Zero's expression didn't change at all, acting as if he hadn't heard anything.
He took out his jade terminal from his coat pocket, opened the payment app, pulled up the balance page, then handed it to Jingliu.
They were already married now.
Jingliu needed to know how much savings he had.
Jingliu raised a brow and cooperatively took the jade terminal.
So when Zero ran into an embarrassing topic, he would automatically skip over it.
She lowered her head to look, and for a moment couldn't count how many zeros were on the screen.
Her gaze moved downward. Just one day's interest alone had seven digits.
Jingliu, "..."
Zero sighed internally.
Hua and her subordinates had really gone to great lengths to give him money.
First there were those so-called parents with hundreds of billions in savings.
Hua and Guanliang had specially arranged them.
'No wonder...'
Back then, he always felt incompatible with them. He didn't want to use the credits they left behind, didn't want to live in their properties, and had deliberately found ways to earn credits himself, abandoning the larger property under his name that was closer to the Divination Commission.
Zero had stubbornly relied on selling talismans to buy the mansion he currently lived in.
Thinking about it now, his subordinates had definitely helped too.
Otherwise, how could his talisman papers possibly rise to seven-digit prices?
And how could Hua's subordinates have immediately followed up by investing in the hotpot restaurant?
Zero explained softly, "These are my savings."
"As for the documents related to my other assets..."
A rare look of confusion appeared on his face.
"I don't remember where they are. I'll look for them another day."
Jingliu fell into thought.
Exactly how many properties did he own for Zero to forget where he put the documents?
In terms of wealth, probably no one could compare to Zero.
But after getting married, she couldn't keep spending Zero's credits forever.
She had to take on part of the expenses too.
Jingliu asked, "Can I look through your jade terminal?"
Zero answered without hesitation, "Of course."
"What's mine is yours."
"You don't need to ask these kinds of questions in the future. Just look directly."
Jingliu exited the balance page and opened the transaction records. The first thing she saw was this month's spending.
Jingliu, "..."
She probably wouldn't be able to cover the household expenses.
Jingliu exited the payment app and returned the jade terminal to Zero.
Her feelings were complicated.
This time she really had become the poor boy.
How could Zero care about prices when buying things?
He probably didn't even look at prices.
Then again, Zero had mentioned his parents earlier.
His family had given him the courage and freedom to travel across countries.
It sounded simple, but in reality, many conditions had to be met for that to happen.
Take the Xianzhou people for example.
Aside from Cloud Knights, internal Six Commissions personnel, and retired Cloud Knights who had served less than a hundred years and were still under confidentiality restrictions, everyone else only needed identification issued by the Xianzhou and enough credits to travel anywhere in the universe.
For people from other regions, things might not be so easy or free.
Zero's parents must have been very wealthy.
They gave Zero exceptionally superior material conditions, and also gave him a great deal of love.
Only people who grew up surrounded by love would give their love so generously.
Zero's body wasn't in good condition and couldn't handle bumps or injuries.
Even if he accidentally broke something, his family would only ask about his condition first.
His parents hadn't placed their own regrets onto Zero.
They supported all his decisions and did everything they could to back him up.
Zero's family must have been very open-minded.
After reaching that conclusion, Jingliu half-jokingly asked, "Would you ever enter a political marriage?"
Zero, "...No."
Even though his memories were incomplete, he knew his parents would always support his decisions.
Taking ten thousand steps back, his family wasn't so desperate that he needed to sacrifice his marriage for an arranged alliance!
Jingliu smiled and continued asking, "If I met your family, would they throw down a check and tell me to leave you?"
Zero, "...Jingliu, read fewer storybooks."
There was definitely something wrong with the Xianzhou censorship system.
He lowered his eyes and recalled various details in his mind, trying to find traces of his past from scattered clues.
A moment later, he said, "You'll meet Matthias tonight."
"I like this child very much."
Zero paused briefly before continuing, "There are many reasons. One of them is... he's very similar to me."
"Every friend around me is very good at socializing."
Even if his parents had no expectations of him...
He still couldn't embarrass his family.
Unfortunately, he had no talent for it.
Even after serving as the Xianzhou Marshal.
Zero sighed.
"Before every large event, I would review social scripts on my jade terminal."
After saying that, he suddenly changed the topic.
"Jingliu, what kind of wedding do you like?"
Jingliu fell into thought.
Zero had no plans to reveal his identity publicly, so they should just hold the wedding according to internal Cloud Knight rules.
With Jingliu's position... the invited guests definitely couldn't exceed twenty tables.
She and Zero both disliked socializing.
Then they should simplify as many procedures as possible.
Before Jingliu could sort out the wedding process in her head, Zero spoke again, "Jingliu, how long do you want the wedding to last?"
Jingliu blanked out for a moment.
'Wasn't a wedding only held for one day?'
Zero explained softly, "Eight months? Or ten months? Zandar said that the richest man on one planet held a year-long warm-up event and a one-month wedding."
"He said that compared to my status, there should at least be a ten-year warm-up period."
"Jingliu, what do you think?"
Jingliu was speechless for a moment.
Zero liked pursuing a sense of ceremony.
Maybe in his mind, getting the marriage certificate wasn't the same as truly being married.
What? Did that mean they had to wait another ten years before doing that kind of thing?
Jingliu opened her mouth and spoke with difficulty, "That's too long."
Zero couldn't help sighing.
'Yeah.'
'It is too long.'
But he and Jingliu would only get married once in their lives.
This was a major life event. How could they handle it so casually?
He asked Jingliu, "What do you think?"
Jingliu stayed silent for a moment before saying, "...Keep the wedding simple."
She took out her jade terminal, logged into the star network, and searched for wedding procedures.
The two looked at it and both fell silent.
Jingliu frowned slightly.
What door-blocking games and wedding pranks.
How long would Zero have to study social scripts for that?
Serving tea to both sets of parents.
Zero didn't want to expose his identity, so who exactly would be serving tea to whom?
Confessing to each other on stage...
Jingliu and Zero exchanged a glance.
None of it was suitable.
Jingliu, "...Forget the games."
Zero, "...Mm."
The two deleted item after item from the procedure list.
In the end, only the banquet for guests remained.
Jingliu stared at the screen and suddenly realized this wasn't it exactly like the weddings of other colleagues?
There weren't many procedures. They only needed to wear military dress uniforms, wear their medals, and toast the guests.
Her eyes lit up as she voiced her idea.
Zero strongly agreed with Jingliu's suggestion.
But he had always tormented Hua before.
This time, she would definitely find a way to retaliate against him.
Zero thought for a moment and cautiously asked, "Jingliu, if we only keep the toasting part... how many weddings would you be willing to attend at most?"
Jingliu immediately had a bad feeling.
She remembered that the Xianzhou still had over a hundred affiliated planets.
Jingliu couldn't help asking, "Are you planning to hold weddings on those affiliated planets?"
Zero shook his head, "I'm going to the other Xianzhou ships."
"Besides the Luofu, there's also Cangcheng."
He wanted to bring Jingliu home.
He also wanted to visit Zhizhong Forest and meet Jingliu's parents.
Hearing this, Jingliu's eyelashes trembled lightly.
Zero softened his tone and asked for Jingliu's opinion.
"When the time comes, can you accompany me back to the Yaoqing too?"
Jingliu turned over and sat across his lap, cupping his face with both hands before kissing him hard.
Then her hands moved downward and rested on his shoulders.
Their breaths mixed together. Jingliu pulled back slightly, leaned close to Zero's ear, and softly said, "Eight times."
The answer was obvious.
The Alliance had eight giant ships.
She had to let her lover see what the Xianzhou was like now.
Jingliu grabbed her lover's collar and kissed him again.
After a long while, Zero's breathing turned uneven as he gently pushed Jingliu.
"It's getting late..."
Jingliu's gaze lowered, a smile at the corner of her lips.
Time to settle accounts.
She firmly pressed down on Zero's shoulders, preventing him from standing up.
Meeting Zero's confused gaze, Jingliu calmly said in an unhurried tone, "I'm very angry."
Zero patiently asked, "What happened?"
Jingliu wrapped her arms tightly around him, bringing them even closer together.
"What you said made me very unhappy."
Zero slowed his breathing and steadied himself.
"Which sentence?"
Feeling each other's heated breaths, Jingliu calmly replied, "Figure it out yourself."
Zero tried hard to ignore how closely their upper bodies were pressed together.
"Jingliu, can you wait until after I shower and change clothes before we solve this together?"
The person in his arms let out a soft laugh.
"No."
Zero instantly understood.
Jingliu was doing it on purpose.
He took a deep breath and tried hard to remember.
Maybe the heat in his body was interfering with his thoughts. No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't figure out the problem.
Seeing Zero stay silent, Jingliu couldn't help sighing inwardly.
Even the golden nanmu trees in Zhizhong Forest weren't as wooden as Zero's brain.
Always thinking about others, never himself.
How many years would it take for Zero to realize the problem on his own?
Jingliu could only take the initiative and speak, "You said you can suppress mara."
"I'm very angry."
Jingliu noticed Zero's body stiffen for a moment.
Afraid his thoughts would go astray, she quickly sped up her speech.
"I was planning to go to the kitchen and get a knife."
Zero's voice was barely audible, "What are you getting a knife for?"
Jingliu didn't answer and continued on her own, "You've gone too far."
"There are things you can do that I can't."
Zero instantly understood the hidden meaning in her words.
"No. You can't."
Jingliu asked back, "Why can't I?"
"If you can do it, why can't I?"
After hearing that, Zero fell silent.
He could erase his own achievements, but couldn't bear his subordinates making the same choice.
He was willing to divide his own flesh and blood, but unwilling to let Jingliu suffer even the slightest injury.
Zero had no way to refute her.
Seeing this, Jingliu looked directly into his eyes and softened her tone, "You've already done very well."
"Why do you still think you can't become a qualified husband?"
"Then what do you think counts as qualified?"
Zero stayed silent for a moment before saying, "Making you happy."
"Not letting you cry."
"Fulfilling all your wishes."
Jingliu nodded.
"You've already done that."
"Look, I'm very happy, and I haven't cried."
"We rarely argue. Even when we run into problems, we solve them together."
As Jingliu spoke, she thought to herself.
How could they argue or have conflicts?
Once a problem appeared, Zero would break up with her.
Jingliu cupped her lover's face.
"I only have two requirements for my husband."
Zero held his breath.
Jingliu spoke solemnly, "First, I want you to love yourself more."
"Second, if it's something you wouldn't let me do, or something you don't dare tell me, then you can't do it either."
"Can you do that?"
Zero pressed his lips together tightly. Before he could speak, Jingliu lowered her head and quickly kissed him.
The kiss ended as soon as it began.
Jingliu stood up, took Zero's hand, and pulled him toward the bathroom.
"Alright, go shower."
After only a few steps, Jingliu sharply sensed Jade's presence.
The cat followed closely behind them while keeping a certain distance.
It carefully glanced at Jingliu.
Jingliu slightly turned her head and swept her gaze over.
Jade immediately stopped walking and quickly fled the area.
Once they reached the bathroom, Jingliu pushed Zero inside without explanation.
"I'll help you pick clothes."
After speaking, Jingliu closed the bathroom door and walked to the walk-in closet beside the bedroom.
Looking at the clothes in front of her in all kinds of different styles, she frowned slightly, unable to make a choice for a long time.
Only after Zero finished showering, put on a bathrobe, and walked into the closet did Jingliu move her gaze away from the shirt garters and onto Zero.
He took the clothes Jingliu handed him, then lowered his head to look at the accessories filling several drawers, immediately understanding.
"Can't decide?"
"It's fine, I'll choose myself..."
Jingliu interrupted him, "There's still plenty of time."
It would take one system hour to travel from here to the restaurant.
After reserving travel time, they still had a full system hour left.
Zero's body froze as he looked up at Jingliu.
One system hour later, the two hurriedly finished showering, changed clothes, boarded a starskiff, and headed to the restaurant.
On the way, Jingliu couldn't help thinking.
Were they really going to wait ten years or eight years?
Would it only count as being truly married after the wedding?
She lowered her head and looked at the waist of the person beside her.
The shirt tucked into his suit pants was somewhat wrinkled.
Jingliu's eyes held a smile.
"You still need shirt garters after all."
Zero was staring ahead absentmindedly.
He felt like he had forgotten something.
Hearing that, Zero only said, "...It's too time-consuming."
Even after getting off the starskiff and walking to the restaurant entrance, Zero still had no clue.
The restaurant was located near Scalegorge Waterscape. Diners could enjoy the scenery through the windows, and near evening, it had a special kind of charm.
Just from the decorations at the entrance, it was obvious the interior style imitated Xianzhou architecture.
Looking up again, besides him and Jingliu, there were also Baiheng, Yingxing, Jing Yuan, and Dan Feng on the street.
Zero swept his gaze over them and saw Dan Feng looking restless.
He frowned, instinctively sensing something was wrong.
Almost instantly, dozens of Vidyadhara rushed out of the restaurant in orderly fashion.
They moved so quickly it looked like some abomination was chasing them from behind.
Their faces were red as they loudly shouted, "Master!"
"You are the young lady's only heir!"
"If you don't come back..."
"Who else can the Xianzhou Alliance be left to?!"
"Yeah, yeah..."
One of them suddenly paused, seeming to recall his lines.
Then he tightly furrowed his brows and shouted in a dramatic tone that sounded like he was performing opera, "The Alliance's eight giant ships and over a hundred planets, who else could they possibly be entrusted to?"
Zero, "..."
When people get embarrassed, their minds always drift to random things.
Zero remembered now.
He had forgotten the money tree.
═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═
[email protected]/XenosX
🥳Joining P@treon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining. You can also read advanced chapters there.🥰