After bidding farewell to Beibei and Tang Ya, Huo Yuhao made his way alone to Shrek City.
As one of the most famous and bustling cities on the Douluo Continent, Shrek City was home to a considerable number of permanent residents.
However, Shrek City was a place where every inch of land was worth its weight in gold, and it was not a place that ordinary commoners could afford to live in. Those who resided here were either wealthy, noble, or esteemed soul masters.
Just then, a voice sounded in Huo Yuhao's ear.
"Little Black Hair, you've kept Lady Hua Huo waiting for so long. Tell me, how should Lady Hua Huo punish you?"
A familiar figure appeared in front of Huo Yuhao. She wore a faint smile, her eyes fixed intently on him.
"Lady Hua Huo can do as she pleases…"
Huo Yuhao wore a helpless expression, spreading his arms as if to say, "Do whatever you want."
In the next moment, Hua Huo pounced into Huo Yuhao's arms, embracing him tightly, her face wearing a heart-wrenching expression.
"Little Black Hair, have you grown tired of Lady Hua Huo? Do you have someone else in your heart…?"
"Wuwu…"
"I… I thought… we would make it to the end, get married… have children, and raise them to be jesters."
"But… but you heartless man, you… you actually showed a helpless expression to Lady Hua Huo!"
After throwing herself into Huo Yuhao's arms, Hua Huo continued to deliver her "lines," though the corners of her mouth were increasingly unable to suppress a smile.
Hearing this, Huo Yuhao remained unmoved, pursing his lips.
"Lady Hua Huo, if you could just tone down the smile on your face a bit, I might have believed you."
Hua Huo was momentarily stunned. She pushed Huo Yuhao away, glanced at him, and then pouted. "Tch, so boring. Not fun at all."
Seeing Hua Huo's disinterested expression, Huo Yuhao shrugged and began to hum, "I played along with your act, pretending not to see…"
"Forcing the one who loves you the most to improvise…"
After hearing just these two lines, Hua Huo paused in her steps and turned to look at Huo Yuhao.
"It's because I love you that I chose to perform…"
"???"
"This song exists in our world too. Phones, computers, games, even starships and the God of Fun—it's not strange for there to be songs, right?"
Hua Huo spread her hands and laughed. "An actor, huh? Lady Hua Huo likes that title."
Huo Yuhao fell silent for a moment, his mouth slightly open as if he wanted to say something but stopped himself.
Whether Hua Huo truly understood him or not, he didn't know.
But he had a "slight understanding" of Hua Huo's past.
"Wife Hua Huo, if you wear a mask for too long, it'll become hard to take off."
Huo Yuhao took a step forward, looking into Hua Huo's eyes with a serious expression.
Beneath the mask was an even more beautiful mask, until the last one, a face devoid of emotion, one that would break your heart.
"The moment I put on the mask, I loved you. Do you want me to take it off?"
Hua Huo leaned close to Huo Yuhao's ear and whispered.
"…"
Upon hearing this, Huo Yuhao shuddered, his pupils contracting slightly.
After a moment of silence, Huo Yuhao glanced sideways, meeting Hua Huo's gaze.
"Wife Hua Huo, do you know why I rejected Wang Dong?"
Instead of directly answering Hua Huo's question, Huo Yuhao posed one of his own.
For this mask that represented "love," Huo Yuhao couldn't answer, nor did he want to.
This was Hua Huo's philosophy, Hua Huo's path.
Each mask represented a role, and beneath the mask, she played and embodied the character above.
Without hesitation, Hua Huo replied, "Because you love Lady Hua Huo!"
"Well, not just that."
Huo Yuhao shook his head, clasping his hands behind his back like a monk who had seen through the world, and continued, "Although I don't understand what love is, I won't treat it as a joke."
Using love to bind Wang Dong'er would indeed create many, many jokes, but Huo Yuhao chose not to do so.
It wasn't because Huo Yuhao was noble, nor was it because he lacked the ability to do so. For him, achieving this would have been effortless.
But he gave it up!
As Huo Yuhao had said, he didn't understand what love was, but he wouldn't use it as a joke.
For now, he was still somewhat human, still possessing a sliver of human decency. That was his bottom line.
Hearing this, Hua Huo was momentarily stunned, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curl upward.
"You admit that you love Lady Hua Huo!"
"I admit it. Why wouldn't I dare to admit it?"
"My wife, the most beautiful, kindest, and most gorgeous Lady Hua Huo in the universe, who wouldn't love her!"
Huo Yuhao spread his arms and declared boldly.
Hua Huo and Huo Yuhao locked eyes once more, like two deeply affectionate lovers. After a moment, they both smiled.
"Little Black Hair, you've won."
Hua Huo stood on her tiptoes and, like a dragonfly skimming the water, lightly kissed Huo Yuhao's cheek. Then she turned and walked forward.
Huo Yuhao stared at Hua Huo's retreating figure, murmuring, "It's Lady Hua Huo who has won."
Love,it was unsolvable.
Hua Huo paused slightly, her steps becoming noticeably lighter.
"Little Black Hair, this mask will be preserved for you by Lady Hua Huo, until… the day Lady Hua Huo completely disappears."
The Emissary of the Elation, who wouldn't treat love as a joke, admitted that he loved Lady Hua Huo. Hahaha~
This was truly hilarious!
The emotionless Lady Hua Huo was willing to forever preserve the mask of "loving Little Black Hair." That was also too funny!
Without hesitation, Huo Yuhao followed Hua Huo's steps, like a guardian by her side.
Hua Huo walked ahead, occasionally buying snacks, eating half, and then handing the rest to Huo Yuhao.
The two didn't exchange words, but a single glance was enough to understand each other's intentions.
Passersby couldn't help but sigh at how mature today's youth seemed!
After a while, as the sky began to darken, Huo Yuhao finally remembered the main purpose of his visit.
He had come to Shrek City to prepare for the gathering a week later. Although this was just a side activity during their outing, it still needed to be done, didn't it?
"Wife Hua Huo, up ahead is the Treasure Pavilion. Let's go and buy some things we'll need for the gathering?"
This gathering might not have much fun, but if there's no fun, can't we just create some?
Huo Yuhao had an immature idea!
What the idea was didn't matter, immaturity was enough.
Hearing this, Hua Huo paused and nodded.
"Alright, Husband Yuhao!"
"Little Black Hair" was a private "term of endearment."
"Husband Yuhao" was what she called him in front of others.
At least, that's how it was for Hua Huo.
This wasn't the first time the two had visited the Treasure Pavilion, so they were quite familiar with the process.
After all, the first time they came here, they had planned to rob the place. How could they not be familiar?
Without wasting words with the attendants at the door, Huo Yuhao directly pulled out his five-million-gold-coin card!
The women's eyes lit up at the sight of the card, and they couldn't help but bow slightly.
This was a gold card issued by the Treasure Pavilion!
Not just anyone could possess one!