Chapter 109

All day, Xia You wandered the Marshal's mansion with Yuan Yuan, visiting every place and yet never returning home.

Cheng Zhiyan lay on the balcony, resting his cheeks on his hands, watching Xia You who was squatting and intently observing a tabby cat by a tree.

Those serving as guards in the Marshal's mansion were no ordinary folk.

While that tabby might seem like a cat, its combat prowess was impressively fierce. Its small size rendered it agile in battle, making it ferocious when provoked.

Yet now, under Xia You's gaze, it lay on its back, hugging the base of the wall, not daring to move an inch.

Xia You might be quite taken with fluffy creatures, but she was now trailed by a watchful panther.

Earlier, when the Marshal's consciousness resided within the panther, he might not have been thrilled to see Xia You doting on the fluffy, but he wouldn't show any particular reaction.

However, with Yuan Yuan, it was a panther's intent gaze paired with a baring of its teeth.

When Xia You, who hadn't been able to coax the fluffy creature, turned to embrace the panther, the robust creature immediately retracted its fangs and affectionately nuzzled her with its ears and head.

Two faces, both clearly showing double standards.

Cheng Zhiyan's gaze shifted to the side. In the courtyard on the right, Uncle Zhou had dug out a pond. Usually, a capybara would relax motionless in it. But now, a rather forlorn-looking lynx was running laps around the pond.

She looked over at Fan Yu, who sat listlessly beside her: "How many laps?"

Fan Yu responded weakly: "One hundred and two."

Cheng Zhiyan made an acknowledging sound.

More than halfway done; not a bad pace.

After pondering for a moment, Cheng Zhiyan mustered two words of encouragement: "Keep going."

Fan Yu leaned to one side in his chair, all traces of his usual refined demeanor gone.

A companion beast is the physical manifestation of one's spirit. Making it run doesn't exhaust its physical strength, but its mental energy.

Hence, even though Fan Yu sat perfectly still, he was so drained he didn’t even want a bite of dinner.

The young master Fan mumbled, "There were so many spectators this morning..."

A white shadow flashed by. A snow leopard leaped onto a branch outside the balcony, looking up at the floor above.

Fan Yu jolted, "What now?"

Cheng Zhiyan bluntly stated, "I'm checking if the room above is the Marshal's study. Just so your penalty laps don’t double from two hundred and five to five hundred and ten."

Fan Yu: "..."

Fan, who still hadn't finished his penalty laps, grabbed a cushion from the side, covering his face.

Old House had just woken up. It seemed he hadn’t ignited any romantic sparks yet and was feeling restless. Fan didn't want another collision, risking being used as firewood.

*

By nightfall, with no escape left, Xia You paced back and forth in her bedroom.

Yuan Yuan, looking innocent yet not entirely so, was shut outside her bedroom door.

Xia You stared at the interconnecting door between their bedrooms, a conflicted expression evident on his face.

To enter or not to enter? That was the question...

Xia You half-wished the prince from the neighboring room would just come over and drag him in.

But Lu Yinghuai did not.

It was almost as if he was determined to let Xia You make the first move.

In reality, it had been a long time since Xia You had returned to his own bedroom. However, ever since the master of the adjacent master bedroom truly awakened, Xia You felt an unsettling... ambivalence.

Especially after what had transpired during the day...

Thinking about Meng Wenxuan's probing questions and the prince's responses, Xia You took a deep breath. So flustered, he almost pinched his earlobes red.

As Xia You continued to hesitate, it felt as if two tiny beings were battling inside his head.

One was cowering in a corner, scratching at the floor, while the other was yelling to charge ahead, proclaiming that what's done was done.

After taking his sweet time to freshen up in his own bathroom, Xia You realized that most of his clothes, including his pajamas, had been moved to the prince's room.

Xia You leisurely fetched another set of pajamas from his closet, his hair still damp. He grabbed a large pillow from his bed and knocked on the door leading to the adjacent room.

The sound of the door being unlocked by iris recognition rang out, yet Xia You remained motionless.

He was acutely aware of Lu Yinghuai's presence, feeling the gentle aura that always seemed to envelop him.

After a moment, the door was pulled open from the other side. There stood Lu Yinghuai, dressed in his pajamas, holding a dry towel, his expression slightly exasperated.

Holding his pillow, Xia You stepped in. Lu Yinghuai wrapped an arm around the young man, using the towel to gently pat and rub Xia You's damp hair.

Feeling guilty for avoiding him all day, Xia You began, murmuring, "Your Highness has been spying on me the entire day."

Lu Yinghuai chuckled, continuing to dry Xia You's hair, admitting, "Yes, I've been watching."

He paused, then added, "I couldn't resist."

With his head enveloped in a plush towel and despite initiating the topic, Xia You's cheeks blushed crimson from the prince's casual remarks.

She couldn't help but clutch the pillow in her embrace tightly.

The expansive master bedroom boasted a bed, a sofa, and a balcony to gaze upon the moon. Yet, the two of them chose to huddle in a corner: one intently drying hair, the other silently being attended to.

Lu Yinghuai was always adept at easing Xia You's nerves. Given Xia You's recent dawdling, it was already past her usual bedtime. She resembled a kitten whose fur had just been brushed, involuntarily letting out a yawn.

A tiny tendril silently wrapped around Lu Yinghuai's wrist, its tip swaying gently.

Lu Yinghuai paused for a moment, then continued drying the hair, his gaze lowered.

Xia You's head gradually drooped from fatigue.

Seeing Lu Yinghuai paying it no mind, the small tendril slid up his well-defined arm, its tip affectionately rubbing against his chin.

Xia You let out another faint yawn, accompanied by a soft nasal murmur.

Lu Yinghuai twirled a strand of Xia You's golden hair, carelessly draping the soft towel over something nearby.

Dressed in a loose round-necked nightgown, the young man who had grown considerably taller was still a head shorter than the man in front of him.

Lu Yinghuai's gaze inadvertently caught sight of a droplet that had just fallen, glistening on the pale nape of the young man, looking round and plump.

Rubbing her eyes, Xia You tried to seem more alert, "Oh, Your Highness, I haven't informed you about my sister's situation yet."

With the young man's movement, the pale nape stirred, causing the round droplet to roll down, dampening a small patch of the soft fabric of his nightgown.

Lu Yinghuai averted his gaze.

Out of curiosity, the tiny tendril brushed against the moving Adam's apple of Lu Yinghuai.

The older man held his breath for a moment, and in a husky voice, murmured, "Xia You."

"Hmm?" Xia You looked down, fiddling with the button on her nightgown's sleeve.

"The tendril," Lu Yinghuai reminded.

Xia You looked up with a puzzled expression, only to see her psychic tendril teasing the prince.

Swiftly, Xia You pulled the psychic tendril back into her mind space, where it coiled and was firmly pressed under a large, soft, white leopard.

"Your Highness..." Xia You hesitated for a moment before admitting her mistake, "I apologize."

Lu Yinghuai lifted his hand, tempted to pinch Xia You's adorably flushed earlobe, but he hesitated and settled for a gentle pat on her head instead.

The older man chuckled softly, "It's okay, it's permissible."

Xia You choked slightly, burying her face deeply into the pillow and wailed, "Your Highness—"

Lu Yinghuai laughed out loud, grasping Xia You's wrist and gently guiding the young man, whose blush had reached his ankles, to the window.

The balcony doors were closed, with the thick curtains mostly drawn, but a small gap remained.

Xia You's eyes sparkled, her nose twitching.

An initially empty window sill now had a low table with a plate of delicate pastries and wine glasses beside it.

Uncle Zhou had subtly corrected most of Xia You's erratic habits, but in the marshal's residence where not a drop of alcohol was in sight, Xia You, who used to enjoy her drink, had been forcibly sober for quite some time.

She could barely recall the scent of wine.

"Sit." Lu Yinghuai ruffled Xia You's hair, his fingers twirling a strand.

The young man's hair was still slightly damp; waiting a bit longer before sleeping would prevent a headache.

"Only a sip."

Xia You nodded vigorously, "Mhm, mhm."

"Where on earth did Your Highness hide the wine cellar... I can't find it at all," the young man murmured affectionately.

Lu Yinghuai laughed, "The original one was confiscated by Uncle Zhou. There's only one safe house left, and it's very well hidden."

"I'll show you next time."

Xia You nodded earnestly, her face full of anticipation.

Even in a bedroom with just the two of them, Lu Yinghuai maintained a proper posture, sitting upright, gazing at the night sky through the window, his eyes soft.

Across the table, under the influence of the wine, Xia You relaxed completely. She found the most comfortable position, propping a plump pillow under her knees, clasping the soft pillow with her legs, holding the wine glass in both hands and sipping delightfully, reminiscent of a little mouse sneaking some oil.

Despite their stark differences, there was an innate harmony when they were together.

It was as if the young man's stubbornness, refusing to be broken by reality, directly met the void the elder had dug out due to responsibilities and burdens.

As Xia You sipped, she let out a soft exclamation.

Lu Yinghuai tilted his head, asking gently, "What's the matter?"

Xia You savored the taste in her mouth, slightly puzzled. The answer seemed to be on the tip of her tongue, yet elusive, "This wine... it has a familiar taste."

"Oh yes, Your Highness, about my sister!" Xia You set down the treasured glass she'd been sipping from and picked up a pastry, "Today, when I probed with my psychic power, I found that the previously impenetrable blockage can now easily be broken."

"It's just... well, the sensation of that gray matter is somewhat different from the energy stones."

Having absorbed zombie cores during the apocalypse, Xia You felt that, compared to the gray substance, the energy stones were more akin to the sensation of the cores.

Currently, the allure of primary energy stones isn't that strong for Xia You. By comparison, the gray matter inside the White Tiger possesses more "nutrition" than common primary energy stones.

Lu Yinghuai: "Which one does Xia You prefer?"

Xia You pondered for a moment.

Having encountered more companion beasts now, she realized that the energy contained within their gray matter varied. The stronger the psychic power level, the more potent the energy within the gray substance.

Under such circumstances, the energy Xia You can absorb from the gray matter surpasses that of primary energy stones, but it's still far from high-grade energy stones.

The existence of high-grade energy stones remains irreplaceable.

After various thoughts, Xia You answered Lu Yinghuai's question, "When compared... the energy stones."

However...

Xia You stealthily glanced at Lu Yinghuai.

His Highness was an exception.

Sensing Xia You's gaze, Lu Yinghuai raised an eyebrow and poured a little into both of their glasses, his voice soft, "Do you still remember my psychic power, Xia You?"

The crystal glass held a liquor radiating a rich aroma, but it hinted at a light pink hue.

Under the cover of the pillow, Xia You's fingers fidgeted with the carpet. She moved her lips, lowered her voice, and whispered, "...I don't recall."

After answering, as if to amend her response, she quickly added, "I... I didn't pay attention before."

Any explanation seemed to only make things murkier.

After all, ever since he left the hibernation chamber, Lu Yinghuai's psychic energy has frequently dipped to low levels.

"It's okay," Lu Yinghuai called again, "Xia You."

Perhaps it was the slight intoxication from the wine or maybe the elder's voice was just too entrancing.

Xia You swallowed hard and replied softly, "Yes?"

Lu Yinghuai extended his hand, offering, "Would you like to try some?"

Xia You, clutching her fingers, suddenly took her glass and emptied it in one go. She hesitated for a moment before also taking Lu Yinghuai's glass and drained it completely.

A look of surprise flashed in Lu Yinghuai's eyes.

Xia You placed the crystal cup on the table, stood up, walked around the low table, and squatted beside Lu Yinghuai.

Lu Yinghuai, who had initially intended to move slowly, was taken aback.

Xia You gazed intently at Lu Yinghuai, her eyes shining brighter than the stars in the night sky.

"I want to."

He said.

Gathering her courage, Xia You reached out, her cool fingers brushing against Lu Yinghuai's cheek, getting lost in his black hair. Their palms pressed against each other's faces, an intimate warmth spreading between them.

Lu Yinghuai was surprised but simply sat still. After a momentary fluctuation in his gaze, a reassuring smile took over.

Maintaining this posture, Xia You closed her eyes. She felt the activity in her psychic sea and the eager stirring of her tendrils, meticulously sensing every detail.

She then realized that, though very slowly and almost imperceptibly, she was indeed absorbing Lu Yinghuai's psychic energy through their skin contact.

Because this process was so slow, and Lu Yinghuai's psychic energy recovered so rapidly when he was awake, Xia You hadn't noticed it before.

Only during this Sleeping Beauty incident, when Lu Yinghuai's psychic energy recovery slowed considerably during his deep slumber, did Meng Wenxuan take note of it.

After squatting for such a long time, Xia You's legs began to tingle, causing her to involuntarily furrow her brow.

Lu Yinghuai noticed this, lifting his hand to grasp Xia You's, which was pressed against his cheek, and slightly pulling it away.

Xia You opened his eyes, feeling a tingling, itchy, yet slightly painful sensation in his feet, prompting him to involuntarily grit his teeth and hiss.

The elder's body tensed at the sound, but before he could react, he was enveloped in a warm embrace.

Lu Yinghuai lowered his eyes.

Seemingly resolute, Xia You broke free from the hand holding his fingers. Leaning forward, he lunged to hug the other person tightly.

A profound silence enveloped the two.

It lasted for a good while.

"Your Highness?"

"...Yes?"

Lu Yinghuai's voice was hoarse, a different kind of restraint from when he was once tormented by pain.

"I... I've accepted."

Xia You leaned into Lu Yinghuai's embrace, still curling up like a vulnerable little shrimp, her tense body quivering with her soft voice.

The statement seemed abrupt, but Lu Yinghuai almost instantly understood what Xia You meant.

Lu Yinghuai closed his eyes. As Xia You's fingers tightened on the fabric of his robe behind him, he wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her tightly against him.

Both of them were in their pajamas, and the embrace made Xia You feel the warmth of the other person enveloping most of her body.

Wrapped in that comforting embrace, Xia You's tense body gradually relaxed.

"Xia You, you're too tender-hearted."

With an almost sigh-like tone, Lu Yinghuai gently said.

Xia You's face was buried in Lu Yinghuai's chest, her voice muffled, "It's not that... It's just, there's only ever been Your Highness."

The young man seemed a bit nervous, yet he tried hard to express his feelings.

"If Your Highness wishes to pursue me, then as... as the pursued..."

The last few words came out with a blush of embarrassment, but Xia You, gripping the hem of Lu Yinghuai's robe, continued.

"I'd like to accept Your Highness's advances."

"Because, rather than wasting time in the pursuit, I'd rather cherish more moments together."

Xia You lifted her head, meeting Lu Yinghuai's gaze. The blush on her cheeks spread to her neck, staining it a rosy hue.

"That's how I feel."

Lu Yinghuai slightly loosened his embrace, tilting his head to rest his forehead against hers. His eyes were deep and filled with emotions, swirling within their rich shade of purple.

Xia You felt almost overwhelmed by the intensity of that deep purple gaze.

After what seemed like an eternity, Lu Yinghuai finally spoke.

"Alright."

"Thank you, Xia You."

The momentary lapse was brief, but he still exuded the calm and dependability that always comforted Xia You.

As if having accomplished a great feat, Xia You let out a long sigh of relief.

However, the next moment, the composed elder called out softly, "Xia You."

Xia You looked up obediently, "What is it?"

"Which do you prefer, my psychic energy or the energy stone?"

Xia You was taken aback, her cheeks, which had just cooled, flared up once again.

After a considerable pause, Xia You, who had felt teased the entire day, playfully retorted, "If Your Highness wants an answer, what will you offer in exchange?"

Lu Yinghuai asked patiently, "What would Xia You like?"

Xia You hesitated for a moment, but quickly responded, "A rose. I want a rose."

Under Lu Yinghuai's amused gaze, she turned her head away, avoiding eye contact.

She did miss and care about the roses she hadn't received these past days. So what?

"When Your Highness was courting me, there was a rose every day," Xia You pouted, murmuring softly.

Even during the three months they left the Blue Star, whether on the road or in the underground city, she didn't know how many roses Lu Yinghuai had carefully stored in the spatial node beforehand, but every day Xia You would fall asleep amidst the scent of roses.

Lu Yinghuai chuckled, "Hasn't Xia You already received a rose?"

Xia You blinked, "Huh?"

Lu Yinghuai gestured towards the wine jug on the table.

Xia You leaned over and opened the jug's lid, spotting lazy rose petals floating in the pale pink liquid.

So the familiar scent she detected earlier was...

Lu Yinghuai's chin gently rested on Xia You's shoulder, teasingly persistent, "Xia You?"

Closing her eyes and mustering her courage, Xia You murmured, "I love it."

After waiting two seconds without hearing a response, Xia You sneakily opened one eye.

And then... she saw His Highness, looking especially charming as he smiled.

Her tiny tentacle, seemingly uncontrollable, reached out to touch Lu Yinghuai's cheek.

This time, Xia You didn't prevent her tiny tentacle from moving. Instead, she curved her lips into a smile, her cheeks flushing, her gaze both direct and fervent.

"Favorite."