Chapter 682 - Chapter 682: Chapter 307: Wife's Studies

Chapter 682: Chapter 307: Wife’s Studies

At the city gate, Lu Yuan comforted the crowd and discussed some government affairs with them before heading towards the Royal Palace.

Upon arriving at the palace entrance, Lan Cai’er led the palace attendants to welcome him.

“Greetings to His Majesty, welcome back to the palace.”

After two years, Lan Cai’er’s figure had become more plump and mature, like a ripe peach, which stirred people’s desire just by glancing at her.

Now it was the end of the sixth year of the Shenwu era, and since Lu Yuan had traveled to this world, a total of twenty-five years had passed.

By the time he arrived, his body’s age was fifteen. With fifteen plus twenty-five, it meant that he was now forty years old.

Lan Cai’er, being the same age as Lu Yuan, was now also in her forties.

Although Inborn Grandmasters had a longer lifespan and their appearances aged more slowly than ordinary people, the process was still inevitable.

Her forty years old was equivalent to an ordinary woman in her twenties. She had a perfect combination of maturity and youth, and her every movement and expression were full of infinite charm.

This was a feeling she had never given Lu Yuan before, with her previous innocence.

He couldn’t help but be moved by her one glance, and took two steps forward, grabbing her hand and helping her up, looking her up and down with a hearty laugh, saying, “My Queen, I have missed you dearly.”

He then reached out with both hands and embraced his wife.

His sudden gesture left Lan Cai’er momentarily stunned, and by the time she regained her composure, her initially cold face was flushed red, her heart both angered and amused.

She was angry at him for such a disregard of etiquette in public, and amused at how much he missed her, her heart filled with sweet emotions.

Her dissatisfaction and complaints about Lu Yuan’s two-year absence also dissipated in that embrace.

After holding her for a moment, she struggled and pushed him away, saying, “Your Majesty, there are so many people watching. Moreover, He’er and Hao’er are here, they have been waiting for you to return and wanting to see their father.”

Lu Yuan, pushed away and somewhat reluctant, sniffed his now fragrant hand that had just held her and caused Lan Cai’er to blush once more.

He laughed and then turned his head to look at the two curious youngsters behind her – one tall, one short.

When Lu Yuan left, his eldest son Lu He had just turned four and had just begun to remember things. His second son, Lu Hao, was not yet two and still a babbling infant.

Now, two years had passed. Lu He was six years old, much taller and almost as high as Lu Yuan’s waist. Lu Hao was now four years old, reaching barely to Lu Yuan’s waist.

However, both were looking at Lu Yuan with a mixture of curiosity and fear.

Lu He was better off, as he had some impression of his father during his time away, and he didn’t feel too alienated.

But it was different for Lu Hao.

When his father left, he was still being nursed, so he had no impression of what his father looked like.

He now regarded Lu Yuan as a stranger, and since that stranger was embracing his mother, Hao’er felt somewhat disgruntled, as if someone was trying to take his place.

Ever since he could remember, his mother had only ever held him, occasionally holding his older brother too.

His mother’s arms belonged to him, and no one else.

He wanted to go and separate the two of them, but was somewhat afraid and hid behind Lu Hao, his little face puffing up in anger, making Lu Yuan want to laugh at the scene.

“He’er, Hao’er, come and pay your respects to your father. Your father is back.”

At this moment, Lan Cai’er had also steadied her emotions and, somewhat annoyed, glared at Lu Yuan. She walked over to her two sons and spoke with a mother’s authority.

On hearing their mother’s words, the two youngsters finally returned to their senses, remembering they were there to welcome their father home.

As they looked at Lu Yuan more closely, they finally recalled that the man before them was their father, whom their mother had told them countless times about, always away fighting battles for their family and the Chu State.

In an instant.

The natural dependency of children on their parents emerged from the bottom of their hearts.

Especially for Hao’er, who finally remembered his father’s image from his scarce memories, which quickly overlapped with the man in front of his eyes.

As the images coincided, Hao’er called out with a soft voice, “Father.”

After exclaiming, he ran up and hugged Lu Yuan’s leg, rubbing his little face against it.

Seeing this, Lu He also had an epiphany.

Following their mother’s embrace, there was another thing that could be vied for, their father’s legs.

Did my older brother want to compete for our father’s legs with me?

Still young and not understanding much, Lu He instinctively wanted to take anything that might have a benefit for himself. He immediately became discontented.

“I want a hug, too!”

Saying that, he took small steps and ran up to hug Lu Yuan’s right leg. He stared at his brother with a challenging expression, rubbing his face against Lu Yuan’s pants as well.

The world of children is simple.

They only know that what others have, they want to have as well – and even more of it.