Yuan Wen Yue saw that her father's attitude showed signs of softening and pressed on, "Xing Yuan is not old, we usually call each other sisters. If it weren't for her bloodline, she wouldn't have been able to become the Vampire King."
Listening to her daughter's words defending Xing Yuan, Yuan Shi Lin's coldness in his eyes dissipated a lot. He didn't believe others, but he had watched his daughter grow up, so he naturally believed what A Yue said.
However, he still looked at Xing Yuan with a warning tone, "No matter who you are, if you dare to bully my daughter, I will not let you go."
Xing Yuan nodded obediently, her expression exceptionally serious as if making a promise, "Uncle Yuan, don't worry, I won't bully A Jie."
"Alright! Since we've made up, Father, help A Yuan find a room for her to stay!" Yuan Wen Yue intended to break the strangely awkward atmosphere.
Yuan Shi Lin nodded, "I haven't touched your room. I'll tidy up a room next door for... Xing Yuan."
Xing Yuan immediately said from the side, "Uncle Yuan can just call me A Yuan. We're all family, don't be so formal."
Yuan Shi Lin couldn't help but glare at Xing Yuan, "What family? I'm leaving." He flicked his sleeve and departed.
As soon as Yuan Shi Lin left, Xing Yuan looked at Yuan Wen Yue with dissatisfaction, pouting and acting cute, "A Jie, why do we need to tidy up another room? Can't I sleep in the same room as you? I can't sleep alone."
Yuan Wen Yue had a headache. She had been so focused on dealing with her father that she had completely forgotten how clingy this little one was.
Yuan Wen Yue gently soothed Xing Yuan's slightly displeased emotions, "A Yuan, be good. You can sneak into my room tonight, and the result will be the same."
"Mmm~" Xing Yuan still pretended to be unhappy, with a proud look, "A Yuan is angry, I need A Jie to kiss me to feel better."
A faint blush appeared on Yuan Wen Yue's fair skin. She bit her lip lightly. Although they had kissed a few times every day in the castle before, it was only the two of them then. But now, her father was upstairs and could look down at any moment.
Yuan Wen Yue looked at Xing Yuan's expectant gaze, glanced around, and pecked Xing Yuan on the cheek like a thief.
Seeing A Jie's shy expression, Xing Yuan's eyes instantly filled with laughter. A Jie could also be shy! So cute.
Yuan Wen Yue, her face flushed, said in a low voice, "I'll go see how your room is being tidied up?" and quickly fled the scene.
Yuan Wen Yue ran to the bathroom in one breath, splashed water on her face to cool it down. They had a pure sisterly bond, why would she be shy?
When Yuan Wen Yue had completely calmed down and walked out of the bathroom, she saw an old man and a young woman chatting happily. Xing Yuan was sweet-mouthed, Yuan Wen Yue had always known that. What surprised her was that her father, who was a bit old-fashioned, was getting along so harmoniously with Xing Yuan.
Xing Yuan had a lot of real-life experience and knew how to make people let go of their prejudices and re-evaluate. Yuan Shi Lin was outwardly stern, but deep down he yearned for warmth.
Xing Yuan's childlike appearance made it easy for people to let down their guard. She also deliberately acted as if she genuinely regarded Yuan Shi Lin as an elder. Even though Yuan Shi Lin didn't fully trust her now, he was still somewhat touched. With time, Xing Yuan wouldn't have to worry about overcoming others' prejudices.
Yuan Wen Yue took a few steps forward and smiled, "What, you've become sworn friends in just a moment?"
Yuan Shi Lin smiled, "I see A Yuan isn't as ferocious as the rumors say. You two get along well! I'll go prepare some ingredients for dinner!"
"A Jie doesn't like me like this?" Xing Yuan's lips curved into a smile, her voice carrying a childlike innocence.
"No, no! How about I take you around the capital and see if there have been any changes in the past year I've been away!" Yuan Wen Yue felt a little unnatural under Xing Yuan's gaze and quickly changed the subject.
"Okay!" As long as it's with A Jie, anywhere is fine.
Time was enough to make people forget many things. The shadows of a year ago had faded from the hearts of the empire's citizens, and smiles had returned to their faces.
There was a clause in the contract Xing Yuan signed with Wen Yi Xin: vampires were not allowed to abduct imperial citizens as blood food, and the empire provided the blood race with sufficient blood as food.
As a result, the imperial streets were no longer filled with the danger of encountering vampires at any moment, and people could be seen everywhere. Vampire hunters were no longer the most noble people in the empire. Although the Grand Priest's status remained high, he was gradually being overshadowed by the rising imperial royal family.
Xing Yuan even heard that Ya Xin was being courted by nobles. Ya Xin's cross-species love in her previous life had ultimately returned to reality.
But all of this had little to do with Xing Yuan and Yuan Wen Yue anymore.
Yuan Shi Lin, who had finally seen his daughter, only invited one friend, Wei Mu. The fewer people who knew about Yuan Wen Yue's return, the better.
Wei Mu was also filled with emotion upon seeing Yuan Wen Yue. However, seeing Xing Yuan acting so well-behaved and obedient, and hanging on Yuan Wen Yue's every word, he suddenly felt that the current outcome was good! Looking at this Vampire King, she seemed to be the one who would be bullied by A Yue.
The two stayed in the empire for a full month. In the last few days, the three elders bombarded Xing Yuan one after another, essentially saying that a country could not be without a ruler for a day and urging Xing Yuan to return soon.
Xing Yuan said nothing, only looking at A Jie with pitiful eyes. Finally, before Yuan Wen Yue could speak, Yuan Shi Lin couldn't bear Xing Yuan's mournful expression and felt embarrassed to let his daughter stay at home any longer.
He said, "A Yue, go back with A Yuan first. You can come back to see me often in the future! Don't worry, I can take care of myself."
"Alright then! Father, take care of yourself at home." Yuan Wen Yue didn't refuse, but instead eagerly agreed, as if she had been waiting for this day for a long time.
This decisive manner made Yuan Shi Lin realize belatedly that he might have been tricked.
Upon returning to the castle, Xing Yuan was busy for several days. Although the blood race had few affairs, that was only in comparison. Xing Yuan had been away for a month, and the accumulated documents filled nearly half a room.
They were basically about conflicts between different clans, who owned which territory, and so on. These were all trivial matters that couldn't be ignored but also couldn't be handled lightly.
Xing Yuan lived in the palace for five or six consecutive days, dealing with memorials. Yuan Wen Yue visited a few times, and seeing the exhausted Xing Yuan, she affectionately urged her to go back and rest.
"No, I'll finish in a few days. Why don't you help me, A Jie!" Xing Yuan suddenly thought that she had someone in front of her who could help her.
"This, it's not appropriate, is it!" Yuan Wen Yue thought that this was, after all, an internal matter of the blood race, and her identity dictated that she was different from other vampires.
"It's okay, they're all small matters anyway. For important matters, they would tell me directly. Who would bother writing these memorials!" Xing Yuan's words were also tinged with exhaustion.
Yuan Wen Yue's heart softened, and she agreed. From then on, in addition to her previous elegant pursuits, she also took on the important task of reviewing memorials for Xing Yuan.
Decades later, Yuan Wen Yue thought back to the past and glared angrily at Xing Yuan, who was clinging to her from behind, and began to list her wrongdoings.
Xing Yuan admitted her mistakes with a good attitude, but her hands still held Yuan Wen Yue. This way of admitting fault didn't seem sincere at all.
"I want to go back to the empire!" Yuan Wen Yue angrily removed Xing Yuan's hand from her.
"Go, go, go! I'll go with you!" Xing Yuan agreed.
"You're not allowed to come with me. I want to go back by myself." Yuan Wen Yue felt her anger surge even more.
"Then, alright!" Xing Yuan nodded, completely unaware that A Jie was on the verge of an eruption. The main reason was that over the years, Yuan Wen Yue's good temper had gradually made her lose her sense of self-preservation.
Yuan Wen Yue looked at Xing Yuan's demeanor and knew she hadn't taken it to heart. Without even packing her luggage, she turned and had the vampires outside take her back to the empire. This time, if A Yuan didn't coax her properly, she wouldn't come back.