Chapter 262
Chapter 262: The Cub’s Dad Was So Serious It Made People Blush—Hahaha
Jiang Tea Tea’s hand rested against his chest, feeling his heartbeat.
Her own heart betrayed her, skipping twice for no reason.
She tried to pull her hand back. Chong Ming tightened his grip and wouldn’t let her.
His hand was big, hot, strong. His gaze was even worse—aggressive, filled with surging affection as he stared at her.
Jiang Tea Tea held his gaze for a long time, swallowed, and suddenly thought of that night when he “served” her. The words slipped out. “Cut it out. With your serving skills, I can’t compliment you.”
“I want to live a few more years. I don’t want you to kill me.”
That night with him, he’d snapped her branches.
Her tree branches didn’t break because she wanted them to. Most people couldn’t break them.
Old Loach had been a mess—relentless, reckless, terrible at holding back. He even broke her branches. Who wanted him to serve? Who cared?
Chong Ming’s heart jolted. His brows knit. “I hurt you?”
Jiang Tea Tea got angry the moment it came up. “What do you think? With how strong you are, don’t you have any sense?”
Chong Ming panicked. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Jiang Tea Tea laughed with sarcasm. “It’s not too late for you to know now.”
Chong Ming’s golden eyes turned deep. “Right. It’s not too late. I’ll relearn. Next time I’ll make sure you’re comfortable, I won’t—”
Jiang Tea Tea cut him off. “Hey, stop. There’s no next time.”
Chong Ming didn’t stop. He pushed his luck, wrapped an arm around her waist, pulled her closer, and lowered his forehead to hers, voice hoarse. “There will be a next time. Give me one chance. I’ll relearn properly.”
“Jiang Tea Tea, I’m smart. I learn anything in one try. If it’s learning how to serve you, I’ll learn ten times, twenty times—until you’re satisfied.”
Jiang Tea Tea’s breath caught.
No—why was she this close to him?
And his voice was that hoarse. Was that even fair?
Her heart had just skipped twice. Now it was speeding up.
What, was she actually looking forward to him serving her?
In the demon clan, she’d seen every kind of male demon—cold, handsome, carefree, androgynous, wickedly beautiful, prettier than female demons. She’d never had her heart race like this around any of them.
Tch. Who cared about him serving her? She was taking the cubs back to the demon clan. She wasn’t staying here to be served by him.
Jiang Tea Tea tried to get farther away. She couldn’t break free. He’d just finished training; even through his clothes, heat poured into her.
She’d washed up and felt cool all over. Now he was so close it was like she was overheating too. “Fine, you’ll learn. Learn from who? Why should I give you a chance?”
Chong Ming chose to hear only what he wanted. “I’ll learn from you. We’ll study together, discuss together, until you’re most satisfied.”
Jiang Tea Tea didn’t even realize her face was red, burning. “Who’s discussing with you? Let go of me, or I’m going to hit you.”
Chong Ming lifted her hand to his lips. While kissing it, he looked at her with an intensely invasive gaze. “If you won’t discuss with me, I’ll study on my own. I’ll learn on my own. And when I’m done learning, I’ll come back to you.”
He pushed his luck.
He hugged her waist, kissed her hand, and talked about learning “experience,” then coming back to “discuss.”
Discuss my ass.
Jiang Tea Tea’s mind went blank. It took her a long moment to remember Shrink the Earth to an Inch—her flash-step technique.
She couldn’t break free, so she drew on magic power, silently recited the technique, tore herself out of his grip, and flashed out of his bedroom.
Chong Ming looked at his empty hand, then scanned the room. She was gone.
She wouldn’t accept him, wouldn’t date him, wouldn’t register marriage, wouldn’t let him touch the cub, wouldn’t let him hug her—because his “serving skills” were awful.
Good. Finding the root cause was good.
Chong Ming pulled a branch from his storage button—the one he’d picked up after that night with Jiang Tea Tea in the hotel.
The leaves had been specially treated to preserve their original color, a little green, a little yellow.
He stared at it. Even though the treatment had stripped away its fragrance, he still lifted it to his nose and breathed it in.
Jiang Tea Tea used Shrink the Earth to an Inch and flashed into the imperial palace kitchen.
The busy chefs jumped in shock. “Miss Jiang, y-you’re here? What would you like to eat?”
She was still in pajama top and pants. Thankfully her hair was tied, so she didn’t look too disheveled. “Please cook everything you prepared today—breakfast, lunch, dinner, all ingredients. Pack it all up.”
“Oh, and don’t send food to your commander-in-chief. He’s not eating today. He’ll drink nutrition liquid and nutrition fluid. I’ll wait outside. Thanks.”
The chefs exchanged looks. The one in charge replied carefully, “Miss Jiang, we prepared a lot of ingredients. If we cook everything, we won’t finish in a whole day. You see—”
Jiang Tea Tea said, “Oh.” She checked the lightbrain. “If you can’t finish today, cook until eight. Make as much as you can.”
The person in charge answered quickly. “Yes, yes. We’ll make as much as we can. Please wait outside.”
Jiang Tea Tea nodded, left the kitchen, went outside nearby, found a hidden spot, and crouched down like a cat. She yanked out her neatly tied high ponytail and vigorously rubbed her hair.
What was all this?
That Old Loach acted like he’d taken the wrong medicine—going into heat and begging for love wherever he pleased.
She wasn’t some heavenly beauty. Why beg her? Go beg someone else. On M31 star system, plenty of people had crushes on him. One shout and they’d come running.
No. She couldn’t stay here. She had to go back to her own mountain. Even if her mountain didn’t have a house she liked yet, it was still her mountain.
Jiang Tea Tea opened the lightbrain and suddenly saw a message from Adjutant Ai: they’d found an architect. They’d entered the mountain she bought, reached her designated location, and started planning and designing the wooden cabin.
Jiang Tea Tea replied with a thank-you, while cursing Chong Ming in her heart. That Old Loach moved fast.
Chong Ming had just taken off his clothes and was naked, not even in the shower yet, when he got a message from the kitchen.
He confirmed Jiang Tea Tea was at the kitchen and told them to prepare for her, to pack a lot.
Jiang Tea Tea thought she was hiding outside the kitchen and Chong Ming wouldn’t know. She didn’t expect every move she made was reported to him by people in the imperial palace.
Freedom and privacy didn’t exist.
Meanwhile, Sui Xuan Chu and the other seven got Jiang Tea Tea’s message telling them not to eat breakfast. She was bringing them food.
They were temporary patrols, three-hour shifts in rotation. When they were hungry, they drank nutrition liquid and nutrition fluid. Jiang Tea Tea said she’d bring breakfast, and they were so happy they practically wagged their tails as they waited.
Jiang Tea Tea couldn’t hold her crouch anymore and just sat on the ground. A big tree canopy blocked above her, flower bushes covered behind her, and beneath her was a lush green lawn—safe and hidden.
She flopped onto the grass and took a second nap.
When she woke, the sky was clear and sunny—except the sunlight didn’t reach her. She was a tree, and she loved sunlight. With it blocked, she got annoyed. “You’re blocking my sun, Your Highness!”
Chong Ming, in a crisp military uniform, crouched before her, blocking the sun completely. “If you like sunlight, the imperial palace has a sunroom too. Next time I’ll take you.”
Jiang Tea Tea propped herself up and sat. “No. I like sun like this. I don’t like sunrooms.”
How could he beg her for love and hugs and touches, then act like nothing happened—not blushing, not even breathing hard?
He even said he’d go learn how to serve people and find someone to practice on. Look at him, getting bold enough to open a whole dye shop.
Chong Ming held out his hand. “If you don’t like the sunroom, that’s fine. If you like this kind of environment, I’ll set one up somewhere else for you.”
Jiang Tea Tea ignored his hand and stood on her own, brushing grass bits off herself. “Thanks, no need.”
Chong Ming rose with her. “It’s fine. If you need it later, just tell me. Come on, I’ll take you to the military department.”
Jiang Tea Tea didn’t want to go with him. “I haven’t eaten. My food isn’t packed yet. I’m going to the kitchen.”
Chong Ming pulled a storage button out and waved it before her eyes. “Everything you told the kitchen to pack is in here.”
Jiang Tea Tea reached out. “Hand it over.”
Chong Ming placed it in her palm. “Let’s go. To the isolation zone.”
Jiang Tea Tea gripped the storage button. “You go first. I’m going back to change.”
Chong Ming grabbed her wrist. “I brought your clothes already. You can change on the flyer. Go.”
Jiang Tea Tea’s eyes flashed.
Was he sick? Why was he always grabbing her, hugging her, holding her? Did he think she couldn’t beat him, so he could push his luck?
Chong Ming pulled her to the flyer, opened the back door, and ushered her inside.
The flyer was spacious. The cockpit was completely separated from the back. There were seats and compartments. You could walk, lie down, sit—it fit everything.
Jiang Tea Tea took the military department combat uniform from Chong Ming’s hand, shot him a vicious glare, and went into a back compartment to change.
Her waist-length black hair was coiled into a bun. She looped her flame staff around it. Five-colored flame light flowed along the flame ring, making her look even sharper.
When Jiang Tea Tea came out, Chong Ming didn’t even raise his head. He stared at the privacy lightbrain panel on his legs, as if he hadn’t heard her.
As soon as she sat, he handed her a cup of water, eyes still fixed on his panel.
She took the water. It was warm, but slightly cool. She gulped it down and returned the cup, curious. “What are you watching?”
How was he doing so many things at once? Was he really that busy?
Chong Ming put the cup back into his storage button and answered, “Simulated combat. Learning experience.”
Jiang Tea Tea was surprised. “With your level, you’re still watching simulated combat to learn experience? You’re not leaving anyone a way to live.”
Chong Ming’s tone lifted slightly. “If I haven’t learned enough, why should I leave anyone a way to live? If they have a way to live, then I don’t.”
“I want to fight for every second. Study simulated combat. When it’s real combat, I’ll win big and earn favor.”
Jiang Tea Tea blinked. Earn favor?
Fighting people to earn their favor—was he crazy, or were they?
Jiang Tea Tea leaned back into the seat. “Fine. Keep watching.”
Chong Ming teased her. “You’re not curious what kind of simulated combat I’m watching? Come take a look.”
Jiang Tea Tea hesitated. He really made her itch with curiosity. After struggling with herself for a moment, she scooted closer and leaned in to look at his lightbrain panel.
To make it clearer, Chong Ming shifted the panel closer to her.
Jiang Tea Tea stared—then her pupils tightened. “Chong… what are you watching?”
Chong Ming finally lifted his eyes to her. His voice was low, serious, and perfectly straight-faced. “Two-person simulated combat. Commonly known as ‘mating’ recordings.”
“You said my serving made you uncomfortable. I did some deep reflection. With no experience, of course I won’t serve you well.”
“So I’m learning whenever I can. Learning seriously. Learning with heart. If you’re willing to learn with me, you’re welcome.”