Knowing that Youyou and Mi Chenxuan were returning, Yi Luowa was in high spirits. It was her first ti going ho, and everything she saw brought her joy; she kept grinning foolishly.
Tong Airui chuckled and ruffled her hair, thinking to himself that his wife had completely lost her senses!
In the dining hall, the Haotian Emperor had specially arranged two children’s chairs for the little ones. Uncle Che was quite pleased with the arrangent, feeling reassured that his in-laws cared about his grandchildren.
After the whole family finished dinner and chatted for a while, Empress Haotian personally escorted everyone to their respective chambers.
Empress Haotian’s ticulousness extended to every corner of each room—even down to the brand of toothbrush and toothpaste everyone used, which she had carefully arranged herself. This attention to detail deeply comforted Long Che’s family.
Tong Yao lay on the bed, smiling at Long Che. "Out of so many in-laws, which one are you most satisfied with?"
"Why suddenly ask that?"
"Because you’re particular. I want to know if any of them et your standards."
Long Che glanced at her, "You already have an answer in your heart, yet you’re still asking ."
Tong Yao laughed, "Our Luowa takes after her mother—she always considers others first and handles situations comprehensively."
Long Che nodded in agreent, "But to reach Zhi Lan’s level, Luowa still needs a few more years of experience."
"Luowa is still young. When she reaches Zhi Lan’s age, she’ll do even better than her mother. Among these in-laws, Zhi Lan and I hit it off the most. Just listening to her speak puts at ease."
Long Che smirked, "Isn’t that true? She even tricked into letting her take my grandchildren, and I couldn’t refuse."
"She’s only doing it for your own good. She said you should get so rest, and she’ll bring the kids over to you once they’re ready to sleep. Don’t hold a grudge just because of the kids. They only get to see them a few days a year."
"I know!" Long Che rested his head on his hands and looked at Tong Yao. "These two kids get smarter by the day. They’re not even Pengpeng’s age, yet they already know things he doesn’t. Every ti I think about how they ca complaining to about Luowa spanking Ziyuan’s bottom, I can’t help but laugh."
Tong Yao gave him a playful glare. "You’ll never let that one go, will you?"
Long Che chuckled, "Anyway, I can’t sleep. How about we go check on them?"
As Long Che started to sit up, Tong Yao imdiately pulled him back.
"Don’t disturb their family ti, will you? It’s just a couple of hours. If you’re bored, go see Dylan. Look at Randy as a grandpa, and then look at yourself!"
"This is just who I am! Dylan’s a Carpenter child. What’s the point of liking him? Besides, he’s just another brat, and our family isn’t lacking in brats."
Long Che lay back down as he spoke. "You’re tired too—get so sleep. I’ll wait for the kids."
Tong Yao glared at him, then threw back the covers and got out of bed.
"Where are you going?" Long Che propped his head up and looked at her.
"I’m going to check if the kids’ beds are comfortable."
"As if Zhi Lan and Randy would mistreat their own grandchildren."
"Watching how indifferent you are toward Dylan, I start to doubt anyone who’s a grandparent." Tong Yao ran her hand over the twins’ small beds.
Long Che smiled, "Well? Want to lie down and try it?"
Tong Yao picked up a small pillow and threw it at him. "Why don’t *you* try it for your granddaughter instead?"
"I can’t fit; the bed’s too small." Long Che sniffed the pillow with a smile. "This one’s Sangyu’s—it slls lovely."
Tong Yao gave him an exasperated look. "You know the bed is too small, yet you still suggested I try it. Do you think I’m a dwarf?"
"Hahaha..." Long Che burst out laughing.
As the two of them bantered, laughter also filled the Haotian Emperor’s chambers.
Empress Haotian saw the two children happily playing with their grandfather and withdrew her gaze with a smile. "Airui, what did Chenxuan and Youyou find out during their trip?"
Tong Airui shook his head helplessly. "There’s been no progress on tracing Nancy and that mysterious figure behind her, but they did co back with another piece of news: the royal family in Country R seems to be in so turmoil."
Empress Haotian raised her brows slightly. "Infighting between the two princes?"
Tong Airui whispered sothing to her, and her initial surprise gave way to laughter. "Then let’s just sit back and watch the show."
Tong Airui smirked. "It promises to be quite the spectacle."
"The Second Prince has always kept a low profile. I suspect soone influential is advising him from behind the scenes."
"According to Old Eight, he’s gathered quite a few strategists."
The Haotian Emperor glanced at his wife and said with a smile, "Zhi Lan, the kids rarely co back. Let’s not discuss all this nonsense. Co join us and play with Ziyuan and Sangyu."
"Coming," Empress Haotian replied with a warm smile. "Airui, if you and Luowa are tired, go rest. Your dad and I will play with them."
Yi Luowa, who had been chatting with Danton, turned her head when she heard her mother call her na. Seeing her mother remove her shoes and sit on the carpet, she smiled and said, "Mom, I’m not tired."
When Danton saw Ziyuan climb into their mother’s lap, he laughed and ran over. "The Big Bad Wolf Uncle is here~"
"I haven’t finished telling you the important matter!" Yi Luowa grabbed at him, only to miss, and stomped her foot in frustration.
Tong Airui smiled and asked, "What important matter were you discussing with him?"
"He just finished one program for soone, and now he’s off to work on a second one. He doesn’t even know what exhaustion is."
"I won’t overwork myself." Danton pried Ziyuan out of her mother’s lap, and when the child pouted, he lifted him high into the air with a grin. "Uncle will take you flying high!"
"Giggling..." Ziyuan waved his little hands and laughed.
Sangyu, full of admiration, watched her brother.
The Haotian Emperor chuckled and asked, "Does Sangyu want to fly too?"
Sangyu blinked her eyes and firmly grabbed her grandfather’s hand.
The Haotian Emperor picked her up with a laugh and said, "Alright, then let’s also fly high."
Sangyu got her wish and "flew," her laughter filling the room alongside her brother’s.
Yi Luowa sighed with a smile, "The kings, heads of state, and pri ministers I’ve seen on TV are nothing like this."
"What you see on TV is for others. This is ho," Empress Haotian said with a smile as she watched the two children. "You two be careful not to drop them."
"I won’t," said the Haotian Emperor. He glanced at his son. "Danton, you be careful, too."
Danton spun Ziyuan in a playful circle. "I’m strong as ever; I won’t drop Ziyuan."
Yi Luowa rolled her eyes. "You may be strong now, but if you keep overworking yourself, I’m not so sure."
Danton smiled at his sister. "I’ll consider your suggestion; don’t get mad as soon as you’re back."
"Scared!" Sangyu suddenly shouted mid-air. The Haotian Emperor quickly lowered his granddaughter to the ground.
Once down, Sangyu clung tightly to her grandfather’s robe, blinking her large eyes and timidly saying, "Scared!"
"Don’t be scared, don’t be scared..." The Haotian Emperor gently patted Sangyu’s head. "We won’t play flying anymore. Grandpa will play blocks with you."
Yi Luowa watched the loving smile on her father’s face and pressed her lips together, smiling herself. The love her parents hadn’t been able to give her, they poured entirely into her children. She could feel everything they were doing for her and for the kids.
Though they played late, Empress Haotian didn’t forget her agreent with Long Che, and at ten o’clock, she brought the kids over to his side.
The next morning, the family rose early. Today was a big day—Yi Luowa would be visiting the ancestral temple to formally beco part of the family.
What deeply gratified the Haotian Emperor and Empress was that when Nancy had tried to join the temple, for various reasons, it never worked out. It now seed like fate had intervened. Soone not ant to be part of the family wouldn’t even get the ancestors’ approval to enter the family gates.
Surrounded by her family, Yi Luowa entered the ancestral temple. After paying respects to the ancestors, the clan elder added her na to the Montbat family genealogy: Luowa Montbat.
Yi Luowa looked at her na, written beneath her father’s, and tears blurred her vision. She finally had a family na of her own, and finally, she truly belonged to a family.
Empress Haotian wiped her daughter’s tears and held her hand as they followed the Haotian Emperor out of the temple.
Waiting outside, the officials and citizens waved garlands in the air and cheered, celebrating in their own way the return of their beautiful princess.
The Haotian Emperor raised his hand slightly, and silence quickly fell.
He surveyed the crowd and announced loudly, "My daughter, Princess Luowa, has finally returned. And she has not returned alone—she has brought back her husband and her children. In this sacred place, I want to announce to everyone that I am conferring upon my daughter, Luowa Montbat, the title of Grand Princess of Haotian! She will also be the second in line to the throne of Haotian! I am conferring the title of Prince Ziyuan Odelich upon my grandson, and Princess Sangyu Odric upon my granddaughter! They..."
Standing below, Long Che furrowed his brow. "They what? Old fool, if you announce my grandson and granddaughter’s succession order, see how I’ll cause trouble for you!"
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