Chapter 1544: The Invitation II

As usual, Lory woke up close to noon.

Her body felt heavy, as if gravity itself had doubled overnight. When she tried to move, her legs trembled, weak and unsteady—like jelly that barely remembered how to hold shape. There was no pain, not really.

Her healing ability had already activated, quietly repairing strained muscles and exhaustion-worn fibers until nothing was technically wrong.

And yet...

The lethargy remained.

It clung to her bones, seeped into her limbs, leaving her drained in a way healing could not erase. She lay there for a moment, staring blankly ahead, fully aware that her body was fine, and equally aware that it very much did not feel fine.

Lory’s nose curled slightly as she pouted, a half-hearted show of displeasure she didn’t bother hiding for long. Losing to him had become something she was far too familiar and secretly welcomed it. ℯℓ.

Soon, the door opened, and Zhao Li Xin stepped inside carrying a food tray. He wore a black V-neck shirt and simple nude-colored pants, his hair tied into a neat topknot.

The usual coldness in his eyes had softened into an easy calm, as though nothing in the world could disturb him. It was a rare side of him, that he showed only to Lory.

In that quiet moment, the strings of her heart were tugged ever so gently, moved by nothing more than his presence.

"You finally woke up," he teased as he set the food tray down on the table. Then he poured a glass of mineral water and handed it to her. "I’m always amazed by how you sleep like a log after we go...intimate."

Lory shot Zhao Li Xin a sharp side-eye. "That’s normal for ordinary people."

"Even though you’re no ordinary person," Zhao Li Xin rgive her meaniful look.

Lory blush a little then sighed. " ...And thanks to that," she muttered, "I can get out of bed..."

She accepted the glass and took a big gulp, draining nearly half of it in one go. Only then did she realize just how dry her throat was—and the implication of why made heat creep up her cheeks.

Thankfully, Zhao Li Xin didn’t tease her any further. He took a sleeping robe from the couch and handed it to Lory, his movements unhurried and considerate.

"Coincidentally, your people sent some herbal chicken soup," he said lightly. "It should be good for nourishing your body. Do you want to eat now, or after your shower?"

Herbal chicken soup was often given to restore strength, boost immunity, and replenish stamina. Zhao Li Xin smiled at her softly, almost indulgently, and Lory felt her heart race.

She wondered whether there would ever be a time when her heart would stop racing at his smile, then again, perhaps that would never happen. Not now. Not ever.

Lory calmed her racing heart before speaking in a casual tone. "I’ll take a shower first."

She grabbed the robe and tried to act cool, but both of them knew she was only masking her embarrassment. Zhao Li Xin pretended to be oblivious; he didn’t want to tease her further and risk truly upsetting her.

As she walked toward the bathroom, Lory’s steps were a little unsteady. Noticing this, Zhao Li Xin asked out of genuine concern, "Are you okay? Do you want me to carry you?"

That only made her more embarrassed. "No—I can do it myself!" Lory said stubbornly.

Zhao Li Xin watched Lory head toward the bathroom with quiet concern until the bedroom door closed behind her. He shook his head and let out a soft chuckle. it was funny, how his wife could be stubborn about the strangest things.

No matter how much she trained her body, she still faced the limitations of being a woman. Even though she was gifted with supernatural power, the spell only boosted her strength momentarily.

Cultivators, on the other hand, once they managed to awaken their power, would expel the impurities from their bodies, causing every cell to evolve; their bones and skin changed permanently and continued to grow stronger depending on their level of cultivation.

Not to mention, he was a man, naturally, his body stronger than Lory’s, so how could she match him when it came to innate stamina? Still, he would not put that against her, or she would be mad at him.

Zhao Li Xin walked to the table and arranged the cutlery and food for Lory to eat. He casually used his qi to heat the soup, then took a seat and browsed his phone while waiting for her.

After she finished showering and changed into simple brown linen pants and a white long-sleeved T-shirt, she chose not to put on a disguise, leaving her natural appearance exposed. Her wavy, bluish hair was tied into a bun with hair clips, a few loose strands framing her fair, oval face naturally.

"Here, try the chicken herb soup, the taste is quite decent." Zhao Li Xin placed the bowl of chicken soup in front of Lory, "Eat more, you need more of this..."

Lory’s mouth twitched at the man’s ambiguous words; they sounded suspiciously like he was teasing her about her lack of stamina.

Honestly, her stamina wasn’t bad at all. In fact, it was far above average, thanks to her regular training, especially since she returned to Cestine Palace. It was he who was overwhelmingly strong.

She shot him a glare before picking up the spoon and taking a sip of the soup. Once she taste it, just as Zhao Li Xin had said, it tasted bland compared to the authentic herbal chicken soup she had once tasted at the Hei Shen Sect.

"You’re right. It doesn’t taste as good as the one the chef at the Hei Shen Sect makes," Lory said dejectedly.

"If you want," Zhao Li Xin said calmly, "I can learn to make it the way it’s done there. I think I can replicate the recipe. Luckly, I still remember the taste."

Of course, with senses far keener than even those of a cultivator, it wouldn’t be impossible for him to recreate the flavor of something as simple as a bowl of soup.

However, Lory immediately shook her head. "No—no—no, you don’t have to."

She did not doubt him for a second. If Zhao Li Xin truly wished to learn, he would replicate the soup in his own world with frightening precision, mastering it in no time at all.

That certainty only made her refusal more stubborn. Perhaps it was jealousy, or perhaps embarrassment, but she didn’t want him to be able to cook when she herself could not. Some part of her feel she had to keep her dignity as a wife.

Zhao Li Xin studied her reluctance, intrigued. Then he remembered—she had told him before, more than once, just how disastrous her cooking was.

Ironically, Lory loved to eat and quite a glutton as well, the sort of person everyone assumed would be at least competent in the kitchen. Yet she was an anomaly.

She had learned diligently, even under the guidance of the royal palace kitchens, with the finest instructors and ingredients at her disposal.

And still—she failed miserably and completely. Burnt pots, tasteless stews, all inexplicable failures that defied reason. no one can explain even her brothers baffle by this fact.

In the end, everyone can only conclude that Lory simply could not cook.

The irony cut deeper because she genuinely loved traditionally feminine crafts. Cooking. Knitting. Embroidery. When she first came to Zhao Li Xin’s world, she had been dazzled by the women artisans there.

Watching them turn nothing more than fabric, needles, and thread into clothes and gowns felt like witnessing magic. They could even make shoes, real, comfortable, wearable shoes! And the embroidery, don’t even get her started.

The designs were so intricate and beautiful they looked like paintings, all created by hand and in such a short time. Lory was utterly awestruck.

She admired them and was once eager to learn. Alas, reality struck like a merciless slap. Forget embroidery, she couldn’t even sew a simple handkerchief without turning it into a rag.

Zhao Li Xin heard about this from his subordinates and was, in truth, quite amused by it. Especially because Lory took the failure so painfully to heart.

"Oof, I’m full," she sighed, rubbing her slightly rounded stomach. "I think I ate too much." She exhaled slowly, then glanced at the clock on the wall. "Maybe I could go for a run."

"You still want to run? I thought you were tired," Zhao Li Xin said, a faint frown forming on his brow. With the enemy already making their move, the idea of her leaving the house unsettled him.

Lory looked at him with a playful glint in her eyes. "Mm, it’s just a run. I think I’ll be fine," she said lightly. "Why—are you worried about my safety?"

"Can I be?" He narrowed his eyes.

"You can, sweetie, but—" she tilted her head, violet eyes bright with mock offense. "Do you really believe I could be so easily harmed?"

He knew better than anyone that with Lory’s current power, only a handful of people in the world could even hope to match her, let alone subdue her. And still... worry clung to him stubbornly.

"Well," he said dryly, "someone has been hurt twice already. Once, even slapped right in front of me."

Lory pursed her lips. "Hey, that was just to trick the enemy, okay?"

"Still," he rebuked, "that means you still can get hurt."

"Yeah, I know...but." She grinned, mischief dancing across her face. "Well, I’m bored," she admitted, then tilted her head as an idea slowly took shape. "What if the enemy comes to me once I leave the house?" Her lips curved faintly.

Zhao Li Xin’s expression darkened. "Isn’t that exactly why I don’t want you to leave the house?"

She stuck out her tongue, then softened. She understood his concern, truly. "But it would save us a great deal of time searching for them, wouldn’t it?"

When Zhao Li Xin didn’t respond, Lory changed her tactic. With a coquettish tilt of her chin, she added, "Come on, everything’s going to be fine. There’s a Noxcra agent nearby, and you’ll protect me, right?"

He sighed. When she looked at him like that—with those infuriatingly beautiful violet eyes—resistance was futile. As usual, he gave in.

He sighed. When she looked at him like that—those infuriatingly beautiful violet eyes, resistance was futile. As usual, he gave in.

"Then you run," he said, resigned. "And I’ll follow from a distance. If you want to lure the enemy, it’s better if they think you’re alone."

"Following me—like a stalker?" Lory clutched her chest dramatically, feigning fear.

He smiled. "Yes. Like a perverted stalker tailing an unsuspecting young maiden, waiting for the perfect moment to kidnap her."

"If it’s you, milord..." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, smiling shyly. "I don’t mind," she bats her eyelashes, acting coquettish.

"...Do you want me to carry you back to bed?" Zhao Li Xin raised an eyebrow, glancing pointedly at the messy sheets behind them—still bearing unmistakable evidence of last night’s passion.

Danger flared instantly in Lory’s instincts.

She did not dare tease him further. Clearing her throat, she reached for her glass. "No, I’m just joking." She took a careful sip, deliberately avoiding his heated gaze.