Chapter 142: Little Uncle

Chapter 142: Little Uncle

Qiu Huanian was startled. This wasn’t the first time Sixteen’s emotions had inexplicably surfaced, and a faint sense of unease lingered in his mind.

By the time Qiu Huanian recovered, Sixteen was already crouched by the bed.

He raised his hand, hovering uncertainly.

“Can I… come closer?”

Qiu Huanian instinctively nodded. Sixteen moved closer, first placing his trembling hand on Qiu Huanian’s abdomen, then, as if unable to help himself, he slowly rested his head against it.

Qiu Huanian held his breath, suppressing his surprise. Even Sixteen’s skin was soft, his breath warm.

Sixteen closed his eyes, staying perfectly still. Qiu Huanian gazed at his long lashes, delicate nose, and slightly pursed lips, feeling a strange emptiness in his chest.

Sixteen’s presence overshadowed his looks. When he stood there, people overlooked his appearance, focusing only on his dark, mysterious aura.

It wasn’t until now, when he’d let down his guard, that Qiu Huanian could finally study his face.

As he looked, Qiu Huanian felt a sudden, strange familiarity.

Qiu Huanian wasn’t shocked that Sixteen knew he was pregnant. They’d mentioned it in the letter sent to the capital while arranging the servants. As the Crown Prince’s ever-watchful guard, it’d be odd if Sixteen didn’t know.

But why was Sixteen so worked up?

Qiu Huanian’s heart raced as a bold guess popped into his head.

“Sixteen, is your surname Mei—”

Sixteen snapped his head up, cutting Qiu Huanian off.

His demeanor turned icy, as if the moment had never happened, and he was about to quickly disappear from the room.

“Wait!” Qiu Huanian reached for him, nearly missing and stumbling. Sixteen caught him, turning back to place him on the bed.

“…”

Qiu Huanian grabbed his sleeve, not letting him escape.

“We’re alone. Sit down and talk to me, okay?” Qiu Huanian bargained in a playful manner.

Sixteen didn’t sit. He looked down at the sleeve being held, his voice low and hoarse, “How does the Township Lord know about those past events?”

Qiu Huanian organized his words, “I know my mother’s surname was Mei, her childhood name was Mei Xueer, and her formal name was Mei Zhengchun. She came from a good family, but something must have happened…”

“She never managed to return home in her lifetime, and I’ve always wanted to help her find her relatives.”

Sixteen sighed in relief, his tone no longer as stiff, “There’s no need to look. The Mei family only has me left, perhaps you, and the child in your womb.”

“Your safety and happiness are what matter most.”

“…”

Qiu Huanian didn’t let go. He took a breath and asked, “What about you, Sixteen? Or should I call you something else?”

Sixteen didn’t answer. He had never thought about this question and had no corresponding answer.

Qiu Huanian continued analyzing on his own, “The Mei family’s incident must have happened about twenty years ago. You became an imperial guard in the palace, were you taken into the palace as a child? Is there any room for reversal in what happened back then? Do you still have a chance to leave the palace and shed your identity as an imperial guard?”

Sixteen cut him off, eyes downcast and brow furrowed, his voice cold and hard, "Huanian, stop dwelling on these pointless and risky ideas."

"I’m the Crown Prince’s dog—a loyal dog never abandons its master."

"But you’re clearly a person!"

"..." Sixteen lifted his hand to shield Qiu Huanian’s penetrating gaze, which eased his discomfort slightly.

But he couldn’t stop Qiu Huanian from continuing to speak. Even if ten Qiu Huanians teamed up, they couldn’t beat him, yet the strength radiating from Qiu Huanian’s soul was greater than his.

"If you truly don’t care, if you’ve really lost all human feeling, why do you keep looking out for me and helping me time and again?"

"If your loyalty to the Crown Prince is absolute, with no room for other thoughts, why would you keep our relationship a secret from him?"

"If you’re truly indifferent, why did you rush to see me today?"

"..."

Sixteen couldn’t answer any of these questions. He wanted to run, but he couldn’t pull away from Qiu Huanian’s grip.

It wasn’t that Qiu Huanian had somehow gained the strength to hold him back, but a force within him welled up, stopping him from leaving.

Sixteen could only soften his voice and persuade, "We’re fine as we are, Huanian. Just listen to me. This isn’t a mess you should be tangled up in."

Qiu Huanian remained stubbornly unmoved, "First, tell me—who are you to me?"

"...Mei Zhengchun was my sister."

"My uncle?"

Sixteen’s fingers twitched, trying to pull back, but Qiu Huanian held on tight.

He had no choice but to speak with difficulty, "Huanian, the Mei family left you no status, no wealth, no connections... only the stigma of being a disgraced official’s descendant, which could drag you down at any moment."

"You and Du Yunse are deeply in love, happy together, and have a bright future. Why insist on claiming the Mei name?"

"Today, I slipped up and let you see the truth because I was too careless. As long as you don’t dig deeper, I promise no one else will find out."

He pleaded earnestly, like he was talking to a stubborn child.

Qiu Huanian felt the child wasn’t him, but Sixteen—a child from years ago, before he was called Sixteen.

Qiu Huanian responded directly, "Because the 'Mei' name gave me life. Mei Zhengchun still lies alone on a foreign hillside, her eyes unclosed. I am the only continuation of her life, and this is something I must do."

"Just because I can’t do much now doesn’t mean I will always be powerless." Qiu Huanian smiled, "You know, Uncle, I always accept fate but never submit to it."

Sixteen fell silent for a moment, "If things go wrong, you will also implicate Du Yunse and your child."

"Yun Se will definitely support me, help me." Qiu Huanian said without hesitation.

"..."

"I’m not a fragile child who needs your protection. I know exactly what I want to do and when I can do it." Qiu Huanian pulled Sixteen’s hand away from his eyes and looked at him seriously.

"Uncle, when the Mei family fell, you must have been only five or six years old. If my mother were still alive, seeing you now, she would be heartbroken."

Qiu Huanian smiled, "You can think of it this way, I am the family that heaven arranged for you, I am the one your sister sent to save you."

Sixteen stepped back half a step, his body and spirit both on the brink.

He had once hung from a beam all night with sandbags tied to his legs, and he had also drifted in the water for several days holding onto a piece of floating wood. There were few environments in the world that could challenge him anymore, yet in such a comfortable and cozy green gauze chamber, he felt almost unable to stand on solid ground.

Qiu Huanian loosened his grip slightly, "I’m not pushing you to decide right now, but you must understand that you’re not alone or forgotten."

"Also, I’m not just going to sit back and do nothing."

"..."

Sixteen slipped his hand out and walked a few steps before turning back.

He looked at Qiu Huanian, who was half-leaning on the canopy bed. The afternoon sunlight danced in the room, and the fine dust in the air floated slowly. Everything was so peaceful and serene.

Sixteen's lips moved, but he said nothing.

He disappeared into the sunlight, leaving no footprints.

...

That night, after Du Yunse returned, in the quiet of the night, Qiu Huanian told him about what had happened that afternoon.

The flickering candlelight bathed the room in a warm glow. Qiu Huanian, dressed in matching moon-white silk pajamas with Du Yunse, hugged Du Yunse from behind, nestling his head into the crook of his neck.

Since becoming pregnant, Qiu Huanian had increasingly enjoyed being close to Du Yunse. As long as no one else was in the room, he rarely wanted to let go.

Even when Du Yunse got up to pour water or trim the candle, Qiu Huanian would demand to be piggybacked, claiming it was to keep the Number One Scholar Du active, so he doesn’t get out of shape once he starts working.

Du Yunse just kissed him and carried him carefully, letting Qiu Huanian direct him around the room.

After telling the story about Sixteen, Qiu Huanian sighed deeply.

"After Sixteen left, I couldn’t stop thinking about what he went through. I know how brutal and exhausting secret guard training is. When I think about it happening to my own relative, and considering Sixteen's age at that time, I really..."

Du Yunse turned to kiss Qiu Huanian's forehead.

"Brother Hua, you should be glad we found your uncle."

Qiu Huanian whispered, "Yes, at least we found him, at least there’s still hope."

"Knowing that all the Mei family members had died, and only a child of a few years was taken into the palace, the search has been narrowed down a lot. The Hanlin Academy is responsible for compiling history and has preserved all the records of this dynasty. In the next month or two, I should be able to dig up what happened back then."

Du Yunse took charge of the matter.

Qiu Huanian hummed in agreement, "Although Sixteen is a secret guard, he holds a very high position by the Crown Prince's side and is not without power or influence. The fact that he hasn’t found a way out all these years shows that this matter is deeply involved. Your safety comes first; we can’t afford to rush."

Du Yunse turned and pulled Qiu Huanian into his arms, gently patting his back.

"Brother Hua, don’t stress. We’ve got to see our child born and grow up safe and sound. I won’t let anything harm you or the baby."

Qiu Huanian nestled in Du Yunse's arms for a while, rumpling his clothes and feeling a cozy warmth in his chest.

Du Yunse held him firmly, telling him to behave, "Brother Hua is becoming more and more like a cat."

Qiu Huanian looked up at him and blinked, "Don't you like it?"

"I do, I love you in every way."

Qiu Huanian laughed, then kissed him affectionately for a while, letting Du Yunse carry him to extinguish the lights before they went to sleep.

Tomorrow morning, Du Yunse would have to go to work. Ancient government offices didn’t follow the modern 8 AM schedule; even if there was no morning court, they still had to check in at 6 AM. If they stayed up late the night before and couldn’t get up the next morning, they would suffer.

The candle went out, and a comforting darkness filled the room. Qiu Huanian lay on the inner side of the canopy bed, seeking coolness by pressing against the wooden bed frame, only to be pulled back by Du Yunse's long arm.

"Although it's late spring, the temperature drops at night. Brother Hua, be careful not to catch a cold."

Qiu Huanian snuggled into Du Yunse's embrace, "Is the temperature here okay then?"

Du Yunse shifted to make Qiu Huanian more comfortable, while also grabbing the mischievous hand that was wandering over his body, giving it a warning squeeze.

Brother Hua had become more affectionate and teasing since getting pregnant. However, as they couldn’t be intimate during pregnancy, Du Yunse was truly suffering.

If he shared the same vocabulary as Qiu Huanian, he could have found a very apt phrase to describe his current state—a mix of pain and pleasure.