Chapter 81: Chapter 81: Candor

That evening, Lu Xiao and Ares entered the restaurant Admiral Clan had reserved.

A military officer sitting by the floor-to-ceiling windows looked up, his gaze meeting Ares’s.

The officer was surprised, but Ares seemed perfectly composed.

It was only after Ares’s reminder that Lu Xiao realized the officer before them was Vice Admiral Fred.

Seeing them approach, the man rose to greet them. “Hello. You must be Lady Lu Xiao. I’m Fred. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

He was about Ares’s height, with a resolute face and strong features—the type of man who looked exceptionally upright.

He looked like the very model of a soldier.

Radiating integrity.

In response to Fred’s introduction, Lu Xiao replied with grace and poise, “Hello, Vice Admiral Fred. It’s wonderful to finally meet you in person. This is my partner, Ares. I figured that since you’re both in the military, you would have plenty to talk about, so I brought him along. I do hope you don’t mind.”

’Truthfully, bringing an extra person to this kind of meeting without giving prior notice was a major breach of etiquette.’

’But it was the only way to make her attitude clear.’

’Still, she had to maintain the proper courtesies.’

Fred certainly hadn’t expected Lu Xiao to bring Ares with her.

And she’d even used the word “partner” to introduce him.

Fred couldn’t help but realize what this implied.

He had, of course, learned that Ares was Lu Xiao’s side husband before he came. Fred held a great deal of admiration for the young officer, who had already achieved the rank of Major General at such a young age.

Suppressing the questions in his mind, Fred gestured for them to sit. “Not at all, it was very thoughtful of you. How could I possibly mind? Please, let’s take a seat.”

Ares walked behind them, and as Lu Xiao went to sit down, he stepped forward to pull out her chair. Lu Xiao glanced back at him with a smile.

Fred happened to see the exchange, and his heart skipped a beat. He couldn’t quite describe the feeling.

’He didn’t really know much about Lu Xiao. He’d simply received a sudden order from Admiral Clan, who said he’d arranged for a female for him and that he should go meet her.’

’And this female wasn’t just anyone—she was Admiral Clan’s first female child. She currently only had one side husband, leaving the main husband position vacant.’

’Even though Admiral Clan hadn’t stated it explicitly, Fred understood his intentions perfectly.’

’Admiral Clan wanted him to become Lu Xiao’s main husband.’

’With his rank of Vice Admiral and his family background, he could absolutely become the main husband to any female. Fred had never once doubted that.’

’But he held no particular expectations for this arranged meeting. After all, the females of the Empire were invariably spoiled and willful.’

’In their view, males were merely tools to be used and enslaved. To make matters worse, they were rare, and their spiritual power had an effect on males.’

’Unless absolutely necessary, Fred wasn’t keen on finding a female master so soon and dedicating his entire life to her.’

’So when he met Lu Xiao, her poise and grace were a refreshing surprise.’

’He could naturally tell whether the young female was genuine or just putting on an act.’

’Lu Xiao’s eyes were clear, and her every gesture revealed an effortless composure.’

’She even smiled and murmured a “thank you” when Ares pulled out her chair.’

’Although their interaction was brief, his impression of Lu Xiao wasn’t just ’not unpleasant’—she actually made him want to get to know her better.’

“I’ve already ordered a few things,” Fred said. “Please take a look and see if there’s anything else you’d like. Major General Ares, you as well.”

Seeing how much importance Lu Xiao placed on him, Fred made sure not to neglect Ares.

Lu Xiao accepted, taking the menu and conferring with Ares. “This croissant looks good, I’d like one.”

Ares quietly made a note of it, then pointed to another dish on the menu. “This one looks good.”

“Alright, let’s get that one. And this one?”

“Alright.”

Once they had decided, they called over a waiter and handed him the menu.

Fred observed the natural, intimate way the two interacted.

’A small ripple went through him. He could tell that Lu Xiao and Ares’s rapport was completely genuine, not some act put on for others like with most females.’

“You two seem very close.”

Lu Xiao paused for a moment at his words, then smiled gently. “Thank you. Have you been serving with my father for long, Vice Admiral Fred?”

“Yes. Admiral Clan and I are both in the Third Corps. We’ve worked together for many years, and he has always looked out for me.”

Lu Xiao nodded. “I can see that.”

’Otherwise, Admiral Clan probably wouldn’t have introduced Fred to her.’

The food arrived quickly. Throughout the meal, Fred and Ares chatted about military affairs.

Lu Xiao didn’t know much about such topics, so she didn’t join in, focusing on her meal instead.

’She had to admit, this restaurant Admiral Clan had chosen provided the most pleasant dining experience she’d had out in a long time. The food was actually quite good.’

By the end of dinner, Ares and Fred were getting along splendidly and had even exchanged contact information.

’Lu Xiao saw this and didn’t intervene. If Ares could make a genuine friend from this, it would be a wonderful thing.’

’She could tell that Fred was genuinely a good man.’

’Befriending more people like him would be good for Ares.’

“Dinner was lovely tonight. Thank you, Vice Admiral Fred,” Lu Xiao said, thanking him again before getting into the car.

“The pleasure was all mine. It was an honor to have dinner with you, Lady Lu Xiao.”

“Vice Admiral Fred, as you’ve probably gathered, I have no intention of looking for a main husband. I hope you understand.”

Fred had sensed as much, but he hadn’t expected the young female to state it so directly.

For some reason, he felt a pang of disappointment.

’He should have been happy to hear her say that. After all, he wasn’t looking for a female master right now either, so this was exactly what he wanted.’

’But after seeing her with Ares, he felt a sliver of envy.’

’If he were lucky enough to build a life with a female like her, then perhaps marriage would be something to look forward to after all.’

“I should be the one thanking you for your candor.”

Lu Xiao breathed a sigh of relief, seeing that he understood. The smile on her face grew more sincere. “It’s getting late, and we’ve kept you, Vice Admiral Fred. Please, allow us to invite you to our home some other time. Goodbye.”

’Even if they couldn’t be partners, becoming friends with Fred would be a good thing.’

’As the saying goes, it never hurts to have another friend.’

Lu Xiao got back into the car, waving goodbye to Fred, who stood watching them depart.

He watched Lu Xiao and Ares leave.

Fred pressed his lips together, a flicker of dejection in his eyes.

’He’d finally met a female who made his heart flutter, only for her to have no such feelings for him.’

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep