20: Chapter 20 You call me teacher, I call you brother-in-law [

"What?!" Xiao Shitou almost jumped up.

The human emperor banner and the Tyrant Blade were also stunned.

"This way, my bond with her will be deeper, and when I 'die' in front of her, the impact on her will be greater."

Chu Tianjiao explained, but his face was slightly flushed, "Besides... this also helps the plan. The blow of a 'newlywed losing her husband' should be enough to ignite all her potential."

Xiao Shitou's expression twitched: "Teacher... I'm afraid that if Nannan finds out the truth later... she will break your legs first."

He knew his sister too well. Although she was usually gentle and obedient, there was a stubbornness and ruthlessness in her bones.

If she knew this was all a calculation, and one that used marriage as bait... Xiao Shitou simply couldn't imagine that scene.

What made him even more speechless was that he could tell his sister had special feelings for his teacher—not just the respect of a student for a teacher, but mixed with a young girl's hazy affection.

If the teacher proposed to her, she would definitely agree happily.

Then... on their wedding night, or shortly after, the teacher would "die" in front of her.

After another period, he, her brother, would also "die" in front of her.

Under the double blow, what would his sister become?

"Xiao Shitou." Chu Tianjiao walked over, patted him on the shoulder, his tone sincere, "You don't want Nannan to remain at the Mortal stage forever, turning into dust after a hundred years, right?"

"And think about it, if I marry Nannan, you will be my brother-in-law." Chu Tianjiao blinked, "In the future, you call me Teacher, I call you brother-in-law, we each call each other what we want, isn't that interesting?"

Xiao Shitou: "..."

He looked at his teacher's seemingly sincere but actually cunning eyes, knowing he couldn't outtalk this old fox who had lived for over forty thousand years.

"Fine... I'll listen to you, Teacher." Xiao Shitou finally compromised.

But he swore secretly in his heart: Once this is all over, I must tell my sister the truth, and then... help my sister break the teacher's legs!

"Hmm, then it's settled." Chu Tianjiao nodded with satisfaction, "Now, let's go wake Nannan up. She will definitely be very happy to see you."

The two walked into the room.

In the center of the room, the piece of divine source was still floating, with the sleeping young girl curled up inside.

Sixteen years of time seemed like a fleeting moment under the Seal of the divine source. Xiao Nannan's face had not changed in the slightest; she was still as beautiful and quiet as ever.

Chu Tianjiao walked to the divine source and formed hand Seals, beginning to lift the Seal.

Complex array patterns emerged from the surface of the divine source and then slowly dissipated.

The light of the divine source gradually dimmed, eventually turning into ordinary, transparent crystal.

The young girl inside trembled her eyelashes and slowly opened her eyes.

Those were eyes as clear as a spring, carrying the confusion of just waking up.

She blinked, looked around, and her gaze finally landed on Chu Tianjiao and Xiao Shitou.

"Teacher... Brother?"

The voice was soft, carrying the laziness of just waking up.

Xiao Shitou's eyes grew hot, and he stepped forward: "Nannan, it's me."

Xiao Nannan sat up from the divine source, rubbed her eyes, seemingly not fully awake yet.

She looked at her brother, then at her teacher, a sweet smile appearing on her face.

"I had such a long dream... I dreamt that Brother hadn't come back for a long time..." She said softly, then suddenly remembered something and looked at Chu Tianjiao, "Teacher, you said Brother would come back soon, but I waited for so long..."

A trace of guilt welled up in Chu Tianjiao's heart, but he quickly suppressed it.

He smiled gently: "Nannan, you have slept for sixteen years. Now Brother is back, and he won't leave for that long again in the future."

"Sixteen years?" Xiao Nannan was stunned.

She felt it had only been the time of closing and opening her eyes, how could sixteen years have passed?

Xiao Shitou walked over and gently hugged his sister: "I'm sorry, Nannan, for making you wait so long."

Feeling her brother's warm embrace, Xiao Nannan finally truly woke up.

She hugged her brother tightly, tears welling up in her eyes: "Brother... I missed you so much..."

The reunion of the siblings was warm and touching.

Chu Tianjiao stood aside, watching quietly.

He knew in his heart that such warmth would soon be broken, replaced by bone-deep pain.

But this was necessary.

To lure out the Immortal Emperor, to completely resolve the threat of the forbidden zones, and also... to let this young girl with peerless talent truly embark on the path she should take.

After a long time, Xiao Nannan finally calmed down.

She released her brother, wiped her tears, and looked at Chu Tianjiao: "Teacher, I slept for sixteen years, so how old am I now?"

"Thirty-two." Chu Tianjiao said, "But under the Seal of the divine source, your body is still in its sixteen-year-old state."

Xiao Nannan looked down at herself, then touched her face, and breathed a sigh of relief.

Which woman doesn't hope for eternal youth?

"Nannan." Chu Tianjiao suddenly spoke, his tone becoming a bit more serious, "There is something I want to ask your opinion on."

Xiao Nannan looked up, looking at her teacher with confusion.

"I want to take you as my wife." Chu Tianjiao looked straight into her eyes and said word by word.

The room went silent instantly.

Xiao Nannan froze, staring blankly at Chu Tianjiao, as if she hadn't heard clearly what he was saying.

Xiao Shitou stood aside, his expression complex.

The human emperor banner and the Tyrant Blade were "eavesdropping" outside the room, the flag and the blade both trembling slightly—it was unknown if they were excited or wanted to laugh.

After a long time, Xiao Nannan finally came back to her senses, her cheeks instantly turning red, red all the way to her ears.

"T-Teacher... W-what did you say?" She asked stutteringly, her voice as thin as a mosquito.

"I want to take you as my wife." Chu Tianjiao repeated, his tone serious, "All these years, I have watched you grow up, from a little girl into what you are today. My feelings for you have long surpassed the affection between teacher and student."

He paused and continued: "And I don't have much time left, so I want to have a legitimate status to stay by your side in my final days."

This was half-truth.

The feelings were real—six years of being together day and night, sixteen years of concern, it would be a lie to say he wasn't moved. But "not having much time left" was pure acting.

Xiao Nannan lowered her head, her hands tightly clutching her clothes, her heart beating like a drum.

She had long had special feelings for her teacher, but that had always been suppressed in the bottom of her heart, not daring to be expressed.

Now that her teacher had suddenly proposed, she was both surprised and happy, yet at a loss.

"I, I..." She opened her mouth but didn't know what to say.

"You don't have to answer immediately." Chu Tianjiao said gently, "I will give you three days to consider. Three days later, if you are willing, we will hold the wedding."

He turned and walked out of the room, leaving the siblings Xiao Nannan and Xiao Shitou behind.

Xiao Nannan looked up at her brother, her eyes full of confusion: "Brother... W-what should I do?"

Xiao Shitou sighed in his heart, but on the surface, he showed an encouraging smile: "Just follow your heart. Teacher... is a person worth entrusting your life to."

This was the truth.

Although this proposal was part of the plan, Xiao Shitou knew that the teacher's feelings for his sister were real.

If he didn't truly care, why go to such great lengths and set up such a big scheme?

Xiao Nannan lowered her head, her cheeks still flushed.

And outside the room, Chu Tianjiao stood under the flat peach tree, looking up at the sky.

"The play has begun, and the actors are in place." He whispered to himself, "Next, it depends on how far this play can go."