Once everything was settled, Xiahou Shao Xuan led Lian Qiguang downstairs. The members of the Xiahou family, who had been conversing in hushed tones, instantly fell silent, all turning their piercing gazes toward the two latecomers. If they were ordinary people, their legs would surely have gone weak, and they would have collapsed to the ground with a thud. But who were these two? One was an iceberg, the other a stone-faced figure. Bearing the weight of the entire room’s pressure, they didn’t so much as twitch a brow as they walked steadily to the dining table and sat down in the two chairs placed side by side. Xiahou Hetian, huddled in the corner of the table with a black eye and a swollen face, trembled slightly, trying his best to shrink into himself in the hope that Xiahou Shao Xuan would ignore his presence.
“Xiao Guang, how are you feeling? Does anything hurt?” An Zhan asked cautiously, all the while observing Lian Qiguang’s expression.
Does anything hurt? Lian Qiguang looked up, his spoon clenched between his teeth, and stared expressionlessly at the ceiling as he thought it over seriously. “ “I don’t feel unwell.” After a long moment, Lian Qiguang shook his head blankly, staring expressionlessly at An Zhan. “It just hurts a little.” Having been held by Xiahou Shaoxuan all night without even changing positions, and then suddenly pinned down by him first thing in the morning, he’d ended up straining his back.
Back pain!!?? The moment those words left his mouth, the expressions of everyone at the table changed instantly. “Thud!” With a dull thud, Xiahou Zhong slammed his fork down on the table and glared at Xiahou Shao Xuan. Lian Qiguang looked up, his expression blank as he met Xiahou Zhong’s gaze: “My back really does hurt. I’m not lying. Don’t get angry.” “ “Dad! Look at you! You’ve scared Little Guang!” An Zhanxin shot Xiahou Zhong a disapproving roll of the eyes. Looking at Lian Qiguang’s expressionless little face, Xiahou Zhong shifted his nose slightly, looking somewhat flustered, but his expression softened.
“Xiaohuan!” Xiahou Jue, Xiahou Shao Xuan’s father, looked at his son with a grave and stern expression. “Xiaoguang is only sixteen—he’s not even a minor yet. He’s just a child right now. Do you realize that what you’re doing is against the law? Indeed, in this era, the average lifespan was over five hundred years, and adulthood wasn’t reached until age thirty—so Lian Qiguang certainly didn’t even qualify as a minor.
“My Major General! According to Blue Star law, this is a capital offense,” Xiahou Luoyu said, propping her chin in her hand with a smug grin. “And since you committed it knowingly, that makes it an even more serious crime.”
Lian Qiguang paused with a bite of cake in his mouth, looked up, and stared expressionlessly at Xiahou Shaoxuan: “Are you going to be executed?” Xiahou Shaoxuan shot a cold glance at Xiahou Hetian, causing him to instinctively shrink back and tremble even more violently.
“No.” He reached out to pick up the half-piece of cake that had fallen from Lian Qiguang’s mouth as he spoke, chewing it slowly while watching the stunned expressions on everyone’s faces. “They’re out of their minds. Don’t pay them any mind.”
“Xiahou Shaoxuan!” Xiahou Zhong erupted in rage.
“Dad! You’re scaring Xiao Guang.” An Zhanxin shielded Lian Qiguang and glared at Xiahou Zhong.
“If anyone tries to kill you, just tell me, and I’ll take care of them for you.” Lian Qiguang stared expressionlessly at Xiahou Shaoxian and spoke earnestly. “No need.” Xiahou Shaoxian reached out and ruffled Lian Qiguang’s soft head. “They wouldn’t dare.”
“Xiao Xian.” Xiahou Jue spoke up, his piercing gaze fixed on Xiahou Shao Xian. “Explain yourself.” Under Xiahou Luoyu’s murderous glare, Xiahou Shao Xian pulled a small plate of greens away from her and placed it in front of Lian Qiguang. “What’s there to explain?” “You….” “ “I know exactly what I can and cannot do.”
What did that mean? Everyone froze in shock.
“Hurry up and eat. I’ll take you home later.” Stared at by the group, Xiahou Shao Xuan lost her appetite and began focusing on serving food to Lian Qiguang. “Hetian, wait for me in the training room tonight.”
“………………” Xiahou Hetian had just carefully picked up a piece of meat and put it in his mouth when Xiahou Shaoxuan’s words struck him like a bolt of lightning. His whole body froze, and the meat fell from his mouth into the soup in front of him, splashing all over his face.
Scene Divider
After dinner, Lian Qiguang stuffed a large pile of cakes, pastries, and candies—prepared for him by the butler—into his spatial device. He thanked the butler earnestly and, feeling completely satisfied, let Xiahou Shao Xuan lead him onto the spacecraft.
Once aboard the spacecraft, Xiahou Shaoxuan set the destination and activated autopilot, then turned her attention to Lian Qiguang, who was having the time of his life playing with a small, projection-based smart computer.
“Want to play?” Lian Qiguang, who had once again been soundly defeated, looked up expressionlessly and handed the computer to Xiahou Shaoxuan, a hint of anger flickering in his eyes. A barely perceptible smile tugged at Xiahou Shao Xuan’s lips as he reached out to take the computer from Lian Qiguang. Under Lian Qiguang’s seemingly expressionless yet intensely watchful gaze, he began to give it his all in a new round of the game.
In less than five minutes, accompanied by a beep, cheers erupted on the computer’s projection screen—he’d cleared the level.
Lian Qiguang stared impassively at the computer in Xiahou Shaoxuan’s hands, his eyes wide with astonishment. He’d been playing for so long and hadn’t even made it past the fourth level—how had Xiahou Shaoxuan managed to clear the game so quickly?
Seeing the look of surprise on Lian Qiguang’s face, Xiahou Shaoxuan reached out and ruffled his hair, a hint of a smile flitting across his eyes. Xiahou Shaoxuan didn’t tell him that this game was actually an educational puzzle game designed for five-year-olds.
“I’m done.” Lian Qiguang pushed the laptop away without a flicker of emotion, lowered his head, and curled up in a corner of the spacecraft, radiating a gloomy aura that made Xiahou Shaoxuan frown. “ “Come here.” Xiahou Shao Xuan beckoned. Lian Qiguang glanced up at him from beneath his lowered gaze and shuffled over expressionlessly, his head still bowed—looking just like a little kitten that had fallen into water, soaking wet with its ears drooping. Xiahou Shao Xuan pulled Lian Qiguang into his arms, his strong hand resting firmly on the boy’s head. “It’s not your fault—the game is just too stupid.” “. …………………………….” Lian Qiguang lifted his head and looked at Xiahou Shao Xuan without expression. “You’re a genius—this kind of game isn’t for you. I’ll find you better ones in the future.” “Then how did you beat it?”
“…………………………….” Xiahou Shao Xuan
“Are you an idiot?”
“……………………………..” Xiahou Shao Xuan
“Don’t worry.” Having regained his positive attitude, Lian Qiguang took Xiahou Shao Xuan’s hand with a blank expression. “I won’t look down on you.”
“. ……………………………..” Xiahou Shao Xuan
After a long while, Xiahou Shao Xuan resignedly hugged Lian Qiguang tightly. “Well, thank you so much for that.”
“You’re welcome.”
“………………………………………………………….” Xiahou Shao Xuan