Chapter 1426: Love and Hate
Late at night, the ward finally became quiet as everyone retreated to their respective rooms, giving Lucas the peace and time he needed to rest as he had just woken up from a long coma.
Lory, whowas feeling much better, couldn’t bring herself to stay in the ward any longer. She insisted on returning to her own cozy bedroom, longing for the familiar comfort of her space. More importantly, Zhao Li Xin had come back, and her heart yearned to spend more time with him, away from the noise and worry of the day.
After a long, soothing bath, Lory slipped into her soft pajamas and wrapped herself in a cozy knitted robe. As she roughly dried her damp hair with a towel, she wandered through the vast expanse of her bedroom, her eyes searching for Zhao Li Xin, but she didn’t find him.
The only downside of such a grand, spacious room was how easy it was to lose sight of someone. Her steps slowed as her gaze finally landed on him, sitting on the balcony couch, his tall, elegant figure bathed in the soft glow of moonlight.
The silver light caressed his sharp features, making him look almost ethereal, like a painting come to life. A tender warmth bloomed in her chest as she took in the quiet strength and grace he carried, and for a moment, she simply stood there, captivated by the man who had become her home.
Zhao Li Xin had already sensed Lory’s approach. His sharp senses easily caught the faint, familiar scent of her lingering in the air, but he remained silent, knowing she would come to him on her own, as she always did.
He raised a glass of his old favorite wine to his lips, savoring the rich, nostalgic taste. Earlier, he had unearthed a hidden wine collection from his spatial ring—a forgotten treasure tucked away within his manor and only rediscovered after the Mystique Realm expanded.
Who would have thought he’d stumble upon such remnants of his past? A faint smile curved his lips as he let the memories swirl with the rich taste of the wine. It seemed the Fire Spirit hadn’t lied when he said that everything which once belonged to Zhao Li Xin would remain untouched.
Only the things tied to Huo Long—the volcanic landscapes, the golden pagoda, and the mountains of gold he had once owned—had vanished. Thankfully, there are still a few gold bars and priceless trinkets he had kept in his spatial ring that had survived, small pieces of a life that felt like it belonged to another lifetime.
Quietly, he sipped the wine from a delicate porcelain cup. To be honest, he couldn’t even remember when he had stored away this antique set. Perhaps it was during one of Wu San Bo’s endless complaints about running out of space for treasures, or maybe he had kept them after noticing Lory’s fondness for drinking sweet tea from pretty cups.
Either way, it didn’t matter. Over the years, he had developed the habit of tossing everything into his spatial rings without a second thought.