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I'm too exhausted to write anymore because I'm taking care of my grandmother, so I'm taking another day off...

I really want to write, but my mind is a complete mess.

Hospitals are really places where you can't get any rest (sad)

I'm really not sleeping or eating well, but thankfully my phone can still be charged...

I'll resume updates tomorrow after switching shifts with my family.

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Chapter 197 Black Swan: Confidence Rises.jpg

How could Xi Lan not recognize this person?

Firefly... Sister?

Looking at the girl who has hardly changed her appearance over the years.

Xi Lan blinked slowly, seemingly unable to believe that the girl who was almost inside the medical pod had appeared in front of her and Xing.

But reality didn't intend to give her a chance to say anything.

The hunting dogs were staring intently at Xing and Xilan, who had suddenly appeared there, as if they mistook these two for accomplices.

"Guys! They're in cahoots!"

Faced with this pack of hounds, she had no idea how her gaze toward the firefly was being misinterpreted.

In any case, the pack of hounds that were about to capture them were clearly prepared to attack.

Xi Lan sighed helplessly.

Seeing the group of people who had gone mad, she pulled out a whip hidden behind her clothes. The sound of the specially made whip rope cracking in the air inevitably made these hunting dogs, who were obviously novices, take a few steps back instinctively.

Even Liu Ying and Xing subconsciously glanced at Xi Lan, who was already prepared for battle.

In any case, it was that group of people who first showed hostility towards them and were preparing to attack them.

Ok.

Then don't blame her, okay?

A flicker of excitement crossed her eyes, but she remained rational, trying to ensure that her whip struck places that were relatively safe and wouldn't cause them pain.

Hoshino also took out his baseball bat and, together with others, fought off the hounds that were trying to sneak up on them.

Seeing that the other side was gradually losing ground, the unshaven man finally walked over.

"Alright, alright—kids, that's enough."

The brown-haired man reached out and grabbed the hound by the collar, narrowly avoiding Xi Lan's attack.

Once Xi Lan had recovered slightly from her excitement, she put away her whip and quietly watched the group of people not far away.

"You're not hurt, are you?"

She asked Xing, who was standing next to her, in a soft voice, but did not choose to look at Liu Ying.

"Ah, it's okay! You're awesome!"

Seemingly to reassure Xi Lan's worried gaze, Xing smiled and moved around a bit, indicating that she was perfectly fine.

Seeing this, Xi Lan simply nodded.

They then turned their gaze to the man who seemed to be the leader of the hounds, and their eyes met.

The scent emanating from that man made her feel slightly uncomfortable.

They could clearly hear the other person's words as they trained the hunting dogs, which were not yet fully grown.

"What are you all doing? Open your eyes and take a good look. Are these the illegal immigrants we're looking for?"

"Especially that Miss Fox, she's been staying here for so long and has even helped us catch illegal immigrants, how can she still not recognize her?"

Feeling the gazes of the two people beside her, Xi Lan simply shrugged, indicating that she didn't care about the matter.

"But, but sir, this person is behaving so strangely behind that foxy lady, it's so suspicious, it must be her!"

Upon hearing this, Xi Lan glanced at Liu Ying standing behind her in surprise.

Follow behind me?

She frowned slightly, somewhat puzzled as to why this person was following behind her.

And most importantly, when exactly did this person start following her?

While here, Xi Lan never felt like she was being followed.

Except for the first day... the time when Huang Quan said he lost track of him.

The purple eyes glanced at Liu Ying with a complicated expression, as if she had thought of something, but at this moment she did not choose to voice her doubts.

"Take a closer look! The eyewitness report says it's a silver-haired guy? You've got a silver-haired girl for me? Is that the same thing? She even got into a fight with the guests?!"

He crossed his arms, glanced at the group out of the corner of his eye, sighed like an elder, and looked away. But Xi Lan noticed that his gaze seemed to be fixed on the symbol of a pioneer on Xing's chest.

But she quickly shifted her gaze to Xing's indifferent face.

"Forget it, get lost. I'll handle the rest."

The others could only agree.

"As ordered."

After they finished speaking, the figures of these people quickly disappeared from the sight of Xi Lan and the other two.

"I apologize for making this a laughing stock of our distinguished guest."

A hint of apology crossed his tired face: "I am Galakh from the hound family. Those idiots were my puppies."

"They are young and ignorant. They misunderstood my orders and mistook Pinocchio's distinguished guests for stowaways. This is truly rude."

The man named Gallagher apologized: "On behalf of the Hound family, I extend my sincerest apologies to the three of you."

"Well, it's alright, but next time, please make sure Mr. Gallagher's men don't attack so casually."

Xi Lan adopted the same demeanor she would show to strangers, smiling warmly.

"That lady was our companion, not some so-called illegal immigrant."

Although she didn't know why, Xi Lan naturally protected Liu Ying behind her, as if she were protecting her own child.

As for the things I have doubts about, let's talk about them later.

Xi Lan lied without changing her expression, but she overlooked the slight swaying of the tip of her tail, which symbolized her current mood.

A little unhappy.

"Of course, of course, I'll teach those guys a lesson when I get back." Gallagher naturally followed up on Xilan's words.

Xi Lan crossed her arms and looked at Gallagher, who was apologizing in front of her, without saying anything more.

"Well, I have some things to take care of here, so I'll take my leave now. If you need anything, you can contact me through the nearby puppies."

"I hope you enjoy this sweet dream."

Gallagher nodded, and he wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but the man's eyes seemed to have a subtle quality to them before he left.

We finally managed to fool that troublesome guy.

Xi Lan seemed to have lost all her strength, and her previous shrewd and mature demeanor was completely forgotten.

Looking at Liu Ying, who was pursing her lips, she ultimately chose not to voice her question.

It seems they came for the stars.

She was already used to it.

Whether it's Kafka or Silver Wolf....

“I’m really tired from whipping. You all do as you please, I’m going to find a place to rest for a while.”

Xi Lan waved casually, leaving them only with her gradually receding figure.

Xingneng did indeed realize that the source of Xilan's bad mood was the girl beside him.

Those golden eyes fell on Liu Ying, and she frowned slightly before speaking.

"Xi Lan knows you, right?"

Liu Ying, whose name was called, was stunned for a moment. She looked at Xing staring at her, and then glanced at Xi Lan's figure, who had already walked far away.

The child didn't seem to have had any contact with her.

"...Yes, we do know each other."

She lowered her eyes, but her thick, long eyelashes prevented Xing from seeing the expression in her eyes.

"But it seems she doesn't want to talk to me either." Her words were full of disappointment, and she even sighed.

But soon, having recovered, Liu Ying raised her head again, seemingly returning to her cheerful demeanor.

Xing glanced at Liu Ying unexpectedly, then unconsciously touched the back of her neck.

Surely it couldn't be a relationship issue that caused them to end up like this?

Thinking about it this way, Xing's gaze towards Liu Ying became somewhat subtle, but there were still some things she couldn't say.

As if sensing something, Liu Ying subconsciously rubbed her arm.

"It just so happens that you're also looking for her soon, so how about I show you around the neighborhood?" Liu Ying could only put aside the strange feeling she was experiencing and put on a smile.

Xing looked at Liu Ying and felt a sense of familiarity in her heart for some reason, so she nodded subconsciously.

"Although the Hound family mistook me for an illegal immigrant, I'm actually a local—a performer from the Iris family called 'Firefly,' though I'm just a temporary actress..."

She felt that the role her boss had assigned her was reasonable, and the smile on her face became somewhat genuine.