Lin Xia felt the chill of her fingertips and the faint trembling in them. He could also sense the deep fear hidden within her words, as well as the relief of someone who had narrowly escaped disaster.
His heart filled with boundless tenderness for her. He no longer had the slightest intention of teasing her, and his eyes became exceptionally gentle yet resolute.
He raised his other hand and gently, affectionately brushed aside a strand of hair that had been tousled by the wind beside her temple. His movements were as tender as though he were touching a priceless treasure.
"That's right, Zhuqing."
Lin Xia's voice was deep and powerful, carrying an unquestionable promise and a reassuring warmth.
"There won't be anything like that anymore. You will never again have to bear the burden of that oppressive engagement, nor will you have to pay the price for his stupidity and cowardice. You won't have to live in fear beneath the shadow of being abandoned or killed at any moment."
He leaned slightly toward her, his deep gaze meeting Zhu Zhuqing's moist eyes. He spoke slowly and clearly, word by word.
"Before long, you will even be able to sit down openly with your elder sister, Zhu Zhuyun, with your father, the head of the Zhu Family, and even with the Star Luo Emperor, Dai Tianxing, and have a calm conversation with them."
Zhu Zhuqing's body trembled violently.
The layer of ice in her eyes seemed to crack open in an instant, revealing a light of disbelief.
"Sit together and have a calm conversation?"
She repeated his words softly, her voice almost like a dream.
For her, such a scene had once been impossibly distant, something that seemed no more than a wild fantasy.
Lin Xia's words were like a warm key, unlocking the deepest desire within her heart, the longing for familial affection, the warmth of a family, the chance to speak as an equal, and the desire to be treated with respect.
The anger and coldness in her eyes receded like a tide, replaced by a complicated mixture of vulnerability, hope, and uncertainty.
Deep within that light was the longing for "home" of a young girl. She wanted her father to acknowledge her existence. She wanted to break the curse between herself and her elder sister, where only one of them could survive.
Lin Xia clearly caught the softness and longing that flashed through her eyes.
His conviction that he had chosen the right path grew even stronger. He tightened his grip on her hand, conveying his unwavering confidence to her.
"That's right, Zhuqing."
His voice became even more resolute, filled with the confidence of someone who had everything under control.
"Not as Dai Mubai's fiancée. Not as an appendage of the Star Luo Imperial Family."
"But as yourself, Zhu Zhuqing!"
"As the most trusted and most important partner of Lin Xia, the City Lord of Gengxin City!"
"With this identity, whether it is the head of the Zhu Family or the Emperor of Star Luo, they will have to give you the respect you deserve and treat you as an equal in any conversation."
"This engagement annulment isn't a humble plea. It is a declaration between equals."
Zhu Zhuqing quietly listened to him, her eyelashes trembling slightly as though she could feel the strength and warmth in his words, powerful enough to melt away everything.
That warmth dispelled the disgust and coldness left behind by witnessing Dai Mubai's behavior and soothed the turbulent waves raging within her heart.
The tears in her eyes ultimately did not fall.
Instead, they transformed into a stronger and brighter light.
She took a deep breath, as though she wanted to draw all the strength and courage Lin Xia had given her deep into her heart.
She straightened her back.
The cold pride belonging to the Netherworld Civet Martial Soul returned to her, but this time, it was accompanied by an unprecedented confidence born from Lin Xia's presence.
She looked at Lin Xia and nodded firmly, with utmost seriousness.
Her voice remained as cold and clear as ever, but it contained the steadfastness of solid rock and complete trust.
"Mm! Brother Lin Xia, I believe in you! I believe we can do it!"
She paused before turning her gaze back toward the direction in which Dai Mubai had disappeared.
Her eyes were now clear and calm, without the slightest ripple.
"Perhaps that day really will come."
"The day when I can sit down and properly talk with my sister and my father."
As Lin Xia finished speaking, he took Zhu Zhuqing's soft yet slightly cool hand and steadily stepped into the lobby of the Rose Hotel, which was filled with the rich fragrance of flowers and the scent of perfume.
The moment they entered, the dramatic confrontation unfolding before them immediately came into view.
Dai Mubai stood at the front desk with his arms crossed, his posture arrogant and haughty. A cold curve lifted the corners of his lips as his sinister-looking twin pupils gazed down condescendingly at the young attendant behind the counter.
His voice carried an unquestionable arrogance as it echoed clearly throughout the lobby.
"You're new here, aren't you?"
Overwhelmed by his gaze and imposing presence, the attendant could barely breathe. He instinctively nodded, his throat seemingly blocked as he could only manage a muffled sound.
"Mm."
Dai Mubai's cold smile deepened, carrying a hint of understanding and disdain.
"No wonder. Why did you give my room to someone else?"
He deliberately emphasized the word "my," and the familiarity in his tone was unmistakable.
Clearly, this was not his first time staying here, nor was it his first time enjoying that particular romantic suite.
The attendant was completely bewildered. He helplessly looked at Dai Mubai, then at Tang San, whose expression had turned gloomy, and Xiao Wu, who looked like an angry kitten with her fur standing on end.
His mind went completely blank. He had no idea how to handle the situation and could only stammer,
"I... I'll go get the manager!"
With that, he practically scrambled toward the office area in the back.
The instant the attendant turned around, Tang San's expression became completely gloomy.
The room he had reserved, the room where this thoughtful attendant had even hinted that he could arrange for him and his beloved Xiao Wu to stay together was about to be casually taken away by this arrogant blond man with a single sentence?!
A wave of anger at being looked down upon, humiliated, and having his plans disrupted suddenly surged through him.
He, Tang San, had never endured such treatment before.
Especially when it involved Xiao Wu!
"Big brother."
Tang San deliberately kept his voice level, but there was a cold edge to it, clearly carrying the intent to confront Dai Mubai.
"It seems that we arrived first."
Dai Mubai did not even bother to raise his eyelids. It was as though Tang San were nothing more than an annoying fly buzzing beside him. His tone was filled with contempt, revealing the arrogance and disregard ingrained in his very bones.
"So what?"
Those casual words were like pouring oil onto a raging fire.
At that very moment, as the atmosphere became increasingly tense, a sharp glint flashed through Lin Xia's eyes from the corner.
His movements were completely natural and fluid. Using the slight turn of his body while holding Zhu Zhuqing's hand as cover, his other hand casually brushed across his chest. A faint Soul Power fluctuation, so weak that it was almost impossible to detect, flashed across his fingertips.
A dark-gold button no larger than a fingernail quietly adhered to the inside of his collar.
This was one of the highest-level classified achievements of Gengxin City's Communications Research Institute, the portable high-precision image-recording Soul Tool!
Its core Soul Power sensing crystal could silently capture the images and sounds in its surroundings.
Lin Xia's movements were as fast as lightning, completing everything in an instant.
The Soul Tool's lens was discreetly aimed at the center of the confrontation, clearly capturing Dai Mubai's arrogant posture, Tang San's gloomy expression, Xiao Wu's anger, and the pair of flamboyantly dressed twin sisters beside Dai Mubai, who were covering their mouths and quietly laughing as they watched the spectacle.
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