ABFMV Chapter 7 Part 2

Xu Linlang brushed away the tear stains on her face. “I’m just going away to school. I’ll come back often to see you.”

Surrounded by rows of officers, Xu Linlang opened the pet carrier, scooped up the kitten, and stepped into the starship that had just descended to the ground.

“Starship shield, activated.”
“Jump engine, ready.”
“Destination Lilan Star, locked.”

The synthetic voice of the AI rang out the moment Xu Linlang set foot on the bridge, as if it had been waiting for her.

As the starship began its jump, she hugged the kitten tightly, nerves on edge.

Rong Ruyue had warned her: the trip was extremely long, involving multiple jumps, and they might even encounter the Celestials—the mysterious race that had long cut ties with humanity.

All those possibilities stacked together made her feel suddenly heavy with pressure.

She could only hope the journey would be smooth.

Lu Xiao’s starship encountered a problem mid–space warp.

He stared hard at the electronic display, eyes sharp and cold.

“The jump drive malfunctioned after an energy-level fluctuation. Our family’s rescue team is on the way, but we’ll have to hold out until they arrive.”

Jin Huan, seated at the co-pilot’s console, spoke nervously. Given the situation, it wasn’t certain they’d last until reinforcements arrived.

Lu Xiao didn’t blink. He pressed the ship-separation command; hatches started sealing off, the control module switched to emergency mode, and red warning icons flashed all over the screen.

Just as he prepared to cut off the massive energy-draining hull—like a lizard shedding its tail—Jin Huan suddenly shouted:

“Wait, isn’t that Miss Xu’s ship? Why is she here? Don’t tell me she got word and rushed over just to save you!”

Lu Xiao’s fingers froze on the controls.

Jin Huan leaned in, getting more animated. “Of course! Only the Xu family’s ships have a one-hundred-percent jump success rate. No wonder she made it here so quickly. And look at that massive fleet—Miss Xu must be frantic. She dragged out a whole armada just to pull you out of trouble. That’s some serious devotion.”

“Cut the gossip.”

Lu Xiao’s face remained expressionless, his focus locked on the separation system. “No matter what she does, it has nothing to do with me.”

“She went all in after you turned her down so harshly last time. And now she’s done this—you’re not even a little moved?”

Without so much as a glance, Lu Xiao said coldly, “Feeling touched doesn’t turn into love.”

Jin Huan sighed to himself. Miss Xu had really hit a brick wall—Lu Xiao loathed arrogant, overbearing women like Xu Linlang the most.

But he hadn’t expected her to persist even after that very public rejection. And now she’d mobilized an entire fleet to save them?

Judging by Lu Xiao’s icy expression, he clearly wasn’t planning to accept her goodwill.

Jin Huan shrugged. “Fine. I’ll contact Miss Xu’s ship and tell them we don’t need help, so they can turn back. That way, you won’t owe her anything.”

Lu Xiao stiffened, about to speak, but Xu Linlang’s fleet was already drawing closer.

“Uh, looks like it’s too late,” Jin Huan muttered, watching the formation. “Guess you’ll just have to accept her rescue whether you like it or not. At least it’s a gesture of goodwill—”

But before he could finish, the mighty fleet swept past them in perfect formation, executed a flawless jump, and vanished into the vastness of space—without so much as a pause.

Jin Huan: “……”

What the hell? Xu Linlang just left? Like she was only passing by?

But she clearly recognized Lu Xiao’s ship! What was she playing at?

Jin Huan sneaked a glance at Lu Xiao. Although the man kept his hands steady on the controls, Jin Huan swore the air pressure in the cockpit had dropped a few degrees.

As Xu Linlang’s ship approached the third warp station, she spotted a large starship hovering nearby.

A massive fireball erupted behind it, bursting outward from within.

Parts shot off at light speed, only to explode again mid-flight.

Her commander took one look and reported, “Miss, it’s Young Master Lu Xiao’s warship. Looks like they’ve run into some trouble.”

Lu Xiao? The eldest son of Admiral Lu—the same man who’d spurned the original Xu Linlang in favor of Yao Mo?

Xu Linlang only murmured, “Oh,” and calmly went on brushing the kitten’s fur.

The commander, knowing full well she had once confessed to Lu Xiao, hesitated. “Shall we assist them?”

But Xu Linlang smiled faintly. “They’re just over there playing with fireworks. Wouldn’t be polite for us to interfere.”