The dishes were placed one by one on the dining table, emitting a fragrant aroma.

As Baiying looked at the table full of dishes, her stomach growled loudly.

"Mother, I'm hungry," Baiying said, touching her belly.

Iris smiled and looked at Baiying, then sat her on her lap and indulgently said, "Then let Yinger have two pieces of spare ribs to fill her stomach."

With these words, Iris picked up a spare rib and fed it to Baiying, who eagerly began to eat.

"Mmm, delicious!" Baiying exclaimed.

"If you like it, eat more. I'll cook your favorite dishes for you next time," Yar said gently, her eyes filled with tender smiles.

Baiying was the daughter of the Demon Emperor, and Yar considered herself the Demon Emperor's main concubine. Naturally, she treated Baiying as if she was her own child.

"That's great! Thank you, Auntie!" Baiying said, her eyes shining with excitement.

"You're welcome," Yar smiled slightly, "If Yinger wants to eat anything, just tell Auntie. As long as Auntie can do it, she will definitely satisfy Yinger's appetite."

"Okay, got it," Baiying happily replied, while munching on the spare ribs in her hand.

Not long after, a petite figure walked into the dining room.

"Elder Sister, Happy New Year's Eve," a childish voice entered the ears of Iris and the others.

Ling wore a black dress, with a graceful figure and a beautiful face. Her ruby-like eyes were clear and shining, with a captivating glow. Her long, curled eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings. With her delicate and fair skin, luscious lips, she looked like an enchanting elf.

"Mmm, Happy New Year's Eve," Iris said gently, pointing to an empty seat next to her, indicating Ling to sit down.

"Yes," Ling obediently replied and sat next to Iris.

Soon after, three more women wearing black evening gowns entered the room. Each of them was stunningly beautiful with perfect figures.

These women were Merice, Lessi, Xue Youyue, and Candace.

Dugu, on the other hand, stood quietly behind Merice, like an invisible person, saying nothing.

"Please take your seats," Iris said softly.

Merice nodded and led the other four to their seats.

...

Baixi sat in front of the dressing room, waiting for a seasoned general to change into an elegant and luxurious court dress before going to have the New Year's Eve family reunion dinner.

"Auntie, hurry up and change your clothes. Everyone is waiting for you to have dinner together," Baixi impatiently shouted, "Hurry up, don't dawdle."

Baixi was surprised to see her mother accompanied by a maidservant wearing a black mask. However, it was somewhat expected.

She knew her mother was a person who would seek revenge for any wrong done to her. Anyone who bullied her would face retaliation.

In order to punish her mother's aunt, Baixi thought her mother might make her serve as a maid to redeem herself. Otherwise, with her mother's character, she might have been killed directly.

Lanzu, inside the dressing room, felt a little helpless and reluctantly took off her armor and put on the evening gown sent by Baixi.

Lanzu was wearing a pure black evening gown, with layers of lace that swayed in a graceful curve. The chest was adorned with delicate gold and silver gemstones, giving it a luxurious and elegant look. Lanzu's hair was pinned up with a pearl hairpin, with a strand of blue and white hair falling on her forehead, making her even more charming.

Her features were exquisite, as pure as an angel, with silky smooth skin as fair and radiant as jade.

"Wow, Aunt Zuyi looks so beautiful tonight," Baixi exclaimed as she looked at Lanzu in front of her.

Upon hearing Baixi's praise, Lanzu blushed slightly, then shyly lowered her head, looking at herself in the mirror as her heart pounded.

Lanzu's gaze fell on the mirror, reflecting an incomparably stunning beauty. Her tall and slender figure was gracefully curved, making it impossible to look away.

As a seasoned general, she had never thought about admiring her own appearance, let alone dressing up like this to meet people.

"You look really beautiful," Baixi couldn't help but sigh.

Upon hearing this, Lanzu felt an indescribable sensation surging in her heart, even her breathing became rapid involuntarily.

She took a deep breath a few times, suppressing that strange feeling in her heart.

"Aunt Zuyi, stay still," Baixi suddenly said, and then walked up to Lanzu.

"What's wrong?" Lanzu was puzzled.

Baixi took out a key from her pocket and inserted it into the lock of the collar around Lanzu's neck, then gently turned it, and the collar loosened.

"Mother said the collar would affect Aunt Zuyi's overall beauty, so she asked me to take off the collar around your neck," Baixi explained, and then put these things into a storage ring she took from her mother's room.

Baixi was Iris's summoned beast and could communicate with Baixi through the Consciousness Space. Iris specifically instructed Baixi to help dress up Lanzu.

Baixi knew many things that Iris did, including the fact that her mother's body also housed another entity, although she wasn't sure who it was. She only knew that when they faced hundreds of Shadow Guards back then, her mother, who was on the verge of death, suddenly became exceptionally powerful, and a sudden remark of "I haven't used your body for a long time" made Baixi realize that there was another entity inside her mother's body.

Baixi wouldn't ask her mother about these reasons. Everyone has their own secrets, and her mother is no exception.

Baixi would not disclose any information about her mother, at most she would make some playful remarks like her mother being willful, just to tease her mother.

"Aunt Zuyi, it's time for us to have our reunion dinner," Baixi said without consulting Lanzu's opinion, and pulled Lanzu's wrist, leading her towards the dining hall.

During their walk, Lanzu quietly took out a black mask that Iris had given her from the storage space and put it on her face to conceal her true identity.

Lanzu was well aware of her identity. She was Iris's maid, not her aunt. Without Iris's permission, she would not remove the mask from her face.

Soon, the two arrived at the dining hall.

Upon seeing many people sitting in the dining hall, Baixi dropped her playful demeanor and respectfully curtsied to Iris, "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Upon seeing this, Lili Lanzu quickly bowed respectfully.

"Mhm." Iris responded lightly.

Baixi walked elegantly and slowly towards the dining table, sitting next to her aunt.

Lili Lanzu followed Baixi and sat by her side.

Everyone's attention was drawn to the woman wearing a black mask. As she was related to the Empress, everyone speculated about the identity of the woman behind the mask.

Ling was different from everyone else. Though curious about the face under the mask, she occasionally glanced at Dugu.

She could sense an untapped power within him. Could Dugu be one of the twelve Terminators?

Baixi rubbed her hands together, waiting for her mother to start the meal. After all, she knew what was hidden beneath the mask.

Baiying sat on Iris's lap, bowing her head and gnawing on a rib. Besides Iris and Yar, no one knew Baiying was eating.

"Now that everyone is present, let's start the meal," Iris's cold voice resounded, bringing everyone back to reality.

With Iris's voice, Baixi was the first to pick up her chopsticks, delicately placing the food in her mouth. She seemed to enjoy the taste as she chewed slowly.

Merice, Lessi, Xue Youyue, and Dugu also picked up their chopsticks and began eating.

Yar fed Iris with meat, urging her to eat. "Hurry up and eat, little Baiying."

"Mhm," Baiying replied.

With her little head peeking out, she started eating the food on the plate.

The only one at the dining table who hadn't used her chopsticks was Lili Lanzu. She sat quietly, seeming absent-minded.

She looked around but couldn't find Lilia's figure. Thinking carefully, everyone at the table had a certain relationship with Iris. Since Iris had severed all ties with her elder sister, she shouldn't have been invited to this New Year's Eve dinner!

"Wearing a mask is inconvenient, take it off. Besides, everyone wants to see the face under the mask," just as Lili Lanzu was contemplating, a voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Huh?" Lili Lanzu raised her gaze to look at Iris, feeling somewhat puzzled. However, she obediently extended her scarred right hand to remove her mask.

When the mask came off, everyone was shocked.

"Aunt!" Merice exclaimed in surprise.

"Your Majesty!" Dugu, Candace, Lessi, and Xue Youyue also widened their eyes, revealing a stunned expression.

Ling raised her head and looked at Lili Lanzu with complex eyes, secretly asking herself, "Who is Lili Lanzu?"

Baixi, sitting next to them, noticed Ling's confusion and explained, "Lili Lanzu is your aunt, my great-aunt."

"Oh," Ling responded lightly, continuing to eat. She had no impression or feelings towards her aunt Lili Lanzu, as she was too young to remember anything from that time. It was normal for her not to recognize or feel familiar with Lili Lanzu.

Compared to the past, this reunion dinner lacked the cheer and laughter of many people, but it had a heavy atmosphere.

Only Baixi was humming while picking at the rice, occasionally using her chopsticks to grab a piece of braised meat and putting it into her mouth. She chewed with relish.

After all, in the hearts of many people, Lilia always occupies an important position. How can a family reunion meal be called a reunion meal without one person?

This family reunion dinner ended in a dull atmosphere.

Not long after, an ancient clock spat out a cuckoo bird, making the sound of "cuckoo".

The New Year's bell rang, representing the arrival of a new day.

Immediately afterwards, firecrackers resounded through the sky, and fireworks bloomed in the air, colorful and beautiful.

On this lively night, a petite girl stealthily climbed into Iris's bedroom through the window.

She took out the scarf hidden in her arms and looked at the blue and white scarf she had woven, revealing a sweet smile, murmuring, "Happy New Year, Iri."

After doing all this, Lilia quietly left and returned to Aria's side without a sound.

"Lilia, where did you go?" Aria turned to look at Lilia and asked.

"I went to give white-haired Iri a New Year's gift~~" Lilia said, then took out the plush toy she made based on Aria and handed it to Aria, "This is a New Year's gift for black-haired Iri."

Aria put the toy in her arms, looked at Lilia, and said, "Thank you."

Lilia shook her head and said, "You're welcome~!"

Immediately after, Aria held Lilia's delicate wrist and walked towards the palace, "Black-haired Iri is taking Lilia shopping~!"

"Yay!" Lilia cheered like a child, but she hoped even more to go shopping with white-haired Iri, of course, she knew that this was impossible.

"Lilia, where do you want to go shopping?" Aria held Lilia's slender arm and asked gently.

"Anywhere is fine~ I'm not picky~!" Lilia tilted her head and said.

"Let's go to the street market in the north of the city, there are many snack shops and various accessories for sale, very beautiful~!" Aria said eagerly.

"Really? Then let's go there!" Lilia nodded happily.

"Okay." Aria nodded, then put a specially made white veil on Lilia's face and left the palace with Lilia.

...