Chapter 25

*The Fish That Stole the Cat*
Bai Shuzhou disliked overly intimate touch.
Until today everyone thought so.
Even with sister Bai Qianze—rare hugs—with Zhu Yu in early marriage they walked one before one—fan hiding flirt—barely.
Few new couples refused marks—everyone thought Bai Shuzhou frigid—untouchable saint—
So obvious marks on Zhu Yu—everyone froze—didn’t pull them apart—
Not many marks—but deep—deep bite—pheromone everywhere—
Zhu Yu oblivious—
Like too much perfume—center person numb—doesn’t smell wrong—
Normal heat bond lasts days—in dark isolation—time slower than water—
Zhu Yu thought one night—actually three days two nights—lover pheromone best tonic—sleep tangled—scents mingled—subtle change both—
Wood scent made rose sharper—thorns—too subtle—unnoticed—
Fox bad at fighting—Feng gym habit—struggle less than rusty screw on Zhu Yu’s bench—
Everyone watched Zhu Yu beat Feng’s pride—
Nobody stopped—awkward—expected crowd “stop stop”—she’d sneer “no next time!”
—
Fox soon stopped—looked like Zhu Yu bullying—robbery shout was notice—
Ha—beat Feng—
Done for!!
Silence—lift blanket—calm not coward—hand out—
“Don’t steal—that’s principle.”
Advantage girl pulled fox up—calm verdict—
Fixed crooked collar—
Half-open shirt—ambiguous Zhu Yu—pressed Feng’s noble lapels—tie up—sealed poison words—
Mature vs livestream hero contrast—
Smile at crowd—
“God—” maid heart race—“Birth maybe not everything—rough but fresh—princess crush understandable—”
Robbing what—princess heart?
Oh! Duel not just legend—illegal—
But Zhu Yu restrained—not abusive—
Blanket buffer—Feng not hurt—public shame worse—shoved helpers—left fast—
After—learned Feng ordered investigate kidnapping—
Feng investigate—Yzelia execute—checks each other—
Cold sweat—politicians riddles—barely understood—just scolded—if truth machine on leg injury—grave three feet grass—
Palace maybe more dangerous than Chaos—
Bai Shuzhou not here—
Together fantasy gone—only mirror touch in bath feels real—
Hated good constitution—marks fade fast—
Joy then gap—anxiety—
Huge mirror—flowers—steam—pretty filter—
Want Bai Shuzhou see—can’t stop—if she held hand—
Ah stop!
Sank bubbling—ears hot—
Waited return—like junk star—waited after work—dinner—sun in food—
Bai Shuzhou never came—nobody—
Palace huge—bath bigger than whole yard—alone at night—no soft breath—
Where—gems then vanish—
No answers—steward disliked her—vague—slow realized—quarantined in wing—
Not home—side hall—not same room—
Rules—after divorce leave—original luggage—luxury clothes—perfume—useless—
Original loved locks—passwords—who knows—hateful—
Only Feng interrogations—dumb to sick—rumors naturally spread Zhu Yu was unwell—
Outside chaos—
North nobles who reported kidnapping—gray wolf heir—died mysteriously in Feng custody—
Yzelia missed Federation big fish—hated mechs—R&D “counter experiments”—
Found empire mechs lag—flesh vs steel hurts—
Federation decades ahead—empire nobles deny—
Yzelia admitted—refused pilot mechs—beat whole mech squad solo—
Red mech was Federation ace—75% damage—feared imperial beasts—
Violence made subordinates fear—whisper Zhu Yu pilot might satisfy mad tiger—
Royal academy grad—mech selection—custom prototype—recruitment star—
Can’t scrap unproven—fame sky high—
One person between racial conflict—Schrödinger’s fish—
Empire blamed Federation—Federation friendly Zhu Yu—unite vs pirates—
Returned victims—including phoenix and birds—Nan Gong saved—
If Bai Shuzhou speech—holes—only Freedom Declaration—more shock—
Federation shame—protests—free traded beastfolk—
Animal org fight again—
Nobody believed treason—impossible—
Yzelia dug her—told Feng enough—bring her out—need her—
Feng speechless—wanted Zhu Yu bait—soft prison not her idea—
Isolated—amnesia claim—can’t guide—witness died—Feng responsible—case weirder—
While storm outside—Zhu Yu meals in room—bored games—count gems—polish—log—
One gem she loves me—two loves—three super—push tower down—
Sister—not gems—when back—
Why vanish clean—nights ago she kissed with feeling—
Under blanket dry memory—contract lover ok—
Why turn leave—no glance—
No fall nightmare—Bai Shuzhou didn’t let go—vanished in snow—alone no direction—
Feng malice—condition worsened—gene disease from spirit spike—research blame union—data report—
Slap face—low Alpha dare dragon princess—
Learned lover hospitalized all along—
Silent steward rare words—not your fault—
Tone like Bai Shuzhou—gentle hands in snow—don’t answer—
Traps everywhere—walk slow—
Sunny morning Bai Shuzhou felt unwell—calm wash—arrange all—Academy treatment—
Ill years—used to—this time plus Zhu Yu—unfamiliar—
—
I arrange everything—including you.
Cannot leave—only this wing fully Bai Shuzhou’s control—
Hold in palm—
Leave—speculation follows—
Steward—“Highness didn’t want you know—she’ll be fine—years same—wait—”
Years… nose ache—pain unknown—alone endure—
“Want see her—useful—help?”
Steady stare—“That’s why she hid. Don’t go Academy—not your place.”
“You trouble—she can’t protect—useless worry.”
Steward raised Bai Shuzhou—hostile especially before leave—pinch sleeping Zhu Yu—“don’t wake—”
Mother intuition—child might hurt—rather cold forever—cut clean—
Love too heavy—
Wet bird wings—
“Too many forbidden places—” Zhu Yu stubborn—“I went—results good—try—”
Parallel world—one point—fate tangled up not down—
Won’t let go—won’t leave sick alone—as she hoped in fear—
“Take me to her—please.”
Eyes deep—“Even if might die?”
“Yes!” Hard nod—
Only maybe—why leave partner—
Slow—steward ice cracked smile—
“Okay—not that bad—I’ll help—just don’t want Highness lost on you.”
“Ah…” elder approval—bow—“Thanks.”
“Too early thanks—” glance—“Moderation though.”
Sudden elder topic—flustered—fish caught stealing cat—“Oh sorry yes next time!”