Su Qing shook her head slightly at his words and said:
“Though these may not be particularly precious gifts, they are a token of a junior's regard. I hope you will accept them, Senior Dragon King!”
She had brought them all this way; it wouldn't do to leave without presenting them.
Besides, to her, these items truly weren't all that valuable.
The Old Dragon King, seeing the sincerity in Su Qing's expression, let out a hearty laugh. “Very well! Since this is a gift from my son-in-law, I shall accept it. I’ll be sure to give my son-in-law something even better later on!”
Su Qing was momentarily stunned. She had the distinct feeling that the Old Dragon King might be misunderstanding something.
However, she didn't feel like explaining. If he wanted to misunderstand, so be it.
It wasn't as if she was the one losing out.
“Ahem, alright. This isn't the place for idle chatter. Follow me to the back garden,” the Old Dragon King said, glancing at the busy surroundings. “By now, Ying'er's mother should be there enjoying the flowers. It’s the perfect chance for you all to have a proper chat.”
Su Qing naturally had no reason to refuse.
She nodded slightly and followed the Old Dragon King and Ao Ying toward the back garden.
Along the way, after exchanging a few words with Su Qing, Leng Xiang transformed back into a hairpin and settled into Su Qing's hair.
Gongsun Zhixue and the little ones, meanwhile, were looking around with wide eyes, fascinated by the parts of the Crystal Palace they hadn't seen yet.
Noticing this, the Old Dragon King’s eyes flickered as an idea struck him.
“It seems you all have quite an interest in the back garden,” he said. “In that case, feel free to wander around! The garden is quite large; there’s plenty for you to enjoy.”
Seeing that the little ones couldn't sit still, he was more than happy to send them off. It would create a better opportunity for Su Qing, Ao Ying, and the Dragon Queen to bond.
After all, the more little ones around, the harder it was to have a proper conversation. This was something the Old Dragon King knew from experience.
Gongsun Zhixue and the little sparrows looked toward Su Qing, seeking her permission.
Outside, whether it was Gongsun Zhixue or the sparrows, Su Qing was the ultimate authority figure. They might talk back occasionally, but for anything major, they looked to her for approval.
If she said no, they wouldn't go anywhere.
“Go on then,” Su Qing said with a helpless smile as the group stared at her. She nodded and added, “But don't cause trouble, don't break anything, and don't leave the back garden.”
“Don't worry, Sister Xiao Qing! We’re very well-behaved. How could we possibly cause trouble?” the little sparrows chirped in unison.
“Alright, alright. Go play,” Su Qing said.
“Yay!”
Having received permission to move freely, the girl and the four birds cheered and scurried off.
“Quite the lively bunch,” the Old Dragon King remarked with a laugh.
Su Qing shook her head slightly.
“They can be quite noisy at times. I just hope they don't disturb any of your flowers or plants, Senior.”
“If they break, they break. The Dragon Palace is vast; how much trouble can a few little ones really cause?” the Old Dragon King said magnanimously.
Su Qing glanced at the Old Dragon King and returned the smile, but she didn't pursue the topic further.
Inside a pavilion.
The Dragon Queen was busy embroidering something.
From the pattern, it looked like she was making something for a small child.
She was focused on her work when a familiar voice called out from the distance.
“Mother!”
Hearing the voice, the Dragon Queen instinctively set down her needle and thread.
She looked up toward the source of the sound.
She saw Ao Ying waving at her from afar, her face glowing with excitement.
Walking beside her were Su Qing and the Dragon King.
Seeing the Dragon Queen’s gaze upon her, Su Qing offered a slight, respectful bow.
The Dragon Queen couldn't help but smile. “If it isn't my Ying'er and my dear son-in-law? Have you come to the Dragon Palace to celebrate that old man’s birthday? How thoughtful!”
She was clearly happy to see Ao Ying, but she maintained her royal elegance, not showing the same outward excitement as her daughter.
Ao Ying threw her arms around her mother, then shook her head and said:
“Celebrating Father's birthday is secondary. The truth is, I missed you, Mother. Rather than saying I came back for his birthday and to see you, it’s more accurate to say I came back because I missed you, and I’m celebrating Father’s birthday while I'm at it.”
The Dragon King, standing nearby, felt his mouth twitch...
For some reason, those words felt painfully sincere. It was exactly the kind of thing Ao Ying would do.
Ao Ying's words drew a chuckle from the Dragon Queen, who patted her daughter’s head.
“Your father is standing right there watching! If you keep talking like that, he’ll probably start grumbling about you again.”
“So what?!” Ao Ying said dismissively. “He can just pretend he didn't hear it.”
The Dragon Queen gave the girl's cheek a playful pinch.
She then looked at the Old Dragon King with a triumphant, yet helpless expression, as if to say, “Serves you right. Look at what you did in the past; now your daughter isn't close to you anymore, is she?”
The Old Dragon King shook his head slightly. “Fine, fine. You mother and daughter have a good talk. This old man will go and prepare for tomorrow's banquet. I won't disturb you.”
Without waiting for Su Qing or Ao Ying to respond, he turned and left on his own.
Su Qing watched this scene, not knowing what to say.
Part of her found the situation a bit lonely and felt a twinge of pity for the Old Dragon King, but she also had to admit that this was the fruit of the seeds he had sown in the past.
If the Old Dragon King hadn't done those things back then...
With Ao Ying's personality, why would she have become so distant from him?
Su Qing shook her head slightly, quickly pulling her wandering thoughts back to the present.
Suddenly, she noticed that after catching up with Ao Ying, the Dragon Queen had turned her gaze toward her.
She didn't hesitate and gave a polite bow. “Junior Su Qing greets you, Senior Dragon Mother...”
But before she could finish, she saw a flicker of displeasure in the Dragon Queen's eyes.
Su Qing could only offer a helpless smile before correcting herself. “Greetings, Mother-in-law.”
Upon hearing the change in address, the Dragon Queen beamed, her eyes filled with a motherly, affectionate warmth.
“There! That’s my dear son-in-law!”
The Dragon Queen pulled Su Qing to her side. “Come, come, dear son-in-law, sit beside me. I have some things I want to ask you.”
Su Qing found it hard to refuse and sat obediently beside her.
However, once Su Qing was seated, the Dragon Queen didn't speak immediately. Instead, she turned to Ao Ying. “Dear daughter, go play by yourself for a bit. I have things to discuss with my Qing'er. Once we’re finished, you can come back!”
Hearing her mother’s words, Ao Ying's mouth dropped open, and she was momentarily speechless.
Finally, she managed to say, “Mother, you really do cast aside your daughter once you have a son-in-law!”
“What are you talking about? How could I not want my daughter?” the Dragon Queen said. “It’s just that right now, my son-in-law is a bit more important. Be a good girl and go play on your own.”
“...”
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