"Boohoo, I've been found!"
Bailu was happily eating Aether's qiongshi bird skewers when Aether discovered her and directly overturned the cardboard box she was using as a disguise.
Feeling the box covering her disappear, Bailu, who had been devouring the skewers, suddenly froze. Her small head slowly turned, like a stuck fan, as she looked at Aether and Fei Xiao staring at her.
"Oh? Isn't this Doctor Bailu? Are the qiongshi bird skewers tasty?" Aether smiled slightly as he teased her.
Bailu blinked her big eyes, her face still covered in crumbs from the skewers she had not yet swallowed. She awkwardly forced out a smile that looked worse than crying. "Uh, aha, I'm really sorry. These qiongshi bird skewers were just too delicious. I couldn't resist…"
Fei Xiao crossed her arms, her smile not quite reaching her eyes, and teased, "Bailu, your disguise really isn't very good. Do you really think a cardboard box can hide you?"
Aether shook his head helplessly. "Bailu, you're too greedy. I just bought these, and I haven't even eaten many yet."
Bailu immediately clasped her hands together, pleading pitifully. "Aether, please don't expose me. Just forgive me this one time. I won't do it again."
As she spoke, she secretly hid the remaining qiongshi bird skewers behind her back.
Aether was amused by her behavior. "I didn't say I wouldn't let you eat them. You could have just asked if you wanted some."
"Really? Thank you so much!" Hearing this, Bailu immediately picked up the skewers and devoured them without restraint.
In no time at all, Bailu had finished every last skewer. The other dishes had not even arrived yet, and she was already licking her fingers.
"Eat slowly. We're not going to steal them from you." Aether felt a little helpless. He did not dislike Bailu. She was well-behaved, sensible, and lively, completely like a little girl.
She was just a bit too greedy and ate without any regard for her image.
"By the way, Bailu, aren't you supposed to be at the Alchemy Commission? Did you sneak out?" Aether asked tentatively while watching her eat.
"Mmm, yes, no! Why are you asking?" Bailu replied after swallowing the food in her mouth.
"Isn't Bailu the current Imbibitor Lunae? Why does she need to sneak out just to go outside?" Fei Xiao asked in confusion. She had spent little time on the Luofu and had not had the chance to learn about these matters.
It was only now, after meeting Bailu, that her curiosity was piqued.
"It's simple. First, she's too young. Second, it's related to the inheritance issue. You must have heard about that incident on the Luofu before, right?" Aether explained.
"Because of the mess left behind by the previous Dragon Lord, the Vidyadhara clan itself is divided, and the inheritance is incomplete. This little girl naturally has no real authority and has become a figurehead Dragon Lord."
At that point, Fei Xiao understood the general situation and did not ask further questions. Instead, she asked the stall owner to bring more dishes.
As a dragon girl, Bailu was naturally adorable. She had a pair of blue, coral-like dragon horns on her forehead and a small tail behind her. When she ate, her tail swayed back and forth, making her look even more endearing.
Perhaps out of sympathy for Bailu's situation, Fei Xiao and Aether did not chase her away and instead let her eat to her heart's content.
Watching Bailu eat so enthusiastically, Fei Xiao could not help but think of children.
She and Aether had already been intimate twice, and neither time involved any protection. If she were to become pregnant, would their future child be as endearing as Bailu?
Fei Xiao tried to imagine it but could not. After all, she was a general who fought on battlefields. Even if she had some contact with children, it had always been from a distance. She had never truly experienced raising one.
Aether did not think that far. The current Xianzhou was generally stable, with Jing Yuan supporting it, so there would not be any major turmoil. Even if something did happen, he could handle it discreetly.
He naturally regarded Bailu like a daughter. After all, who would not like a sensible, well-behaved little dragon child who could also act spoiled? Moreover, Bailu was kind-hearted. When he had visited the Alchemy Commission for treatment before, it was Bailu who had helped him obtain medicine.
If Bailu ever needed his help, he would be more than willing.
Suddenly, Bailu, who had been eating happily, stopped and squeezed closer to Aether, using his body as cover as if trying to hide from something.
"What's wrong, Bailu? Is something the matter?" Aether asked, looking around.
"Those people are coming to take me back again. Big Brother, please help me. I never get a chance to play outside, and I don't want to be caught and taken back like this." Bailu grabbed Aether's jacket and whispered.
"I see. Alright, but I can only do my best, okay?" Aether nodded in agreement.
When Aether looked up, his gaze met Fei Xiao's.
"You agreed to help her without asking for my opinion?" Fei Xiao said, seeming slightly displeased.
"Aha, I was just about to ask." Aether scratched his head awkwardly.
"It's fine, I understand. She's still a child, and it's natural for her to want to play. But play can only last so long. In the end, she still has to go back." Fei Xiao smiled and did not dwell on it.
"Little girl, we'll help you this once, but only this once, alright? When you've had enough fun, you still have to go back obediently. You can't stay out forever." Fei Xiao reminded Bailu.
"I know. Adults are so annoying. They never want me to play a little longer…" Bailu shrank back and muttered.
Soon, the people searching for Bailu approached. Aether discreetly used a small trick to conceal Bailu's presence. Unable to find her, the searchers left in frustration to continue elsewhere.
Once they were gone, Bailu poked her head out from Aether's jacket and made a face in their direction. "Nyah nyah nyah! I don't want to go back. It's not fun at all. They always make me do boring things."
"But you've learned a lot there too, haven't you? Wanting to play is normal, but you still need to balance work and rest." Aether gently patted Bailu's head.
"Don't touch my head. It'll stunt my growth." Bailu covered her head and dodged his hand.
Seeing her resist, Aether instead felt like teasing her more and began playing with her, using his height advantage.
Fei Xiao quietly watched Aether and Bailu. Although she had never seen how a complete family interacted, she seemed to glimpse a future through the two of them.
After playing until Bailu was satisfied, Aether and Fei Xiao escorted her back. Honestly, the experience felt just like a young couple taking care of a child.
Suddenly, Fei Xiao's phone rang. She answered it, and her expression immediately became serious.
"What's wrong?" Aether asked with concern.
"I have to leave. There's another battle to fight."