TAISS – Chapter 44

Lin Jianheng sent back a period.

“You know she confessed to me a while ago and I turned her down, right?” Lin Jianheng was a little confused.

She hadn’t seen her in a while, and Li Zhaoge had already become Xu Yuantong’s knight?

She still felt a subtle sense of regret. After all, now that her memories were back, she knew Li Zhaoge had truly become her knight when she was very young. For a time, they were together almost every day, childhood playmates.

But if Li Zhaoge stayed by her side while holding onto those feelings, it would only hurt her.

After all, she and Yan Su already had children…

Lin Jianheng hadn’t closed the door completely, and she could still hear the soft rustling of Yan Su tidying up the room outside.

She had clearly told Sister Yan not to bother, since they would just mess it up again anyway.

Lin Jianheng found it endearing. She zoned out for a moment thinking about Yan Su before Xu Yuantong finally replied.

“Yeah, I’m just comforting her. Your knight is having emotional problems, so I’m cheering her up. You should be thanking me.” Xu Yuantong was still having dinner with Li Zhaoge.

The meal was making Li Zhaoge feel somewhat uneasy.

Xu Yuantong knew her biggest secret. Xu Yuantong had also seen her at her most pathetic moment.

She felt as if she were standing naked before Xu Yuantong, without a single scrap of cloth to cover herself, seen through completely, inside and out.

Li Zhaoge didn’t understand what it meant for Xu Yuantong to specifically ask her out for a meal under these circumstances.

She kept her head down, pretending not to notice even when her picture was taken.

Xu Yuantong found her anxious expression a little amusing.

“Do you know what kind of restaurant this is?” she asked, lowering her voice and leaning in closer.

“…Your Highness, you’re going to get your clothes dirty.” Li Zhaoge merely glanced down and, with a quiet “Pardon me,” pulled the plate out from under Xu Yuantong.

“Oh, I saw it. I’m asking you a question,” Xu Yuantong said, unconcerned, focusing on her prank.

Li Zhaoge really didn’t want to answer. This restaurant’s main appeal was its romantic atmosphere. It offered meals for two, a song request service, and a beautiful view of the river.

What else could it be?

The entire hall was filled with clingy young couples. Photon curtains were used for privacy, and you could vaguely see the silhouettes of them pressed together, inseparable.

Only she and Xu Yuantong seemed out of place, genuinely just there to eat.

“Your Highness, this is a couples’ restaurant.” Considering Xu Yuantong’s reaction, Li Zhaoge could guess who she was talking to.

A wave of bitterness washed over her heart again. She had told herself she would let go, that voicing her feelings would be her farewell.

Why, after half a month, did seeing people and things related to Lin Jianheng—especially at the obstetrics department that morning—still cause her so much pain?

She was truly such a petty knight.

“Correct! So what does it mean for the two of us to be eating here?” Xu Yuantong was just joking. She really wanted to see Li Zhaoge’s reaction.

Sigh, the poor knight. She had finally mustered the courage to seek out Lin Jianheng, thinking she had moved on, only to be hit with the news of Yan Su’s pregnancy.

The blow was too great. If it were her…

Xu Yuantong thought carefully. She’d had similar experiences in her past life. With so many crushes, it was inevitable she’d fall for a truly straight girl, and the next time she saw her, the straight girl would already have kids.

Xu Yuantong pouted and quickly took a sip of her sweet and sour drink to calm her nerves. At least there were no straight girls in this world.

But in this world, if you fell for the wrong person, they could still have kids with someone else.

Xu Yuantong finally looked back at Li Zhaoge and was startled by her sparkling eyes.

After seeing Xu Yuantong’s undisguised jump, Li Zhaoge averted her gaze. “Your Highness, it only means that I happened to be free.”

Otherwise, Li Zhaoge guessed Xu Yuantong would have brought her own personal guard along.

“Tch.” So serious. How boring.

Xu Yuantong lowered her head to take pictures of the food and share her thoughts with Lin Jianheng.

“The window seat has a bit of atmosphere. If you can get a private room, you should. If your spiritual power is strong enough, sitting in the main hall and watching all the little couples is as clear as watching a movie.”

“The food is just so-so, maybe the palace has spoiled my palate, but the drinks are decent.”

“But if you want to do a fireworks show for her, I think this is the most ideal place. Those last two were completely useless. This one at least has some merits. Worst case, you can just have a proper meal after the confession.”

Lin Jianheng replied two minutes later. “So what about you and Li Zhaoge?”

“Just having some fun. It’s interesting to see an honest person break their composure. Are you worried about her?” Xu Yuantong’s tone was playful, and the spiritual power she projected didn’t seem very proper either.

“Not really. I was just wondering if you’ve developed a crush on her.” That had been Lin Jianheng’s first thought when she saw the photo today.

Xu Yuantong couldn’t help but look up when she received the message, her eyes lightly sweeping over Li Zhaoge’s features.

Logically, with her looks, personality, and even such an interesting profession, she should have fallen for this beautiful sister the moment they met.

Then she would have spent two months going crazy over her to Lin Jianheng, confessed in the third month, and after being rejected, she would have put it behind her in two days and moved on to the next one.

So, she hadn’t fallen for her, had she?

Xu Yuantong muttered to herself. It was all because she had discovered Li Zhaoge’s deep love for Lin Jianheng right from the start.

How could she crush on someone who was already in love with someone else?

“I guess I don’t like her then,” Xu Yuantong sent, saw Lin Jianheng reply with a “got it” sticker, and went back to her meal.

Li Zhaoge was left feeling stiff and unable to move after being repeatedly scrutinized by her.

---

Lin Jianheng decided to officially confess to Yan Su at that restaurant.

She sent the details for the fireworks, flowers, and gifts to the respective contacts, then began to wait in quiet anticipation.

Which day should they choose for their anniversary? Or should they celebrate both days?

Thinking of the future, Lin Jianheng couldn’t stop the corners of her eyes from curving up.

They still had so many days and nights to spend together.

Lin Jianheng walked out of the bathroom, ran over to take Yan Su’s hand, and hugged her from behind.

Resting her head on Yan Su’s shoulder, she could still feel a trace of dampness.

“Sister, Sister, what are you doing?” Lin Jianheng nuzzled her a few times, then felt the succubus tail poke her in the waist, tickling her.

“It seems Sister Lingxuan gave us something.” Yan Su put down the package she was still unwrapping and turned her head, her lips meeting Lin Jianheng’s perfectly.

Yan Su’s eyes hazed over and she closed them, kissing her softly, letting Lin Jianheng lead her back and forth. Within five minutes, tears were already glistening in her eyes.

“You cry even from this?” Lin Jianheng stroked Yan Su’s hair by her ear, gently smoothing it, while her other hand snaked around Yan Su’s back and arm.

She nibbled on her ear and saw the glistening tears coalesce into actual drops.

“Mmm…” Yan Su answered Lin Jianheng with her tears, her eyelashes fluttering, covered in crystalline droplets.

“Master is kissing me so deeply, yet you’re still teasing me,” Yan Su said, feeling as if her ear was being gnawed on.

She tilted her head slightly, and Lin Jianheng bit down harder, eliciting a series of soft complaints.

“But I just love seeing you cry, Sister. What should I do?” Lin Jianheng released her, leaving a pair of teeth marks. She licked the reddened tip of Yan Su’s ear, watching it transform into an elven point, and smiled.

“I love bullying you so much, Sister. Do you like being bullied by me too?” It was a rhetorical question.

The words sent a shiver through Yan Su, and Lin Jianheng took the opportunity to press her down.

“You do, don’t you? Your tears are only for me to see, this pitiful look… is also only for me.” She reached out to brush away the stray hairs stuck to Yan Su’s forehead and kissed the sticky corner of her brow.

Her other hand roamed restlessly, tracing over Yan Su’s tattoo, stroking it up and down like a scratch-off picture.

“Yes, it’s only for Master… to see… only for Ma-Master.” Yan Su’s breathing was shattered. She was still clutching a piece of the packaging in her palm.

She squeezed it tightly when she got excited, making a rustling sound.

“Is this from my sister?” Lin Jianheng finally turned her attention to it.

In the half-unwrapped package, she saw a rather indescribable object.

“Why did she give us this? Did she say?” Lin Jianheng took over, unwrapping it in a few quick motions.

The succubus tail reached out in front of Lin Jianheng, as if not wanting to discuss the topic. Lin Jianheng simply took hold of it, understanding Yan Su’s intention, and nuzzled and licked it.

“Sister is even taking the initiative to ask to be bullied.” It didn’t matter if she didn’t know what Jian Lingxuan meant. It wasn’t like they were short on gifts.

“I’m not…” Even Yan Su would blush at such a statement.

“Isn’t the tail a… stand-in for you? Not only did you let me touch it, you offered it to me.” Lin Jianheng thought that they didn’t need the thing Jian Lingxuan gave them.

They could try the succubus tail.

Lin Jianheng had wanted to do this for a long time.

She curled her hand around Yan Su’s heart-shaped tail and guided it toward that place that was never covered when they were at home.

She didn’t know where this habit came from. Recently, whenever the two of them were alone in a room, Yan Su had gotten used to going commando.

Every day, she would slip on a short skirt and press up against Lin Jianheng, taking her hand to swing it like a swing.

She would even thoughtfully prepare two packs of finger cots in her bag.

It was truly convenient for them to… anytime, anywhere.

Only after seeing what Lin Jianheng was doing did Yan Su panic.

“Ma-Master, aren’t you going to see what Sister gave us?” She didn’t dare use the vine Jian Lingxuan had given them, but she was even more afraid of her own tail going…

What would that be considered? Master’s bullying, or her bullying herself?

The nerves on a succubus’s tail were no less sensitive than those in that place. If the two collided, Yan Su didn’t dare imagine how terrifying the reaction would be.

“Didn’t you stop me first, Sister?” Lin Jianheng kissed Yan Su’s hip bone, already tracing circles with the succubus tail.

“Eee…” Yan Su’s reaction was even more intense than Lin Jianheng had imagined.

Just a brief touch was enough to shatter her breathing.

To say nothing of the collision of planets Lin Jianheng was planning.

Lin Jianheng’s interest was suddenly piqued; she didn’t even want to look at what Jian Lingxuan had given them anymore.

It was just one of a pile of things her sister had bought to get the upper hand on Lu Yuanchen, thinking that one of them would eventually be used on her.

Unexpectedly, after several years, she was still the one on the receiving end. She couldn’t let Lu Yuanchen get her hands on the extras, so she simply gave one to her newlywed sister.

It was quite suitable. But a succubus was naturally endowed with her own “vine,” a unique gift.

“If we really open it, don’t waste it, Sister. You have to eat them all up tonight,” Lin Jianheng said, picking up the vine.

In truth, compared to the toys from “Lin Jianheng’s” world, this vine was better suited to their bodies, rather than being a simple imitation of a certain organ. Its shape wasn’t perfectly straight, conforming to the body’s curves, and its size was just right.

Lin Jianheng no longer felt any aversion to it and could even pick it up to study it.

It could vibrate, emit electric pulses, and even grow small buds for a massaging effect.

Lin Jianheng ignored the electric pulse function and tried the last one.

Clusters of small buds emerged as dots, then quickly disappeared, sliding along the surface.

Like raindrops sliding down a window.

It would probably feel amazing.

Lin Jianheng’s mind wandered. She looked down and saw Yan Su’s expectant eyes, and her own gaze deepened.

“You’re actually looking forward to it too, aren’t you, Sister? You were unwrapping it just now.” Lin Jianheng pressed another growth mode, and the vine quickly extended into a whip.

“Ugh… N-no, I just wanted to know what Sister Lingxuan gave us.” If she had known it was such an advanced device, she would have…

Yan Su tilted her head back, her face flushed, as her girlfriend-master tied her wrists with the vine.

“Well, now you know. Do you want it?” Lin Jianheng tied it loosely, finding the image beautiful.

Like Yan Su had fallen into a trap of thorns, unable to escape, stripped of all dignity, and bound in place.

Yet, due to instinct, she was sweating profusely.

Such a wonderful scene truly made Lin Jianheng want to savor it.

She licked Yan Su’s wrist, following the direction of the vine’s growth up her arm to her collarbone.

Waiting for Yan Su’s answer.

“No…” The little cat was always playing hard to get.

She was the one who started unwrapping it, the one who started going without underwear, the one who subtly enticed Lin Jianheng to use her tail.

Yet every time she was asked, she would subconsciously deny her own desires.

“Really? Little cat, but you’re already so wetty…” Lin Jianheng caught the succubus tail and once again used its heart-shaped tip…

Yan Su was getting a taste of her own medicine.

She knew how pathetic she was, but she never expected her master to use her own tail to show her.

Now she had no way to hide, forced to confront her own sweaty state.

“I want to hear you say it, little cat.” Lin Jianheng slowly rubbed the tip of the tail, warming it until it turned pink.

“Little cat, li-little cat, wants…” Yan Su’s entire reaction was concentrated in that one tail.

This was probably the one moment she wished most that she didn’t have it.

“Hmm? I can’t hear you.” Lin Jianheng withdrew the tip.

The crack in the parched earth was instantly filled by rain, no longer dry.

Yan Su felt the tip of her tail graze her tattoo, and then…

A warmth spread across her collarbone.

How could Master do this, using her own ink to paint on her body…

Yan Su was so embarrassed her vision blurred, and she lost control of her voice.

“Little cat wants Master to feed, feed the little cat full!” This time, “feed full” had three meanings.

“So loud. It seems you’re really desperate.” Lin Jianheng took control of the tail again.

If Yan Su was unwilling, she wouldn’t be able to forcibly take the tail.

The fact that she could catch it meant that, even if it was just in the depths of her heart, Yan Su shared the same desire.

So Lin Jianheng didn’t hesitate.

She touched the tip of the tail to the “planet” and crashed into it.

---

The heart-shaped tail wasn’t actually a very suitable shape. Especially since it was soft; while there was no danger of hurting Yan Su, it was also difficult to move.

So Lin Jianheng supplemented it with her index finger.

“Ah, Master, why-why are you doing it yourself…” Didn’t we agree to use a toy today?

Lin Jianheng had already brought the heart-shaped tip to the entrance. Hearing this, she scratched twice, causing Yan Su to collapse on the spot.

“I can’t? Why do I feel like you’re giving me a warm welcome, Sister?” Lin Jianheng wasn’t moving much, but just by staying there, she could feel a continuous tightening.

The succubus’s self-inflicted pleasure was quite potent. Lin Jianheng suspected that even if she didn’t help, Yan Su would eventually suck the heart-shaped tip in on her own.

But she couldn’t let their cubs see this heart. Lin Jianheng gave it a squeeze, sending another tremor through the “planet.”

“But-but, you really don’t need to lower yourself…” The toy could have done it. Yan Su was grateful for the finger, but she couldn’t possibly say it directly.

Was she supposed to be a lowly little cat, grateful for her master’s bullying?

But that was truly what she was thinking in her heart.

“I see. Sister doesn’t want me to take care of you… you’d rather I… bully you.”

Lin Jianheng’s bullying was truly intense. For a moment, Yan Su was speechless, only the tail that usually hung in the air was now carefully feeling herself.

A taste of her own medicine.

---

The vine was greenish-blue with mottled white patterns.

When Yan Su saw it, she was always reminded of a minority race in the Empire.

The Flower Demon race could condense their hair into sturdy vines, sprout branches from their lower backs, or transform their waving hands into tree trunks.

At this moment, Lin Jianheng was playing the part of a Flower Demon.

She attached the vine to her wrist. The vine was smart and quickly found an attachment point, becoming like a part of Lin Jianheng.

Then, as she caressed Yan Su’s tropical forest, the vine became a sixth finger, scouting the path for her.

“If this were a real prosthetic, I could feel you right now, Sister,” Lin Jianheng said, her movements slow.

This kind of toy could at best achieve a temporary connection, still requiring Lin Jianheng to control it with her spiritual power.

There was no sensation, of course, which made it less fun for Lin Jianheng, so she had to get her fun back from Yan Su.

“Mmm, mmm, it’s a pity…” Yan Su felt as if she were completely entangled by the vine.

She recalled a literary work she had once read, where the protagonist met a tragic fate, got lost, and became a breeding ground for the Flower Demon race. In the end, their entire body was covered in vines, blooming and bearing fruit—a strange beauty tinged with desolation.

At this moment, she felt as if she had become that pitiful protagonist, already fallen into a trap without realizing it, and was even enjoying it.

It’s dangerous, wake up quickly… Yan Su tried to rouse herself, but her mind was hazy, already lost in pleasure.

“It’s alright, Master.” Lin Jianheng bit out the two words, making Yan Su’s heart skip a beat.

Were they going to play at reversed master-servant roles today?

Was she finally becoming Lin Jianheng’s master, able to control her, to possess everything about her?

Yan Su couldn’t help but sit up straight. Looking down through her tears, she saw Lin Jianheng kneeling beside her.

Maybe… maybe she really was Lin Jianheng’s master.

What should she call her? Jian Heng? Xiao Heng? Or… little cat?

“I will make you remember this, Master.” Lin Jianheng was merely acting out the original fate of the Flower Demon race.

When their race was first discovered, they were treated as pets in wealthy circles for a long time, traded at will without being considered sentient beings, until the Empire’s high command discovered this and forcibly intervened.

Although the official’s secret investigation into the matter was questionable, that period also happened to be the peak of the Empire’s civil rights movement.

In any case, tonight Lin Jianheng was a Flower Demon, serving the master who kept her.

But she was not an obedient pet; she thought about rebelling against her superior every day.

“Eh…” Yan Su hadn’t yet gotten into the role of master. In her daze, Lin Jianheng had already…

“Master, my dear Master. Do you like this?”

“Does this make you happy, comfortable?”

“Or is Master dissatisfied? Do you want to punish me?”

Lin Jianheng was the most mischievous pet imaginable, each sentence intensifying the sensations on Yan Su’s body by an inch.

She wasn’t asking for Yan Su’s opinion at all; she was clearly just teasing her.

“I… punish you…” Yan Su’s body was sore and weak, drained of too much nourishment by the vine, sweating so profusely she felt like she was drowning.

How could she possibly punish Lin Jianheng?

Besides, they were just role-playing. It was Lin Jianheng who gave Yan Su this chance to be in charge, but it didn’t truly make Yan Su her master.

This opportunity was precious, and Yan Su truly wanted to give Lin Jianheng an order.

Ah… she was so wicked. For months, she had been thinking about how to command her true master, to press her down, control her, possess her, just as she had done to her.

Was this love?

Yan Su’s hand struggled to rest on Lin Jianheng’s head.

Lin Jianheng’s free hand caught hers, holding it and kissing it.

“Master, why aren’t you speaking? You don’t even want to give me a punishment?” Lin Jianheng leaned forward to kiss her, deliberately sucking on Yan Su’s pitiful fingers, draining away the courage she had painstakingly gathered.

“I-I will.” Yan Su was still trying to come up with a punishment.

She wanted to punish Lin Jianheng, to punish her master, to stay by her side for a lifetime.

She wanted to punish Lin Jianheng to love her forever.

She wanted to punish Lin Jianheng’s gentle eyes, forbidding them from looking at anyone else.

She wanted to punish Lin Jianheng’s strong and mischievous hands, allowing them to only land on her own body.

“I want to punish you, Xiao Heng, I want to punish you…” Crying so pitifully, could she even deliver a punishment?

Lin Jianheng had already become one with her, activating the growth mode, making the dots emerge and slide away.

She pressed against Yan Su’s collarbone, looking up at her from a lower position.

Yet, without permission, she kissed Yan Su’s chin, telling her.

Even if they swapped roles, she was still the one in control.

“Punish you to love me…” Yan Su finally cried out the words, large tears falling onto Lin Jianheng’s lips.

Lin Jianheng licked them away and nibbled on Yan Su’s cheek. “Anything else?”

“Punish you to love me forever, and be with me. Punish you, not to look at others, not to touch others.” Yan Su was truly crying, not resisting at all, just tears of joy.

“Alright, Master.” Lin Jianheng brushed her lips against Yan Su’s, her arms already wrapped around her waist.

“Jian Heng promises you, to love you forever, to be with you forever, to never look at or touch anyone else.”

Then came a long kiss.

And a long massage.

---

Before feeding the cubs, Yan Su finally managed to recover and scratched Lin Jianheng’s back.

The cat claws were sharp, leaving three painful marks on Lin Jianheng’s back.

“What’s wrong, Sister? The cubs should be hungry, right?” Lin Jianheng had to lower her head and hug Yan Su.

Although the cubs’ condition was important, Yan Su was more important.

She had to keep her girlfriend-sister in a good mood, happy in body and mind.

Even if Yan Su weren’t pregnant, this was still Lin Jianheng’s responsibility.

“Sister-in-law said the younger sister cub is showing signs of malnutrition,” Yan Su relayed what she had noted down during the day.

“The older sister cub is growing too big. They didn’t implant on the same day to begin with. The older one has been taking the younger one’s nutrients, and she won’t let go even when she has a surplus.”

“The doctor told us to feed the younger one more nutrients together, and I might even need to get injections if necessary. Then we also have to soothe the older one and try to tell her not to do that.”

“Ah, it’s that serious.” Lin Jianheng had been dealing with Canglin Jingyuan’s matter at the time. Hearing this now, she also felt a little nervous.

This was how new mothers were; any little thing could make them too anxious to sleep.

“Mmm, Sister-in-law told me to give my spiritual power to you. She said you know how to feed the younger cub.” As Yan Su spoke, she extended her spiritual power.

Today, it was a round cat paw, poking Lin Jianheng’s body softly.

Lin Jianheng caught it as usual, holding it tightly.

The tension from a moment ago and the joy of the present moment reverberated between the two of them.

Having had enough fun for the day, Lin Jianheng stayed on the surface, taking Yan Su with her into the uterus.

“The younger cub is a bit small, much smaller than the older one was at two weeks.” Lin Jianheng pouted, about to feed the pitiful younger cub first.

Yan Su stopped her. “We have to soothe the older one properly and teach her. Otherwise, if she gets jealous, she’ll continue to steal her sister’s food.”

“That makes sense, Sister. You’re so thoughtful.” Jian Heng had grown up being doted on, and Lin Jianheng’s memories of that part of her life were faint. She had truly forgotten the need to treat them equally.

The two of them went to the older cub’s side.

They came every day. Sometimes Yan Su wouldn’t follow, but she would secretly use her spiritual power to look inside during the day.

The older cub vibrated slightly, its nascent spiritual power trying its best to break through the eggshell to embrace its mommy and mother.

“Good girl, you’re growing so strong.” As Lin Jianheng’s spiritual power touched it, she seemed to hear a little girl’s giggles.

“Our baby is so good.” Lin Jianheng pulled Yan Su over to feel their daughter greeting them.

The older cub was now a little over three weeks old, a time of vigorous growth.

Unexpectedly, she had already developed a tiny bit of spiritual power. Perhaps they would be able to communicate with her soon.

“Alright, older cub, this is your meal for today.” Lin Jianheng expertly fed her the pheromones. The child had to be fed before they could reason with her.

“Sweetheart, can we talk about something?” Lin Jianheng had never raised a child before; she wasn’t responsible for her younger brother either.

She was just talking to the eggshell in front of her as if it were a friend.

Yan Su was even less experienced, so she just went along with whatever Lin Jianheng said.

The eggshell tilted slightly, as if cocking its head.

“Your little sister, the little one who snuggles with you every day, is hungry.”

“We’ll come see you one extra time every day and give you a special treat. Can you release some nutrients and share them with your sister? It’s so pitiful for the little sister cub to be hungry.”

The eggshell, which had been about to sway, now fell silent.

“Baby, you are both our treasures. We don’t want either of you to get hurt or go hungry,” Yan Su said this time.

She was, after all, the mother carrying the babies. The two cubs were naturally closer to her, and more of her words could get through to them.

“You could have had a little playmate, a little follower, but if she doesn’t get enough nutrients and dies young, you won’t have a playmate, and we’ll be very sad.”

Hearing that her mommy and mother would be sad, the eggshell quickly swayed, wanting to release all its nutrients.

“You have to keep enough for yourself too. If you go hungry, we’ll be sad too. But you can give the part you don’t need to your sister.” Educating a child, especially one still in an eggshell, was really not easy.

Yan Su was so gentle throughout the process only because she kept thinking that this was her and Lin Jianheng’s child.

The older cub seemed to only half-understand. Lin Jianheng coaxed her a few more times until she was finally happy, and then the two of them went to see the younger cub.

“Good girl, your spiritual power hasn’t even developed. Your development is indeed a step behind.” Logically, they were both of royal blood. The older cub was so gifted, the younger one shouldn’t be lagging behind, right?

But the younger cub’s development was just not good. The two mothers sighed and quickly supplemented the cub’s nutrition.

Only after receiving the nutrients did the cub finally move, swaying gently, wanting to stick to her mommy and mother.

“Baby, eat some more.” Lin Jianheng’s heart ached watching her, and she pushed a little more pheromones over.

Yan Su was also sad, and could only hope that their talk with the older cub was effective and that she would stop stealing her sister’s nutrients starting tomorrow.

After feeding the two cubs, Lin Jianheng still had to feed her wife.

Yan Su lowered her head and waited. For once, Lin Jianheng gave her a proper marking without teasing her any further.

“Sister, today… I suddenly feel that Canglin Jingyuan might not have been testing me.” After turning off the lights, Lin Jianheng leaned against Yan Su, the two of them nestled closely together, and couldn’t help but speak.

“But she tried to harm you before.” If it weren’t for the lack of opportunity and Lin Jianheng holding her back, Yan Su would have made a move on Canglin Jingyuan long ago.

“Yes, maybe that attempt was real. But what I felt today was a strong sense of being taught.” Lin Jianheng’s feelings were complicated, which was why she came to confide in Yan Su.

Yan Su pulled her into her arms and nuzzled her hair. “Don’t get soft-hearted.”

“Pfft. Alright, Sister, I won’t get soft-hearted, it’s just…” a bit complicated.

So complicated that Lin Jianheng wanted to investigate the matter of the previous King, Diexun.

Right now, all she knew was that the previous King had raised Canglin Jingyuan and Xilan.

But she didn’t know the specifics of this previous King’s life. It felt like the royal family was avoiding the topic, only mentioning her later great achievements.

Lin Jianheng’s feelings about this “mother” of hers were also complicated.

She didn’t know under what circumstances she had been conceived, nor did she know if Jian Heng’s innate knowledge as a child came from her mother’s prenatal education.

Just like how they were with the older cub, they could start communicating with her in less than a month.

But Jian Heng’s memories didn’t contain those things either.

“I will be with you,” Yan Su said firmly, making a promise.

“Then let’s search together, for your past too…” Now Lin Jianheng wanted to know everything about Yan Su.

Including the name Yinsu, and her identity as the leader of the Demon Clan in the “original novel.”

But Yan Su was evasive. “If I can’t remember, maybe there was nothing good in the past.” Or maybe it was all trouble.

“Mmm… I want to try, Sister. I want to know about you.” Now Yan Su knew everything about Lin Jianheng—that she was rescued as the posthumous child of the previous King, incubated for three years before finally hatching, was naturally precocious, was very close to the royal family, and had even agreed to the transmigration plan…

But she knew nothing about Yan Su, didn’t know who Yan Su’s mothers were, whether she had friends, or if her past was happy or sad.

“…Then you have to stay with me too. Always.” Yan Su was afraid that Lin Jianheng would abandon her after finding out she might belong to the Third Empire.

“Of course. We have babies together.” Lin Jianheng closed her eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep.

But the night was a difficult one for Yan Su. She tossed and turned, stimulating herself just to avoid falling asleep and gaining more memories.

---

The next few days were either rainy or Canglin Jingyuan had business with Lin Jianheng. Even a project at Jian Corporation required Lin Jianheng’s participation.

Lin Jianheng brought Yan Su with her everywhere, but the official confession she had planned for so long went up in smoke.

Yan Su had even forgotten about it, content to stick by Lin Jianheng’s side every day, not finding it a bother at all.

She was by her side when she worked, sat in an employee’s seat and watched Lin Jianheng with puppy-dog eyes during meetings, and followed Lin Jianheng when she dealt with the mass spiritual power collapse incident, occasionally even opening up her spiritual power alongside Lin Jianheng.

But Lin Jianheng discovered that Yan Su seemed to have no reaction to the Star Net. She didn’t know if it was because she was unfamiliar with it or unable to connect.

Logically, even someone from the Third Empire, or even the Lingyuan Alliance, should be able to connect to the Star Net as long as they had spiritual power.

After all, Yan Su’s spiritual power was extremely strong, capable of connecting to Lin Jianheng’s spiritual space. She shouldn’t have this kind of problem.

Lin Jianheng specifically asked Xilan about this.

“This is actually the biggest problem with our Star Net.” At that moment, Xilan was flipping through materials in an old library. When she received Lin Jianheng’s spiritual power call, she put down the book in her hand.

“On the surface, those who connect to our Star Net are Imperial residents with spiritual power levels of A or above. They only account for a very small percentage of the total population, which is convenient for management, coordination, and suppression.”

Since she was talking to a Jian Heng who had basically recovered to her peak, Xilan didn’t hesitate to say the word “suppression.”

“But the reality of the problem is that, with our current level and situation, the Star Net cannot accommodate more ordinary people. If people with low spiritual power levels connect to the current Star Net, they will only be polluted by the darkness.”

The Star Net’s selection was a two-way street. Lin Jianheng had never really thought about this before.

She had guessed all of the Empire’s dirtiest secrets but never imagined that other residents weren’t connected because the Star Net couldn’t handle the load.

“Then why can the temporary Star Net I constructed accommodate them?” The question followed immediately, and Lin Jianheng almost forgot about Yan Su’s lack of reaction to the Star Net.

“That is what makes you unique, Little Highness,” Xilan said, making a small joke.

“…Are you serious?” Did she have to go and repair the Star Net now? Did she look like someone with that much sense of responsibility?

Besides, their Xuanxing Empire had five major star systems. At most, she could establish a temporary Star Net with the people of one planet. Was she supposed to gradually move them all into the Star Net?

The thought sent a chill down Lin Jianheng’s spine. What a troublesome matter. By the time she finished, who knows how old her daughters would be.

“I’m kidding. Jingyuan and I can also connect the residents of a single planet to the Star Net. Anything more than that is a bit of a strain. We’ve made an assessment based on your peak spiritual power; you should be able to cover at least all the residents of the Dihua Star System,” Xilan sighed.

The Dihua Star System ranked third in population in the entire Empire. If they sent Lin Jianheng to the most populous Yinyao Star System, she probably wouldn’t be able to connect everyone to the Star Net either.

“We haven’t actually told you about this before, because twenty years ago we weren’t considering rebuilding the Star Net. But the situation is unstable now. If we could connect all residents to the Star Net, the threat of the Mechanical Lifeforms would be reduced by thirty percent—at the very least, no one’s body would be taken over, and there wouldn’t be large-scale mass spiritual power collapse incidents.”

“And what my sister and I mean is, Xiao Heng.” Xilan’s tone suddenly shifted, becoming serious.

“We want you to start with the Tanmo Star System and gradually experiment. That will be your first ‘fiefdom.'”

Lin Jianheng was silent for a moment. She had said something similar to Canglin Jingyuan. That was her second step back, taken to ensure her family’s safety.

She just never expected them to hand the authority over to her.

“You never considered the possibility of me usurping the throne?” Lin Jianheng laid her cards on the table.

She hated this kind of scheming and feared the terrible price behind it even more.

“Perhaps, Xiao Heng. But it should have been yours to begin with. At least, that’s what I think. I have great respect for Aunt Diexun.” The human heart is complex. Everyone has moments of greed, but in the end, they are still rational, intelligent beings.

“…Please tell Canglin Jingyuan for me. I have no interest in succeeding the throne. Since she took it, she should do a good job.” Lin Jianheng made her attitude clear as well.

She didn’t know if she had done something wrong. She had played the part of a hedonist for over twenty years just to avoid this.

Even before recovering her memories, Lin Jianheng knew that the descriptions of Jian Heng being incompetent in the “original novel” were all part of her past self’s disguise.

She had already acted so dissolute, why did they still want to prop her up?

“…Then you still have to help us rebuild the Star Net.” Xilan chuckled on the other end.

“You’re still the same as before. So much like your mother, so much.” It was as if the two of them actually shared the same soul.

Xilan had come to check today to see if there was a special ability for soul reincarnation.

Canglin Jingyuan’s “she is not” that day had been a wake-up call for Xilan. She had been tossing and turning ever since and finally came to investigate.

“Heh.” So she was just a useful workhorse again. A pleasant smile appeared on Lin Jianheng’s face.

She figured that the reason the transmigration plan was canceled back then was because they had found this better, more stable solution.

“As for your wife’s situation, it may not be that her spiritual power level is insufficient. It could be that the Star Net has rejected her entry, deeming her an unstable factor, or feeling that she cannot handle the pressure of the Star Net.”

This was also why they were in such a hurry to have her rejoin the Star Net after they discovered Lin Jianheng was back.

The Star Net had a certain degree of self-awareness. If it rejected Lin Jianheng, it would be a huge problem.

“Fine. Next time, tell your sister not to come to me for things either. My daughters are a month old, I’m going to take my wife for photos.” Lin Jianheng disconnected the call and nuzzled Yan Su beside her.

They were on their way to the photo studio. Lin Jianheng gritted her teeth and made up her mind. She was going to see her official confession through to the end today.

It was a sunny day, she had just laid down the law with Canglin Jingyuan, and the project was temporarily wrapped up.

Today was meant to be her confession day

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