"She wanted to eat something. She was just picking up rotten vegetables and fruits from the ground to eat. We were feeding her."

Another little girl responded to the man's question.

It was better not to say anything, but once she did, a chill ran through the man's entire body, and countless terrifying speculations flashed through his mind.

He looked down and saw a piece of cake sitting in a cardboard box on the ceramic-tiled floor, with a bite taken out of the cream sprinkled with sugar.

"It's not a good habit for children to lie," the man said with a forced smile.

The two little girls tilted their heads together, their large, watery eyes wide open, with two small, delicate lips, pure black hair draping down beside their ears, cut straight across like a watermelon rind, looking very cute; making it seem like they wouldn't lie.

"We didn't lie to you, uncle, there's really someone inside."

"Yes, yes, it's an older sister. Momo and I both saw her. She was about as tall as half me and half Momo combined!"

The little girl exaggeratedly spread her arms as she spoke.

"And her hair is white, as white as snow!"

Not very tall, just about one meter seventy, the man thought, and then suddenly realized that he got caught up with these two little ones.

"Should uncle go take care of that sister? She's really dirty and gobbling down the food, she must have been hungry for a long time," one of the little girls said, putting her hands behind her back and swaying.

"Yes, yes, take care of the sister, she's so pitiful looking."

Faced with the pitiful looks of the two little girls and their big, watery eyes, the man could hardly refuse. Just as he was hesitating, a bang suddenly came from the kitchen, as if something had hit the cupboard.

The man became alert and quickly rushed into the kitchen, immediately using a flashlight to search the corners inside. He shined the light and walked around inside, but even after searching the entire kitchen, he didn't see the so-called 'sister.'

The commotion just now was a cupboard being blown open by the wind, the stainless steel cabinet door hitting the floor, and the subtle rustling was the sound of a faucet that hadn't been turned off tightly. Other than that, there was nothing unusual.

To be safe, he even opened each cabinet and rummaged through them. Not to mention a person, he didn't even see shadows of mice or cockroaches.

Finally, the man breathed a sigh of relief, clapped his hands, and walked out.

Why was he so serious with two kids, who knows if they've watched too much animation and imagined things from a little rustling?

"Alright, you all saw it too. I searched every corner, and there's no one. Kids, your little play ends here, go back now. This isn't a place for you," the man coughed and said sternly.

"We really didn't lie!" The bigger girl stared straight at the ceiling, kicking her legs.

"Whether you lied or not, now you need to go back to your adults immediately."

Not giving the two little girls a chance to explain, the man pushed them outside anyway.

"Annoying bad uncle!"

The two little girls couldn't out-stubborn the man, and in the end, they made a face and ran off with a pitter-patter, leaving the man standing helplessly on the spot.

"Kids these days, seriously."

After grumbling a few words, the man, with a weary face, continued walking forward with the flashlight.

Little did he know, in a place he hadn't noticed, a blood-red, tooth-filled tentacle slowly extended out, abruptly snatching the cake on the floor into the darkness, followed by a disturbing chewing and swallowing sound.

8 PM, in a certain cabin.

Xu Xiaoyou lay back on the plush bed, her eyes on the dazzling ceiling, dark red rose petals by her face, and an endless sea outside the floor-to-ceiling window. The Dream of the Ocean cruise was currently sailing in the deep sea, forty nautical miles from the Star of Art. A pale white moon hung in the sky, the waves rose and fell steadily, and in the faint sound of the surf, the girl's thoughts seemed to also sink into the pitch-dark, deep sea.

Some things kept bothering her.

Anya's character card had been flashing since the morning, what exactly did it mean?

What exactly was the miracle guarded by the Withered Flower family on the island?

What did Lin Xing say to her before leaving, and what was the connection between the company, the Puppet Master, the Hundred Bone Whip, this series of events and the Diamond 9, and herself?

The numerous thoughts were like invisible threads weaving and tangling together, unable to be cut or sorted.

Finally, Xu Xiaoyou shook her head and got up, draping the suit jacket over the chair on her shoulders.

The time for the evening party was approaching, but there was a big figure waiting for her, and she needed to do some preparation beforehand.

...

Under the banquet lights, the main characters of the cocktail party gradually appeared, dressed in appropriate evening wear.

The family social events seemed harmonious on the surface, with people laughing and talking cordially as they clinked glasses, but in fact, there was an undercurrent, much like a large hunting ground.

Grasping the initiative in social interactions was something every family member needed to learn. They would first hold a glass of absinthe and observe every possible target in the corners of the party, searching their minds to see if the person had any honors or glorious deeds.

When you find yourself left in a corner at the party and suddenly someone smiles and raises their glass to greet you, don't doubt it; that person must be viewing you as a stepping stone for social advancement, a capital for boasting to others, or perhaps... a trophy of victory.

Of course, there's another possibility.

"Miss Xu, would you be interested in having a drink with me?" A young man with a steady demeanor and calm expression raised his glass and said.

"Miss Xu, the ball is about to begin in ten minutes, have you found a dance partner you fancy?" A young man, confident and smiling, asked.

"Miss Xu, I heard that Dream Chasing Media has been cultivating some new artists, when are you planning to let them shine?" A free-spirited, not-so-neatly dressed young man, his face flushed, said.

When a rising star is noticeable and welcomes attention from everyone, these family members in the prime of their youth naturally hover around her, just as bees are attracted to nectar.

Xu Xiaoyou's ears rang with the noisy buzzing, and after dealing with a few people, she found an excuse to slip away from the crowd, her eyes scanning the luxurious tables and chairs until she found her target on the party's second-floor open walkway.

The third possibility: when an individual's presence at the party creates an insurmountable gap between everyone else, then socializing becomes a meaningless endeavor. The family members willing to attend the party are astute, and no one would overestimate themselves.

On the second-floor open walkway, a girl in a backless red dress rested her face in her hand against a deep blue mahogany handrail, her short hair glimmering with earrings peeking through. Her eyes were set on those below, and from afar, her slender, straight legs, fair back, and waist that could be gripped with ease, her nearly perfect proportions made her look like a flaming dark red rose blooming at the party.

Logically, such a splendid rose should draw the attention of numerous family members, but strangely, the girl's surroundings were utterly empty, and few even chanced a glance in her direction.

"Miss Chichu Hong, is it convenient to talk for a bit?"

Suddenly, a gentle voice beside her caught the girl's attention. The short-haired girl turned her head, and when she saw it was a young girl trying to chat her up, a hint of interest flickered in her eyes.

The blonde hair of the girl was dazzling, making her easy to spot in the crowd; it was Xu Xiaoyou.

"Of course, I'd love some company. I'm nearly bored to death," Chichu Hong smiled.

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