115: If there really is something between them...

Isn't Ai Yue just relying on the fact that she's my brother's savior to constantly get close to him? That's the only reason my brother noticed her.

Humph, is that why she acts like nobody in the base dares to mess with her? If my brother and father didn't look after them, with her temperament, she would have been eaten until only bone fragments remained."

Cheng Siyu's heart stirred upon hearing this. Yes, if something were to happen between her and Xiheng, then... given his character, he would definitely take full responsibility. That way, wouldn't he be hers forever!

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but feel secretly excited. She took two deep breaths to stabilize her emotions, not letting Gu Xitian notice her abnormality.

She spoke calmly, "Don't talk nonsense. Your brother isn't that kind of person. I do like him, but I won't force him. If he truly likes Ai Yue, I will let go."

"Oh, my silly sister! How can you compete with that wretched woman Ai Yue if you're like this?" Gu Xitian looked exasperated by her lack of fighting spirit.

Cheng Siyu gave a bitter smile, her entire expression turning cold and aloof, which instantly triggered Gu Xitian's protective instinct.

"Sister Siyu, don't worry, I'll help you. You must not lose heart!"

"Thank you, Xitian. You're so good to me!"

"Don't say such distant things. We grew up together. You looked after me when we were little; now that I've grown up, I naturally have to protect you. Besides, you're so wonderful, you deserve the best in the world."

Gu Xitian spoke with sincere affection.

Cheng Siyu was somewhat moved. She tapped Gu Xitian's small nose and broke into a smile. "Then I'll have to rely on you to protect me from now on!"

"No problem."

Just then, a knock came from outside the door.

Gu Xitian opened the door and saw that it was actually Yan Li.

"Oh, why are you here?"

"I came to see you and brought a little trinket to help pass the time." Yan Li's cheeks were slightly red. He spoke somewhat shyly as he looked at the youthful and vibrant Gu Xitian.

"A trinket? What kind of trinket are you giving me this time?" Gu Xitian asked with interest.

"Here, I wove these grasshoppers. For you!"

Yan Li brought the hand he had been hiding behind his back to the front of Gu Xitian's eyes. Two grasshoppers woven from grass were seen jumping up and down, looking incredibly lifelike.

"Wow, your hands are so clever! They look just like real ones! Thanks, I really like them." Gu Xitian happily accepted them and was about to close the door.

"Wait, Miss... Xitian!" Seeing her about to close the door, Yan Li panicked and reached out to block it.

"What's wrong? Is there something else?"

"Oh, no... nothing else." Yan Li had stopped her but didn't know what to say, stammering out his response.

"Then, I'm, going, to, close, the, door?" Gu Xitian said with a giggle, emphasizing each word.

"Wait." Yan Li wanted to talk to her a bit more. Suddenly remembering what had just happened, he spoke without much thought.

"Something just happened in the base."

"What happened?" Gu Xitian was already getting a bit impatient, her tone perfunctory.

"Ai Yue's family has disappeared. The Young General is currently investigating it."

Gu Xitian was stunned and raised her voice. "What did you say? Ai Yue is gone? What do you mean 'gone'?"

"They just can't find them. No one knows where they went..."

After hearing Yan Li explain the whole sequence of events, Gu Xitian felt a surge of joy in her heart. That annoying person had finally disappeared.

Her eyes and heart only registered the fact that Ai Yue had vanished.

She didn't care about anything else.

As long as it was certain that Ai Yue was gone and had left the base forever, it was something worth being happy about.

Gu Xitian sent Yan Li away and immediately returned to the room to share this incredibly pleasant surprise with Cheng Siyu.

Cheng Siyu was also shocked upon hearing the news. "How could she leave?"

"Who knows! But at least she had some self-awareness and knew to leave on her own. Humph, otherwise I definitely would have given her a hard time! Oh, today really is a good day, hearing such happy news." Gu Xitian's joy was overflowing.

Her joy was visible in every word.

However, Cheng Siyu was not as happy as Gu Xitian.

"Sister Siyu, she's gone, and now no one will fight you for my brother. Aren't you happy?" Gu Xitian was somewhat puzzled.

"Xitian, her departure might not actually be such a happy thing," Cheng Siyu said with difficulty.

"Why?"

Cheng Siyu sighed and explained to Gu Xitian with a helpless expression, "Have you considered that it's impossible for Ai Yue to have left alone?"

"Ah? Wh-what do you mean?"

"Has their whole family disappeared?"

"It seems so! But what about it?"

Cheng Siyu's expression became solemn. "Sigh, it's undeniable that during these few times of exterminating the Ancient Centipedes, Ai Guosheng and his wife contributed the most. Now that they've all disappeared, can you imagine what will happen to us without Li Shilan's Healing when the Ancient Centipedes appear in the base again? Without timely treatment, we will definitely suffer casualties!"

"Oh my god, you're right. Without anyone to help us heal quickly, we'll definitely have huge casualties."

"Heh, Li Shilan is indeed an indispensable talent for the base," Cheng Siyu murmured to herself.

"Then what should we do? We should quickly send people to capture her and bring her back! Now that she's gone, who will help us heal if we get injured?" Gu Xitian also realized the severity of the situation.

"Capture? Where would we even go to capture them? They've already vanished without a trace."

"Humph, look at that, Sister Siyu, they're just ungrateful wolves. The base served them with good food, drink, and housing, yet when they were needed to protect the base, they disappeared. Isn't this kind of person shameful? Tell me, how can there be such ungrateful people in the world?"

Gu Xitian prattled on incessantly.

Cheng Siyu understood that from now on, life in the base would not be so easy.

If they had been brought under control back then, would there not be such a troublesome situation now?

Sigh, what a pity... Deep in her heart, Cheng Siyu felt waves of regret... "Come on, Sister Siyu, let's go find my brother and have him send people out to capture Li Shilan and bring her back." Gu Xitian pulled Cheng Siyu up from her chair and was about to head out the door.

Cheng Siyu turned her hand to hold her back and said urgently, "Xitian, don't be in such a rush. If you run to him looking like you're there to interrogate him, do you think Xiheng will give you a good look?

This is a matter of great importance; your brother and the others must have already thought of it. They might have already taken action. Let's not go and add to their trouble."

Gu Xitian, who was in the heat of her anger, stopped trying to pull her out. She let go and said unwillingly, "Are we just supposed to watch like this?"