Chapter 377: Stolen Drink

Then...

Looked toward Lin Yue.

She froze.

"No."

"Why?"

"I’m your doctor."

"What does that have to do with the question?"

Silence.

Lin Yue’s cheeks slowly warmed.

Shen Tian smiled.

She looked toward him.

"Don’t."

"What?"

"Exist quietly."

Shen Tian laughed.

Lin Yue sighed.

Then...

She looked toward Ren.

"I trust him."

Ren waited.

Lin Yue stared.

He continued waiting.

Her cheeks became red.

"And..."

Silence.

"I like holding his hand."

Shen Tian’s expression softened.

Then...

He held out his hand.

Lin Yue stared.

Everyone stared.

Her cheeks became even redder.

Then...

Slowly...

She placed her hand in his.

Ren nodded.

"Understood."

Lin Yue looked toward him.

"You caused this."

"I asked a question."

Rose laughed.

. . .

Xu Ning appeared beside Shen Tian.

[Host.]

"What?"

[Formation increased.]

He looked.

Sovereign’s Court

Initial Formation Achieved

Current Stability: 64%

Active Romantic Resonances: 14

Peripheral Emotional Resonances: Additional signatures detected

Court member autonomy: 100%

Compulsion: 0%

Jealousy instability: Low

Collective trust: Increasing

Then...

New Court Function available upon 75% stability

Shen Tian raised an eyebrow.

"What function?"

[Locked.]

"Helpful."

Xu Ning smiled.

[Maybe more karaoke.]

"Don’t."

. . .

Hours later.

The aircraft descended.

Private island.

Morning sunlight spread across the ocean.

The plane landed.

Doors opened.

Warm air entered.

Then...

Shen Tian stepped out.

Yin Suyi waited.

Chu Mei.

Chu Chuchu.

Chu Luoshen.

Mu Qingqing.

Ji Xuan.

Luo Xiaoyu.

And several others from the estate had arrived while they were gone.

The moment Shen Tian appeared...

Yin Suyi walked toward him.

No words.

She hugged him.

Shen Tian froze.

Then...

His expression softened.

His arms wrapped around his mother.

"I’m fine."

"I know."

She held him tighter.

Then...

Released him.

Looked him over.

New shirt.

Bruising.

Cut palm bandaged by Lin Yue.

Her eyes narrowed.

Shen Tian smiled.

"Minor."

Yin Suyi looked toward Rose.

Rose immediately betrayed him.

"He got punched through several walls."

Shen Tian stared.

"Rose."

Yin Suyi slowly looked back.

"Several?"

"Technically..."

Rose thought.

"Maybe four."

Shen Tian closed his eyes.

His mother grabbed his ear.

Silence.

Everyone froze.

"Ow."

Yin Suyi pulled.

"Mother."

"You said minor."

"It was."

"Four walls?"

"The walls were weak."

Rose turned away.

Her shoulders shook.

Bai Xue laughed openly.

Shen Yan smiled.

Ling Shuangxue covered her mouth.

Qin Ruobing looked extremely amused.

Chi Lingxi hugged Shen Tian’s arm.

Yin Suyi finally released his ear.

Then...

She noticed Ren.

Silence.

Ren stood behind everyone.

Tall.

Black hair.

Golden eyes.

Expression blank.

Yin Suyi looked toward Shen Tian.

"Son."

"Yes?"

"Who is that?"

Shen Tian paused.

Then...

"Ren."

Yin Suyi waited.

Shen Tian continued.

"He was an artificial protagonist created from seventy six years of stolen bloodlines and Fate fragments."

Silence.

Everyone stared.

Yin Suyi stared.

Then...

At Ren.

Then...

Back.

"You brought him home?"

"Yes."

Another silence.

Yin Suyi sighed.

"Of course you did."

Ren looked toward Shen Tian.

Then...

At Yin Suyi.

"Are you his mother?"

"Yes."

Ren nodded.

Then...

Very seriously...

"Your son may be mentally unstable."

Absolute silence.

Shen Tian froze.

Yin Suyi stared.

Then...

Started laughing.

Actually laughing.

Qin Ruobing followed.

Rose doubled over.

Bai Xue nearly dropped her apple.

Chu Zijin covered her mouth.

Tang Meilin leaned against Gu Qingya.

Even Ling Shuangxue laughed.

Shen Tian stared at Ren.

Ren looked confused.

"What?"

Shen Tian pointed toward the island.

"Medical center."

Ren looked toward Lin Yue.

She smiled.

"Come on."

Ren followed.

Then...

He stopped.

Looked back.

"Was I incorrect?"

Everyone laughed harder.

Shen Tian closed his eyes.

Xu Ning appeared beside him.

[Host.]

"What?"

[I like him.]

"Of course you do."

. . .

Later.

Private beach.

Finally...

Peace.

Actual peace.

Shen Tian sat beneath a large umbrella.

Ocean ahead.

Cold drink beside him.

No shirt.

Because...

Beach.

Not combat damage.

Important distinction.

Xu Ning floated nearby.

[Host.]

"What?"

[You have work.]

"No."

[Crowned Serpent database.]

"Tomorrow."

[North American anomaly.]

"Tomorrow."

[Lucian Vale.]

"Adrian’s problem."

[Chen Mo’s father.]

"Chen Mo’s problem."

[Qin Hao.]

"Definitely Qin Hao’s problem."

Xu Ning stared.

Then...

[What are you doing?]

Shen Tian leaned back.

"Vacation."

Silence.

Then...

Footsteps.

Many.

He closed his eyes.

"No."

Chi Lingxi appeared.

Swimsuit.

Sun hat.

Smile.

"Move."

Shen Tian opened one eye.

"Why?"

She sat beside him.

Then...

Rose appeared.

Shen Tian stared.

"No."

Rose smiled.

"Move."

"There’s an entire beach."

"I like this spot."

"Of course."

She sat on his other side.

Then...

Ling Shuangxue.

Qin Ruobing.

Bai Xue.

Li Lian.

Ruan Yizhen.

Chu Zijin.

Chu Mei.

Chu Chuchu.

Chu Luoshen.

Gu Qingya.

Tang Meilin.

Lin Yue.

Mu Qingqing.

Ji Xuan.

Luo Xiaoyu.

Shen Tian stared.

Then...

At Xu Ning.

"How many villas did you say?"

[Twelve.]

"Not enough."

[Host.]

"What?"

[You own the entire island.]

"Still not enough."

Chi Lingxi rested her head against his shoulder.

Rose sat close enough that their arms touched.

Ling Shuangxue took the chair directly across from him.

Qin Ruobing sat beside her.

Bai Xue stole his drink.

Shen Tian stared.

She drank.

Then...

"Good."

"That’s mine."

"Was."

Li Lian laughed.

Ruan Yizhen sat beside her.

Chu Zijin dragged out a portable speaker.

Gu Qingya immediately looked horrified.

"No."

Chu Zijin smiled.

"Yes."

Tang Meilin laughed.

Chu Mei and Chu Chuchu argued over sunscreen.

Chu Luoshen brought a book.

Of course.

Lin Yue checked Shen Tian’s bandaged hand.

Mu Qingqing stared around the island.

Ji Xuan looked toward the ocean.

Luo Xiaoyu smiled.

Then...

Said quietly...

"Is it always like this?"

Rose answered.

"No."

Shen Tian looked toward her.

She smiled.

"It’s usually worse."

Everyone laughed.

. . .

Mu Qingqing looked toward Shen Tian.

Then...

Her cheeks warmed slightly.

She still wasn’t used to him.

Not like the others.

She had entered his orbit later.

Through Chen Mo.

Through the Dragon Vein.

Through protagonist routes she hadn’t even known existed.

Then...

She remembered Chen Mo’s earlier thoughts.

Categorizing women.

Assuming roles.

Trying to understand why they gathered around Shen Tian.

At first...

She had wondered too.

Now...

Watching Shen Tian argue with Bai Xue over his stolen drink...

Watching Chi Lingxi cling to his shoulder...

Watching Rose pretend she wasn’t leaning closer...

Watching Ling Shuangxue glance toward him every few seconds...

Watching Qin Ruobing smile...

Watching Lin Yue scold him for getting his bandage wet...

It felt different.

Not destiny.

Not ownership.

Not a route.

Just...

People.

Messy.

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(Author’s Note: IMPORTANT!)

SEND POWESTONES!!!

ALL SUPER GIFTS (Magic Castle, Space Ship, Golden Gachapon) = MORE ChapterS!