Chapter 31

On the long white porcelain walkway, a servant was kneeling and scrubbing the floor, trying to polish the eyes of the sphinxes carved into the path. Due to being too focused, they didn't notice the person passing by, and in a turn, they kicked over a bucket of water, splashing water stains onto a pair of luxurious long boots.

"Ah, Your Highness, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I, I—"

The servant looked up in a panic at the person who had arrived and was instantly stunned. Because the other party's face was so gloomy it could drip water, he acted as if he hadn't heard, walked straight past the servant, and slowly headed toward the end of the corridor.

"Strange... isn't that Highness usually smiling?"

The servant shook his head, attributing Laiboli's rare expression to his own dereliction of duty, and continued scrubbing the floor, trembling.

Laiboli walked out of the main hall, the sunlight hitting him and casting a shadow on the ground. His hair color looked black indoors; only under strong light could one see the golden-brown usually hidden, just like his true nature.

After learning that Sui Sui had been summoned by the Empire Sun, Laiboli had rushed over, fearing she would be made things difficult for. He didn't expect to hear that his good uncle wanted her to marry someone else...

Lan Ze.

Heh.

Laiboli's gaze was cold as he turned to look at the end of the corridor.

"You forced me to do this."

Inside the main hall.

Qiao Suisui did not give a clear stance; she neither declined nor agreed, only saying she needed to consider it.

The Emperor also understood that this was not a matter to be decided in one stroke, so he just gave a few polite remarks and had someone take her back.

She lowered her eyes and pondered the whole way, almost missing her own sleeping quarters because she was too focused. Who knew that as soon as she pushed the door open, she would be pulled into a familiar embrace.

"Luka?" She poked her head out from the man's embrace and said in surprise: "How did you get out?"

Luka held her tightly and wouldn't let go, leaving her only a sliver of space to tilt her head and look at him. He lowered his eyes to gaze at the person in his arms and smiled faintly.

"They said you went out, so I had to come in and wait. You were gone for so long..."

Qiao Suisui saw that he was still wearing the special clothing from the medical pod and knew he had come over without permission.

"I went to see the Emperor. Are you really okay like this? What about your injuries?"

"Seeing you, I'm all better."

Luka used his fingers to gently tuck her stray hair behind her ear, his eyes full of tenderness. He said with some guilt: "I'm sorry, I didn't take good care of our child."

Seeing her shake her head repeatedly, her eyes looking at him with immense trust, Luka's heart melted into a puddle, and his originally cold and sharp features softened.

So love really can change a person.

He didn't believe it before, and had never felt this way, but ever since he met her, his heart couldn't help but want to get close to her, possess her, and make her smile for him. Just like seeing her dependently huddled in his arms right now, it was an indescribable satisfaction.

Luka's love was like a faucet whose main valve had been opened, pouring out without restraint.

"I will continue to search for Zongfang's whereabouts. If you are worried, I will go to Sote myself."

To say she wasn't worried at all would be impossible, but Qiao Suisui knew Zongfang wouldn't hurt her cubs because they were his bargaining chips to threaten her. Instead, Zongfang would try every possible way to feed the cubs to counter her.

So this was not the most urgent situation at the moment, rather...

"If I marry someone else, will you blame me?"

Upon hearing this, Luka was startled, his eyelids drooping, and after a long while, he said: "Is it Laiboli?"

Qiao Suisui nodded, "It is Laiboli, but not Ashi, it's Lan Ze."

After a moment of trance, Luka's expression froze on his face, and he asked again as if to confirm: "Lan Ze Laiboli?"

"Mm."

Qiao Suisui saw his chest heaving and thought he minded it very much, so she lowered her head guiltily, crumpling his hem and letting it go, letting it go and crumpling it again, whispering: "To me, who the spouse is doesn't matter; the father of the cubs is more important."

This was the absolute truth.

Only if the cub's genes are Excellent can she obtain the highest points, so the cub's father is of course very important.

But Luka didn't know this; he felt both heartbroken and stifled after hearing this.

"Lan Ze is not worthy of you."

"I know you'll be uncomfortable, but if I don't agree to the Emperor's conditions, you will..."

"It's not that, Sui Sui."

Luka cupped her face. Although he was in the medical pod, news from the outside was always reported to him by Angsi. When he learned that the Empire Sun had summoned her, he ignored opposition and ran over, because he guessed that the Empire Sun would use him to threaten Sui Sui into becoming a female of the Laiboli family to reproduce. At the marriage ceremony, Sui Sui's appearance and fertility could no longer be hidden; all the males in the Federation knew she was the only viviparous female. How could the Emperor not be tempted?

But Lan Ze really wouldn't do...

"I said he isn't worthy of you, not out of anger. It's because Lan Ze Laiboli is a defective product from incubation."

"What?"

"Although he inherited the excellent genes of the male deer beastman, he is blind and lacks the five senses."

"But the Emperor said Lan Ze is his most favored successor... what is going on?"

"The Empire Sun didn't lie to you. Lan Ze's talent is precognition. He has twice predicted the fate of Aosilan: once was the disaster brought by the collective rampage of beastmen, and once was the result of the Wing War."

Precognition?

Qiao Suisui's eyes flickered.

"It was also because of his predictions that Aosilan became the only member state in the Interstellar with minimal losses in the face of these two huge disasters. The Empire Sun values him and focuses on cultivating him, firmly believing that handing Aosilan to him will be fine. But I don't care if Lan Ze can become the new Empire Sun of Aosilan in the future; if I have to watch your spouse be a male who cannot take care of you or protect you... Sui Sui, I can't do it..."

As he spoke, Luka gently kissed the corner of her eye, her nose, and finally her lips.

"He cannot make you happy like this, because he himself cannot feel happiness."

He kissed her passionately, holding onto her little tongue and refusing to let go. Qiao Suisui's hands rested on his chest, afraid of touching his wounds, so she didn't dare to push hard.

"Luka... don't..."

"I've wanted to kiss you like this... for so long."

He picked her up horizontally and walked toward the bed, then placed her gently on it.

The man leaned over, controlling his strength so he wouldn't press on her while locking her firmly in his arms.

"Sui Sui, I want to hold you while you're awake, may I?"

She felt her whole body go soft, a hot, large hand wandering all over her. She hummed softly, her hands gripping his strong, powerful forearms.

"Luka, even if we do it this time, there won't be a child..."

The man laughed, his handsome brows and eyes as bright as stars.

"It's not for the child."

He closed his eyes and kissed her, a lingering and affectionate kiss.

"What I want, has always been you."

Hearing this, Qiao Suisui finally stopped pushing him away.

Luka raised her hands above her head, his large hands pressing down on her small ones; when he was moved, he gripped them even tighter, fingers interlaced.

(End of chapter)