After returning from the mall, Shen Tang decided to rest for the night and set off the next morning.
For the last meal in the Imperial City, which also served as a celebratory feast for a successful outing, Lu Xiao proactively went to the mall and bought two large bags of ingredients, personally cooking dinner.
While eating, Shen Tangâs gaze occasionally fell on Lu Xiao, as if she wanted to say something but held back.
The man was tall and upright, with a resolute and aloof demeanor, exuding an aura of nobility and restraint, like a mountain that wouldnât be startled, making it hard for anything to pique his interest or emotions.
Shen Tang often criticized the crafty fox for being too cunning, but among these Beast Husbands, the one she couldnât figure out the most was Lu Xiao.
He was too calm.
Never showing his emotions.
Considerate and perfect, with not a single flaw to pick.
Among the four Beast Husbands, Lu Xiao had the lowest affinity, yet he was most deserving of the title "Model Beast Husband", adhering to the principles of a Beast Husband in every word and deed, never overstepping any boundaries.
He held himself to high standards, striving for perfection. His care for her was purely due to their partnership, insisting on fulfilling his duties as a Beast Husband.
This "partner" could be Shen Tang, or any other female in a marriage alliance.
To him, it didnât seem to make any difference.
He was the perfect heir cultivated by his family.
Shen Tang pursed her lips, her mind a mess.
She thought that after Lu Xiao returned to his family, he wouldnât come back.
The next time they met, it would be to sign the divorce papers.
But that wasnât the case.
After Lu Xiao returned, he was no different from before.
Shen Tang was really curious about what happened when Lu Xiao went back to his family; did Lu Shen not mention the divorce?
But since it was a family matter, Shen Tang was embarrassed to ask directly.
She lightly poked her chopsticks and tentatively asked, "Lu Xiao, are you also going back to Greenfield City with us tomorrow?"
Lu Xiao set down his knife and fork, looked at her, and calmly said, "The employment procedures are still under military review and will take at least three months. The Empire is currently at peace, so itâs quite a leisure period."
Shen Tang was at a loss for words; that wasnât what she meant.
Speaking of reinstatement, she turned to Xiao Jin, "Itâs not easy to come back to the Imperial City, yet you didnât go to the military department? You donât want your Major General position?"
Xiao Jin took a bite of ribs and sneered, "The military bunch are cunning; theyâre all corrupt and only care about money. Staying there is like falling into a cesspool; Iâve had enough of it."
When Shen Tang heard this, she understood.
Though Lu Xiao had been stripped of his rank due to his crimes, he was the eldest son of the Lu Family, so the military folks were eager to curry favor with him.
Xiao Jin didnât have any backing and climbed to the rank of Major General purely through military achievements, outspoken and straightforward, offending many people over the years.
Those in the military couldnât wait to bully him, like a tiger fallen from grace, so how could they let him reinstate smoothly?
The internal workings of the Empire indeed seemed quite corrupt.
However, Xiao Jin being dismissed and exiled back then was due to the original ownerâs fault; thereâs always that thorn between them, and she couldnât be sure when this dog of a man might bring it up to confront her again.
Shen Tang anxiously asked, "Arenât your military merits and honors important to you anymore?"
Xiao Jin glanced at her.
To be honest, he cared a lot back then and hated Shen Tang to the core because of it.
Now it didnât matter anymore.
He had found something more desirable.
Xiao Jin hooked his long legs around her chair and pulled forcefully, making Shen Tang fall into his arms.
He raised his hand to pinch Shen Tangâs face, his sharp gold eyes flashed, and his thin lips curved into a roguish smile, "Whatâs so good about being an official? Staying at home is pretty interesting."
If he really left, and wasnât at home all the time, wouldnât this little femaleâs heart already be stolen by other male beasts?
No, he couldnât leave.
Lu Xiao, the stick-in-the-mud, could leave if he wanted, but he had to stay by Shen Tangâs side, keeping an eye on her all the time.
Shen Tangâs mouth twitched slightly; this dog of a manâs possessiveness was too strong!
The next second, a soft fox tail wrapped around her waist, and Shen Li pulled her back to her seat, giving Xiao Jin a frosty glance with a gentle, yet warning tone, "Let Xiao Tang eat in peace. If you make a move again, Iâll break your leg."
Xiao Jin couldnât be bothered to argue with the smelly fox and diligently added meat to Shen Tangâs plate, "Yes, yes, eat more, gain some weight!"
Shen Tang looked at the fatty meat on her plate, her mouth twitching slightly.
After dinner, Shen Tang went back to her room to rest.
She handed the Space Ring to Shen Li and them, bought living supplies, and arranged the spaceship, planning to leave the next day.
The next morning, as the family set off back to Greenfield City.
Before boarding, Shen Tang glanced back, her emotions somewhat mixed.
If Xue Yinzhou was really in the Imperial City, with all the commotion she made in the palace, there was no way he wouldnât know.
She had stayed in the Imperial City for so many days, yet the Snake Beast had never sought her out.
It seemed he really wanted to sever all ties with her.
That was fine; after all, she promised to set him free, and whether the divorce papers were signed or not didnât matter. There wouldnât be any chance to meet again in the future.
Shen Tang collected her thoughts and boarded the spaceship.
The hatch closed.
The spaceship was empty when they bought it yesterday, with nothing inside.
After a night, Shen Li and the others had made it quite cozy. The cabin was laid with soft carpets, and small flower pots adorned the tables and window sills; the rooms all had fresh linens, and it looked just like home at first glance.
Shen Tang was the first to choose a room closest to the hatch.
In case of danger, she could escape the quickest.
After she picked, the four Beast Husbands also quickly chose their rooms.
Xiao Jin, the pesky leopard, scrambled and fought to snatch the room next to hers.
Shen Li resisted the urge to skin the leopard and chose the room to the right of Shen Tangâs, a door away, still very close.
Jia Lan, a step slower, couldnât compete with the two and had to pick the room directly opposite Shen Tangâs. Although it wasnât as close as the side rooms, opening the door meant they could immediately encounter each other, offering some solace.
Lu Xiao didnât mind; with only one room left, it became his nest, the farthest from Shen Tang.
The cabin rooms were quite spacious, about thirty square meters, similar to an ordinary hotel room, furnished with a comfortable double bed, a desk, and a small sofa, also featuring bathing facilities.
The uneventful journey was akin to a travel-like enjoyment; this was the joy of spending money.
Lu Xiao, being an Air Force General, found piloting a private spaceship a breeze, volunteering to go to the cockpit.
The spaceship was equipped with an intelligent autopilot mode, but to prevent incidents like the last one, manual operation could better avoid unexpected situations.
Shen Tang changed into a silk robe, lay on the soft big bed, feeling completely at ease, and quickly fell into a deep sleep.
The spaceshipâs stability was excellent, and practically no bumps could be felt during the voyage.
The spaceship moved swiftly, transforming into a fleeting cloud, disappearing into the sky.
After the spaceship left, a slender, snow-white serpent emerged from the treetops.
Most of the White Snakeâs body coiled around the tree, almost hidden by the canopy.
It lifted its head, purple eyes fixed in the direction where the spaceship departed, flicking its tongue, watching for an unknown amount of time, then slithered down the tree and left.