Chapter 163: You are getting a bit full of yourself!

"But," Mother Wan said, still looking somewhat uncertain, "before your dad quit smoking, his health was always perfectly fine. There weren't any problems at all..."

"That can only be described as the gradual accumulation of bodily issues over time. You must never say that to Dad!"

Just as the mother and daughter were about to continue, Father Wan darkened his expression slightly. "Your dad has been awake the whole time, you know."

Mu Yinyin smiled faintly and remained silent.

Mother Wan let out an awkward cough, unsure of what to say.

Father Wan let out a cold snort. "I'm not as ignorant as your mother."

At that moment, he was still lying in bed, continuing his intravenous drip.

Mu Yinyin glanced at Father Wan twice and, seeing that his complexion seemed alright, said nothing more.

Only...

Father Wan unconsciously let his gaze fall upon Mu Yinyin. In truth, he had been studying her for quite a while now, and her appearance...

"This young lady is..." Father Wan's voice carried a hint of perplexity.

Wan Yu immediately chuckled and spoke up, "She is my precious, the very precious one I've always guarded."

"You are..." Father Wan widened his eyes, shock filling his gaze.

The Overlord of the Underworld.

These four words remained unspoken by him.

Because Wan Yu had previously emphasized that this was a secret and must not be divulged.

Naturally, the elderly couple had to guard this secret.

Even though there were only four of them in the hospital room, the two elders remained extremely cautious.

"That's right, she is." Wan Yu said those words with a beaming smile.

Father Wan was utterly shocked, looking at Mu Yinyin. "Young lady, you actually..."

Mu Yinyin smiled. "Hello, Uncle Wan."

"Wonderful, wonderful!" Father Wan couldn't help praising from the bottom of his heart, "Truly young and accomplished!"

Mu Yinyin smiled shyly. "You flatter me too much."

Wan Yu raised an eyebrow. "Of course, who do you think chose her, right?"

Father Wan cast a somewhat disdainful look at Wan Yu. "Don't pat yourself on the back, and go take a look in the mirror."

"Hey?!" Wan Yu's face darkened slightly. "Am I treating you too well, making you all cocky now?"

"Is that the tone you use to speak to your elders?" Father Wan let out a cold snort, deliberately sinking his voice.

Mu Yinyin couldn't help but chuckle softly beside them. This wasn't a real argument between father and daughter, but simply a way to liven up the atmosphere.

Wan Yu had told her before that the atmosphere in her family was very good.

"Alright, the two of you, say a little less." Mother Wan said, feeling rather helpless.

Yet the corners of her lips remained curved in a smile. How wonderful a family like this was, so harmonious.

If the old man really did have some serious illness and suddenly vanished from their lives, she couldn't imagine how unbearable the days ahead would be.

Mother Wan sighed inwardly, hoping only that everything would remain well from now on and that no further problems would arise.

She truly hoped he would successfully quit smoking this time rather than giving up halfway.

With lung trouble now, smoking was something he should avoid even more in the future.

Wan Yu let out a cold snort. "The two of you, when will you ever let me save some worry?"

"Oh, now that you've grown up and have your own abilities, your wings are getting stiff, aren't they? How many things did you give us to worry about when you were little? Have you any idea how disobedient you were as a child?"

Father Wan's mockery was completely unrestrained, showing not the slightest bit of courtesy.

Mainly because he knew Mu Yinyin was one of their own, so there was no need to put on airs.

Wan Yu sneered. "Fine, since you're not feeling well today, I'll let you win this once. Consider this showing you a little respect."

Father Wan chuckled coldly. "Wanting to surpass your teacher? You don't even realize how clumsy you are."

"No matter how clumsy I am, it's just inheriting your genes. Stop talking, it's embarrassing."

Father Wan refused to concede an inch. "You certainly didn't inherit it from me."

Mother Wan was provoked into a laugh. "Say that again? Inherited from whom?"

Seeing the furious glare directed at him by Mother Wan, Father Wan instantly withered. "From me, from me!"

Wan Yu let out a mocking laugh. "Look at what little backbone you have."

Father Wan snorted. "Can't be bothered to argue with you."

With that, he cast his gaze back toward Mu Yinyin, returning to that complex expression from earlier.

Mu Yinyin clearly noticed something amiss with Father Wan. Puzzled, she looked back at him.

Father Wan instantly retracted his gaze, but after hesitating for a moment, he couldn't help asking, "Is Yinyin a local?"

Mu Yinyin nodded.

Wan Yu looked at him in bewilderment. "Of course she is. Why would you ask that?"

Father Wan's eyes flickered, and then he looked at Mu Yinyin again. "Then, do you have any relatives in Country E?"

"Country E?" Mu Yinyin never expected him to ask such a question, her eyes filled with confusion.

"Dad, are you running a fever? Why are you talking nonsense here?" Wan Yu looked incomprehendingly at the man lying in the hospital bed.

Father Wan frowned slightly. "Go on, go on, I'm not talking nonsense."

Then, he looked back at Mu Yinyin, as if awaiting her answer.

Mu Yinyin shook her head. "No, I don't."

"Country E? She really doesn't have any relatives there," Wan Yu chimed in.

Father Wan looked somewhat puzzled. "Oh? None at all?"

Mu Yinyin studied Father Wan and asked doubtfully, "Why do you ask?"

"I just thought you look a lot like an old friend of mine."

"An old friend?" Wan Yu looked at Mu Yinyin and spoke involuntarily, "Come to think of it, Yinyin does have a bit of a mixed-race look to her, even if it's not very obvious."

Mu Yinyin's facial features were exceptionally pretty, and her appearance was rather unique, differing from traditional beauty standards.

Mu Yinyin smiled helplessly. "Perhaps. What if I really am of mixed descent?"

Of course, she was just joking.

Yet Wan Yu couldn't help looking at Mu Yinyin, asking with a trace of strangeness, "Speaking of which, you've never seen your mother since you were a child. Have you ever met anyone from your mother's side of the family?"

Mu Yinyin's gaze shifted slightly, her lips pressing together as she suddenly didn't know what to say.

Wan Yu spoke up directly, "I've never heard you mention them before, huh."

With a somewhat complex look in her eyes, Mu Yinyin said, "My dad never told me about this matter. He only said my mother was an orphan with an unknown background, and that after giving birth to me, her health grew weaker and weaker until she passed away."

Sensing that Mu Yinyin might be feeling distressed, Wan Yu quickly intervened, "Never mind, never mind, it's all in the past. Besides, you're doing very well now, and you have me. Let's not think about it anymore, let's not think about it."

Actually, she had almost wanted to say that Mu Yinyin had been living wonderfully all these years, but remembering how poorly she had been treated and schemed against by her stepmother's family, she could only modify it to say she was doing fairly well now.

Only...

Father Wan's eyes were unmistakably filled with an endless complexity.

He looked at Mu Yinyin, unable to stop himself from speaking to her once more.