Chapter 170: It Feels So Good to Be Home (I)

When Tao Ming woke up from her sleep, the two little ones and Su Nanxing were still in a deep slumber.

Perhaps having slept too much beforehand, Tao Ming did not feel the slightest bit sleepy.

Getting up to wash and freshen up, Tao Ming walked out of the bedroom, wanting to check on the situation in the room Su Nanxing had previously stayed in.

Just as she reached the doorway, she heard Qiao Kongqing’s voice from behind her: "Mingming, I’ve already cleaned everything up. There’s nothing inside."

Tao Ming turned around and looked at Qiao Kongqing before her, a trace of dissatisfaction on her face: "His back is covered in wounds. What on earth happened?"

"It’s nothing. Aunt was like that back then, too." Qiao Kongqing had no desire to tell Tao Ming what had actually happened at the time, especially since even he himself did not fully understand what was going on.

Tao Ming harbored no suspicion, though a sense of bewilderment welled up in her heart: "Brother, he went to such lengths for me. I can’t tell whether this is a blessing or a curse."

Naturally, as an older brother, he hoped Su Nanxing would sacrifice everything for Tao Ming: "Of course it’s a blessing. It proves his feelings for you run unimaginably deep."

Tao Ming sighed: "Brother, I’m just a little scared. I always feel like there’s an invisible hand manipulating my destiny, and I can only muddle along following its arrangements."

Qiao Kongqing reached out and pulled Tao Ming into the room where he had been sleeping: "Silly girl, who was the one who told me that living in the moment is all that matters?"

Inside stood a carved wooden grand bed, draped with bedding and covers that were clearly items of fine craftsmanship.

Beside the head of the bed stood a delicate little tea table, upon which rested an exquisite tea set.

Tao Ming could not help teasing: "Brother, you certainly know how to enjoy yourself these days!"

Qiao Kongqing picked up the teapot and poured Tao Ming a cup of tea: "What’s wrong with treating oneself a little better?"

Recalling the cave they had once lived in—where the two of them suffered through irregular meals and lacked everything—Tao Ming echoed, "You're right. From now on, we must treat ourselves better."

Then, Tao Ming flopped onto the grand bed: "This bed of yours is so comfortable! It seems the Celestial Emperor has been treating you quite well."

Qiao Kongqing twirled a teacup in his hand: "Mingming, there are some things I lied to you about."

"I know, but I don't want to pursue it." Tao Ming blocked her eyes with her arm.

Seeing that Tao Ming was unwilling to listen, Qiao Kongqing changed the subject: "The language of this foreign realm is different from Weishui, right?"

"Mhm. I'll teach you now."

Qiao Kongqing said offhandedly: "No need to teach me. When the time comes, I’ll just grab someone and absorb their memories."

Tao Ming sat up and looked at Qiao Kongqing with a serious expression: "Brother, please put away such dangerous thoughts. This foreign realm is different from Weishui; you must never casually harm people."

Qiao Kongqing the corners of his mouth twitched into a smirk: "The two of us are of the Blood-Eye Clan, after all. If we don't harm people, are we supposed to go around doing good deeds instead?"

Tao Ming lay back down: "Hmph, you didn't even dare to catch a drifting phantom back then, and now you have the nerve to talk about harming people?"

"Mingming, you know about this, right? The Sixth Prince's estate was slaughtered by the demons." Qiao Kongqing felt somewhat annoyed; he was no longer that foolish, cowardly boy who only knew how to hide in a cave.

"I know. Could it be that you did it?"

Qiao Kongqing looked quite pleased, wearing an expression that practically shouted *come praise me*: "Who else would avenge you besides me?"

Tao Ming put on a fierce expression: "I am capable of taking my own revenge."

Qiao Kongqing patted her arm: "At most, you'd only manage to kill Qiao Qingyao and the two servants by her side."

"Brother, that's killing a person, not a fish!" Tao Ming felt rather helpless. As a member of the Blood-Eye Clan, was she perhaps a bit too soft-hearted?

"If you had been able to harden your heart, you wouldn't have sealed your cultivation and jumped off a cliff back then." Recalling those events, Qiao Kongqing still held a lingering resentment.

Unwilling to continue dwelling on these matters, Tao Ming said, "Brother, if you don't listen to me, I won't talk to you anymore."

How could Qiao Kongqing allow the younger sister he had worked so hard to find again to grow distant from him? He quickly replied, "I'll listen, I'll listen, alright?"

Tao Ming took out her tablet computer and, using the input method, patiently taught Qiao Kongqing Mandarin and simplified Chinese characters. In less than two hours, Qiao Kongqing had already mastered most of the everyday vocabulary and common characters, leaving the more complex ones for him to self-study.

Tao Ming took a sip of tea to soothe her dry throat and remarked with a sigh: "Look how simple this was, yet you insisted on grabbing someone to absorb their memories."

"Catching someone takes all of a few minutes." Qiao Kongqing's hands did not stop moving as he tapped around on the tablet computer; he rather liked this new toy.

"Oh, now we're measuring time in minutes, aren't we fancy!" Tao Ming stood up and walked toward the door: "I'm going to see if they're awake yet. Once we get ourselves straightened out, we'll set off."

When Tao Ming returned, Su Nanxing was already awake. Seeing her enter, his eyes lit up: "Where did you run off to? Not being able to see you makes me panic."

"I was chatting with my brother for a bit." Tao Ming sat down beside him, looking down at him: "You've become so clingy now."

Su Nanxing reached out and pulled Tao Ming down, capturing her lips and speaking in a muffled voice: "Wife, I would die if I lost you."

Tao Ming felt as though she was about to lose her breath, wondering to herself just what had gotten into Su Nanxing.

Fortunately, they had not been kissing for long before Ruanruan woke up, grumbling discontentedly from the side: "The two of you shouldn't be kissing back and forth like this. Nuonuo and I are still little babies."

Only then did Nuonuo open her eyes: "See? I told you the two of them were being all romantic."

Tao Ming raised her head and looked at the two little girls: "Mom and Dad loving each other is a good thing for you two. Don't tell me you prefer watching us fight?"

Ruanruan furrowed her little brows, thought for a moment, and replied: "Then you guys can keep kissing."

Tao Ming pecked Su Nanxing lightly on the lips: "Get up, my big baby."

Su Nanxing was extremely pleased and helped Tao Ming pack up for the two little ones.

Once the family of four had straightened themselves out and called for Qiao Kongqing, everyone gathered in front of the console of the Universe Shifting device.

Tao Ming steadied her mind and pressed button number 66. Soon, a hexagonal aperture appeared before her eyes.

"Husband, you hold Nuonuo and go in first. Brother, you go in second, and Ruanruan and I will go last."

Standing before the aperture, Su Nanxing turned back and asked, "Where does this lead to?"

Tao Ming smiled: "Our living room."

Everyone entered the hexagonal aperture one by one. As Tao Ming felt the radiance swirling around her body, she thought that the twists and turns of life were truly unpredictable; the last time she came through, she was merely an ordinary mortal, but upon returning this time, she had become a demon of the Blood-Eye Clan.

Once they reached Earth, she was going to properly enjoy a few days of modern life.

When Tao Ming emerged from the aperture holding Ruanruan, she saw that the living room lights were blazing bright. Qiao Kongqing was sitting on the sofa, inspecting the surrounding environment, while Nuonuo was rummaging through the coffee table drawer.

Tao Ming set Ruanruan down on the floor: "Brother, where is Nanxing?"

"Wife, I'm washing clothes on the balcony," Su Nanxing's voice floated over. "Since there's a washing machine to use, who's going to wash things by hand?"

Tao Ming walked into the bathroom and turned on the main water valve. Hearing the rush of water through the pipes, she suddenly felt herself relax. We're home. It feels wonderful.

She then walked out to the balcony and saw that the outside world was pitch black, with Su Nanxing peering out through the window.

Tao Ming took out her phone. Well, it was past three in the morning—precisely the time for deep slumber.

Su Nanxing turned around, wrapped his arm around Tao Ming's waist to pull her close, and pointed outside: "Is this the residential complex where Mom lives?"

Tao Ming blinked: "Yes, is there a problem?"

Su Nanxing pulled Tao Ming out of the balcony: "I need to conduct a thorough inspection."

Tao Ming looked at him in utter puzzlement: "Inspect what?"

"To see if you left a spot for me."

Su Nanxing checked the rooms one by one. Finding only a single bedroom with a single bed, he pulled Tao Ming into the bedroom, pinned her to the bed, and grumbled with dissatisfaction: "You didn't even consider the possibility that I would come back, did you?"