Chapter 73

"Paris?" Magneto Erik frowned upon receiving the message from Raven. "Why would Storm take Rogue to that city across the ocean?"

Storm, whose real name is Ororo, has this codename entirely because of her ability to control natural storms and elements.

"I don't know the reason, after all, that's Charles' territory. I can't stay there all the time. But the information should be reliable," Raven shrugged, indicating that she didn't know the details.

Erik thought for a long time but couldn't come up with a clear answer. In the absence of information, he couldn't get what he wanted. However, this didn't make him indecisive. He has always been a decisive person, and this has never changed.

"Raven, get ready. We're heading to Paris. Let's see what our old friend has prepared to deal with my attack."

Hearing this, Raven also smiled. She also recalled the days when the three of them were together. Back then, Charles and Erik often played chess together, while she accompanied these two mutant leaders. Erik often took on the role of the active attacker.

Soon, under Magneto's command, the Brotherhood of Mutants he led began to operate efficiently. To be more precise, they didn't need to prepare much; they just needed to pack their bags and board the "flight" named Magneto. Magneto's ability allows him to achieve full-terrain magnetic levitation flight within the Earth's range, and even carrying a group of elite subordinates wouldn't be much of a strain. Under his ability, the journey from America to Paris would only take a few hours. However, when he set out, Zhou Yi and the others had already arrived at their destination.

The Hôtel Plaza Athénée is a member of the Dorchester Collection and one of the most famous hotels in Europe. Built in 1911, its nearly century-long history has earned it an excellent reputation. In 1999, after a comprehensive renovation, the hotel further enhanced its unique charm, offering guests "Parisian luxury." The Hôtel Plaza Athénée has 191 rooms, including 45 suites. From the rooms, you can not only enjoy the pleasant scenery of Avenue Montaigne but also directly overlook the Eiffel Tower to the west of the hotel.

Situated between these two world-famous landmarks, the Hôtel Plaza Athénée undoubtedly combines the popularity and taste of Paris. The hotel's exterior and lobby, after renovation, adopted a warm color scheme dominated by red and gold, creating a warm,热情, and romantic atmosphere.

This kind of ambiance might not impress a pragmatist like Zhou Yi, but it was extremely attractive to Zhou Lan, who worked in fashion design and often referred to herself as an artist.

So, a long time ago, she had reserved the largest suite in this world-class luxury hotel—the 750 Eiffel Suite. Now, she was waiting here for her children and their friends.

The Eiffel Suite is divided into two levels, with a very reasonable layout. Upon entering, the first thing you see is the elegant and distinctive living room, one wall of which is made up of large floor-to-ceiling mirrors, making the space appear spacious and bright.

The Japanese-style window design is paired with noble French embroidered floor-length curtains. The decorative patterns embroidered with copper thread, combined with the beige velvet sofa, the rounded wooden furniture made of ebony and rosewood, and the spacious terrace outside the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, allow you to feel the true Parisian charm whether indoors or outdoors.

As soon as Zhou Yi and his sister entered, they saw their mother, Zhou Lan, sitting there with a smile.

Although many years had passed, Zhou Lan, who had always maintained a luxurious lifestyle, seemed to have undergone little change. She still looked beautiful, though she didn't have the youthful vitality of young girls like Xia Rui Si, she exuded a mature and elegant noble aura.

One could say that Zhou Yi and Xia Rui Si, this pair of excellent siblings, largely inherited their genes from Zhou Lan, especially in terms of appearance.

Seeing her children, Zhou Lan was clearly very happy. However, as a woman who cared deeply about her appearance, especially in the fashion industry, which places the greatest emphasis on external appearance, she always took her behavior very seriously, always presenting her best side to others.

It must be said that her appearance indeed intimidated many people, especially young girls and women who were already nervous. In front of her, they even didn't know where to put their hands and feet. Although Ororo and Jean Grey could still behave normally, one could sense their unease from every angle.

Of course, there were always exceptions. Logan, the perennial roughneck, didn't care who appeared in front of him. His long life, though leaving few memories, had ingrained certain things in his bones. Nobility meant nothing to him; he had seen many noble beings turn to dust before him, while he remained unchanged.

So, facing Zhou Lan, he merely nodded slightly and remained silent. He wasn't good at dealing with such people, so he didn't bother with such thankless tasks.

The other exception was Zhou Yi and his sister. Among them, Xia Rui Si was the most special. She directly opened a portal and, with a "bing," pounced into Zhou Lan's arms, rubbing her face against Zhou Lan's body while speaking in a sweet, almost cloying tone.

"Dear Mom, I've missed you so much."

That tone was so terrifying that Zhou Yi felt goosebumps all over his body. Even Xia Rui Si's good friends couldn't stand it. This was most evident in Katie, who shuddered when she heard the voice.

However, Zhou Lan was very receptive to this. Perhaps out of guilt for her daughter's unusual fate, she almost doted on Xia Rui Si. Naturally, she didn't find Xia Rui Si's overly sweet affection repulsive; instead, she was very pleased that her daughter was so close to her. Of course, she never imagined that Xia Rui Si was doing this to prepare her for Zhou Yi's revelations, to prevent Zhou Lan from getting angry at her.

Kissing her daughter's cute face, Zhou Lan stood up and gave her son a strong hug. She was completely at ease with her son, as few people in the world could match his capabilities. His achievements were enough to make most people ashamed.

Kissing his mother's cheek affectionately, Zhou Yi smiled and said to her.

"Mom, this Christmas, we might have to spend it with many people. Although I've already told you, I still want to introduce them to you."

At this point, he began to introduce the few companions he had brought.

"These two are Ororo and Jean Grey. They are teachers at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. You might remember Jean, but this is the first time you're meeting Ororo. By the way, I have a good personal relationship with them."

At this point, he gave a slight mischievous smile. This last explanation clearly made Ororo and the others uncomfortable, especially Ororo, who gave Zhou Yi countless dirty looks. Jean, though not showing any obvious reaction, was secretly using her telekinesis to pinch the soft flesh on his waist. It must be said that she had mastered her abilities to perfection.

Ororo and Jean Grey greeted Zhou Lan politely, and Zhou Lan responded gracefully.

"Hello, Ms. Jean. I remember you; you were the one who brought Xia Rui Si into the school. Thank you for taking care of her all these years. And Ms. Ororo, I've heard of you; Yi and Xia Rui Si often mention you." At this point, a mischievous smile appeared on her lips, identical to Zhou Yi's.

As a mother, she couldn't be unaware of the women in Zhou Yi's life. Although she had some initial opposition, as she delved deeper into the so-called upper class of this world, she had become less surprised.

Compared to those unruly young people, her son was far more outstanding. Not only in terms of ability but also in terms of responsibility. At the very least, she knew that her son, though not pure, had never done anything against his conscience or abandoned anyone.

He had relationships with many women, but all of them were well-ended. There had never been any scandals. Besides, as her son, she would forgive any mistakes, let alone just a bit of romantic trouble.

Not wanting to tease the two uncomfortable women, Zhou Yi timely introduced the others.

"This is Logan, a new friend of mine. He might look like a cowboy, and maybe he was one. But regardless, he's a good person."

"Hello, ma'am!" Logan grumbled, continuing to adhere to his principle of silence. The more you say, the more you err; the less you say, the less you err. This decision was undoubtedly wise at this moment.

Looking at the silent Logan, Zhou Lan smiled.

"Hello, Mr. Logan. My son rarely makes friends, so it seems he's very lucky. However, from a professional perspective, your aura is excellent. Are you interested in becoming a model? Paris is currently in vogue for a wild style, and I think you could be an outstanding trendsetter."

Although somewhat exaggerated, Zhou Lan's words were said with absolute confidence. Perhaps in other fields, Zhou Lan wasn't as famous as Zhou Yi, but in the fashion industry, she was an absolute world-class design master, and her words could indeed set trends.

"Thank you for your kind offer, but I'm fine as I am." Perhaps thinking about the life of a model, Logan shrank his neck and responded awkwardly. To tie this wandering lone wolf to a leash and make him walk the runway, to be manipulated and photographed by those he saw as effeminate, would be worse than death for him.

"My dear mom, are you too focused on your work? Logan isn't one of those models." Pulling his mother, he ended the topic that made Logan uneasy and turned to Xia Rui Si's friends.

"These are..."

Before he could finish, Xia Rui Si bounced in front of him.

"Let me, let me. My friends, I want to introduce them to Mom myself."

Xia Rui Si, like a lively breeze, circled among the girls, her laughter and proud words echoing everywhere.

"This is Katie, this is Vivien Leigh, and this is Marie. They are all my little followers. Surprised, Mom? Now I'm a big sister."

Xia Rui Si, lost in her pride, completely ignored her mother's feelings. When Zhou Lan heard this, her smile immediately froze.

"Can you explain, Yi? I remember I warned you."

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