Chapter 85

P. S.: OK, I updated 7,500 words today. In addition to the normal 4,000-word update, I updated 3,500 words more than usual, which is an extra update as it should have been. But it's a late compensation. Now, I'm going to sleep. I'll talk to you when I wake up.

Book 1: Chapter 121 The Clever Lemuen

Before long, Han Fei slowly walked out from the heavy and solemn main door of the cathedral.

The midday sun was so intense it was almost blinding, and he instinctively raised his hand to shield his eyes.

In the halo of light filtering through her fingers, Lemuen's vibrant voice rang out like leaping musical notes:

"Over here, over here!"

Following the sound, the sunlight outlined Lemuen's radiant smile, a smile that seemed even more dazzling than the blazing sun overhead.

Han Fei strode forward, walking towards the two sisters in the dazzling white light.

As soon as she approached, Lemuen's voice, brimming with undisguised curiosity, rang out. "What was the old man saying to you so mysteriously?"

"Just some trivial matters," Han Fei said casually.

Just then, Lemuen's gentle voice softly interjected, "Alright, let's go home first."

She paused slightly, her gaze sweeping over the two people in front of her, and added, "Don't forget, tonight is a pretty important day."

"Too."

Lemuen placed her hands behind her head, the bright smile on her face fading slightly, revealing a hint of worry about the future. "How about we throw a party tonight? Everyone's going their separate ways tomorrow, so at least let's say goodbye in a happy way."

I agree.

Lemuen nodded, but her gaze involuntarily drifted towards Han Fei.

Their gazes met briefly in mid-air.

Lemuen clearly caught the question in Han Fei's eyes—"And what about you?"

Lemuen knew that Han Fei was waiting for her reply, a reply to the invitation from that day.

To say yes or no?

Lemuen's heart leaned more towards the former. Her friends were all setting off, sailing towards the vast and unknown world beyond Laterano, to begin a new chapter in their lives.

Amidst this wave, the longing in her heart also surged—to follow Han Fei to see unseen landscapes and experience different journeys, which in itself was captivating.

However, when Lemuen's stunning red hair came into view, the tiny flame that had just ignited in Lemuen was instantly extinguished, leaving only cold embers, as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over it.

--What will happen to her if I leave?

This silent question weighed heavily on my heart.

Lemuen subconsciously pursed her lips, almost hastily turning her head away, not daring to look Han Fei in the eye again.

She was afraid.

I was afraid that under the watchful eyes that held such expectation, I wouldn't be able to control myself and would blurt out "yes".

"What's wrong, sis?"

Lemuen had turned around at some point. She was still walking backwards with light steps, her hands still casually behind her head, but her bright eyes keenly caught her sister's slightly strange expression.

"You seem a bit strange today?"

"No, it's nothing." Lemuen shook her head subconsciously, then realized that the gesture was somewhat of a cover-up.

She quickly composed herself, adopting the authority of an older sister, and changed the subject with a hint of concern in her voice. "Xiao Le, watch where you're going, be careful not to fall."

"Oh, don't worry, sis, I'm not a little... Waaah--!"

Before she could even utter the word "child," Lemuen's heel suddenly tripped over a low, slightly protruding curb at the edge of the sidewalk! With a cry of surprise, she lost her balance and stumbled backward!

In that split second—

A black-gloved hand shot out with lightning speed and precisely grabbed Lemuen's wrist! A strong force followed, and she was violently pulled forward!

"Ah!"

In a dizzying moment, Lemuen felt herself crash heavily into a strong and powerful embrace, and a familiar, faint scent instantly enveloped her.

The sudden close contact made her body stiffen instantly. Before her brain could react, she heard her sister's low gasp, still tinged with shock.

"Xiao Le!"

Lemuen quickly stepped forward, looking at her sister who was clinging awkwardly to Han Fei. She looked at her sister with a mixture of exasperation and helplessness, and scolded her, "I told you to watch where you're going!"

"Hey-hey..."

Lemuen chuckled sheepishly as she propped herself up from Han Fei, her cheeks slightly flushed. She tried her best to maintain a nonchalant demeanor, "An accident! Purely an accident!"

"It's good that everyone is alright."

Han Fei released his grip at the opportune moment, took a half-step back, and said in a gentle but cautionary voice, "You'd better pay more attention when you walk next time."

Looking at this all-too-familiar scene of playful fighting—his younger sister's boisterous energy and Han Fei's steady and reliable actions.

The most tender string in Lemuen's heart was quietly plucked.

If only things could stay like this...

A warm yet unreal thought flashed through her mind. But she knew it was just wishful thinking. Han Fei's steps would eventually lead him to distant places.

"Sis?"

Lemuen frowned slightly, leaned closer, and carefully examined Lemuen's face. Her voice, usually lighthearted, held a rare seriousness and concern. "You're acting really strange today. Is something on your mind?"

Indeed.

This time, Lemuen didn't mince words and frankly said, "After all, we're all about to part ways."

"Uh-huh?"

Lemuen knew her older sister all too well, and besides, they shared a common empathy.

She could clearly sense that her older sister's emotions at that moment were conflicted and troubled, rather than the sorrow of parting.

What could be causing my sister such distress and embarrassment, yet she's too ashamed to speak about it?

In that instant, Lemuen's little mind raced, and the ever-witty girl immediately found a direction.

--The thing that makes my sister so conflicted and embarrassed to talk about must be related to me, and most likely it's related to Han Fei!

Continuing to dig deeper in this direction, a bold conjecture, as a thunderclap, suddenly exploded in Lemuen's mind:

Wait, could it be that she wants to leave with Han Fei, but is afraid I'll be lonely, so she's hesitant to agree?

Everything happened in the blink of an eye. In a short moment, Lemuen guessed Lemuen's thoughts by sensing the emotions through empathy.

A strong, almost tangible sense of reluctance and bittersweetness instantly gripped Lemuen's heart. Of course, she didn't want to be separated from her sister. Her friends were all leaving, and if her sister left too, she would be too lonely alone in Laterano.

However, at the same time this reluctance arose, the incredibly clear and almost soul-piercing "entanglement" coming from the other end of the empathy was like a searchlight piercing through the thick fog, revealing a fact to Lemuen with absolute certainty.

--My sister actually wanted to go! She longed to embark on the journey, but she suppressed this desire because she was worried about me.

Sensing her sister's emotions, Lemuen instinctively wanted to tell her not to worry about her, and that she could live well even if she stayed in Laterano alone.

But before she could utter those words, an even bolder and more rebellious idea surfaced in Lemuen's mind.

"If you can all leave, why can't I? Why should I stay in Laterano? I could have left with you all!"

Once the idea took hold, it grew wildly, like a tender sprout breaking through the soil.

Suddenly, Lemuen felt a sense of clarity and relief wash over her. All the gloom, reluctance, and self-pity were replaced by an almost wild surge of excitement and clarity, causing the corners of her mouth to involuntarily turn up in a smile.

Volume 1: Chapter 122 Adventure

The minor incident quickly subsided, but the idea in Lemuen's mind had already taken root and sprouted.

After everyone returned to the apartment, Lemuen seized an opportunity, and the dog sneaked up to Han Fei's side, whispering:

"Han Fei, did you say something to my older sister behind my back?"

"Um?"

Han Fei was somewhat surprised, thinking to himself, "You know this?"

Just as if she had read Han Fei's mind, Lemuen gave a thumbs up and said, "Don't you know who I am? I'm Lemuen! I'm the one who understands my older sister better than anyone else in the world. How could she possibly hide her conflicted and twisted look from me?"

The next second, she nudged Han Fei with her elbow mischievously and said, "So, are you really trying to steal my older sister away?"

"What do you mean by 'kidnapping'? That sounds awful." Han Fei rolled his eyes. "That's called an invitation, you know what an invitation is?"

"I understand, I understand."

Lemuen said this, then poked Han Fei's arm and said, "So you really wanted to secretly run off with my older sister behind my back, and even kept it from me? That's too much!"

"You weren't there at the time, how could I tell you?" Han Fei spread his hands, looking completely innocent.

"Then you can mention it to me privately," Lemuen insisted.

"Uh, it seems like we didn't have a chance to whisper sweet nothings today." Han Fei scratched his head. "So, you sneaked up to me just for this?"

Not entirely.

As she spoke, Lemuen secretly glanced towards the kitchen.

At that moment, Lemuen and the girls were busy in the kitchen, while Texas sat expressionlessly on the living room sofa.

The latter noticed Lemuen's subtle movements, but she didn't say anything, only giving her an inquiring look—what are you doing?

"Sh--"

Lemuen put her index finger to her lips, winked at Texas, then tugged at Han Fei's sleeve and pulled him to a corner. "Want me to help you?"

"Um?"

Han Fei made a questioning nasal sound and asked, "What are you going to do?"

"I'll help you run away with my older sister," Lemuen earnestly. "My sister is really torn. She wants to go with you, but she's worried I'll be lonely left alone in Laterano. So I might as well give her a push."

Han Fei suddenly had a bad feeling. "So?"

"So--"

Lemuen stood with her hands on her hips, her eyes crinkling into crescents, and said matter-of-factly, "Why don't I just go too?"

"Tomorrow, when she comes to see you off, I'll pack my things. She'll be incredibly surprised. Then I'll get on your helicopter, and she'll definitely follow. Then you can send your helicopter away quickly. We'll do it first and ask for permission later!"

Whether Lemuen was surprised or not after hearing this, Han Fei was stunned.

"Ha?"

So surprised by the audacity of the idea that Han Fei unconsciously raised his voice a few decibels.

"Shh!"

Lemuen immediately gestured for silence, glancing nervously towards the kitchen, and said, "Don't be so loud! My older sister definitely won't approve. If she finds out, we're all doomed!"

Han Fei was somewhat amused and exasperated, and said, "You knew that, yet you still did it?"

To be honest, if he could seduce both sisters at once, he would definitely be willing, but the prerequisite is that they have to be willing.

Forced relationships are never sweet!

Besides, this should have been a happy occasion, and Han Fei didn't want to make things worse and upset everyone.

After all, Lemuen's plan was far too rebellious and risky.

"It's okay, really, you can trust me."

Lemuen patted her barely noticeable chest and said confidently, "My older sister actually really wanted to go with you. I just gave her a little push. I didn't force her to do anything."

"No, what I mean is, if she knew you came along too, she'd definitely be angry, after all, you're a student," Han Fei said, scratching his head.

It's alright.

Lemuen puffed out her chest and said nonchalantly, "I've already learned all that knowledge, it was easy. I just need a diploma now. Once I get the diploma, I won't be a student anymore."

As she spoke, Lemuen's expression was rather adorable—"I'm super awesome!"

Han Fei, however, had no time to notice Lemuen's cuteness. He sighed and said, "I think you should tell your sister first."

It would be great if he could abduct Remy and Remy, but he really didn't want the two sisters to have any unpleasantness because of this.

This is no small matter; the old approach of acting first and reporting later simply won't work.

"If I told her, she definitely wouldn't agree." Lemuen frowned. "She would definitely make me stay in Laterano."

Finally, she said seriously, "When the time comes, she probably won't go with you to consider my feelings. You should think it through."

Upon hearing this, Han Fei hesitated for a moment, but quickly regained his resolve and said, "Even so, I think it's better than you acting first and informing me later."