Chapter 52: Chapter 52: Courtesy

Lu Huan, who followed Lu Xiao out from Earl Hua An’s, still looked dazed.

Lu Xiao had noticed for a while that something was wrong with her, but she waited until they were in the car to ask, “Is there something you want to say?”

Lu Huan glanced at Lu Xiao and pursed her lips, as if what she had to say was difficult to broach.

Lu Xiao didn’t press her, her silence implying that Lu Huan could either say it or not.

“I just went to see Noah. Before I could even say a word, he told me he wouldn’t bother me again. He said I shouldn’t take anything he told me before seriously, that he was just rambling and wasn’t thinking clearly. He said his feelings for me were a delusion and that he only now realizes what he truly wants. And… and he asked me about you.”

Lu Xiao was unmoved by the first part of Lu Huan’s story, but her heart skipped a beat at the last sentence. “Ask about me for what?”

Lu Huan replied dejectedly, “I don’t know.”

She was still reeling from the fact that Noah didn’t actually like her.

The man who had messaged her every single day, pursued her relentlessly, and acted as if he couldn’t live without her had suddenly told her it was all a delusion. He said he was clear-headed now, knew what he wanted, and she wasn’t it.

This should have been a reason to celebrate, but for some reason, she felt utterly dejected instead.

She was used to being the one doing the rejecting; this was the first time she’d been on the receiving end.

Lu Xiao’s emotions were also in turmoil. ’Why would Noah ask about me?’ Thinking back to what Earl Hua An had said earlier, she couldn’t help but shudder. ’No, it can’t be. It’s not what I think it is, is it?’

For a moment, silence filled the spacious car as neither of them spoke.

It was Ares who finally broke the silence. “Where to, Lady Lu Huan?”

Startled by the question, Lu Huan paused for a moment before looking to Lu Xiao. “Can I…”

“It’s time for you to go back to school for your classes. Take her to her school,” Lu Xiao said, decisively rejecting Lu Huan’s idea of going to her home.

’Since Lu Huan was the one who didn’t want to stay at my house, there’s no reason for her to come over in the future.’

Lu Huan hadn’t expected such a direct rejection from Lu Xiao, and the inexpressible feeling of loss in her heart intensified.

’She didn’t know why she felt this way. It wasn’t like Lu Xiao had treated her especially well; in fact, she was always bossing her around, telling her not to do this or that. But now that she had suddenly been left to her own devices, she felt uncomfortable, as if she had lost something precious.’

This made Lu Huan miserable. “I know I was wrong. Please don’t be mad at me, okay?”

Lu Xiao turned to look at her with a baffled expression. “What are you talking about? Why would I be mad at you? Now that the problem is solved, shouldn’t you go back to your classes? Are you really thinking of quitting school?”

Lu Xiao’s words left Lu Huan speechless.

’She was right. Now that the situation with Noah was resolved, there was no reason for me to keep staying with Lu Xiao.’

’It made sense, but she still felt inexplicably disappointed.’

’It was like she was addicted to Lu Xiao’s presence. Maybe going back to school and having some time to cool down would fix it.’

So, she didn’t say anything more.

Ares dropped Lu Huan off at her school first, then drove Lu Xiao to the Fifth Research Institute. Just as Lu Xiao was getting out of the car, Ares couldn’t help but say, “If you’re going to perform Spiritual Soothing for the one at the S-Class Shelter, could you let me know beforehand? I want to come and pick you up.”

After seeing how weak Lu Xiao had been the last time she performed Spiritual Soothing for that person, Ares was worried about her going alone. Even if he couldn’t enter, he wanted to wait outside for her.

Lu Xiao nodded. “Okay, Ares. I’ll contact you beforehand. I might even need you to take me there, so I hope it won’t interfere with your work.”

“It won’t. I’ll make the arrangements.”

Only after watching Lu Xiao leave did Ares drive away.

However, when Ares returned to military headquarters and entered his office, his adjutant immediately informed him, “Admiral Kula Peng wants you to go to his office.”

Ares put his military cap, which he had just taken off, back on his head. “Did he say what it was about?”

The adjutant shook his head, so Ares didn’t press further and strode out of his office.

When he arrived at Admiral Kula Peng’s office, the admiral saw him and shot up from his seat enthusiastically. “Ares, you’re here! Have a seat! What can I get you to drink? Of course, I only have water. Hot or cold, your choice.”

“…” Ares looked at the suddenly enthusiastic, almost fawning Admiral Kula Peng. “Sir, you can just say what’s on your mind. There’s no need for all this.”

“Fine. Is your Female Lord named Lu Xiao, the eldest daughter of Earl Lu Ge Wei, currently working at the Fifth Research Institute, and did she recently visit the S-Class Shelter?”

Although Admiral Kula Peng was just asking about Lu Xiao’s personal details, Ares instantly understood his true objective.

He wasn’t surprised that the other man knew all this; after all, Kula Peng was one of the Empire’s few admirals.

It was only natural that the admirals shared an intelligence network.

“That’s right, Lu Xiao is my Female Lord.”

“So it really is her?” A sharp glint flashed in Kula Peng’s eyes.

Ares, however, maintained a stern expression. “I’m not clear on what you’re referring to, sir.”

“Cut the act. Plenty of people already know that a therapist from the Fifth Research Institute is willing to perform Spiritual Soothing on S-Class males, and that the effects are significant. You think you can still hide it?”

“I wasn’t trying to hide anything. You just weren’t being clear, so I didn’t understand your meaning,” Ares said, raising a hand to adjust his tie.

The gesture, both casual and intentionally showy, made Kula Peng’s chest tighten in frustration for a moment.

’He had to admit, he’d been skeptical when Ares first told him his Female Lord performed Spiritual Soothing for him every day. But he was eating his words now, wasn’t he?’

“Ahem. See if you can find out when she’s free and if she’d be willing to come to our Seventh Military District for a consultation, would you?”

This was clearly Kula Peng’s real reason for summoning Ares today.

Ares looked at Kula Peng, whose eyes were filled with anticipation. “You can submit an application directly to the Fifth Research Institute, sir.”

“You’re her side husband. Don’t you have even that much influence?”

Ares remained unmoved. “I do not involve myself in my Female Lord’s affairs. You should follow procedure and submit an application to the Fifth Research Institute. Admiral, if there is nothing else, I will take my leave.”

With that, Ares walked out, stubborn and impervious to reason.

He slammed the door to Admiral Kula Peng’s office shut with a deafening bang.

Startled, Kula Peng stared at the door. “…What’s with the tantrum? I’m trying to offer your Female Lord work, not set her up on a blind date!”

What Kula Peng didn’t know was that now, whenever Lu Xiao’s work came up, Ares couldn’t help but picture her on the day she left the S-Class Shelter—ashen-faced and unbelievably weak.

If he had his way, he’d rather his little female didn’t work at all, but instead stayed safely at home doing simple, relaxing things.

But of all times, Admiral Kula Peng just had to pick now to try and pile more work onto Lu Xiao.

Ares felt that simply slamming the man’s door was, in fact, an act of considerable restraint.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep