Chapter 158: Return

Qiao Suisui was carried down by Zongfang. She was wrapped in the man's coat, shrinking into his arms, because she was tossed too hard by him yesterday, and her walking was a bit unnatural today.

Luka wasn't surprised to see this scene. He looked at Laiboli faintly, and sure enough, he saw that his expression couldn't be called good. The gaze that was originally intended to be withdrawn paused slightly when it touched Ka'er, who was the last one to come out.

Ka'er followed behind and walked over, greeting Luka: "Looks like I'm going to bother you for a while."

Luka didn't say anything, then looked at Qiao Suisui. Seeing her stretching out her arms to be held, he immediately took her from Zongfang's arms.

Qiao Suisui smelled the scent on him, and only then did she truly feel at ease. She wrapped her arms around Luka's neck and whispered: "Luka, I missed you so much."

Luka smiled gently, holding her buttocks with his powerful arms like holding a child, and gently patted his back with the other hand, softly saying: "I missed you too."

The guards were standing on duty meticulously. Seeing the top males gathered in front of them, their faces were flushed with excitement. And he had been on duty in the Huangting for so many days, and finally saw a smile on Colonel Sikesaisi's face. The coldness of the previous period was comparable to the Ice and Snow Planet. The guard looked at it, and looked again, thinking that he must go down and gossip with his brothers later.

The lonely Huangting became vivid again because of the return of the hostess.

Qiao Suisui returned to her palace again. After a simple wash, she changed into a water-green silk dress. The close-fitting tailoring outlined her figure, which was both fairy-like and sexy. She remembered that this dress was specially customized by Laiboli, and it wasn't finished before she left.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she thought she had really left for a bit too long, and it seemed that apart from when she was in Sote, she had never been separated from Luka for such a long time.

Returning to a familiar place, her mood couldn't help but relax. Plus, she was very careful not to use mental power

"How did you get in without making a sound?" She covered her heart, looking at the girl in front of her in surprise.

Yishabeier let out a "waa" and hugged Qiao Suisui, crying loudly, "That guy Laiboli seized power and sent me away. I only managed to come back recently thanks to the power of Adele's family, but you weren't here, sob sob sob sob."

Qiao Suisui comforted her, "Alright, I went out for something earlier, aren't I here now?"

Once the two girls let down their guard, they quickly became close, and even the awkwardness of not having seen each other for so long vanished into thin air.

Yishabeier sniffled, looked at her with teary eyes, and said, "Do you know where my brother went? I can't contact him anymore."

"Lan Ze?" Qiao Suisui's expression faltered upon suddenly hearing his name, then she shook her head: "I haven't been in contact with him for a long time."

"Did you two have a fight?"

"No, it's just... sort of."

Her words were ambiguous; she didn't know how to describe it. Lan Ze had once been her most important friend, but now... Yishabeier saw she was a bit down and, ignoring her own tear-streaked face, patted Qiao Suisui on the shoulder and urged, "I know my brother; he is definitely not a bad person. He hasn't liked seeing people since he was a child, but he knows what I'm thinking. I feel like he just doesn't know how to fight for himself. Anyway, let's not talk about this first. Tell me quickly, what happened after last time?"

The last time she woke up, the world had changed. Laiboli had rebelled, Niao had put her under control, and those mates of hers, seeing the situation was wrong, had dumped her at the Huangting and run off. Only Adele had stayed by her side through thick and thin.

The two girls sat barefoot in a beanbag chair whispering secrets. Yishabeier told Qiao Suisui about her experiences wandering outside, and Qiao Suisui told her about her schooling and establishing the Zizai Organization. Time flew by until evening.

When Luka came to find her, Yishabeier still refused to leave.

"I'm sleeping here tonight, let's see who dares to stop me, eh?" The environment in front of them suddenly flipped; Yishabeier was hoisted onto Adele's shoulder. Adele gave Qiao Suisui and Luka an apologetic smile and said, "Sorry, I'm taking my princess away now."

As she was leaving, Yishabeier waved at Qiao Suisui from the man's shoulder and shouted, "Wait for me tomorrow, I'll take you to a fun place!" After saying that, she waved while complaining to the man, "Adele, your shoulder is too bony, didn't I tell you not to train so hard?"

Once Yishabeier left, the chattering hall suddenly went quiet. Luka stepped forward and casually tidied the hair draped over her back, saying, "Are you hungry? Laiboli organized a dinner party, do you want to go?"

Actually, the dinner party was specifically held to welcome her back, but Luka was afraid she was too tired from just returning, so he asked for her opinion first.

Qiao Suisui nodded happily, took Luka's hand, and walked outside, asking as they walked, "How do you feel about seeing Yishabeier again?"

Luka's expression didn't change much, and he said blandly, "The same as before."

Noticing Qiao Suisui tilting her head to look at him, waiting for his answer, he unhurriedly spat out one word: "Noisy."

Qiao Suisui suppressed a laugh and asked again, "After all, she grew up with you, and she's the only female around you. Have you really never been moved by her for even a moment?"

Upon hearing this, Luka stopped his steps, pulled her in, lowered his head, and said earnestly, "Sui Sui, does my past... make you feel uncomfortable?"

Actually, it was he who had asked Laiboli to send Yishabeier away at the time; he didn't want Qiao Suisui to have a thorn in her heart, or to put it another way, he had a thorn in his own heart. He had once, for the sake of his family and loyalty, wanted to become another female's mate, and the ceremony had even begun. Whenever he thought of his indecisiveness and helplessness at that time, Luka's mood was extremely complicated.

Therefore, he ordered the Military Department and his own people not to mention that past again. He couldn't interfere with Yishabeier's return, and Laiboli was far away on the Southern Battlefield, so he could only wait for him to return to deal with it. He hadn't expected Yishabeier to sneak directly into her palace.

Luka placed his hand on his left shoulder and said solemnly, "I have never been moved by her for a single moment. If I lied to you, let me never receive your gaze again."

Qiao Suisui hurriedly pulled down his hand used for the oath, "I'm just joking, Luka, I really don't mind your past." She looked up at him with a smile and said, "I just think that you and Yishabeier have a bond from growing up together; don't treat each other like strangers because of me."

Luka's eyes were full of lingering affection. She didn't understand; besides her, he didn't need any other "bonds" at all, no matter what those bonds were.

But Luka did not brush off her good intentions; instead, he kissed her lips and said, "Okay."

The dinner was a private banquet, and Zongfang and Ka'er also came uninvited. The banquet was held on the top floor of an ancient castle in the Huangting. It was Qiao Suisui's first time here, and she found it fresh. The interior decor could be described as extravagant and decadent, like a gorgeous palace from the 17th-century Renaissance.

"This place has been abandoned for many years and was only recently renovated and completed."

Laiboli introduced her to some strange secrets—gossip that couldn't see the light of day in the royal family—and Qiao Suisui listened with great interest.

"It is said that the top floor was built by the second Empire Sun for his stepmother. At that time, reproduction was not as difficult as it is now, and the most noble among the live-bearing females was Lady Daixi. After she mated with the first Empire Sun, she gave birth to a little son and had always lived very happily."

"But the eldest son, who was the second Empire Sun, fell in love with Lady Daixi and assassinated her little son. Then, after his father passed away, he built a castle for Daixi and imprisoned her here."

Hearing this, Ka'er lazily interjected: "The overbearing emperor fell in love with his mom? Is it that exciting?"

(End of chapter)