Lu Xingzhou actually guessed it. This was the domineering CEO’s traditional move of setting off fireworks, hoping the beauty would willingly stay by his side.

Although it was crudely done and easily recognizable, having that intention still made one feel quite complex.

From forcibly abducting someone, to lowering oneself to “equal coexistence,” and now to this clumsy “husband-chasing offensive,” the domineering CEO trope reflected reality.

As for “two-way pursuit,” at least before tonight, it certainly wasn’t. Lu Xingzhou had never been moved before; at most, he appreciated beauty, but he knew this was far more dangerous than the little demoness from back then, so he dared not harbor any intentions.

But tonight, a slight ripple was finally stirred in his heart.

He didn’t know if it was because of the dragon’s saliva incense or not, or because of this moment of clumsy CEO-style husband-chasing.

Or perhaps it was due to her magnanimity, so unlike the tyrannical demon empress he had imagined.

As for the fireworks themselves… he wondered which scoundrel had given her the idea. When a male domineering CEO pursues a woman with this tactic, for an empress chasing a man, what man likes this kind of thing?

But Lu Xingzhou liked it.

It wasn’t that he liked the romance of the fireworks, but that he saw her sincerity.

The two didn’t talk much all evening, just slowly strolled through the night of Yao Du.

Yao Du had a curfew.

After all, once a few cups of yellow urine were consumed in the evening, the barbaric demons could easily cause trouble. Fighting was common, and killing demons for treasures was nothing. Without a curfew, the atmosphere of Yao Du would be very chaotic.

However, the curfew was quite late. After dinner, it was already very late, and they had eaten many snacks. It wasn’t until close to Hai Shi that people gradually disappeared.

Only the fireworks tirelessly bloomed in the sky, becoming a backdrop set solely for the two of them.

Lu Xingzhou stopped, looked up at the fireworks for a long time, and suddenly smiled, “Aren’t you busy?”

“Hmm?” Long Qinghuang was studying the warmth of his palm. Hearing his words, she looked up in a daze, “What?”

“You must have many state affairs, especially in this post-war period, with many new situations and new arrangements. Is it really okay to waste an entire evening with me like this, without even saying a few words?”

Long Qinghuang smiled slightly, “Didn’t you say to let me indulge in male beauty?”

Lu Xingzhou laughed, “So obedient?”

Long Qinghuang tilted her head and looked at him, “Isn’t it good to listen to the military advisor?”

“What if I’m lying to you?”

Long Qinghuang also laughed, “Lying to me about not handling affairs? Or… seducing me?”

After saying that, she finally released his hand, clasped her hands behind her back, and walked back, “When we first met, your little deceiver was already helping you seduce. I also told her that if you perform well, it’s not impossible to give you a chance.”

Lu Xingzhou let out a dry laugh.

She was clearly chasing her husband, yet she had to say such things.

The tsundere dragon maiden was becoming more and more interesting.

“As for tonight…” Long Qinghuang looked up at the dark sky and smiled brightly, “Half a day of floating life, with a beauty by my side… why speak too many words? Isn’t it good just to be together like this?”

Lu Xingzhou smiled, “Okay.”

“Let’s go back, it’s getting very late.” Long Qinghuang said with a sweet smile, “I’ll look for you again later.”

After saying “I” all night, it finally changed back to “Zhen.”

The request of “only for Miss Long” didn’t last even one night with her; she was no longer playing along.

Miss Long was the Demon Empress.

“Shifu, you’ve been smiling ever since you came back.” Anuo sat on the side, propping her chin, “Sister Long is better than you imagined, isn’t she?”

“Mm.”

“I thought she was very good back then, not a bullying bad dragon.”

Lu Xingzhou rubbed Anuo’s face, “That’s to you.”

“As long as you’re willing to have little dragon people with her, there’ll be no problems. It’s just you being stubborn. It’s really strange, you clearly want to have little dragon people yourself, so what are you doing?”

Lu Xingzhou hesitated to speak, finally turning it into a threat, “If you really have a bunch of little dragon people, your affection will be divided.”

Anuo looked at him sideways.

Lu Xingzhou found her gaze strange, “What?”

“How can such words, like a mortal coaxing a child to reject a stepmother, come out of your mouth…”

Lu Xingzhou: “…”

“Speaking of which…” Anuo scratched her head curiously, “With so many dragon subspecies, are they all born from interbreeding with other creatures?”

“Yes,” Lu Xingzhou said. “It seems that dragons don’t have reproductive isolation with other creatures; there are all sorts of hybrid breeds.”

“What is reproductive isolation?”

“Uh…” Lu Xingzhou thought that this child wasn’t so young anymore, and some basic biological knowledge should be taught. He then said, “It means that different species generally find it very difficult to have children. For example, when you see people raising cats and dogs, do they hybridize into new things? But dragons don’t seem to have this problem; they can with anyone.”

Anuo paused, then suddenly propped her chin with some melancholy, “Different species… Can immortals and humans?”

Lu Xingzhou: “…”

What was this little thing thinking about?

If an immortal ascended from a human, of course, there’s no problem, but if you’re a pill… no, what are you, a little thing, thinking about this for? Lu Xingzhou was quite speechless: “Alright, alright, stop overthinking.”

Anuo suddenly said, “There are so many dragon subspecies, but I see that Long Lie and Long Yun around Sister Long are pure-blooded dragons. Is it difficult for subspecies to enter the upper echelons?”

Lu Xingzhou nodded, “Roughly so. Dragons and phoenixes, no matter how you put it, are noble races born powerful. They naturally have a sense of bloodline superiority, so it should be more difficult for impure bloodlines to enter the upper echelons.”

Anuo pointed out, “So, the resistance for your little dragon people will be very great.”

Lu Xingzhou ruffled her head irritably, “That’s not something you should be thinking about… Besides, who said I wanted to have little dragon people? You’re the one who always brings it up. Alright, alright, go to sleep.”

“Not honest at all,” Anuo grumbled, “You teach children to be honest from a young age, but the adults themselves are the biggest liars. If you’re so capable, don’t let me assist you.”

Lu Xingzhou: “…”

This child was impossible to raise.

But who wouldn’t want nuclear-level assistance!

While Lu Xingzhou was being flustered by Anuo, Long Qinghuang also had a sleepless night.

Her Majesty the Empress had changed into a silk nightgown, but she didn’t even get into bed. She just sat at the table, holding the sparkling large gem Lu Xingzhou had given her. She didn’t know how long she had been looking at it, but a smile always lingered on her face.

The gem’s brilliance illuminated the bedchamber, casting a bright glow and reflecting off her noble and resolute face, which at this moment resembled a peony in spring.

Having been single for a thousand years, no elder had ever told Long Qinghuang that becoming curious about a male was dangerous, and becoming obsessed with a male was even more dangerous. But she had already committed both.

The obsession of wanting to possess and being moved emotionally are not actually the same thing, but they can easily be confused and indistinguishable within one’s heart.

If the other person is also a master-level expert, sometimes tough, sometimes obedient, sometimes giving gifts, and sometimes “helping the admired girl,” then it’s enough to entangle that confused heart into a mess.

Now the female dragon felt that she genuinely wanted this human to be her empress.

But he was tough.

Yet, this very toughness made him likable.

It wasn’t like Chen Yu, who would sell everything for his life, nor like some dragons in her clan who would grovel and deliberately flatter, losing all dignity, just to become empress.

It was an entirely different kind of attraction.

Dragon nature is inherently promiscuous… in fact, they are very easily aroused and have rich desires. So, dragons generally spread their affections everywhere, leaving offspring with different creatures, and are very unfaithful. To some extent, it’s somewhat similar to the Huanhuan Sect, but the Huanhuan Sect has desire without affection, while dragons are mostly promiscuous, liking everyone.

Long Qinghuang would be much better than ordinary dragons because she was too proud.

Let alone being promiscuous, she hadn’t even taken a fancy to one. Her own powerful clansmen, who had great political significance, were originally her first choice, but unfortunately, none of them had backbone and were all useless. With such noble bloodlines, how could it be so difficult to even produce a super-grade? As for beautiful fox tribes and the like, they didn’t even dare to breathe when they saw her, let alone look directly at her. How could such useless beings catch the eye of the proud Long Qinghuang?

They weren’t even fit to be concubines.

The truly recognized powerful one, whom she couldn’t defeat, Ye Tinglan, turned out to be a woman…

Hence, a thousand years of being single.

But the essence of dragon nature is here: once she takes a fancy to someone, the emotional tide surges and overflows. As early as the Frozen Moon Cold River, she wanted to abduct Lu Xingzhou back to play with, and now this thought has taken root and cannot be suppressed.

That’s why she couldn’t help but blurt out a phrase like “is the dragon’s saliva incense or not?” There was no misunderstanding; it was a blatant provocation, but due to the empress’s dignity, the topic wasn’t pursued further.

The bedchamber was empty. Long Qinghuang bit her lower lip, squeezed her slender legs together, and subtly shifted.

She didn’t know when she had become sticky.

Is dragon nature really that lustful? Long Qinghuang used to think it wasn’t, that it was all nonsense… Now she recognized herself.

Heaven help her, she had originally sat at the table to write those clan member profiles for Lu Xingzhou to read, but now, not a single word had been written. She had spent all her time staring at the gift he had given her.

She was truly that lustful.

Long Qinghuang bit her lower lip and turned to look in the mirror.

In the mirror, the noble Demon Empress had eyes like silken threads, and even she found herself stunningly beautiful and captivating.

So beautiful, of course he would be fond of her. The narcissistic dragoness thought again, he said he could be conquered, as long as she could do it… So, should she be more direct and try to conquer him with such methods?

She couldn’t think anymore, important matters were at hand.

Long Qinghuang tried hard to tell herself that these documents would be the main topic for their next meeting, and she rushed to get them done before dawn.

As soon as the sky began to lighten, Long Qinghuang, clutching the documents, impatiently went to the Empress’s bedchamber.

The little palace maid guarding outside was dozing off, her head bobbing. Startled by the sound of the door, she turned around and saw the noble, unapproachable Empress slip into the room.

Little palace maid: “…”

It’s over.

Will the morning court still be held today?

The sleeping quarters were very large, divided into rooms. Anuo slept in a small room nearby, and Lu Xingzhou, who had been tired recently, was sleeping soundly in the main room.

Suddenly, a fragrant aroma enveloped his nostrils, an aphrodisiac scent assailing him. Lu Xingzhou, in his sleep, couldn’t guard against it. The aphrodisiac incense entered his dreams, and soon he dreamed of things he shouldn’t have dreamed of.

Regrettably, under this familiar aphrodisiac-like sensation, he couldn’t possibly dream of Long Qinghuang, but rather the little demoness of Huanhuan.

Pei Chuyun, dressed as a little maid, was twirling a strand of hair on his face.

“Naughty again.” Lu Xingzhou pulled the little maid in his dream into his arms. “Don’t you know the way a little maid wakes her master should be a good morning kiss?”