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This was a tremendous honor that ordinary people would not dare even dream of.

Yet Xie Jianwei only felt like laughing. Were all the world leaders in this realm lunatics?!

Worse still, his Lord Marshal had completely bought into the role, treating every bit of it as gospel truth.

Like a swarm of reporters interviewing a superstar, the crowd treated their invitation cards like microphones, shoving them frantically toward Lu Li in the desperate hope that the elder brother-in-law would show some leniency, allowing their Prince, Princess, Prime Minister, or Sovereign to marry this breathtaking beauty, which would also give them a chance to steal a few glances in the future…

Did Lu Li accept them? He was furious enough to detonate on the spot! He wished he could chop up every single person trying to steal Xie Jianwei away and feed them to the dogs.

Xie Jianwei’s stomach ached from laughing, while his heart went out to Lu Li. Just think about it… everyone in the entire world could pursue Xie Jianwei openly and honorably, except Lu Li.

All because he was his brother, though not by blood, it hardly mattered, so why be so stubborn, you foolish Big Li!

Naturally, Military Advisor Xie made it his sole profession to pamper his man, unwilling to see him explode into fireworks across the horizon, so he resorted to a little trick.

Seizing an opening when no one was looking, he delivered a vicious kick to one person, spun around, and kicked another. Amidst the dense, jostling chaos, after he kicked three people, the “press corps” completely erupted.

“Who kicked me?!”

“You bastard, how dare you kick me!”

“Don’t make false accusations, you’re the one who kicked me!”

“It must be some despicable scoundrel causing trouble because he couldn’t hand over his invitation!”

“Don’t fall into the trap, everyone! We must… Ow!”

“Give you an inch and you take a mile, huh?!”

This crowd was already competing fiercely against one another, none fond of the rest. After all, they were rivals vying to secure a consort, prince, prime ministerial spouse, or prince-consort for their respective masters. While they had barely kept their tempers in check initially, the moment someone stirred the pot, fury flared instantly. Everyone wanted to eliminate the competition first: one fewer rival meant higher odds for their own master, and more opportunities for themselves to gaze upon the beauty and cleanse their weary souls!

No one could tell who threw the first punch, but the situation collapsed like a line of dominoes. A single spark set off an inferno, tumbling everyone into an all-out brawl.

As they fought tooth and nail, Lu Li found it thoroughly satisfying: Trying to snatch my treasure? Go to hell, all of you!

Among all the “elites” present, only Xie Jianwei retained the sanity of an ordinary human. Tugging at Lu Li’s sleeve, he whispered, “Ge, let’s go back inside.”

Turning his head to look at Xie Jianwei’s slightly pale face, Lu Li assumed he was frightened. Heart aching with tenderness, he said hurriedly, “Let’s go. Inside.”

The two turned back into their estate, shutting the gates and leaving the chaos outside behind.

The estate was vast, with a grove of maple trees planted in the front courtyard that provided excellent sound insulation. Once the brothers returned to the villa, the “world war” raging outside faded into complete silence.

Xie Jianwei murmured softly, “I’m sorry…”

If he hadn’t snuck out, none of this would have happened; though the real culprit was the Big Li who designed this dream. But what could he do? Military Advisor Xie still had to take the fall for this memory-deprived bear of a Marshal!

Lu Li was indeed furious, but he would never direct his anger at his precious younger brother. Exhaling a soft sigh, he said, “You’ve had it rough.”

As an independent person, who wouldn’t want to explore the world outside? The world was vast; while one couldn’t hope to traverse every corner, neither should anyone be confined to a needle-sized enclosure.

It was entirely natural for Xie Jianwei to slip away. The fact that he had endured this confinement for so many years was already remarkable. Regrettably…

Lu Li’s voice turned bitter: “Your brother is simply incompetent.”

Xie Jianwei blinked, struggling to follow his train of thought. What did your competence have to do with any of this?

Lu Li quickly followed up: “Your brother lacks the ability to grant you a realm of freedom.”

Truth be told, you possess plenty of ability; it merely depends on whether you wish to wield it.

Naturally, Xie Jianwei couldn’t voice this aloud. Leaning naturally against Lu Li’s chest, he whispered, “Ge is extraordinary.”

Looking down at him, Lu Li felt warmth pool in his chest.

Xie Jianwei fed him more sweetness: “Ge is the most formidable person in the world.”

Lu Li smiled faintly: “Of all the people outside, there isn’t a single one I can afford to cross.” His business was vast and thriving, yet he held zero leverage against those foreign dignitaries and heads of state. Had he possessed sufficient power, he would sweep them clean off the property, make them scram to the ends of the earth, forbid anyone from coveting Xie Jianwei, and carve out a tranquil world where Xie Jianwei could go wherever his heart desired, letting him…

Thinking of this, Lu Li let out a bitter, self-deprecating laugh. What was the use? He was his brother, his biological brother. Even if he could achieve all of that, in the end, he would still have to hand him over to someone else, smiling while offering his blessings. How could he ever smile? Merely contemplating that image sent piercing agony through his heart.

Xie Jianwei continued coaxing him: “I don’t care about them in the slightest. I only want Ge.”

Stabbed to the point of bleeding by his own thoughts, Lu Li’s heart pounded wildly nonetheless: “How old are you, still acting like a spoiled child?”

Xie Jianwei looked up at him: “I’m all grown up!”

Lu Li’s gaze softened: “Yes, you’re all grown up.”

“So I am not acting like a child.”

Lu Li paused.

Xie Jianwei looked him straight in the eye: “Every word I speak comes straight from my heart.”

Under that direct gaze, hearing those words, the blood in Lu Li’s veins surged violently, crashing like tumultuous tides, torn between wanting to reach the shore and longing to sink into oblivion.

After a long pause, he managed a faint smile, warning himself not to overthink.

Xie Jianwei felt both amused and exasperated. This fellow refused to overthink when he should, yet overthought to the extreme when he shouldn’t.

They didn’t even share the same surname, so what kind of brothers were they? Why be so rigid!

Undaunted by setbacks, Military Advisor Xie pressed on to make his feelings clear: “Ge, don’t accept a single one of those invitations outside.”

Lu Li asked, “Why?”

Xie Jianwei said, “I don’t like any of them.”

Lu Li smiled: “Then what kind of person do you like?”

Xie Jianwei stole a glance at him, then lowered his head swiftly: “I… I like Ge.”

Lu Li’s entire frame went rigid. Regaining his composure after a tense moment, he forced a strained smile: “Those two cannot be compared. Liking your brother and liking them are two entirely different things.”

Xie Jianwei moved to speak again, but Lu Li cut him off, his expression stiff and his voice rough and strained: “I have some matters to attend to. Go watch television for a while.”

Seeing him turn to leave, Xie Jianwei called out urgently, “Ge!”

Lu Li didn’t look back, striding away with broad steps. Watching his retreating figure fleeing in disarray, Xie Jianwei didn’t dare press further; with Big Li so resistant, an outright confession would only backfire.

Just look back at the first dream world. Consider how devastated Lu Li had been upon waking to find he had slept with his sister’s fiancé.

So why on earth choose to play brothers instead of proper lovers!

Xie Jianwei sat dazed before the television, having no idea what was playing on screen.

Lu Li had zero heart for work either. What he desired most was to leave the house, the further the better. Ever since Xie Jianwei reached adulthood, what he feared most each day was failing to resist temptation, degenerating into a beast, and committing the one act he should never commit.

Anyone in the world could claim Xie Jianwei, except him.

He could hold his hand, give him hugs, pamper him, and fulfill his every wish, but he could never love him, never kiss him, never drag him into the bottomless abyss.

Lu Li desperately wanted to leave, yet couldn’t bear to.

For twenty whole years, he had stayed glued to his side without parting. To truly separate would be more agonizing than carving flesh from his bones.

Unable to leave, unable to possess, watching helplessly while his mind was drowned in suffocating despair.

When would this ever end?

Either he would lose control completely, destroying him and destroying everything; or Xie Jianwei would find a lover, and he… what could he possibly do…

After watching television for a while, Xie Jianwei couldn’t sit still any longer. He slipped into the study: “Ge, what are we having for lunch?”

Gripping his pen tightly, the sound of his voice nearly made Lu Li snap the pen in two.

“Ge?”

“Are you hungry?” Lu Li asked.

Xie Jianwei said, “Not yet, but I’m bored. If you’re busy, how about I cook lunch?”

“No need. Go play. When the time comes, I’ll prepare it.”

“Let me try. I have nothing to do anyway.”

“No,” Lu Li insisted firmly. “Don’t touch those things.”

Xie Jianwei settled for second best: “Then can I read in here with you?”

Lu Li: “…”

Xie Jianwei hurried to add, “I definitely won’t disturb you, I…”

“Why must you read in here?”

Hesitating for a moment, Xie Jianwei murmured with faint bashfulness, “I… I like being with you.”

Lu Li couldn’t resist looking up at him, his heart missing a sudden beat.

Xie Jianwei looked at him: “May I?”

Lu Li nodded in consent. He appeared calm on the surface, but his core was fraught with extreme panic and dread.

Delighted, Xie Jianwei said, “Wonderful, I’ll go fetch a book.”

The book he pulled from the shelf was an original English edition of Pride and Prejudice.

Glancing at it, Lu Li asked, “Haven’t you read that many times already?”

Xie Jianwei said cheerfully, “No matter how many times I read it, I still love it.”

Lu Li thought for a moment and asked, “You like Elizabeth?”

Xie Jianwei said, “I like their ending.”

Lu Li paused: “That lovers eventually become family?”

Xie Jianwei’s eyes curved into crescents: “Yes. How wonderful it is.”

Lu Li offered a faint smile, averting his gaze, forcing himself to focus on work.

After a while, Xie Jianwei spoke again: “As long as one works hard and perseveres, will everyone eventually find their true love?”

The tip of Lu Li’s pen halted. The words rising to his lips had to remain locked in his heart: Some loves can never be attained no matter how hard you strive or persevere, because it is doomed by fate.

Staying together, even without exchanging words, time flew by.

What had felt unbearable every second became peaceful because they shared the same room, breathing the same air. Lu Li worked with a tranquil mind, while Xie Jianwei actually finished flipping through the romance novel.

At noon, Lu Li cooked while Xie Jianwei assisted him, the two brothers laughing and chatting in delightful harmony.

The “battle” outside had concluded. Neither side emerged victorious, everyone departing in battered, dust-covered defeat.

After lunch, Xie Jianwei felt a bit drowsy. Lu Li said, “Let’s take a walk in the garden.”

Sleeping right after a meal was bad for digestion.

Xie Jianwei said, “Okay.”

It wasn’t too hot today. With rain expected in the evening, dark clouds veiled the sun, and the incoming breeze carried a refreshing moisture. Strolling through the meticulously manicured garden was exceptionally pleasant.

Unable to resist, Xie Jianwei took Lu Li’s hand, whispering softly, “It’s so wonderful.”

Not catching it clearly, Lu Li tilted his head: “Hm?”

The corners of Xie Jianwei’s mouth lifted: “Being with you is so wonderful.”

Lu Li’s footsteps halted, that deep-seated dread surging rapidly once more.

Xie Jianwei continued sprinkling sweetness: “Ge, it would be wonderful if we could stay together forever.”

Lu Li’s smile turned unnatural: “What silly things are you saying? The one who should stay with you forever is your future wife.”

Xie Jianwei knitted his brows: “I don’t want a wife.”

Lu Li forced himself to stay composed: “Liking a man is fine too.”

Looking somewhat vexed, Xie Jianwei said, “I don’t like anyone else, and I won’t marry anyone!”

Lu Li didn’t dare say a single word.

Xie Jianwei let it rest there. Having reached this stage, Lu Li couldn’t possibly fail to understand, right?

Yet if he understood, why wasn’t he happily embracing him and taking things further?

It made no sense.

Pitiably, Xie Jianwei still had no idea they were supposed to be “biological brothers.” This was without doubt the worst pit the Military Advisor had ever fallen into…

After circling the garden, they returned inside.

Although it wasn’t sweltering outside, Xie Jianwei had broken a light sweat, saying, “I’m going to take a rinse.”

Lu Li said, “Go ahead.”

Dropping those words, giving Xie Jianwei zero chance to speak, he walked away at incredible speed.

Having showered, Xie Jianwei looked all over, yet found no sign of Lu Li.

He had no choice but to nestle into bed alone… thinking that taking a nap at noon would leave him with energy to stir up trouble tonight.

Xie Jianwei drifted off before long.

Having walked off briskly, Lu Li returned. Seeing Xie Jianwei asleep, he sat by the edge of the bed with a conflicted expression, staring at him unblinkingly.

A-Wei…

Lu Li’s mind was consumed by the words he had spoken over these past two days. Could he…

Staring blankly for a long time, Lu Li suddenly felt overwhelmed. Perhaps he ought to leave… If this was his final chance, at least let him take away a memory to sustain a lifetime.

His heart pounded frantically, the agony of taboo pricking his nerves like a hornet’s sting. Just one kiss, only once, the one and only…

Leaning in slowly, with an indescribable mixture of emotions, he pressed his lips against the mouth he had yearned for day and night.

Softer than imagined, sweeter than in dreams, a hundred times more magnificent than all his fantasies combined.

While Lu Li remained motionless, Xie Jianwei let out a soft murmur, parting his lips on his own initiative.

A loud buzz rang through Lu Li’s head, all reason evaporating. He swept into his mouth, kissing with frantic desperation, like a parched traveler in the desert claiming an oasis with ravenous thirst…

Xie Jianwei actively responded to him, driving him entirely beyond restraint. Yet the moment Xie Jianwei softly murmured “A-Li,” Lu Li snapped awake in horror.

As if doused with a bucket of freezing water, Lu Li stood in disheveled panic, his dark eyes brimming with unconcealed terror.

With eyes closed, Xie Jianwei’s tender lips were bruised a vivid crimson. His clothes were in disarray, the collar wide open, exposing his pale collarbones and flushed chest. His hand rested between his legs, murmuring softly, “Ge… Ge…”

It was a scene intoxicating enough to make one’s blood boil. Such a breathtaking person masturbating while pining for another…

Yet Lu Li felt only dizzying chaos, his dread turning visceral, rotting away his very flesh.

Was A-Wei thinking of him?

His feelings for him…

No! They were brothers, biological brothers!

He had long plunged into the deepest hell, but he could never drag Xie Jianwei down with him.

Such a taboo, sinful love was something he alone should bear; Xie Jianwei must never experience it.

No future, no hope, only despair and agony. How could he ever let Xie Jianwei shoulder such guilt!

It was his fault… Lu Li thought frantically. It was entirely his fault. He shouldn’t have stayed so close to Xie Jianwei; he should have kept his distance.

Xie Jianwei had grown up without playmates, entirely isolated. It was only natural for him to mistake reliance for romance.

As long as he left him, stayed far away, he would soon understand…

Understand what true love really was.

Lu Li staggered out of the room.

Xie Jianwei was thoroughly impressed. Seduced to this degree and you still managed to hold back? Big Li, stop being a Marshal and change your career to a ninja turtle!

Seeing the door shut tight, masturbating alone was thoroughly boring, so he went to take a cold shower to cool off.

A coward with all the desire but none of the nerve; he had thought the fellow finally wised up, only for him to flee after a single kiss!

Stepping out of the bathroom, Xie Jianwei felt something was off.

Lu Li… shouldn’t be capable of such extreme endurance.

Even if stepbrothers were considered family, without a blood relation, there was no need for such fierce aversion, right?

Xie Jianwei’s heart gave a sudden thump, an ominous premonition dawning upon him.

It couldn’t be that cruel, could it?

All sleepiness gone, he began scouring for clues.

Before long, he uncovered a diary.

Yes… a diary once again.

Heart pounding, Xie Jianwei opened the notebook. Skimming through it quickly… only a stampede of wild curses remained in his mind.

They were biological brothers!

Lu Li took his father’s surname, while he took his mother’s.

Though their surnames differed, they were born of the exact same parents!

Could you abandon logic any harder? Xie Jianwei thought of Lu Li’s towering build, then looked at himself. Let the whole world be the judge, in what universe did they look like brothers? Could any two biological brothers look this completely dissimilar!

Then the dream world supplied a forced explanation. Lu Li took after his father, while Xie Jianwei took after his mother.

What a toxic application of genetics!

He couldn’t hold back cursing inwardly!

Xie Jianwei finally understood why Lu Li had refused to behave like a normal human, insisting on playing the ninja turtle.

No matter how bold he was, he would never dare commit incest with his own biological brother!

What biological brother? He was his lawful husband, officially registered with marriage certificates and blessed by the entire citizenry of the Milky Way, alright!

He truly wished he could knock some sense into the big idiot having this dream.

He had instructed him repeatedly before sleeping to have a good dream, and the result? Making him a universal charmer adored by the entire planet was bad enough, but turning them into blood brothers on top of it?

Could they have a proper romance or not?

Fighting down the urge to beat someone, Xie Jianwei’s mind worked rapidly, realization striking: Uh-oh.

Previously unaware that Lu Li was his “biological” brother, he had seduced him without restraint, doing this and that. Lu Li wasn’t blind; he had surely noticed.

Given this fellow’s thought process, what would he do?

He would never have the heart to harm him. Incest was a grave sin; with how deeply Lu Li cherished him, how could he bear to let him walk down such a dark path?

Most likely…

Xie Jianwei dialed Lu Li’s number, only for an automated voice to inform him: We are sorry, the party you have dialed is currently unavailable…

Xie Jianwei let out a sigh, thoroughly defeated.

That evening, Lu Li didn’t return; his parents did.

The two had been vacationing on an island, returning with heaps of gifts, eager to spin their younger son around in their arms.

Xie Jianwei quietly observed Father Lu and Mother Xie, finding zero resemblance between Lu Li and Father Lu, nor between himself and Mother Xie.

What nonsense about one looking like dad and the other like mom; from a genetic standpoint, this family of four looked like complete strangers!

Yet Mother Xie was convinced her younger son was her spitting image. She had been a delicate blossom in her youth, and only a blossom like her could produce such an exquisite blossom of a son. Flawless logic, without a single defect!

Xie Jianwei’s temples throbbed.

Father Lu said to Xie Jianwei, “Your brother is something else. He didn’t leave earlier or later, but chose to take off right as the two of us were returning.”

Xie Jianwei hurried to ask, “Where did he go?”

“Didn’t say in detail, only mentioned business to handle in Northern Europe that will take a year or two.”

Xie Jianwei: “…”

Mother Xie grumbled, “A grown son can’t be kept at home. I bet he didn’t go for work, but fell for some blonde foreign beauty, chasing after her and forgetting all about home.”

Xie Jianwei: They say a mother knows her son best, but Mom, your understanding of your son is severely lacking.

Lu Li stayed away for over half a month. During that time, Xie Jianwei called him countless times, yet the man possessed iron resolve, refusing to pick up even once.

Around the twentieth day, Lu Li finally placed a call home.

Mother Xie unleashed a barrage of scolding the moment she picked up: “Your wings have grown strong, haven’t they? Daring to ignore my calls, are you looking for a beating!”

Whatever Lu Li said on the other end, Mother Xie’s tone softened with concern: “Take good care of yourself. Our family has plenty of money, no need to push yourself so hard.”

Lu Li said a few more words, and Mother Xie’s eyes lit up, asking eagerly, “You truly found someone you like? What does she look like? I don’t want a foreign daughter-in-law, find me someone with black hair and dark eyes, good-tempered, and best if she can bear children!”

After a moment, Mother Xie grumbled again, “Fine, fine, as long as you like her. Country Z is vast enough for you to pick and choose, yet you insisted on running so far away!”

Mother and son chatted for a bit, then Father Lu took the phone to shoot the breeze with his son.

Xie Jianwei listened from the side with an expressionless face.

Mother Xie explained to him, “Your brother took a liking to a foreign beauty. She refuses to return to the country with him, so he has to stay there to woo her for a while.”

Xie Jianwei didn’t believe a word of it.

Mother Xie sighed, “Your brother is truly something. With so many wonderful people around him, he insisted on running abroad to find someone, what is he after?”

Xie Jianwei: Exactly. His lawful lover was right under his nose, yet he fled after a single kiss!

After a while, Father Lu finished chatting with Lu Li and called over, “A-Wei, come, your brother is on the line.”

Taking the phone, Xie Jianwei spoke an icy syllable: “Ge.”

On the other end across oceans and continents, hearing that single word made Lu Li’s heart ache so intensely he nearly wished he could teleport straight before him.

He had been gone for twenty days, without a single night of sound sleep. Closing his eyes brought visions of Xie Jianwei, and opening them brought visions of Xie Jianwei. Worrying he wasn’t eating well, worrying he wasn’t warm, fearing he was sad, fearing he was bored at home, and terrified he might run out and get abducted…

He missed him so much he lay awake day and night, longing every second to return to his side, yet dared not…

He could not ruin Xie Jianwei, absolutely could not destroy him.

So no matter how fierce the longing, he had to endure.

After a moment, Xie Jianwei spoke first: “You found a lover?”

Lu Li said, “Yes.”

Xie Jianwei asked, “Does she love you?”

Lu Li said, “She does.”

“Do you love her?”

“Yes.”

Xie Jianwei paused, then said, “Congratulations.” With that, he hung up.

Listening to the dial tone, Lu Li felt an overwhelming sense of loss.

What lover did he have? Where in his heart was there room for anyone else?

Yet it had to be this way, truly had to be this way. Why… why were they biological brothers?

Since he was fated never to touch him, why couldn’t he have never met him at all?

Compared to Lu Li’s agonizing despair, Xie Jianwei ate well and slept well.

He had no choice; if Big Li refused to commit “incest,” he didn’t dare act rashly.

This was the final dream world; he could not fall into “its” trap and let all previous efforts go to waste.

Analyzing this dream calmly, Xie Jianwei deduced that the universal charmer setting originated from Lu Li’s subconscious, and having loving parents and an elder brother was likely Lu Li’s setting as well.

Because he had mentioned the Xie family’s tragic past, Lu Li felt heartache for him, wanting to give him a warm family, which made sense.

“It” had likely exploited this detail, turning that loving elder brother directly into Lu Li.

In doing so, how was Xie Jianwei supposed to soothe Lu Li? Nothing would work.

Lu Li loved him to death, absolutely refusing to let him bear the guilt of an incestuous sin.

Yet out of concern for the dream’s stability, Xie Jianwei couldn’t appear too heartbroken either, lest Lu Li’s personalities split on a whim and nullify all his hard work.

Looked at this way, it seemed like an absolute stalemate…

Not necessarily, since the Lu Li of this dream was actually on his side.

A few days later, the suitor army returned with a vengeance.

Xie Jianwei didn’t torment them this time, meeting Liters, meeting Aleksey, and even meeting a princess from a Northern European royal house…

Wherever he went, regardless of culture, language, gender, or age, everyone went stupid at the first glance, stunned at the second, and longed to stare for a lifetime at the third.

Liters was enchanted to the point of dizziness. Aleksey fought seven or eight duels with Liters over him, which proved pointless, as neither honored the wager after winning or losing, still submitting invitations to Xie Jianwei regardless.

The ladies were even more amusing. A princess from Country Y and a queen from Country S traded barbs on Twitter daily. The princess posted: Admiring flowers with my beloved, truly wonderful.

The queen commented: The person is uglier than the blossoms.

The queen posted: Gaining you is my greatest fortune.

The princess retorted: At your age, you ought to retire peacefully.

Personal duels and squabbles were minor events; the truly terrifying part lay with world leaders.

President of Country E: How does a tiny state like Country S have the gall to invite Xie Jianwei as a guest?

Leader of Country S: The humiliation of the invasion a decade ago, it is time to seek justice!

What was a devastating beauty, what was bringing ruin upon nations? Xie Jianwei had done nothing more than sip tea, admire flowers, and chat casually, yet… World War X essentially broke out.

A genuine war. Initially small-scale skirmishes, until the populace of a certain country lost their minds, insisting that Xie Jianwei must register his citizenship with them. Neighboring nations demanded the same. One, two, three nations clashed, until a superpower on the other side of the globe lost its temper, launching several ballistic missiles…

Now, total chaos reigned.

Xie Jianwei: “…”

Though this is a dream, is it really fine for you all to abandon logic this hard?!

Xie Jianwei watched in utter disbelief. He suspected that the world war erupted primarily because the god of this dream was in a foul mood, feeling the entire world was trying to steal his treasure, subconsciously wishing to destroy the world. So the obedient dream world scheduled the apocalypse, driving everyone to collective madness.

If the world was destroyed, would the dream collapse along with it?

That was truly hard to say!

Just as Xie Jianwei began plotting a countermeasure, someone pitched an idea for him.

Xie Jianwei was kidnapped. This was a global shockwave; world leaders declared: Who dared commit such an atrocity! Have eighteen generations of their lineage lived long enough?!

Immediately afterward, a message flooded the communication channels of every world leader, appearing mysteriously on their devices:

“To rescue Xie Jianwei, come participate in the trial. The victor will not only save him, but claim him forever.”

This… this was getting fascinating.

Aside from standing dumbfounded, what else could Xie Jianwei do…

He wished he could remind the dignitaries: You are all heads of state; gathering in one place for a trial, what if someone wipes you all out in one sweep?

Yet on second thought, this might be the doing of his lunatic husband, so he held his tongue.

For such a farcical trial, people actually participated; in fact, nearly everyone showed up!

Young princes, princesses, unmarried queens, and prince-consorts arriving was expected, but what were married leaders doing joining the fray? Worse still, married couples attending hand-in-hand? Were you planning to rescue Xie Jianwei to engage in a threesome? Never mind, compared to fathers and sons, or brothers teaming up, that was even more horrifying!

Lu Li and “it” inside this dream had completely cast off all restraints; logic was dead, breaking character beyond recognition.

Before the trial even began, that evening the sky flashed with lights as a fleet of starships descended.

Xie Jianwei found them remarkably familiar… could that be his family’s Marshal flagship?!

As if Earth wasn’t enough, extraterrestrials arrived to compete for Xie Jianwei too.

Universal heartthrob. Xie Jianwei accepted the title with bashful resignation.

The aliens abducted Xie Jianwei, instantly uniting humanity, directing all firepower against the extraterrestrial threat.

The aliens appeared formidable, but were complete fools, growing doubly foolish upon laying eyes on Xie Jianwei.

Xie Jianwei said, “Land the ship.”

They landed obediently.

Xie Jianwei said, “Open the airlock.”

They opened it immediately.

Military Advisor Xie had conquered tens of thousands of alien races, but had never encountered ones this adorably stupid; he almost felt guilty bullying them.

They chirped around Xie Jianwei: “Lord, Lord, do you have any other orders?”

Looking at this flock of “chicks,” Xie Jianwei pondered before saying, “Like this… help me prepare a specific room.”

Nodding furiously, their beady green eyes brimmed with worship: “Understood, Lord! Absolutely no problem, Lord!”

Next, Earth assembled an elite special ops team that “infiltrated” the alien starship. Locating Xie Jianwei swiftly, they forgot all about escaping, competing to pledge their loyalty, led by Liters, assembling into a grand chorus.

His head aching from the din, Xie Jianwei surveyed the group for a long while before finally spotting the person he sought.

Relieved, he gave a signal to the chicks, who rushed forward to “slaughter” the intruders.

The special ops team finally ceased chanting poetry and fled.

Along the way, the group didn’t forget to flaunt their charms like strutting peacocks, which Xie Jianwei found visually torturous.

Throughout, his gaze remained locked on a tall, ordinary-looking man. Quiet, sharp-reflexed, swift in action, accurately identifying dangers at every turn and guiding Xie Jianwei through the encirclement.

The chicks were very obedient. Whichever target Xie Jianwei told them to catch, they caught.

When Liters was captured, assuming he was doomed, he delivered an unprecedented swan song: “Jianwei, dying for you, I harbor no regrets! Please, do not mourn for me! If you weep, I shall despair even in the netherworld…” (Several hundred words omitted here.)

Xie Jianwei wished he could plug his ears.

Toward the end, only one person remained in the team. That taciturn man who didn’t look like Lu Li, yet was undeniably Lu Li.

Feeling the timing was right, Xie Jianwei gave another signal to the chicks, who herded them into a specific room right on schedule.

The blast door slammed shut behind them. Outside, the chicks cheered in triumph. Mission accomplished! Yet… would Lord Jianwei ever return? They broke down in tears again.

Setting aside the outside, the moment Xie Jianwei stepped inside, he gasped breathlessly, “I… I can’t run anymore.”

The “stranger” supported him, unable to hold back: “Care for some water?”

“Mm.” Xie Jianwei took a sip, sinking onto the sofa to rest.

The “stranger” had already begun searching for an exit.

About ten minutes later, having caught his breath, Xie Jianwei stood up and looked around, pretending to aid in the search.

“Look, there’s a door here!”

Walking over, the man examined it and said, “Stand back, I’ll see if I can breach it.”

He fired several shots with his weapon. Unfortunately, this door was engineered by Xie Jianwei himself; let alone primitive Earth firearms, even in the interstellar era, breaching it was nearly impossible.

Frowning, Lu Li said, “Don’t panic. There must be a way to open it.”

Xie Jianwei’s eyes widened suddenly, staring at the door: “There’s an inscription here!”

“Hm?” Lu Li looked over, and froze on the spot.

Across the door glowed a row of neon red words:

“Bridal Chamber . You may exit only after making love.”