117: Is Hein preparing a surprise?

Just as Hain was about to speak, he saw Miao Miao intently and openly eavesdropping.

The little one's eyes were wide and round, darting between the two adults. She clearly sensed that they were discussing something interesting, and she also knew that she shouldn't be present.

After all, the mental link between Tu Nan and her was quiet; there was no more of the little one's noisy spam.

"Huai En, today's lesson ends here. Review well on your own. I'll do a spot check before the next class, and I hope you've mastered it."

Hain's expression turned serious, and he stunned the Children with homework.

Miao Miao's ears drooped... She would have run away if she had known staying here would mean getting homework from Father Hain.

Hain smiled. "Go back to your room and review for half an hour first."

Tu Nan didn't say anything. She wouldn't interfere with a teacher's normal education of a child, and besides, she was a little embarrassed.

"Go back to your room and do your homework, baby. Remember to close the door. Will you teach Ao Ao today's content?"

Tu Nan used this method to deepen Miao Miao's learning and also to let Ao Ao learn a bit more.

Watching the Children enter the room, the two adults simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief.

Hain suddenly composed himself, straightened his sleeves, and clasped his hands in front of his chest, bowing deeply and solemnly to Tu Nan.

He performed a bow.

Straightening up, the gentle Male Beast spoke with a serious attitude.

"You did nothing wrong; there's no need to apologize to me. On the contrary, I was the one who offended you."

He gently raised a hand, signaling Tu Nan not to speak hastily, and continued to analyze himself.

"Your personal matters, whether you want to speak of them or not, are your right. I shouldn't overstep due to my own unease."

"It was I who was impolite."

"I shouldn't project my emotions onto you." As Hain spoke, his eyes suddenly softened.

"But if you allow me to come closer," he expressed a vision for their relationship, "or if you wish to step into my world..."

"That would be my honor."

Every one of Hain's words was restrained and polite, yet clear enough to express his pursuit.

"May I await your reply?"

The top powerhouse of this world, the great noble of an ancient Family, the eldest Young Master of the Montoya Family, reached out to Tu Nan across the vast starry sky.

He waited quietly.

His jade-like hand was long and slender, with well-manicured nails that shimmered with the unique luster of pearls.

His palm had no scars or marks of weathering, making it hard to imagine that he had also undergone various combat trainings. Perhaps it was a contradictory existence nurtured by careful maintenance.

Hain's dark, round eyes, often as calm as a deep, secluded pool, now seemed to reflect Tu Nan's green eyes. It was like adding color to an ink-wash landscape, becoming vibrant with shimmering light.

The dimples on his cheeks completely shattered his noble and aloof demeanor.

Tu Nan had thought that Hain's appearance was not as aggressive as Kong Jiamu's, but she was wrong.

Wasn't she struggling in the net he had cast right now?

But... agree to him?

And then go to his side? Give birth to his Children, counting down the last five years of her life?

No!

No!

Even if the System promised her only fifteen years of life after all her genes were complete, she still wanted to get those first.

She wanted to choose this path that seemed more arduous.

After weighing it repeatedly these past few days, she was even more certain.

Only by surviving will there be a future.

She would go to Hain's side, but not now.

Tu Nan's smile was earnest and sincere. She reached out to Hain, responding to him with genuine sincerity.

"I will go to Sea Soul Star, I promise, in the not-too-distant future. You will see a brand new me, and I hope it will be a surprise."

Their hands met in the air, where the light and shadows became chaotic, scattering into faint specks of light.

Hain clearly received Tu Nan's reply.

And her sincerity soothed Hain's clamoring heart. Although he couldn't touch her immediately, it didn't matter. Hain regretfully folded his hands again.

"A surprise..." Hain nodded, resuming his gentle demeanor. He considerately said to Tu Nan, "I've occupied the line for too long today. Do you need to tutor Miao Miao with her homework?"

He gestured for Tu Nan to hang up first.

Tu Nan's heart, which had been suspended for several days, finally settled completely. She gave Hain a full, radiant smile and vanished from his sight.

Hain stared fixedly at the space where Tu Nan had been, gently reaching out and making a vague embrace.

Only air remained... He walked to the window and pulled open the metal blinds.

Outside the window was the edge of a shattered asteroid belt, filled with the flickering light of stars.

The starship was traveling at high speed through interstellar space.

Hain smiled slightly.

After a restless day, he had figured it out.

He shouldn't pry into Tu Nan's privacy, but he also shouldn't stay where he was.

He would go to her side, so she would never encounter anything bad again, and he could fulfill all his promises.

And let her feel his sincerity.

Moving at full speed, he could arrive just before the Hongtu Flight docked.

Hain stood by the window.

He dragged Kong Jiamu out of the blacklist again and dialed the communication.

He told Kong Jiamu to inform Hongtu Aviation's ground crew to arrange for him to go directly to the flight's boarding gate, so Tu Nan would see him the moment she disembarked.

With a hint of mischief and more anticipation, he pictured Tu Nan's expression in his mind.

That surprised expression.

***

Tu Nan didn't know Hain's plans.

She thought she was lucky, having survived another crisis and put everything back on "track."

Her focus was once again entirely on Kong Jiamu.

Regarding unlocking the Peacock's Gene Lock again, she already had an idea, only lacking practice. However, the other problem had no solution.

—What excuse could she use to continue staying by his side after disembarking?

That playboy Peacock had made it quite clear. Once they docked, this romance would come to an end.

But... eight months, the gestation period for an S-class child, was very close to human pregnancy time.

She still needed him to extract the child's genes.

Based on her previous experience, the most perfect method was for her to extract enough genes before she started showing significantly.

Then, she would slip away before Kong Jiamu even realized what happened.

This was too difficult.

Tu Nan was at her wit's end.

She called the two Children out of their room after they finished their homework. As a reward, Tu Nan accompanied them to the game area to let off their abundant energy.

At least one problem was solved today, so she could relax a little.

The mother and her two Children arrived at the play area and happened to see Lance standing dejectedly in front of a delicate Female attendant.

Tu Nan approached from behind and heard the attendant politely suggest, "Mr. Lance, I thought we had reached a consensus last time, that you've realized these shooting games are not suitable for you."

Lance stubbornly resisted.

"But, little Amy~ I've already compensated for all the damaged equipment."

Amy seemed to be gritting her teeth, "We can't keep up with repairs, and there are so many Children waiting to play. Please consider our workload."

"Also, please call me Amy."

Lance looked pitiful, "O-okay..."

Tu Nan had heard Lance say that any weapon she touched would break, but she never expected it to include simulation weapons in the game room.

She couldn't help but laugh and greeted Lance.

"Hi~ Good afternoon."

But then Lance's face suddenly changed. He abruptly pulled Amy into his arms, circling her as he turned.

"Ow!" Lance cried out in pain.

The toy bullet, which should have hit Amy, landed on Lance's back.

The two maintenance workers there dropped their tools and ran over, flustered.

"Guest, where are you hurt? That... we didn't expect that." They were extremely panicked.

Amy was also very nervous.

"Lance, does it hurt? Why did you block it for me... Are you silly? I'll go with you to the medical bay."

"It's nothing, nothing." Lance grimaced as he comforted her.

"That one was aimed at your eye. Hitting my back is fine. No need for a doctor, I know myself." She tried hard to maintain her dashing demeanor.

Amy saw that she seemed fine, feeling slightly relieved, but still insisted on escorting her back to her room.

Tu Nan told the Children not to play in this area for now and followed Lance and the others.

As she walked, she suddenly had an idea.