"Hey, hey, Uncle! Have you seriously been lying on the sofa playing on your phone all day?!"
After lingering at Ye Thirteen’s place for hours, Qu Yi finally blurted out the soul-piercing question.
Ye Thirteen didn’t even turn his head from his phone. "What else? I’m unemployed, after all."
Qu Yi grabbed his arm, coaxing playfully, "Nooo, Uncle~ The sun’s out! Come out and play with me!"
Shaken by the lovely girl yet unmoved, Ye Thirteen flatly replied: "Refused."
"But Uncle! Such perfect weather—I can’t stay cooped up all day!" As she spoke, she tugged his arm toward her chest.
*Whoops.* A soft, bouncy contact. Ye Thirteen rolled his eyes inwardly.
*Senior Qu Xuelin… your granddaughter’s lucky it’s me she met.*
Damn it.
Thirty minutes later, Ye Thirteen and Qu Yi strolled down the street.
Handsome uncle + lovely girl = instant attention.
Most assumed siblings—just a slightly wide age gap.
After the demon scourge slashed populations and reshaped society, early marriage and parenthood became common, fueled by government incentives.
So yes—the girl beside Ye Thirteen was legally marriageable…
But having poured his prime decade into duty, Ye Thirteen’s mindset remained stubbornly old-school. He saw Qu Yi as a kid, not a potential partner.
*Because ten years ago? That’d be illegal.*
Hands buried in his black trench coat pockets, Ye Thirteen radiated icy coolness.
Useless against Qu Yi. She slipped her small hand under his arm and dragged his utterly resigned self through the crowd.
Passersby smiled at the "heartwarming father-daughter scene"—
—until Qu Yi chirped, "Uncle, wait here for me~!"
And vanished.
Leaving Ye Thirteen alone under a wave of *less-than-friendly* stares.
*Monster!*
*Inhuman!*
*I’m so jealous!*
…
Ye Thirteen hadn’t expected a simple outing to resurrect this old battlefield vibe.
He tilted his chin up slightly. Eyes sharpened. An invisible pressure radiated toward the hostile gazes.
For a heartbeat, he was back—captain of the Starlight Feather Squad, never flinching from confrontation.
Behind him stood his…
*Wait.*
There was no one behind him anymore.
"Uncle! Why’re you spacing out? C’mon!"
Qu Yi skipped back, patted his shoulder, beaming that healing smile. A cup of freshly grilled squid skewers nestled in her hands.
She tucked her hand under his arm again, chattering as they walked:
"Seriously, no one on this food street grills squid better! You should come here often~"
Ye Thirteen blinked back to reality. A bitter smile touched his lips.
*What am I doing?*
He wasn’t Marshal Night of Jinling anymore. Not captain of Starlight Feather Squad. Not even a member.
Just Ye Thirteen—a plain, unemployed guy who’d thrown in the towel.
He took a skewer after a quiet pause.
"Not bad."
"Right, right~!" Qu Yi puffed proudly. "I’ve tasted every bite in Southgate Garrison! No snack spot escapes Qu Yi! Hmph~"
Her pride coaxed a faint smile from him. The earlier gloom melted away.
A mischievous smirk tugged Ye Thirteen’s lips. "Weren’t you patrolling to protect the city?"
Qu Yi froze mid-bite, cheeks flushing. "Eating tasty food *during* patrol is totally normal!"
"Mm-hmm. I believe you." His smile widened.
He thought her dream naive—if the city truly needed *her* protection, things were dire.
But having the courage to try? That mattered.
He respected her effort. Even if a little green.
An hour later, full and content, they sat on a park bench.
Across the street, a massive screen blared the Demon Hunter Alliance Teams Season 10 promo—an hour-long showcase of all 108 squads.
Ye Thirteen glanced at Qu Yi. She wasn’t watching. A faint disdain shadowed her face.
Surprised, he asked, "You don’t like the Alliance Teams?"
*They’re the public face of the Demon Hunter Alliance’s might!*
*Their battles shaped generations of Demonhunters—textbook tactics, hard-won wisdom.*
*They forged legends. They lifted humanity.*
He’d assumed she’d at least respect them.
Qu Yi watched figures flash across the screen, voice heavy:
"The *original* Teams? I loved them. Watched them as a kid."
"But now? I don’t. My family doesn’t either."
"Grandpa says they’ve lost their soul. No longer fighting or innovating for humanity’s rise."
"Today’s Teams? Drowning in greed."
"*His* words," she added softly. "I’m not sure I fully get it… but yeah. I don’t like them anymore either."
