Chapter Nine: No male loves you more than I do

When he pulled her into his arms again, he felt his breathing become rapid and trembling uncontrollably.

He couldn't stop planting kiss after kiss on her cheek; he missed her so much...

The thought of the way she looked at other men and the gentle tone in her voice during the day drove him to the brink of madness with jealousy.

Why can't we look at him more? Why?!

In the dim light, only one person's image was reflected in those deep blue eyes. His fierceness outside had completely vanished, leaving only his devotion and infatuation with her:

"I will become the person you like. Don't look at anyone else, look at me, only look at me, okay?"

"I love you, no male loves you more than I do..."

...

*

The next day, the first rays of sunlight shone through the cracks in the window.

The single bed was clearly not big enough for Lu Xiao, so he could only curl up halfway, but he still held the girl in his arms steadily.

The two clung tightly to each other, inseparable like twin lotus blossoms.

When Nan Jiao woke up, the first thing she felt was the tightness around her waist and the warm breath spraying on her forehead.

Slowly opening my eyes, I saw that familiar, handsome face.

The arms around her waist tightened slightly, making her more comfortable against his broad chest.

Nan Jiao subconsciously shrank back in following his movement, just like she had done countless times before.

His body, pressed against hers, suddenly stiffened, then, as if he had found something he had lost, he pulled her tightly into his arms, his trembling, haphazard kisses landing hastily on her cheeks.

Feeling the increasingly tight constriction around her waist, Nan Jiao found it hard to breathe, and her consciousness gradually returned.

This isn't the first star, and their relationship isn't what it used to be...

Recalling everything that had happened, a struggle flashed in Nan Jiao's eyes, then her face turned cold as she struggled, "Lu Xiao, let me go..."

Her cold voice was like a police baton, waking him from all his rationality.

I can't let her get angry anymore, I can't let her hate me anymore...

Suppressing his instinct to get closer to her, Lu Xiao slowly released his arms.

Nan Jiao sat up in bed and looked at him: "Lu Xiao, what's going on? Wasn't I in the study? And how did you end up in my bed?"

Perhaps because he had just woken up, Lu Xiao's voice was lower than usual, tinged with a hint of laziness: "You were asleep in the study, so I carried you back. As for why I'm in your bed..."

He paused for a moment, then said, "Because I was so tired last night, I accidentally fell asleep after I put you on the bed."

Nan Jiao paused.

This reason may sound absurd, but it is the only possibility.

The thought of being held by Lu Xiao all night made her feel uncomfortable.

Does he see himself as the female lead?

Countless chaotic thoughts flashed through her mind. Nan Jiao forced herself to calm down, cleared her throat, and got out of bed: "I'm going to wash up."

Only after that petite figure disappeared from sight did Lu Xiao belatedly reach out to his side.

The pink sheets were slightly dented from the long night's sleep; her warmth and lingering scent still lingered there...

*

Nan Jiao arrived at the shop downstairs, where several workers she had hired in advance were already standing at the entrance. She planned to redesign the layout of the restaurant and build an outdoor dining area to accommodate more customers.

Nan Jiao's shop has always been in a state of supply falling short of demand, with customers often queuing up but unable to buy food. This is not because Nan Jiao is engaging in scarcity marketing, but because her shop does not have enough raw materials to make the dishes.

Now that we're working with Liu Yuan, this problem has naturally been solved.

Nan Jiao first hung up a "Temporarily Closed" sign at the door, then led several workers in, directing them to move and organize the items while looking at the electronic ledger.

Thinking that she could improve her social status by saving enough money, Nan Jiao forced herself to cheer up.

The current interstellar environment no longer allows her to continue slacking off.

"This cabinet needs to be moved to the right, and the vase should be moved as well. By the way, the artificial flowers in this vase are very expensive, so please be careful."

Footsteps came from the stairwell, and Lu Xiao walked down, wearing a mask.

The porters were uneasy when they saw Lu Xiao, because he had a chilling, bloody smell about him and a scar between his eyebrows, making him look like someone who had been living a life of danger for many years.

Because Lant City is the farthest from the capital planet, its security is not very good, and some brutal rogue beasts often sneak in to rob, plunder, and kill orcs.

One of the wolf-beast workers suddenly started stammering when he saw Lu Xiao. He pointed at the scar on Lu Xiao's eyebrow and said, "You, you, you are..."

Lu Xiao raised an eyebrow slightly, his sharp gaze sweeping over him: "You know me?"

The wolf paused, then suddenly lowered its head: "No, I don't recognize it. I must have mistaken it."

This little misunderstanding was quickly resolved.

Without needing any instructions from Nan Jiao, Lu Xiao had already started moving things along with the workers quite consciously.

Some of the cabinets were made of interstellar minerals and were incredibly heavy, requiring two or three adult males to lift them together. However, Lu Xiao easily lifted the cabinets by himself, his arms naturally displaying strong and beautiful muscles.

The surrounding workers couldn't help but exclaim in admiration. The interstellar orcs admired strength, and their gazes towards Lu Xiao were filled with respect.

Only the wolf beast stared blankly at this scene, seemingly lost in thought.

During the break, several workers casually sat on low stools, taking out bottles of strong liquor they carried with them from their pockets. Suddenly, the eagle-beast sitting in the middle handed an unopened bottle of liquor towards Lu Xiao.

The wolf beast tried to stop it, but Lu Xiao had already taken it.

Lu Xiao skillfully opened the bottle and tilted his head back to drink most of it.

It still has that bitter and spicy taste. This is the cheapest type of blended liquor in the interstellar world, usually used by people who do heavy manual labor to stay awake.

The eagle-beast looked at him for a while, then suddenly laughed: "Your clothes don't look like those of an ordinary orc, but this wine is so bitter and astringent that most people can't drink it. You must have come from a poor background, right?"

Lu Xiao gripped the wine bottle, and after thinking of something, he hummed in response.

Noticing the wolf's subtle gaze beside him, Lu Xiao impatiently turned his head and asked again, "Do you know me?"

The wolf stared at his face for a moment, then slowly said, "...004?"

The air seemed to fall silent.

Lu Xiao crushed the can, and the liquor mixed with cheap flavoring dripped down between his fingers. He subconsciously looked in Nan Jiao's direction, where she was still busy in the kitchen.

Turning his gaze away again, Lu Xiao's eyes changed as he looked at the wolf beast, now carrying a hint of scrutiny and hostility.