Weapon seller in the world of magic-Chapter 821

They broke apart only when the cars behind them started honking.

Jin Di cursed inwardly and stepped on the gas as the light turned green. He kept talking afterward, deliberately steering the conversation anywhere and everywhere just to distract himself.

It didn’t help.

Every red light turned into another stolen kiss. Every honk dragged him back to reality. His patience wore thinner by the minute.

Damn traffic lights.

Eventually, Elena noticed the tension coiling tightly in him. This wasn’t safe. With a quiet sigh, she turned away, resting her gaze outside the window instead.

He noticed instantly.

The absence of her eyes made him feel strangely hollow, but he told himself it was for the best. The thought of her being hurt in any way—especially in a car—was enough to extinguish every reckless impulse. Cold clarity replaced desire.

Soon, the scenery shifted. Buildings gave way to fields, concrete softened into open land, and the road stretched quieter and longer.

They had arrived.

The car passed through the gates of Qin Xufeng’s farm villa and parked in front of the country mansion. Several vehicles were already there. His brothers had arrived ahead of them.

Jin Di stepped out first and opened her door. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close as the wind cut through the air. Without lingering, they climbed the steps and entered the mansion, greeted immediately by comforting warmth.

"Speak of the devil," Qin Xufeng said with a grin. "They’re finally here."

"Third Bro! Xiao Xiu!" Han Lin called out. "What took you so long?"

"Let them warm up first," Wang Yingjie said calmly.

Hand in hand, Jin Di led Elena into the living area. She greeted the brothers politely while Jin Di exchanged nods and brief words.

Then her attention landed on the unfamiliar man sitting beside Han Lin.

This must be the Fifth Brother.

Their eyes met.

She offered a friendly smile.

He returned it, slow and easy.

"Baby," Jin Di said, "this is our Fifth Brother, Lu Zihao. Grandpa Lu’s grandson."

Elena studied him openly. He did resemble Grandpa Lu—especially the mischievous spark in his eyes.

Lu Zihao’s handsomeness was different from Jin Di’s. Where Jin Di was cold, refined, and imposing, Lu Zihao carried a wild, roguish charm that felt untamed and restless.

"Fifth Brother," Elena greeted warmly. "It’s a pleasure to finally meet you."

"I’ve been looking forward to this," Lu Zihao said, shaking her hand.

He didn’t let go right away.

Elena didn’t think much of it at first. The brothers were affectionate by nature. But when his gaze lingered, relaxed yet intense, an odd sense of pressure settled over her.

Familiar.

She frowned inwardly.

No, that was impossible. This was their first meeting.

At last, Lu Zihao released her hand and turned to Jin Di. "Third Brother, you’re incredibly lucky. Your girlfriend is beautiful."

"En," Jin Di replied simply.

Lu Zihao slipped his hands into his pockets and looked at Elena again, a devilish smile curling on one side of his mouth. "So you’re the old man’s new granddaughter?"

"Yes," she answered calmly. "Grandpa Lu has taken very good care of me."

"Hm..." His smile deepened. "Did you know he wanted to pair you up with me? He couldn’t stop talking about you. If you weren’t already taken by Third Brother..."

His eyes gleamed as he added after a pause. "You might have ended up as my girlfriend instead."

The atmosphere shifted the instant Lu Zihao finished speaking.

Jin Di didn’t move. He didn’t speak. Yet everyone could feel it. The tension radiating from him was sharp enough to cut skin. His jaw was locked, his shoulders rigid, his fists clenched so tightly that the veins stood out on the back of his hands.

His cold gaze was fixed squarely on Lu Zihao, a silent warning that carried more weight than words.

Back off.

Lu Zihao, however, didn’t even spare him a glance.

His attention remained on Elena, hands tucked casually into the pockets of his jeans, that devil-may-care smile still playing on his lips. He looked like a rogue straight out of a storybook, relaxed and unapologetic, as if he hadn’t just stirred a hornet’s nest.

Elena tilted her head slightly, frowning.

There it was again. That strange, nagging familiarity.

She was certain she had never met him before.

Absolutely certain.

And yet, something about him felt known to her in a way she couldn’t explain. It wasn’t unpleasant. It wasn’t threatening. It was simply... confusing.

His words sounded provocative, as if he were deliberately poking at Jin Di. But she couldn’t sense malice from him. On the contrary, her intuition remained strangely calm. Whatever Lu Zihao was, she didn’t feel danger from him.

That, more than anything, unsettled her.

"You’re weird," she said bluntly.

To her, that was the only logical conclusion. Feeling familiar with a stranger was, by definition, weird.

Lu Zihao blinked. Once. Twice.

Then he burst out laughing.

He threw his head back, clutching his stomach, laughter spilling out of him unrestrained and genuine, as if she had just told the funniest joke he’d heard in years.

The brothers stared at him as if he had lost his mind.

Jin Di’s cold glare wavered, replaced by a crease of concern between his brows.

"Why are you laughing?" Elena asked, even more confused. "You really are a weird person."

"Pft—" Wang Yingjie’s usually expressionless face twitched, barely suppressing a laugh.

Qin Xufeng and Han Lin exchanged puzzled looks.

Lu Zihao finally calmed down, though the wide smile remained. "Yeah," he said, wiping the corner of his eye. "I guess I am weird. And you’re very straightforward, little sister."

The words made Elena’s heart jump.

Little sister.

A strange flutter stirred inside her chest, excitement tangled with confusion. She didn’t understand why, but the term resonated far more deeply than it should have.

Before she realized it, she was smiling.

She couldn’t help it. His laughter, his ease, the way he spoke—it all felt oddly comforting. She decided to stop overthinking it. Maybe he was just naturally good at putting people at ease.

She reached out and hugged Jin Di’s arm, anchoring herself to him. "Weird Fifth Brother," she said, "even if Grandpa Lu wanted to pair us up, I wouldn’t end up as your girlfriend. I don’t think I could ever like you the way I like Jin Di."

Lu Zihao’s eyes narrowed for a fleeting second as he watched her cling to Jin Di.

It was gone almost immediately.

"Well," he said lightly, "regardless of what could’ve been, you’re Third Brother’s girlfriend now. Which means you’re my little sister." He smiled. "Let’s get along, little sister."

"Yes!" Elena beamed.

Lu Zihao froze.

His breath caught in his throat.

He wasn’t the only one.

Every single brother stared at Elena, momentarily stunned by her radiant smile.

Jin Di reached up, gently grasped her chin, and turned her face toward him. His thumb brushed over her lips in a slow, possessive motion.

Elena opened her mouth and bit his thumb playfully, looking up at him with mischief dancing in her eyes.

His gaze darkened.

He leaned in for a kiss but...

"Alright, that’s enough flirting."

Everyone blinked.

It was Lu Zihao who spoke, breaking their moment.

Han Lin burst out laughing. "Yeah! Stop feeding us dog food already! I’m getting diabetes just watching you two!"

Lu Zihao smiled along with the joke, but Wang Yingjie noticed it—the sharp glint in his eyes that vanished just as quickly as it appeared. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, continuing his silent observation, especially of the Fifth Brother, whom he hadn’t seen in so long.

Soon, everyone settled into the living area. A maid served fresh cups of hot tea to Elena and Jin Di.

Elena lifted her cup and inhaled the steam. She couldn’t immediately identify all the ingredients. After a sip, familiar notes bloomed on her tongue.

"Cranberry... hibiscus... cinnamon," she murmured appreciatively. "Good tea."

Qin Xufeng smiled. "You like it? We bought it in Canada when we picked up Fifth Brother. He chose it."

She turned to Lu Zihao. "You have good taste, Fifth Brother."

"Of course," he replied smoothly, lifting his own cup.

Conversation flowed easily after that. Laughter punctuated the room. Elena and Lu Zihao chatted comfortably, their interaction natural and unforced. Jin Di watched them closely but didn’t interfere. They were only talking, after all.

Wang Yingjie, however, noticed something peculiar.

The way Elena held her teacup. The way she sipped, paused, then evaluated the flavor. Elegant. Instinctive.

Then he looked at Lu Zihao.

The same movements. The same rhythm. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

When did his Fifth Brother start drinking tea like that?

After a while, Jin Di’s phone rang. He glanced at the caller. "I need to take this," he said softly. "Wait for me here, okay, baby?"

"Okay."

He kissed her quickly and stepped away to answer the call.

Han Lin took that moment to regale Lu Zihao with stories. "We were shocked when Third Bro suddenly brought a girlfriend," he said animatedly. "And I was even more shocked because Xiao Xiu is my precious Systema student!"