Lu Wanqing felt deeply uneasy, and what pained her most was that at this critical juncture, she could do nothing for her third brother.
Lu Wanqing remained in the palace, continuing her vigil.
She followed the news from the front lines daily until, after two months, all the invading planets, as if receiving a unified command, suddenly retreated like a receding tide.
Everyone was safe, and celebrations erupted, but Lu Wanqing received devastating news – her third brother had left with the Zerg!
However, before his departure, her third brother had sent a message to her through Ouyang Jian.
"Qingqing, I'm fine. I've gone to the Zerg for something important and will be back in a while."
Upon hearing this, Lu Wanqing finally broke. Her vision blurred, and she fainted.
She was taken to a medical bay for treatment. Fortunately, the medical technology of the interstellar era was excellent, and she did not remain unconscious for long, waking up soon after.
"Mommy!" Little Harvey tugged at her hand, his face etched with worry.
Xavier and Ouyang Jian stood nearby, their gazes fixed on her with concern.
Lin Sang gently helped her sit up, her voice soothing, "Everything will be alright."
Lin Sang was comforting her.
After a long while, Lu Wanqing nodded. "Mm."
Lu Wanqing turned and stepped out of the treatment pod. She said nothing more. Just as she had waited for Lu Yang to return before, she stood at the palace entrance, gazing outwards.
Little Harvey's eyes welled up. He tightly clasped Lu Wanqing's hand, trying to comfort her. "Mommy, don't be sad. I'll study hard from now on, and I'll become strong. I'll protect you!"
Lu Wanqing looked down at Little Harvey and nodded. "Okay."
Lu Wanqing waited for three days, but her patience ran out. She quietly left the palace, determined to find her third brother.
Ouyang Jian and Xavier, who had been keeping a close watch on her, saw her attempt to escape and quickly brought her back by force.
"Wanqing, calm down, you..." Ouyang Jian was anxious, but halfway through his sentence, he didn't know what else to say.
The Zerg invasion, which had been so elaborate, only to abduct Lu Yang and then retreat, was a perplexing matter. And Lu Yang's departure…
"Going alone would be useless and would only put you in danger. If Ah Yang truly returns and finds you in trouble, he would be devastated."
"Lu Wanqing, think about it. Ah Yang has waited for you for over three thousand years. Can you bear to return and find you dead again?" Ouyang Jian said earnestly.
Lu Wanqing's chest felt heavy. She looked at Ouyang Jian.
Xavier added, "Lu Yang is very strong."
Lu Wanqing's eyes reddened, and tears began to fall.
"Okay," she managed to say.
"I'll wait for him to come back," Lu Wanqing declared.
When Lu Wanqing said she would wait, she meant it.
Every day, she continued to care for Little Harvey as before, cooking for him, taking him to school, and supervising his homework. The rest of her time was spent mostly at the palace entrance, waiting for Lu Yang's return.
Time slipped by, and another three months passed. The one-year commitment she had made to each of the children was nearing its end.
It was time for her to leave Harvey and go care for Cui Cui.
Wei Xingzhou brought Cui Cui from the Federation to the Empire to pick her up.
Lu Wanqing felt a sense of disorientation.
"Mm, I'll go," Lu Wanqing replied.
Lu Wanqing left the Empire and returned to the Federation. She accompanied Wei Xingzhou and Cui Cui to the Ancient Earth Film and Television City.
Stepping into this place, Lu Wanqing felt an even stronger sense of detachment, as it was remarkably similar to the ancient Earth era.
"Mommy, Dad and I have prepared a room for you," Little Cui Cui said tentatively from the side.
Cui Cui knew that His Majesty, her father, had met with an accident, and her mother was very sad. Before leaving for the Empire, her father had instructed her not to act out in the Empire because her mother was in low spirits.
Cui Cui was now eight years old, a big child. She was different from when she was younger. She understood that her mother was sad now, so she was very well-behaved and didn't cause trouble.
Seeing her mother's unhappiness, Cui Cui cautiously reached out and held Lu Wanqing's hand.
Lu Wanqing looked at her child, smiled, and then affectionately ruffled Cui Cui's hair.
Finally arriving home, Wei Xingzhou carefully led Lu Wanqing to her room. He admitted to feeling a slight pang of jealousy, as Lu Wanqing's room had been meticulously decorated by Little Cui Cui herself. Every item in it was chosen with great care and consideration for her mother's preferences.
When Lu Wanqing saw the room, she was taken aback. It was a truly warm and inviting space, almost exactly as she had dreamed it would be.
"Thank you, Cui Cui," Lu Wanqing turned, hugged Cui Cui, and said gratefully.
Little Cui Cui nodded. "Mm."
Lu Wanqing couldn't help but smile. She looked at Cui Cui, leaned in, and gently kissed her forehead.
"Mommy loves you very much, very, very much," Lu Wanqing said.
Little Cui Cui hugged her mother and said earnestly, "I love Mommy too."
Wei Xingzhou stood nearby, quietly using a recording orb to capture the scene.
What a beautiful moment. He would save it to open anytime and relive these precious memories.
Lu Wanqing noticed Wei Xingzhou's subtle action but merely paused, pretending not to see it, and then stood up.
"Lu Wanqing, will you join us in a variety show?" Wei Xingzhou asked, putting away the recording orb after Lu Wanqing and Cui Cui finished their embrace. He smiled.
Lu Wanqing blinked in surprise. "A variety show?"
Wei Xingzhou's eyes sparkled as he nodded. "Yes, Orchid Channel has a variety show called 'Dear Family.' It features families as the main cast, and it's a lot of fun. They've invited us for a long time, and they specifically asked if I could bring you and Cui Cui along."
"Dad!" Cui Cui's face darkened, and she quickly grabbed her father's arm, looking anxious.
"It's true. Shall we go play together? You had quite a few fans from your live streams, and everyone is really looking forward to us and Cui Cui appearing on a show together. If we go, the ratings will surely be fantastic," Wei Xingzhou continued with a cheerful grin.
"Wei Xingzhou!" Little Cui Cui stomped her foot in exasperation.
Wei Xingzhou looked at Cui Cui, chuckled, and ruffled his obedient daughter's head, comforting her. "Oh dear, it's just a little sadness, isn't it? When you're feeling down, it's good to get out more, see new things, and play. Having friends around and enjoying the liveliness will make you happy."
"And besides... the Emperor, wasn't he taken by the Zerg? If your Mommy participates in the show with us, during the live broadcast, perhaps the Emperor will be able to receive the signal from the Zerg's side and see Lu Wanqing's broadcast. He'd be very happy!" Wei Xingzhou said with a smile.
Wei Xingzhou's words left both Lu Wanqing and Little Cui Cui stunned.
Lu Wanqing's mind slowly processed his words. That's right, if her third brother was still alive, if...
If she streamed live, her third brother would likely be able to see it, wouldn't he?
Would he be worried about her, all alone on the Zerg's side?
If she participated in the variety show with Wei Xingzhou and lived her life well, would he be happy to see it?
"Okay, I'll go," Lu Wanqing thought, and immediately agreed.
Wei Xingzhou's face lit up with a broad smile. "I knew it! What a wonderful opportunity for our family of three to go together!"
As Wei Xingzhou spoke, he looked down at Cui Cui, raising an eyebrow triumphantly.