The lighting in the banquet hall grew dimmer and dimmer, with the warm yellow glow shining on the guests in the center of the dance floor, each of them wearing a joyful and blissful expression.
They seemed to have shed their roles as officers and were freely exuding their charms at the anniversary celebration of The No.1 Military Academy.
Anderson lowered his gaze and said seriously, "We were discussing the Francis Family."
He chose not to conceal anything from Chloe.
Doing so would be an incredibly foolish act.
He thought that he should have no secrets from the young lady.
"The Francis Family?" It took Chloe a moment to register this unfamiliar title. Then, she narrowed her eyes warily and asked, "Why bring this up? Do you intend to return there?"
As her words trailed off, silence fell upon the place.
Chloe grew somewhat annoyed. "Hey, I'm talking to you."
Prompted by her, Anderson raised his eyes and said honestly, "Yes."
"..."
Although she had expected this answer from the start, Chloe still felt a twinge of displeasure.
It's true, no one could refuse the wealth of the Francis Family, even though Anderson lacked nothing while by her side.
As Chloe's thoughts wandered, Anderson spoke again:
"But I will not leave the young lady."
His emerald eyes were particularly calm, and upon closer inspection, they held no joy at being summoned back to the noble family, only his usual composure and loyalty:
"The Francis Family... I have reasons I must pursue, and if I succeed, I can gladly relinquish it all to the young lady, should she desire it."
Hearing this, Chloe furrowed her brow slightly. "What nonsense."
She would not believe such drivel.
"Is it nonsense?" Anderson smiled, his tone slightly helpless. "Very well, then."
Time would prove everything. It didn't matter if the young lady didn't believe him.
Why the Francis Family? Initially, it was out of hatred.
But as time went on, Anderson realized that without a prestigious enough status, no one would approve of him remaining by the young lady's side.
They would say that a dead soldier should come out and shield the young lady from danger when crisis strikes, dying in the process if need be, with no need to linger on.
Indeed, Anderson was willing to sacrifice his life for the young lady who pulled him out of the mire, but he did not want her to forget him.
Anderson was a gloomy and greedy fellow. He hoped the young lady would forever keep him in her heart.
Like a tamed wild dog, they would offer their master absolute loyalty, and in return, the master must endure their endless possessiveness.
Wild dogs had been abandoned before; their master was their entire world.
An alarmingly intense emotion flashed in Anderson's eyes, and seeing it made Chloe feel somewhat uncomfortable.
She averted her gaze. "Then I shall wait and see."
Anderson had indeed grown up alongside Chloe, so he was different from others in her eyes.
She would grant Anderson special treatment and tolerance, but if he insisted on leaving her, she would not stop him.
Everyone had their own destiny, and as long as it did not infringe upon her own interests, Chloe would not intervene in Anderson's choices.
But if their interests clashed, Chloe would unhesitatingly draw her sword.
Thinking of this, Chloe smiled.
"Why say so much? Come on, let's go find Daniel and the others to play."
With that, she took Anderson's hand and led him to the game corner of the banquet hall.
The cubs were making a ruckus over there, especially Qin Huaibei and Daniel.
"You stole my boss again!"
"I earned it through my skills. What right do you have to say I stole it?"
"Dammit, if I don't wipe you out this round, then I'm not a Qin!"
"Like anyone cares about your surname."
When Chloe approached, they both shouted at her:
"Chloe, come help me!"
Chloe was speechless. "It's just a game. Why are you two playing like you're at war?"
They must be sick.
No wonder Katherine preferred to be alone rather than hang out with these scoundrels.
"I'll help Qin Huaibei."
Daniel widened his eyes. "You betrayed me!"
He looked pleadingly at Anderson.
Anderson glanced at him, then at the high-spirited Chloe, and after a moment of silence, he said:
"Sure, but I might deliberately go easy on you."
Daniel: "..."
You guys are too much!
He hated this world!!
...
As the anniversary celebration neared its end, the banquet hall had already emptied of most guests.
The officers who had come to mingle left with smiles, having a final chat with their respective interests before departing.
Soon, the banquet hall was deserted.
Ren Yunying called for someone to escort the exhausted cubs back to their dorms.
As she pondered whether to summon a shuttle, a gentle breeze blew by her side.
The staff looked up to find it was none other than the progenitor of the Vampires, Xavier himself.
Without a word, Xavier precisely located Chloe amidst the drowsy cubs and gently lifted her into his arms.
Startled awake by the sudden motion, Chloe furrowed her brow in displeasure, but her back was soon patted soothingly.
Chloe relaxed and obediently stopped struggling.
Witnessing this scene, Ren Yunying's expression grew somewhat complex.
She approached Xavier. "Do you need someone to guide you?"
"No need," Xavier declined. "I still remember the way."
Hearing this, Ren Yunying smiled. "I almost forgot you're also a graduate of The No.1 Military Academy."
Xavier neither confirmed nor denied, but as he turned to leave, his steps paused for a moment before he turned his body slightly.
"You seem quite fond of this daughter of mine?"
Caught off guard by the question, Ren Yunying was momentarily stunned before arching her brow naturally.
"Who doesn't like her?"
Chloe was a bit of a troublemaker, but she seemed to innately know how to make others fond of her.
As her words trailed off, Xavier lowered his gaze to his daughter's fair, exquisite face.
When she slept, the roguish aura that seemed to emanate from her very bones dissipated, leaving her looking rather obedient.
Chloe indeed had a face that was easy to like.
After regarding her for a moment, Xavier's lips curved into a slight smile.
Then, he cleared his throat.
"Like her if you will, but do not go easy on her."
Xavier's tone was calm yet stern. "Treat her as you should, without exception."
The heir to the Vampires needed to have a sufficiently callous heart and resolute methods.
Hearing this, Ren Yunying was briefly taken aback.
Then she couldn't help but laugh and cry: "Got it."
Xavier truly was something else. He clearly doted on his only daughter, yet he was especially fond of putting her in various dangerous situations.
It was hard to tell whether this was for training purposes or just his morbid amusement.
No wonder Chloe hadn't liked her father very much since she was little.
Xavier didn't linger in the banquet hall, carrying her out.
In the courtyard, Kewen had a cigarette in his mouth. Seeing Xavier carrying Chloe out, he immediately put out the cigarette:
"The young miss is asleep?"
"Yeah." Xavier nodded. "Let's go, take her back."
