Xia Yuanfang was silent for a long while, then said, "Chujian, tell Aunt the truth, do you really have no feelings for that Young Master Zong?"
She looked at Xia Chujian, comforting her, "Chujian, don't be afraid, Aunt won't blame you."
"It's normal for young people to have feelings. If you never develop any, Aunt will be worried..."
Xia Chujian was amused by Xia Yuanfang's words and said, "Aunt, don't say that, as if you know a lot about it..."
Xia Yuanfang said, "Why wouldn't I know? Let me tell you, I'm this old, how could I not understand this?"
Xia Chujian blinked, wanting to say, If you understood, how come you're still single?
But then she thought that those words would be too hurtful, and she couldn't bear to say them to her Aunt.
So she took Xia Yuanfang's arm and said coquettishly, "Aunt... My feelings for Young Master Zong are pure gratitude, without any impurities. And Young Master Zong doesn't feel anything for me either."
"That confession was deliberately done by his team to gain popularity, you'd be silly to take it seriously..."
"Think about his status and background, he's not on the same level as someone like me at all."
"I'm familiar with him because he saved me that one time."
"I'm very grateful to him, and I've been waiting for an opportunity to repay him."
"Now that he needs help, and I happen to be able to help him, that's why I took over."
"I sincerely hope that Young Master Zong can be elected as a Councilor and fulfill his ideals."
Xia Yuanfang carefully observed Xia Chujian, and only when she was sure that she really had no romantic feelings for Zong Ruoan did she deliberately say, "Although, the feelings between men and women are not really dictated by status and background."
"It's hard for people to control who they love, but they can control who they marry."
"If you just like him, and have a relationship with him, Aunt won't stop you."
"But don't think that you can marry into a wealthy family just because of that. I don't want you to have such unrealistic fantasies."
Xia Chujian asked curiously, "I didn't expect that Aunt, you could distinguish between marriage and love so clearly?"
Xia Yuanfang said unhappily, "In your eyes, is Aunt an old-fashioned, outdated, and out-of-touch old woman?"
Xia Chujian laughed and said, "Of course not!"
"But I thought Aunt was the kind of person who, as long as she's in a relationship with someone, would definitely marry them..."
"Or rather, follow that kind of dating with the purpose of getting married."
Because in those Star Network novels that Xia Chujian read, they all shouted, "A relationship that doesn't aim for marriage is just playing around."
Xia Yuanfang said faintly, "Life is short, it's rare to find someone who loves you wholeheartedly. As for marriage, that's another matter."
She stroked Xia Chujian's head and said softly, "Aunt has never married in her life, and I've never thought about getting married. But Chujian, I hope you can have a different life."
Xia Chujian felt relieved, sat on the sofa with Xia Yuanfang, rested her head on her shoulder, and said with a smile, "Aunt, I know!"
"But I think it's more interesting to focus on my career and make money!"
"Men, they'll only affect my speed of drawing my gun!"
Xia Chujian made a gesture of a pistol with her hand, aimed at the vase on the wall, and made a *bang* sound.
Xia Yuanfang's mouth twitched and said, "You're a girl, if you want to focus on your career, then focus on your career, don't always be fighting and killing!"
"It's good for girls to have their own careers, of course. But it's okay to have a relationship in your spare time, as long as it doesn't affect your studies and career."
Xia Chujian nodded emphatically.
She didn't expect that her Aunt, who she thought would be the hardest to convince, would be so understanding.
Xia Chujian was in a great mood and didn't even retort to her Aunt.
Because her "career" is fighting and killing! Xia Chujian muttered in her heart, stood up and said, "Aunt, I'm going to go see those Phoenix-Tailed Luan Birds."
"They're so delicious! It would be even better if I could raise them successfully!"
Seeing that she returned to eating and drinking in three sentences, Xia Yuanfang felt both emotional and sighed.
Eighteen years old, and still hasn't developed any feelings...
She didn't know if this state was good or bad.
But she now understood very well that whether or not Xia Chujian was enlightened in this regard, she was already an adult.
From now on, she could offer suggestions about her life, but not force her.
Xia Chujian said loudly in the living room, "I want to go see the Phoenix-Tailed Luan Birds! Is anyone coming with me?!"
Aunt Chen, Zhu Yingying, and San Zong couldn't go.
Wu Fu rode over on Big Black Dog, and Liu Shun slid over with A Wù and A Yuan on his head.
Xia Chujian took the Teacup Dog and Little Chubby Bird from Liu Shun's head, and said, "Wu Fu, take me there. Liu Shun, please take care of the two guests in the study."
Liu Shun said, "Don't worry, Master."
Xia Chujian said to Wu Fu, "Wu Fu, lead the way. You know where those Phoenix-Tailed Luan Birds are, right?"
Wu Fu nodded, "Sister, come with me! Wu Fu often goes to play with them!"
Xia Chujian: "..."
She held the Teacup Dog, with Little Chubby Bird standing on her shoulder, and followed behind Big Black Dog carrying Wu Fu, leaving her own manor.
Leaving the manor, they walked along the Nine-Bend Corridor for about twenty minutes, and Xia Chujian and Wu Fu arrived in front of a flower garden enclosed by a fence.
Xia Chujian had never seen this flower garden before.
Wu Fu said in a childish voice, "Sister, this is the flower garden built by San Zong, especially for these Phoenix-Tailed Luan Birds!"
"But they don't like it... a batch has already died, and this is the second batch..."
Xia Chujian looked around.
The flower garden was not large, a rectangular plot about three meters by five meters.
The ground was covered with green grass, dotted with a few shrubs, and large, blooming camellias.
Several Phoenix-Tailed Luan Birds with very beautiful tail feathers were strolling among the camellias, holding their necks high.
Near the fence on the south side, there was a row of bamboo water troughs and feeding troughs.
The water and food inside didn't seem to have been touched at all.
Xia Chujian clicked her tongue twice, "Are they really that proud? Would they rather starve to death than eat this food?"
Wu Fu looked at the Phoenix-Tailed Luan Birds, drool almost dripping down, and pointed to the largest one, saying, "Sister, let's eat it tomorrow!"
The Phoenix-Tailed Luan Birds over there heard the sound, turned their heads to look, and then one by one, they soared into the air aggressively, wanting to peck Wu Fu.
Xia Chujian: "..."
It was conceivable how naughty this child was. Had she made enemies with these Phoenix-Tailed Luan Birds?
But just as these Phoenix-Tailed Luan Birds were about to fly over the fence and have a big fight with Wu Fu, Little Chubby Bird on Xia Chujian's shoulder lowered its bird head, and with one bird claw, removed the golden bit, then chirped twice, and took off into the air.
A palm-sized Silver-Throated Long-Tailed Little Chubby Bird, facing those Phoenix-Tailed Luan Birds that were several times its size and number, was not afraid at all.
Its chirping became more and more high-pitched, but it did not emit a phoenix-like sound, just ordinary chirps.
But this ordinary chirping actually made those Phoenix-Tailed Luan Birds freeze in mid-air.
They flapped their wings in terror, unable to fly up or down, as if they were frozen in the air.
But in order to maintain balance, they had to keep flapping their wings.
The scene looked slightly comical.
Xia Chujian couldn't help but want to laugh.
But Little Chubby Bird, flying over their heads, chirped a few more times.
Then those Phoenix-Tailed Luan Birds that had just been frozen were as if the "start" switch had been pressed.
One by one, they fell from the sky, flew to the water troughs and feeding troughs, lined up, and began to drink water and eat food.
Xia Chujian: "..."
Little Chubby Bird was obviously very proud.
It fluttered its little wings, flew over the heads of those Phoenix-Tailed Luan Birds that were drinking water and eating food on the ground, chirped again, and then returned to Xia Chujian's shoulder.
It kept chirping, a small golden bit hanging loosely around its neck.
Xia Chujian wondered, "Who put a chain on your bit?"
When it's not wearing it, it can hang it around its neck, like a bell on a puppy.
The Little Chubby Bird chirped twice, lowered its head, and accurately put its beak back into the bit.
Xia Chujian: "..."
She stroked the Little Chubby Bird: "Good bird!"
The Little Chubby Bird became even more lively and domineering.
Wu Fu looked at the Little Chubby Bird, then at the well-behaved Phoenix-Tailed Luan Bird eating and drinking, and said angrily, "A bunch of birds who bully the weak and fear the strong!"
Xia Chujian didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and said, "Wu Fu, don't say that. It's like brine turning tofu into curd, one thing subdues another."
She thought, it seems that A Yuan's bloodline is still quite powerful. Obviously, it has a huge suppressing effect on these birds.
Moreover, A Yuan is the last Starry Sky Yuan-chu. Will it also have a suppressing effect on fish? Xia Chujian was thinking wildly, walked around the flower bed, and said, "A Wù, your food is temporarily settled. But will you not have enough to eat?"
According to A Wù's original size, Xia Chujian really felt that even if there were a thousand Phoenix-Tailed Luan Birds, A Wù could eat them all in one meal.
A Wù curled up in Xia Chujian's palm, barked twice, and nodded seriously, as if saying, "I can eat enough!"
Xia Chujian clicked her tongue, took A Wù and A Yuan, followed Wu Fu, and walked around the entire Manor along the Nine-Bend Corridor before returning to the living room of the main house.
She said to Liu Shun, who came to greet her, "Give A Wù and A Yuan a bath, Liu Shun. Do you know how to bathe a Teacup Dog and a Little Chubby Bird?"
Liu Shun said, "Master, Liu Shun has checked the relevant information on the Star Network and made sufficient preparations."
Xia Chujian patted its hemispherical mechanical head: "Then I'll leave it all to Liu Shun!"
In Liu Shun's eye display screen, the red and blue lines intertwined in a wavy pattern, almost creating afterimages.
This is an expression of Liu Shun's happiness.
Xia Chujian was secretly amazed, but did not show it.
She thought, another Mechanical Intelligence that she was not at ease with...
She originally thought that this Liu Shun was just a bit more long-winded in its programming because of its role as a Housekeeping Robot, so it would have the problems of being verbose, outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant, acting on its own initiative, and occasionally arguing back.
In Xia Chujian's concept, Liu Shun was like the gossiping old woman in the Star Network farming novels. This was standard for Housekeeping Robots.
But today, from Quan Yuxun and Su Buyan, Xia Chujian vaguely realized that this was not the case. The program settings of Housekeeping Robots were not what she understood.
Its Mechanical Intelligence was obviously much higher than that of ordinary Housekeeping Robots.
This is the second update. Asking for Moon Tickets at the beginning of the month! There will be a new update at 0:05 tonight.
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