133: How to deal with him

Tu Nan stood on the stairs and saw Hain sitting on the sofa, demonstrating his Talent skills live for the Children.

He moved very slowly, and Tu Nan could see a watery mist beginning to form in front of him and around the Children.

Miao Miao sat on his lap, touching her damp cheeks and giggling.

The water gradually condensed, turning into transparent yet flickering flames that floated up and down around the three of them.

Miao Miao watched with rapt attention.

“Try it, use your fire,” Hain said softly to Miao Miao.

Tu Nan smiled as she watched Miao Miao's serious efforts, her little face turning bright red from the exertion.

Poof!

Several sparks burst out in the house, but Miao Miao turned into a ball of fur on the spot.

A spark burst right before Tu Nan's eyes, but it was immediately enveloped by water vapor and extinguished.

“Mama!”

Miao Miao tried to pounce toward Tu Nan in a panic, but unfortunately, Hain grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and lifted her up to his eye level.

“So, you still need control, understand?”

The little one was still shaken.

“This is someone else's home, shouldn't we be more careful?” Tu Nan suggested tentatively.

Hain, of course, knew Tu Nan was standing there.

His dark eyes turned toward Tu Nan, and as soon as his lips parted, it was a loaded question.

“Then... let's go to my house.” With just a phone call, he could own property on Xiuyin Star.

But seeing Tu Nan's expression immediately turn frantic, he turned his head and explained softly, “Don't worry, even without Kong Jiamu, I can control this little bit of fire.”

Tu Nan didn't dare respond.

Hearing the name Kong Jiamu from his mouth was actually such a terrifying thing.

Hain also suddenly fell silent.

She couldn't delay any longer. Who knew when Kong Jiamu would return? No matter how difficult it was, she had to speak up today.

Tu Nan forced herself to walk up to Hain.

“Go play by yourself for a bit?” she said to Miao Miao.

Miao Miao was pulled away by her brother in a daze, leaving the living room empty and silent.

“I regret it,” Hain spoke up.

His gaze was distant as he spoke of their parting on Sand Star.

“Outside Mata City, I shouldn't have let them take you away. If I hadn't let go then...”

There are no 'ifs'.

Tu Nan slowly knelt before Hain and looked up.

This was the first time since meeting again that she had looked at him closely.

He was still as handsome as a painting. Because his head was bowed, his eyelashes cast deep shadows under his eyes, obscuring them and making it impossible for Tu Nan to guess his thoughts.

But Tu Nan could see his pressed lips. It made the small dimples on his cheeks disappear, and his whole being was shrouded in melancholy.

Hain reached out as if to pull Tu Nan up, but he let his hand drop back to his side halfway.

Tu Nan, however, wickedly reached out and gently took his hand.

“Hain, I'm so sorry.”

Holding his hand, she buried her head between his knees and let out a very soft sigh as she spoke.

Hain was unable to move.

The warm skin he had felt last night suddenly pressed against him, and Tu Nan's breath brushed against his palm as a familiar fragrance wafted over.

He knew all of this was wrong. But he simply couldn't bring himself to break away.

This was his friend's female companion, someone protected by Kong Jiamu in his private residence.

“I can't give you an answer.”

Tu Nan's voice was muffled. Was she answering the question he had asked during their last phone call?

Hain wasn't quite sure.

“You are too wonderful, but what about me?” Tu Nan looked up and smiled dazedly. “I have nothing but exhaustion...”

“You are just a dream to me. The kind of beautiful dream that makes one feel happy even after waking up, but I know it's all an illusion in the end.”

“It's not,” Hain immediately retorted.

He wouldn't be mistaken; the color of a Soul could not be faked. Even now, the colors on Tu Nan were still so brilliant and pure.

He had never seen this pure, Deep Blue on anyone else.

Deep self-loathing was in Tu Nan's eyes. “I can't help but draw closer to you, but every time I do, I regret it even more. You and I are not from the same world...”

Her eyes shifted stiffly as she forced a bitter smile.

“Kong Jiamu... he's different. I only have the present, and he only pursues the present. I don't have to worry about him looking down on me, nor do I worry about wronging him.”

No... that's not it! Hain's face turned pale.

Kong Jiamu's feelings for you aren't... just pursuing the present. He might have been moved too, just like me, Hain thought.

But he gritted his teeth and swallowed those words.

He was unwilling to say it, unwilling to defend his friend, and thus unable to comfort Tu Nan at a moment like this.

“Let me face all this alone, okay?” Tu Nan pleaded with him. “You don't understand this feeling—only being able to look up at you, but not daring to approach you.”

“I've been pretending while by your side! I've been lying to you all along...”

Tu Nan waited for Hain's reaction.

But Hain turned his head slightly, avoiding Tu Nan's gaze, his teeth gritted.

“Kong Jiamu asked me to protect you, and I will never break my word to a friend.”

He could analyze government affairs logically before Your Majesty and assign tasks to his subordinates with calm clarity, but when speaking to Tu Nan, he always found himself tongue-tied.

It was truly laughable that this was the only reason he could come up with now.

“...” Damn that Kong Jiamu, Tu Nan cursed again.

It seemed Hain was determined to wait for Kong Jiamu's return, even though he had clearly wavered just now.

Which sentence was it? Tu Nan thought back carefully.

Was it when she mentioned Kong Jiamu... because of what? Tu Nan didn't dare look at Hain either, but she had to press on with this point.

To make Hain remain silent, she had to expose her vulnerability and strength at the same time, then use morality and a sliver of sincerity to corner him.

“Then can I beg you... not to tell Kong Jiamu everything? I'm just a passing scenery on his journey, and the journey will be over soon, won't it?”

“My friend and I have started a small business... and need his help.” Tu Nan's voice grew lower and lower. “I can't always rely on you.”

Hain really wanted to say that he was willing to be her reliance. But he knew Tu Nan didn't want that; like Hain himself, she was unwilling to be kept by a Family.

She, like him, had her own ambitions.

Hain... nodded with difficulty.

The heavy stone in Tu Nan's heart finally dropped; she believed in Hain's promise.

Since Hain had agreed not to interfere too much in his friend's romantic affair, as long as she was careful not to provoke Hain when Kong Jiamu returned, this crisis would pass once he left.

Hain wanted to say more, but his communicator rang.

After just one glance, his expression became solemn, and he pulled Tu Nan up, instructing her sternly: “Stay here, don't move, and don't make a sound.”

Looking around, he walked to the window to answer the Video Call.

The profile of a man sitting in a tall chair was projected in front of Hain. Tu Nan could only see a bit of his side profile from behind.

“Your Majesty.” Hain bowed respectfully.

So it was the Lord Hain served, the ruler of the Empire—Emperor Haoyuan, The Emperor.

This was the second time she had indirectly come into contact with this Your Majesty. Last time she heard his voice, and this time, she saw his profile.

Tu Nan didn't dare breathe.

She stood frozen in place.