Chapter 528: Chapter 467: Lantern Festival

“It’s not that I dislike her. Heng Tao is quite astute and clever, and she doesn’t have the arrogance of a young lady from a prestigious family. It’s just that her talent isn’t high. I’m afraid it will be difficult for Little Stone and her to have a lasting future together.” Lan Cang put it very tactfully.

Sang Luo glanced toward the door. “Little Stone seems to really like her, and I think she’s fine, too. But the difference in their talent really is a chasm that’s hard to overcome… Their future potential, their lifespans… it meant they were fated to walk different paths.”

She paused, turning back to Lan Cang. Suppressing the trace of bitterness in her heart, she lowered her head to kiss his cheek and chuckled softly. “As long as he’s happy, that’s all that matters. No matter what happens in the future, at least he won’t have any regrets.”

How could Lan Cang not understand her thoughts and worries? He wrapped one arm around her slender, soft waist, pulling her onto his lap. His other long, broad hand gently smoothed her unconsciously furrowed brow. “Finding a lifelong partner is a required lesson on their path of growth. I won’t stop them.”

“But! There’s no need to rush into an engagement. Let them spend more time together and see if they’re truly compatible!” Sang Luo quickly added.

Little Stone was a rather quiet and reserved child. He hadn’t had much contact with females growing up, and the flutters of first love can come and go quickly.

When a young, pretty female takes the initiative to show interest, it’s inevitable that his heart would be stirred. But he needs to distinguish whether it’s just a favorable impression or genuine affection.

“Don’t worry, I’m keeping an eye on the children,” Lan Cang said with a smile. “That girl said she’ll only ever have Little Stone as her partner. If they truly love each other and end up together, it would be a wonderful thing for our son to have someone by his side who is completely devoted to him.”

“What? Are you getting envious of our son?”

Lan Cang’s fingers traced her brows and eyes. The calluses on his fingertips were a little rough, but the man’s touch was gentler than a feather. “I’m not envious. In my heart, no one can compare to you. I’m just happy for our son. For a Male Beast, finding a partner who truly loves him is the greatest happiness in life.”

Sang Luo snuggled into his strong, broad embrace.

Lan Cang trained year-round, so he had a tall and sturdy build. Being held tightly in his arms, the feeling of being completely enveloped, gave her an immense sense of satisfaction and happiness.

“…I’ve been back for so long, but I still feel like I’m in a daze. In my memory, they’re still three little Wolf Pups, and now in the blink of an eye, they’re old enough to be talking about marriage.” Sang Luo gave a wry smile. “Are we going to be grandparents one of these days? I feel like I’m about to become an old grandma!”

“There’s no such thing as a grandma as young and beautiful as you. It’s me who will really become an old grandpa when our children have kids of their own.”

Lan Cang pressed his forehead against hers and asked gently,

“When my hair turns gray, will you grow weary of me, Luoluo?”

Sang Luo shook her head frantically. “Even if you really become an old grandpa, you’ll still be the most handsome one. In my heart, you’ll never grow old.”

She looked up at him, her voice soft and full of tenderness. “You gave me the best years of your life, how could I ever grow weary of you? Even if you lose all your teeth and are bedridden, unable to care for yourself, I’ll still be there to feed you.”

His face was reflected in her clear, dark eyes, filling them completely. Lan Cang’s throat bobbed. He suddenly cupped the back of her head with his large hand, pulling her tightly into his embrace. “…”

From an angle where she couldn’t see, the man’s eyes reddened and grew moist. A single tear fell, tracing its way down his face and disappearing into the collar of his clothes.

Sharing a pillow late into the night, the two talked for a long time, sharing old memories and funny stories from their children’s youth.

When Zhuizui and Zhi Xin were little, they were timid. Whenever they faced danger, Little Stone would stand in front to protect his younger siblings.

When the two little Wolf Pups wanted to play instead of study, it was also Little Stone who supervised his younger brother and sister’s learning.

One time, Zhuizui made his sister cry, so he ran a hundred *li* just to pick a Snow Spirit Flower to give her and cheer her up…

…

「Two months later, there was a Lantern Festival.」

It was the North Continent’s rare warm season. The ice and snow melted, and the rivers broke free from the ice.

The North Continent was vast and sparsely populated, a land of bitter cold. Compared to other bustling and prosperous continents, it always seemed somewhat desolate and lonely. Whenever this season arrived, people would always look for some heartwarming fun. No one knew who started it, but more and more people began to participate, so Lan Cang organized a three-day Lantern Festival in the city.

During the Lantern Festival, the Beastmen in the city could join hands with family and friends to admire the lanterns, sing and dance, and enjoy bonfire banquets. It was truly the city’s rare, grand annual event.

Those most excited about the Lantern Festival were, without a doubt, the young, single Male Beasts and the loving young couples.

The environment of the North Continent was harsh, so the more delicate females rarely went out on normal days. The Male Beasts were busy hunting and working to make a living, so they rarely had opportunities to interact with females.

Only during grand festivals like this in the warmer season could one see the magnificent sight of females going out in groups. For the young males, it was an excellent opportunity to strike up conversations and show off, and perhaps win someone’s heart.

Young couples also loved to stroll hand-in-hand during the Lantern Festival to deepen their relationship.

Little Stone had also asked Heng Tao out.

As for Zhuizui, he was gone first thing in the morning, off messing around somewhere.

Zhi Xin had no interest in the Lantern Festival. She already had more than enough males trying to court her, both openly and secretly. Some were so persistent they were impossible to get rid of. She had no desire to show her face in public and invite more trouble for herself.

On the day of the Lantern Festival, she came home for a family reunion dinner, then returned to Chuanwu City. The factory had a new, large order, and the client needed it urgently.

“This year’s Lantern Festival is quite lively. Let’s go for a walk, too. Don’t just coop yourself up in the study. It’s so boring.” Sang Luo leaned over the desk, looking at Lan Cang pitifully.

Lan Cang blushed. “Luoluo, the Lantern Festival is full of young couples. We’ve been married for so many years… if we go, won’t it be…”

“What’s wrong with being an old married couple! I want to go have fun. If you won’t go with me, I’ll go by myself.” Sang Luo was displeased.

Lan Cang said quickly, “I’ll go with you!”

“That’s more like it.”

Sang Luo chose a festive red cotton top and skirt. It was very form-fitting and didn’t look bulky at all.

She looked at herself in the mirror.

“Do I look good?”

Lan Cang stared at her, unable to look away. “Beautiful!”

’She looked beautiful in anything. Without even trying to dress up, she could outshine everyone else.’

“I picked out an outfit for you, too. Once you change, we can go see the lanterns.” Sang Luo took out a men’s outfit in a similar color and style, like a matching couple’s set.

Lan Cang took the bright outfit, which seemed… a little inappropriate for his current age. He looked at her, then at his own reflection in the mirror, and lowered his head, feeling inadequate. “Luoluo, will I embarrass you?”

“Trust your partner’s taste. This will suit you perfectly. You’ll definitely look handsome in it!” Sang Luo urged him to hurry up and change.

Lan Cang had no choice but to obediently go and change. He took off the black, gray, and dark blue clothes he wore almost unchangingly year after year… Dressed in a warm, red-toned, fur-collared cloak with an apricot-colored embroidered inner robe, his style was a complete departure from his usual attire, but! It also looked great! A refreshing change!

The main reason was that he was handsome. His face was chiseled and sharp, both good-looking and resolute. Although he no longer had the pure youthfulness of his younger days, he now possessed the calm and steady presence of a mature man, giving him a unique charm.

His figure was tall and imposing, straight and well-built—a living mannequin who would look good in anything.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep