Chapter 21

Lan Xi was undeterred by the situation. After all, she was a princess with a strong willpower and learning ability.

Xie Cheng emerged from the kitchen, holding a glass of water. He didn't say anything and simply sat on the sofa, gazing out at the pouring rain.

Although it seemed quiet, Lan Xi keenly sensed the restlessness in Xie Cheng's heart.

It was time to step forward and comfort him!

That's what Lan Xi thought, and that's what she did.

She stood up and walked up to Xie Cheng.

Feeling his line of sight blocked, Xie Cheng finally turned away from the window and looked at Lan Xi.

"If the rain subsides later, I'll have the driver take you home," he paused, "but if it gets worse, you can stay over..."

Lan Xi didn't give Xie Cheng a chance to finish his sentence. Remembering the comforting steps she had read online, she first leaned forward and pushed him onto the sofa.

Xie Cheng indeed had a surprised look on his face, and his tone slightly rose, "What are you doing?!"

But before he could delve deeper into Lan Xi's intentions, something unexpected happened. Caught off guard by Lan Xi's sudden push, Xie Cheng, who hadn't prepared himself mentally, lost his grip on the glass of water, causing it to spill all over his shirt, leaving a large wet stain.

Xie Cheng frowned slightly, apparently preparing to get up and change his clothes.

This was the moment!

Lan Xi pushed Xie Cheng back onto the sofa and then leaned forward, straddling his lap, and began unbuttoning his shirt.

The atmosphere was supposed to be good, but...

However, Lan Xi was not an ordinary human being, let alone a princess, and she simply couldn't proficiently unbutton the shirt. She spent quite a while under the astonished gaze of Xie Cheng, feeling even more nervous, and in the end, she couldn't unbutton a single button...

Without hesitation, Lan Xi decided to take a different approach. If she couldn't unbutton the shirt, so be it. She exerted a little force and directly tore Xie Cheng's shirt apart—no matter the method, as long as the clothes were ultimately removed!

In an instant, Xie Cheng exclaimed, "What on earth are you doing?!"

As he spoke, he desperately struggled, trying to cover his now torn shirt and hide his body.

At the same time, he attempted to push Lan Xi away.

Lan Xi became a little anxious. She effortlessly suppressed Xie Cheng's movements and quickened her own fingers, saying, "I want to undress you!"

Xie Cheng looked bewildered. After a moment, he seemed somewhat helpless as he said, "It's okay, I don't blame you. I'll undress myself, just get off me first."

That works too!

If Xie Cheng was taking the initiative to undress, it seemed that he was very willing to be comforted.

Lan Xi released her hold on Xie Cheng, and he got up and went back to his room. After a moment, he returned.

Indeed, his previous clothes had been removed, but how did he manage to put on a new shirt?!

"Why are you wearing a shirt again?" Lan Xi asked, puzzled.

Xie Cheng hesitated for a moment and then replied, "What else should I wear if not a shirt?"

Lan Xi pondered for a moment and said, "Wearing a shirt is fine too, some people wear clothes, just take off your pants!"

"What?!"

Lan Xi didn't have time to consider what Xie Cheng might be thinking. Initially, he seemed a little irritated, but now his emotions were even more complex, a mix of irritation and fear.

What should she do?!

She needed to comfort him quickly!

With that in mind, Lan Xi disregarded everything and straddled Xie Cheng. As the internet suggested, when comforting a man at night, it didn't matter if the upper garment was on, but the pants had to come off.

However, as soon as Lan Xi's hand touched Xie Cheng's belt, he tightly grasped her hand.

Disbelief was written all over his face. "Lan Xi, are you crazy?! What are you doing?!"

Xie Cheng resisted strongly, making it difficult for Lan Xi to remove his pants. So, she decided to follow the instructions she read online and slipped her hand beneath his loosened shirt, exploring just like it described.

As an Earth man, Xie Cheng paid attention to exercise, regular routines, and a balanced diet. Therefore, Lan Xi unsurprisingly felt his well-defined abdominal muscles.

Full, youthful, and filled with the hormones of reproduction and mating, it piqued Lan Xi's curiosity.

However, she merely touched lightly, and Xie Cheng's firm muscles tensed gradually, his breathing grew heavier.

"Lan Xi!"

Though his tone was commanding, Xie Cheng's voice became somewhat hoarse and strange.

He stopped Lan Xi's mischievous hand. "Don't touch randomly."

Outside the window, thunder and lightning roared, but the room grew quiet. Xie Cheng's voice carried a suppressed heaviness and patience. "What are you up to this time?"

Lan Xi appeared innocent. "I only wanted to comfort you."

Xie Cheng struggled to maintain his breathing rhythm, as if trying hard to stay calm. "Release my pants first."

"No, I can't." Lan Xi persisted. "The pants must come off for comfort."

Xie Cheng seemed fed up. "Taking off pants for comfort? Comforting what? It's all messy and nonsensical."

"Because I feel like you're not happy inside, and you're agitated." Lan Xi pondered. "I want to comfort you."

As she spoke, her hand resumed its exploration, clumsily attempting to navigate through the fabric.

Initially unsure, Lan Xi regained some confidence when Xie Cheng began emitting dangerously low, deep breaths, just like the internet described.

This was it!

Up until this point, the progress matched the steps described online for comforting a man, and Xie Cheng's reactions aligned perfectly.

So, what came next...

Lan Xi climbed down from Xie Cheng's leg. At this moment, Xie Cheng was pinned down on the sofa by her, and Lan Xi, in this position, knelt beside his feet, holding onto his legs.

Xie Cheng wanted to stop her, but it seemed she had control over him, and her strength was unexpectedly powerful.

...

Lan Xi loved Earth's food and was willing to try almost anything.

However... even though the internet said it was edible, she hesitated...

She glanced uncertainly at Xie Cheng. Something felt off. Was it really safe to eat? It didn't seem like it could be consumed...

Glancing up, Xie Cheng stared at Lan Xi with reddened eyes, his voice sounding gritted and yet with a sense of false bravado.

Lan Xi heard his deliberate enunciation—

"Lan Xi, stand up."

But Lan Xi hesitated. She felt that Xie Cheng's emotions hadn't improved in the slightest; in fact, an unhealthy flush even appeared on his face.

It wasn't there just a moment ago.

At this moment, Xie Cheng's cheeks were still slightly flushed, and there was a hint of redness in his earlobes. Was he sick? Didn't Earth have this thing called a fever?

In this situation, wouldn't it be even more necessary for her to comfort him?

Lan Xi felt the need to act quickly!

Lan Xi appeared resolute. She knelt by Xie Cheng's feet, looked up at him with moist eyes, and spoke with an innocent tone, uttering words that stunned Xie Cheng to the core—

"So, the umbrella you always carry with you was actually placed here!" "Don't worry, leave it to me. I know how to console people!"

...

Xie Cheng knew he should maintain control, but his blood seemed to rush uncontrollably away from his brain, preventing him from thinking calmly.

He now truly understood Xie Jing's intention in arranging Lan Xi, someone so full of flaws, by his side. Perhaps it wasn't for the purpose of stealing any trade secrets or keeping watch over him, but instead... to tempt him.

Xie Cheng had encountered many eyes filled with desire, but he had never seen eyes like Lan Xi's. How could she look at him with such pure eyes, unaffected and composed, and carry out such actions as casually as drinking a glass of water?

...

Lan Xi disregarded Xie Cheng's resistance. Although he was a physically robust male in his prime, he was, after all, just an Earthling and not a match for herself, the princess of Planet Muye.

However, Lan Xi didn't expect that Xie Cheng, somehow, seemed to have a sudden change of heart.

He loosened his grip on Lan Xi's hand, which he had firmly held onto while vying for control of the belt.

Xie Cheng simply let go, then stood up with a composed expression. "I'll handle it myself."

His voice once again became calm and steady, still carrying the residual warmth from before.

It is said online that when comforting someone, men often gain the upper hand.

That makes sense.

Lan Xi didn't want to waste her energy either. She rubbed her sore and achy wrist from the struggle over the belt, then watched as Xie Cheng, with a serious face, undid the belt in the quiet room.

When he loosened his pants...

Lan Xi was still earnestly contemplating how to further comfort Xie Cheng, but he suddenly crouched down. Now his line of sight was level with Lan Xi's, and he fixed his dark, unreadable eyes on her for a moment. Then, he took hold of one of Lan Xi's hands and resolutely pulled her into his side.

It was like an embrace.

When comforting a man late at night, there is indeed a process of embracing, but why did Xie Cheng take off his belt, yet his pants remained on?

Lan Xi was about to correct his mistake when she felt a tight grip on her wrist. She looked down and realized that Xie Cheng had firmly fastened her wrists with a belt, securing them behind her waist.

Once he had completely restrained Lan Xi, Xie Cheng finally let out a sigh of relief. He lifted her up and placed her on the sofa, warning her, "Stay put, and sit here."

Then he turned and went back into the room.

After a moment, Xie Cheng reappeared in the living room, now wearing casual pants. He looked at Lan Xi with a complex expression and asked, "How do you know about these things?"

As if carefully choosing his words, Xie Cheng paused before continuing, "Didn't I tell you that you shouldn't do this?"

"I didn't want to sleep with you!" Lan Xi felt wronged. "You said we shouldn't sleep together, and I listened. I just felt that you were in a bad mood, and I wanted to comfort you..."

"Comfort?" Xie Cheng frowned and then looked at Lan Xi in disbelief. "You call this comforting?"

He fell silent for a moment and then glanced deeply at Lan Xi. "Is this what they told you? To comfort men like this?"

Well, those people online did indeed say that!

Lan Xi nodded.

She keenly noticed that Xie Cheng, who had previously looked gloomy and unpleasant, now, after hearing these words, still had a serious expression but no longer seemed as tense. Instead, a hint of indescribable pity appeared on his face.

"You mustn't do this in the future."

He took a deep breath, crouched down, and looked into Lan Xi's eyes. "You don't need to do this kind of comforting anymore."

"But..."

"There are no 'buts.' This kind of comfort should be completely avoided in the future. You shouldn't do it to me or anyone else."

Xie Cheng's tone was very serious, but Lan Xi was still puzzled. She had followed the online guide exactly, and although the guide did mention that it might not work on all men, judging from Xie Cheng's reaction, it clearly worked...

"Don't you want me to do this to you?" Lan Xi widened her eyes. Since her hands were tied and she couldn't move, she could only use her eyes to gesture toward Xie Cheng's lower body. "Your reaction suggests that you really want to be comforted, doesn't it?"

Xie Cheng adjusted his posture and looked somewhat uneasy, but his voice remained serious.

"People indeed have various desires, things they want to do, things they want to have. But not all things you want to do should be done because some things are illegal, and some things are not moral."

He looked at Lan Xi. "Humans have become civilized because they can restrain themselves from doing things they want to do but shouldn't."

Lan Xi tried hard to digest Xie Cheng's words but still felt confused. "I read that comforting someone in that way is an expression of liking them. Can't you express liking in this way?"

Xie Cheng's voice was patient. "Expressing affection doesn't necessarily have to involve such actions. There are many other ways to show it."

"Like what?"

"For example, hugging or kissing. These are all ways to express affection. It doesn't always have to be about 'comforting.' And not all expressions of affection require sleeping together," Xie Cheng thought for a moment and added.

"I see!"

"From now on, whenever it comes to interpersonal matters and you're unsure, make sure to ask me beforehand," Xie Cheng said seriously and earnestly. "Because not everyone can resist doing things they shouldn't. For instance, if you ever encounter a guy who asks you to undress, you must immediately come to me."

Although Lan Xi didn't fully understand, she nodded vigorously.

She knew that Xie Cheng was doing this for her own good. After all, he was the man she had conquered, and he was loyal and protective towards her. It was one of the signs of being conquered.

"So, you understand everything I've said, right?" Xie Cheng asked, and Lan Xi nodded in response.

With that, Xie Cheng stood up and untied the belt that bound Lan Xi's hands.

Lan Xi's skin was delicate, and even with such a short and loose binding, there were faint red marks on her wrists.

"Sorry," Xie Cheng lowered his gaze. "I had no choice in the heat of the moment."

After saying that, he went back to the room and fetched a medical kit. He took out a jar of ointment and handed it to Lan Xi. "Apply it yourself. It will help reduce the bruising."

Lan Xi obediently opened the lid and applied it to her wrists. However, her movements were clumsy and disordered due to her lack of experience.

Soon, it seemed like Xie Cheng couldn't bear watching anymore. He took the jar from Lan Xi's hands and said, "Forget it, let me do it."

He took hold of Lan Xi's wrist and carefully applied the ointment. "Have you never applied medicine to yourself before?" he asked.

Lan Xi shook her head.

Of course not. As a princess, she rarely got injured, and even if she did, there were specialized medical officers to take care of it.

But when Xie Cheng finished listening to her, he looked up at her with a complicated expression. "I didn't realize you had been through such hardships."

"No, I haven't. I haven't experienced any hardships," Lan Xi insisted.

But Xie Cheng didn't give Lan Xi a chance to finish her sentence. He interrupted her, somewhat helpless. "Just believe whatever you want."

It seemed like he believed her.

Indeed, Xie Cheng had a good understanding. He understood what she meant without her having to explain further, saving them both from the trouble of more explanations.

However, Lan Xi didn't quite grasp the transition to the next topic that Xie Cheng brought up.

"But sometimes, there's no need to pretend to be strong," he looked into Lan Xi's eyes. "If you keep acting strong for too long, everyone will believe it, and showing vulnerability isn't a bad thing. Because it's when you show vulnerability that you can find people who will willingly help and protect you."

"But I don't need to show vulnerability," Lan Xi tilted her head and pondered for a moment. "Because in the current situation, you will protect me willingly, right?"

Xie Cheng was momentarily stunned.

"Or will you stop doing so in the future?" Lan Xi stared into Xie Cheng's eyes. "Can you keep protecting me like this forever?"

Lan Xi's expression was pure and innocent, but Xie Cheng couldn't help but look away.

This made Lan Xi's face fall with disappointment. "Is it not possible?"

"It's not impossible," Xie Cheng knew he shouldn't have spoken up, but the words seemed to have a will of their own and slipped out of his mouth. He cleared his throat and added, "If you're still interested in working for Chengxin, it can be arranged. After all, you're considered my employee, so it's understandable to provide some special benefits for someone like you, who belongs to a disadvantaged group."

"That would be great!"

Conquering a planet is primarily about conquering the indigenous population and establishing control on that planet. The key is to cultivate loyal confidants among the natives, ultimately leading the planet to achieve autonomy. When choosing subordinates, loyalty and unwavering guardianship are what matters.

Lan Xi believed that once she regained her princess status and successfully conquered Earth, Xie Cheng could be entrusted with important responsibilities.

However, since Xie Cheng was seen as a future trusted confidant for proxy rule, it was only natural to care about his emotions while cultivating a good relationship.

"Why aren't you happy?" Lan Xi looked at Xie Cheng, attempting to console him with a gentle tone. "Since you're not mad at me, why are you feeling so restless?"

"If you don't like this way of comforting, I can try another method." Lan Xi's tone was sincere. After all, in her eyes, Xie Cheng was a key person to nurture. Managing and winning over subordinates was a compulsory course for the royal family of the Wood Yi Star!

Xie Cheng pursed his lips and looked out of the window at the relentless thunderstorm. Then he turned his gaze to Lan Xi, whose eyes were innocent and focused. The rain cast a haze of light in the room, making it appear dimly warm and blurring the boundaries between people.

"Do you think I'm restless?"

"Yes," Lan Xi nodded. "I can sense it."

When a person's emotions fluctuate, their bio-magnetic field also undergoes corresponding changes. Lan Xi was more sensitive to these changes than humans.

However, Xie Cheng had no knowledge of these things; he was simply moved internally.

Clearly, Lan Xi had always lived in adversity, never receiving the love of family. She had even encountered various forms of malice and exploitation due to her own flaws. Yet, she could maintain such a clear and innocent gaze, as if she had been well protected like a princess. Although she was naive and impulsive when it came to worldly matters, she naturally possessed empathy and care for others.

Xie Cheng thought he had concealed his inner restlessness and emotional fluctuations well, and indeed, no one had ever noticed them before.

So, how much care and attention from Lan Xi would it take for her to be able to sense his emotional changes instantly?

Xie Cheng didn't know the answer.

Although Lan Xi wouldn't express her feelings, it was evident that he was different to her.

He looked at Lan Xi, and his gaze became more complex involuntarily.

...

**

Showing concern for Xie Cheng, Lan Xi was merely going through the motions of caring out of curiosity. She didn't expect Xie Cheng to respond, but to her surprise, after a brief and complicated silence, Xie Cheng spoke up.

"My parents died in a car accident."

"But that accident could have been avoided."

Under the cover of heavy rain, Xie Cheng's voice sounded faintly, "It was during a business trip when I encountered an extreme thunderstorm that the weather forecast failed to predict." He glanced out of the window and said, "Just like today."

"But at that time, big data and various information systems had not been well applied to meteorological research. They were also limited by the level of scientific research and data analysis capabilities at that time. In short, the weather forecast completely failed to issue a warning for that thunderstorm. The place where my parents were on a business trip happened to coincide with a large event, resulting in heavy traffic. As a result, the extreme thunderstorm caused a series of car accidents, leading to a major incident with 10 deaths and 8 injuries."

Lan Xi finally began to understand, "So that's why you're doing the work you do now?"

"Yes."

Xie Cheng didn't say anything more, but Lan Xi gradually grasped the significance of Xie Cheng's work in her state of confusion.

Those seemingly dry data analysis, mathematical modeling, data organization, and database maintenance and updates seemed to be of great use.

"Well, I can help you!" Lan Xi had never thought that her ability to predict the weather would be of much use, but at this moment, she felt a profound sense of responsibility.

For the first time, she felt extremely proud of her abilities. "I am indeed very useful!"

Lan Xi glanced at Xie Cheng and continued, "If you perform well, I can be by your side and help you continuously."

She paused and added, "But help goes both ways. You have to help me too. If there's something I don't understand, you have to answer my questions."

Lan Xi blinked. "Of course, as a reward, I will also bestow upon you the highest honor."

Xie Cheng's expression showed a hint of amusement. "What honor?"

"The honor of being my sidekick."

"..."

Xie Cheng's obvious speechlessness made Lan Xi unhappy. "Don't be like this. Do you know how many people in this universe would like to be my sidekick? I just have to snap my fingers and there would be a queue of people willing to line up."

She couldn't reveal her true identity as a princess, so she couldn't explain further. Lan Xi originally intended to complain, but she didn't expect Xie Cheng to look at her for a moment, then look away and say softly, "With your looks, indeed, snapping your fingers would attract a queue of people."

After he finished speaking, he looked back at Lan Xi. "But you can't casually recruit 'sidekicks.' Apart from saying such things to me, don't say them to others indiscriminately. Not everyone has a moral bottom line."

Xie Cheng's expression was serious, but Lan Xi quickly saw through his true thoughts. She didn't realize that this guy was quite jealous. She hadn't officially become his exclusive sidekick yet, and he was already jealous and didn't want her to recruit other sidekicks.

But she could understand all of this.

After all, her noble princess temperament seemed to make him feel threatened.

So Lan Xi generously patted Xie Cheng's shoulder. "Alright then, it's settled. But you have to work hard." She emphasized seriously, "You have to perform well."

"So, can you peel an orange for me first?"

Xie Cheng's face revealed an incredulous expression. "Can't you peel it yourself? I agreed to help you with things you don't understand or can't do, but that doesn't mean you can command me for everything..."

Lan Xi looked at Xie Cheng pitifully. "But I dislike fruits with peels. Can you please help me peel it?"

"No," Xie Cheng firmly refused. "You peel it yourself."

He did sympathize with Lan Xi and wanted to help her out of compassion, but it didn't mean he would be at her beck and call.

To Xie Cheng, Lan Xi was like a charity project, and he didn't want her to misunderstand that.

Lan Xi grumbled unwillingly, "But I've seen many men peel oranges for women!"

"Well, those are other men, and the relationship between them and the women is different from ours," Xie Cheng pursed his lips and looked at Lan Xi. "Besides, those men are those men. I won't peel oranges for women. Men shouldn't degrade themselves like that. I can only understand men who peel oranges for their own family members or disabled individuals."

In Mu Yi Star, Lan Xi had never eaten oranges before, so naturally, she didn't know how to peel them. But unable to resist her craving, after being flatly rejected by Xie Cheng, she reluctantly picked up the orange from the coffee table and tore and bit at the peel clumsily, using both hands and feet to deal with it.

Soon, the orange peel was clumsily torn by Lan Xi, and juice started to flow out. The air was filled with the fragrant aroma of oranges. Lan Xi really liked the sweet and sour taste of oranges and couldn't help but stick out her tongue and lick the dripping orange juice from her fingers...

Then, her orange was suddenly snatched away by Xie Cheng.

Lan Xi was furious. She had only peeled one-third of it, so why did Xie Cheng come and take away her victorious fruit?

Just as she was about to get angry, she saw Xie Cheng quickly peel the remaining two-thirds of the orange peel and handed it back to her.

"No one took your orange; here you go."

Lan Xi puffed her cheeks and muttered, "I didn't say anything."

"You didn't say it, but your eyes were filled with your emotions. Isn't your heart accusing me of snatching your orange?" Xie Cheng looked at her, his expression somewhat unnatural.

Lan Xi stuffed half of the orange into her mouth. "Because you said you wouldn't peel oranges for women, so isn't that taking my orange away?"

Xie Cheng's expression became serious. "From now on, when peeling oranges, you're not allowed to lick your fingers."

After saying that, he took a tissue without waiting for a response and unceremoniously wiped the remaining orange juice off Lan Xi's fingers, his movements somewhat rough.

Lan Xi understood it all too well.

This man must have wanted to take her orange for himself! That's why he looked so awkward and unnatural! She had hit the nail on the head with his true intentions!

"But I couldn't resist. It's like how some people can't resist licking the lid of a yogurt container when they open it. It's just a subconscious behavior that's sometimes hard to control."

"Then you shouldn't eat oranges anymore," Xie Cheng said sternly. "There are plenty of other fruits. Choose something else."

Lan Xi found it utterly perplexing. "But I like eating oranges! Even if you ask me to peel it myself, I still did!"

"Don't peel it yourself next time." Xie Cheng, who had just insisted on peeling the orange by himself, directly denied himself without any psychological obstacles. He looked at Lan Xi and asserted his authority, "If I'm here next time, I'll peel it for you. If I'm not, you better not eat it."

"Why?!"

"Because you peel the orange so poorly and can't resist licking your fingers. It's not a healthy sight, and it's not suitable if there are young children around."

???

How is it unhealthy to peel an orange by oneself?!

"Anyway, that's how it is." Xie Cheng, as if issuing a final ultimatum, glanced at Lan Xi. "Eating fewer oranges is good for you and others. Eating too many oranges can cause internal heat, so control yourself and eat less."

However, despite his words, under Lan Xi's pleading gaze, Xie Cheng peeled another orange for her—

"I've peeled enough oranges for you for the week. I'll peel more for you when you come to study next week."

Upon hearing that there were oranges to eat, Lan Xi's eyes brightened again. "Xie Cheng, you're so kind!"

Strangely enough, Xie Cheng, who had been easily peeling oranges, felt a bit uncomfortable after hearing Lan Xi's words. Even the peeling became less skillful than before. He gave Lan Xi a warning glare, a mix of severity and embarrassment. "Not only should you eat fewer oranges from now on, but also refrain from saying such cheesy things."

"Don't think you can achieve everything by flattery." After he finished speaking, he stuffed the freshly peeled orange into Lan Xi's hand. "Eat your orange and speak less."

In fact, Xie Cheng didn't need to say anything. Lan Xi automatically fell silent. The sweet and tangy juice of the orange filled her taste buds, and she had no desire to say anything more.

Suddenly, she felt that Earth was truly wonderful, and the fruits on Earth were fantastic. The men on Earth... were pretty good too! Like Xie Cheng, who peeled oranges for her!

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