan, and Xiang. Tell them to come over for a reunion dinner."
Finally, Xie Xinlian said to Zhu Yanyi, "Doumiao went abroad for a competition and isn’t in the capital. Your grandparents are traveling and aren’t here either."
Zhu Yanyi nodded slightly. "It’s fine. We’re all family. No need to overthink it. If I want to see them, I can just fly over. I have nearly four months off, after all."
"Doumiao won’t be away for four months. Your grandparents might, though. They are very happy now. They are traveling everywhere, saying they want to see at least half of our country’s scenery before they die," Xie Xinlian said with a smile.
"It’s fine. If I miss my grandparents, I’ll just fly over to find them. I can go anywhere in the country. Transportation is quite developed now," Zhu Yanyi smiled.
"I’ll call An and the others." Zhu Shun Yao took out his phone to make calls.
Xie Xinlian picked up a basket. "I’m going to buy groceries. Ani, entertain your senior brothers well. Don’t let them feel neglected."
Zhu Yanyi smiled. "Mom, don’t worry. By the way, I want stir-fried pine pollen."
"I know. Stir-fried pine pollen is your favorite. Even if Mom forgets what others like, I won’t forget what you like. Don’t worry. Today, I received a large bag of pine pollen from your grandparents. Your grandfather specifically said it was for you. I was planning to have Little Yan bring it to you, but since you’re here, I can cook it for you right away." Xie Xinlian said, took her wallet, and left.
Zhu Yanyi washed a lot of fresh fruits and melons to entertain Yi Yunfei and the others. "Senior Brother Sikong, Eldest Senior Brother, Third Senior Brother, come quickly. Taste our fruits and melons. These are all grown by our family."
Seeing the fresh, juicy fruits, Sikong Xuran and the others didn’t hesitate. Each grabbed one and started eating.
"This tastes great. And there’s a faint spiritual energy," Sikong Xuran said after one bite, sensing the difference.
Zhu Yanyi took two apples, handed one to Yan Aohan, and started eating the other. "These are grown using ecological methods. Not bad, right? Our whole family eats this, which is why we all look so young."
"Exactly," Ouyang Tianyun said from the side. "Speaking of young, I thought your parents were your older brother and sister-in-law when I saw them earlier. They look too young."
Zhu Yanyi laughed heartily. "My dad is almost sixty, and my mom is in her early fifties. But if you say that to them, they’ll be very happy."
Yi Yunfei said, "Third Sister is right. It’s not flattery. Your parents really look young. However, I don’t sense any cultivation aura in them. They shouldn’t be cultivators."
Zhu Yanyi smiled. "Except for me, no one in my family is a cultivator. In this world, except for Aohan and me, no other cultivators will appear. We are exceptions."
Zhu Yanyi didn’t explain why no more cultivators would appear in this plane. She only said, "This is also why the people in this plane are quite intelligent. They know their lives are limited, so they always hope to make good contributions with their limited time."
Hearing Zhu Yanyi’s words, Ouyang Tianyun said, "It seems we underestimated the people in this plane."
"Actually, no living being should be underestimated. Even a rat in a gutter might carry plague bacteria, which could cause deadly harm to humans if not careful. You’ve just arrived and don’t know this place well. Once you understand it, you’ll see that the people here are actually very resilient. They face difficulties head-on. That is the spirit we should learn from," Yan Aohan said, chewing on an apple.
Zhu Shun Yao came in from outside after finishing his call. "Your sister and brother-in-law are bringing Little Monkey. They’ll be here soon."