Chapter 106: Welcome the New Rival in Love

Chapter 106: Welcome the New Rival in Love

"You told me you had already arranged for Jiang Xingliu's whereabouts," Shen Zhixue's hand gripped the starship's control stick as he spoke through gritted teeth. "Is this really how you arranged it? You arranged for him to stay with the Yuan family by writing him a letter? And you did it in my name?!"

Jiang Huizhou sat in the control room, the small starship now occupied only by the two of them. Jiang Huizhou was incredibly satisfied, even the red wine in his hand tasting sweeter.

"Yeah," he said, shrugging. "He listens to you more than he does to me. If I were to tell him, who knows how much trouble he'd cause."

Shen Zhixue covered his forehead. "He's sensitive and smart. By now, he probably thinks I've abandoned him. Can't you do something right?"

Jiang Huizhou thought for a moment, resting his chin in his hand. "You seem to really like that brat, Jiang Xingliu."

"Why shouldn't I like my own child?" Shen Zhixue gave him a cold glance, lowering his head to prepare a communication request to Jiang Xingliu, at least to tell him that he wasn't abandoning him.

"No point in calling. We're far beyond the empire's territory, out of the mind network's communications range."

Shen Zhixue looked helplessly at the failed communication request on the mind-net, frowning. "What you're doing is going too far."

"You shouldn't feel so responsible. The kid's already eight."

"Five," Shen Zhixue corrected.

"Huh?" Jiang Huizhou blinked.

"Jiang Xingliu is only five. A normal kid his age would still be in kindergarten."

Mr. Jiang nonchalantly shrugged. "It doesn't matter. He's not my biological child, whether he's five or not. If you want kids, we can have one of our own."

Shen Zhixue said coldly, "Jiang Huizhou, I thought I made myself clear."

Jiang Huizhou narrowed his eyes, changing the subject. "Alright, let's not talk about this. Feder will meet us at the federation border."

"We need to find a way to reach Jiang Xingliu," Shen Zhixue interrupted. "We have no idea how long we'll be gone. Otherwise, he'll overthink and suffer. He's also your son."

Jiang Huizhou paused, then smiled with a curved lip. "My son? Has that brat ever called me dad? He's Jiang Yingshan's son. Like Jiang Yingshan and I, he shouldn't have been born into this world. But since he's here, he'd better be prepared for a life of pain, shouldn't he?"

Shen Zhixue didn't understand. "I really can't comprehend why you always punish yourself for others' mistakes. Is it your and Jiang Xingliu's fault for being born? He's still so young. He could have grown up healthy and happy. Why are you always so harsh on him?"

Jiang Huizhou put down his glass. "A bastard doesn't deserve to be happy. Even if there's an illusion of warmth on the surface, he'll ultimately be alone. You can't stay with him forever! Besides, he needs to understand the dangerous hell he lives in."

Shen Zhixue couldn't argue with him, making a stop gesture with his hand. "I'll find my own way."

Jiang Huizhou fell silent for a long time before softening his tone. "I'll find someone to explain it to him. I'm not opposing your idea, Zhizhi. Don't be mad at me."

Shen Zhixue didn't respond, only gazing out through the starship's special material window at the vast expanse of the starry sky.

Jiang Huizhou came over, wrapping his arms around him from behind, his chin resting on Shen Zhixue's shoulder. In a small, pitiful voice, he said, "You're mad at me, aren't you? I'm sorry, okay? Or if you want, you can hit me a couple of times. Just don't ignore me. How can you stand to give someone as fragile as me the cold shoulder?"

Shen Zhixue sighed. "I know you didn't mean it. You're just... never mind."

He felt a sense of powerlessness. Perhaps Jiang Huizhou wasn't deliberately making things difficult for Jiang Xingliu. He simply believed that since both he and Jiang Xingliu shared the same status, Jiang Xingliu should grow up the same way he did.

Only through this could he be forced to grow up quickly, learning to judge people's hearts and protect himself amidst crises.

Jiang Huizhou chuckled, rubbing Shen Zhixue's earlobe. "We look like a couple arguing over our child's education, don't we? Zhizhi, if only you were this gentle exclusively for me."

Shen Zhixue said helplessly, "Don't say nonsense."

Jiang Huizhou raised an eyebrow, holding Shen Zhixue as they both looked up at the stars. "But still, we should have a very enjoyable journey ahead."

As Shen Zhixue and Jiang Huizhou arrived at the federal border, Duke Fedel had sent his personal guards to escort him back to the ducal mansion.

The guards stationed at the border were Duke Fedel’s most trusted men. They were very curious about the young duke who had never appeared in public before. Out of both curiosity and duty, one of the guards inspected Jiang Huizhou’s small starship.

"Wait, Your Highness," the guard called out after inspecting the small starship. "Pardon my directness, but why is the starship you're using an imperial model?"

Before Jiang Huizhou could respond, the personal guard standing next to him slapped the guard across the face!

"Is it your place to question the young duke's affairs? Are you saying the young duke might be an imperial spy!?"

"No, that's not what I meant. It's just..."

Jiang Huizhou, wearing a silver half-mask, spoke gently. "On my travels, I came across this imperial warship. If you have doubts, you may inspect it."

Frightened by the slap, the guard hesitated. Duke Fedel himself had promoted him to this position. To put it kindly, he was a retainer; less politely, he was a servant of the Fedel family, a dog kept by them.

A dog shouldn't overstep its place.

The guard had no choice but to shake his head. "I wouldn't dare to. With your status, how could you possibly be an imperial spy? Please don't hold it against me."

Jiang Huizhou chuckled lightly. "It's your duty. I get it."

With that, he turned, took Shen Zhixue's hand, and left.

"This Duke Fedel seems quite reliable," Shen Zhixue cautiously observed. "Is Duke Fedel's position in the federation like the Wan family's in the empire?"

Jiang Huizhou shook his head. "It's different. The federal military is split into three parts, balancing one another. In the empire, it's essentially the Wan family's autocracy. Even the royal family dares not defy Madam Wan. She's a warlike woman. Unfortunately, she has the skills of a general but not the skill to govern a country."

Shen Zhixue followed, listening in silence as Jiang Huizhou analyzed the federal situation.

He had originally thought that getting the federation to pressure the empire wouldn't be too hard, given Jiang Huizhou's current status as the young Duke Fedel. However, the situation in the federation was far more complicated than he had imagined.

By the time they arrived at Duke Fedel's mansion on the federal capital star, it was already midnight.

As Shen Zhixue and Jiang Huizhou got off the hovercar, a beautifully dressed middle-aged lady, her skirt held up as she hurriedly ran out of the ducal mansion, rushed toward Jiang Huizhou.

Behind her, a flurry of servants followed, urgently speaking.

As they drew nearer, Shen Zhixue could finally make out what they were shouting.

"Madam! Madam, please slow down, don't fall! The young duke isn't going anywhere!"

"Yes, Madam, if you get hurt, we'll be punished again!"

Though the lady looked somewhat disheveled, her white hair glowing, her face was extraordinarily beautiful, her aura transcendent.

She ran up, tears in her eyes, and grabbed Jiang Huizhou's arm. "You're finally back, Young Fedel. I thought you didn't want your mother anymore. Really, being away for so long without contacting home? You scared me to death!"

Jiang Huizhou patted the lady's hand gently. "I apologize for worrying you, Mother."

The lady, too preoccupied with her tears, hadn't noticed Shen Zhixue standing next to him. However, a dignified-looking man noticed Shen Zhixue immediately and asked in a deep voice, "Who is that person by your side?"

Shen Zhixue was about to say that he had been picked up by Jiang Huizhou on the way, but before he could speak, the lady finally noticed him and excitedly grabbed his wrist. "Oh, what a beautiful omega! You must be the young mistress of our ducal mansion, right? Oh my, you are so beautiful, dear, you are worthy of my Young Fedel!"

Shen Zhixue: "?"

"You're really confused," the old Duke Fedel walked over, his sharp eyes sweeping over Shen Zhixue. "Young Fedel has long been betrothed to Princess Sith."

The woman finally nodded. "Yes, I almost forgot, Princess Sith is also a really pretty omega... But what should be done about him? Can't he have two omegas?"

The duke reached over to fix his wife's messy hair. "The Federation doesn't allow an Alpha to have two omegas simultaneously."

The lady looked absolutely devastated, holding onto Shen Zhixue's hand and not letting go, showing how much she liked him. "What should I do then? I want this young lady of the house. Princess Sith isn't as beautiful as him!"

Fedel glanced at Jiang Huizhou and then at Shen Zhixue. "Don't stand outside. Let's go in."

Shen Zhixue tried to pull his hand away but couldn't.

Madam Fedel held onto him with one hand and Jiang Huizhou with the other, her face full of joy.

After finally getting Madam Fedel to fall asleep, Duke Fedel appeared in the living room.

"She waited for you outside all night," Duke Fedel rubbed his forehead. "Why did you come back so late?"

Jiang Huizhou explained nonchalantly, "Some things came up, so I got held up."

"You didn't mention bringing an omega back when you returned," Duke Fedel's sharp eyes fell on Shen Zhixue. "And he's an omega from the Empire. By tomorrow, the news will spread quickly. Given Princess Sith's temper, she'll likely come to cause trouble soon."