Chapter 534: Chapter 534 : (Extra) Jiang Muchen’s Love Story (18)
Zhang Mingrui and Xie Junjie, the precious twins born from the Crown Prince and Supreme General’s marriage.
Liu Chengjiu swallowed hard.
The twins, like twin suns, illuminated the room with their mere presence. Liu Chengjiu felt unworthy to even look at them. He bowed his head as a sign of deference and greeted the princes, "Greetings, Your Highnesses," before skulking away to the farthest shelf from the twins, not wanting to disturb their study.
Xie Junjie tore his curious eyes from Liu Chengjiu and continued with his homework. His twin brother, on the other hand, was easily distracted.
Grinning from ear to ear, Zhang Mingrui abandoned his homework and approached Liu Chengjiu.
"Big Brother," he called out sweetly. "Who are you and why are you in our Fuxi Palace’s library?"
Xie Junjie gaped at his twin brother in disbelief.
"Mingrui, you shouldn’t be rude," he quickly chased after Zhang Mingrui and dragged him back to his abandoned homework. "He is Mommy’s guest."
Zhang Mingrui’s eyes widened in astonishment.
"Mommy’s guest? Wah, he doesn’t look like Mommy’s typical guests."
Liu Chengjiu’s heart dropped like a boulder to the bottom of an abyss.
Certainly, no matter how meticulously he dressed himself, he could not compare to any noble omega from any clan...
"Young Master Liu, please do not take offense," Xie Junjie said, still struggling to pull at Zhang Mingrui’s elbow. "Please enjoy your stay in the library. We will not intrude on you any longer."
Prodded by Xie Junjie, Zhang Mingrui reluctantly returned to his homework. Not without shooting Liu Chengjiu a series of curious glances.
After almost an hour, the door to the library slid to the side and Xie Jianyu stepped into the vast space.
"Mommy!!!"
Both boys jumped to their feet and launched toward their mother like two energetic cannonballs.
Smiling brightly, Xie Jianyu pulled them both into his arms before peppering the side of their heads with kisses.
"Have you been obedient, boys?"
"Mommy, I finished my homework," Xie Junjie reported. "Can I play with Tingting now?"
Xie Jianyu beamed at his hardworking, younger son.
"Of course, Junjie."
"Mommy, I also finished copying Junjie’s homework," Zhang Mingrui reported. "Can I eat the powdered osmanthus jelly now?"
Xie Jianyu beamed at his lazy, playful elder son.
"No," he snapped. "You will redo your homework on your own. Only then can you eat your afternoon dessert."
Liu Chengjiu gaped at them as he watched their interaction from afar. When Xie Jianyu finally looked in his direction, he was so flabbergasted that he ended up avoiding the Crown Prince’s gaze.
It was Xie Jianyu, who took the initiative to approach him first.
"Young Master Liu, we haven’t been properly introduced at Shuiran Palace," he said with a generous smile that sparkled even brighter than his sons’ combined.
"I am Crown Prince Xie Jianyu, master of Fuxi Palace."
In his nervosity, Liu Chengjiu couldn’t help but fall back to his kneeling habit. He fell on his knees and kowtowed deeply before Xie Jianyu.
"Liu Chengjiu from Wuyang Palace greets Your Majesty. I am honored to be in Your Majesty’s presence."
Xie Jianyu wordlessly pulled Liu Chengjiu to his feet.
"Look at me," he ordered.
Liu Chengjiu hesitantly raised his eyes to meet Xie Jianyu’s gaze.
Goodness.
The Crown Prince was even more beautiful up close.
Unlike other omegas’, the Crown Prince’s beauty was otherworldly, a captivating allure that transcended mortal beauty. His aura, a potent blend of grace and authority, was as imposing as his elder brother’s.
He looked beautiful no matter what he wore and what accessories adorned his hair.
Not that the Crown Prince dressed in typical omega gowns and dresses. His position as the Crown Prince and the strongest swordsman across the nine layers of Heaven prevented him from walking around in omega attires, for they disrupted his activities greatly.
Liu Chengjiu saw himself reflected against Xie Jianyu’s pupils. His lesser-than-average appearance, coupled with the deeply-embedded fear in his eyes, made him appear even more pitiful.
"Tell me about yourself," Xie Jianyu slowly spoke. "Something I don’t know."
Liu Chengjiu readily complied.
"My father was an extended relative of former Palace Master Liu," he began. "Much like the former members of the Silver Moon Pack. We enjoyed a prosperous life after he rose to the throne, and lost everything we had when he was executed for his crime."
It all happened when he was just a child, so he didn’t remember much of the details.
He only recalled the ostracization, the rounds of insults hurled his and his pack members’ way whenever they crossed paths with the other clansmen.
Liu Chengjiu fidgeted with his hands nervously.
"My father passed away a month before I differentiated into an omega. From then on, I was in charge of raising my only brother. I hunted animals in forests early in the morning and trade them against other supplies at local market. I... My archery skill is relatively decent."
"And Jiang Muchen? What is your relation to him?"
"Palace Master Jiang helped me out during the hunt at Mount Yulin in return for our pink orchids," came the quick reply. "He saved our lives again during the pack wars to elect the new Wuyang Palace Master. If he had not done so, my younger brother and I would have lost our lives in the hands of our clansmen."
Liu Chengjiu’s answers were all concise and correct, but that was not what Xie Jianyu wanted to hear.
"Are you romantically entangled with Jiang Muchen?" The Crown Prince thus asked in a direct manner.
Liu Chengjiu quickly flushed crimson in response.
"No," he answered without skipping a beat. "We are... We are to be husband and wife in name only. I am doing this to repay his kindness..."
Xie Jianyu chuckled and shook his head with a smile.
"I am the Crown Prince of the Heavenly Empire, you know. You just openly confessed to deceiving the Heavenly Emperor. Aren’t you afraid of my reporting you to His Majesty? This crime of yours is punishable by death."
-------------
Author’s note :
Happy New Year 2025, beloved readers!!!
Here is your New Year’s gift : ABDHYKVWAAKFKZC8A
(◍•ᴗ•◍)❤
