Vol 8 Chapter 267 – Ninth Prince, Long Nian

XH 267 - Ninth Prince, Long Nian

The first meeting after two years between Xiao Hua and Long Zhu was filled with shyness and the air was coated with a pink, bubbly air known as romance. 

Yu Zheng and Long Yuen hide their smirk at how shy the young couple was. It was as if this was their first meeting of an arranged marriage talk without any history of meeting each other.

"How are you doing?"

"Very well. How about you?"

"I'm doing well too."

Long Zhu's heart thump-ed like crazy, meeting her shy, beautiful eyes that sparkled with emotion. It was still gray colored, but he slowly found it to be likeable and uniquely her. 

The round table was not small, but the amount of dishes made it look otherwise. Every dish was decorated artistically, giving off a rich and lavish feast suitable for an Imperial feast.  

Doctor Bai had gone all out for his adopted daughter's sixteenth birthday. 

With a welcoming smile that suits a great host, Doctor Bai invited everyone to take a seat and enjoy the feast without needing to be polite.

"Thank you, Honorable Father," Xiao Hua called sweetly. Her heart was deeply touched at his thoughtful effort for her birthday feast and it made her tone even softer and sweeter, very pleasant to listen to.

Doctor Bai's smile was wider and softer towards his daughter. "Come, I've prepared enough for everyone, so there's no need to hold back and have your fill."

Xiao Hua was seated beside Long Zhu, and she subconsciously placed a wide space between them. She does not understand why she would be so shy towards this man that she had kissed and hugged for so many times.

Was it because he was much more handsome than before? Two years had allowed Long Zhu's appearance to grow mature to the extent it matched his mentality. He looked even more like Le XiaoTing's boss now. 

Any softness that previously would make others wrongly recognize him as a female had now become harder, like a male.

A good looking male.

With darker skin, taller height, wider shoulders, and thicker chest, Long Zhu emitted manly hormones that made Xiao Hua's femininity tingle in awareness. 

Just like Xiao Hua, Long Zhu was very much aware and conscious of the delicate beauty seated beside him. His eighth brother's description which he shared after his visits could do no justice for the actual vision.

Xiao Hua had shredded most of her childishness and started blooming into a beautiful flower. With fair skin and womanly curves, Long Zhu was a bit confused on how to treat her. It was his integrated teachings that took charge of his confusion and made him behave like a proper gentleman to the lovely lady. 

Doctor Bai placed plenty of dishes on top of Xiao Hua's bowl of rice, so she had to eat them non-stop to avoid spilling. She did not refuse Doctor Bai's offering, using eating as an excuse to avoid paying much attention to the handsome man beside her. 

After Long Zhu once again verbally affirmed that he wishes to marry Xiao Hua, who shyly nodded in agreement, the atmosphere became lighter and easygoing. 

"Will you be coming along to Guilin with us?" Long Yuen asked Bai Chuan.

"Yes. It will be nice to travel together." He and Yu Zheng will be staying until Xiao Hua and Long Zhu's wedding was over. 

The older generation happily chatted as they dine, while the two younger ones only stuffed food into their mouth. The young miss glued her eyes on the food in her hand, but the gentlemen would glance at her at the corner of his eyes. His lips would once in a while curled upwards, obviously happy. 

Xiao Hua naturally noticed his sneaking glances, which had stopped the blush on her cheeks from going away.

After the birthday feast ended, the young couple was not given the chance to speak privately, for their elders have them return to their assigned room to rest early for tomorrow's trip. With Doctor Bai and Yu Zheng's high cultivation, Long Zhu will not be able to sneak into Xiao Hua's room for a private chat. 

It did not take long for Xiao Hua to pack her luggage with Da Bei's help and went to sleep. It took quite some time for her to battle her excitement and finally allow her mind rest. 

When the figure on the bed finally stopped rolling around and started breathing steadily, the snow wolf laid on the carpeted floor finally fell asleep as well.

The next morning, they started the journey after the sun had risen and breakfast had been consumed. 

With Long Zhu and Long Yuen in a single carriage and the rest in another carriage, they started the journey at the fastest speed, intending to reach Guilin as soon as possible. 

Duan XiYing will be returning to Guilin on her own first and help out with the wedding preparation. The main reason was to avoid meeting Doctor Bai. 

As Yu Zheng, Bai Chuan, and Xiao Hua will be sharing a carriage, it will be too tight to add Da Bei in. So he returned to his human form and joined his father to help guard the carriages and the boxes of dowries trailing behind the carriages. 

Eying his son discreetly, Da Liu mourned that his sons looked too much like their mother, giving them a weak, pretty boy look. He was not unhappy that his sons looked like his wife, but they were male and should at least inherit half of his masculine look. 

Sensing his father's gaze, Da Bei turned to Da Liu, his eyes filled with questioning intention. 

Da Liu's face had not exposed any of his inner thoughts. With a nod, he coldly praised his son, "You've done well in protecting young miss for these two years. Keep up the good work."

Da Bei nodded, his eyes revealed a hint of joy fitting his age from the praise. "I will continue to work hard."

Witnessing the father and son interaction over his shoulder while handling the horses, Xiao Liu shakes his head slightly. Da Bei's face might be the same as his mother, but the personality was just like his father. Da An was certainly cuter and fun to be with.

With Yu Zheng's special portal, the group arrived at Guilin in less than a day. Yu Zheng refused to travel in the carriage for days, even with the flying horses that reduce half the amount of time to travel, and did not hesitate to reveal his power and risk the world to punish him.

As the carriages entered the capital and towards the palace, they naturally drew attention thanks to the eye-catching boxes of dowries.

The total amount of dowries that Bai Chuan and Yu Zheng gave was forty boxes. Xiao Hua managed to take out enough treasures to fill three boxes thanks to her store profit and Prince Heng's payment.

What got the onlookers excited was the size of the boxes, on top of the numbers that was not unusual for royal family members.

"Forty-three large-sized treasure boxes! Which tyrant appears!" An ignorant citizen commented after finishing counting the amount of boxes.

"Can't you see it's the Third Prince's carriage? He must have brought his intended wife-to-be back!"

"They are dowries!" Most of the onlookers realized quickly.

"Are doctors that rich?"

"You are too naive! Doctors charge us too much for simple treatment! How can they not be rich?"

"Shush you! You are just jealous of the talented! Be careful not to offend great Doctor Bai, lest when you get sick, there will be no doctors who dare to treat a money-minded person like you!"

"Wife, how could you curse your own husband like this?" The husband feels wronged.

The onlookers' voice was not soft, and Xiao Hua in the carriage caught most of their conversation and laughed to herself.

The carriage entered into the palace with the guards already informed of their arrival beforehand, hence the trip was smooth and without blockage. 

Right at the bottom of the stairs heading up to the court hall were the 20th Emperor and 20th Empress, smiling as they watched Long Zhu and the others stepped out of their carriages. The boxes of dowries were sent directly to the Peach Courtyard, which now belonged to Doctor Bai for his permanent use. 

It would be good to have a permanent residence for Doctor Bai to stay so that the great doctor will come to Guilin more often. 

The Empress Dowager nodded with a pleased smile when Xiao Hua greeted them politely. She was glad Xiao Hua looked more mature and lost most of her childish looks. 

This look matched her son well. 

Xiao Hua sneaked a glance at Long Lian, who was smiling at her beside the Empress Dowager. She was relieved that the princess seems to have cheered up from yesterday's gloomy talk. Perhaps she had spoken to the King of Munzhu yesterday and the talk goes well. 

In her arms was a baby boy dressed in bright blue attire, spotting a silly smile with drool dripping down his chin. 

This must be the Ninth Prince, Long Nian. 

The soft smile on Xiao Hua's face as she looked at Long Nian was caught by Long Zhu. Unconsciously, his smile mirrored hers, as he thought Xiao Hua would be a good mother to their children.

Heise was only able to join them for lunch, briefly dropping by to offer well wishes, before leaving to do his work again. 

The life of an Emperor was unexpectedly busier than he thought.

With the crowd, Xiao Hua and Long Zhu do not have a chance to talk privately and only able to exchange glances accompanied with smiles once in a while. 

Time flew by and after the hair combing ritual that every bride had to do before the wedding day, it was time for bed.

Tomorrow will be Xiao Hua and Long Zhu's wedding day. 

chocolily

Honestly, I only paid attention to (You are my Glory) by Gu Man, because of Dilireba and Yang Yang! Its confirmed that this novel leads will be acted by them!

I already had my attention on their CP thanks to the waaaaay early news of King of Avatar drama, but turns out Dilireba isn't casted. 

Okay back to (You are my glory). I've finished reading its because its only 36 chap and 16 epilogue. (Except for the 16th epilogue which the translator had not release for months orz).

Its a modern, gaming romance, BG pairing! Its realistic and acceptable, and I can't wait for the drama to release! The date? No idea.