MORIC - Chapter 78

Chapter 78: Meeting the Parents Again, Huh

Xi Zhoumeng hadn't even reacted yet, subconsciously about to reply, "Didn't I kill her?"

Just as the words were on the tip of her tongue, a person appeared behind Chi Yueshan, walking out from the shadows of the hallway. Chi Yueshan stood aside reservedly, looking uncharacteristically flustered.

The butler followed respectfully behind Xi Mingguang. Xi Zhoumeng froze for a moment, putting down the dress in her hands.

She wasn't particularly respectful, merely glancing at Xi Mingguang and greeting her as if she were a peer. "Why are you back early?"

Xi Mingguang was not young, but she looked to be under forty.

She was still wearing an Expeditionary Force uniform, as if she had just returned from some important occasion, holding her hat in her right hand.

She had the same smoke-gray eyes as Xi Zhoumeng and the same golden hair as Xi Li. Chi Yueshan stood to the side, secretly observing Xi Mingguang, and noticed she was about the same height as Xi Zhoumeng.

But she possessed an imposing aura without being angry, making people hesitant to approach.

Xi Zhoumeng's, on the other hand, was a beauty so exquisite it felt profane to even think of sullying it.

Completely different, weren't they.

The commander's long golden hair was tied back. Her temper seemed quite good, as she didn't get angry at her daughter's impoliteness. "I already told Xi Li."

Xi Zhoumeng hung the dress in her hand to the side and picked up a new one. "He just said he had something to tell me, but he was too drunk and forgot."

"So it was you who came back."

The atmosphere in this family was completely different from the cold, heartless nobility Chi Yueshan had imagined. They weren't exactly intimate, but they weren't distant either.

Just like the conversation between Xi Mingguang and Xi Zhoumeng, it completely lacked the flavor of a matriarchal authority figure.

Xi Mingguang: "There were special circumstances. I went to the royal palace first."

Xi Mingguang's gaze fell on the clothes that could barely fit in the walk-in closet, and on the young woman in front of the mirror trying on one thing after another. "Am I interrupting you?"

She then turned her head to look at Chi Yueshan, who was about to slip away.

"Is this your classmate?"

Xi Mingguang's voice sounded very serious, but her tone wasn't that intimidating.

Chi Yueshan had never interacted with someone of this status. Even among Alphas, the type she used to like was more like Wen Xinghuo.

But the current Wen Xinghuo would probably seem very green in front of Xi Mingguang.

It was entirely the weight of her experience that made people unable to help but look away when she looked at them.

It was as if lies had nowhere to hide, and one had to tell the truth.

Just as Chi Yueshan was about to nod, Xi Zhoumeng replied, "No."

It was Chi Yueshan's turn to raise her eyes and glare fiercely at her.

Xi Zhoumeng tilted her head and said, "She's the Omega I have a one hundred percent match with."

She reached a hand out to Chi Yueshan. "What are you doing standing next to my mother? Come pick out some clothes."

Chi Yueshan was a little unhappy. What did she mean, "one hundred percent match"? If they weren't a one hundred percent match, would she not be the one?

Chi Yueshan didn't move a muscle. Xi Zhoumeng sighed, "Do I have to invite you over?"

Xi Mingguang looked at Chi Yueshan. The young girl was puffing her cheeks and glaring, her pair of jade-green eyes, as clear as if they'd been washed, were particularly striking.

Xi Mingguang nodded and asked very naturally, "When do you two plan to get married?"

She had no intention of entering, her uniform jacket draped over her arm, the insignia of her rank pinned to her shirt's chest.

She had clearly just dropped by to have a look.

She asked it so casually, as if there was nothing wrong with the question at all.

Chi Yueshan let out a sound, "Married?"

Xi Zhoumeng was completely unfazed. "We'll see. Let's just date for now."

Xi Mingguang didn't look her actual age at all, though the smile lines at the corners of her eyes were a bit noticeable when she smiled.

"My vacation is longer this year. If you decide to get married, I can officiate your wedding."

Xi Zhoumeng glanced at Chi Yueshan. Her face was red, her nose was red, and the rims of her eyes were red. She looked like she was about to explode.

"It's still too early for that. You should get some rest. Go see Mom tomorrow, she's still pulling all-nighters for her research every other day."

Xi Mingguang nodded. "We'll talk about your health tomorrow. I just received Xi Li's communication as well."

Xi Zhoumeng: "Okay."

The Commander-in-Chief of the Expeditionary Force turned and left.

The butler followed closely behind, leaving only Chi Yueshan standing to the side.

The AI robot cleverly closed the door. Xi Zhoumeng said, "Hey, no need for that. Are you crying already?"

Chi Yueshan looked up indignantly. "Cry your head off! Why would I cry?"

She then glanced reluctantly at the closed door and sighed, "Commander Xi is so charming."

The first-year junior's little face was flushed, and the adoration in her eyes was practically overflowing.

Her admiration for the strong was so obvious that Xi Zhoumeng felt a rare flicker of displeasure.

"How is she charming? Because she's over fifty?"

She was clearly just nitpicking. As a noble, Xi Mingguang had achieved outstanding results in her youth. Even after her grandmother passed away and some inheritance issues arose, Xi Mingguang smoothly resolved them through marriage. After joining the military, she was promoted steadily throughout her expeditions. Even if she wasn't as famous as Shen Yu, she could still be considered a paragon among Alphas.

Chi Yueshan: "How can you be like that? No age-shaming! At your age, you're probably not even as capable as your mom!"

With no one else around, Chi Yueshan relaxed a lot. Thinking about what Xi Mingguang had said about marriage, she scratched her head in embarrassment. "Can two Omegas get married?"

That's just something from TV dramas, right? There's nothing like that in the interstellar regulations.

Xi Zhoumeng: "Then do you want to marry me? We can go get our compatibility tested again."

【System: Don't do something so unnecessary!】

Xi Zhoumeng let out a laugh and looked back as if to bewitch her. "Get married?"

Chi Yueshan looked at this face, which was sixty percent similar to Xi Mingguang's, and thought: It's so strange. They're clearly mother and daughter, but their temperaments are completely different.

It's a good thing Xi Zhoumeng is an Omega. If she were an Alpha, there's no way she'd be like her mother and join the military.

Let alone go to the battlefield.

Ah, just the thought of Xi Zhoumeng getting all dolled up before heading to the battlefield makes me think our Empire is doomed.

"No."

Chi Yueshan retorted irritably: "You're so insincere! Besides, what's our relationship right now? Why should we get married!"

Xi Zhoumeng had no intention of pulling Chi Yueshan over. She remained standing in front of the clothes rack, picking out clothes, waiting for Chi Yueshan to slowly walk over.

Like a hunter waiting for their prey to fall into a carefully laid trap.

"By the way, why did Commander Xi come back so suddenly? You said before that she was waiting until spring break."

"I saw her on my way here. I was originally ahead of her and thought I definitely wouldn't run into her, but I didn't expect she was also coming to see you…"

Chi Yueshan was talkative to a fault. Xi Zhoumeng used to hate long-winded people the most, but Chi Yueshan's talkativeness was latent.

After all, when they first met, this girl was a cool chick.

The little one walked over as she talked, still sizing up Xi Zhoumeng's enormous walk-in closet.

"This is…"

Xi Zhoumeng pulled her over directly. Caught off guard, Chi Yueshan was pressed against the mirror, Xi Zhoumeng's hand clasping her waist.

"Holy crap, what are you doing!"

Even though Chi Yueshan had already "coupled" with this person through physical means once, she still found it hard to get used to certain sudden intimate attacks.

Besides, who likes being pressed against a mirror?

Xi Zhoumeng released her hand. "Just measuring your waist."

Chi Yueshan: "As if you could be that precise!"

She angrily tried to turn around, but was turned back by Xi Zhoumeng. This time it wasn't to measure her waist; she was held firmly from behind in an embrace.

The oak-framed mirror was huge. Chi Yueshan could lower her eyes and see herself seemingly embedded in Xi Zhoumeng's embrace.

It was as if she had been muted, unable to speak for a long time.

Hugging, kissing, sharing a pillow…

These things were all too intimate for Chi Yueshan. Her only remaining memories of sleeping beside someone had faded with time.

Her Omega father's goodnight kiss, his sea-blue eyes.

For an Omega, much intimacy came at a price. They would be confined, branded, and then they could never walk away.

Self-soothing was like trying to put out a cart of burning firewood with a cup of water. In that instant, all of Chi Yueshan's restlessness dissipated.

Xi Zhoumeng rested her head on her shoulder, and the other's scent drilled into her nostrils.

The unique pheromones seemed to envelop Chi Yueshan's body, giving rise to an unfamiliar desire within her.

"If you want to hug me, just say so. Don't launch a surprise attack."

Chi Yueshan raised her eyes and looked at the two of them in the mirror.

Xi Zhoumeng's figure was slender, but her frame was a size larger than Chi Yueshan's. Chi Yueshan couldn't see the other's expression in the mirror, only the hand clasped around her waist.

The rings and bracelets on it were linked together, as complex as the etchings of fate, which had, at some unknown point, entangled the long threads of many people's lives.

Xi Zhoumeng made a sound of surprise. "Do I look like someone who really wants to hug people?"

Her voice was a little muffled, and the hot breath she exhaled as she spoke seemed like it would scald Chi Yueshan's shoulder.

Chi Yueshan reached out and patted Xi Zhoumeng's head. "What else? It's not that I'm being mean, but sometimes you look a little…"

She hesitated for a moment, then very ungently ruffled the young miss's hair. "Pathetic."

Xi Zhoumeng laughed out loud, not getting angry even with her hair messed up.

She let go. "Then hug me after you change into a different outfit."

Chi Yueshan: "Why?"

Xi Zhoumeng sat down on the sofa. "Didn't you say you like me?"

She said it with such self-righteous confidence that Chi Yueshan didn't know how to refute it for a long moment, and could only glance at the clothing rack the robot had pushed over.

"This is way too much!"

Xi Zhoumeng: "Take your time trying them on. We have plenty of time."

Xi Zhoumeng's clothing style was actually very consistent, but her wardrobe collection still contained some styles that were so revealing they were hard to look at.

Chi Yueshan: "I have things to do when I get back."

She had no interest in clothes at all. Even if the academy ball counted for credit, she would still go in her school uniform.

Xi Zhoumeng picked up her black tea and said with a smile, "Why go back? It's already so late."

Chi Yueshan said, "Hey! I have a lot of things to do, okay!"

Xi Zhoumeng: "What things? Going to touch Ling Xun's mecha again?"

Chi Yueshan: "Don't be so passive-aggressive."

Xi Zhoumeng: "Who, me?"

She propped her face in her hands and looked at Chi Yueshan, those eyes, identical to Xi Mingguang's, held obvious mockery. "Don't you only like me?"

Even a fool could tell she was being teased.

Chi Yueshan: "Yeah, but can't I also like Ling Xun's money? I need to earn her money! I fucking need to earn money for school!!"

【System: That's enough out of you. Is it fun to keep teasing her?】

You don't know shit, Xi Zhoumeng thought.

【Why are you acting like her family?】

The system shut up.

Xi Zhoumeng pointed to a strapless long dress. "Change into this one first."

Chi Yueshan: "Don't pretend you didn't hear me."

Xi Zhoumeng chuckled. "I know you don't want to hear me say things like 'I'll support you'."

She finally stood up and personally took off Chi Yueshan's shirt jacket. The pinky ring Chi Yueshan had made for her brushed against Chi Yueshan's chin, its coolness making Chi Yueshan shiver.

The Omega bending over in front of her spoke in a much softer voice, "You have things you need to do, and so do I."

Xi Zhoumeng's long fingers undid Chi Yueshan's buttons one by one, as if peeling off the person's protective coating.

"But if you're really in trouble, can you tell me?"

Xi Zhoumeng looked at Chi Yueshan. She usually put on the airs of a young miss so often that this tone of voice was exceptionally unfamiliar to Chi Yueshan.

"You came from the Lower World. I want to know more about you."

Her hard outer shell was peeled away. Xi Zhoumeng helped her into a soft inner lining. "So, did you come to Guyun Academy just for Wen Xinghuo?"

Chi Yueshan almost drowned in this tenderness that had suddenly opened up for her.

"Of course not."

After asking a question she already knew the answer to, Xi Zhoumeng's next question was even more audacious: "Then am I qualified to find that person you're looking for, for you?"

In the plot, why did Chi Yueshan team up with Wen Xinghuo for the practical training?

Even though Guyun Academy allows cross-year teams, why did it have to be the dwarf planet B-878?

That's the farthest planet in the star system. Another two hours of travel by ship would be enough to reach the M-13 galaxy.

Did Chi Yueshan die while searching for her Alpha mother?

Then why did Wen Xinghuo go with her?

When Sheng Yangkui was pulling her tricks, wasn't she afraid of hurting the Wen Xinghuo she liked?

Chi Yueshan met Xi Zhoumeng's gaze for a full minute.

She could even feel the blood rushing to her head, her heart accelerating, and an excessive desire to kiss the other's face.

Is it the pheromone compatibility rate?

Or was I born to belong to her?

The word "shy" rarely appeared in Chi Yueshan's life.

"Flying into a rage from shame" took up the majority, and that "shame" was more like anger.

Pure shyness was like a flower blooming layer by layer, its petals dyeing Chi Yueshan's face red one by one.

She subconsciously bit her lip. Tasting such precious consideration for the first time in her life made her almost lose control.

She turned her face away in a flurry. "I already said, I like you."

Liking you is my business. You have no obligation to help me find someone.

But if you like me, then my business is your business, right?

Like the love of the two people in Yellow Rose, can you also love me like Qiu Mei loved her?

Can someone like me, a born wanderer, receive such a precious response?

The intricate long dress reached the floor, even draping over the top of Xi Zhoumeng's feet. Xi Zhoumeng suddenly cupped Chi Yueshan's face.

And kissed her lips open.

"Besides being beautiful, is there anything else about me worth liking?"

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