Huo Lin listened to An Nuo’s question and honestly replied, “Uncle Zhan didn’t mention the reason. He only said to bring you to the palace.”
“Alright, you take care of Ningning, and I’ll go pack our
things.”
An Nuo saw that he didn’t know and didn’t ask further.
Instead, he went inside the house to pack the things they would need for their
stay. All these things were brought from the Sixth Planet.
In the bathroom.
The naked little child held a rubber duck and wanted to
invite his older brother to play together, but the older brother declined the
invitation and forcefully lifted the little child out of the bathtub.
“I’ll wash you again tonight. Now, let’s go back to the
palace and eat something delicious. The kitchen has a tasty braised meat dish,
and the aroma fills the entire dining hall.”
Listening to his brother’s description, the little child, who
was reluctant to come out just a moment ago, gave up struggling in an instant
and obediently let his brother dry him off.
“Brother, the stone!”
After putting on their clothes, the little child reminded his
brother of his ruby necklace. This “red gemstone” was actually a cheap gemstone
that was not that liked throughout the interstellar, even the people in the
rural planets didn’t like to wear it.
But for some reason, the little child liked it very much.
According to Uncle Zhan, when he first found the little
child, he already had this thing hanging around his neck. Uncle Zhan had wanted
to take off the necklace from the child’s neck, but every time he tried, the
little child would cry and couldn’t be soothed, no matter what.
Over time, Zhan Xi just let the child keep wearing the
necklace.
Huo Lin held the child with one hand and bent down, putting
the ruby necklace on the child in his embrace.
He took care of the child very skillfully. By the time An Nuo
had finished packing everything, Huo Lin had already blown-dried the child’s
hair.
“Uncle, let’s go.”
“Mm.”
When they arrived at the palace, Ai Wei set down the star device
she was holding upon seeing them. She wore a smile on her face that was no
different from before, and her voice was as gentle as ever. She said,
“Ningning, you’re here. Do you miss Auntie?”
“Yes!”
The little child was picked up by Ai Wei and hugged tightly.
Then, he affectionately kissed Ai Wei’s face a few times and said, “Auntie,
Ningning wants meat!”
“Let’s eat. Our Ningning will get a big piece.”
Ai Wei prepared delicious food for the little child. After
feeding him, she also read picture books and helped him with his homework.
“Auntie, where is Uncle Lulu?”
After playing with Auntie for a while, the little child
didn’t see Uncle Lulu and felt a bit puzzled. “Is Uncle in the study?”
“No.”
Ai Wei smiled and coaxed him, saying, “Uncle Lulu is working
overtime. He will come to see you when he’s done. You play by yourself for now,
and we’ll see Uncle Lulu later.”
“Okay!”
Easily placated, the little child nodded and didn’t make a
fuss about seeing Uncle Lulu anymore.
Time passed minute by minute.
From daytime until now, the little child had been busy. He
persisted until it was past ten o’clock and yawned sleepily, saying, “Ningning
is sleepy.”
Without waiting for Uncle Lulu, the little child was
eventually carried to bed by his uncle.
After settling the little child, An Nuo didn’t stay with him
on the bed. He got up and went outside to look for Ludwig.
Ai Wei’s emotions didn’t escape his eyes.
An Nuo had long noticed that Ai Wei wasn’t acting how she
normally would. She seemed normal on the surface, but she had been tense all
along.
Ai Wei’s unusual state, Ludwig’s delayed appearance, not
calling him and instead having Huo Lin pick them up—all of these people tonight
were very strange.
An Nuo walked down the corridor and soon arrived at the
study.
The study room’s door had been tightly closed.
Unfortunately, An Nuo’s hearing was very good, and he could
hear the voices inside. There were voices of Zhan Xi, as well as Ludwig and Ai
Wei.
Zhan Xi’s voice sounded the most anxious: “This kind of
situation can’t be suppressed! We may be able to suppress it once, but not a
second or third time, or more! Cole died too quickly. Who told Cole? Who
informed him about these things?!”
The news of Queen Ai Wei being alive was leaked last time,
but Cole didn’t react then, so it’s impossible for him to suddenly bring it up
now.
And there’s his Ningning.
Zhan Xi racked his brains, pondered for a long time, and he
dared to swear that his Ningning never exposed his abilities in front of Cole.
“Cole must die. If he didn’t die, Ningning’s name will be
revealed.”
Ludwig’s face was cold. Although his voice sounded calm while
speaking, those who knew him well could tell at a glance that he was furious.
“During this period, I will thoroughly investigate everyone
who has met Cole. The urgent matter now is to keep information about Ningning
tightly sealed!”
Someone with ill intentions could reach out to those who had
close connections with the palace.
Ningning’s name hadn’t been exposed, but the situation still
carried risks.
“Ludwig.”
Twice in a row, it was her own existence that put the little
child in a crisis of exposure. Queen Ai Wei’s heavy self-blame could be
imagined.
She softly called out to Ludwig, “I can’t hide anymore.”
She was the Empress of the empire, and for the dignity and
credibility of the imperial family, she had to step forward.
“We have to give the people an explanation about this
matter.”
Ai Wei had already made up her mind. She walked up to Ludwig
and placed her hand on his shoulder, continuing, “I will tell them that I am
alive, but at the same time, I will also tell them the truth, that the person
who woke me up doesn’t have the ability to awaken everyone who has depleted
their mental powers. I cannot disclose the identity of the other party, and if
they are dissatisfied with my actions... I respect all their criticisms of me.”
As soon as Ai Wei’s words came out, Zhan Xi immediately
understood.
Ai Wei was using her own reputation to shoulder the danger
for the little child.
Zhan Xi’s Adam’s apple rolled, but he didn’t say anything to
dissuade her.
He was being selfish.
Compared to the criticism that Queen Ai Wei might face next,
he still wanted to ensure his child’s safety a little more.
His child was still too young and should not be exposed at
this moment.
“Queen.”
Zhan Xi clenched his hands into fists and said softly, “Thank
you.”
Ai Wei smiled and said, “No need to thank me. If it weren’t
for Ningning, I would still be lying in a coffin. I’d rather face these storms
while awake than lie in a coffin. At least my husband and son are by my side.”
Ai Wei was broad-minded in her thinking. After discussing her
decision with Zhan Xi, she wasted no time and directly opened the star device,
publishing a lengthy article on her personal star network account.
In the article, she mentioned being awakened by someone, but
that person’s body couldn’t handle it after saving her.
Queen Ai Wei’s writing style and wording were excellent, but
despite her well-written words, the public remained skeptical.
All the people wanted to know: Who could treat those with
depleted mental powers?
Their loved ones, their partners, also need such treatment.
In the face of life and death, how many people could maintain
their composure?
Although the imperial PR department was trying its best to
control the situation and stabilize public emotions, this wave was difficult to
control.
Ai Wei’s star network account had also come under attack.
The conversation in the study, by the end of it, was actually
all silence.
Ludwig never evaluated his wife’s actions from beginning to
end. He simply accompanied her, regardless of what she did, offering his
support.
“It’s getting late.”
Zhan Xi knew without looking what the situation would be like
on StarNet right now. Instead of staying in the study, he suggested leaving,
saying, “Let Ningning sleep here tonight. I’ll go back first.”
“Okay.”
Zhan Xi pushed the door and left. When he left, the corridor
outside was empty, with no one around.
Only after he had walked a distance did An Nuo appear from
around the corner.
He watched Zhan Xi’s departing figure but didn’t call him
back.
Raphael had given him a star device, and the answers he
sought might be found on that device.
One hour later.
An Nuo had figured out the ins and outs of the situation, and
his message notification was incessantly ringing.
All the messages were from Raphael.
Since they separated, Raphael had been sending him countless
messages every day.
If An Nuo was a little late in responding, Raphael would
worry that he might have found someone else outside.
But now, Raphael wasn’t worried about him finding someone
else; he guessed what An Nuo was about to do.
An Nuo did not answer his calls or messages, and Raphael felt
restless, like an unattended dog.
At this moment, An Nuo was very calm. He sat beside the
adorable sleeping little child and looked down at him. As he looked, he lowered
his head and gave him a kiss.
“Ningning.”
An Nuo whispered softly, his eyes filled with love for his
precious little nephew, saying, “Fortunately, Uncle arrived by your side at
this time.”
If he had come a little later, his beloved little nephew might
have encountered trouble, and he wouldn’t have been able to protect him in
time.
At this moment, An Nuo felt extremely grateful that he hadn’t
reunited with his nephew too late.
After giving the little child a kiss, An Nuo then posted a
message on the Star Network.
The message he posted was simple and straightforward, with
only one line—
He admitted his identity.
After publishing the message, he went to find Ai Wei and
Ludwig.
“Both of you, please share my update.”
Otherwise, no one would have noticed his newly registered
Star Network account.
