Chapter Thirty-Seven: Dad Looks Far Too Much Like an Empty-Nest Senior Citizen

Is this servant brain-damaged?

A servant! A person from ancient times! And he actually has the audacity to talk about "art pieces"?!

"Ah!"

Lin Xiaoyue clutched her stomach. It hurt! It hurt so much! She gnashed her teeth, the sound grating in the air.

"G97!" Lin Xiaoyue screamed in her mind. "Do you have any items that can make this servant drop dead on the spot?"

G97 replied, "I apologize, Host. G97 is a 'Heartthrob System,' and it does not contain any lethal items."

"Then do you have any items that can knock him unconscious?" Lin Xiaoyue’s eyes locked onto the axe stuck in a nearby tree stump. Once he was unconscious, she would take that axe and chop his head off!

Lin Xiaoyue’s eyes burned with hatred. Once she killed him, she would find another way to seduce that ancient man!

"I apologize, Host," G97 continued. "Because your current completion rate is too low, you have lost the ability to repay the system for one-time-use items. The system no longer supports purchasing items on credit."

"What?" Lin Xiaoyue was even more furious. "G97, what exactly are you good for?"

G97 said, "I hope the host will redouble her efforts to complete the conquest of the first target as soon as possible, so that you may receive more Heartthrob System rewards."

Lin Xiaoyue gritted her teeth, helpless. She had no choice but to endure.

She never expected that while Liu Da did value his firewood and his arrangement, his actions were driven more by his promise to Liu Shuang’er. No matter what she did, she was met with beatings and verbal abuse from Liu Da.

The next day arrived, and Chu Ying woke up feeling refreshed from a good night’s sleep. After washing and dressing, she gathered her materials for the Imperial Academy and headed to the dining hall. Before she even reached the entrance, she saw Chu Jue standing at the door, gazing longingly in her direction.

Chu Ying’s hands, clutching her study materials, stiffened.

It was over.

She had gone to sleep after happily eating her meat yesterday, completely forgetting the words she had said to coax her father: "I will wait for you at home, Father." She also hadn't remembered that A-Yu had told her that her father had visited earlier, instructed the kitchen to prepare meat for her, and reminded A-Yu to tell her to come pay her respects as soon as she woke up.

It was over, over, over...

Recalling the earth-shattering sobbing she had heard from her father’s heart yesterday, Chu Ying could already guess the kind of wailing she was about to hear. Beads of sweat broke out on her forehead as she reached Chu Jue. "Father."

"Mm," Chu Jue nodded with a majestic air.

*(Sob, sob, sob... my precious daughter... my precious daughter... she actually... forgot to pay her respects to me yesterday... sob, sob...)*

Chu Jue’s face remained cold and stern, but inside, his heart was a sea of tears.

*(Could it be that the words my precious daughter said about waiting for me at home were all... a lie? Could it be that now that my daughter is older... she has really reached the age of rebellion... and she truly doesn't like me anymore? Sob, sob... Old Li, I hate you! Why did you tell me such a cruel truth?)*

*(Daughter... my precious daughter... sob, sob...)*

While the tiny version of Chu Jue in his mind was bawling his eyes out, snot and tears everywhere, his outward expression remained stoic. "Eat," he said, before turning and striding away.

"Father!" Chu Ying ultimately couldn't bear to hear his painful thoughts.

She had no choice!

The contrast between her father's majestic appearance and his inner wailing reminded her of a lonely, abandoned elderly person... She really couldn't bear it!

"I was just too tired yesterday, and I didn't get a chance to pay my respects!" Chu Ying quickly added. "But I’m so happy to see you here at the dining hall this morning!"

Suddenly, Chu Ying’s words struck Chu Jue’s heart like a bolt of lightning.

Happiness bubbles began to radiate from the doting father. He barely managed to keep his composure, his face twitching as he struggled not to break into a brilliant, beaming smile.

*(My daughter said she is happy to see me.)*

*(My daughter said she is happy to see me!)*

*(My precious daughter doesn't hate me; she is still my sweet, heartwarming little angel—hehehehehehehe.)*

"Good," Chu Jue said coldly, his pace not slowing.

"Phew~" Hearing his thoughts, Chu Ying wiped the sweat from her forehead and let out a long sigh of relief.

Coaxing her father was definitely harder than helping her brother and sister-in-law improve their relationship!

The family sat down and finished breakfast in a harmonious atmosphere. They left in separate carriages. Liu Shuang’er stood at the gate, waving as they departed. Once their carriages were out of sight, she composed herself and asked, "Lady Xiu, has Lin Xiaoyue done anything since last night?"

Li Xiu replied, "Rest assured, Madam. Liu Da has some martial arts skills. With him watching, Lin Xiaoyue is only there to be tortured; she has no chance to use any strange drugs or schemes."

Hearing this, Liu Shuang’er’s face returned to the gentle, elegant grace of a noble lady.

"In that case, let us return to the manor." Liu Shuang’er felt a sense of relief. No one would ever be allowed to bully her children.

"Yes," Li Xiu said, feeling equally refreshed. Qiao’er had already woken up, and the doctor had checked her over—she was completely fine. As for Lin Xiaoyue, who had caused such trouble, almost ruined the eldest young master’s reputation, and dirtied the young lady’s eyes, she would never have a good day again.

Could there be any day more satisfying than this?

Inside the carriage heading to the Imperial Academy, Chu Ying coughed twice and asked, "Big Brother, do you think Her Highness the Princess will come today?"

The gentle expression on Chu Hengyang’s face stiffened visibly.

*(If I could, I would prefer not to see Her Highness the Princess all day today.)*

Chu Hengyang’s suppressed feelings for Xiao Yixi were becoming impossible to contain. He only wanted to hide from her, to escape these changing feelings he held for her. He had no idea that his avoidance was leading Xiao Yixi to misunderstand his feelings and consider giving up on him.

What?!

Hearing Chu Hengyang’s inner thoughts, Chu Ying grew anxious. How could her brother want to avoid his future wife all day? Had their relationship reached the point of a total breakdown?

No, no! She had to figure out what was going on.

"Cough..." Chu Ying’s eyes darted around, and she said as if casually, "Big Brother, the Princess is so wonderful; she has helped me so much. In the future..."

Chu Ying continued, "Could you marry a sister-in-law as wonderful as the Princess for me?"

"Pfft—cough, cough, cough, cough!" Chu Hengyang couldn't hold it in; he choked on his own saliva and began to cough violently.

"Oh my, Big Brother!" Chu Ying pretended to be worried. "What’s wrong?"

"N-nothing—" Chu Hengyang waved his hand, his handsome face flushed with a red glow. He couldn't tell if it was from the coughing or because his sister’s unintentional remark had opened up a new possibility for the feelings he had tried so hard to bury.

*(Little sister said... I should marry a sister-in-law as wonderful as the Princess?)*