That Damn Tenderness

The Old Angel King's Millennial Birthday Celebration had only just begun today. Those who had come to attend, especially the rulers of the Subordinate Civilizations, were participating for the first time. They were merely here to make an appearance and familiarize themselves with everyone. The following nine days were the real focus, when they would begin forging connections and seeking powerful patrons.

During this time, the Construction Department's diplomatic division would gather these rulers together. While helping them resolve the problems facing their respective civilizations, it would also assign various plans and tasks.

For example, they might be required to locate a certain number of resource veins within a specified time limit. Or, if war broke out against hostile higher powers, each civilization would need to deploy a certain number of flagship fleets.

Seeking shelter beneath Angel Civilization's umbrella was no simple matter. It required not only absolute loyalty unto death, but also a demonstration of one's sincerity. This was one of the rules of survival for Subordinate Civilizations under Angel Civilization's rule!

Of course, as long as they performed well enough, they could obtain anything they desired. In this regard, Angel King Hua Que had always been generous and never stingy.

That was what the Subordinate Civilizations had to do during this period. As for the commanders of every legion returning to the palace city, these ten days could be considered a rare and precious extended holiday.

As everyone knew, the universe in this era was filled with countless powers and was exceptionally chaotic. Invasions and resistance against invasion occurred every moment. Therefore, to ensure peace and stability within Angel Civilization's territory and protect the Subordinate Civilizations from foreign harassment, angel commanders at every level spent all year fighting beyond their borders.

Remaining under constant mental strain was never a good thing. Hua Que understood this well. Out of consideration for his subordinates, he had extended what was originally a three-day birthday celebration into ten days, allowing these generals and soldiers to relax and reunite properly with the families they had long been separated from.

But that was beside the point.

Female angels in this patriarchal society had always been submissive and resigned. They had no choice but to yield to the boundaries of life and predetermined roles that men set for them, reducing their own duties to secondary, subordinate positions. Xin Yao was among the most exemplary of them.

Within this "Deep Palace Courtyard," there were not only countless rules and restrictions. More frightening still were the schemes, intrigues, and deceptions.

The young Xin Yao had once fantasized about love. She had imagined what her other half would be like and how they would spend a sweet, happy lifetime together. Yet cruel reality had shattered that beautiful dream into pieces.

Beauty too rare to be cast aside, one day chosen to stand beside a king.

No line could have suited Xin Yao better. After catching the Old Angel King's eye, she had been forced at a young age to leave her parents and relatives in Tian Cheng District, coming alone to live aboard the Tiangong Ship, a place countless female angels envied.

It seemed like a garden in full bloom, yet every step was fraught with danger. Every night, longing for her family and friends tormented this poor, fragile woman in both body and spirit.

Just when she had nearly been unable to endure any longer, a tiny life suddenly entered her world. Looking at that little one who belonged to her made her feel as if she possessed the entire world...

Xin Yao had not seen her Zhen Er for three months, and she missed the little one terribly. Ever since leaving the banquet hall, the smile on her lips had never faded. Hua Zhen had brought up the Micro Wormhole Transportation Weapon, a technology everyone else had overlooked, and it made her immensely proud.

Unlike other female angels, Xin Yao had a quiet and easygoing nature. She did not harbor thoughts of gaining status through her son. The smarter the little one was, the happier she became. That was all.

Turning to Hua Zhen, she saw his noticeably thinner little face and the heavy dark circles beneath his eyes. Her heart ached. She stopped, crouched before him, and raised her hands to cup his face. "Let Mother look... Why have you gotten so thin?"

A faint, elegant fragrance drifted into his nose, while a stunningly beautiful face stood close before him. Faced with Consort Xin Yao's damn tenderness, Hua Zhen felt awkward enough to die. In his previous life, he had been nothing more than a poor, introverted guy with a hidden lecherous streak. When had he ever encountered something like this?

Honestly, asking a grown man like him to pretend to be a child, act cute, and call someone okaasan—he did not think he could learn that sort of thing. Forget learning it; just thinking about it already made him nauseous, okay? His face reddened to purple, and inwardly, he was practically losing his mind.

"Consort Xin Yao, the aircraft has been prepared for you. You may depart now." At that moment, a Construction Department official approached Xin Yao from afar and spoke respectfully.

The Tiangong Ship was enormous. Walking to Xin Yao's Bedroom Palace would take quite some time, so using an aircraft was the best option.

"Thank you for troubling yourself." Xin Yao carried no airs about her. Her soft voice was filled with endless gentleness, and she treated everyone the same way. With that, she took Hua Zhen's little hand. "Come, Zhen Er. Mother has prepared lots of things you love to eat."

The Old Angel King had not tested his academic progress in front of everyone and had even assigned him a formidable new instructor. It should have been something worth celebrating. Hua Zhen had thought he had passed the difficult part, but who would have imagined that the real test had only just begun?

One wave settles only for another to rise. Am I playing some goddamn epic survival game? He thought bitterly. Damn it, I've already completed thirty-six bows. No way can something go wrong during this final shake!

After encouraging himself, he raised his little head and said "happily," "Really? Zhen Er loves Mother the most..."

Ugh~

Consort Xin Yao's Bedroom Palace was located toward the rear of the Tiangong Ship's palace complex. Unlike anywhere else, her residence could be called the most distinctive place on the entire Tiangong Ship. Before the aircraft even landed, the first thing that entered Hua Zhen's sight was a European-style castle. Its pointed roof and dark crimson tiles stood out strikingly beneath the sunlight.

The castle was surrounded by green trees and wildflowers. Several ancient trees of unknown species stood in an open area at the center, their green leaves and branches stretching outward and swaying gently in the breeze like a group of fairies in green dancing gracefully. The plants nestled among the ancient trees had also bloomed with delicate, vibrant flowers. Green trees and red blossoms—it was simply breathtaking.

The moment he followed Xin Yao out of the aircraft, a rich floral fragrance washed over him and refreshed his entire spirit. As they approached the castle, the scent of flowers accompanied them all the way. Waves of rustling leaves filled his ears with clear, pleasant sounds, making him feel as though he were walking through a dream.

I never thought the Tiangong Ship had such a beautiful place? He could not help but marvel. Setting aside the matter of dealing with Xin Yao, this tranquil scenery left him almost intoxicated.

What Hua Zhen did not know was that, to win the beauty's favor, the Old Angel King had specially ordered the Construction Department to shape this place according to Xin Yao's tastes. Those ancient trees had been selected from the Subordinate Civilizations and transplanted here specifically for her.

The maids tending the flowers and plants around the Bedroom Palace quickly noticed the two of them. When they saw Hua Zhen, they were all briefly stunned before delight filled their faces, and they swarmed toward him.

"Your Highness, if you hadn't come soon, the Royal Consort might have sent someone to find you..."

"Why have you gotten so thin after not seeing us for three months, Your Highness?"

"That's right~ Has Your Highness not been eating well in his own Bedroom Palace?"

A sea of beautiful women surrounded him, their perfume filling the air. It was dazzling to the extreme. Xin Yao treated people amicably and without airs, so these maids behaved rather freely around her.

Being surrounded by beautiful women could be called the dream of countless men, but Hua Zhen truly had no mood to enjoy it.

Seeing him dodge and evade them, Xin Yao's brows creased with a trace of confusion. He's been like this since earlier. Why does Zhen Er seem so strange today? He wasn't like this before~

Shaking her head and setting aside her doubts, she said to one of the maids, "A Lan, stop crowding around Zhen Er. Go tidy up Zhen Er's room so he can rest if he gets tired from playing later. Oh, and don't forget the food he likes~"

"Yes~~ Royal Consort, I'll go right away~" The maid called A Lan answered softly. After smiling and waving at Hua Zhen, she led the others away.

Once they had gone some distance, Hua Zhen had just breathed a sigh of relief when Xin Yao stepped in front of him again.

She lightly tapped his little nose and said with adoration, "Zhen Er, what would you like Mother to play with you today?"

How would I know what there is to play here...? Though that was what he thought, Hua Zhen still tried his best to look happy as he put on an innocent expression and said, "I'll listen to Mother in everything..."

"Let me think..." Xin Yao smiled faintly, resting a slender finger against her chin as she pondered for a moment. Suddenly, her eyes lit up. "Right, Zhen Er. How about Mother plays that flying game with you again?"

"Fly... flying game?"

"That's right!"

Xin Yao affectionately ruffled his little head, then stood and stepped back two paces. Hua Zhen watched her in utter confusion, having no idea what she was about to do.

Whoosh~

After a soft sound, a pair of wings suddenly appeared behind Xin Yao. Gentle sunlight enveloped her body as though draping her in a veil of gold. Her silky golden hair flowed to her waist, while her white wings gleamed with golden light, holy and elegant. Her tender lips held a serene smile, and not the slightest flaw could be found in her exquisite features.

Wi... wings?! Hua Zhen had grown accustomed to seeing Gus spread his wings, but when he saw the wings behind Xin Yao, her beauty was so breathtaking that it left him completely stunned.

It was true that female angels held low social status within the heavenly palace, but quite a few of them could still have their genes upgraded.

It had been mentioned before that "the resources of female angels are male angels." Thus, there were only two opportunities for them to upgrade their genes. The first was to rely on the favor and protection of their family and elders; the second was to gain the affection of a male angel.

Take Consort Xin Yao, for example. Compared with other female angels, her family background was not particularly outstanding. Yet after she caught the Old Angel King's eye, her status soared in an instant. She had become a phoenix perched upon a branch, and upgrading her genes naturally followed as a matter of course.

After all, as a woman accompanying the Angel King, her lifespan could not possibly be less than a mere thousand years.

This... this is what a real angel looks like~ Hua Zhen sighed from the bottom of his heart. As for Gus, at most he counted as a birdman, a heavenly scum, or, more elegantly, an angel beast—the kind that was burly and covered in thick chest hair. Sure enough, the word angel was always meant for women... Damn, that's incredible!

Seeing his dazed little expression, Xin Yao's heart nearly melted. She walked gracefully behind him, gently extended her arms, and wrapped them around the little one beneath his armpits.

Feeling her soft embrace and that refreshing fragrance, Hua Zhen's body abruptly tensed. Hey, big sis, how many times are you going to hug me in one day?

It was not that his thoughts were wandering. He was practically dying of embarrassment. To him, this woman named Xin Yao was merely a beautiful older sister he did not know.

"We're starting, Zhen Er~~" Xin Yao's gentle voice came from above his head.

Starting? Starting what?

Whoosh~

The question had only just surfaced when a powerful sensation of weightlessness suddenly struck him. The scenery on the ground instantly shrank away, and before long, Xin Yao had carried him a hundred meters into the sky.

Holy...

Once Hua Zhen came back to his senses, his eyes nearly popped out. How could he care about embarrassment now? He spun around, wrapped his arms desperately around Xin Yao's slender waist, and held on for dear life, terrified of falling.

"Don't be afraid, Zhen Er. Isn't Mother here with you~?" Feeling the little one's trembling body, Xin Yao comforted him softly. Then she flapped her wings and slowly circled through the air above her Bedroom Palace.

So I have to be tortured by her like this for ten days? Gus, I fucking hate you! Hua Zhen thought miserably, on the verge of tears.