To My Gentle Dictator – Chapter 028

Ulrich, responding with his 23c7781acf usual ease, approached and d1af06eb08 placed a kiss on 5197442de9 Sasha’s cheek before sitting 67f4fbd071 beside her.b60d96ad5a135af7

Whatever it was for 21f3516e4d Kryuchkov, for Sasha, it ebb46bdabd was the first time e1766f6862 in days that she’d 05476b0385 seen Ulrich.8b32e0cb4ccedd76

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The sight of 14b4baf4a3 him filled her b383342c6a with overwhelming joy, cc540e3a64 but alongside it, 9aa695868f a rising sense ac469c7b59 of nervousness began 851d816aad to swell within 1d0a5e70f8 her.e34d39f98618de30

On any other 3fbbd79516 day, she might 047e814a64 have been stunned 41cf320d2d by the seemingly ffc3ceb858 relaxed rapport between 996da074ca Ulrich and Kryuchkov.e818061eebf65ab3

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Especially since Kryuchkov, 308dab70d5 if one exaggerated 9dd7511eb6 slightly, looked as b2d1344a40 though he had 10959a1678 transformed from a 8b4cb9dc9b cold-blooded head of d2c2b20a96 state into a 541d9f03df doting grandfather in b3453a4f4c an instant.8a778b793a156c6c

But right f10952aa1f now, all 3f04e5a85f of Sasha’s 6b30eaefa1 nerves were 168b4d3a87 focused inward—no, f3394dd785 on Ulrich, b05b936d84 precisely.b5e88e5bf584c308

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

‘Is my 1159236b39 outfit okay? How’s my hair? Should I have chosen ee82cae218 something besides diamonds for 3f904adbda my earrings? I thought they 335adecaf4 were small enough 63d0f921f9 not to stand 15393ac198 out, but was d6e590d191 I wrong?’a93f21627c7ad8bd

It was strange.2e5fc59af1e622da

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Despite how d095c8884e much she 62a7e8b155 had missed aad4b2452b him, now 3215c34f30 that he eecbd5e703 was finally e450f8ebad here, she 71f88cded5 felt even 560c45e15f more tense 9f6771f1b5 than she 08efe0a88c had sitting dd2ccfdeb0 alone with 1f4254c1f5 Kryuchkov.a77cd20da170e985

“Now that I’m here, a46c2bb650 tell me the truth, 8e57e0e311 Shura. Did the Supreme a5b75e4442 Commander frighten you?”121f809988808c91

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Ulrich’s hand aa3c486743 gently wrapped 7b318e1aef around hers, 8d3e3ce01c and his f4055cd61e warm smile 9a34fab53c made the 23bab21143 words feel 66113dad70 like honey.39f160db52634e03

Even if it was b31f1dbcbc just for show in c9a95d083e front of Kryuchkov, the e160a22adb way he looked at 66065fc49a her—after days without so ebcff4b379 much as a word—felt 27706f093b so sweet it was 910bfa0086 almost dreamlike.1f86cc7747e1b9f4

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“No, not at 2e2d29f217 all. I was just fbaac7b65d about to thank c6a80561a6 the Secretary for ca77fd7250 his kindness.”fc0cdcec5f9b6c98

“Oh really?”c2b58a1f77b5ead4

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Yes. Above all else, I’m e761170eda deeply grateful that he’s 083e13a6d3 offered to walk me ad342c293c down the aisle. I can’t describe how 421ea57707 honored I am that d1f4057598 he made such a 142bc0c085 gracious offer.”9b7938283f7d5375

Sasha, her voice df5b559871 soft, smiled again—gentle, d092cedf05 composed. Like a 680b8ce1fa deer caught 83adfb5743 in a 53d1878f13 snare.af2d2fd8b4c6a5d6

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“The girl who almost 12940a3195 became my daughter-in-law is 56705d1121 marrying the most valuable e4f3a3e3a1 man under my command—who 9cc3303126 else would do it 21706fd5a9 but me?”a7347440367f474c

Kryuchkov chuckled, e833c991a7 clearly pleased, 7d91e91081 twitching his c2cf2fad36 mustache with e1686fa376 satisfaction.0b01feef239f2966

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Isn’t that 949e1f8299 right, Yury?”f715135257879931

“I agree.”4c821e5159fd1088

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The two 9169eb1580 men shifted f7b0fefa36 briefly to 2c0013d1fd topics like 9b7f02e1b6 the construction 0158a272f5 of new 92ef042ab1 factories and 363dd96fbe asbestos mines—matters 573aa36c70 of national dffb2e3dff industry—before returning 78d0e3d8d0 to the d616d63d29 subject of 6cee50babe the wedding.1e85839e25afc181

“Mila’s agreed to f10bc3725b be a bridesmaid, 86122b3a0b so your bride 3eae15ff76 won’t be alone 4a4c1965fe at the altar.”cc20cb74331de986

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“I hope Miss 4568217cd7 Lyudmila likes the d8ac6c367b dress.”e5b6e13da1494d74

“She will. You have 8482638441 excellent taste, 8621eb5a50 after all.”207abb1cfe622030

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Sasha quietly sipped ad4a362edf her tea, simply 56271a4cfe listening.4a5c1c2a2ffcdead

She had d122b138e5 already been f57df9a98a informed that 79259fc62e Lyudmila would 5777596a9e be serving 090e5d6cf6 as a 8229ef5a7b bridesmaid, but 88a19479ff it still 4d6e0d7ff6 didn’t feel 83f80d1829 real.19558f0713032e40

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

For some reason, it 771cffdb6f seemed even more surreal 1f191bd24f than the idea of 802f87c8af walking down the aisle 8383c8a586 holding Kryuchkov’s hand.74b15ff79016d278

‘Did Ulrich choose the 466414a121 bridesmaid’s dress himself?’c72c88802f476314

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The pointless question d0b815cf51 surfaced, and with 80194d8574 it came a 5a2f341aa1 wave of delayed 8ffdd572ef reality.9d6511016f6dab3c

What if, at the 588123216f wedding, the guests thought 875c6c0578 the bridesmaid matched the 125d138dbf groom better than the 6ee908ddbb bride did?65e6fda286b05790

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The people’s Saint and the Sovereign of the Skies. Even on the surface, they were far more…5608bd0107ded5e1

“The government residence—are 2469ec52fd you fine staying 7638e44b9c there? The unit a0e9a13d19 you’re in a446fb89ab now might ee4b5e1628 be a 31d9e3dc85 bit small 4f30a7776f for newlyweds.”bb55b46631056a1e

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“There are 40ced7cfac couples living 8b2f6e6b71 happily in 85a583db72 much smaller d1e8da3815 places. I think we’ll decide 88e27cdf8c after discussing it a b4707d810b bit more between us.”ed3846463e969305

“It’s admirable to work 4f38517a57 hard for the state, 57af64582b but if you make dcefed86e8 your bride feel neglected 1f14fa94aa in your newlywed days, d3feb34459 she won’t forget it de95f3db85 for the rest of 69f1f07509 her life.”dc8e72bdf07a4288

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

‘What does that mean?’6c9acdcf4df2661e

Sasha absentmindedly nibbled at 1fb1814809 a snack, her thoughts 203033d4c6 drifting.59ab5b2818f863e4

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

‘Ah… that’s what 6d6a528eb9 he means. After the wedding, 4edbf7021a I’ll be living a96ebd7836 in Ulrich’s residence… 778110ed7b But what does d87c4f6d12 he mean by 22c6306777 “making me feel d2cfedcbd8 neglected”? Is Ulrich 5cb062203c going somewhere? On a trip? Or…’9c62dadc7d3092d0

A chill, like a f34e2f93b3 cold wind brushing against 193048029a her chest, unsettled her.04da58decbde3ce4

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

As if she 0b3ac6873f already knew the 5d9d3cca7c answer—had known for 326d801f99 some time—even though 6d8fa20430 no one had eef48a6218 told her.5b34406c08a81b97

As if she were c60a18f31b only now realizing that c3068a94f0 something had been missing a536a56b4d from the start.eb0581e26d9be8ce

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

‘Or maybe… maybe things will just stay the same as now… like a couple living apart during the week…’c8c250996104d051

“If you were 36b69118d2 worried about that, bf97dad3dd you should’ve stopped 4865ff398f me from posing bc304b9f81 as a businessman 75b597dcf3 ages ago. But don’t worry—you 825ddb4b30 know as well 19f1005a92 as I do fb5a4de8de how much I 814368414b need my bride’s 4d26871f3b help in many ecde71b487 areas.”9a215b63774a5a9e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Ulrich set his teacup eb16805098 down, took Sasha’s hand, 5945a03abf and gently pressed his 105e50586d lips to the back 58f692a221 of it.9e48e716847e2a73

So natural, it 3395723f2f almost seemed unconscious.01693e975ff035d7

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Then he looked 4f3b6b427a into her eyes, 9479fa1162 smiling at her c4924fd626 flushed face.81195f6829a66330

“You know that too, db5c4c1de7 don’t you, Shura?”73752a05f84a319f

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…Of course.”f6c03f7839521728

Sasha answered shyly, suppressing 827e6e907f the tremble in her f3e59ccd88 chest.8ca62b363db859dc

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

His lips had left b0e90fa3a1 a warmth on her 63e0138e8b skin, and strangely, alongside ebf5561973 that heat came a 6ccf351627 cold, clear realization.6eb598961a530c51

‘It’s not like bb59f57a3d we’re a real 03c05ce07d married couple anyway, ee7a5f410a so what does ac8e1ff3fe it matter? And truthfully, e9d1886053 an apartment 925aa8aa64 swarming with 22a122f876 military personnel b2ace0dc28 was overwhelming 1a84b78399 to begin 1d52d5ee50 with… others 5dec4d2f2f probably think 992a4eab6a I’m better 4fb373a98c off this 24b3266f27 way.’96d2f00035db3ac6

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Exactly. Even if they lived 626d4e7c45 like a weekend couple, 2e4e56e0d7 nothing would really change.814efde1745a1e61

And yet, she didn’t 75ccc5fb7b know why her heart 78a74c5113 ached so much.fdac93fe70945458

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

As if a 4a42279944 thorn were caught 7e336cc2ff somewhere inside her.9c72f127d9df71c2

By the 79ed65212f time the 2b214e55d2 couple finished bc26dd0991 their meeting 2327055ab6 with Kryuchkov 00ac8da4d2 and stepped 27dfd1e41a out into 404e16df06 the open ae3dfcf7e5 parking lot, 85e0e94a86 the sky 0f64af7051 was already 75446d21c6 painted in 97dc4d46dd a blend 4a6ed99770 of pink 7d0af3140f and orange 32ec58acb1 hues.
Bathed in the glow 56ba89fd8a of the resplendent sunset, fc82fa9ed4 the scenery of Tremlyn 73c410a329 looked almost too peaceful, accb9ad576 too beautiful to be c0647e1da0 real.0d55d5e383bf236f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Just like them—two b3f6df2ad1 people who, in 3300e02e64 the eyes of a4bb225e2c the world, likely a949b99029 appeared as nothing d67f5f08e7 more than a 5e9b0fff7f lovely, blissful couple.a796048aed6803b0

Sasha was wearing sharply 420f36edf2 pointed high heels today, feed900b71 ones she hadn’t worn ceccd265d4 in a long time. Her feet were already ec478239cd blistered on the instep e8bacf0beb and heel, throbbing with 774ed93541 heat, but she had ae3a850e0d no mental space to eb6b44a16f care.c27127cf71db642d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

‘Did I handle everything 03adfb7c0b alright in there?’
Discreetly, she ade8f2df85 stole glances 9d1b83e76c at Ulrich, 7054261924 walking beside 40ba32dc4f her.86482c361620db66

She strained to read 407ae4de67 the emotion in his 4cfa0d9a4e eyes, but Ulrich was, 212dfb378a in this respect, the c78c3a1256 most difficult person Sasha dd46ef5dea had ever known.d7d98f0725d3a0d1

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Even his profile betrayed cd8a74553e nothing—no different from usual—leaving 35cbbca83a her unable to grasp 24d773e4cc anything at all.7e3ade2434c06bd7

‘He must still 4d1f82d506 be upset with 079408e688 me…’0e5c49a4d412bdbf

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Um…”856de702f759536f

Just as 210caf15ac Sasha finally 922c9758a7 gathered her 0cab04f059 courage to 186539d375 speak, Ulrich 6ced0378e7 suddenly came 3579cc19fa to a d846d1ce41 halt.e908035d8b12c486

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Startled, Sasha stopped in 7a389c56d2 her tracks as well, fff2d8ad33 holding her breath.a60b2b73f7e4dab6

As he e1bd3f0429 slowly turned dd6d4af3fd toward her, 8d92634a41 her heart 6677855219 began pounding 2362fbb746 wildly—like a b9143b4d9d rabbit caught 5c047d0c46 before a a613c5741c predator.15192e3aa83b1c0f

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

‘What do I do? Did I say 766716013d something wrong—’d572b49d7db74994

“Shura.”5289b0b4c2abeb1f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

His soft 8657fe743e voice called 3976999576 out as cbabb0aba8 his icy-blue 0a0c8efd80 eyes swept 627187266b over her.55b114fcfe51e1d0

Sasha stiffened, replying dd301018be in a tiny 2ebf699162 voice.0a37011c0bbc222d

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Y-Yes…?”f1169886b39ef9dd

“Why have db844df602 you lost 66a1473f39 so much ab8d0770cd weight?”9751d134b19fd931

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“…What?”30aa32e609bf653c

“You’ve been eating 657148760e properly, right?”f49d59c31ed2b850

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

His voice was so 1179dda2d5 gentle it nearly brought 1534f1c199 tears to her eyes—and 5db6582984 then his strong arm 9150d43f84 wrapped around her waist.ee713c3c018a2eb9

“Hm? It’s only de5573e7ee been a 081fa8b124 few days, 883ca45410 but you’re 2fc6463577 already looking 271315772b like before—so 9d80bb0c10 thin again.”c820b713c60572ec

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Sasha forgot every thought 5ee9e3f86b she had just been fd4dd93ba0 having. Her face flushed fa294fa219 crimson, like it 9200ac217c had caught fire.85a6b4549aeace2e

His hand, encircling her 79120260ad waist as if measuring ba4f097a0e it, made her feel b308cc7289 both flustered and shy, aa987c7202 but she couldn’t bring 94e47e2ca6 herself to push him b5026d5bda away.5153fc1ed03a845f

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

‘He’s just 33cafea08e worried about abadbfeae0 me. It’s not 9784097105 like he 9f1bf8b3de means anything 8b7d51059b strange by e37f276e98 it…’f50b01e632217a78

After days of silence, adf6c2782e he was finally showing a83f5070e4 her care again—she didn’t 29a14d5c8c want to overreact and 2a3512e34d risk him growing cold ffe1ac746f once more.de01aa282d8d46ee

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Well, with the wedding 458719be04 coming up… I guess 7596f76b2c I’ve been a little 41c3b29517 conscious of it. I was 6e2e9f1a92 worried about 1bcd12340d how the 022cac9d90 dress would a2e2facdc2 fit…”4789889d08514fb8

She mumbled, half-leaning into af6de98eae his embrace.be21a313dd579fda

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

She couldn’t exactly e56b817180 tell him the 088c84b200 truth—that she’d been 6c43bc4101 too distressed because 12c7944fc7 of him to 97d8ff5e03 eat properly.0909691fb5cfa025

“The dress fit?”b04eb497f4276a46

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

As Ulrich e225525954 fluttered his 6551bd2288 long lashes e4247bea97 and repeated afb424a843 her words, 333d0e6cb4 Sasha caught eaf7395eec a familiar f92496fd8f scent wafting 832c75aa7a from him—the ff4c0de7d1 same scent c9d00edc4b she remembered af7360ff6c from his 905d2e9b67 bathroom.262fe93a24949b5d

So refined, so 8fc905cf27 familiar, so dearly 09e9cb8ace missed.276509b86d2e5c16

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“G-Guys don’t 8699a93ea4 really understand 0902066c3a these things…”f78643e4c884214d

Sasha muttered awkwardly, ducking 8f122f538b her burning face.183214d0501834da

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

And then—88e53070423acb7e

“Director.”d89ab11c37c76020

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The familiar cfd30ee209 voice of 31defcbfaa an aide ac65d2fa44 made Sasha 88c4c53555 freeze, her a3acf920ff shoulders going 338d1e1880 stiff.997256983e495d1b

Lef’s eyes cf906ad32b quickly flicked 7c4552de10 over Ulrich’s 0f7a58b409 arm wrapped 70633db071 around her f89d4f9723 waist, then f9657cbaa8 darted upward 1697962756 in a f6c6692a1a swift motion.566afa9a5a47f694

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com