Thinking about the combat power of the blackening male gods across the various dimensions, and then thinking about how she had never worried about what kind of fate would befall the enemies of those blackening male leads when she was doing her missions in the past…

And now it was her turn…

She was utterly speechless… Was she going to die young too? _(:з」∠)_

She almost wished she didn’t know anything ╥﹏╥

“Your Majesty, Your Majesty?”

She had just spaced out for a moment, and when she came to, she saw that Jun Yulin, who had apparently finished speaking, was now frowning at her.

Yan Luo was startled and instinctively straightened up a little, blinking her eyes.

“Royal Uncle, what’s the matter?”

The girl was only around seventeen or eighteen, not very tall, but because she had long been in a position of power, there was a natural air of authority between her brows.

She usually liked to wear heavy makeup to make herself look more mature, but today she hadn’t. Her porcelain-white face was fully exposed to everyone, delicate and beautiful. Without that makeup, she seemed even more lively and spirited, and coupled with the languid, nonchalant look in her eyes, she actually looked even more like an emperor than before.

Jun Yulin furrowed his brows slightly, suppressing the strange emotion that suddenly surged in his heart. He repeated what he had said earlier, “Your Majesty is about to turn eighteen. The selection of a consort has been delayed again and again. Your Majesty can no longer act willfully.”

His voice sounded calm, but there was an undeniable firmness in his tone.

Yan Luo rested her chin on her hand and looked at him, thinking about how the original owner had kept delaying this exact matter, precisely because of this man in front of her. And in this world, to reduce his blackening value… she had to help him get revenge?

Hmm… The enemies were her and the original owner’s mother.

And a consort selection, now? All she felt was overwhelming malice.

Scary.

Little Pink : [Dear Host, you can do it! Don’t chicken out!]

Yan Luo : “I’m just being honest, thanks.”

—Ugh… just thinking about it gave her the creeps…

“Since Royal Uncle insists…” Yan Luo said softly, fingers tapping lightly on the armrest of the throne as she felt the texture of this supposedly luxurious but actually uncomfortable dragon seat. “Then I’ll leave it to Royal Uncle to handle.”

Jun Yulin, who hadn’t received a response for quite a while and was about to speak again with a frown, was suddenly interrupted by the girl’s calm voice.

When this issue was mentioned before, Yan Luo always refused on the grounds that she was too young. Jun Yulin could sense the emperor’s thoughts to some extent. Although she was always calm, whenever this issue was brought up, her emotions would inevitably show.

But this time… he couldn’t read her mood at all.

Jun Yulin didn’t press further, merely replied in a cool voice, “Then let the consort selection ceremony be held on the occasion of Your Majesty’s birthday in a month. Does Your Majesty approve?”

“Let’s go with Royal Uncle’s arrangement. Do the rest of you ministers have any other matters to report?” Yan Luo nodded and responded, then spoke, her gaze sweeping across the room.

Only then did An Bai slowly raise his eyes and unhurriedly step forward. His voice was calm and gentle, but the words he spoke instantly caused cold sweat to break out on the backs of several older ministers behind him.

“Your Majesty, I have recently learned that due to severe drought in the Yunqing region, there has been a total crop failure, and the commoners have suffered heavy losses.”

Yan Luo raised an eyebrow. “Wasn’t that reported earlier by Minister Lin? I remember the court already sent out disaster relief grain and funds to Yunqing that very day. Where is Minister Lin? It seems our Grand Chancellor isn’t fully informed. Why don’t you come out and explain things to him?”

At first glance, the words seemed perfectly normal—but in fact, they had just quietly dug a pitfall for someone.

---

A man stood at the front on the right, dressed in a simple, elegant blue¹-and-white robe. His features were gentle and refined, with a faint smile at the corners of his lips. On the left stood another man in a splendid robe—not formal court attire, but still embroidered with dragon patterns.

These two were none other than the Grand Chancellor of Great Yan, An Bai, and the Prince Regent, Jun Yulin.

At the sight of Jun Yulin’s indifferent expression and cold brows, Yan Luo felt a sudden jolt in her heart. At the same time, the system’s voice sounded in her ears:

[*Ding*—Blackening value of the blackening male god Jun Yulin : 90.]

Yan Luo nearly stumbled, the corners of her lips twitching slightly, barely managing to maintain her imperial composure.

A big boss with a blackening value over 90, how long had it been since she’d last encountered one?

These thoughts circled in her mind, but her face remained impassive as she seated herself on the dragon throne and began listening to the usual morning court reports.

Meanwhile, she was receiving the plot data related to Jun Yulin.

This time, Little Pink had actually provided quite a detailed file. It recorded how Jun Yulin’s father had died young. He had been an important official of the country at that time, once fighting alongside Yan Luo’s grandfather in countless eastern campaigns before Yan Luo’s father took the throne.

At the time, there was a popular saying circulated: ‘Great Yan will rise with the Jun family, and fall with the Jun family.’ It was said to have been prophesied by a renowned Taoist.

Yan Luo’s grandfather, accustomed to warfare, paid no mind to such words from wandering mystics. But her father, who was still the Crown Prince then, had been deeply unsettled by the growing rumors.

Eventually, when Yan Luo’s grandfather died of an old illness, her father ascended the throne. He then used the palace’s secret guards to slaughter over a hundred members of the Jun family, all to prevent the so-called ‘fall of Great Yan at the hands of the Jun family.’ To cover it up, he claimed that the Jun family had been targeted by old enemies seeking revenge.

A few bandit hideouts were taken down afterward, and it was announced that justice for the Jun family had been served.

At that time, Jun Yulin had been studying abroad, which allowed him to escape the massacre. But by the time he returned, the young Jun Yulin found his home and family destroyed.

Naturally, he didn’t believe the official story given by Yan Luo’s father. After conducting his own investigation, Jun Yulin traced everything back to the palace’s secret guards.

During that time, both Yan Luo’s father and mother had made multiple assassination attempts on Jun Yulin.

For Jun Yulin’s talents far surpassed even his father’s, and if he were left alive, he’d surely become a grave threat.

Not long after, Yan Luo’s father died of illness. Whether Jun Yulin had a hand in that remained a mystery. The new emperor who succeeded him died shortly after as well, plunging the court into chaos.

In the midst of this turmoil, Jun Yulin supported Yan Luo’s rise to the throne and was himself appointed Prince Regent.

His goal was clear: revenge. Supporting Yan Luo might have been just part of his plan to settle the score.

Of course, the original owner without Little Pink would never have known any of this.

Moreover, in such chaotic times, being saved by a man who seemed like a god descending from the heavens had left the original owner with complicated, unexplainable feelings toward Jun Yulin. That was why Yan Luo’s heart had thudded violently the moment she saw him.

Looking at Jun Yulin below, dressed in red with a slightly cold expression, it was undeniable he was strikingly handsome. The outfit made him even more captivating, impossible to look away from.

But for once, Little Pink hadn’t scammed Yan Luo of the plot. However, now fully aware of the story background, Yan Luo just wanted to cry.

Her missions had always been challenging, but this time it was truly nerve-wracking. Her relationship with the blackening male god was straight-up mortal enemies.

---

1. The Chinese character 青 (qīng) doesn’t translate to a single color in English. Instead, it encompasses a range of colors, primarily those found in nature between blue and green. Translating this color is always confusing. Since I don’t know much about Chinese history, and it’s a fictional dynasty, I don’t think I can refer to any real dynasty’s official robe colors. Considering 青 (ao) in Japanese means blue, I’ll translate this to blue from now on. ↩︎

---

Chapter 386 – Regent Uncle, We’re Not On The Same Page (1)

rokumi’s note : WARNING! There’s a BxB side couple in this arc. If you’re uncomfortable with such content, you might want to skip this arc. This arc will end in chapter 430, so you can go to Chapter 431 later.

---

---

The last mission was completed relatively smoothly, and Yan Luo was becoming increasingly accustomed to the time spent within the different dimensions.

After only a short rest, she directly entered the next dimension.

---

In the second year of the Yan Chang era, the chaos of war had long since subsided, and the entire Great Yan Dynasty was showing signs of prosperous development.

The previous emperor of Great Yan had passed away two years ago, but he had left behind few heirs. During his long illness, the few children he had competed fiercely for the throne.

In the end, it was the first princess of Great Yan who, with the support of Regent Jun Yulin, successfully ascended the throne and changed the era name to Yan Chang. However, due to the Regent’s poor relationship with the new emperor’s Mother, it couldn’t be said that the court was completely stable yet.

Yan Luo lay on the soft bed with her eyes closed, receiving the background information and memories.

The original owner’s memories were not many, but they were quite chaotic. Yan Luo furrowed her brows slightly as she slowly sorted through them. Just then, a soft voice of a palace maid sounded, “Your Majesty, it’s about time. You should rise for morning court.”

Only then did Yan Luo open her eyes and slowly sit up. Attendants naturally stepped forward to help her dress and do her hair.

In the Great Yan Dynasty, positions were held by the capable, and even the emperor was chosen based on ability rather than gender. Though female rulers were rare, they were not unheard of in history.

Her black hair was neatly arranged and adorned with glass and jade hairpins. Golden dragon-patterned ornaments were added to each side, and finally, a grand and regal golden dragon crown was secured in place.

She wore wide black robes, with golden threads outlining the form of a dragon and embroidered dragon motifs around it.

The girl in the mirror appeared quite young, with naturally red lips and crimson nails. Her phoenix-shaped eyes were slightly narrowed—radiant, bold, and carrying a hint of regal dominance.

She didn’t look at all like someone who had only risen to power by relying on another person.

But indeed, the original owner had been naturally gifted, just young and lacking experience. Now that Yan Luo had taken over, she fully embodied that elusive and unreadable aura.

So much so that none of the surrounding female officials dared look directly at her face.

A soft towel dusted with pale powder was brought close, and Yan Luo slightly frowned as she glanced at the line of female officials behind her, each holding a different cosmetic. The corners of her lips twitched faintly, and she raised her hand to push it away.

Then she stood up.

This sudden action startled the group of female attendants, who immediately lowered themselves to the floor, looking fearfully at the ground before them.

The girl’s voice was luxurious and tinged with laziness, as if somewhat nonchalant: “You don’t need to do all this in the future. Lin Yuan, let’s go.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Lin Yuan was Yan Luo’s personal maid. Dressed in a green robe, she glanced at the maids still kneeling on the floor and waved her hand to dismiss them.

There was a flicker of confusion in her eyes as she looked at Yan Luo walking away.

His Majesty was usually meticulous about these things—precisely to cover up her youth and inexperience. So why the change today? But ever since being transferred to Yan Luo’s side, Lin Yuan had never been able to truly read what her master was thinking, so she gave up pondering and quickly followed.

The sky was just beginning to lighten, still carrying the dampness of the night. Several palace attendants carried dragon-patterned lanterns ahead of them.

When they arrived at the main hall, all the officials were already in their places. Upon seeing Yan Luo’s arrival, they knelt and saluted.

A slightly noisy sounds of “Long live the Emperor” echoed through the hall.

Yan Luo swept her gaze across them. Only two people remained standing. They were slightly bending at the waist, but making no further movements.

---

Chapter 385 – Your family’s plum blossom is lost again (End)

Obviously, that wasn’t the case. Finally, with dark eyes, he raised his hand and unbuttoned his buttons one by one.

The little girl was happy at this moment. Her white and thin fingers rested on his chest and gently moved, as if she was thinking about something.

Yan Luo’s warmth directly touched Mu Ci’s Adam’s apple, and he couldn’t hold back.

His big hand quietly grasped her waist. The little girl still knew nothing, looking at him innocently and purely. Her little hand even unconsciously slid on his chest, which ignited a flame in his eyes.

“Counterattack, how to do it?”

He heard the little girl’s voice ringing in his ears.

Innocent but charming.

Well… he can’t stand it.

As for her interest in counterattack, let’s talk about it next time.

He turned over and pressed Yan Luo under him. Mu Ci licked the corner of his lips slightly and lowered his head.

Yan Luo was already dizzy and couldn’t react at all. She could only look at him in a daze as the two fell down. When her mind came to her senses, Mu Ci’s hands were already very skillfully unbuttoning Yan Luo’s clothes.

She had a faint smell of alcohol and milk, which made the light in Mu Ci’s eyes dim, especially when he thought about his little girl who insisted on drinking milk for ten years, even though she was already in her twenties now.

She was already at the age of marriage…

Thinking of this, he lowered his head and bit Yan Luo’s collarbone.

Yan Luo’s fair skin touched the air, and the pain in her collarbone made her start to make a fuss again in dissatisfaction.

“We agreed… well… I want to counterattack?”

“Next time, be good, it will hurt the first time…” Mu Ci’s hand did not slow down at all, but he coaxed the little girl in a gentle voice.

Then the little girl was unwilling again, and her little hands were casually waving, and she slapped Mu Ci’s face, “No, I don’t want to be hurt…”

But the culprit was still pouting his pink lips with a face full of dissatisfaction and grievance.

In the end, the one who was beaten had to be coaxed.

Of course, Yan Luo didn’t escape in the end. The moment she cried out in pain, his lips fell down and swallowed her cry.

The slightly stimulating action made Yan Luo shake her head constantly.

The smell of cigarettes and alcohol that had not yet dissipated lingered in this beautiful scene for a long time.

The next day, the little girl who was half asleep and half awake was dressed up by Mu Ci and dragged to the Civil Affairs Bureau.

Well, of course, it was hidden from Yan Luzheng, and it was a case of killing first and reporting later.

The end was miserable. When she went home and showed the two little red books to Yan Luzheng, Yan Luzheng almost jumped up and hit people.

The last of Mu Ci’s blackening value decreased at the wedding.

However, the original owner’s life span had not yet run out, so Little Pink did not urge Yan Luo to leave quickly.

Perhaps because he was an artificial human and had certain defects, Mu Ci’s life span was not very long, and the two did not have children, so they adopted a child, and the days that followed were simple and dull.

Mu Ci left earlier than Yan Luo. Yan Luo felt that the hand holding her hand was getting weaker and weaker, and just gently held it back, and the voice of Little Pink sounded in his ears.

[The mission is completed, Dear Host, do you want to leave the dimension?]

“Yes. “

In the end, Yan Luo felt the force holding her hand suddenly increase, and then let go.

It was unknown what Mu Ci noticed, but he just said in a very relaxed and gentle voice—

—Next time you get lost, I will take you home…

---

Chapter 384 – Your family’s plum blossom is lost again (60)

Mu Li was sent to a mental hospital, and he would not live long due to his illness. Mu Beicheng and Gu Mingli were sent abroad. It was said that Mu Ci understood his parents and did not want them to suffer the fact that his older brother had become a psychopath.

But in fact, there were people abroad who were specifically watching the Mu family couple. As long as they did not say anything, everything would be fine.

And the days that followed were naturally very ordinary without these annoying things. Yan Luo began to get in touch with the affairs of the Yan family company, and was directly recommended to the university in her second year of high school because of her excellent grades.

Mu Ci silently used his underground empire to protect his little girl, and then readily accepted those who said that he was a gigolo who lived off her.

Every time he heard such words, his little girl always tried to argue with others at first, but later found that she could not explain it clearly, so she gave up the argument, always looking at him with a distressed look, and then it was particularly easy to accept his kisses and hugs at this time.

It’s just a gift…

After a few years, the little girl has become the head of the Yan family, a sexy and hot queen… Well, it doesn’t exist.

Although he likes her very much, he always sees the little girl who barely grows to 1.6 meters in her own room doubting her life.

The two got engaged naturally, and then Mu Ci finally ate the little girl when Old Master Yan didn’t notice.

At that time, Yan Luo drank a few more glasses of wine and was a little dizzy. She was carried into the room by Mu Ci.

Then the soft little girl half-closed her eyes, grabbed Mu Ci’s clothes, her face flushed, and said seriously, “I want to drink milk and then go to sleep.”

Mu Ci, who was covering the little girl with a quilt, had a black line on his face. Drink milk? She didn’t grow much taller, but… He glanced at Yan Luo’s chest with an evil look. Mu Ci licked his lips, his eyes deep, and opened his mouth to divert his attention.

“What do you want to do if you are so persistent in growing taller?”

“Well…” the little girl holding the quilt looked innocent, “I want long legs!”

Oh.

“I want to counterattack! Let Mu Ci kneel on the keyboard and sing Conquer!! (✧◡✧)”

Mu Ci:…

The breath suddenly darkened, and his eyebrows slightly raised, looking at the innocent little girl who had no idea how she had just said something shocking.

Girl, your ideal is quite ambitious.

Looking at the little girl who was very different from usual, he couldn’t help but approach her and kissed the little girl. His voice was hoarse, and he automatically ignored the fact that she wants him to kneel on the keyboard and sing Conquer, “I’ll give you a chance to counterattack, okay?”

Counterattack? Yan Luo half-squinted her eyes, then nodded happily, and her hand was pulled up by someone and placed on his neck.

The little girl blinked blankly, is this what counterattack is like?

Finally, she turned over with dissatisfaction, pressed the unprepared Mu Ci under her body, and raised her hand to pull his clothes.

This kind of stimulation made Mu Ci unable to react for a while, and he could only look at the little girl sitting on his waist stupidly.

She was struggling with the buttons of his shirt at the moment. The buttons of this shirt were delicately made and it was a bit troublesome to unbutton them.

Yan Luo frowned and lost his patience after barely unbuttoning one.

He grabbed Mu Ci’s clothes and pulled hard…

Of course, she couldn’t tear it off.

Mu Ci didn’t expect Yan Luo to be like this after being drunk.

He could only lie on the bed and watch the little girl looking at his clothes with a wronged face, as if his clothes bullied her.

---

Chapter 383 – Your family’s plum blossom is lost again (59)

His actions, however, were misinterpreted by Mu Li as Yan Luo not believing him. His grip tightened involuntarily, and his voice sank, carrying a hint of urgency.

“He’s not normal. He’s different from us. Everything I’m saying is true.”

Yan Luo took advantage of the moment to abruptly withdraw her hand. She glanced at him, her brows furrowing slightly. Naturally, she knew that the fewer people who knew about such things, the better. So, she simply said,

“What nonsense are you spouting?”

With that, she ignored Mu Li and prepared to go downstairs.

But Mu Li, whose heart had long been consumed by jealousy and resentment, wasn’t about to let her leave so easily.

Yan Luo still treated him with the same distant attitude as before, like a stranger.

Mu Li’s expression darkened instantly, and a deep voice echoed behind her.

“We were all together… so why are you treating me differently?”

When were they ever together? And if she had to respond to every person who liked her, that wouldn’t be kindness, it would be insanity.

Too lazy to deal with him, she turned toward the staircase. Just as she reached the landing, a sudden force shoved her from behind, sending her tumbling forward.

A chilling voice muttered behind her,

“If I can’t have you, then neither can he…”

Lunatic!

Yan Luo clenched her teeth, trying to adjust her posture to minimize the fall. But just then, she heard the sound of urgent footsteps rushing toward her.

The next moment, a strong hand caught her unbalanced body, yanking her forcefully into a firm embrace.

A familiar scent washed over her, making her momentarily freeze. But the motion didn’t stop—her savior stumbled back a couple of steps, nearly falling himself, before colliding against something hard.

A muffled groan sounded above her head.

Yan Luo instinctively looked up and called out, “Mu Ci!”

Mu Ci held her with one arm, his back pressed against the sharp edge of the staircase landing. The staircase wasn’t high, but the surrounding decorations—placed for aesthetic appeal—posed a real danger if one were to fall on them.

A searing pain spread from his lower back, making Mu Ci’s expression turn even colder. If he hadn’t come looking for her in time, what exactly had that bastard been planning to do to his girl?

“Mu Ci…” Mu Li, standing at the top of the stairs, froze for a moment, his hands slowly clenching.

“Are you okay?” Mu Ci asked, still holding onto Yan Luo as he got to his feet.

Yan Luo frowned as she noticed the sharp corner behind Mu Ci. Without thinking, she reached out to check his injury, but Mu Ci caught her small hand in his own.

Lowering his head slightly, his lips brushed against her hairline as he murmured,

“I’m fine. Go downstairs and find Grandpa Yan. Tell him to call security.”

Seeing the way she blinked up at him—eyes wide, startled, and a little lost—Mu Ci’s gaze deepened. He reached out and patted her head.

“Hurry.”

Glancing at Mu Li’s weak appearance and then at Mu Ci, who looked as if he were about to explode, Yan Luo swallowed hard before scampering off.

She wasn’t sure what had happened in the meantime, but when she returned with Yan Luzheng and the security team, she found Mu Li curled up in a corner, unconscious, his face bruised and swollen.

Well… it seemed like the fight had been quite intense.

Naturally, the Mu family wanted to hold someone accountable for this, but since this had happened in the Yan family’s main residence—where every hallway was under surveillance—plus a few words from Mu Ci and Yan Luzheng, Mu Li was taken away for a psychological evaluation instead.

The results confirmed that he had long been suffering from a mental illness.

With that conclusion, anything he or the Mu family had to say was no longer believed by anyone.

---

Chapter 382 – Your family’s plum blossom is lost again (58)

Due to organ failure, he appeared exceptionally pale, and as death drew nearer, the dark aura around him grew more intense.

Yan Luo had the ability to see misfortune. Even in such a dim environment, the black aura on him continued to surge endlessly.

And there is also a somewhat different atmosphere mixed in.

“Luoluo, happy birthday.” Mu Li took a few steps closer, with a faintly sickly and weak smile on his lips, and he was holding a delicate velvet box in his hand.

Yan Luo frowned slightly.

[Dear Host, it seems that Mu Li had contact with that pseudo-system before. His aura feels a bit off.]

Little Pink scanned him for a long time before giving a reminder.

Yan Luo gave a subtle nod to show she understood. She maintained a polite smile but didn’t take the box from his hand. “Thank you, but Grandpa already mentioned that all the gifts should be placed in the designated area.”

The girl smiled sweetly, looking dazzling and charming. Her outfit softened her usual aloofness slightly—

But only slightly. The invisible distance between them was still clear, insurmountable.

Yet when she was with his so-called ‘younger brother,’ her smile was completely different—genuine and joyful. It was so unfair. He just wanted to play with her too, so why could it only be the two of them?

Later, he wasn’t even allowed to see her anymore.

They had known her for nearly the same amount of time, so why was her attitude toward them so drastically different?

He was more mature than Mu Ci. His grades were better than Mu Ci’s. So why did even Old Master Yan side with Mu Ci—the one who only existed because of him?

Even his parents told him not to provoke Mu Ci anymore, saying that Mu Ci had now gained the Yan family’s favor and wasn’t someone they could afford to offend. That some things must not be spoken of again…

Then why had they told him in the first place?

If Mu Ci had truly been his biological brother and had been loved by his parents since childhood, perhaps he wouldn’t feel this sense of injustice now.

But precisely because he knew that Mu Ci had been created for him—a mere backup replacement—he had always viewed him as such. And shamefully, he had even been waiting for Mu Ci’s eighteenth birthday…

Only to suddenly be told—no, he couldn’t anymore. Now, Mu Ci had a brighter future than he did.

Yet he himself might die at any moment due to organ failure.

And now, looking at Yan Luo in front of him—did she even know what kind of person she was so close to?

His eyes darkened as he clenched the small box in his hand.

Yan Luo had already sensed something was wrong, and now was definitely not the time to break character. She needed to find a safe place quickly.

“There are still people waiting for me downstairs, so I’ll excuse myself. I hope you have a great time tonight.” Yan Luo stepped slightly to the side, preparing to head down the stairs.

But in Mu Li’s ears, her words sounded like a blatant mockery.

His lips twisted into a strange smile. Suddenly, he reached out and grabbed Yan Luo’s wrist before she could struggle.

“You don’t know, do you?” he whispered. “Mu Ci isn’t even a normal person.”

Yan Luo’s lips twitched slightly.

She already knew that. Could he stop acting like he was revealing some earth-shattering secret to her?

She glanced at the hand holding her wrist and exerted a little force, trying to break free.

---

Chapter 381 – Your family’s plum blossom is lost again (57)

The warm, soft touch at his fingertips vanished in an instant. Mu Ci’s gaze darkened slightly before he looked up nonchalantly at Zhou Zhuo in front of him, a hint of threat flashing in his eyes.

He didn’t like this, he especially didn’t like, he really, really didn’t like the guy in front of him, whose build was eerily similar to the man that the girl in his dreams had been hugging.

His tone was casual but carried an undercurrent of danger, “Sorry, but our little princess’s first dance is with me.”

Not long after he said this…

Then?

Then Old Master Yan swooped in and stole the moment.

The girl in his arms was taken away. Mu Ci’s face darkened as he listened to Zhou Zhuo chuckle lightly beside him, making his expression sink even further.

On the dance floor, Yan Luo followed Yan Luzheng’s lead in the opening dance, but her gaze kept flicking toward Mu Ci.

Yan Luzheng was slightly displeased but had to admit that the little girl who used to reach out for hugs, barely tall enough to reach his knees, had finally grown up.

He watched as Mu Ci exchanged a few words with Zhou Zhuo, and soon after, Zhou Zhuo walked away with an ugly expression. Meanwhile, Mu Ci looked completely at ease. When he caught Yan Luo looking his way, he even bared his teeth at her childishly.

Yan Luo couldn’t help but chuckle.

After all, this was her own home—there was no way she could get lost. Once Old Master Yan finished the opening dance with her, he let her roam freely.

But personally escorting Yan Luo back to Mu Ci? No way. Not happening. That kid was dreaming if he thought so.

The scent of alcohol in the air was quite strong, and her body seemed particularly sensitive to it. Before long, she started feeling a little lightheaded. She glanced around but didn’t see Mu Ci, so she headed up to the second floor, planning to step out onto the balcony for some fresh air.

As soon as she reached the second floor and stood by the window, before she could even open the balcony door, Little Pink’s voice chimed in her head.

[Dear Host, be careful behind you~]

Yan Luo : w(ﾟДﾟ)w “What are you talking about in the middle of the night?!”

She swallowed nervously, then spun around abruptly, taking a few steps to the side.

A figure had followed her up the stairs. The second floor wasn’t fully lit—only the dim side lights were on—so she didn’t recognize the person at first.

But as he stepped closer, his somewhat familiar features and sickly complexion made her pause. She instinctively moved a little toward the staircase and spoke,
“Mu Li?”

The man hesitated slightly, but his expression was obviously off. He forced a weak smile. “Luoluo.”

Mu Li was a few years older than both her and Mu Ci. Though they had attended the same school, they hadn’t interacted much. Mu Ci had spent most of his time at the Yan residence, so Yan Luo didn’t have much of an impression of Mu Li.

She only vaguely recalled that he always seemed eager to get close to her. Maybe it was because of hints from Mu Beicheng and Gu Mingli, but he appeared to have a strong interest in her.

Even so, they rarely met. Hearing him call her that now made Yan Luo frown slightly.

Still, she spoke politely, “It’s been a while. Do you need something?”

Mu Li’s lips curved in a smile as he took two steps forward, but there was something unsettling about it.

Yan Luo instinctively took another step back and quietly asked Little Pink in her mind,

“Why do I feel creeped out? And that black aura around him… I’m not imagining it, right?”

[Wow! Dear Host, you didn’t scream and jump away? That’s impressive, definitely worth some encouragement!] Little Pink chirped.

Yan Luo’s mouth twitched slightly.

---

Chapter 380 – Your family’s plum blossom is lost again (56)

My Cu showed an innocent and repentant look.

Yan Luo widened her eyes, tempted to splash the milk in her hand. This guy hadn’t even earned her forgiveness yet, but he was already trying to take advantage of her.

And he was way too clingy.

Despite looking like someone with a cold and indifferent personality, whenever he got close, he wanted to steal kisses. The moment she let her guard down, he always seemed ready to launch a sneak attack.

She just wanted to ask—Buddy, are you still sticking to your character setting?

Since she knew he could handle things over there, Yan Luo didn’t ask too many questions.

She only knew that not long ago, a high-ranking official had been exposed for secretly setting up a research lab, developing illegal drugs and biochemical viruses, and even using live humans for experiments. Due to an operational mishap, a leak had occurred, affecting most of the lab staff and even endangering nearby areas.

The state immediately took action to dismantle the inhumane laboratory, but before the investigation could proceed, explosives hidden within the facility detonated, destroying all critical data, instruments, and files in the fire.

Yan Luo wasn’t sure how much of this was Mu Ci’s doing, but he had at least spared the Mu family.

Right now, Mu Beicheng was probably panicking. However, with all the records erased, there was nothing linking the lab to the Mu family. Besides, no one knew that Mu Ci had long been aware of his true identity.

Without that lab, organ transplants would now be completely impossible. The only question was whether the Mu family would end up digging their own graves later.

After coaxing the little girl to sleep, Mu Ci finally left the room in a good mood and went to prepare for tomorrow’s banquet.

Since it was a Yan family banquet, the attendees would naturally be numerous and influential, mostly business tycoons.

Yan Luo’s hair was styled in an elegant updo, adorned with pearl ornaments, with a few soft strands framing her face. She wore a black-purple silk gown with thin straps, its slightly extended hem layered with delicate fabric. In the dim lighting, the dress shimmered like the night sky, dotted with twinkling stars as she moved, setting off her snow-white skin in a way that was impossible to ignore.

A mix of purity and allure, making Mu Ci’s gaze darken as he watched her.

Of course, the one leading Yan Luo into the hall was none other than her overly possessive grandfather.

During Yan Luo’s birthday celebration, it was officially announced that she would be the family’s heir—immediately drawing even more attention.

After all, as the future head of the Yan family, she represented vast wealth, and everyone knew exactly what that meant.

When the ballroom dance portion of the banquet began, Yan Luo spotted Zhou Zhuo—the young man who had given her a ride home before—approaching from afar. Dressed in a silver-gray suit, he carried himself with elegance, with a glimmer in his eyes.

But the emotion in his gaze was starting to resemble that of the others around her. Yan Luo frowned slightly.

She couldn’t help but glance at Mu Ci, who had been standing quietly nearby. Seeing this, he stepped forward.

“Miss Yan Luo—” Zhou Zhuo had barely gotten close when a hand suddenly reached from behind her and pulled Yan Luo into a firm embrace. He looked up, only to meet Mu Ci’s dark, intense gaze.

Mu Ci swept a glance over him, then lowered his head with a playful smirk, brushing his lips against the corner of Yan Luo’s mouth.

“Little kitten, you’ve got cream on your mouth again.”

Yan Luo’s eyes widened. She suddenly remembered that she had just eaten a piece of cream cake. Instinctively, she stuck out her tongue to lick her lips, only to accidentally graze Mu Ci’s fingers.

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Chapter 379 – Your family’s plum blossom is lost again (55)

This kind of thing was not unheard of for Yan Luzheng. Parents favoring one child to the point of obsession, even harming their other child, was something he had seen before.

But he had never expected the Mu family to be one of those cases.

And Mu Li was suffering from organ failure? The Mu family had hidden it well, even he hadn’t noticed a thing.

At that thought, Yan Luzheng frowned slightly.

Mu Ci naturally knew what Yan Luzheng was suspecting. After all, that laboratory was involved, and while Yan Luzheng was a force in the business world, the laboratory’s dealings were far more complex. He was in the process of uprooting it bit by bit.

This plan had been in motion for so long that they had only now dared to act. It was no surprise that Yan Luzheng had found nothing in his investigations.

“So this is why you despise the Mu family,” Yan Luzheng said with a trace of a sigh in his eyes.

Having watched Mu Ci grow up, knowing what he had been through, Yan Luzheng couldn’t help but feel complicated emotions. Of course, what weighed on him even more was his own little princess.

The Mu family itself didn’t concern Mu Ci much. Compared to that laboratory, they were merely pawns. Taking down the Mu family held little appeal for him. Though these were his thoughts, Mu Ci said nothing—letting Yan Luzheng imagine whatever he pleased.

In fact, Yan Luzheng even speculated that Mu Ci refused the Mu family’s shares because he found them tainted or because he wanted to carve out his own future without relying on them. His gaze toward Mu Ci softened at the thought.

Mu Ci noticed his look and couldn’t help but twitch the corner of his lips. In the end, he remained silent, simply watching Yan Luzheng.

Yan Luzheng had already acknowledged Mu Ci in his heart. It was just that, in the past, he couldn’t stand the relationship between these two children. Now that he understood, he no longer acted as frivolous or indifferent as before.

He had no objections—only one condition: if Mu Ci wanted to be with his little princess, he had to handle his own affairs first.

And if he ever dared to betray her, he should pack up and leave immediately, without delaying her chance to find someone better.

Mu Ci’s face darkened when he heard the last part.

But the matter was settled for now.

Until the night before Yan Luo’s seventeenth birthday.

Mu Ci, now quite practiced, took a box of milk from the fridge, warmed it slightly in hot water, poured it into a cup, and handed it to the ‘still angry’ Yan Luo.

The girl opened the door, saw the milk in his hand, and took it with a slight frown of distaste.

“Why is the milk always warm lately?”

“The weather is getting colder. And don’t forget, your period is coming soon.”

Seeing the girl take the cup only to turn and shut the door in his face, Mu Ci leaned against the doorframe to block it. And as if that wasn’t enough, he had to endure her look of disdain.

He raised an eyebrow, amusement flickering in his eyes.

Then, shamelessly squeezing inside, he watched as Yan Luo, though puffing her cheeks in frustration, didn’t actually stop him. That was enough for him to settle in beside her without guilt.

At that moment, Yan Luo took a sip from the cup. A tiny bit of milk foam clung to her lips.

Mu Ci’s gaze darkened slightly. He leaned in and swiftly licked the foam away.

He watched as the girl froze, staring up at him in shock, her face blank with disbelief.

She blinked, then instinctively stepped back.

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