Month: June 2024 (Page 4 of 8)

Chapter 34 – After the Demon Lord became a god

Chapter 34

 

Si Lan stood inside the barrier, his eyes unexpectedly reddened. As he listened to Pei Jia’s words, he suddenly understood many things.

 

No wonder Pei Jia had shown such a distant and unfamiliar attitude after meeting Tao Yuan. At that time, he had thought Pei Jia was just being indifferent, but he hadn’t realized that he was no longer the Pei Jia from the past.

 

“So… Tao Yuan’s obsession was to see the real Pei Jia?”

 

The youth leaning against the par4p3t, with a sprig of xuan grass in his mouth, lively and clear, had actually died five years ago. And Tao Yuan had been waiting all this time for him to come and take him to the capital.

 

Si Lan couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

 

Hao Wei said, “Perhaps it’s not necessarily to see the real Pei Jia. Do you remember Tao Yuan’s expression when he noticed the scar on Pei Jia’s leg?”

 

“You mean, at that moment, Tao Yuan had already suspected that the Pei Jia before him was not the same as the young Pei Jia?”

 

“Yes, at least he had his doubts.”

 

“Then why didn’t Tao Yuan…”

 

“Perhaps Tao Yuan himself was no longer sure which Pei Jia he loved.”

 

Si Lan fell silent. In the illusion, when Tao Yuan died, he still tightly held the double moon jade pendant in his hand.

 

Perhaps Tao Yuan’s obsession wasn’t about their first encounter with Pei Jia, but about waiting for the person who had promised to come and marry him.

 

After Tao Yuan’s death, Pei Jia vented all his anger and resentment on the deputy and several soldiers, treating them as they had treated him, binding them under the scorching sun without food or sleep until they perished.

 

Pei Jia’s full fury and bitterness attracted Dayong, who had just escaped from Dayong Mountain, and they made a pact. Dayong helped Pei Jia complete the curse of destruction, and Pei Jia sacrificed his life to Dayong.

 

 

Si Lan dispelled the illusion, and both of them instantly emerged from the vision.

 

“Your Majesty!” Song Cheng and Song Ye saw Si Lan open his eyes and hurriedly approached to apologize, “Your Majesty, it’s our fault for not protecting the formation properly. Please forgive us.”

 

“It’s okay. How are you both? Did Dayong harm you?”

 

“No.” Song Cheng and Song Ye replied simultaneously.

 

Si Lan glanced past them and saw Pei Jia bound to a pillar. Currently, Pei Jia was enveloped in dark energy, devoid of life force. Si Lan sensed something amiss and walked over. It was then that he discovered Pei Jia was actually dead!

 

“It wasn’t us who killed Pei Jia, Your Majesty. It was Dayong who killed him while controlling his body,” Song Ye explained quickly, afraid that Si Lan would misunderstand.

 

Si Lan frowned and uttered a sound of acknowledgment. He touched Pei Jia’s forehead with his fingertip, and the dark energy surrounding Pei Jia instantly dissipated. His soul regained control of his body.

 

Pei Jia slowly opened his eyes and looked at Si Lan before him, his gaze cloudy as if he had been asleep for centuries. “You’re back… Then you must know everything now…”

 

“Mm.”

 

“Pei Jia and I are twins. When I was young, I suffered from a leg disease that made walking painful. I often stayed in bed, causing many people to think that the Pei family only had one young master. During that time, the Pei family would often share with me the interesting people and events that he encountered outside. One day, Pei Jia told me that a theater troupe had moved near the general’s mansion, and among them was a young actor who was more beautiful than any female actor, with a mouth as red as a red-billed quele. 

 

Pei Jia recalled the past, his expression filled with a sense of trance.

 

“Later, Pei Jia always talked about the red-billed quele and couldn’t get enough of it. He even joked that he wanted to bring the actor back to the capital with him. At that time, when I looked into his eyes, I knew he wasn’t joking; he really wanted to take him back to the capital.”

 

“Unfortunately, shortly after the Pei family returned to the capital, they were ordered to the border to suppress a rebellion. Although my legs had been treated by physicians and I could walk on the ground, I was still not as nimble as an ordinary person. My father and Pei Jia forbade me from joining the army, but I still secretly followed them.”

 

“That winter, it snowed heavily, and Pei Jia fell into a trap. When I rushed over, he lay in the snow, with only his last breath left. He told me he regretted not taking that person with him earlier. He promised to show him the snow in the capital, but he could never fulfill it.”

 

“I closed Pei Jia’s eyes with my own hands, changed into his clothes, and under his identity, led the trapped soldiers out of the siege. I dared not disappoint my father or the Pei family, so I continued to pretend to be Pei Jia, leading troops in battle on the border. After all, for the Pei family, whether a sickly child or a young general, there was a big difference.”

 

“But I didn’t expect to meet Tao Yuan. The first time I saw him, he was curled up in the corner of the bed, tears in his eyes, and my heart trembled uncontrollably. I always felt like I had seen him somewhere before and had an inexplicable affection for him. Now I think it’s probably because we’re twins. What Pei Jia liked, I liked too.”

 

“I always thought that because I saved Tao Yuan, he would like me and want to stay by my side. But I never thought that he was the red-billed quelea that Pei Jia couldn’t stop talking about.”

 

After Pei Jia finished speaking, he looked relieved and smiled at Si Lan, “Tao Yuan’s obsession is the true Pei Jia he wants to see, so I can’t do it.”

 

“Cai Jia, you promised to marry Tao Yuan after retiring from the military. Have you ever thought that Tao Yuan’s lingering obsession might be waiting for you to marry him?” Si Lan furrowed his brows.

 

Pei Jia heard this, seemingly incredulous, stared at Si Lan with widened eyes, “Are you sure… he… he really has such an obsession?”

 

“Yes, and Tao Yuan actually knew long ago that you are not the Pei Jia from your youth.”

 

Pei Jia felt thunderstruck, silent for a long time, lost in memories. Suddenly, a complex expression of sorrow and pain appeared on his face.

 

Si Lan reached out and untied the demon-locking rope on Pei Jia’s body. Pei Jia choked, “Alright, I will marry him.”

 

The wedding was hastily arranged, though the groom was dressed splendidly. The red wedding attire highlighted Pei Jia’s face, adding a touch of color.

 

He took out a pair of jade pendants and, in the place where Tao Yuan had sung before, said in a deep voice, “Tao Yuan, I have returned as promised.”

 

Tao Yuan’s almost imperceptible obsession slowly gathered upon hearing the voice, forming a human figure on the ground. Looking at Pei Jia, who wore a tall crown and a large red flower on his chest, Tao Yuan’s eyes flickered and regained some luster.

 

Pei Jia couldn’t restrain his emotions and stepped forward to embrace Tao Yuan, but found nothing but air.

 

“Tao Yuan…”

 

“Yujin.” Tao Yuan reached out, gently touching Pei Jia’s cheek. He didn’t know Pei Jia’s real name, but Pei Jia had told him before, his name was Yujin.

 

Although Yujin couldn’t feel anything, at this moment it seemed he could feel Tao Yuan’s fingertips warm, tears uncontrollably streaming down his face.

 

Tao Yuan’s nearly unconscious obsession finally regained awareness.

 

It turned out that what Tao Yuan couldn’t forget was really the promise that Yujin would come back to marry him.

 

“Tao Yuan, I’m actually not…”

 

“I know, Yujin.” Tao Yuan smiled and nestled into Yujin’s arms. “What’s your name?”

 

“Pei Yu.”

 

“Pei Yu…”

 

“Yeah. Tao Yuan, you don’t blame me, do you?” Pei Yu asked incredulously, expecting Tao Yuan wouldn’t accept it.

 

“I don’t blame you. I really don’t blame you.” Tao Yuan had long sensed that Pei Yu and Pei Jia were different in nature. He had once hinted at what happened in their youth, but seeing Pei Yu’s indifference until he discovered the old wounds on Pei Yu’s knees, he understood everything.

 

Pei Jia had told him that he had an elder brother who had been bedridden for years.

 

Little did he expect that many years later, he would meet that person, fall in love with him, and he turned out to be that person’s elder brother.

 

When soldiers threw him down the cliff and hung him on a tree branch, he seemed to hear the voice of young Pei Jia in a daze.

 

Young Pei Jia told him not to fall asleep, told him that his elder brother was still looking for him.

 

He had to try to survive, along with the part of Pei Jia that was still alive.

 

When he woke up, he walked through the thorns and gravel with his body full of injuries before returning to the barracks. At that time, Pei Yu asked him if he was in pain. He didn’t feel pain. The powerful thoughts dominated his thoughts and body, making him feel no pain.

 

Si Lan couldn’t bear to interrupt Pei Yu and Tao Yuan. He just felt that he was still harming people in the big jar, and countless common people needed to be saved. He didn’t speak directly to Pei Yu, but to Tao Yuan, he knew Tao Yuan was a kind person.

 

“Tao Yuan, now that the jar is harming people, the people are not alive, and you need your help.”

 

Tao Yuan did not know what happened after death. When he heard Si Lan say this, his fair face was stunned for a moment, and then he reacted to everything, looking up at Pei Yu.

 

Pei Yu’s Adam’s apple moved slightly, “Tao Yuan, I just want them to accompany you to be buried.”

 

“They are innocent, Yujin, I don’t want you to bear such a heavy sin for me. We can’t be together in this life. After death, we can be reborn as a couple. But if you make such a big mistake, can you still reincarnate with me?”

 

It’s less about him forming a bond with Dayong, and more about Dayong using him as a proxy to retaliate against humanity.

 

Without him, there would still be other hosts.

 

The curse of Dayong has been active in the mortal realm for three days. While it hasn’t yet caused mortal deaths, every passing minute poses increasing danger to mortals.

 

Si Lan thought, instead of recklessly storming the Heavenly Court, finding the notes left by the former Heavenly Emperor Taiwei might provide a way to seal and lift the curse of Dayong.

 

But if caught intruding the Heavenly Court, he might face dire consequences.

 

Thinking this, Si Lan glanced at Haowei beside him.

 

Haowei’s hat moved slightly, seemingly curious about his gaze.

 

Si Lan remained composed, shifting his gaze to Song Cheng, “I want to make a trip to the Ninth Heaven.”

 

“…,” Haowei replied.

 

This meant returning to his old home.

 

With his cultivation as a Demon Lord, he should be able to navigate the heavenly realm without encountering the Eight Great Divine Sovereigns.

 

However, the scripture repository contained numerous books; he wasn’t sure if he could find them.

 

Song Cheng said, “Your Majesty, I’ll accompany you.”

 

“No need, you stay in the mortal realm; I’ll be back soon.”

 

After Si Lan finished speaking, unwilling to delay any longer, he vanished from the mortal realm.

 

 

In the blink of an eye, he arrived at the Ninth Heaven, using the Hidden God Technique to silently pass through heavenly soldiers and generals, arriving at the legendary Repository of Myriad Laws.

 

Built by the former Heavenly Emperor Taiwei, besides records of Taiwei’s demon subjugation, it also housed miscellaneous texts on gods, demons, monsters, and weapons from the mountains and seas.

 

Outside the repository, a faint celestial aura enveloped a barely discernible white barrier, guarding against demonic intrusions.

 

Si Lan took out a rainbow-colored feather and waved it. The feather sparkled with faint light. “Little Dong… Ahem, Little Crown Prince, are you there?”

 

He had given the rainbow feather to Little Dong for the purpose of contacting him anytime.

 

“Little Crown Prince? Little Crown Prince?”

 

But after calling twice without a reply, he decided to infiltrate the Repository alone. As he stealthily passed through the barrier, it suddenly shimmered. Two celestial generals nearby noticed and hurried over.

 

“What’s happening?”

 

“Could someone have broken in?”

 

“We’ve been here all along and haven’t seen anyone.”

 

Fortunately, after muttering, the two generals didn’t suspect anything and continued their patrol nearby.

 

Si Lan slipped through the crimson jade-carved gate and entered the interior of the Repository.

 

From the outside, it appeared as an ordinary attic, but inside, it was vast and boundless, like entering another world. This world resembled an ocean floating in mid-air, countless heavenly books immersed in the sea, pages of ink and paper rolling like flowing mountains and rivers.

 

Si Lan searched through them, looking for records about Dayong. Despite appearing chaotic, the books were neatly arranged by era and subject, making the search easier.

 

Si Lan found Taiwei’s notes on demon subjugation. As he flipped through a page, he suddenly heard voices outside the door.

 

“Greetings, Lord Taiwu.”

 

“No need for formalities, I’m here to find a couple of volumes on artifacts.”

 

With a creak, the vermilion door opened, revealing an elderly immortal lord walking in, back straight, leaning on a cane.

 

Though elderly, his cultivation was formidable.

 

Si Lan hadn’t expected to encounter an old divine lord here. Quickly suppressing his presence, he flew up and hid in the rafters.

 

The old divine lord trembled as he walked, one hand on his cane, the other flipping through a book. Noticing something unsatisfactory, he casually tossed the book aside, muttering complaints.

 

“What is Taiwei compiling…”

 

Shaking his head, the old divine lord reached under the rafters.

 

Si Lan’s heart leaped into his throat. Though the figure looked elderly and leaned on a cane, his cultivation wasn’t negligible. The black “cane” in his hand seemed to have slain countless demons and monsters, exuding a strong aura that intimidated even Si Lan, a demon lord.

 

At that moment, the old divine lord unexpectedly glanced up.

 

Si Lan thought he had been discovered, but then he heard voices outside the attic again.

 

“Greetings, Crown Prince.”

 

“Is anyone inside the attic?”

 

“Lord Taiwu.”

 

“Oh.” A soft voice echoed from outside.

 

The old divine lord’s attention was drawn by the voices, turning to see the “Little Crown Prince” entering. His face softened into a gentle smile.

 

“Why has the Crown Prince come?”

 

“I’m looking for a few interesting books to pass the time.” Haowei hardened his scalp, feigning a childlike demeanor, glancing up at the rafters while speaking in a soft, placating tone. “Sir, what are you doing here?”

 

Though Haowei didn’t see Si Lan’s figure, he knew Si Lan was hiding in the rafters.

 

Si Lan was fast; he had already flicked through the “Demon Subjugation Chronicles,” but found nothing about how to lift Dayong’s curse.

 

The method to lift the curse might be in another book; he needed to keep searching.

 

Si Lan used his divine knowledge to pass on a message to Haowei. “Little White Dragon, find a way to lure this divine lord out.”

 

Haowei didn’t reply to him.

 

“Your Highness, this book ‘Records of Taixu’s Wind and Moon’ is quite good.” Taixu chuckled as he stuffed the book into Haowei’s hands.

 

Haowei glanced at the romantic history book written by his father, his expression unreadable.

 

“And these two, ‘Three Plays of the Fairy of Hundred Flowers’ and ‘Secret History of the Upper Gods,’ I’ve revisited them each at least three times.” Taixu coughed as he spoke.

 

Si Lan suddenly understood why this old god was named Taixu.

 

Who wouldn’t be ’empty’ after reading these?

 

“Your Majesty, tell me what you want to read, and I’ll find it for you.” Haowei couldn’t help but speak up.

 

Taixu, who had lived for over a hundred thousand years and was nearing ascension, had failing eyesight and a clouded mind.

 

“I want to read that… um…” Taixu scratched his head. “I can’t remember the name of the book, but I remember it had two men in it, that… that…”

 

Taixu raised two index fingers and gestured lightly, then grinned like an old child.

 

Haowei’s lips twitched slightly. How could he not remember having such a book in the library?

 

But to expedite Taixu’s departure, Haowei still helped him search for the book. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Si Lan jumping down from the rafters and slipping into a nearby bookshelf.

 

Haowei furrowed his brow and led Taixu to another section. “Is it this one?”

 

“Ah, let me see…” Taixu, with his poor eyesight, brought the book closer and squinted to examine it.

 

Si Lan saw that Taixu’s attention was drawn by Haowei, so he quickly searched through the books. Fortunately, he soon found ‘The Secret Spells’ written by Taixu, which detailed many ways to break spells, including information about the ‘Great Abyss Spell.’

 

A smile crept onto Si Lan’s face involuntarily.

 

Suddenly, they heard Taixu say, “I remember the book now, it should be over here…”

 

“Your Majesty…”

 

Before Haowei could stop him, Taixu had leaned on his cane and turned towards Si Lan, who had just tucked the book into his pocket, and they came face to face.

 

“Ah…” Taixu seemed startled by Si Lan, and raised his cane, almost stumbling backwards, but Haowei caught him in time.

 

“This… Your Highness, why didn’t you introduce me to your mother?” Taixu looked at Haowei reproachfully.

 

“…” Si Lan.

 

“…” Haowei.

 

Haowei understood that Taixu was old and confused, but he never expected him to be confused to this extent!

 

Mistaking people was one thing, but mistaking their gender as well!

 

“Your Majesty…”

 

Just as Haowei was about to say something, Taixu started talking again incoherently, “I knew it, your father will eventually take your mother to the heavens.”

 

“…” Haowei.

 

With that, Taixu sighed and held Haowei’s hand with deep emotion. “Your Highness, you and your mother have suffered a lot these years wandering outside.”

 

“…” Haowei.

 

Si Lan struggled to hold back his laughter on the other side. To be mistaken for the mother of Little White Dragon! When caught red-handed, he had already imagined a scenario where ‘fish die, net breaks,’ but he never expected this situation.

 

Haowei looked up, glanced at Si Lan who was enjoying this, tightened his lips, and replied, “Hmm.”

 

“But don’t worry, Your Highness. Your father will definitely make it up to you and your mother in the future.”

 

“Your Majesty, do you still want to find the book?” Haowei couldn’t help but change the subject as Taixu’s remarks became increasingly absurd.

 

He reluctantly admitted that being recognized as his illegitimate son was bizarre enough, but now this Taixu god was making up a mother for him out of thin air, which was simply beyond belief.

 

Taixu glanced at Si Lan, then muttered, “Need to find the book… need to find the book…”

 

Then like a child, Taixu leaned close to Haowei’s ear and whispered, “Your mother hasn’t changed a bit all these years. They say your mother resembles the Fairy of Quyu, but actually, the Fairy of Quyu resembles your mother. Your mother appeared long before the Fairy of Quyu.”

 

Haowei was stunned, looking at Taixu in disbelief, then his gaze shifted to Si Lan’s face.

 

Indeed, Si Lan’s profile bore a resemblance to the Fairy of Quyu.

 

And both of them often wore green clothes.

 

But why did Taixu suddenly link Si Lan with the Fairy of Quyu?

 

“Oh, I found the book I was looking for.” Taixu took the book off the shelf, beaming as he brought it to Haowei. Haowei withdrew from his thoughts, glanced at the cover, ‘The Great Battle of the North Tian Martial God Against the Queli Immortal.’

 

Haowei’s face darkened. How did this ancient heroic chronicle turn into such a book in Taixu’s words?

 

Taixu wiped the cover, hugged the book, “I’ll leave now, Your Highness and Your Majesty.”

 

Your Majesty…

 

Si Lan heard this title, lowered his head, and fought back a smile, never expecting such an interesting old child in heaven.

 

After the old child left, Si Lan looked at Haowei’s dark expression and suppressed a smile, saying, “Little White Dragon, thank you for this time. I have urgent business to attend to, so I’ll leave first. If you miss me, come find me in the Demon Realm.”

 

Haowei watched Si Lan quickly disappear in a flash of green light, frowned, and then his figure grew larger, transforming into the appearance of an adult man. He put on a veil and his figure also disappeared in an instant.

 

The hasty Demon Lord.

 

Si Lan rushed to the human realm. At this moment, the demonic energy over the human realm was becoming denser, and countless demonic energies surged from the ground, making the entire human world seem like purgatory, filled with continuous cries and wails.

 

He landed in the general’s mansion, where Song Cheng and Song Ye saw him appear and immediately surrounded him, asking, “Your Excellency, have you found a way to break the curse?”

 

“Yes, although Dang Yong is not in the general’s mansion, the general’s mansion is the center of the Dang Yong curse formation. I need to break the formation here, so evacuate everyone from the general’s mansion.”

 

“Yes.” Song Cheng and Song Ye nodded and went to evacuate everyone from the general’s mansion.

 

Tao Yuan’s lingering obsession had not yet dispersed. He wanted to see the Great Abyss Curse lifted before leaving; otherwise, his heart could not rest. Knowing he couldn’t be of help, he quietly stayed beside Pei Yu, not daring to disturb Si Lan.

 

Si Lan scanned around but didn’t see Haowei anywhere nearby.

 

Retracting his gaze, he followed the instructions in the book and drew the spell formation in the air. Then, he gently placed the formation on the ground. Suddenly, the previously normal ground began to emanate dark magic, within which a golden array faintly appeared, spreading outward from the general’s mansion, seemingly endless.

 

This golden array was the Great Abyss Curse, enveloping the entire mortal realm. Si Lan placed the spell formation in the center of the array, and then expanded it rapidly along the golden array, wrapping around the formation.

 

In the next moment, the array burst apart, causing earthquakes and violent tremors. After a moment of intense shaking, the black magical barrier dissipating in the sky gradually vanished, and the withered magical energies on the ground slowly subsided.

 

Si Lan exhaled softly upon seeing this, withdrawing his hand.

 

Just when he thought everything was over, the black magical barrier suddenly regenerated, and the withered magical energies on the ground surged up again. Meanwhile, the spell formation he had previously applied was slowly being consumed by the golden array…

 

How could this happen?

 

Without hesitation, Si Lan immediately held his breath, concentrated his mind, and infused his magic to maintain the spell formation.

 

In the distance, powerful demonic energies converged rapidly in the sky, rushing toward Si Lan’s direction. Wherever the demonic energy passed, the sky darkened, rivers stopped flowing, mountains crumbled, as if doomsday had arrived.

 

The demonic energy took the form of an old woman, extending two enormous hands and reaching down towards Si Lan from above.

 

“Whoever obstructs me shall die.”


T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

 

Chapter 146 – Marriage Law

Chapter 146 – Marriage Law

 

Jian Luo hesitated at the door, glancing outside. Carefully moving to the doorway, he extended his arm and opened the outer interface. The intelligent brain instantly transmitted the live images from outside, showing three… baby dragons.

 

!!

 

Jian Luo’s hand trembled, quickly opening the door.

 

With a “click,” the door opened, revealing three dragon hatchlings standing in a row outside. Before Jian Luo could see clearly, a gust of wind wrapped around his pants leg.

 

Long Ao Tian skillfully climbed up with his small claws and squatted on Jian Luo’s shoulder. When Jian Luo looked over, Long Ao Tian puffed up and let out a disgruntled “chirp.”

 

Full of spirit, extremely aggrieved!

 

The younger sister and brother were a bit slower, but eventually found a comfortable spot in Jian Luo’s embrace.

 

Jian Luo patted Long Ao Tian’s head and softly asked, “How did you all come here?”

 

The younger sister, very clever, was the first to understand Jian Luo’s meaning. With dewy eyes, she stared at him intently and said softly, “Missed daddy.”

 

She seemed a bit aggrieved too, rubbing against Jian Luo’s hand as if complaining, “Daddy didn’t come home.”

 

The soft dragon scales of the hatchlings felt cool and slightly itchy in his palm, scratching lightly at his heart, both poignant and tender.

 

Jian Luo softened his tone. “Who brought you all here?”

 

Long Ba Tian looked back and pointed with his small claws at the father standing in the shadows beside him, promptly revealing the accomplice without hesitation.

 

Jian Luo glanced in slight surprise. He was so caught up in reuniting with the children that he had only now noticed a living person standing here!

 

“You…” Jian Luo couldn’t help but smile when he saw him. “How did you come here?”

 

Lu Shifeng picked up Long Ao Tian who was chattering away. “They refused to sleep.”

 

Jian Luo was taken aback.

 

“They refused to eat.” Lu Shifeng continued matter-of-factly, “They insisted on coming to see you.”

 

Jian Luo looked surprised as he lowered his head to look at the hatchlings. “Did you all cause trouble?”

 

Under their father’s gaze, the two hatchlings suddenly felt immense pressure. Actually… they did cause a bit of trouble. Without their father around, which dragon could tolerate sleeping alone with Dad?

 

In fact, they were quite afraid of Lu Shifeng. Only Jian Luo would feel sorry for them when they caused a ruckus. Lu Shifeng, on the other hand, was different. During training, if they misbehaved, it meant facing double the punishment, and Lu Shifeng never showed them mercy.

 

So tonight, they dared to protest just a little.

 

In the past, if they made a fuss, Lu Shifeng’s attitude would likely be:

 

If you won’t sleep, then don’t sleep.

 

If you won’t eat, then don’t eat.

 

If you have nothing to do, go train instead of babbling.

 

But after their feeble protest this time, the usually iron-willed Lu Shifeng unexpectedly said, “You want to see him?”

 

The dragon hatchlings nodded.

 

And then…

 

They were brought here.

 

It all felt like a dream, and the hatchlings thought it was quite magical!

 

However, Jian Luo was certain they must have caused quite a stir. He pursed his lips and said to Lu Shifeng, “It’s quite late, and I’m sorry to trouble you.”

 

“No trouble at all. They’re my kind too,” Lu Shifeng’s gaze fell on the hatchlings. “They wanted to see you, so I’m entrusting them to you tonight.”

 

Jian Luo nodded.

 

The hallway fell into an eerie silence for a moment. He felt Lu Shifeng had something more to say and instinctively looked up, meeting those deep blood-red eyes. Lu Shifeng was dressed casually, having shed the imposing military uniform, standing about a meter away, his tall figure no longer as intimidating under the warm yellow light at the door, his features handsome, like a remarkably good-looking big brother next door.

 

Lu Shifeng lightly opened his lips. “I need to trouble you too.”

 

Jian Luo was stunned.

 

Lu Shifeng took a slow step forward, standing in front of him. He waited for a while before saying, “It’s quite late. Mr. Jian, you’ve been through a lot.”

 

Been through a lot.

 

Unexplainably, Jian Luo felt a twinge at those words.

 

He felt embarrassed about his overthinking, but still left an opening. “Please come in, it’s no trouble.”

 

Four rooms were somewhat spacious for just him, but Jian Luo intended to have his mother and brother move in. There were three rooms in total, with the last one converted into a studio for his livestreams.

 

Since the amusement park side wasn’t sorted out yet, all the rooms were currently empty and could be put to use.

 

The three hatchlings were obviously curious about their new home, excitedly looking around in Jian Luo’s arms. Seeing their curiosity, Jian Luo decided to let them explore on their own.

 

Lu Shifeng changed his shoes and walked towards the kitchen. “Come.”

 

Jian Luo came out of the bedroom. “What…?”

 

The air was filled with the aroma of food. On the table was a neatly packed set meal, emitting the fragrance of braised pork. Next to the box was a bowl of warm soup. Lu Shifeng stood by the table, unpacking the utensils and saying to him, “Have something to eat.”

 

Jian Luo asked, “How did you know I hadn’t eaten?”

 

In fact, he had eaten something. He was so hungry when he returned from the research institute that he had a few pieces of tasteless biscuits to fill his stomach. Although they were bland, they did the job. There was nothing in the fridge when he got home, and he wasn’t hungry enough to go out again to buy food, so he made do.

 

But he never expected Lu Shifeng to bring him a meal!

 

Lu Shifeng took the hatchlings into the bedroom, sitting them down on the other side to feed them the baby cake, and said softly, “There was nothing to eat at the research institute, the house was just transferred today, and there was nothing in the fridge. You came back late, what could you eat besides some biscuits?”

 

Jian Luo picked up his chopsticks and took a bite of the warm rice. “Maybe I would’ve gone out because of hunger.”

 

Lu Shifeng handed a piece of baby cake to Long Ao Tian, raised his eyelids to look at Jian Luo, and said in a deep voice, “Did you go?”

 

Jian Luo suddenly choked up.

 

To hide his emotions, he lowered his head and took a bite of meat.

 

The braised pork was richly flavored, sweet and spicy, warming his stomach with its gentle heat. This warmth seemed to envelop his heart as well.

 

Back in his youth, people around him used to date.

 

The most romantic thing was a gentle complaint late at night. Their partner would appear downstairs without hesitation, bringing food and drinks. Sweet couples, where eating was secondary to love.

 

At moments like these, he would jokingly order takeout, saying, “The cost of coming over is more expensive than delivery.”

 

Yes,

 

he was being sour.

 

Though he complained about the taxi fare, deep down he envied those who were cared for, missed, and had someone who would come rain or shine. Meanwhile, he remained alone, unattached, like a wild grass growing alone in a corner of a wall. Rain or wind, throughout these years, no one remembered him.

 

“Thud.”

 

A glass of water was quietly placed beside him.

 

Lu Shifeng, holding onto Long Aotian who wasn’t eating properly, said, “Don’t just eat.”

 

Jian Luo snapped out of his thoughts and subconsciously took the glass. Surprisingly, it was warm. As far as he knew, Dark Star people didn’t drink hot water, but Lu Shifeng remembered to pour him hot water. Feeling somewhat surprised, he looked up at Lu Shifeng.

 

Lu Shifeng noticed his gaze and frowned. “Too hot?”

 

Unexpectedly, Jian Luo smiled. He shook his head gently. “Not too hot.”

 

Outside the window, lights were shining brightly. The chilly room felt lively because of the two or three children. The warm yellow light from the dining room scattered, with the tall and handsome man handling the two kids who weren’t eating properly. There were occasional small dragon noises at the dinner table, and there was steam rising from the food. Everything seemed ordinary, but for the first time, he felt comfortable.

 

Jian Luo tilted his head back, his features softening. “Thank you.”

 

With the young dragons in his arms, Lu Shifeng turned around and saw this radiant smile under the light. His skin appeared fair, and his dark eyes were fixed on him unwaveringly, reflecting shattered starlight. It was a look of trust and gentleness, making Jian Luo feel strangely itchy, like being gently scratched by a cat’s ear, wanting to embrace and cherish.

 

Lu Shifeng’s eyes deepened, his grip on the dragons tightening unconsciously.

 

“Squeak.”

 

The disgruntled Long Aotian chirped twice, struggling to resist.

 

Lu Shifeng pushed it back to eat and relaxed his grip, then said, “Jian Luo.”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“Eat properly.”

 

Stop teasing the dragons casually.

 

“…Okay.”

 

That night’s dinner ended playfully like this. Jian Luo and the kids went to sleep, while Lu Shifeng was sent to the neighboring guest room to rest alone again. The old dragon, now in an empty nest, felt a bit conflicted, but the three little dragons in Jian Luo’s embrace were as happy as could be, with the naughtiest Long Aotian even cheerfully saying goodbye to Lu Shifeng’s darkened face: “Daddy, see you later.”

 

The other dragons followed suit.

 

Devoted to rubbing salt in their biological dad’s wounds, to avenge their usual bullying.

 

Jian Luo thought Lu Shifeng was annoyed by them, so he quickly closed the door and said, “I’ll take them to bed now. Good night.”

 

“Click.”

 

The door closed.

 

 

The next day.

 

In the morning, Jian Luo was going to the amusement park for planning and inspection. Lu Shifeng decided to take the three dragons to see him off. When Jian Luo got out of the car, he told the dragons, “Behave well in class today.”

 

The three little dragons wanted to go with him, causing a ruckus. In the end, Lu Shifeng silenced them with just a glance.

 

Jian Luo couldn’t help but laugh and waved to them from outside the car. “I’m leaving.”

 

The three dragons leaned against the car window, watching him eagerly.

 

When Jian Luo met their gaze, his heart softened. But before he could give in, Lu Shifeng directly scooped up Long Aotian and closed the window, blocking all sightlines.

 

The three dragons: “…”

 

They stared angrily at Lu Shifeng.

 

Lu Shifeng remained calm and even smiled faintly. “Daddy, see you later.”

 

Long Aotian widened its eyes, looking at its own father in disbelief. At such a young age, Lu Shifeng was already teaching them about the harsh realities of society. Their biological father was truly… quite a grudge-holder!

 

At the Amusement Park.

 

When Jian Luo arrived, people from various households along the way came out to greet him.

 

“Hey, Luo Luo.”

 

“Luo Luo is here.”

 

“Come sit at our place, Luo Luo.”

 

Even villagers he wasn’t familiar with showed him a warm welcome, making it hard for him to resist.

 

Along the way, many children sneak peeks from a distance out of curiosity, eager to see what the new master of Earth, the future leader of the amusement park, looked like. They imagined him to be a mature middle-aged man or a white-haired old man, but they never expected him to be such a young man.

 

Jian Luo went home first.

 

Just as he arrived, the former head of the amusement park, Director Wang, also arrived. He greeted Jian Luo as soon as he walked in. “Welcome back, Luo Luo.”

 

Jian Luo smiled at him. “Please, have a seat, Director Wang.”

 

Director Wang is not young, already in his fifties, with most of his hair turned white. He spoke in a hoarse voice, “No need to stand, standing is fine for me.”

 

Jian Luo came over and pulled his hand, urging him to sit on the sofa, “Please, have a seat.”

 

Su Liang brought out the brewed tea from the kitchen with a smile, saying, “You guys enjoy the tea, I’ll go cut some fruits.”

 

Director Wang quickly expressed his thanks.

 

Back when Jian Luo’s family was destitute, Director Wang was arrogant and extremely demanding. Now that Jian Luo’s family had prospered, Director Wang was submissive and polite. It wasn’t his fault for seeking profit; it was just human nature.

 

Jian Luo took out the printed documents and said, “I plan to gather everyone in the square today for a small meeting.”

 

“Now that Dark Star supports Eden, there’s no need for everyone to stay inside the sheds and farm. If anyone has other ideas, they’re welcome to speak up.” Jian Luo paused, “Since I’m here now, overall planning will definitely need adjustments. I hope Director Wang can cooperate.”

 

Director Wang glanced at Jian Luo and smiled, “Of course.”

 

Though he looked down upon Jian Luo in his heart, he had no choice but to follow Jian Luo’s lead.

 

Humanity in Eden relied on what they gained from the Safe Haven; he knew this clearly. Without Jian Luo, they were nothing.

 

Seeing his cooperation, Jian Luo continued, “If you have any thoughts or opinions, feel free to share.”

 

“Well, we can discuss during the meeting,” Director Wang said, “But there’s something that everyone is concerned about now, especially curious about. We’re legally allowed to intermarry with Dark Star, but the Civil Affairs Bureau hasn’t implemented laws in this regard…”

 

The Marriage Law only protected Dark Stars, with no explicit provisions for human marriages.

 

It was neither here nor there.

 

Now that Jian Luo was in charge, they could only turn to him.

 

Jian Luo also realized this and asked, puzzled, “Can’t we get married?”

 

“No, we can’t,” Director Wang said, “In the past, marriages between humans were simple affairs, no need for the Civil Affairs Bureau. Just a simple notarization at the village. But times have changed. I inquired recently, and they said we need the Chairman’s seal and an application to go through the process.”

 

With Jian Luo holding the official seal, he considered, “Alright, don’t worry. I’ll take a look.”

 

Director Wang felt relieved.

 

Next was the meeting for all humans. This was Jian Luo’s first time leading such a gathering, and most people attended. The younger ones seemed more enthusiastic, while the older ones appeared more relaxed, many having seniority over Jian Luo, which caused some discontent.

 

Luckily, Jian Luo didn’t mind. His responsibility was to plan Eden well; those who cooperated were best, and those who didn’t, he couldn’t be bothered with. Wealth and status were predestined; everyone just needed to do their part.

 

Jian Luo outlined upcoming plans and emphasized, “Starting today, children aged 5 and above must receive preschool education. Those under 15 can apply to return to school.”

 

This was a significant reform.

 

Different opinions emerged:

 

“What if we don’t have money?”

 

“Our families can’t afford it.”

 

“Education costs a fortune; farming is more practical.”

 

Jian Nan flipped through the scrolls and said, “The Education Department will provide free compulsory education until adulthood for those under 15.”

 

His words quieted the room.

 

Those who had opposed it were stunned, while some children’s eyes lit up with excitement.

 

Finally, someone asked, “But where will the money come from for compulsory education?”

 

“That’s something I’ll handle, not you,” Jian Luo said sternly from his elevated seat, “Go home, fill out the forms, and submit them.”

 

The room fell silent.

 

Previously, some doubted Jian Luo’s ability, but now they looked at him with newfound respect.

 

Someone started applauding, and soon cheers erupted, especially from the children, who seemed particularly excited.

 

Jian Luo said, “For those who still have questions, please raise them in an orderly manner.”

 

With the first issue resolved, his words carried more weight.

 

Even those who were initially hesitant dared to voice their needs.

 

After collecting several pages of questions, Jian Luo assigned tasks according to the previous plan to different groups, ensuring everyone found something productive to do.

 

Jian Luo himself was quite busy; his first priority was resolving the Marriage Law issue.

 

If handled properly, it would be straightforward. With Dark Star currently in reform, all local authorities were supportive, ready to cooperate fully with Jian Luo.

 

However, when the draft reached Jian Luo, he frowned.

 

He was thoroughly dissatisfied with this proposed Marriage Law.

 

From the first article, it seemed designed to test human patience: “Civil Marriage Law Article 1: In marriages between Dark Star and humans, based on the Marriage Treaty, humans must change their surname after marriage, and their household registration must follow their spouse’s species registration. Property must be clearly divided based on equality.”

 

In essence, this provision meant:

 

After marrying a Dark Star, humans had to change their surname and their household registration to match their spouse’s species registration. This primarily dealt with child custody and human rights issues, making the marriage itself a secondary consideration.

As for the division of property, the meaning becomes even more apparent. The wealth of the Dark Star people has nothing to do with their human wives. After marriage, both sides maintain separate properties and do not interfere with each other, ostensibly to protect their respective assets, but in reality to prevent humans from marrying for money.

 

The entire Marriage Law, whether in its creation or its provisions, seems like a joke.

 

How could such absurd things exist in this world? They want humans to marry, bear children, take care of the family, and yet demand to be subordinate, enjoying no rights.

 

Jian Luo sneered coldly and slammed the draft on the table.


T/N: Hope you’re having a good day! Drink water and make sure to sleep early! (>w<)/

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

and many, many more!

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

Chapter 145 – Weaning

Chapter 145 – Weaning

 

Lu Shifeng stepped forward, standing in front of him.

 

Jian Luo instinctively looked up; the banquet lights twinkled not far away, but this spot was secluded, the lighting dim. Lu Shifeng stood much taller, casting an imposing figure that made Jian Luo feel pressured. From Jian Luo’s angle, he could only see Lu Shifeng’s sharp jawline and his quiet, blood-red eyes, calm and composed.

 

General Lu raised his hand and wiped away the tears from Jian Luo’s face with a rough fingertip. His voice was deep, “Why are you crying again?”

 

Jian Luo felt embarrassed and turned his face away. “None of your business.”

 

Lu Shifeng withdrew his hand, half-joking, “Then I’ll leave.”

 

“!!”

 

Jian Luo suddenly looked up and glared at him.

 

Lu Shifeng didn’t leave; he seemed to be teasing him mischievously. The Grand Marshal wasn’t as composed and indifferent as he appeared.

 

Jian Luo pursed his lips. “You’re the one who pulled me over here.”

 

In other words, go ahead and leave.

 

Lu Shifeng said, “Hmm, just to calm you down.”

 

“I…”

 

Jian Luo was too annoyed to argue.

 

Lu Shifeng took out a handkerchief from his pocket and gently wiped Jian Luo’s face. He bent down, his long fingers delicately handling the cloth, wiping the tears and dampness from the corners of Jian Luo’s eyes and his thin, vulnerable face.

 

Those hands were naturally suited for controlling the deadliest machines, wielding the power of life and death. Yet now, they gently wiped a fragile human’s tears with a slightly damp handkerchief, seemingly finding some enjoyment in it.

 

Lu Shifeng murmured softly, “The doctor said crying too much isn’t good for your eyes right after childbirth.”

 

Jian Luo looked at him, slightly surprised.

 

Lu Shifeng raised an eyebrow. “What are you looking at?”

 

“Nothing…”

 

Jian Luo had thought that Lu Shifeng wouldn’t care about such matters. Since returning to the warship, Lu Shifeng had been busy with dragon clan affairs and Dark Star matters, often returning late each day. Jian Luo hadn’t even seen him meet with a doctor, so how did he know about these things?

 

Lu Shifeng was patient and waited until Jian Luo stopped crying before speaking. “About what you said at the banquet…”

 

It had just been an emotional outburst; he had been holding it in all day and now regretted it a bit. Jian Luo quickly cut him off, “It’s okay, you can just ignore what I said, don’t… take it to heart.”

 

“Are you teasing me?” Lu Shifeng squinted slightly, calmly folding the handkerchief, not scolding Jian Luo but carrying an air of authority.

 

Jian Luo hurriedly said, “No.”

 

When he was anxious, his eyes were always lively. His dark eyes with a hint of brown would constantly focus on Lu Shifeng, eager and attentive, his pupils reflecting only Lu Shifeng, his whole being centered around him.

 

Lu Shifeng enjoyed this.

 

It was only right that it was like this; after all, Jian Luo belonged to him.

 

A barely noticeable satisfaction flashed in Lu Shifeng’s eyes. He was satisfied enough to speak, “What you said at the banquet just now, it was well said.”

 

Jian Luo was stunned. “Huh?”

 

Lu Shifeng took Jian Luo’s hand and led him to a nearby stone bench. He said, “Remember when we first met? You were afraid of me, even hesitant to speak a few words.”

 

Jian Luo recalled slowly, and indeed, he had been very afraid back then. Crossing over was difficult, and not just for an inexperienced native like him; even modern humans, if you asked, who wouldn’t be afraid of Lu Shifeng?

 

Jian Luo didn’t dare to tell the truth. “That was because I wasn’t familiar, didn’t understand. If I offended you in any way before, I hope you can forgive me.”

 

“Even after having a child, you still use formal language.” Lu Shifeng lounged lazily beside him. “Your anger from earlier seems to have disappeared.”

 

Jian Luo felt a bit ashamed.

 

He didn’t know what had happened to him after becoming pregnant; he was always so temperamental. Even after giving birth, he hadn’t quite adjusted.

 

Jian Luo said, “Please don’t make fun of me.”

 

Lu Shifeng saw how Jian Luo had been fierce just moments ago, now lowering his head. With his fair complexion, his downturned face revealed a slender, fair neck. Maybe it was because he had been upset earlier; now he looked like a little kitten that had just had its claws trimmed—unintentionally docile, strangely… itchy.

 

Perhaps it was because the child had been born, and after holding it in for so long, with spring approaching, some dragons always felt a bit stirred.

 

Lu Shifeng suppressed the itch in his heart and withdrew his gaze. “I’m older than you. According to His Majesty, there’s always a bit of estrangement with an age gap. You’re introverted and tend to keep things to yourself. I can only understand you through Lady Jin or the doctors.”

 

Jian Luo looked up, slightly surprised.

 

He had always thought Lu Shifeng considered him dispensable, but it turned out Lu Shifeng cared about his feelings?

 

Lu Shifeng looked at him. “But they can only see your daily life; they can’t understand what’s in your heart.”

 

“Not understanding, I can only take care of you in my own way.” Lu Shifeng’s voice was clear in the night. “For the people of Dark Star, only the strong have the right to speak and survive. Whether it’s me or His Majesty, we’re all helping you become stronger in our own way.”

 

Some things didn’t need explaining.

 

He hadn’t intended to explain at all; he had thought Jian Luo would understand.

 

But he hadn’t expected the misunderstanding to run so deep and cause Jian Luo so much pressure.

 

Jian Luo lowered his head. “So that’s how it is.”

 

Lu Shifeng glanced at him, expecting the boy to have more to say. Unexpectedly, Jian Luo just said those four words, which surprised Lu Shifeng a bit. “You’re not angry anymore?”

 

“I’m not angry.” Jian Luo sat on the stone bench, swinging his legs. He spoke softly, “I’ll try harder in the future.”

 

Anger came and went quickly.

 

Once he understood, he behaved obediently.

 

Lu Shifeng had originally thought he would need to comfort Jian Luo more, but this boy turned out to be unexpectedly easy to coax. Compared to the female protagonist of “Dominant Dragon Clan Falling in Love with Me” who was always threatening to break up, Jian Luo was unbelievably sweet.

 

Just as Lu Shifeng was feeling pleased, Jian Luo asked, “So, if it’s all for my own good, does that mean I can have my own opinions? If there’s something, can I talk to you about it, and you’ll agree?”

 

Lu Shifeng was in a good mood and nodded. “Yes.”

 

“That’s great!” Jian Luo smiled brightly. “Then I’ll go pick a new house in the Imperial City in a few days, and I’ll move there.”

 

He had always wanted a place of his own.

 

Earth was too big, the dragon clan too vast, and the grand palace too imposing. He just wanted a small place with his name on the property deed—that would be security enough.

 

Lu Shifeng squinted. “You want to move out?”

 

Jian Luo nodded.

 

Lu Shifeng felt a moment of panic, but he quickly calmed down. Even though he was internally panicked, he spoke calmly, “For the safety of the child, they are better off staying with the dragon clan.”

 

In other words, if you’re not staying with the dragon clan, are you saying you’d rather part with me than the child?

 

Indeed

 

Jian Luo hesitated.

 

Lu Shifeng felt much relieved in his heart, but just as he relaxed, Jian Luo said, “But you need human help to cooperate with research. I’ll definitely need to coordinate with the research institute. I’ll be quite busy next, and I have Earth to manage. The reconstruction of Eden also needs my attention. There’s also the matter of livestreaming that I need to pick up again. Sometimes I won’t be able to take care of them completely, but I’ll be confident leaving them with the dragon clan.”

 

“As long as you don’t stop me from seeing the child.” Jian Luo spoke softly, “I’ll probably be traveling around a lot for the next while. If it gets too late, I won’t come back, it’ll be more convenient that way.”

 

 

Lu Shifeng surprisingly couldn’t argue.

 

But if Jian Luo lived alone, would it imply to others that he was unclaimed?

 

Would those coveting him continue to swarm like an irritating piece of toffee?

 

The thought of others looking at Jian Luo made Lu Shifeng want to shut everyone out, not allowing anyone to touch his treasure.

 

He wanted to keep his treasure hidden away, but his treasure always had its mind set on wandering outside.

 

Truly infuriating for a dragon.

 

“To live outside is fine.” Fortunately, Lu Shifeng still had his reason. He tried not to alarm Jian Luo too much. “I’ll have someone pick a house for you. It might be problematic if you’re alone and the surroundings aren’t safe.”

 

Jian Luo subconsciously wanted to say a few words, but as soon as he looked up, he met Lu Shifeng’s dark eyes. They were filled with unyielding determination. Even though Lu Shifeng hadn’t displayed enough dominance, and had even used a gentle tone, Jian Luo somehow knew that there was no room for negotiation in this matter.

 

He nodded obediently. “Alright.”

 

 

The next day

 

Jian Luo had expected things to be busy, but not this busy.

 

Since he officially resumed work, he had been in a state of constant activity, with the communication device on his wrist never stopping. Various tasks piled up one after another, leaving him disoriented.

 

Fortunately, the efficiency of the dragon clan was truly high. In the afternoon, Lady Jin called him, “Luo Luo, the house has been arranged. I’ll send you the password shortly. Whenever you have time, you can go see the house. It’s fully furnished and ready for immediate occupancy.”

 

At that moment, Jian Luo was still at the research institute. He replied, “Alright, thank you.”

 

After hanging up, before he could focus on looking at the house, the research staff handed him a form, “Could you please arrange for all human personnel to fill out the registration? Upload it to our information mailbox in half a month. We’ll arrange for blood samples to be collected. Please count the number of suitable humans. Oh, we also have a seminar later on the new batch of social behaviors…”

 

After going through the entire process, Jian Luo was completely busy, and it was already past nine in the evening.

 

The kids must be asleep by now.

 

Finally glancing at the password sent by Lady Jin, Jian Luo decided to go see his new house tonight and stay the night there to avoid disturbing the kids.

 

As he rode in the car to the new house, he messaged Lu Shifeng, “I’m not coming back tonight. Remember to take the kids to bed.”

 

After a while, Lu Shifeng replied, “Okay.”

 

The car soon arrived at its destination. The house was close to the city center and conveniently located at the center of his various workplaces. Jian Luo was quite satisfied with it.

 

Entering the house with the password, he found it to be a four-bedroom home with cozy decor, mostly in the style humans liked. There was a small kitchen, a large living room with blankets on the floor, a new tea set on the table, and a corner bookshelf stocked with the latest magazines and journals.

 

Truly fully furnished.

 

Jian Luo walked into the master bedroom and saw the soft, large bed, feeling delighted. He was very pleased with this house and expected to live comfortably here.

 

“Where’s the bathroom?”

 

After setting his things down, Jian Luo found the bathroom, took a shower, and tidied up. By the time everything was settled, it was already past ten in the evening. He turned off the lights and got into bed. Tired from the day, he had thought he would fall asleep quickly, but lying down, he found himself unable to sleep. Normally at this time, the kids would be asleep; Long Autian would sometimes snore softly, and his sister might wake up for a midnight snack. He’d get up to feed her.

 

He didn’t know if Lu Shifeng could take care of them well.

 

Turning over in bed, Jian Luo not only couldn’t sleep, but became more awake. He lay on his back, sighed deeply, and finally admitted to himself one thing: he really missed the kids.

 

On the first night apart from them, he was already feeling uncomfortable.

 

What would he do in the future when the kids grew up and left him?

 

All sorts of strange thoughts floated through his mind. Just as Jian Luo was gradually feeling drowsy, suddenly the doorbell rang outside, startling him like thunder. He jumped up in surprise. Jian Luo walked to the door and looked outside. In the quiet night, the doorbell kept ringing, sending shivers down his spine. “Who is it?”


T/N: Hope you’re having a good day! Drink water and make sure to sleep early! (>w<)/

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

and many, many more!

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

Chapter 6 – The Coffee Shop

Chapter 6: The Coffee Shop

 

In the memories left to him by the Phoenix clan, touching feathers was a very intimate act, something done only with someone you liked.

 

So touching feathers was out of the question. He definitely wasn’t going to let this person touch his feathers!

 

Su Muluo stared expressionlessly at the man for a few seconds, just about to speak—

 

And then the man vanished again.

 

Su Muluo: Again?

 

He looked left and right, but couldn’t find the man’s shadow. This time, like the last, he had disappeared so quickly. Su Muluo guessed that either the man was afraid of being beaten by him, or that he simply couldn’t stay in his dream for too long.

 

Whatever the reason, it was infuriating.

 

With that thought, Su Muluo woke up from his dream.

 

Bright sunlight shone through the window, and something soft was nestled against his face. Without needing to look, he knew it was his little black dragon.

 

The little black dragon clung affectionately to his Phoenix, unaware that last night his Phoenix had already planned to kick him to the couch once he turned human.

 

Su Muluo sat up, and the little black dragon raised its head, looking at him. They stared at each other for a few seconds before Su Muluo said, “I had a dream.”

 

The little black dragon: “Aow.”

 

“I dreamed of a rogue.”

 

The little black dragon stopped making noises.

 

“If I see him again,” Su Muluo said word by word, “I’ll beat him up.” Then he looked down at the little black dragon and asked, “So, when will you turn human?”

 

The little black dragon: “…”

 

The little black dragon curled up and made an innocent, compliant squeak, indicating that it was very well-behaved and knew nothing.

 

Su Muluo knew it wouldn’t admit anything. It wouldn’t acknowledge anything until it turned human, and he seemed to have no way to deal with it before then. So he clicked his tongue, poked the little black dragon, and pulled the quilt over it.

 

The little black dragon obediently stayed under the quilt for a while. Only when its Phoenix had dressed and was heading to the bathroom did it crawl out, huffing and puffing, and hugged his leg.

 

While washing up, the little black dragon coiled around Su Muluo’s wrist, a thin, tiny ring. Su Muluo didn’t pay much attention at first, but after a few times raising his hand and seeing it, he suddenly couldn’t help but laugh.

 

And once he started laughing, he couldn’t stop.

 

“Aow?”

 

The little black dragon looked up at him in confusion.

 

“You’re really small,” Su Muluo said, inexplicably tickled, “so thin, feels like I could tie you in a knot.”

 

The little black dragon: “??”

 

“Or use you to tie my hair.”

 

The little black dragon: “???”

 

Su Muluo started to act on this idea, looking very much like he wanted to tie the little black dragon into a heart-shaped knot. The little black dragon refused to comply, clinging to him tightly, chirping in protest.

 

In the memories left by the dragon clan, dragons and their Phoenixes were always sweet and affectionate. Only his Phoenix not only found him small but also wanted to tie him in a knot and even use him to tie his hair!

 

It was too much!

 

The little black dragon, feeling wronged, clung to Su Muluo’s fingers with its claws, refusing to let go. After several failed attempts to force it, Su Muluo had to regretfully withdraw his hand, poking its little horns with his fingertip. “Alright, if you don’t want to, I won’t force you.” Maybe he could secretly tie it into a knot while it was asleep.

 

Sensing the danger had passed, the little black dragon coiled back around Su Muluo’s wrist. Its tail tip flicked unhappily, watching its Phoenix with great vigilance.

 

But after a while, it started to feel that no other Phoenix could compare to its own. Its Phoenix was still the best.

 

So it snuggled into Su Muluo’s palm, rubbing against it lazily.

 

Su Muluo smiled and patted its head. “What do you want for breakfast? How about I make you some egg custard?”

 

Last night, he had looked up many recipes online and learned quite a few new dishes that he could make for the little black dragon in the future.

 

The little black dragon chirped happily, so Su Muluo went to the kitchen and made a bowl of egg custard, just like yesterday. He also ate a little, calling it breakfast.

 

The Bureau of Supernatural Affairs had said they would deliver his ID today, and sure enough, after nine o’clock, there was a knock on his door.

 

“Mr. Su.” This time, it was still Zheng Hechun who came. He now knew Su Muluo’s name and personally delivered a human ID card to him. “This is your ID. From now on, you can live here like a normal human.”

 

“Thank you,” Su Muluo said, accepting the ID card. Remembering what the snake demon had said about newly issued IDs needing to be replaced every year, he asked, “Is this only valid for one year?”

 

Zheng Hechun smiled. “Of course not. The ID is valid for ten years. After ten years, the Bureau will issue you a new one.”

 

Su Muluo nodded. Zheng Hechun’s gaze shifted slightly to the little black dragon on his wrist. The little dragon’s dark golden eyes stared back at him coldly, making him cough and quickly look away.

 

“Now that you’ve received your ID, I’ll take my leave,” he said. “If you want to open a coffee shop, don’t worry. There won’t be any problems with the approval process.”

 

Su Muluo knew that for a demon to open a shop in a human city, the approval process could take several months. The Bureau had indeed made things much easier for him. He thanked Zheng Hechun, and in the afternoon, went out to meet with the coffee shop owner.

 

The coffee shop owner’s surname was Huang, and his name was Huang Gaigai. His hairline seemed to have receded a bit more since they last met. When Su Muluo arrived, he saw Huang Gaigai lamenting over his hair while looking at his phone.

 

“You’re here. Have a seat.”

 

Huang Gaigai placed a freshly brewed cup of coffee in front of Su Muluo, glanced at his smooth black hair, and sighed again.

 

“What’s wrong?” Su Muluo asked.

 

“Nothing,” Huang Gaigai clearly didn’t want to talk about his troubles. “Have you decided to take over my coffee shop?”

 

Su Muluo nodded. Huang Gaigai took out a prepared contract and handed it to him. “Then take a look at the contract. If there are no issues, just sign it.”

 

The terms in the contract had already been agreed upon. From today, the coffee shop would officially be transferred to Su Muluo. He would pay Huang Gaigai a modest monthly rent and a share of the profits. Su Muluo quickly skimmed the contract and signed his name.

 

He could tell that Huang Gaigai wasn’t a bad person and wouldn’t deceive him in the contract. Since he had also opened a bank account before coming, he transferred the first month’s rent to Huang Gaigai through his phone after signing the contract.

 

Huang Gaigai then gave him detailed advice on running the coffee shop, which Su Muluo noted down carefully.

 

“Choosing coffee beans and brewing coffee are both very important. By the way, do you know how to brew coffee?”

 

This question hit the mark. Su Muluo calmly nodded. “I know the process.”

 

In the past few days, he had looked up a lot of information and watched many related videos. He could say that he was well-versed in the knowledge of making a perfect cup of coffee.

 

He had no practical experience whatsoever.

 

Huang Gaigai laughed and said, “No worries, I’ll teach you. I’m quite skilled at making coffee.”

 

From his experience, beginners usually need a lot of practice, just as he did when he took lessons for half a month. To his surprise, Su Muluo grasped it quickly and made a perfect cup of coffee after just one lesson.

 

It was even better than his own.

 

“…” Huang Gaigai looked at the cup of coffee, then at Su Muluo, then at the coffee again, and back at Su Muluo. After a few seconds, he asked in shock, “Didn’t you say you had no training?”

 

“Yes, I haven’t,” Su Muluo smiled slightly, “but I’ve watched a lot of tutorials.”

 

Being a phoenix, he was naturally highly intelligent and quick to grasp new things.

 

Huang Gaigai was silent for a moment, likely struggling to digest this fact. Finally, he said painfully and a bit sourly, “Alright, I guess there’s nothing more I can teach you… I’ll be leaving now. From this day forward, I’ll entrust my dream to you.”

 

He picked up the backpack he had placed beside him, looked around the coffee shop he had built with his own hands, sighed, and said, “Qiansui, it’s time to go home.”

 

No one responded.

 

Huang Gaigai turned around and saw his orange cat sitting motionlessly on the counter. He said, “Qiansui? Let’s go, time to go home.”

 

“…”

 

Qiansui turned his head silently, jumped off the counter, and walked away.

 

Huang Gaigai found it strange and was about to speak again when Su Muluo said calmly, “Even if you take him now, you’ll have to bring him back in a few days. What’s the difference?” After all, Huang Gaigai had mentioned before that once he returned to live with his parents, he wouldn’t be able to keep his cat.

 

Huang Gaigai was stunned for a moment and said, “So… he doesn’t plan on going back with me?”

 

Su Muluo didn’t say “yes” but instead remarked, “Cats are very smart.”

 

Huang Gaigai’s expression changed instantly, standing there somewhat at a loss.

 

The coffee shop fell silent for a while. Looking at Huang Gaigai’s disappointed face, Su Muluo thought for a moment and said, “Let him stay here. I’ll take good care of him.”

 

“…”

 

Huang Gaigai didn’t speak for a long time, then slowly lowered his head and said quietly, “…Alright… I’ll come to see him in a few days.”

 

He then raised his head, seemingly wanting to smile at Su Muluo but couldn’t. He awkwardly put on his backpack and slowly walked out of the coffee shop.

 

His figure disappeared outside the coffee shop, never looking back. Meanwhile, Qiansui, who had been hiding under the counter, silently emerged, gazing in the direction his owner had left.

 

Su Muluo picked up the coffee he had just brewed and said, “Want to try it?”

 

This was directed at Qiansui, but Qiansui ignored him completely.

 

Su Muluo thought, fine, given your bad mood, and then looked down at his pocket, saying, “Come out and have some coffee.”

 

The next second, a small black dragon poked its head out from his pocket.

 

Upon seeing the little black dragon, Qiansui’s emerald-green eyes contracted into slits, and his fur stood on end. In a flash, he darted to the corner of the coffee shop.

 

But neither Su Muluo nor the black dragon paid any attention to him. The black dragon perched on the edge of the coffee cup, happily took a big sip of coffee, and then immediately spat it out, collapsing limply in Su Muluo’s palm.

 

Su Muluo was surprised, “Is it that bad?” He had tasted it just now and found it strange but acceptable.

 

The little black dragon weakly flicked its tail.

 

Su Muluo: Tsk.

 

He didn’t think there was anything wrong with his coffee; instead, he figured his dragon just had bad taste and couldn’t appreciate it. He pinched the little black dragon and looked toward the corner of the coffee shop.

 

Then he smiled slightly, “I know you’re a cat demon.”

 

Qiansui: “…”

 

“But it’s okay, I’m a demon too,” Su Muluo said gently, “As long as you don’t reveal my identity, we can get along just fine, okay?”

 

Qiansui: “…”

 

Qiansui slowly squeezed out from the corner, cautiously eyeing him while gradually moving to another corner of the coffee shop—then he suddenly darted into the employee lounge.

 

Su Muluo didn’t mind, knowing they would have plenty of time to get to know each other.

 

Night fell.

 

It was already late, and the usually bustling street was nearly empty. Under the streetlights, a young couple walked hand in hand, playfully bantering.

 

The early autumn night was cool, and a chilly breeze occasionally blew. The girl, who was lightly dressed, shivered, and the boy immediately took off his jacket and dr4p3d it over her shoulders.

 

Ahead, just past the next intersection, was a bus stop where they could catch the last bus. They quickened their pace but then saw someone standing under a streetlight, blocking their path.

 

It was a woman, her back to them, with long black hair falling to her waist, wearing a flowing white dress. She also held a red umbrella, the surface bright red like slowly flowing blood.

 

The couple stopped in their tracks, staring. At that moment, they noticed the streetlights on either side remained bright, but the one above the woman flickered ominously.

 

Sensing something was wrong, the boy immediately grabbed the girl’s hand and started to lead her back—but when they turned around, they saw the same woman with the red umbrella and black hair standing closer than before.

 

This time, she was just a few meters away, and the streetlight above her was even dimmer, casting only a faint light.

 

“…Haozhi, do you think we’ve encountered something bad?” The girl’s body trembled slightly as she clutched the boy’s hand, whispering, “Should we run?”

 

The boy named “Haozhi” was silent for a few seconds, then comfortingly patted the girl’s shoulder and said, “It’s okay, I’ll go check.”

 

As he spoke, his eyes, which were originally normal, suddenly transformed into beast-like vertical pupils, and some yellow fur appeared on his cheeks, making him look completely inhuman.

 

The girl watched the boy nervously as he slowly approached the woman under the red umbrella by the streetlight. He placed a hand on her shoulder and coldly said, “Hey.”

 

“……”

 

The red umbrella moved slightly, and the woman under it slowly turned her head—

 

On her silky smooth skin was a faceless visage.


T/N: Hello hello! I’m back with another dragon series, and let me tell you, this one is adorable!! Hold on to your cute hats, because it’s about to get even more cuter~~

There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

 

Chapter 33 – The Real and Fake General Pei

Chapter 33

 

Si Lan, seeing the situation, immediately closed his eyes and reminded, “Your veil is torn.”

 

Haowei paused, freed a hand, and hastily tied the torn veil together.

 

After ensuring that Haowei had secured his hat, Si Lan opened his eyes and looked at the insect master wrapped up nearby. The insect master was still trying to escape, but clumsily darted around like a headless fly, trapped within the fabric.

 

“Are you okay?” Si Lan asked Haowei.

 

Haowei’s aura turned cold. Si Lan made sure the insect master was fine before asking him. So, he was less important than an insect.

 

“I’m fine,” Haowei muttered sullenly.

 

“Good. If you’re fine, let’s hurry back to the village.” Si Lan dusted off his clothes and started walking down the mountain.

 

Haowei looked at the back of Si Lan’s neck, his expression complicated. He was indeed kind-hearted. Unlike other demon lords who sought to destroy and slaughter, Si Lan tried every possible way to save the common people, as if he were the ruler of the Six Realms. Moreover, why wasn’t he curious about his appearance at all? Thinking of this, Haowei’s face tensed. Perhaps Si Lan didn’t care about him, which is why he paid no mind to what he looked like.

 

For some reason, Haowei felt even worse. Clearly, Si Lan hadn’t seen his face, and he should have been happy about it.

 

Sensing the insect master was in danger, the parasitic insect eggs within several villagers’ bodies began to stir, causing the villagers to convulse and foam at the mouth.

 

Haowei slowly squeezed the insect master, eliciting a heart-wrenching scream, sounding childlike but with a sharper edge.

 

Soon, the parasitic insect egg hosts rushed towards the insect master. Not only them, but also the insects on the mountain swarmed over.

 

Several sharp-eyed villagers, seeing this scene, were terrified.

 

“Oh my… what’s that on the mountain? A bunch of mushrooms?”

 

“No, it’s not mushrooms. It’s petals… no, wait, it’s monsters…”

 

Haowei asked Si Lan, “Have the mother insects inside them come out?”

 

“They have!” Si Lan saw more and more insects gathering, “Give me the insect master, and I’ll lead them away.” They couldn’t let these insects get close to the villagers, or they would parasitize them again.

 

Haowei glanced at Si Lan. “No need. Just stay here and guard.”

 

As soon as he finished speaking, Haowei took the insect master and walked towards the valley. The insects, sensing the change in position, crawled towards the valley.

 

Haowei stood on a high ground and threw the insect master into the valley. The insects swarmed towards the insect master, crowding around it.

 

A dense mass of white spread across the valley, like flowers covering the area—beautiful yet sinister.

 

Haowei found flint and set a fire. Soon, the insects in the valley were engulfed in flames, the air filled with a burnt smell.

 

When Si Lan arrived, he saw the valley ablaze and heard the heart-wrenching screams from within the fire. It reminded him of the great fire in the Holy Realm’s Insect Valley, making him close his eyes.

 

Haowei approached Si Lan. “If we don’t eliminate them completely, they’ll parasitize the villagers again.”

 

“Yes.” Si Lan seemed to imply something deeper, “The human world, the demon world, are all managed by the celestial realm. Who lives and who dies is already predestined.”

 

Haowei felt there was more to his words, but before he could scrutinize him, Si Lan turned and casually said, “We’ve resolved the insect problem. We are now benefactors of Tao Yuan. This gives us an excuse to stay close to Tao Yuan, understand his concerns, and conveniently head to Li Du. Isn’t that perfect?”

 

Haowei merely hummed in response.

 

Back in the village, the villagers parasitized by the insects had woken up, no longer in danger, but they still couldn’t move or speak. Their sores needed medicine to heal.

 

Si Lan went to gather herbs and ground them with a wooden pestle, planning to give each patient a jar to apply. Watching the herbs, Haowei remarked, “So, you really know about medicine.”

 

“Yes, when I finished reading novels, I had nothing else to do but study medicine.” Si Lan said while pounding the herbs, “That’s why in the demon world… cough, cough, in our village, many patients came to me for treatment.”

 

Haowei lowered his veil, seemingly stifling a laugh.

 

At this moment, the red barrier in front of them flickered. The barrier had been nearly invisible for a while, but now it suddenly reappeared!

 

Si Lan was both surprised and delighted, looking at Haowei, “Is the formation about to be repaired?”

 

“It seems so.”

 

Once the barrier was fully restored, they would be isolated from this world. Thinking of this, Si Lan wanted to say goodbye to Tao Yuan in person. But just as he reached the door, he saw the barrier closing from top to bottom.

 

Si Lan hurriedly picked up the pestle, dipping it in the medicinal juice, and wrote on the wall: Urgent matter, we must leave first.

 

Before he could finish writing “leave,” the barrier fully restored. In that instant, a surge of energy flowed into their spiritual void, healing all their wounds and making them feel rejuvenated.

 

Si Lan couldn’t help but take a deep breath, thinking that he must treat the Song brothers to some chicken legs when they returned.

 

In the Pei Mansion, a quarter of an hour earlier.

 

After the dense swarm of red insects broke through the barrier, “Pei Jia” directly slashed at the red gear-shaped formation on the ground. The ground instantly cracked open, and the formation wavered.

 

“Pei Jia” raised the sword again to strike the formation, but Song Cheng swung his sword from behind, attacking “Pei Jia.” “Pei Jia” didn’t move, the black aura around him automatically forming a shield to block Song Cheng’s attack.

 

“Pei Jia” twirled the sword swiftly, producing a flurry of black demonic energy from the sword’s arc, which crawled over the formation like mice, trying to erase it.

 

In the next moment, Song Ye dispersed the “mice” with a single strike. With all his strength, he moved so quickly that “Pei Jia” almost couldn’t react before he was behind “Pei Jia,” directly placing a demon-breaking charm on the back of his head.

 

The demonic energy within “Pei Jia” went berserk, like a trapped beast, causing Pei Jia’s limbs to contort violently.

 

Taking advantage of this, Song Cheng and Song Ye pulled out demon-binding ropes, tying “Pei Jia” to a pillar.

 

Perhaps the demon-breaking charm had taken effect, as the demonic energy within Pei Jia gradually subsided. Pei Jia stopped struggling, lowered his head, and quietly leaned against the pillar.

 

Song Ye let out a small sigh of relief, turning around to see Song Cheng already sitting cross-legged on the ground, casting a spell to repair the formation.

 

“Brother, how is the formation?”

 

“One section is disrupted. We need to work together to restore it.”

 

“Alright.”

 

Just as Song Ye sat down, he suddenly felt a surge of intense demonic energy sweeping towards Song Cheng, who was still focused on his spell!

 

Song Ye quickly swung his sword at the demonic energy, but it split into two, bypassing his sword energy and heading towards his brother.

 

He couldn’t think of anything else, his mind consumed by one thought: his brother mustn’t be harmed.

 

In an instant, he flashed to Song Cheng’s side, rapidly weaving a barrier and directing the two streams of demonic energy into the air.

 

Somehow, the demon-breaking charm on “Pei Jia” had torn, and his body once again emitted a continuous stream of demonic energy. Fortunately, the demon-binding rope still held, limiting his attacks.

 

The two streams of demonic energy attacked Song Ye simultaneously. He dodged and was about to strike at Pei Jia but held back.

 

His master had taught him not to harm mortals.

 

This battle could only be defensive, not offensive.

 

Song Ye flashed behind “Pei Jia,” intending to place another demon-breaking charm on him. However, “Pei Jia” suddenly twisted around, extending his hand, with fingers transforming into sharp blades, stabbing directly into Song Ye’s abdomen and gripping his demon core.

 

Song Ye’s eyes turned red with pain. He gritted his teeth, enduring the agony in silence, and swung his sword to cut off the demonic energy.

 

From a distance, Song Cheng’s voice called out, “Song Ye, are you alright?” He couldn’t see clearly, only that Song Ye was engulfed in demonic energy.

 

“I’m fine!”

 

Song Cheng wanted to get up and help, but Song Ye quickly said, “Brother, fix the formation first. I’ll handle this.”

 

Enduring the excruciating pain, Song Ye pulled out a demon-breaking charm and slapped it onto “Pei Jia,” finally subduing him.

 

He glanced at his abdominal wound, lifted his shirt to cover it, and sat cross-legged next to Song Cheng.

 

“Brother, let me help you.”

 

“Alright.” Song Cheng closed his eyes, not thinking too much about it.

 

 

Inside the barrier, Si Lan mused, “So, it turns out that last time at the Pei mansion, we didn’t impersonate the Tuoshan Twin Heroes; we actually are the Tuoshan Twin Heroes.”

 

Chongwei responded blandly with a “Hmm.”

 

All these events seemed to connect like jade beads in the palm of fate, appearing chaotic but in fact meticulously arranged.

 

The only painful thing was that, despite knowing the outcome, they still had to relive the tragic process.

 

In the illusion, Tao Yuan, knowing that Si Lan and Chongwei were busy preparing medicine, made some pastries for them. When he went to find them, he saw that they had left without saying goodbye.

 

On the wall was a line of elegant characters: Urgent matter, we must leave first.

 

Tao Yuan couldn’t help but frown and asked Pei Jia, who was beside him, “Did the divine doctors leave so hastily because of some urgent matter?”

 

Pei Jia, expressionless, asked, “You seem very concerned about them.”

 

“Of course, they are Xiao Qi’s saviors and also the village’s benefactors.” Tao Yuan, not realizing Pei Jia’s jealousy, continued talking, “That divine doctor with the veil, it’s hard to see anything. But the one in green, Doctor Si, he is truly a paragon of beauty, so refined and elegant. I’ve never seen anyone so good-looking.”

 

Pei Jia’s face fell. “No wonder you insisted on working with him earlier…”

 

“Huh?” Tao Yuan looked at Pei Jia in confusion, “That’s not the reason. I just wanted to save Xiao Qi quickly.”

 

Pei Jia sulked silently, picking up the pestle to continue grinding the unfinished herbs.

 

Watching Pei Jia’s profile, Tao Yuan vaguely felt he might be upset. He cautiously said, “I have no other thoughts about Doctor Si. You know I already have someone I like.”

 

Lowering his head, Tao Yuan shyly tugged at a corner of Pei Jia’s sleeve, hinting at something.

 

Pei Jia paused, looking at Tao Yuan’s fair forehead, and slowly said, “I understand.”

 

Si Lan hadn’t expected that Pei Jia would get jealous of him and Tao Yuan. No wonder when he treated Tao Yuan in the general’s residence, Pei Jia insisted on remote diagnosis.

 

Back then, he thought it was due to propriety between men. Now he realized Pei Jia’s jealousy hadn’t dissipated.

 

The two chatted a bit more. When some medicine splashed on Tao Yuan’s face, Pei Jia gently wiped it off. Their eyes met, and they couldn’t look away.

 

Pei Jia kissed Tao Yuan’s soft, vibrant lips, whispering his name.

 

“Tao Yuan.”

 

For some reason, this name felt deeply ingrained in his heart. Every time he said it, his heart raced.

 

Si Lan, out of habit, wanted to cover the eyes of the person next to him when he saw such a scene. But seeing that the man beside him was taller, he awkwardly rubbed his hands.

 

This time, it wasn’t the little white dragon following him but Chongwei.

 

“General…”

 

A deputy, finding the pharmacy, accidentally saw Pei Jia and Tao Yuan kissing and fled in shock.

 

Pei Jia and Tao Yuan quickly pulled apart, both breathing heavily and avoiding each other’s eyes.

 

Pei Jia lightly coughed, “They are soldiers, often reckless. Don’t mind them.”

 

“Mm.” Tao Yuan lightly bit his lower lip, a gentle smile on his face.

 

With the insect problem resolved, the Pei family army continued north, camping at the foot of a mountain after three days.

 

That night, Tao Yuan helped Pei Jia change clothes for bed.

 

Although their relationship had become closer in recent days, they maintained a respectful distance.

 

Tao Yuan slept on the bed while Pei Jia laid out a mat on the floor.

 

That night, Tao Yuan couldn’t sleep, tossing and turning. Pei Jia, also awake, heard him and asked, “Tao Yuan?”

 

“General, you’re still not asleep?”

 

“Hmm, thinking about returning to the capital. What about you?”

 

Tao Yuan murmured softly, “Just thinking randomly.”

 

Not hearing a response from Pei Jia, Tao Yuan thought he had fallen asleep. Just as he was about to turn over, he suddenly felt hands gently wrap around his waist.

 

He froze instantly, lying still, feeling the person behind him rest their chin on his shoulder.

 

“Tao Yuan…”

 

“Yes?”

 

“This pair of Double Moon Jade Pendants is a treasured heirloom of the Pei family, meant for the future Lady Pei. I’m giving it to you now.”

 

In the darkness, Pei Jia placed the jade pendant into Tao Yuan’s hand.

 

Tao Yuan buried his head under the blanket. “General, are you sure about this?”

 

“Don’t call me ‘General’. Call me Jinyu.” Jinyu was his courtesy name.

 

“Alright, Jinyu.”

 

Tao Yuan spoke softly, his voice faint yet clear to Pei Jia’s ears.

 

Pei Jia smiled and hugged him tighter.

 

Si Lan calculated the time; there were only ten days left until the anniversary of Tao Yuan’s death.

 

In other words, they had only ten days of peaceful time together before an eternal separation.

 

“Pei Jia and Tao Yuan seem very sweet. I wonder what Tao Yuan can’t let go of.”

 

“Let’s observe further.” Chongwei narrowed his eyes, a vague thought stirring in his mind, yet uncertain.

 

Si Lan gently gestured, and the scene in the illusion shifted to early morning.

 

Tao Yuan, half asleep, helped Pei Jia dress. When his hand touched Pei Jia’s leg, he was startled to find several prominent scars around Pei Jia’s knee joints.

 

Tao Yuan froze, and Pei Jia smiled as he explained, “My legs were not good when I was young. Doctors tried various methods to heal them, resulting in many scars.”

 

Tao Yuan looked up at Pei Jia, his eyes welling with tears.

 

Seeing this, Pei Jia quickly embraced Tao Yuan, comforting him, “It’s alright, I’m not in pain anymore, it’s all in the past.”

 

Tao Yuan said nothing, only clutching Pei Jia’s clothes tightly, his gaze fixed on the scars on Pei Jia’s legs.

 

Another night passed. Tao Yuan was stitching knee pads for Pei Jia. Although he hadn’t finished, his face was already weary. He resisted sleep, waiting for Pei Jia to return.

 

At this moment, Pei Jia was still discussing military matters with his subordinates.

 

Through the illusion, Si Lan saw several cloaked figures sneaking toward the camp. Remembering overhearing the officers’ conversation earlier, he realized Tao Yuan was in danger.

 

“Tao Yuan… Tao Yuan…” Si Lan’s voice couldn’t penetrate the barrier, his face filled with anxiety. “Tao Yuan is in trouble!”

 

“All of this has already happened.” Chongwei replied calmly. They couldn’t change the past; if they could, they wouldn’t be here now.

 

Meanwhile, Tao Yuan had already been drugged and stuffed into a sack, quietly carried out of the camp.

 

Halfway there, Tao Yuan seemed to awaken, struggling inside the sack. One of the cloaked figures hit the sack with a large fist, threatening harshly.

 

“You worthless thing. How dare you stay by the general’s side? If anyone finds out that the general marches with an entertainer, his reputation will be ruined forever!”

 

“Ugh… Ugh…”

 

Whether from pain or tears, Tao Yuan’s voice intermittently came from the sack.

 

The carriage stopped at the edge of a cliff. Several cloaked figures lifted the sack and threw Tao Yuan down.

 

Si Lan couldn’t bear to watch any longer and turned away.

 

Though Tao Yuan’s death was due to torture and suffocation, unrelated to the cliff fall, the height was such that even if he survived, Tao Yuan would likely suffer greatly.

 

In the illusion, when Pei Jia returned to the tent and didn’t find Tao Yuan, he assumed Tao Yuan had gone out. He sat down, picked up the knee pad Tao Yuan had made for him, and smiled involuntarily.

 

After waiting for a while without Tao Yuan’s return, Pei Jia realized something was wrong. He took a lantern and went out to look for Tao Yuan.

 

He searched near the camp for a long time, but didn’t find Tao Yuan. He instructed two lieutenants to lead soldiers to search the nearby hills.

 

Tao Yuan was usually obedient; if he felt bored inside the tent, he would at most stroll nearby and had never left the camp. Where could he have gone now?

 

The more Pei Jia thought, the more anxious he became, his fingers turning white as he tightly gripped the reins. He seemed unable to feel tiredness, calling Tao Yuan’s name repeatedly along the hillside until his throat was hoarse and his lips cracked.

 

The lieutenants felt for him, pulling him back to the camp, comforting him that Tao Yuan might return soon.

 

Until the first rays of sunlight rose from the east, and Tao Yuan still hadn’t returned.

 

Pei Jia felt immense regret. If he had known, he wouldn’t have stayed to drink with the lieutenants. Perhaps Tao Yuan wouldn’t have inexplicably disappeared…

 

After resting briefly in the tent, Pei Jia was about to go out to search for Tao Yuan again. The two lieutenants stopped him, urging him to prioritize the overall situation and wait in the camp to report to the capital soon.

 

The emperor already had grievances against the Pei family’s army; any further delay might anger him and bring disaster upon the Pei family’s army.

 

Throughout history, those who excelled often struggled to end well.

 

Just as Pei Jia and the lieutenants argued, a soldier rushed over in haste. “Lieutenant Xu… that person actually came back!”

 

As the soldier finished speaking, he noticed Pei Jia was there too and awkwardly closed his mouth, his expression odd.

 

Lieutenant Xu quickly winked at the soldier, but Pei Jia didn’t notice their exchange, rushing hurriedly toward the camp gate.

 

There, he saw Tao Yuan with disheveled hair, vacant eyes, clothes torn by branches, revealing bloody wounds.

 

His shoes were missing, barefoot as if a puppet, numbly walking toward the camp, leaving faint bloodstains along the way.

 

Seeing him like this, Pei Jia’s eyes instantly reddened. He rushed forward and hugged him, feeling the slight tremble in Tao Yuan’s arms, holding him even tighter.

 

“What’s going on?” Pei Jia asked each word deliberately, his voice holding restrained anger.

 

Behind him, the vice generals and soldiers paled at his words.

 

Tao Yuan’s eyes flickered, glancing past Pei Jia. The soldiers’ faces turned even paler.

 

“What happened exactly? Tell me, I’ll stand up for you,” Pei Jia said, lifting Tao Yuan and calling for a military doctor to tend to his wounds.

 

Tao Yuan remained silent for a while before shaking his head. “I… I accidentally fell off a cliff.”

 

“How could you be so careless?” Pei Jia carried Tao Yuan horizontally, summoning the doctor to treat his injuries.

 

Clearly shaken by the scare, Tao Yuan stayed in bed, refusing to come out.

 

The doctor examined him and prescribed medicine. Pei Jia personally brewed the medicine for Tao Yuan. However, instead of improving, Tao Yuan’s condition worsened. He became fearful, constantly scanning his surroundings. The slightest noise made him think someone was out to harm him.

 

Seeing Tao Yuan like this tore at Pei Jia’s heart. He stayed by Tao Yuan’s side all night, soothing him until he could finally drift off to sleep.

 

The Pei family’s army had planned to return to the capital within half a month for their report. But now, they had exceeded the deadline, and the Emperor had issued eight decrees urging Pei Jia to return promptly.

 

The Pei family had accumulated great merit over three generations, surpassing even the Emperor’s prestige among the people. Hence, the Emperor harbored some dissatisfaction towards Pei Jia, the sole male descendant of the Pei family.

 

These eight decrees were a test for Pei Jia. If he delayed further, he would face severe consequences.

 

Yet, Tao Yuan was now ill and couldn’t endure the strenuous journey back to the capital.

 

Pei Jia couldn’t bear to see Tao Yuan suffer like this. He decided to lead a select group of elite soldiers back to the capital to submit his report while Tao Yuan and the rest of the soldiers followed slowly behind.

 

On the day of departure, Tao Yuan still had a high fever. His cheeks were flushed red, and his eyes, misted with tears, evoked immense pity.

 

Pei Jia leaned close to Tao Yuan’s ear and whispered, “Tao Yuan, I will plead guilty to His Majesty when we reach the capital. After retiring from military service, let’s get married.”

 

Tao Yuan gripped the Double Moon Jade Pendant in his hand and nodded weakly.

 

Unbeknownst to Pei Jia, after his departure, two vice generals conspired with their subordinates to eliminate Tao Yuan.

 

“How could he survive such a deep cliff fall?”

 

“The military doctor said his pulse was almost nonexistent. Any normal person would have died.”

 

“He must be some kind of demon! I suspect he used sorcery to enchant the general.”

 

“We can’t let the general be misled by such a demon any longer!”

 

After their discussion, their eyes met with mutual determination.

 

In his semi-conscious state, Tao Yuan was grabbed and tied to a high platform under the scorching sun. He was like a withered flower, slowly being drained of life.

 

“Where did you come from, demon? Why did you fixate on our general?”

 

“I didn’t…”

 

“You won’t talk, huh? I have ways to make you talk!”

 

“I want… I want to see him…”

 

“The general has already left. You won’t see him! You better start talking!”

 

Tao Yuan couldn’t speak. Just as he closed his eyes, a sudden splash of cold water jolted him awake.

 

“Are you going to talk or not?”

 

“Talk or not?”

 

The voices of interrogation echoed relentlessly in Tao Yuan’s mind, pounding like a curse. His head throbbed with pain, nearly unbearable.

 

They hated him. He could always feel their hatred. But he wasn’t a demon, nor did he intend harm to Pei Jia.

 

He tried to explain, but they refused to believe him.

 

“The Emperor bestowed so many beautiful women upon the general in the past. Yet he never cared for any of them. Now, suddenly, the general loves you. You must have cast some enchantment on him!”

 

They kept Tao Yuan bound for two days, denying him food and sleep. Tao Yuan’s body quickly wasted away. His eyes sunken, his face devoid of its former radiance.

 

Unable to bear watching any longer, Sì Lán gently touched the Moonlight Grass. The scene shifted to several days later.

 

He overheard the vice generals and some soldiers talking. Though they didn’t outright state it, their intentions were clear. Whether Tao Yuan was truly a demon or not, he had to die now.

 

Because if Tao Yuan reported them to Pei Jia, they would be the ones facing death.

 

They had expected Tao Yuan to collapse sooner, but the frail Tao Yuan surprisingly held on for five days. Meanwhile, Pei Jia, who had been in the capital for his report, suddenly appeared back at the camp.

 

After meeting with the Emperor, Pei Jia wasted no time and rushed back for two days and nights, desperate to see Tao Yuan.

 

But what he saw when he burst into the camp was the small figure of Tao Yuan, tied up under the scorching sun, barely clinging to life.

 

Pei Jia dismounted, his legs weak, stumbling towards Tao Yuan. He reached out with trembling arms and gently caressed Tao Yuan’s face.

 

Tao Yuan was barely hanging on, waiting for Pei Jia’s return.

 

Tao Yuan slowly raised his head and smiled at Pei Jia. “General, I finally… waited for you…”

 

“Tao Yuan, what… what happened…”

 

“General, I composed a song… and haven’t had a chance to sing it for you.”

 

“Tao Yuan, don’t talk now. I’ll get you down from here.”

 

“That song is called ‘Play with General Pei’. Now I finally have the chance to sing it to you. Behind the vermilion gates and jade screens, General Pei leans and sips the wine. As for the pair of mandarin ducks in the play, their love and anger are cherished…”

 

Tao Yuan intermittently sang the song, his voice no longer as clear as before, but he kept singing until the end. “Cherishing happiness and worrying, only hoping to be with the gentleman soon.”

 

After finishing the song, Tao Yuan slumped in Pei Jia’s arms and slowly closed his eyes.

 

Pei Jia, however, seemed shocked. His eyes were bloodshot, tears welled up but didn’t fall. He choked out, “Tao Yuan… I didn’t know… you were waiting for… him…”

 

“Tao Yuan…” Suddenly, Pei Jia hugged Tao Yuan and laughed, tears more than smiles. “Tao Yuan, you fool. Do you know you’ve got the wrong person? The real Pei Jia died long ago, five years ago on the battlefield. I am Pei Jia’s elder brother. After his death, I led the Pei family army in his name.”

 

“So you’re the little singer Pei Jia always talked about, who loved making radish chicken soup. You’re the one he regretted not taking to the capital…”

 

“Tao Yuan, wake up… you fool…”

 

Pei Jia repeated Tao Yuan’s name over and over, but Tao Yuan seemed asleep, peacefully closing his eyes, without a trace of breath, quietly leaning against him.

 

Pei Jia keenly felt Tao Yuan’s warmth fading away, little by little.


T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

 

Chapter 32 – Weird parasite

Chapter 32

 

Haowei did not turn around and said in a calm voice, “Please, officer, show some leniency.”

 

“Sure, sure, but you two better be careful not to offend our general’s eyes. Otherwise, you lovebirds will have to face the consequences.”

 

“Thank you, officer.” Haowei remained composed and showed no sign of panic.

 

Si Lan, however, felt his heart pounding like a drum, and at some point, his hands had quietly grabbed Haowei’s robe.

 

After Haowei put on his veil hat, he withdrew his hand, and Si Lan’s vision returned to normal. He propped himself up and looked at Haowei.

 

The moonlight was dim, and the shadows of the red hemp leaves fell on Haowei. Under the black veil hat, his face was unclear.

 

A cold voice came from beneath the veil hat.

 

“The situation came suddenly, and I had no choice. Please, don’t overthink it.”

 

After speaking, Haowei stood up and walked forward.

 

Si Lan was stunned for a moment, then also got up and left. Looking at Haowei’s somewhat stiff back, he couldn’t help but feel speechless.

 

Clearly, he was the one at a disadvantage, so why was Haowei acting as if he had taken advantage?

 

Si Lan couldn’t help but touch the corner of his mouth. Just then, Haowei turned around, seemingly wanting to say something, but when he saw Si Lan wiping his mouth, his expression instantly darkened.

 

This demon lord, was he savoring the memory?!

 

With a cold face, Haowei flicked his sleeve and strode away.

 

Si Lan felt Haowei’s aura inexplicably grow colder and followed behind him, puzzled.

 

Back at the old couple’s house, Haowei seemed to be deep in thought, his fingers tapping the armrest of the chair intermittently, looking like he didn’t want to be disturbed.

 

Si Lan broke the silence, “Do you want to wash up?”

 

The brim of Haowei’s veil hat moved slightly, and Si Lan instinctively added, “Don’t worry, I won’t look.” He knew Haowei was particular and wouldn’t remove his veil hat even to sleep, for fear of being seen.

 

He wasn’t the type to pry either.

 

A thousand years of being a demon lord had taught him many things: if someone wanted to tell him something, he would listen; if they didn’t, he wouldn’t ask.

 

After all, from a certain perspective, the more you knew, the more dangerous it was.

 

“No need,” Haowei said, then calmed his mind and remained motionless.

 

Si Lan, feeling awkward, said, “Then I’ll wash up.”

 

Si Lan carried a wooden basin and looked around. There was nowhere in the room to hide, and he was too embarrassed to ask Haowei not to look. So he awkwardly went to a corner, wet a towel with water, and began wiping his neck.

 

Haowei smelled that familiar sweet scent again and couldn’t help but look at Si Lan. The room was dimly lit, with only a kerosene lamp swaying gently in the wind.

 

Even in the faint light, Si Lan’s skin appeared fair and clean. As he wiped himself, that sweet scent became even more enticing.

 

Haowei’s eyes flickered, and he stiffly turned his head away.

 

This demon lord probably didn’t know that his blood was sweet and nourishing. If the six realms knew, he would likely become a coveted “human tonic pill.”

 

After Si Lan finished wiping his body, he took off his coat and lay down to rest.

 

He had intended to offer the bed to Haowei, but remembering Haowei’s reluctance to remove his veil hat, he decided not to bother.

 

Moreover, last night, he had fallen asleep leaning against the doorframe, only to wake up in bed, likely carried there by Haowei.

 

This person, though mysterious and sneaky, had a good heart.

 

Thinking about this, Si Lan drifted off to sleep.

 

The next morning, Si Lan was awakened by the sound of crying in the village. Haowei was also woken up.

 

Outside the window, the sky was still dusky, and they could vaguely hear the villagers talking.

 

“How did this illness suddenly strike?”

 

“I don’t know. I woke up to find my old man like this.”

 

“Village chief, please think of a way to save my old man!”

 

“The pustules are getting bigger! They look like they’re going to burst!”

 

As soon as these words were spoken, painful screams echoed as if someone had been injured.

 

Si Lan and Haowei immediately opened the door and followed the sound.

 

They saw several people clutching their faces, writhing on the ground in pain. Soon, red pustules began to appear on their hands, like tumors hanging from their skin.

 

“These pustules are contagious!”

 

They had accidentally broken the old man’s pustules, getting splattered with pus, and their faces quickly changed, sprouting pustules. The pain and itchiness made them roll on the ground in agony.

 

The initially afflicted old man lay motionless on the ground, his eyes cloudy. He struggled to breathe, his face turning blue from the effort.

 

“What do we do now? Village chief, please save my old man!” An old woman clung to the village chief’s clothes, kneeling and begging.

 

The village chief, both terrified and bewildered, didn’t know what to do.

 

Si Lan approached the old man, glanced at the pustules, and was about to touch him when Haowei stopped him.

 

“Be careful.”

 

“It’s okay. I’ll avoid the pustules.” Si Lan carefully lifted the old man’s chin, noticing that the pustules were not only external but also internal.

 

The old man’s mouth and throat were full of pustules, causing his breathing difficulties.

 

Si Lan asked the old woman, “Has he eaten anything unusual recently?”

 

“No, no, he eats with me three times a day…” The old woman, her eyes red from crying, saw Si Lan checking the old man and threw herself at his feet, begging, “Young master, do you have any way to save him? I’ll do anything if you can save him!”

 

Si Lan quickly helped her up, trying to offer comfort, but feeling unsure himself. He said, “Don’t worry, I’ll help him breathe. If anything changes, I’ll let you know.”

 

The old woman nodded vigorously, sitting on a stone bench, crying uncontrollably.

 

The village chief looked between Si Lan and Haowei, then asked Si Lan, who seemed more approachable, “You two don’t seem to be from the south. May I ask who you are?”

 

Si Lan blurted out, “We are the Twin Stars of Mount Tuo.”

 

“…” Haowei.

 

The village chief paused, trying to recall if there were such figures on Mount Tuo.

 

Si Lan, unfazed, said, “My senior brother and I know a bit about medicine, and somehow gained a bit of a reputation in the martial world.”

 

The village chief clicked his tongue, desperate enough to take any help, “Can you tell what this illness is?”

 

“We need more time to observe. Is this old man the first in the village to get these pustules?”

 

“I think so…”

 

Before the village chief could finish, a villager wearing a bamboo hat rushed over, “Village chief, something terrible has happened! The young man the general placed in my house has got the pustules…”

 

The villager had barely finished speaking when he covered his mouth in shock, pointing at the old man on the ground, “How did old man Xu get this too?”

 

“What? That young man has the same strange disease?” The village chief was shocked and hurried to see the young man.

 

Si Lan and Haowei followed, going down the hill to the villager’s house. There, they saw the young performer lying on the bed, eyes rolled back, chest heaving.

 

Si Lan examined the young man and found the same internal pustules as the old man. If not treated soon, he would suffocate to death.

 

Having read many medical texts in his idle time, Si Lan suspected this was not a disease but some kind of curse or poison.

 

Haowei also observed the young man, noting that the pustules were more severe than the old man’s and seemed to be moving under the skin.

 

Haowei had Si Lan step back and used a small twig to poke open the pustule. A snow-white worm emerged and wriggled on the ground for a moment before dying from lack of nourishment.

 

The villagers, witnessing this scene, were either paralyzed with fear or retching in disgust.

 

The village chief, mustering his courage, stepped forward and stammered, “What…what kind of illness is this? How can there be worms?”

 

Just as the village chief finished speaking, urgent footsteps were heard behind him.

 

Pei’s soldiers rushed in, forming lines on either side. Tao Yuan stumbled into the room, running to the bedside. Seeing the near-death state of Xiao Qi, his eyes instantly reddened.

 

“Xiao Qi…what happened to you?”

 

Xiao Qi’s eyelids fluttered at Tao Yuan’s call, but he couldn’t utter a word.

 

Tao Yuan wanted to touch Xiao Qi, but Si Lan immediately grabbed his hand, feeling the smoothness of Tao Yuan’s skin, as soft and tender as tofu.

 

“Don’t touch him, or you’ll get infected.”

 

Tao Yuan turned to Si Lan, murmuring, “You are…”

 

Before Si Lan could respond, the village chief interjected, “These two are the renowned healers of Tuoshan. With their expertise, this strange illness can surely be cured.”

 

Si Lan was taken aback. His casual lie was now exposed by the village chief.

 

Tao Yuan, recognizing the healers of Tuoshan, didn’t suspect a thing. Instead, with reddened eyes, he clasped Si Lan’s hand.

 

“Divine doctor, please save Xiao Qi.” He paused and took out some silver pieces from his pocket. “I have more money. As long as you can cure him, I’ll pay anything.”

 

Si Lan, called “divine doctor” repeatedly, couldn’t help but comfort Tao Yuan, “Alright, I’ll do my best to treat him.”

 

As they spoke, their hands intertwined unconsciously.

 

Nearby, Haowei and Pei Jia’s faces darkened.

 

Pei Jia subtly helped Tao Yuan away from the bedside. “Tao Yuan, let the divine doctors focus on their work. We shouldn’t disturb them.”

 

Tao Yuan shook his head. “I want to stay with Xiao Qi. He’s always clung to me. If he feels my presence, he won’t be so scared.”

 

Pei Jia relented at these words.

 

Only Si Lan, Haowei, Tao Yuan, and Pei Jia remained in the room.

 

Xiao Qi’s pustules were like nests for the worms, some already hatched, others still incubating.

 

The immediate task was to remove the worm eggs. If not, once all the worms hatched, they would devour Xiao Qi’s flesh.

 

While others were terrified of the worms, Tao Yuan showed no fear, watching Xiao Qi intently.

 

Whenever Xiao Qi struggled to breathe, Tao Yuan softly called his name, giving him strength.

 

Hearing this, Xiao Qi’s breathing steadied somewhat.

 

Currently, it was known that Xiao Qi had pustules in his throat and mouth, but it was unclear if his internal organs were affected.

 

“Have you noticed anything?” Si Lan pried open Xiao Qi’s mouth, unable to resist asking Haowei, who had been silent.

 

Haowei saw a filthy pustule about to drip onto Si Lan’s hand and discreetly wiped it away. “His internal organs don’t have worm eggs. If they did, he’d be dead already.”

 

Si Lan responded with an “Oh,” then extracted the worm eggs from Xiao Qi’s throat, listening to Haowei speak.

 

“The village probably has more infected people, not just these two.”

 

“Could this be some kind of curse?”

 

Haowei shook his head. “Unlikely. They must have come into contact with worm eggs, becoming hosts.”

 

Pei Jia, hearing their conversation, immediately ordered his men to investigate what Xiao Qi and the old man had come into contact with last night.

 

Tao Yuan also tried to recall the previous night’s events. He remembered taking Xiao Qi to a villager’s house, giving him a few instructions, then leaving.

 

Before that, Xiao Qi hadn’t been in contact with anyone outside.

 

Could it be that Xiao Qi had gone out after he left?

 

“If it’s a parasitic infection, shouldn’t we check the food and water?” Tao Yuan asked tentatively. He didn’t know much and feared saying the wrong thing, looking embarrassed after speaking.

 

“Yes, we need to check those.” Si Lan looked at Haowei. “Chongwei, could you investigate these things? I’ll extract the worms.”

 

“I’ll handle the worms. You do the investigation,” Haowei replied, leaving before Si Lan could protest.

 

Si Lan clicked his tongue, wondering why Haowei wanted the more dangerous task.

 

“Divine doctor, is there anything I can help with?” Tao Yuan asked.

 

Looking into Tao Yuan’s dark, round eyes, Si Lan thought for a moment. “Then follow me to investigate the village.”

 

“Alright!” Tao Yuan agreed eagerly.

 

Pei Jia, however, frowned slightly, unsure if he was worried or jealous. He reached out to grab Tao Yuan’s clothes to warn him to be careful, but Tao Yuan had already eagerly followed Si Lan.

 

As expected, the village situation was just as Haowei had guessed. Besides Xiao Qi and the old man, others were also afflicted, plunging the village into a state of fear and despair, with cries of anguish and alarm echoing throughout.

 

Pei Jia joined the effort to remove the worm eggs, following Haowei’s lead.

 

Although extracting the worm eggs improved the patients’ conditions, they remained unconscious, their lives slowly slipping away.

 

The urgent task was to find the source of the worms and treat the cause.

 

The village was located at the foot of a mountain, with a stream flowing down, winding through the village. Si Lan walked back and forth along the stream twice but found nothing suspicious. He then questioned the old woman about what the old man had eaten the previous night but found no clues.

 

The food and water were not the issue, so what could be the cause?

 

Si Lan decided to visit the homes of the other patients to see if anything unusual could be found.

 

Tao Yuan followed him cautiously, walking slowly. He had almost tripped while climbing the mountain earlier. Si Lan felt sorry for him and wanted him to go back, but Tao Yuan insisted on staying.

 

Si Lan hadn’t expected Tao Yuan, who seemed fragile, to be so resilient.

 

They reached the village chief’s house and saw the courtyard crowded with villagers, with the chief surrounded and looking worried.

 

“We’ve always been honest people, living here for generations without any problems. How could we suddenly get this strange disease?”

 

“Those young men arrived, and then this happened. Do you think they brought the disease?”

 

“That boy’s illness is worse than the old man’s. Maybe he infected the old man, who then spread it to the whole village!”

 

“Last night, I overheard two soldiers from Pei’s army talking. They said General Pei placed the boy in our village, and he’s not just a wandering child but a performer from an opera troupe.”

 

“No wonder! I was wondering why those boys look so delicate, not like laborers at all!”

 

“I heard these performers carry dirty diseases. When those diseases flare up, they get sores all over their bodies. Could it be that our village caught this dirty disease?”

 

At this, everyone started talking at once, exchanging their speculations. What began as wild guesses quickly turned into a consensus that the sores were caused by the boy’s disease.

 

Tao Yuan’s face turned pale, his eyes red, and he clenched his hands tightly.

 

It’s not like that.

 

They were just kids, playing minor roles in the opera, unnoticed by anyone. How could they have any dirty diseases?

 

Si Lan coughed loudly, and the courtyard fell silent. The villagers, seeing Si Lan and Tao Yuan, looked embarrassed as if caught gossiping.

 

Si Lan walked into the courtyard, ignoring the villagers, and spoke to the chief, asking him to accompany him to investigate the homes.

 

The chief, as if waking from a dream, nodded repeatedly, “Alright, alright…”

 

Si Lan turned and spoke to the chief in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, “This disease is peculiar. If it were truly a dirty disease, it would require close contact to spread. Have the dozen men and women in the village all had close contact with that boy?”

 

“This…this isn’t true,” the chief stammered, feeling a sudden, inexplicable fear of the gentle-looking man before him. Despite Si Lan’s soft expression and slight smile, he felt a chill.

 

“He’s just a child. Spreading such rumors about him, what will he do when he grows up?”

 

The chief felt a lump in his throat and forced a smile, “It’s just some gossips talking nonsense. I’ll deal with them properly.”

 

Si Lan replied with a slow “Hmm” and then gave Tao Yuan a reassuring look. Tao Yuan smiled shyly and whispered, “Thank you, divine doctor.”

 

“It’s nothing.”

 

Their whispered conversation was noticed by Haowei and Pei Jia.

 

Haowei’s hat dipped slightly, while Pei Jia, with a hint of jealousy, asked Haowei, “Your friend seems to have a way with words.”

 

Tao Yuan rarely smiled, and Si Lan seemed to have made him laugh, a shy, lowered-head laugh.

 

The more Pei Jia thought about it, the more jealous he felt.

 

Haowei coldly replied, “He’s not my friend.”

 

Pei Jia looked at Haowei in surprise, “Aren’t you the renowned Tuoshan Healers?”

 

“We’re just partners.”

 

The chief opened the door to the old man’s house. Si Lan saw Haowei and Pei Jia in the courtyard, apparently having just removed worm eggs from the old man, with blood and filth on the ground.

 

Si Lan smiled at Haowei and went inside to investigate.

 

Pei Jia nudged Haowei, “Are you really just business partners? When he saw you, his eyes lit up.”

 

Haowei adjusted his hat and replied indifferently, “Did they?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Haowei said nothing more and walked into the house. Si Lan was squatting on the ground, carefully inspecting the corners. He found no worm eggs but did notice some dead rats and insects in a wall hole.

 

Standing up, Si Lan felt dizzy from crouching too long and wobbled. Someone steadied him by the elbow, a calm voice coming from behind.

 

“Did you find anything?”

 

Si Lan shook his head, “No, but it’s certain the parasites didn’t enter through food or water.”

 

Haowei paused, “The pustules continue to grow new worms even after removing the eggs. I suspect they weren’t just exposed to the eggs but were parasitized by the mother parasite, causing an endless cycle of worm growth.”

 

Si Lan’s face darkened. Parasitized by the mother parasite? Constantly producing worms?

 

What kind of creature was this? How could it be so terrifying?

 

Tao Yuan entered just then, tears welling up upon hearing this, unable to speak.

 

At five, Xiao Qi was sold to the opera troupe, being the youngest but the hardest working. He finally got to perform on stage, but then war broke out, the troupe leader died, and the troupe collapsed.

 

Tao Yuan led Xiao Qi and the others to escape, thinking finding refuge in Pei Jia’s village was the best outcome, only to encounter this crisis.

 

Tao Yuan gave a bitter smile to Pei Jia behind him. Pei Jia’s eyes softened as he reached out to hold him, gently pressing Tao Yuan’s head against his chest and comforting him in a low voice, “Tao Yuan, Xiao Qi’s illness can definitely be cured.”

 

Tao Yuan responded with a soft “mm.”

 

Si Lan found nothing unusual in the old man’s house and was about to leave. As he was about to step out, a small flower pot by the window caught his attention.

 

In the ceramic flower pot grew a small plant with four unusually large and white petals.

 

Si Lan asked the old woman, “What kind of flower is that?”

 

“I don’t know either. A while ago, the old man and the others dug it up from the mountain. They thought it looked nice, so they planted it at home.”

 

Hearing this, Si Lan walked towards the flower pot, with Haowei following closely behind.

 

The white petals seemed to sway gently in the breeze, the edges slightly curling and shimmering with a silver outline in the sunlight. This plant only had thin black stems and white petals but no leaves.

 

It was very peculiar.

 

Si Lan bent down and was about to get closer when, in the next moment, he saw the petals suddenly leap up towards his face. Although he had lost his cultivation, his reflexes were still quick, and he swiftly dodged the “petals.”

 

The four “petals” fell to the ground and started to scurry in different directions. Si Lan urgently called out, “Catch them!”

 

“Don’t touch them!” Haowei added.

 

Si Lan grabbed the flower pot and covered one of the “petals” with it, while Haowei used a twig like a dart to pin two of the “petals” to the ground.

 

Pei Jia quickly stepped on one of the petals but didn’t dare to exert much force. “What kind of flower is this? Why is it so strange?”

 

“It’s not a flower, it’s an insect.”

 

“Insect?” Pei Jia and Tao Yuan said in unison.

 

“Yes, I think we’ve found the source of the infestation.” Si Lan’s face showed undisguised joy as he used a twig to pick up one of the “petals.” The “petal” struggled vigorously, its body undulating like a cloud and emitting a ring of white light. The area where the twig pierced revealed brown filth, identical to the discharge from infected sores.

 

“So it’s this wicked thing causing trouble…” Pei Jia frowned.

 

“I suspect that all the families in the village who fell ill planted this ‘flower.’ The house where Xiao Qi stayed likely had it too. Xiao Qi must have been curious about the flower and got close to it, then was targeted by the insect’s mother body.”

 

Tao Yuan furrowed his brows, “Divine Doctor, how can we save Xiao Qi now?”

 

“We just need to lure the insect’s mother body out of Xiao Qi’s body…”

 

Typically, these mother bodies are afraid of fire and water, but this one seemed unaffected. Moreover, it was unclear where exactly it had parasitized within the human body.

 

Si Lan searched Xiao Qi’s body for a long time but couldn’t find it. As the second wave of insects was about to hatch, he grew increasingly anxious.

 

Suddenly, he seemed to think of something and headed up the mountain with Haowei following behind.

 

The insect mother bodies couldn’t be far from the male insect.

 

Some species have a male insect that acts as the leader, commanding all the mother bodies. If they could capture this male insect, they might be able to force the mother bodies out of the hosts.

 

Given that these insect mother bodies appeared in the village, the male insect must be nearby.

 

Si Lan and Haowei split up to search. After a while, Si Lan noticed Haowei had stopped moving, so he walked over. Following Haowei’s gaze, he saw clusters of white “flowers” growing in the crevices of a cliff. They were wriggling rhythmically, with one particularly robust “petal” stretching its white body and emitting waves of white light.

 

Just as Si Lan was about to ask something, Haowei quickly covered his mouth.

 

These insects would likely scatter if they heard any sound.

 

Haowei’s slender fingers, radiating a slight warmth, pressed against Si Lan’s lips. Instinctively, Si Lan looked up at Haowei, and despite the black veil between them, he felt as if he could see into Haowei’s eyes at that moment.

 

Uncomfortably, Haowei withdrew his hand, as if burned, curling his fingers slightly. Then he carefully climbed up the rock face to the top of the crevice.

 

With a silk cloth wrapped around his hand, he waited for the right moment and swiftly yanked out the male insect “by the roots.”

 

Immediately, the white insects scattered in fear, crawling away like a swarm of white ants along the cliff face.

 

The male insect wriggled incessantly in Haowei’s palm, trying to resist. Haowei clenched it tightly and prepared to return, but the cliff shook due to the movement of the insects, causing the rocks beneath him to give way, and he fell along with the rocks.

 

Seeing this, Si Lan didn’t hesitate and jumped down the slope, trying several times to grab Haowei, but he couldn’t even catch his clothes.

 

Si Lan, in a state of panic, feared for Haowei’s safety. In his distraction, he tripped over a branch and fell face-first, rolling down the slope like Haowei.

 

Fortunately, Haowei managed to brace himself against a tree trunk soon after falling, stabilizing himself and catching Si Lan as he slid down from above.

 

Si Lan’s forehead slammed into Haowei’s chest, causing him to gasp in shock. When he looked up, he saw that Haowei’s veil had torn, revealing a section of a smooth, pale chin.


T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

 

Chapter 144 – The Magnificent Cage

Chapter 144 – The Magnificent Cage

 

To say he was unprepared would be a lie.

 

Before returning, Jian Luo had already imagined the worst possible outcome and the most terrible solutions.

 

There’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world. Even in Dark Star, where it seemed nothing was impossible, everything came with a price, whether high or low.

 

With this in mind, he surprisingly felt less nervous. “Your Majesty, please go ahead.”

 

“Since we all live under the Dark Star, we are one family.” The young emperor stood on the lofty palace dais, locking eyes with Jian Luo. He continued, “The rise and fall of Dark Star affects the fate of humanity. In this era of the cosmos where everything changes in the blink of an eye, as Dark Star stands at its peak, it will naturally bless everyone with peace. We all hope for everlasting peace, and I pledge here that as long as Dark Star shines, no resident will suffer.”

 

The emperor swept his gaze across the crowd before finally speaking again. “Therefore, I hope humans can actively participate in the research institutes of Dark Star, combining human medical technology to overcome difficulties together.”

 

Jian Luo pondered silently.

 

The emperor added, “Of course, this is not mandatory. It’s simply a request from me and all Dark Star residents to humanity, hoping it won’t cause fear or discomfort.”

 

A silence fell over the audience.

 

One had to admit, the young emperor indeed had a knack for leadership. His words were flawless, combining grace and authority, winning hearts effortlessly. At this moment, anyone opposing him would seem ungrateful.

 

As expected,

 

Jian Luo himself didn’t say much, but murmurs of approval began to rise from below:

 

“We are willing.”

 

“No trouble at all, it’s just research, right?”

 

“We are willing to contribute.”

 

Supportive voices started to emerge.

 

With the recent liberation of humans and the opening of the nearly impossible household registration system on Dark Star, the two major issues of educating human children and their employment had been resolved. No longer confined to tilling the land at Peace Paradise, they now had a vast sky to soar.

 

For the first time, they felt truly accepted by the people of Dark Star.

 

Humans inherently believed in reciprocating kindness. At this passionate moment, not only would they assist in research, but they would likely rush to battle without a second thought to shed blood for their homeland.

 

A hint of amusement flickered in the young emperor’s eyes as he looked at Jian Luo. “Luo Luo, what do you think?”

 

Jian Luo was called upon.

 

Standing below, hearing the cheers behind him, he had no choice but to agree, whether he agreed or not. What else could he say at this moment but to bow respectfully and say, “I humbly obey Your Majesty’s decree. It is an honor.”

 

The smile in the young emperor’s eyes faded slightly as he said, “Luo Luo, there’s no need for such formality. Please, rise.”

 

Jian Luo thanked him.

 

The ceremony then transitioned into a carnival mode, with people singing and dancing. Media channels from around the world clamored to report on the event, spreading the news joyously.

 

Jian Luo only felt a bit weary in body and mind.

 

After descending from the ceremony, he sat in the lounge behind, where his secretary Jin came in and waved at him. “Luo Luo.”

 

Jian Luo’s eyes brightened. “What’s up?”

 

“The Marshal asked me to take you to dinner.” Jin smiled. “Are you starving?”

 

Jian Luo had three little ones in his arms who seemed quite excited. They were definitely not hungry, having eaten their fill in the clouds on the way here, and were now eager to play.

 

Jian Luo stood up. “I am indeed hungry.”

 

Jin gave him a knowing look. “The Marshal said there’s a banquet tonight, and you won’t be able to handle it. He asked me to prepare a meal for you in advance. Please, have some.”

 

“Thank you,” Jian Luo said.

 

Jin took one of the little ones from his arms, petting it affectionately. “You’re welcome. Don’t be shy.”

 

Jian Luo smiled faintly.

 

He quickly finished his meal. The young ones had fixed times for rest and sleep every day, but unfortunately, this was an exception. He didn’t trust others to care for the children outside, but fortunately, the vampires still had some conscience. In the afternoon, someone came to take him and the little ones for a nap.

 

Considering the early bedtime of the children and their tiredness from the day, Jian Luo decided not to bring them to the evening banquet. He asked Su Liang to help look after them and ensure their safety before heading there himself.

 

His secretary Jin accompanied him. “The Marshal and the others are ahead.”

 

Jian Luo nodded. “Okay.”

 

The banquet was held in the palace, with a bustling crowd filling the spacious square. Despite the lively scene, everyone seemed somewhat insignificant in such a grand setting.

 

Yet today seemed a bit different—

 

“Oh no!”

 

Another person accidentally bumped into him.

 

Jian Luo looked at him expressionlessly.

 

“I’m really sorry.” The man who bumped into him apologized quietly. “Are you okay? Any injuries? Let me leave you my contact information, you can reach out anytime.”

 

“…”

 

Jian Luo remained expressionless. “No need.”

 

He walked past the man and was suddenly confronted by a girl who had stumbled in front of him. The girl was delicate and pretty, looking at him coyly. “Oops, I fell.”

 

Jian Luo repeated what felt like the hundredth time that night, “If you’ve fallen, find a doctor.”

 

The girl stared at Jian Luo in disbelief, unable to understand why humans could be so heartless and unmoved.

 

However, what surprised her was that others were even more creative:

 

“This is a family heirloom of mine. If you pick it up, you have to marry me.”

 

“Since childhood, I’ve said I’ll find a human as my partner for sacrifice. Otherwise, I might end up lonely.”

 

“I really love human culture. Look, I even have tattoos.”

 

Jian Luo glanced where he pointed and found the so-called tattoo was actually a vegetable. His lips twitched slightly as he walked past without a word.

 

Jin, following behind, remarked, “Luo Luo, you’re quite popular.”

 

Jian Luo rubbed his temples. “Don’t make fun of me.”

 

The banquet was underway.

 

As Jian Luo passed a group of people, he encountered someone who stood out from the others.

 

It was Jiang Jiang.

 

Initially blinded by the lights, Jian Luo recognized him and smiled, “Jiang Jiang?!”

 

Jiang Jiang opened his arms. “Luo Luo, long time no see.”

 

Jian Luo naturally went over and gave him a hug, finally feeling genuinely happy. “What are you doing here? I was thinking of inviting you out for dinner.”

 

Jiang Jiang, both mentor and friend in his livestreaming career, signed him when he was down, comforted him in times of difficulty, and took him in several times. Jiang Jiang had never looked down on humans.

 

In short, he was Jian Luo’s first friend on Dark Star, which held significant meaning.

 

Jiang Jiang’s hand rested on Jian Luo’s shoulder as he scrutinized him. “You seem to have grown taller, huh?”

 

Jian Luo smiled brightly. “Really?”

 

“Definitely.” Jiang Jiang gestured. “Probably an inch taller!”

 

As Jian Luo enjoyed the moment, he suddenly felt a chill down his spine, like being stalked by a dangerous beast in the forest, an instinctive sense of danger.

 

Next second,

 

*Drip*

 

A notification chimed from his terminal.

 

Jian Luo and Jiang Jiang exchanged a glance before he checked the message from Lu Shifeng. “Where are you?”

 

Jian Luo quickly typed back, “At the banquet.”

 

“With whom?”

 

Jian Luo replied, “With Secretary Jin.”

 

He had always felt that Lu Shifeng and Jiang Jiang wouldn’t get along, so he kept his responses short. Before he could think, Lu Shifeng’s message came: “Are you having fun?”

 

?

 

Jian Luo recalled the various encounters and chat-up techniques at the party, feeling a bit troubled. So, he replied, “Not really.”

 

He expected Lu Shifeng to at least comfort him a little, but the reply came swiftly, “Really? You seem pretty happy.”

 

 

Jian Luo was stunned. He instinctively turned around and saw Lu Shifeng standing not far away.

 

He always seemed to be the center of attention, despite never being ostentatious. His crisp military uniform set him apart from the crowd, his brows knitted slightly, standing there in the dim light of the banquet, giving off an inexplicably dangerous vibe.

 

Jian Luo hesitated. “When did you arrive?”

 

Lu Shifeng stepped closer, standing beside Jian Luo.

 

Jiang Jiang politely greeted, “Hello, Marshal.”

 

“Hmm.” Lu Shifeng’s gaze fell on the hand Jiang Jiang had on Jian Luo’s shoulder, a hint of sharpness in his eyes. “Having a chat?”

 

Jiang Jiang felt the heat and quickly withdrew his hand.

 

Jian Luo smiled. “We haven’t seen each other in a long time, so we were just catching up.”

 

Lu Shifeng remained noncommittal.

 

But Jiang Jiang looked at Jian Luo with a shy smile on his face. “I knew Luo Luo would come to the banquet, so I came over to see him. It’s just a matter of luck. I imagine he’ll be busy in the future, so it’s not easy to meet.”

 

His gaze at Jian Luo was full of indulgence, with his intentions written all over his face.

 

Jian Luo was touched and said, “Hey, don’t say that. Even if I’m busy, I would never not have time to meet you for a meal. Next time you want to meet, just make an appointment with me, I’ll make time.”

 

Their reunion after a long separation naturally made them warmer towards each other. But in Lu Shifeng’s eyes, Jian Luo’s popularity was becoming a problem. The dragon clan’s possessiveness was strong, and with so many people at the banquet who harbored ill intentions towards Jian Luo, each one was testing Lu Shifeng’s patience.

 

From the beginning of the banquet, Lu Shifeng observed Jian Luo closely. As person after person came to chat with him, trying to snatch him away, Lu Shifeng’s patience wore thin with each new encounter. Finally, at that moment, his restraint shattered.

 

Lu Shifeng finally spoke coldly, “Do you have a lot of free time?”

 

Jian Luo was taken aback.

 

“I have classes at the temple, night shifts, dragon clan physical training, managing the sanctuary, and rebuilding Earth,” Lu Shifeng looked down at him, his tone acerbic, “and taking care of children.”

 

Jian Luo was stunned.

 

“Looks like Mr. Jian is quite adept at managing everything.”

 

His sarcasm froze the smile on Jian Luo’s face.

 

Sensing the tension, Jiang Jiang quickly interjected, “Luo Luo, you’re so busy. It’s okay, we can catch up when you have time. I’m glad to see you today. Let’s plan for next time.”

 

Jian Luo turned away, forcing a smile. “Sure, okay.”

 

Due to the flow of the banquet, they didn’t speak much longer before parting ways. Lu Shifeng led Jian Luo away, but Jian Luo wore a sullen expression the entire way.

 

Lu Shifeng stopped and looked at him. “Are you unhappy?”

 

“Are you?” Jian Luo lifted his head, finally asking, “Why did you say those things just now?”

 

He wasn’t stupid; he could tell Lu Shifeng didn’t like Jiang Jiang.

 

Normally, he wouldn’t mind, but why couldn’t Lu Shifeng give him a little face in public?

 

Lu Shifeng frowned.

 

“Do you think I shouldn’t make friends?” The pressures of the day had left Jian Luo breathless; he lowered his head, voice tinged with bitterness, “I don’t need a personal life. I’ll do whatever you say—study, manage the sanctuary, take care of children. Just quietly be your tool?”

 

Lu Shifeng looked at his reddened eyes, took his hand, and led him away from the noisy crowd to a quieter spot.

 

Jian Luo shook off his hand. “Why are you pulling me?”

 

He tried to pull away, but after a couple of failed attempts, he resigned himself. Lu Shifeng’s grip was too strong.

 

“You’ve misunderstood me,” Lu Shifeng leaned against a nearby fake mountain, glancing at him, “It’s easier to talk here.”

 

Jian Luo said, “?!”

 

“I have nothing to say to you,” Jian Luo originally wanted to be cold, but he ended up feeling more aggrieved. His attempt at being cold collapsed, making him seem less like he was scolding Lu Shifeng and more like a girlfriend throwing a tantrum.

 

What exactly was going on?

 

They had agreed previously that he would have freedom once the child was born, but now everything had changed. They claimed it was for his own good, but it was just a fancy cage.

 

He wanted freedom.

 

That was why he had been moody all day. He did care about money, but only to provide a better life for himself and his family. If it meant losing more than that, he would rather not have it.


T/N: Hope you’re having a good day! Drink water and make sure to sleep early! (>w<)/

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

and many, many more!

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

Chapter 143 – Human Liberation

Chapter 143 – Human Liberation

 

The little emperor’s mood was quite complex.

 

But he reasoned with himself—it made sense. Grinding his teeth, he handed the cloud fruit to Nie Yan, with a hint of provocation, “If the little ones can’t make it over, there’s nothing we can do about it!”

 

Even if they managed to get over, there was no table between them.

 

The little emperor felt a bit smug.

 

“Squeak!”

 

The next moment, he heard the squeal of the young ones.

 

When the little emperor turned around, he met the disappointed eyes of the young ones! Their eyes seemed to say, “You can’t even keep a piece of food, you’re really weak!”

 

The gaze made the little emperor shiver.

 

Then Long Aotian jumped off the table. Despite being small, he was agile and swiftly landed on Nie Yan.

 

The clothes of the richest person were always adorned with countless treasures, unlike others’ smooth clothes, they were full of thorns, but convenient for the young ones to climb.

 

Long Aotian finally panted after climbing up, sitting on Nie Yan’s thigh.

 

“Hoo…”

 

Long was tired.

 

Nie Yan looked at the little fellow and handed him the cloud fruit.

 

Long Aotian thought about taking the fruit back to share with his siblings, a simple and crude plan.

 

But his small claws scratched at the fruit, which remained motionless.

 

Puzzled, Long Aotian looked up at Nie Yan and said, “I give you something, and you eat it here. That’s called mutual benefit.”

 

?

 

The young dragon was puzzled.

 

Meanwhile, the other two on the table seemed to feel that their brother was being bullied. The little sister couldn’t sit still any longer and ran over. Long Batian was fine, but the sister lacked a bit of foundation, her weak claws slipping halfway, almost falling.

 

Jian Luo exclaimed.

 

In the nick of time, Long Batian, who had been lazily sitting on the table, swiftly ran over and caught his sister.

 

Although he supported his sister, he stumbled and fell to the ground himself.

 

The scene suddenly became lively.

 

Seeing his siblings fall, Long Aotian became anxious too. He no longer wanted the fruit and turned to jump down.

 

Jian Luo thought his children were being too rowdy and scolded, “What mischief! Come down!”

 

Long Aotian trembled.

 

Seeing Jian Luo slightly angry, Lu Shifeng lifted his eyelids and whispered, “Long Aotian.”

 

No reprimand, no extra words, just a quiet call, but its invisible impact and threat spread out.

 

Long Aotian suddenly became afraid and quickly ran back, obediently sitting on Lu Shifeng.

 

“Squeak!”

 

He obediently called out to Lu Shifeng.

 

Lu Shifeng glanced indifferently at him and chuckled, “Pathetic.”

 

Easily pleased with a few candies, it’s a pity you’re so childish, it should be recorded for playback a thousand or eight hundred times when you grow up, to learn the meaning of shame.

 

Unfortunately, the young dragon Long Aotian didn’t know what the word meant and thought he was being praised.

 

“Squeak!”

 

Long Aotian proudly puffed out his little chest and rubbed against Lu Shifeng.

 

Marshal, disdainfully withdrew his gaze.

 

Meanwhile, Nie Yan lifted the little sister up with one hand.

 

Today, the richest man wore a black robe, contrasting sharply with the silver dragon. The young girl was fair and small, very cute. She had a pair of wet, crimson eyes, resembling the most precious rubies in the world. Facing each other, time seemed somewhat silent.

 

The little girl tilted her head, paused, and softly said, “Thank you.”

 

Nie Yan narrowed his eyes.

 

The little silver dragon wanted to get down from his hand, stood up unsteadily, accidentally falling onto Nie Yan’s leg. The black robe was adorned with many jewels, and she groaned lightly in pain.

 

Nie Yan frowned. “Did you hurt yourself?”

 

Girls must be concerned about their face, so the little silver dragon sat down again, obediently shaking her head. She looked at the nearby black gems, shining with colorful light under the car’s lamp, beautiful and noble, softly praising, “Beautiful.”

 

Nie Yan glanced over and casually said, “If you like it, take it.”

 

As expensive as gems, the richest man said it would be given away, as if not satisfied, “This is ordinary, the warehouse has better ones, let Jian Luo take you to pick them next time.”

 

Jian Luo: ?

 

Boss, so casual?

 

What about being a merchant?

 

What about prioritizing interests?

 

Your character just collapsed!

 

Although his inner feelings were entirely a stream of complaints, he had finally reached the palace. Originally, he thought the specifications of the warship were already very large, but who knew the palace was even more decorated with lights, as if the little emperor was going to ascend again today.

 

At the grand ceremony.

 

Looking outside the imperial city, there were actually many humans.

 

In the past, humans rarely left Peace Paradise, and they did not have the money or ability to enter the capital of China either.

 

This is like indirectly handing over the entire human homeworld, including the entire human race now, to Jian Luo. The people of Dark Star can be overbearing when they want to be, yet astonishingly generous at other times.

 

Jian Luo was also somewhat taken aback.

 

He had speculated about Earth, but never expected to also gain control over Paradise.

 

And he certainly hadn’t expected Dark Star to be so friendly to the entire human race this time, almost like a universal amnesty.

 

Jian Luo: “Your Majesty…”

 

The young emperor smiled slightly. He was adept at using his charm to relax people’s vigilance, and only after giving a candy did he say, “Of course, there is also something I request of you, hence why I request the entire human race.”

 

Jian Luo faintly felt a foreboding in his heart.

 

Unconsciously, he hugged the young dragons in his arms, feeling Long Aotian’s gentle call.

 

For a moment, all the people of Dark Star in the square heard the cries of the young dragons. They turned their gaze towards the small and frail humans, who seemed capable of being easily destroyed. Yet, it was precisely this frail race that was unraveling the shadows that had shrouded Dark Star for millennia, hence the complex gazes of the Dark Star people.

 

Author’s note: Dark Star people never engage in losing propositions. Earth is but a speck of dust in the universe, and so are humans. Many races in the cosmos desire the most prosperous and bustling capital star, but among them, humans are not the strongest. However, humans have found acceptance from Dark Star when they had nothing, and have obtained permanent residency in a way that does not require desperate efforts, enjoying the protection of the herd and endless resources. —— “Chronicles of the Universe”

 


T/N: Hope you’re having a good day! Drink water and make sure to sleep early! (>w<)/

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

and many, many more!

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

Chapter 30

       The window of Pei Qing’s room was open, and the sound of small children playing could be vaguely heard coming from the public garden of the neighbourhood.

       Zhan Weiyang looked at Pei Qing, not understanding why he suddenly stopped sleeping with him.

       Pei Qing sat cross-legged on the bed, straightened his back and faced Zhan Weiyang, saying, “Your father is back.”

       Zhan Weiyang nodded.

       Pei Qing had no choice but to continue, “Then you can go back to your room to sleep. If you are still scared at night, you can go find your father.”

       Zhan Weiyang looked at him with his round eyes, his eyes drooping slightly, and the corners of his mouth drooping unconsciously, “Can’t I look for you?”

       Pei Qing patiently said to him, “Isn’t it better to find your father?”

       Zhan Weiyang said, “I haven’t slept with my father for a long time.”

       Pei Qing was silent for a while and asked him, “Is it because Yangyang is older?”

       Zhan Weiyang said, “Yeah.”

       Pei Qing said, “Then you shouldn’t continue to sleep with gege. If your father sees you, he will be disappointed in you.”

       Zhan Weiyang didn’t speak, and his fingers dug into his pants hard.

       Pei Qing suddenly felt a little bit reluctant. He looked at Zhan Weiyang and didn’t speak for a long time.

       Zhan Weiyang didn’t want to look at him anymore and lowered his eyes silently.

       Pei Qing stretched out a hand to hold Zhan Weiyang’s shoulder and said to him, “Yangyang, this is inappropriate, you know?”

       Yes, Zhan Weiyang was not a girl, so it stands to reason that he didn’t need to be so defensive. If there had been no extra rooms or beds at home, it wouldn’t have been a problem for Pei Qing to share a bed with him. However, since there were enough rooms, it seemed inappropriate for Zhan Weiyang, a seventeen-year-old boy, to insist on sharing a bed with him. If Zhan Pengcheng had found out, he would definitely have had some concerns.

       Zhan Weiyang could be considered immature, but Pei Qing couldn’t afford to be. He needed to learn to say no at the right time and now was actually a great opportunity.

       The room was quiet for a while. Pei Qing got out of bed, went around, and picked up Zhan Weiyang’s quilt and pillow together. He looked at him and said, “I’ll take it back to your room.”

       Zhan Weiyang, with his head hanging low in dejection, followed Pei Qing back to his own room and sat down silently on the edge of his bed.

       Pei Qing put the quilt and pillow on the bed for him, looked at him for a while, squatted down in front of him, looked up and said to him, “How old is Yangyang?”

       Zhan Weiyang replied, “Seventeen years old.”

       Pei Qing smiled, “Are you still afraid of ghosts at the age of seventeen?”

       Zhan Weiyang perked up and said, “I’m not afraid of ghosts. There are no ghosts in the world.”

       Pei Qing asked him, “Then what are you afraid of?”

       Zhan Weiyang thought of the strange voice that kept deducting his points, hesitated for a moment and said, “I’m afraid that all my points will be deducted.”

       Pei Qing didn’t say anything, just looked at him.

       Zhan Weiyang felt embarrassed by being looked at, turned his head and whispered, “It’s true.”

       Pei Qing said, “No, you won’t turn into a plant, let alone a money tree.”

       Zhan Weiyang didn’t argue. He knew that Pei Qing wouldn’t believe him even if he said something, and often, others didn’t believe what he said.

       Pei Qing stood up and said to him, “Go to bed early.” After that, he left Zhan Weiyang’s room.

       Zhan Weiyang was left alone. He lifted his feet, bent his legs, and sat on the bed with his arms wrapped around his knees. He silently pulled the brim of his cap down, and then after a moment, pulled it down even further until he couldn’t see anything in front of him. Only then did he sit quietly by himself.

       When he went to bed at night, Zhan Weiyang couldn’t fall asleep for a long time. Later, he picked up the mobile phone on the bedside table and sent a message to Chen Youyou in the dark: “Are you asleep?”

       Unexpectedly, Chen Youyou replied to him quickly: “I’m asleep.”

       Zhan Weiyang thought it was amazing: “How can you reply to my message when you are asleep?”

       Chen Youyou: “I was woken up by you!”

       Zhan Weiyang: “Sorry.”

       Chen Youyou: “Forget it, I can sleep in tomorrow anyway, what’s the matter?”

       Zhan Weiyang thought about it and asked him: “Do you like money tree?”

       Chen Youyou: “What is money tree?”

       Zhan Weiyang went online to find a picture and sent it to him. He especially found a money tree with straight roots and full leaves.

       Chen Youyou: “Why do I like this?”

       Zhan Weiyang told him: “Nothing, I just want to show you, I think it’s very nice.”

       Chen Youyou: “… I’m going to sleep, bye.”

       Zhan Weiyang had to type: “Good night.”

       He put his phone back on the bedside table and pulled the quilt over his head. He felt that his thoughts were always in a mess as if he was thinking about many things, but he couldn’t figure out any one thing. It took him a long time to fall asleep.

       The next day was the first day of the National Day holiday. Pei Qing was still awakened by his biological clock early in the morning. He put on his clothes and went out of the room to wash up in the bathroom. He glanced in the direction of Zhan Weiyang’s room and saw that his door was still closed.

       When he went downstairs, he subconsciously glanced at the balcony on the second floor at the stairs and found that Zhan Pengcheng had already gotten up and was watering the potted plants on the balcony with a kettle.

       Pei Qing then walked over.

       Zhan Pengcheng saw Pei Qing and greeted him with a smile, “Good morning, xiao Qing.”

       Pei Qing said, “Uncle, good morning.”

       Zhan Pengcheng asked him, “Have you eaten?”

       Pei Qing shook his head.

       Zhan Pengcheng said, “Then go downstairs and have breakfast.”

       Pei Qing did not move. He put his hands in his jacket pockets and slowly walked to the edge of the balcony to watch Zhan Pengcheng watering the plants.

       Zhan Pengcheng did not urge him to go down, but asked, “Why is there an extra flower pot here?”

       Pei Qing stood in front of Zhan Weiyang’s flower pot, kicked the flower pot lightly with the tip of his sneakers, and said only, “Yangyang and I went out to buy it.”

       “Oh,” Zhan Pengcheng seemed to be very interested in planting flowers and plants, and asked him, “What are you going to plant?”

       Pei Qing was silent for a moment, and answered him, “A money tree.”

       Zhan Pengcheng smiled and said, “A money tree is more suitable for indoor cultivation. It will die if it is exposed to strong sunlight.”

       Pei Qing looked at the flower pot for a while, pondered for a long time, and still asked Zhan Pengcheng, “Yangyang he—has he been like that since he was a child?”

       The smile on Zhan Pengcheng’s face disappeared instantly. He stopped watering and looked at Pei Qing, “Is Yangyang causing you trouble?”

       Pei Qing hurriedly said, “No, I am just concerned about Yangyang, wondering if I should take him to see a doctor.”

       “The doctor said he is fine,” Zhan Pengcheng said, his expression and tone becoming serious.

       Pei Qing said, “I didn’t mean anything else, Uncle. Please don’t be angry.”

       Zhan Pengcheng seemed to feel that he had overreacted, so he softened his tone and said to Pei Qing, “It’s okay. You don’t know Yangyang. He must have caused you a lot of trouble. I’ll be at home during this period of time, I’ll keep an eye on him.”

       Pei Qing noticed Zhan Pengcheng’s resistance and knew that no matter what he said now, Zhan Pengcheng probably wouldn’t listen, so he stopped mentioning Zhan Weiyang and said, “Uncle, I’ll go downstairs to eat first.”

       Zhan Pengcheng nodded, “Go quickly.”

       When Pei Qing turned around to leave, he suddenly heard a shout from downstairs, “Uncle!”

       Zhan Pengcheng and Pei Qing both leaned forward to look downstairs and saw Zhan Weiguang with a chubby, tall boy appearing together, dragging a box in their hands.

       The chubby boy looked up towards the second floor. First, he spotted Zhan Pengcheng, and then he noticed Pei Qing. Immediately, he waved happily and called out, “Qing ge! I’m here!”

       The chubby boy was Zhan Weiyang’s cousin who was in the first year of high school this year—Zhan Xiusong.


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I will take two days off next, because I need to save manuscripts to enter the V1VIP or paid chapters. I’m quite busy at work right now, so I can’t maintain daily updates and prepare drafts for posting simultaneously. Therefore, I aim to post them all together on the 5th. If there are any changes, I will update everyone on Weibo.


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Chapter 142 – Competing for Favor

Chapter 142 – Competing for Favor

 

Lu Shifeng leaned down, and from his angle, he could clearly see the three suffocating questions on Jian Luo’s panel. For a moment, Grand Marshal Lu’s expression could be described as extremely colorful.

 

Black and white intermingled, creating quite a lively scene.

 

A live broadcast was showing on the screen, and everyone’s information terminals could see this moment.

 

Jian Luo withdrew his thoughts, looked at the panel, and coughed lightly: “Then I’ll answer briefly.”

 

He wasn’t sure if it was his illusion, but after he said he would answer, the whole place seemed to quiet down much more than before.

 

Jian Luo looked at the first question, unable to help but laugh and cry: “Hmm, as for the criteria for choosing a partner…”

 

This question was a bit tricky.

 

After all, the children were present, and hearing something inappropriate might affect them.

 

Jian Luo took a deep breath and said: “Responsible, accountable, preferably with similar interests and hobbies, having common topics to talk about, and most importantly, pleasing to the eye.”

 

This was a very official answer.

 

However, the audience below responded with overwhelming applause. The Dark Stars were very satisfied with Jian Luo’s answer.

 

When it came to the second question about whether he was single, Jian Luo hesitated even longer.

 

Lu Shifeng glanced at him calmly, though he said nothing, the meaning was clear, and his blood-red eyes were very intimidating.

 

Jian Luo thought for a moment and finally said: “Currently, I am unmarried.”

 

 

The air fell silent again.

 

After a while, the atmosphere grew restless once more.

 

Although he didn’t explicitly say whether he was single, just stating he was unmarried was enough, right? That meant they still had a chance! The third question practically didn’t need an answer!

 

Jian Luo smiled slightly when he saw the third question: “As for the opportunity, I think such things mainly depend on fate.”

 

The Dark Stars below all pondered his words carefully.

 

Not a direct rejection; rounding it off meant there was a chance!

 

Although Jian Luo smiled, Lu Shifeng standing next to him looked like a grim reaper. Despite the crowd’s fluttering hearts, no one dared to take a step forward, fearing they might lose their life for making the wrong move.

 

The dragon race has an extremely strong possessive nature, with a near-pathological possessiveness over what they consider theirs, destroying anything that poses a threat from afar.

 

Jian Luo closed the information panel and said to the emperor: “I’ve finished answering.”

 

The young emperor unconsciously moved a bit further from Lu Shifeng to avoid the uncomfortable killing aura and said: “Good, good. Let’s return to the palace. I’ve prepared a banquet to welcome you.”

 

Jian Luo nodded.

 

They passed through the crowd of Dark Star ministers. The crowd’s fervent gazes were all directed at Jian Luo, causing the cubs to feel a bit shy and fearful.

 

Jian Luo felt a bit uncomfortable but could only endure it.

 

Lu Shifeng’s long arm swung, pulling Jian Luo close to him. His tall figure and strong presence covered half of Jian Luo, and his tense expression and displeased aura made many prying eyes halt their thoughts.

 

Finally—

 

They reached the end and got into the car.

 

It was a high-end business car, with a spacious interior, a large resting area in the middle, and very comfortable soft leather seats on both sides.

 

After getting in the car, a few others also boarded.

 

Once seated, Jian Luo turned and saw the High Priest in a silver robe, the most wealthy man adorned in glittering jewelry, and the lively young emperor.

 

Lu Shifeng sat beside Jian Luo like a guarding lion.

 

Long Aotian climbed down from his shoulder and burrowed into Jian Luo’s arms. The three little dragons looked warily at the strangers, extremely cautious.

 

Jian Luo smiled a bit awkwardly at Nie Yan: “Boss.”

 

Nie Yan sat opposite, leisurely turning the extremely shiny and obviously expensive gemstone ring on his hand, and said slowly: “How’s your health?”

 

Jian Luo replied: “Very good, thank you for your concern.”

 

He didn’t dare accept Nie Yan’s concern, fearing he’d be sent off to calculate value again.

 

Zhan Wentai, sitting beside Nie Yan, glanced at Jian Luo and said: “You’ve lost a lot of weight, you should nourish yourself.”

 

Jian Luo felt a bit touched. The usually cold and distant High Priest rarely showed concern, making him feel flattered: “Thank you, teacher.”

 

“Mm.”

 

Zhan Wentai continued expressionlessly: “Once you’re nourished, return to class with the three of them.”

 

“……”

 

The gratitude vanished instantly.

 

Jian Luo patted the little dragon’s head and tentatively asked: “Isn’t prenatal education over?”

 

Heavens, he thought once he got through the pregnancy, he wouldn’t have to attend classes anymore. Why did it seem endless, with no hope in sight?

 

Zhan Wentai raised his eyelids to look at him: “As far as I know, you didn’t graduate from university.”

 

Jian Luo choked.

 

He remembered that when he crossed over, he had just been expelled from school.

 

Zhan Wentai looked at the children in his arms: “Do you plan to be the future Dragon King’s mother with only a high school diploma?”

 

“……”

 

All the rebuttal words stuck in his throat!

 

Jian Luo looked down and saw the three little dragons watching him with eyes full of curiosity and no impurities. As a parent, he only hoped their eyes would remain clear forever.

 

He didn’t want to see disappointment in their eyes someday.

 

After much thought, Jian Luo compromised: “I’ll go, I’ll go.”

 

Zhan Wentai was finally satisfied.

 

Lu Shifeng turned to Jian Luo and said: “After recuperating, you should also resume your physical training regimen.”

 

Jian Luo’s mouth fell open: “Ah…”

 

Across from them, Nie Yan continued stroking his gemstone ring, leisurely adding: “Your maternity leave will soon end, you should come back to work.”

 

Jian Luo widened his eyes in shock.

 

This—

 

Ah, this…

 

He had expected it to be tough after returning, but he hadn’t anticipated life being this hard!

 

Only the young emperor, like a considerate little sweetheart, offered solace. The blood race had no particular hobbies other than snacking. The table was piled with snacks of all kinds, sweet and savory. The young emperor said: “Luoluo, take whatever you want to eat.”

 

The young emperor opened a pack of cloud fruits, a treat similar to cotton candy, sweet and soft, melting in the mouth.

 

“Chirp”

 

A cub’s cry echoed.

 

Everyone looked over to find Long Aotian staring at the cloud fruit with shining eyes, resembling a tail-wagging puppy, completely unlike the majestic dragon race.

 

The young emperor asked: “Do you want this?”

 

Long Aotian wanted to nod but was smacked by his sister’s tail, which essentially meant (Can’t you have some dignity?)

 

Long Aotian paused, feeling wronged, and retracted his gaze.

 

Jian Luo watched him shrink back and couldn’t help but laugh. He hadn’t expected his sister to have such a strong sense of vigilance.

 

The young emperor also laughed: “Such a strong sense of pride.”

 

Jian Luo nodded along and gently stroked the little dragon’s head, whispering: “It’s okay, His Majesty isn’t a bad person. You can eat the snacks.”

 

He knew the little dragons could understand him.

 

Sure enough—

 

As soon as he spoke, the three little dragons looked up at the snacks on the table.

 

Children are always tempted, and their self-control is weak. Just restraining themselves from rushing up earlier had taken all their willpower. Now, with their father’s permission, they climbed out of Jian Luo’s arms and wobbled onto the table.

 

The young emperor had already opened another pack, waiting.

 

When Long Aotian approached, the young emperor handed him a cloud fruit. Long Aotian, still palm-sized, sat like a little black ball on the table, his ruby-like eyes lively. Though his movements were bold, his eating was delicate, showing he loved cloud fruits. After one bite, he restrained himself and let his siblings eat.

 

Jian Luo smiled.

 

Sometimes Long Aotian seemed like a scatterbrained kid, but he took good care of his siblings. Often, they were shy and reserved, but the social butterfly Long Aotian could solve everything.

 

The young emperor looked at the three little ones and squinted happily: “Is it good?”

 

“Chirp”

 

Long Aotian chirped in response.

 

Eating happily, his throat produced soft, contented purrs. Being close to the young emperor, he instinctively rubbed his little head against the emperor’s hand, the touch gentle and warm.

 

The young emperor’s eyes widened in surprise, his smile spreading: “So cute.”

 

Their Dark Star replicas are born with the previous generation’s memories, and the worst part is, the first few months are the clearest. As they grow, these memories fade.

 

This results in the newborns lacking typical infant behaviors. An infant rest room for replicas is sometimes eerily quiet.

 

Dark Stars haven’t truly communicated with real infants, nor do they have experience raising them. The replicas stay in the nurturing center for three months before being handed to adopters, by which time they’re usually able to speak and quite mature.

 

Playing with cubs? Impossible!

 

The young emperor was excited. He quickly opened another pack and coaxed: “Eat as much as you like. Whatever you like, I’ll give you.”

 

He was already overwhelmed with excitement and said to the attendant not far away, “Go, bring me another cart of cloud fruits!”

 

The attendant didn’t find anything wrong with this: “Yes.”

 

Jian Luo twitched the corners of his mouth, “Your Majesty, just a little is fine. They can’t eat too much, or they won’t eat when we get back.”

 

The young emperor was visibly disappointed: “Really?”

 

Zhan Wentai, who had been sitting quietly beside them all along, finally spoke up with a steady expression: “Your Majesty, I also think your actions are somewhat inappropriate.”

 

The young emperor turned around, puzzled: “What do you mean, my loyal subject?”

 

“What he means is…” Nie Yan glanced at the three little ones sitting in a row at the table, behaving adorably and still begging for more food, and leisurely added, “How can you feed three by yourself? Aren’t there other people sitting around?”

 

The carriage suddenly fell silent.

 

Author’s Note: A childless person sent their criticism.


T/N: Hope you’re having a good day! Drink water and make sure to sleep early! (>w<)/

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How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

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