Chapter 91

Chapter 91

Soon, the advantages Lin Xiujian spoke of became apparent.

On the third day after Lin Fu returned to the Lin family, they were invited to a royal banquet held by the royal family for the eldest prince, thanks to Lin Fu's status as a family member.

Lin Sixing couldn't hide his joy. While he had initially trusted his father's words to an extent, he now believed them wholeheartedly.

The Lin family rarely attended royal banquets, but Lin Fu effortlessly allowed them to cross a social boundary and enter such an occasion.

Not to mention the significance of attending a royal banquet itself, the connections one could make at such an event were enough to make countless second-rate nobles envious.

Because of Lin Fu, Lin Sixing didn't bring Luo Qirui to the banquet this time but chose to take his daughter Lin Rui instead.

Lin Rui rubbed the goosebumps on her arms, trying her best to keep her back straight so as not to be scolded by her father later.

Her gaze occasionally fell on the back of the young man ahead of her, sneaking a look and then swiftly retracting it, fearing he might notice.

The young man had a slender figure, accompanied by an aide-de-camp.

Despite his frail body, coughing after walking just a few steps, the military uniform he wore carried an aura of rugged dignity, as if he was born to be a soldier.

Lin Rui hadn't spent much time with Lin Fu, whether before his 18th birthday when he underwent the tests or after he left home following them. Her mother Luo Qirui never allowed them to get too close to him, fearing they would be led astray.

Lin Rui remembered her guide brother as always looking melancholic, frail and weak, like an apple forgotten in a jar, shriveled and moldy, emanating a musty scent.

He was completely different from the person she saw now.

Perhaps, he became a completely different person the moment he broke away from the Lin family.

Biting her lower lip, Lin Rui pondered absentmindedly, why did he bother coming back after finally getting away from their family? Did he really need the Lin family?

Would someone like Lin Fu really need the Lin family to pursue his lover, as the rumors on the internet suggest?

"Xiao Rui, what are you thinking about?" A cold warning voice by her ear snapped her back to reality. Lin Rui hurriedly withdrew her wandering gaze, sticking close to her father. When she looked up again, she realized Lin Fu was no longer with them.

He had gone to meet with General Cheng Jiu.

It was apparent that General Cheng was quite fond of him; the tenderness in his eyes almost spilling over, his attention wholly fixed on Lin Fu.

Lin Rui found herself increasingly skeptical of the online speculations.

Lin Sixing was pulling her along to socialize, hoping she could make some influential friends here.

Lin Rui whispered, "Dad, I think that brother Lin... seems to be pursuing General Cheng without relying on our family."

Lin Sixing's expression immediately fell, "You don't need to worry about these things, just do as I've told you."

Ultimately, Lin Rui didn't have the courage to contradict her father. She wasn't Lin Fu, so she fidgeted with her fingers and replied obediently, "Okay."

Of course, Lin Rui's little actions didn't escape Lin Fu's notice.

Cheng Jiu, holding a glass of wine, leaned in closer and whispered to him, "Your half-sister seems to know something."

Leaning against the table, Lin Fu leisurely made a fist to cover his mouth and coughed lightly, "She's been with her parents all year round. It's quite normal for her to catch something they might've let slip."

Cheng Jiu looked up, noticing a figure in the distance, and the smile in his eyes began to fade, "The crown prince has arrived."

The crown prince was dressed in formal attire, his mood clearly buoyant.

The attire was custom-made, the latest style, and the cut and patterns were exquisitely luxurious. Such a garment, if auctioned, might be worth half a planet.

He first took a glass of wine from a robotic servant's tray and offered it to Lin Fu, "I'm truly delighted that the colonel could come."

Lin Fu didn't accept the wine, instead covering his mouth with his fist to cough again.

As if just remembering, Simon Constantine reproached himself, "Look at me, forgetting the colonel's current ill health, unable to drink. It's a pity, the emperor has brought out many of his treasured wines for this banquet, rarely circulated in the market."

Lin Fu smiled, "It's not a pity, I'm not fond of alcohol. By the way, Your Highness fought a splendid battle this time. I'm afraid it won't be long before you're promoted to a commander. My early congratulations."

Simon Constantine's expression was restrained, but his eyes held a determined light, he said vaguely with a smile, "My role in the battle is negligible, far less than the colonel's."

Lin Fu, who refrained from alcohol, set the glass back down and inquired, "Speaking of which, why didn't the colonel hold out a few more days on planet S177, despite the severe injuries? The tide of the infestation showed signs of waning. Just a few more days would have been bearable for the Fourth Army, wouldn't it?"

Mention of this stirred a sharpness in Lin Fu's demeanor, a departure from his usual indifference: "The crown prince thinks too highly of us. A few days, on an S-class planet, ha."

Simon Constantine, after probing and eliciting such a reaction from Lin Fu, licked his lips and gave him an appraising look, quickly followed by an apologetic smile: "The colonel mustn’t take offense. It was thoughtless of me, I oversimplified the matter."

He turned his head upon hearing his imperial father calling him and nodded towards the two as a parting gesture.

Cheng Jiu felt disconcerted by this whole affair, especially after catching the final look in Simon Constantine’s eyes.

He rubbed his hand, the bones making a crisp sound, attracting a glance from Lin Fu: "What are you doing?"

Cheng Jiu took his hand and whispered, "The place is swarming with flies buzzing around you. Now that our business is done, why not head to the garden for some fresh air?"

Presumably, Lin Sixing would be mingling in the crowd and wouldn't fancy Lin Fu hovering around.

The two left a lingering presence in the banquet hall and slipped out.

The palace garden, venerable in its years, was more akin to a rare botanical museum than a mere garden.

The flora was meticulously groomed, with some aged shrubs growing as tall as houses, climbing upwards.

Stepping away from the banquet hall, the surroundings became exponentially quieter; absent were the pretentiously cultured music and the conversations laden with hidden agendas.

The sky was ink-blue, the horizon aglow with a twisting light, reminiscent of the aurora.

Together in silence, their fingers intertwined, entangled, they felt the rhythm of each other's heartbeat and shared warmth in the palms of their hands.

From afar, Cheng Jiu spotted a familiar place and couldn't help but chuckle.

A glance was all Lin Fu needed to know what amused him. His brows knitted slightly, his irritation palpable: "What’s so funny?"

Cheng Jiu nodded in agreement, humoring him: "Indeed, nothing funny. Just thinking, trading a slap for a kiss seems a good deal."

Lin Fu couldn’t help but retort, "That's called hooliganism."

Suddenly, Cheng Jiu reached out, removed Lin Fu's cap, and inspected it closely: "When I first asked you to join the Ninth Legion, you refused so bluntly, it saddened me for a long time. May I now request some compensation from the colonel?"

As he spoke, he also took off his own military cap and playfully attempted to place it on Lin Fu's head.

Lin Fu instinctively raised his hand, and the light from his wrist computer illuminated; it was an urgent message from Putian Xiangri.

The azure glow settled on Lin Fu's cheeks, tinting his dark eyes with a faint blue, making them resemble the profound and mysterious cosmos, inscrutable, drawing one into its depths.

Cheng Jiu's hat rested atop Lin Fu's head, and bending over, he planted a gentle kiss on his fingertips: "Major, I'm about to surrender."

"You don't have to chase me; I'm already longing to kiss you. You chasing me, making me reject you, that's harder than the toughest battle I've ever fought."