Chapter 24: He Needs a Better Platform

At the shared dining table, Ye Ximo had already set out the ingredients: fresh vegetables, various pre-cut meats, and even two bottles of fruit wine—purchased just moments ago via an order placed by Wang Zi.

In the center of the table sat a pot divided into two sections. One side was filled with a vibrant, spicy red broth, covered in a generous layer of chili peppers, while the other held a creamy white chicken stock that gave off a savory aroma.

In front of each seat lay two pairs of chopsticks, one long and one short. Ye Ximo gestured toward three tall glass jars and said, "Original sesame sauce, seafood sauce, and spicy sauce. Help yourselves to whatever you like." Next to them were bowls of freshly chopped cilantro, green onions, and crushed peanuts and sesame seeds.

The broth in the pot began to boil.

"Sis, come on over, it's ready to eat..."

"Ximo, you two go ahead. We have to... go out for a bit."

Meeting the family...

"Oh! Right, be careful on the way! By the way... are you staying in the academy dormitory tonight?"

"We don't officially report until three days from now."

"Then where will you stay? At his place?" Ye Ximo looked toward Feng Yanling.

"My sister is still a minor!..."

"Uh..." Ye Moxi choked on his own words.

"Although the Military Academy begins classes tomorrow, students can request leave between dinner and the 11:00 PM curfew. I will handle your leave request and come to pick you up tomorrow evening. Since you are your sister's only relative, there are details regarding the engagement ceremony that we all need to discuss," Feng Yanling explained to Ye Ximo.

Engagement?

Beside the table, Wang Zi’s inquisitive gaze could not be hidden. This was the captain of the First Legion's First Combat Team!

"Then give me your address. We have so much meat and vegetables we can't possibly finish it; I'll pack some up for you to take along..."

Would someone of his noble status care for such commoner food?

"Just give it to me." Unexpectedly, Feng Yanling did not refuse.

...

"Actually, there's no need to go through all this trouble..." It's just an engagement! Wouldn't a public announcement suffice?

Feng Yanling stretched out an arm, bracing it against the elevator wall, effectively trapping Ye Moxi between his body and the surface.

"You are the person I intend to cherish for the rest of my life! I only fear that I might not be good enough to you. You may not have deep feelings for me yet, and we can take our time, but the engagement ceremony cannot be simplified..."

"You also know that we were exiled by the Rhodes family. If the ceremony is too grand, I'm afraid the Rhodes family will show up and try to latch onto your family." She would never, under any circumstances, return to the Rhodes family.

"That is precisely why the ceremony is so important. Once we are formally engaged, your legal guardianship will automatically transfer to me. Then, if the Rhodes family wants to do anything, they will have to consider whether they can afford to offend me."

Feng Yanling pecked her lips before taking her hand to lead her out of the elevator.

"After we are engaged, your guardianship will change to me, but Ye Ximo’s will not. The fastest and simplest way to ensure he isn't harassed by the Rhodes family is for him to become the adopted son of the Legion Commander."

"But isn't your mother..." The former Empress of the Empire?

She suddenly remembered that despite Feng Yanling's fame across the Empire, his true identity was that of the Emperor's Third Prince. The Emperor had married three times and had only six children in total. Therefore, the princes and princesses were ranked together: the First Princess, Second Prince, Third Prince, Fourth Prince, Fifth Princess, and Sixth Princess.

The First Princess and Second Prince shared the same mother, as did the Fourth Prince, Fifth Princess, and Sixth Princess.

"My mother—or rather, my aunt in this current identity—and her current partner, the First Legion Commander Ye Tianjiao, were actually betrothed to each other long before she married my father..."

A divorced former Empress who remarried? That was truly scandalous.

"Then... are you still going back to the royal family?" She didn't want to be forced into palace politics.

"All of my current identities are as a foster son of the Feng family: Feng Yanling."

"I don't like trouble, and I have a bad temper. If others insist on crossing me, I can't guarantee I'll be able to control myself..."

The whip in his hand! Feng Yanling nodded.

"I was born with both Metal and Fire elemental abilities, which made my mental stability precarious. Although my mother once sought help from the Star Observatory to seal my Fire abilities and make me an S-class Sentinel, my berserk threshold grows faster than other Sentinels. You also know that due to me and other unavoidable factors, my mother and father divorced. I have half-brothers and a half-sister. Three years ago, they conspired against me, causing my genes to collapse, and I was exiled to the Desert Star."

"Three months ago, because of your arrival, I recovered. I had no interest in the throne anyway, so I chose to renounce my status as a prince and became a foster son of the Feng family."

Ye Moxi stared at him in shock. "You're amazing! You became the captain of the First Combat Team in such a short time..."

Feng Yanling kissed her hand. "That is all thanks to you! Without you, I would still be living in a daze on the Desert Star!"

"You're making me blush..."

"It's the truth! So, are you willing to let Ye Ximo become the Legion Commander's adopted son?"

Ye Moxi suddenly felt shy. "Is that really okay? He's a Legion Commander; if he wanted an adopted son, he could probably find thousands just by snapping his fingers..."

"That’s different! Ye Ximo was raised by you personally. Don't you know how outstanding he is?"

"Of course, Ximo is the best!" Ye Moxi couldn't help but lift her chin with a look of pride and triumph. The brother she had raised by hand was naturally the best!

"Exactly. Therefore, he needs a better platform to grow!" And the opportunity was right in front of them.

"We barely know each other, yet you can wrap me around your finger with every word..." Everything he said struck a chord in her heart.

"I am very glad you are willing to let your guard down for me. With our mental bond, you can know very clearly whether I am telling you a single lie."

Ye Moxi reached out to touch the fire-lotus crest on Feng Yanling's forehead. "Is it because of this that we find it easier to form a bond with each other?"

"That’s not all! You don't know how to use your Guide abilities, yet you were able to place a mental mark on me; it just goes to show that our mental power compatibility is incredibly high, and our soul resonance is even stronger..."

His warm lips pressed against her soft, pink ones. So, it was clearly Feng Yanling who suffered from skin hunger.

"Ahem..."

Feng Yanling quickly turned to shield Ye Moxi.

"Uncle!" It turned out to be Feng Xun, who had grown tired of waiting and came out to greet them.

"Don't rely on your good looks to sweet-talk young girls..." Feng Xun glared at Feng Yanling.

"I just couldn't help myself..."

"I know your mental resonance is high..." He just wondered how wild this boy would get once the girl finally let down her guard and they achieved total spiritual and physical union.