Xu Lai was completely stunned. Ruan Tang was using her drunkenness as an excuse to make a move on him!

Just as their lips were about to touch, Xu Lai closed his eyes, anticipating his wife's kiss.

Only—

Ruan Tang's movements suddenly halted. Her body went limp, and she fell backward, fast asleep. She was still muttering in her dream, "Water..."

Hearing her voice, Xu Lai opened his eyes and fell into a long silence.

He sighed in melancholy. My dear wife, you're committing a crime, you know that?

But what could Xu Lai do? Since he loved her, he chose to forgive her, of course.

Not only that, but Xu Lai also gave Ruan Tang some water to drink, tucked her in, and then left the room to continue cleaning up the mess downstairs. As expected, Ruan Lan was also drunk.

As for Chong Yang, because she had suppressed her boundary so the alcohol wouldn't dissipate, she was so drunk that her original form was revealed...

A Chongming Bird, over two meters tall with golden feathers, lay in the living room, its wings fluttering intermittently as it murmured, "My wings are so heavy..."

Ruan Lan was lying on Chong Yang's wings. With only her head sticking out from the feathers, she murmured contentedly, "So warm, Yang Yang."

Suddenly getting a headache, Xu Lai picked them up one by one and carried them to their rooms. He then meditated in the living room for the rest of the night.

「The next day.」

At dawn, Chong Yang woke up. She tiptoed downstairs to peek at Xu Lai.

Xu Lai opened his eyes and turned his head to look. "You're awake?"

"Mm..." Chong Yang lowered her head, her cheeks flushing. "I... I didn't make a fool of myself yesterday, did I?"

Chong Yang felt so ashamed. She was the mighty Demon King of her clan, at the peak of the Immortal Venerable Realm! Even with her boundary sealed, she still got drunk to the point of passing out.

"You didn't," Xu Lai said with a smile. "Why are you up so early?"

Chong Yang's expression suddenly turned serious. "Your Majesty... Brother, I have to go back to the Immortal Domain. There are many matters in the clan that I need to take care of."

Xu Lai fell silent. Not everyone could be like him, a carefree absentee manager.

So he didn't press her to stay, simply nodding. "Be careful on your way."

"I will take Wei Qing with me," Chong Yang added, a hint of reluctance in her voice.

Although she had only been on Earth for a little over ten hours, she'd had a wonderful time chatting with both Ruan Lan and Ruan Tang. And especially Xu Yiyi! She was so adorable that Chong Yang wanted to stay by her side forever.

"The Immortal Domain is vast but also very boring. Come stay on Earth for a while when you have time. We'll always keep a room for you," Xu Lai said.

Warmth filled Chong Yang's heart. Her figure flickered and vanished without a trace. She was afraid that if they spoke any longer, she wouldn't be able to resist abandoning her clan to stay in this Gentle Homeland.

Before long, Xu Lai sensed the departure of Chong Yang and Wei Qing. He wondered how many years it would be before they met again.

Ruan Tang woke up soon after. The scent of the pillow and blanket was comforting. She rubbed her forehead and looked around the strange yet familiar room, momentarily stunned.

It was Xu Lai's room.

Ruan Tang returned to her own room. Seeing that Yiyi was still fast asleep, she closed the door and then spotted Xu Lai in the living room.

Before she could speak, Xu Lai said sternly, "Ruan Tang, do you realize what a huge mistake you made yesterday!"

Ruan Tang keenly noticed that the ever-flirtatious Xu Lai hadn't called her "honey," but had used her full name. For a moment, she was baffled. Did I do something wrong yesterday?

Ruan Tang tried to recall the events of the previous day, but her head was splitting. She couldn't remember a thing.

"You tried to kiss me yesterday."

Xu Lai's straightforward words left Ruan Tang gobsmacked. She was about to deny it, but then she remembered her previous offenses and felt a pang of guilt.

"And then...?"

"And then you passed out drunk before you could," Xu Lai said with regret.

Ruan Tang breathed a sigh of relief, then grew annoyed. "And you call that a mistake?"

"Of course," Xu Lai said earnestly. "Do you have any idea how your little stunt kept me up all night?"

Ruan Tang was taken aback. "It wasn't that serious, was it?"

Xu Lai stood up and advanced on Ruan Tang step by step. Filled with guilt, she kept retreating until her back was against a wall.

THUD!

Xu Lai slammed his hands on the wall on either side of her, pinning his dear wife.

Ruan Tang's heart inexplicably began to race. "Xu Lai, you..."

"Even though you tried to take advantage of me, I'm willing to let you. Don't speak. Kiss me." Xu Lai not only closed his eyes but also puckered his lips.

Annoyance flashed across Ruan Tang's face. Kiss him? In his dreams! And why do I have to be the one to do it?!

Annoyed, she pushed Xu Lai away. "Stop messing around. I need to wash up and get ready for work."

"I'm sorry. It's all my fault." Xu Lai didn't insist, his expression becoming one of utter dejection. "I never should have come to the East Sea in the first place. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have met you in that bar, and if I hadn't met you, I wouldn't have..."

Seeing Xu Lai rambling on and on, Ruan Tang quickly cut in, "Stop it, okay? I was wrong. Happy now?"

"No, you weren't wrong. I was. I never should have come to the East Sea..."

"..."

Ruan Tang panicked and blurted out, "Fine, I'll kiss you! It's just a kiss, right? I'll do it!"

"But you don't really want to. Your reluctant agreement won't make you happy."

"..."

Ruan Tang suddenly felt exhausted.

Seeing his chance, Xu Lai stopped pushing. "Honey," he said with a helpless expression, "you're the one who insisted on kissing me. Come on."

"But... tonight..." At that moment, Ruan Tang still hadn't realized she'd been tricked. She blushed and whispered the suggestion, figuring she could at least stall for time.

"Fine, whatever you say," Xu Lai nodded.

Ruan Tang then fled to the bathroom. She turned on the tap and stared at her flushed face in the mirror.

Suddenly, she felt that something wasn't quite right.

***

「After breakfast.」

Ruan Tang left for work early, while Xu Lai took his daughter to kindergarten at a more leisurely pace.

Qian Xiao was waiting at the gate as usual. Eating an ice cream bar, he waved happily. "Sister Yiyi!"

But the ice cream was melting and dripped onto his hand.

Qian Xiao froze for a second, then his eyes welled up with tears as he threw himself at Xu Lai. "Uncle Xu, it feels like I haven't seen you in forever! A day apart feels like three autumns!"

Utterly disgusted, Xu Lai pushed him away. "You little brat, are you trying to wipe that ice cream on my pants?"

"I'm not! I wasn't! Don't accuse me!"

As a result, Qian Xiao didn't get any rainbow candy today. Xu Yiyi happily ate both sticks all by herself.

"You're bullying a kid!" Qian Xiao protested.

"What did you think I was doing?" Xu Lai replied with a strange expression.

Qian Xiao: "..."

Faced with an adult even more shameless than he was, Qian Xiao was out of options. He walked into the kindergarten, dejected.

But when they rounded the corner, Xu Yiyi offered the second stick of rainbow candy to Qian Xiao. "Here."

Qian Xiao was immensely touched. "Sister Yiyi, from now on, you're my real big sister!"

Xu Yiyi gave him an adorable, exaggerated eye-roll.

Xu Lai saw the whole exchange. He smiled, then turned and left.

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