Talulah, I'm still a child.

Mei Xue thought about what Cecilia looked like. If his and Talulah's child could be as cute as Cecilia in the future, that would be wonderful.

"Well, and then... never mind, thinking too far ahead will make it feel empty, let's stop here."

Holding Mei Xue in her arms, Talulah took a deep breath and felt incredibly refreshed. In the past, she would only think about these things secretly when she couldn't sleep, but now she felt quite embarrassed to tell Mei Xue about them. Ah, really, how could she even say how many children she wanted?

"But before that, I need to finish up the Reunion Movement business first, which shouldn't take too long."

She cannot disregard everyone's future for her own personal happiness. Since Talulah has vowed to lead the Reunion Movement to build a nation free from exploitation, she must see it through to the end.

When that time comes, she will feel at ease entrusting the Reunion Movement to someone worthy of her trust. Status, wealth? Forget it, Talulah doesn't need those things. Having Mei Xue is the greatest happiness, and besides, with the little fox around, she won't starve.

Ursus is now even more corrupt than Talulah imagined. No one could have imagined that this thousand-year-old empire would be in such a state of internal strife. Patriot and Horag were both surprised. They had witnessed the behemoth that Ursus under the late emperor was—a terrifying war machine where the entire nation fought only for war, for the emperor.

Ursus now... it's hard to describe. The two old men didn't know what to say. A single unit has seven or eight commanders who can run around because of a nobleman's order. There are even instances of commanders abandoning their troops and running away. Is this still the Ursus they remember?

Talulah and Meixue chatted about other things, from where to go tomorrow to more distant future matters, such as what kind of wedding dress to wear, how many dresses to wear, and whether to have a wedding in the style of the Great Yan Dynasty.

The little fox sensed that Talulah seemed eager to try on a wedding dress, but he didn't seem to have any in his tail, and he figured Kjerag probably couldn't buy one either. They'd have to wait until later. But after Kjerag's trip, he and Talulah would be going to Siesta, where they should be able to buy wedding dresses. They might need to buy a few more, since there were plenty of girls on Rhodes Island. And Talulah had just said... given Mei Xue's personality, she might tear it, since the little fox sometimes found unbuttoning things too troublesome.

"Sleeping?"

Talulah glanced outside. There weren't many places in Sherag with electricity, and it hadn't been there for long. The people here were used to going to bed early, so it was pitch black outside right now.

"Okay, let's sleep together. We're going shopping tomorrow."

There aren't many places to visit in Sherag, and not many tourist attractions. As one of the few tourists, Talulah and Meixue have to learn to find their own fun. The little fox plans to buy some souvenirs for everyone on Rhodes Island tomorrow morning. When he came yesterday, he noticed that there were still a few local shops around.

They turned off the lights and went to sleep, embracing each other. But this time, they seemed to be holding each other even tighter than before. On the other hand, there were a large number of people suffering from insomnia on Rhodes Island tonight.

"Name... never mind, Doctor, you're having insomnia too?"

Looking at the Doctor staring at her with dark circles under her eyes, Shining didn't know where to begin complaining. She could practically be related to the Ironhide Operator.

"What does 'also' mean?"

With his eyes wide open, the Doctor seemed confused by the question, while Shining scratched his head helplessly.

"Actually, you are my thirteenth patient today. The previous twelve were all troubled by insomnia to varying degrees, and experienced anxiety, irritability, and even hallucinations."

"It's just insomnia, is it really that big of a deal?"

"It's really that bad. The fact that Mei Xue went on her honeymoon with Talulah was a huge blow to the girls on Rhodes Island, especially after someone spread the rumor that Talulah was probably going to have a child after this. Can you believe it? Operator Kroos couldn't even eat."

Shining spread her hands helplessly, clearly unable to do anything about this. Everyone was suffering from a classic case of lovesickness that was incurable. Originally, Mei Xue had always been on Rhodes Island, and no matter how much everyone fought over her, it was at most a matter of "Mei Xue taking turns, she'll be mine sooner or later." But now, Talulah, an exception, suddenly appeared, which immediately aroused everyone's anxiety.

As it turns out, someone who loves to stir up trouble (referring to Miss Doctor) said that Mei Xue and Talulah might become fathers after this vacation. Nian and Xi were so anxious that they slammed their fists on the table and wanted to kidnap Mei Xue and bring her back. Then they were each given a hard thud on the head by Ling.

"As things stand now, I think it's better for Mei Xue to come back later."

"why?"

"Because Liz just bought a birdcage, the kind that keeps people in cages, and I also heard that Rosemary bought a collar that explodes if it's ten meters away from the remote control."

Listening to Shining's description, the Doctor suddenly felt that Mei Xue should stay away for a couple more days and wait until the girls on Rhodes Island calmed down before making any moves. Otherwise, if the little fox came back, it would be hard to say what those people would do.

"Doctor, so you're here! That's great! Did you approve Lappland's leave request?"

Just as the Doctor and Shining were talking, Texas suddenly burst in, looking very anxious and panting.

“It’s approved. It’s just a family visit leave. She said she’s been away from home for so many years and hasn’t been back to see her family. She was worried that if her father died, she wouldn’t get her share of the inheritance, so I let her go back.”

"...Doctor, has she told you what she planned to do if her father hadn't died?"

Texas's lips twitched involuntarily. Based on her understanding of Lappland, although that madman always acted polite and clingy in front of Mei Xue, that was only how he acted towards Mei Xue, a doting behavior towards the little fox.

Lappland has never changed. She is still that elegant and arrogant madwoman. How could a lone wolf who has left the pack be going back to Syracuse just to visit relatives?

"There's not much she can do, at most she'll just... wow, no way!"

Miss Doctor suddenly thought of an unlikely possibility, but given Lappland's nerves, it was the most likely thing she would do.

"Go and invite them... wait, it seems like there's no need to worry."

The doctor, who was in a panic, suddenly had a flashback. She had subconsciously wanted to call Mei Xue. After all, in the entire Lappland on Rhodes Island, only the little fox listened to her. If Mei Xue told her to go east, she would definitely drag the little fox to see the sunrise. If she told her to go west, she would definitely climb into Mei Xue's bed in the middle of the night.

However, Lappland is also Mei Xue's familiar, and she was the first one to successfully take over after the little fox lost her memory. Her Oripathy has long been suppressed. Not to mention the improvement in all aspects of her body, with Mei Xue protecting her luck, who would dare to touch her?

However, just in case, I should still write a letter to Syracuse. I'm so glad that Mei Xue has a good relationship with both generations of Madame de Sicily, so this little favor shouldn't be a problem.

"Speaking of which, if it's not to visit relatives, then what is Lappland going back for? She can't really be planning to betray her own father, can she? Is she that short of money?"

"Who knows? No one can ever truly understand what she's thinking."

Texas looked a bit troubled. If she could, she wouldn't want anything to happen to Lappland. It wasn't that the two of them were so close that they would feel sorry for each other, but if something happened to Lappland, it would be difficult to explain to Mei Xue. The white wolf also held a high position in the little fox's heart.

I just hope she's alright.

Extra Chapter: Xi Bao's Plan to Run Away from Home

For Xi, childhood was not exactly fun. While Mei Xue's companionship was arguably the best memory of her life, the existence of her siblings was a nightmare for her.

"Father! My snacks, I..."

She rushed into the kitchen happily, but when she saw the plates that were so clean they looked like they had been licked by a dog, young Xi's face instantly turned ugly as she looked at her older sister, who was even more like a dog than a dog.

"Nian! You stole my snacks again!"

"Oh, it's just a few snacks. Children will get cavities if they eat too many. I'm doing this for your own good."

Nian, already a young girl, picked her teeth with a toothpick without any ladylike demeanor, looking at Xi, who didn't even reach her chest, and felt incredibly satisfied. Teasing this guy was really fun, and of course, the desserts Mei Xue made were also really delicious.

"You're such a bad guy! You're despicable!"

Xi felt wronged. Children value their things highly and have a strong sense of possessiveness. Besides, it was a snack that Mei Xue had prepared for her. She would only have one serving every day, and no matter what, she would not get another one even if it was stolen.

"How can you say that? Have you forgotten that time when we climbed the peach tree in the backyard when we were little? I got a good beating from your sister, but you were able to take a bath with Dad. Wasn't it because I drew the fire for you?"

"Your mother says you brought this on yourself!"

As the ninth child in the family, Nian has grown up now. The twelfth brother went to travel around with his eldest brother to broaden his horizons, so the only one in the family who hasn't grown up yet is the youngest sister, Xi. Of course, there's also Nian, who, although grown up, is a professional freeloader who refuses to leave home and venture out into the world.

Mei Xue was just a good-natured person, so it didn't bother him to have another freeloader at home. It was really torturous when he was taking care of twelve little devils all by himself. Later, with Ling's help, he thought things would be much easier, but he ended up being even busier.

"You little brat, you've got a way with words. Today I'll show you what real authority as an older sister is!"

Nian reached out and pinched Xi's face, then rubbed her face into various shapes. It's unclear whether it's due to the conflicting elements of the Five Elements, but these two sisters could play together when they were little. However, since Nian grew up, the two have become like oil and water.

"You flat-chested monster! Get out of the room!"

"Ha, you little brat who hasn't even grown all your feathers yet, who are you talking about!"

Looking down at her red strapless top, Nian felt insulted. To be honest, she wasn't exactly flat-chested; the size was quite normal, not so small as to be disappointing, nor so large that she needed to adjust it after a few steps.

"Hehe, you're Ping!"

"Damn it, you little brat, you're not even up to my chest, how dare you talk to me like that?"

"I'll grow taller eventually!"

"You're still growing? It'll probably be hundreds of years before you grow any taller. By then, I might even have won Dad's heart! Oh dear~ All I have to do is whisper sweet nothings in his ear, and he might kick you out the next day!"

Bringing up Mei Xue at this time only shows that Nian is really desperate. After all, Xi's current mental state is not very bright, and she is prone to overthinking when it comes to Mei Xue.

For Xi, she could accept that Nian ate all the snacks today, and she could also reluctantly sleep alone, but being kicked out by Mei Xue was a nightmare, even more terrifying than dreaming about her own mother.

"Waaaaah! You're bullying me!"

Already feeling aggrieved because all the snacks were eaten, Xi burst into tears, running out while wiping away her tears.

She should have run into Mei Xue's arms as usual, but Mei Xue didn't seem to be home. She was probably secretly called out by a Nine-Colored Deer to do something, so the only person she could rely on was that unreliable mother.

"Waaah, Mom! That stupid older sister bullied me again!"

"Ah... what's going on?"

Slightly drunk, Ling scratched his head, trying to understand the meaning of those words. It wasn't a new thing for Nian and Xi to bully each other. Before, they could be said to be evenly matched, but ever since Nian realized himself and grew up overnight, the situation has basically become one-sided.

"She said her father didn't want me anymore, sob sob."

"Oh, that's great. If you two go down the mountain, your father and I can live a carefree life."

Still intoxicated, she unconsciously blurted out her innermost thoughts, leaving Xi, who had been hoping for some comfort, completely stunned.

The little girl stared blankly for a moment, then cried even louder, wiping her tears as she ran back to her room, closed the door behind her, and sat on the floor crying.

"Waaaaah... Stupid boy, stupid mom!"

As the dragon wailed, Xi felt she could no longer stay in this home. This was no longer a place for her. A sister who bullied her all day long, and a mother who didn't care about anything and even hoped her daughter would leave home as soon as possible—how could she live like this?

In a fit of anger, Xi slapped the door frame. She was stunned for a moment, then hugged her red and sore hand, feeling both like crying and angry. Although she possessed what could be called miraculous strength, her physical abilities were indeed rather average, unlike her sisters and brothers who were so powerful.

"I hate this home, I'm running away! I can't stay here anymore!"

Large tears slid down her cheeks as Xi got up, unfurled her painting scroll, and began packing her things.

"I don't want the chair Nian gave me, I don't want the poetry collection my mother gave me, but I'll take the doll my father gave me, the pillow my father gave me, and all the clothes my father gave me..."

In no time, only a chair and a few books remained in the entire house. Everything else, including the wardrobe and bed, was stuffed into that small painting. Rather than running away from home, it was more like moving house.

"Now it should be everyone, um, bring Dad along too! Otherwise Xi will starve to death!"

Xi subconsciously felt that she couldn't live without Mei Xue, after all, she had been supported by Mei Xue for the past few years, and she couldn't run away from home without Mei Xue.

However, if she directly said that she was going to run away from home, she would definitely be laughed at by her stupid older sister, Nian, and might even be hit on the palms or even the bottom by her mother with a ruler. So Xi simply wrote a letter about running away from home, and then quietly climbed out of the window, planning to find an opportunity to pack up Mei Xue and take her with her. Da Yan is so big, anywhere can be home!

Fortunately, the weather was nice today, so Xi didn't have to worry about catching a cold while staying outside. Ling He Nian was unaware that she had run away from home, or rather, he didn't care.

"Oh, sister, you're drunk again. If Dad sees you, he'll nag you again."

As soon as she stepped out of the kitchen, she saw Ling lying drunk on the bench. Nian couldn't help but facepalm. This mother was really a headache. Ever since Nian and Xi were little, she had always been lazy. She had helped take care of the children at the very beginning, but later she simply became a freeloader.

Of course, nowadays, people also live off the rice weeds, there's nothing more to say about that.

"What are you afraid of? It's not like he just met me yesterday. It's alright. By the way, Xiao Nian, you're all grown up now. Shouldn't you go out and find a job? Your father should still have some influence in Da Yan. It shouldn't be a problem to give you a job as a civil engineer."

The Earth and Wood Celestial Masters is a rather unfortunate but also highly sought-after branch within the Great Yan Celestial Master's Mansion. Although the salary and benefits for this profession are quite good, it requires long-term travel to other places, making it a tough job. Therefore, this can be seen as a veiled message: Stop sponging off your parents at home and get out and work!

"But I can't bear to leave home. Look, Xi is still so young, and you're busy drinking, so it's so tiring for Dad to take care of her all by himself."

"So besides pestering him, what else do you do?"

Ling rolled her eyes at Nian, annoyed. This brat, just like her other siblings, refused to call her "Mom" after growing up. She was much cuter when she was little; just half a year ago, she was still a tiny little thing.

"Hehe~"

"Pretending to be stupid won't work. You have to come down the mountain in a while. I've already discussed it with him."