Ruan Shu cautiously lifted her gaze. She hadn’t met this person before, but she had indeed received a gift from Grandpa Liu.
Instinctively, Ruan Shu gave him a soft, sweet smile.
“Grandpa Liu.”
Her voice was tender and polite, and the old man’s smile grew even wider.
The other elders nearby couldn’t sit still any longer.
“Shushu.”
Ruan Shu looked up and saw a spirited older lady walk over, giving her a warm smile.
“I’m Grandma Min.”
Ruan Shu’s gentle, childlike voice called out, “Grandma Min,” and the soft sound seemed to melt everyone’s hearts.
The elderly woman crouched down to be level with Ruan Shu and extended her hand, asking gently, “Shushu, can you shake hands with Grandma?”
Feeling a bit shy, Ruan Shu nodded and placed her soft, small hand in the old lady’s palm.
What was supposed to be a gathering for the elders had somehow turned into a meet-and-greet session with Ruan Shu and a group of grandpas and grandmas.
There was no helping it. Most of the people from the chat group had come. Ruan He posted pictures and videos of his adorable granddaughter daily, sharing them in the group, so everyone had been “virtually raising” Shushu for some time and couldn’t wait to meet her in person.
Meanwhile, those outside the group and others on the sidelines looked utterly bewildered, staring at the gathering of powerful figures around this little girl. Their expressions ranged from confused to downright astonished.
“What’s so special about this little girl? Why do all these big shots seem so fond of her?”
“Who’s that?”
“Whose child is that little girl? Why are so many prominent people around her?”
“She’s with Marshal Ruan. I’m not sure whose child she is—I haven’t seen her before.”
“I think she’s Marshal Ruan’s daughter, the old marshal’s granddaughter.”
“No wonder… so many people around her; they must be showing respect to the old marshal.”
“But wait, didn’t you notice? The old marshal hasn’t even introduced her yet. They all went up to her on their own.”
“Yet, isn’t she rumored to be Marshal Ruan’s illegitimate daughter? Even if Marshal Ruan’s son were here, he wouldn’t get this kind of treatment, would he?”
Many of them would hesitate even to approach these big shots for a conversation, but the moment this little girl arrived, each of them graciously came over to greet her.
After Ruan Shu had finally been introduced to everyone, she obediently stood by her grandfather’s side, joining the group of distinguished figures.
Most of the people here were senior members, many of whom had retired. Yet, their achievements remained legendary. Even His Majesty held them in high regard, let alone anyone else.
“Shushu, don’t be nervous. Have some fruit. This peach tastes great; give it a try.”
“You can treat us like your own grandparents.”
Ruan He’s eyes widened, and he huffed, “What do you mean, ‘like your own grandparents’? Are you pretending this old man doesn’t exist?”
“Look at you getting all hot-tempered. It was just a comparison! Why get so worked up over it?”
Ruan He rolled his eyes, snapping back, “A comparison? You’ve practically thrown your abacus beads right in this old man’s face.”
Ruan Shu didn’t say a word, quietly sitting beside her grandfather. She held her peach and took small, careful bites, focusing intently on each one.
When someone addressed her, she would respond in a sweet, gentle voice, without a hint of impatience. She was even more charming in person than in the videos and photos, even more so than in the descriptions Grandpa Ruan often shared. It made the elders adore her even more.
They couldn’t help but glance over at the younger ones in the room—those who couldn’t sit still and had already wandered off to form their own little groups nearby. Seeing that, they felt a pang of envy, wishing they could trade places with Old Ruan.
“Shushu, are you bored sitting here with us old folks?” someone asked with a kind smile.
Ruan Shu shook her head. “No, not at all.”
She was the kind who could sit still without getting restless. Even if she couldn’t quite follow their conversation, she found plenty to do by nibbling on snacks and gently playing with a tiny vine tendril.
“Old He, we’re truly envious of you having such a well-behaved granddaughter. Look at our kids—they’ve already scattered who knows where.”
Ruan Shu glanced around, “My older brothers and sisters are great, too.”
With a slight blush, she waved her hand, her beautiful blue eyes full of sincerity.
“I’m not that impressive; I just… I just don’t like moving around much. My older brothers and sisters are really amazing.”
Though she admired their outgoing personalities, she knew she wasn’t that way and wouldn’t change.
Watching Ruan Shu stand up for them so sincerely made everyone want to pinch her cheeks. How could she be so adorable?
Not wanting to keep her tethered to their conversation, the elders were just about to ask one of the younger generation to show her around when His Majesty arrived.
The arrival of Almer sparked a buzz of excitement.
When Ruan Shu overheard that the emperor had come, she couldn’t help but crane her neck, looking toward the entrance.
It had been so long since she’d last seen Almer.
But the crowd was thick, and she was small. Standing on her tiptoes did nothing to help her see him.
“His Majesty is here; is the military exercise about to begin?”
“No, it’s not time yet. His Majesty arrived quite early this year.”
Unable to see him, Ruan Shu pricked up her ears to listen.
To many, Almer was still a young emperor, but no one underestimated him. After all, he was born with awakened abilities and possessed an SSS-grade Jingshen level.
Their emperor had joined the battlefield at just 20 years old, leading his knights to glorious victories.
When the former emperor abdicated, Almer’s ascension had been undisputed. Despite his youth, he was undeniably powerful.
Among the Star Beast Clan, nearly all the younger generation were fans of this emperor.
For many young people, being accepted into the emperor’s knight legion was a mark of pride.
Almer’s popularity was truly immense. The moment he entered, all eyes turned to him.
“It’s really His Majesty! I’ve watched his battle videos—his Star Beast form is so cool and powerful!”
“When His Majesty uses his innate abilities, he practically scorches everything in his path; there’s nothing left of his enemies, not even ashes. It’s incredible!”
“The dragon clan is the strongest; their physical prowess alone puts them above so many races.”
Ruan Shu listened intently to their admiration and praise for Almer, her own heart filling with awe. So Almer is this amazing?
Ruan He looked down at his adoring granddaughter and couldn’t help feeling a bit frustrated.
“Don’t let him fool you. Go back and watch more of Grandpa’s and Dad’s battle videos. Who wasn’t great in their youth?”
Ruan Shu nodded, her eyes crinkling with a smile. “Yes, I’ll remember, Grandpa. I’ll watch them as soon as we get back.”
Her grandfather was always worried that Almer would lead her astray, but Ruan Shu wasn’t that naive. Almer was a good friend, but he wasn’t family.
“Old Ruan, Old He, Old Liu… how has the year been treating you all?”
While Ruan Shu was chatting with her grandfather, Almer had come over, casually holding a glass of wine and greeting everyone.
He gave Ruan Shu a quick wink, a smile gracing his lips—elegant and charming.
Ruan Shu blinked, her eyes widening as she looked up at Almer.
Edited 08/09/25