Chapter 57

Chapter 57

Nightfall.

A frigid night.

The plump youngster began to shed small pearls of tears.

At this usual hour, he would have bathed and be cuddled up with his father in the rocking chair, enjoying some melons together, then drift off to sleep in his father's arms while listening to stories.

Yet, in this very moment, on this night.

The cold blanket was chilling to the touch.

The room was at least ten times larger than the shabby little house with Dad, fully equipped with everything one could need.

Yet, it lacked Dad's presence.

Sob, sob, my head was starting to ache.

Without his father's tender touch on his forehead or his comforting breath, he couldn't survive.

Yet, there was currently no way to reach his father.

Without his father's sachet by his side, he couldn't fall asleep.

Pang Qiu sat up from the bed and then hopped down with his short legs.

After giving instructions to the attendant at the door, who responded with a surprised expression before nodding and guiding him along.

In the main hall.

After being led there, Little Pang Qiu knocked on the door with his hand extended.

The attendant wore an admiring look.

The door opened.

The attendant led Pang Qiu inside.

The terrifying Uncle Emperor's expression remained as unpleasant as ever: "What is it?"

Pang Qiu took the initiative to speak up: "Daddy, I can't fall asleep."

Heaven knew how reluctant the little fellow was to use that term.

Danjiao wasn't an idiot. Ever since he found out that Huo Nian was the crown prince and that this terrifying Uncle Emperor had some mental instability, he had no intention of causing any more trouble.

If this person found out that he wasn't the crown prince, he might find some excuse like treason to have his head chopped off.

—Then he would never see his daddy again.

The terrifying Uncle Emperor beckoned to him, lounging lazily by the bed with his little yellow duck sachet right beside his pillow!

Damn it, if he had returned it to Danjiao earlier, he would be sleeping now with his father's scent close by.

Danjiao, however, fixated on his little yellow duck sachet and said insincerely, "I want to sleep with you, Daddy."

Huo Jin glanced at him and suddenly smiled. "Alright."

Pang Qiu let out a deep sigh of relief, and upon inhaling his father's scent, his headache vanished entirely.

Uncle Terrorist Emperor pressed his forehead gently.

Those hands were chilly, sending a shiver down Danjiao's spine.

"Is your head not hurting anymore?"

Danjiao nodded, "Mm-hmm."

Terrorist Emperor: "I've recently received some news about your mother."

Danjiao sighed; it was said that Uncle Terrorist Emperor's queen had been missing for a long time.

"Have they found her?"

A profound glint flickered in the emperor's eyes, "The communication there is terrible. We couldn't even locate her after searching house by house."

Danjiao speculated that the situation might be similar to Wu Star.

When he was on Wu Star with his father, they didn't even have access to the Star Network. It was only after leaving that he obtained a user ID.

The terrifying Uncle His Majesty lifted an eyelid, his gaze casually landing on the sachet. "But each time, she leaves behind a new clue."

Danjiao propped up his cheeks. "Then why doesn't she come and find you?"

His question seemed to have touched a nerve in the terrifying uncle, as the atmosphere suddenly turned heavy and cold, making the little fatty pull his blanket closer.

The terrifying uncle smiled. "We'll interrogate him after catching her."

Danjiao was intrigued. "Oh, I see. And what about after finding Mom?"

His Majesty Uncle Terror: "Break her legs."

Danjiao: Oh dear.

His Majesty Uncle Terror was also a pitiful man whose wife had run away.

Danjiao could only console him. "She must have had her reasons."

He couldn't possibly tell the Terrible Majesty to his face that the queen might be gone or that she was deliberately avoiding him.

The Terrible Majesty narrowed his eyes and gazed at him, his bottomless black irises appearing somewhat eerie.

"You took a trip, and your personality has changed."

Little Pang Qiu was drenched in sweat. "People change as they grow up."

Uncle Terrible Majesty wasn't someone to be trifled with. "You were only gone for four days."

"Actually, when the melancholy fades, the heart becomes more cheerful," Danjiao elaborated.

Originally, Pang Qiu should have immediately informed this group that they had apprehended the wrong person. However, observing their profound affection for Huo Nian, he sensed that doing so might provoke an undesirable outcome.

One might think he did it on purpose to switch places with Huo Nian.

Danjiao sighed inwardly.

If only I had known earlier that he was capable of such pretense, it would have been too late to act now.

A faint response escaped the terrifying Imperial Uncle's throat, but it was unclear whether he believed it or not.

"..."

Little Pang Qiu didn't dare to speak carelessly now. He only dared to hold onto his father's yellow duck sachet with his eyes closed.

Danjiao, being a rather carefree soul, managed to calm his nerves despite his anxiety. As soon as he closed his eyes, genuine sleepiness set in.

He could even fall asleep soundly with a terrifying Imperial Uncle right beside him, soon accompanied by soft snores.

After he fell asleep.

Huo Jin pinched the boy's cheeks, narrowing his eyes to confirm the authenticity of the features before him.

A boy who rolled in the mud, caught insects, and carried stools.

A plump youngster who enjoyed picking up trash.

Huo Jin's dark pupils flickered, his thoughts unreadable.

...

It wasn't Lu Wei who used to snuggle with their father on the rocking chair after eating melon seeds and being tucked in with bedtime stories.

Lu Wei noticed that Danjiao was particularly stubborn tonight. His ears were already flushed, but he insisted he didn't want a bedtime story.

Lu Wei chuckled. "Lu Danjiao, I've noticed you're extra sulky tonight."

Young Master: !!

There was no sulking at all.

The young master crossed his arms and huffed. "You're the one who wanted to tell me a story. I can fall asleep without it tonight."

Lu Wei whistled. "Oh, my brother has grown up now. No more bath time with Dad, no more bedtime stories. My brother is finally going through his rebellious phase. Congratulations."

It was said that children usually entered their first rebellious phase around five or six, and their teenage rebellion around their teens.

His brother Danjiao had matured way beyond his age, entering his rebellious phase earlier than others.

This nobleman was clearly teasing him!

The young prince's eyes turned into dark orbs, resembling an octopus in anger.

"No, no need."

Lu Wei: "Then how can you fall asleep? Are you planning to use your homework as a sleep aid?"

Young Prince: "..."

Danjiao still didn't have a fondness for studying, which was worth noting.

The young prince spoke with righteousness, "Not studying diligently would disappoint many people."

—Actually, his intention was to let Danjiao suffer through academic struggles in the future.

However, Lu Wei asked, "Who would be disappointed?"

The young prince replied, "There are quite a number of them."

Lu Wei: "Dad isn't disappointed, so why do you care about what others say?"

Little Prince: "…"

Sitting up, Lu Wei looked at him earnestly. "Did someone say something to you that made you think this way?"

Little Prince: "… No."

Lu Wei didn't quite believe it. How could his child think like this unless he had been influenced by others?

"Do you know why I named you Lu Lan?"

Little Fat Ball shook his head.

"The character 'Lan' is composed of 'mountain' and 'wind.' Dad wished for you to be as carefree and joyful as the clear breeze."

Little Prince: "…"

Lu Wei patted his head. "You're still just a little chubby cub, so you might not understand. There are many criteria by which people are judged in this world. Excelling in studies is one, and your interest in trash inventions is another. No one can dictate what's good or bad. Even if a child can't do anything, as long as they have a happy childhood, they are still an excellent and healthy baby."

The young prince lowered his eyelids, feeling a warmth in his eyes.

Actually, he didn't want to cry.

He was already two and a half years old, and he could count the number of times he had cried on one hand.

Huo Nian always thought of himself as a very mature two and a half-year-old child.

But for some reason, he found it hard to control his emotions in front of this person.

Pitter-patter, the little golden beads rolled down like they were disconnected.

Lu Wei remarked, "Oh, the little pearls are starting to fall."

The young prince choked back a sob: Whimper.

The silent shedding of tears by the cub was indeed pitiful.

This restrained emotional release was vastly different from the usually fearless and impulsive Lu Danjiao.

"..."

Lu Wei embraced the plump Pang Qiu. "I told you there were people spreading nonsense in front of my child! Damn, who was it? Did they say you're useless if you don't study?"

The young prince's voice was slightly congested. "Many people."

He recalled having to interact with all sorts of individuals from a very young age. In reality, many nobles and officials would look at him with scrutinizing and critical eyes.

Lu Wei patted Pang Qiu's back while grumbling, "Are they your father or am I? It's none of their business if your father pardons you. If you have nothing better to do, go bite a lighter instead of meddling in other people's children's affairs."

The young prince rested his head on Lu Wei's shoulder.

He softly acknowledged with an "Mm-hmm."

Initially, Huo Nian had entertained the thought that Danjiao might indeed have been mistaken for him and taken to Emperor Star by the adjutant. He was contemplating how to establish contact.

However, after the embrace, his mind instantly went blank.

Other fathers' arms were warm and fragrant.

Later, it was Lu Wei who patted his back gently, soothing him to sleep.

It was the first time the young prince had slept so soundly.

The next day, when Lu Wei needed to check on his shop, the young prince eagerly offered his help.

It was said that this was the new storefront he had taken over.

Pang Qiu found the whole experience novel and tagged along with Lu Wei to the shop.

After observing silently, the young prince concluded that Lu Wei was an adept socializer. Despite being a new establishment, the shop already had a loyal customer base, with whom Lu Wei could engage in conversation effortlessly.

Thus, Lu Wei's business flourished.

Aside from offering tasty and unique treats, his popularity played a significant role, drawing customers who were willing to support him whenever they passed by.

The young prince accompanied Lu Wei and quietly enjoyed a hamburger.

It was delicious.

Father Danjiao's culinary creations were always so innovative and delectable. None of the dishes were familiar to him from his time on Emperor Star, yet each one tantalized his taste buds.

If only Lu Wei's shop could expand to Emperor Star, he could still see him even if they were apart.

At this thought, the young prince's fingers clenched around the hamburger wrapper.

However, it seemed that Lu Wei didn't have much affection for Emperor Star; he surely wouldn't be keen on opening a store there. Besides, the frequent mention of "Emperor Star" lately might arouse Lu Wei's suspicion.

Pang Qiu sighed, resting his cheek in his hand.

How wonderful it would be if Lu Wei was also his father.

Occasionally, when the young prince saw Danjiao's face, an extravagant notion crossed his mind: Could it be possible that he and Danjiao were twins or something alike?

But during his time on Emperor Star, he had never heard of having a brother. The Queen had remained on Emperor Star's Royal City throughout her pregnancy until just before giving birth.

If the Queen had been carrying twins, they would have been detected much earlier.

Moreover, little Pang Qiu couldn't fathom a reasonable explanation for another crucial condition: if they were twins, how was it possible that they were completely unaware of each other's existence? And how could they have led separate lives on different planets?

It was more plausible that cloning or facial swapping technologies were involved.

Many planets were secretly developing such techniques to create identical individuals.

Huo Nian knew his identity was extraordinary; perhaps Danjiao was created as a substitute, a part of a deceitful plot like a "puppy cat switch"?

The multitude of thoughts and possibilities was overwhelming little Pang Qiu's mind.

Lu Wei patted Pang Qiu's shoulder. "Your brows are almost meeting. What's on your mind?"

"The school," the young prince shook his head.

Then, he received a pat on the head and a playful pinch on the cheeks from the elders.

With his face flushed red, little Pang Qiu could no longer concentrate on anything else.

Lu Wei raised an eyebrow. "Who dared to insult you? If it was the group you mentioned last night, I'll go and confront them tomorrow with my machete."

The young prince replied, "...No, it wasn't."

Little Pang Qiu sighed even more deeply.

Father, why aren't you my real father?