"Yes. Dinner. Or a very late dinner. Early breakfast. Whatever you want to call it." He helped her sit up, noting how she moved more easily now, her strength returning gradually. "You’ve been asleep for hours, and your body needs fuel."
"I’m not particularly hungry," she said, but her voice lacked its usual conviction. Her body, despite being sothing other than human, still had needs.
"You need to eat anyway," Lu Yuze insisted. "You’ve been through a lot today. Your body needs to recover."
That was putting it extrely mildly. Healing a child from impossible poison using her own life essence. Then, she killed two n from three kiloters away with nothing but her mind. Any normal person would be dead from that kind of exertion.
But Shuyin wasn’t normal. She was barely even human.
"Fine," she conceded, standing with his assistance. She swayed slightly, and his hand imdiately moved to steady her. "But if you’re serving bland prison food, I’m going back to sleep imdiately."
Despite everything, the stress, the fear, the knowledge of what she’d done and what was coming, Lu Yuze found himself smiling faintly. "I think our kitchen can do better than prison food."
He guided both won toward the dining room, Yuyan walking on her own, though still a bit unsteady, Shuyin leaning slightly on his arm, though she’d probably deny needing the support if asked.
Ah-Ling had already coordinated with the newly hired, thoroughly vetted staff to prepare sothing appropriate, light but nutritious, easy on systems that had been through trauma. Congee with preserved vegetables. Stead fish. Fresh fruit. Delicate soup made from bone broth that had been simring all day.
As they walked through the mansion’s corridors, Lu Yuze’s phone buzzed again. Another call from another Chen family mber, another investigator, another person demanding answers and making veiled threats.
He silenced it without even looking.
Right now, in this mont, his priority was making sure his daughter and his strange, powerful, dangerous wife were fed and cared for.
The Chen family and their suspicions could wait.
Madam Liu and her threats of destruction could wait.
The investigations, the lawyers, and the dia scrutiny could all wait.
Because sotis, even in the middle of a crisis, even when you knew a storm was coming that might destroy everything you’d built, you had to take care of the simple things.
Like making sure your family ate dinner.
Even if one of them had just killed soone with her mind.
Even if the world outside was sharpening its knives and preparing to co for you.
First, you fed your family.
Everything else would follow in its own ti.
And when it did, Lu Yuze would be ready. But who dared to even threaten him, not knowing how much power he wielded? Just because he has been lying low doesn’t an he was out of the ga.
— — — —
After dinner, Lu Yuze helped Yuyan back upstairs, his daughter leaning heavily against him despite the food having restored so of her strength. She was still recovering, still fragile, and he wasn’t taking any chances.
"Daddy, I can walk by myself you know, you should prioritize your wife," Yuyan protested weakly, though she made no real effort to pull away from his support.
"Hehe..."
"Humor ," he replied, guiding her down the hallway toward her bedroom. "You’ve been unconscious for six months. You’re allowed to be tired and for my wife...." Could he prioritize her?
"I’m not a baby anymore....."
"You’re twelve years old, which ans you’re still my baby," he said firmly, pushing open her bedroom door. "Now, into bed. Proper bed this ti, not on a couch."
Yuyan smiled despite her exhaustion, letting him tuck her into the enormous four-poster bed that had sat empty for half a year. The room was exactly as she’d left it, posters of her favorite musicians on the walls, her piano in the corner, shelves full of books and awards from academic competitions.
"Daddy?" she called him as he pulled the covers up to her chin. "Is everything going to be okay? With that man who ca tonight? With... everything?"
Lu Yuze smoothed her silver hair back from her forehead, his touch infinitely gentle. "Everything will be fine. You don’t need to worry about adult problems. Just focus on getting better."
"But I heard shouting....,"
"That’s over now, baby" he assured her, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Sleep, sweetheart. I’ll be right down the hall if you need anything."
"Okay," Yuyan mumbled, already drifting off. The combination of food, exhaustion, and her body’s continued recovery from the cold poison was pulling her under.
Lu Yuze watched her for a mont longer, making sure her breathing was steady and natural, then quietly left the room, leaving the door slightly ajar so he could hear if she called him out.
When he returned downstairs, he found Shuyin standing in the entrance hall, looking toward the rear of the mansion with an expression of focused intent.
"Shuyin?" he carefully approached her. "Are you feeling better? Do you need anything?"
"I’m fine," she responded, not looking at him. Her jade eye was glowing faintly again, and he’d learned that ant she was using her abilities for sothing, and she was searching through the walls. "But I need you to understand sothing."
"What?"
"Don’t look for tonight." Her voice was flat, emotionless, brooking no argunt. "Don’t disturb . Don’t send anyone to check on . I need... ti. Alone."
Lu Yuze studied her face, seeing the tension there despite her controlled expression. "Are you sure you’re alright? If you’re still recovering....."
"I need to be alone," she repeated, finally turning to look at him directly. "Human concerns, human presence, it’s really draining. I need to restore myself properly, and I can’t do that with people around. Do you understand?"
He didn’t, not really. But he’d learned that pushing Shuyin when she was in this mood was pointless and potentially dangerous. Things could easily turn against you!
"Alright," he conceded. "But if you need anything...."
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