Griseo's Anticipation

Listening to the laughter coming from the bathroom, Lang Lei found a smile creeping onto his face as well.

This kind of feeling could not be measured by so-called favorability. Even Lang Lei at maximum favorability could never replace Blanca as Griseo's mother.

Perhaps happy times were always short. Three hours passed in the blink of an eye.

The laughter and chatter in the bathroom gradually faded. After a stretch of silence, Griseo, already changed back into her original clothes, walked out of the bathroom.

Lang Lei emerged from his cultivation and looked at Griseo.

"Was that... a surprise?" Griseo's voice revealed neither joy nor sorrow. Perhaps she was happy to see her mother again, but also saddened by her mother's departure once more.

"I suppose it was..." Lang Lei did not know how to explain it and could only go along with Griseo's words.

"Will there be more?" Griseo's expectant voice reached him. A rare expression appeared on her delicate little face.

"I... don't know." Lang Lei did not want to lie to Griseo, but this time, he truly was not sure.

After all, the draws were random. He had no control over them.

Seeing the disappointment on Griseo's face, Lang Lei hurriedly grabbed her shoulders and promised, "But I'll do my best. As long as we don't give up, there will definitely be another chance someday!"

"I understand." Griseo nodded without joy or sorrow. "Thank you, Brother Lang Lei."

After saying that, Griseo hugged him, burying her head tightly in Lang Lei's chest.

Lang Lei froze for a moment. Only after a long while did he slowly wrap his arms around the little girl in his embrace.

Although Griseo was soft and fragrant, Lang Lei truly had no improper thoughts at the moment. He only wanted to comfort Little Griseo in his arms.

When Lang Lei felt dampness against his chest, his feelings became complicated. He began to wonder whether his decision to open the envelope in the first place had been right, whether his actions had torn open the scar in Little Griseo's heart.

"Thank you..." A tiny voice interrupted Lang Lei's thoughts, making his body tremble. "Brother Lang Lei, I'm very happy..."

"You're welcome." Lang Lei stopped thinking so much and simply held Little Griseo peacefully.

He understood now. Little Griseo must have wanted to see them. No matter what, she would not regret it.

Even if she was crying now.

Gradually, Lang Lei felt that Little Griseo in his arms had gone still. He loosened his hold slightly and discovered that she had actually fallen asleep in his embrace!

"She really is still a child..." Lang Lei smiled, wiped the tear tracks from her face, then gently placed her on the bed and thoughtfully tucked the blanket around her.

He suddenly no longer felt in such a hurry to leave. He would stay a little longer like this.

"Mm, Brother Lang Lei..."

After an unknown amount of time, Lang Lei heard the familiar call. He ended his cultivation once more and looked at Little Griseo beside him.

"I just... think I dreamed about Mom." Griseo covered half her face with the blanket, her large eyes filled with a questioning look.

"That wasn't a dream, Little Griseo~" Lang Lei smiled and rubbed her head.

"But why didn't Dad come..." Griseo was visibly disappointed. "Does he not like Little Griseo?"

"How could that be?!" Lang Lei immediately denied it. He knew that Heng was the ultimate daughter doting father. Even before his death, all he could think about was his daughter, desperately begging his comrades to save Griseo until he drew his final breath.

How could a father like Heng possibly not love Griseo?

"But... he didn't come." Griseo closed her eyes dejectedly.

After a while, following an intense internal struggle, Lang Lei suddenly spoke.

"He did come~"

"Hm?" Griseo opened her eyes and looked at Lang Lei.

"Little Griseo's dad came too! It's just that Little Griseo after growing up was taking a bath, so he didn't go see Little Griseo." Lang Lei explained, "Look, what's this?"

Lang Lei took out two items: the brush and drawing board Heng had given Griseo.

"My drawing brush and drawing board..." Griseo crawled out from beneath the blanket, her eyes sparkling.

"That's right. Little Griseo's dad asked me to give these two gifts to Little Griseo again." Lang Lei nodded.

Griseo touched the drawing brush, then the drawing board. Then she looked at Lang Lei with a serious expression, though she was still adorable.

"Brother Lang Lei, can you keep them for Griseo..." Griseo made a rare request.

"Of course!" Lang Lei nodded and put the two items away.

Griseo was now visibly radiating happiness, her whole person becoming much brighter.

Even Lang Lei's mood improved along with hers.

"System, show me my current basic status panel." Lang Lei gave the command in a humming tone.

"Ding, opened."

Tree and Sea System

Host: Lang Lei

Identity: Unknown

Level: 27

Draw Chances: 10

Martial Soul 1: Earth Dragon Dust (Soul Rings: Black, Black) (Talents: Dust Dragon Domain, Down-to-Earth)

Martial Soul 2: Heavenly Fire Sacred Judgment

Zero Rated Power—Heavenly Fire Unsheathed

Limit Release—Heavenly Fire Calamity Annihilation

Overlimit State—Calamity Annihilation Without End (Temporarily Sealed)

Authority: None

Summoned Character: Griseo

Items: Unedged Sword (Refinement Tier Five) ×1, Shattered Crystal Flower Fragments ×4, Martial Soul Deletion Card ×1, Lightning Element God's Eye ×1, Cultivation Sealing Card ×1, Copy Card ×1, Custom Anchor Point ×1, Thousand-Year Blood Ginseng ×5, Gold Soul Coins ×27612, Storage Soul Tool ×1, Jianmu Fruit ×1, Griseo's Drawing Board ×1, Griseo's Drawing Brush ×1

Tasks: None

Status: Fantastic!

"Mm, not bad. It looks much more impressive now..." Lang Lei nodded in satisfaction. "System, from now on, aside from relatively valuable items, display everything else in the item list as an ellipsis. I'll open them myself when I want to see them."

"Ding, modified."

"Little Griseo, rest a little longer." Lang Lei adjusted his mood and prepared to do another ten-pull. "Big brother will make a few more preparations before leaving."

Lang Lei could not help praying that he could draw another Blanca's Letter, or even Heng's Letter!

Not for any other reason—he just wanted to make Little Griseo happy...

"System, give me a ten-pull!"

"..."

There was no response again...

Bang! Bang! Bang!

After several slaps, the panel still showed no reaction, merely flickering a few times.

"Just how much signal does this new feature Aetheria developed take up..." Lang Lei grew even more expectant.

Then he used even more force to slap the panel.

Bang!!!

Bang!!!

Bang!!!

"Bzzz—"

After a burst of electric static, the panel switched to the card draw interface.

"OK! Now, it's time to draw!"

"System, ten-pull!"

No matter what, he could not lose in momentum while drawing...