Words he hadn’t heard in many years fell from Oser’s mouth, and Xi En’s body swayed. All of his anger shattered apart, leaving only shock.

“Did you think I was so young when we met that I wouldn’t remember you? Hm?” Oser regained his composure and said, “The captain of the guard at my uncle’s side.”

Xi En’s face paled with weakness and alarm: “Your Highness has a good memory.”

Oser touched the spot where Xi En had struck him.

“As expected of the most glorious captain of the royal guard back then. Despite your weakness, you were able to hit me.”

“I was only thinking you’d thrown that punch as an elder teaching the younger generation a lesson. I just wasn’t sure if you were acting as Ling Yi’s adoptive father or a confidant of my uncle.”

Xi En’s eyes were dull: “Perhaps it was both.”

“Then you are indeed the most qualified person in the empire to hit me,” Oser said with a hint of sarcasm. “After Uncle Bie’er left, his guard was disbanded, and your whereabouts were unknown. You disappeared these years and made a living teaching youngsters fighting skills. It turns out you did all of this just to become a full-time dad.”

Xi En was vigilant: “You looked into us?”

“I’m a suspicious person by nature. To dare place a living person next to my pillow, I naturally had to conduct a thorough background check.”

“How much did you find?”

“All of it, of course.”

“All of it?” Xi En repeated.

“Everything from Ling Yi’s birth to the present has been thoroughly investigated,” Oser said calmly.

Xi En stared at him, as if attempting to discern the truth of his statement.

“Including the fact that Ling Yi is your late uncle’s son?”

With a loud bang, the shelf containing medical instruments closest to Oser was smashed to pieces.

The commotion spread to the corridor, and the two anxious people waiting there started to rush in at the same time. The following silence kept them outside, not daring to enter.

Oser was still smiling, as if the violent destruction just now had nothing to do with him.

But the murderous intent in that smile could no longer be concealed.

“If this is true, you’ll probably have to take this secret with you to hell.”

When he heard this, Xi En felt relieved.

“So you lied to me. You never discovered Ling Yi’s background. I lied to you too. Ling Yi has no blood relationship with Earl Bie’er. Now we’re even.”

Oser slowly leaned back against the wall. No one would be able to guess his recent mood swing from his tranquil appearance.

“My subordinate Tang De isn’t very reliable in other aspects, but he’s the best at gathering intelligence. However, he was unable to find any clues that you, a retired captain, erased.”

“That’s no surprise. Ling Yi is just an orphan I picked up while in the field. He has no past,” Xi En said calmly.

A cold arc appeared at the corners of Oser’s mouth: “Let me ask you one more question. How did Uncle Bie’er die?”

. . . . . . .

Tang De appeared in a travel-worn state to find two people pacing anxiously outside the intensive care unit.

“Your Highness Ling Yi’s father has already woken up. Why are you still standing at the door?”

Ling Yi was vague in his explanation, only saying that Xi En had offended Oser after waking up and was now being questioned inside.

Tang De didn’t take it seriously: “Your adoptive father is His Highness’s father-in-law. Even if he did something offensive, His Highness won’t make things difficult for him.”

Ling Yi forced a bitter smile: “I hope that’s the case.”

Tang De continued to smile brightly: “Aren’t you two going to ask me where I went just now?”

“Where did you go just now?” Xi Lei asked with some effort.

“Where I went isn’t the important thing – it’s who I brought back.”

He stepped aside, revealing a small, timid head.

“Xi Lan!” Ling Yi exclaimed in surprise. 

Xi Lan’s nervousness vanished upon seeing them: “Gege!”

Xi Lei crouched down and hugged him, eager to carefully inspect his face to judge if he’d lost weight.

“How have you been lately? Have you eaten well?”

“There was a person I didn’t know who said he was Dad’s friend, and he took me somewhere else to live. There were also some strangers who took care of me and treated me very well, but they wouldn’t let me go to school.”

Tang De explained: “Those were His Highness’s people. They didn’t allow him to attend school for fear that the Prime Minister would attempt something, and media outlets are always staking out the school.”

“Why do they go to the school?” Xi Lan asked innocently.

Xi Lei’s throat tightened. Just as he was about to say something, he caught Tang De’s meaningful look.

The door happened to open, and Xi Lan caught sight of his father. Disregarding everything else, he ran over and left Xi Lei behind.

The family that had gone through untold hardships was finally reunited. They hugged each other tightly, and everything in the past just seemed like a nightmare.

Upon waking from the dream, everyone was still alive – the best possible outcome in an unfortunate situation. However, the giant sword hanging over their heads had yet to be lifted.

Ling Yi watched the family of three hug each other tearfully, feeling mixed emotions.

“Why are you the only one missing from such a touching family reunion?” Oser walked out of the ward with one hand in his pocket, and asked jokingly, “Aren’t you family too?”

“What did you and Uncle Xi En talk about?” Ling Yi asked eagerly when he saw him.

“You want to know?” Oser kept the secret to himself. “I’ll settle the score with you later. Had he not told me, I would have never known that your life was so colorful.”

Ling Yi had a bad feeling.

Xi Lan also realized that his family wasn’t complete, and looked around until he found Ling Yi.

“Ling Yi-gege!”

He rushed over and hugged Ling Yi. Just as Ling Yi was about to return his enthusiasm, Xi Lan pulled back and looked at him with surprise.

“What’s wrong, Xi Lan?” Ling Yi asked in confusion.

Xi Lan looked lost and confused: “Ling Yi-gege changed.”

He sniffed with his nose: “You smell different than before.”

Ling Yi: “…..”

Xi Lan had just entered puberty, and could distinguish Alphas and Omegas by scent.

Before Ling Yi could figure out what to say, he had already keenly noticed the changes in Ling Yi.

Tears fell like beads from a broken string: “Ling Yi-gege is like me now. Why did this happen? You promised to marry me when I grow up, did you forget?”

Both helpless and embarrassed, Ling Yi reached out to pull Xi Lan in: “Listen to gege’s explanation.”

Xi Lan reacted strongly, avoiding his hands: “Ling Yi-gege clearly promised me. Why did you break your word?”

This was the first time Ling Yi had seen Xi Lan so agitated that he wouldn’t even let him touch him.

“No matter what I become, you are still my most beloved didi.”

“I don’t want to be your didi, I want to be your bride!”

A familiar scoff sounded in his ears. Ling Yi stole a glance and saw Oser leaning leisurely against the wall, his expression one of enjoying a melodramatic family comedy.

‘Having parents to support and young children to raise’ pretty much summed up Ling Yi’s current predicament. He didn’t know how to coax the little one in front of him, nor did he know how to coax the big one later. He was overwhelmed.

Xi Lei then took Xi Lan away. He was also facing the same predicament as Ling Yi. The parent had just offended His Highness Oser, and now the younger one was dancing on his minefield.

That His Highness Oser had tolerated their family living to this point was truly a mercy.

“I thought you were the Xi family’s adopted son, but it turns out you were adopted to be raised as a husband,” Oser commented after watching the melodrama.

“That’s not how it is,” Ling Yi retorted. “You’re taking the kid’s joke too seriously.”

“Your didi was very serious when he said you made him a promise. It didn’t sound like he was joking at all.”

“It was Xi Lan’s seventh birthday wish. I couldn’t ruin his fun.”

On his seventh birthday, Xi Lan had made a wish to marry Ling Yi when he grew up, and the whole family treated it as a joke.

“You know how children are. At three, they want to marry their father. At five, they want to marry their brother. He knew that he couldn’t marry a blood relative when he grew up, and I was the only other Alpha he was familiar with.”

“When he grows up and he’s surrounded by tons of outstanding Alphas his age, he’ll only think of me once every two or three years, even if he has his mind set on me now.”

“And you don’t know Xi Lei well enough. He has an extreme brother complex. If I dared to have such thoughts, he would be the first to strangle me.”

Even after explaining so much in one breath, it seemed that he still hadn’t gained Oser’s trust.

“Looks like we’ll need to expand the defenses. Not only against Alphas, but against Omegas too.”

Ling Yi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry: “Your Highness, how can you even be jealous of a little kid?”

“There’s nothing I can do. Who can blame me for the fact that the future consort is so charming that Alphas and Omegas alike want him? It’s impossible to rest at ease.”

In order to reassure him, Ling Yi could only be honest.

“Xi Lan is cute and sweet, but he’s not my type.”

“Your ideal type is beautiful and dainty.”

Ling Yi was once again shocked by his ability to read minds: “How did you know?”

“So it’s true. Your adoptive father didn’t deceive me.”

“Uncle Xi En told you that? How did he know…..no, what else did he tell you?”

“He said you had hidden a lot of good stuff on your phone.”

Ling Yi couldn’t think of any other possibility: “So that’s what Your Highness is referring to. That’s not even worth making a fuss about. It’s normal for Alphas to have a few science and educational videos in stock.”

“I don’t.”

“…..” Ling Yi saw Tang De trying hard to hold back his laughter. “You’re different from us common Alphas. You’re an Alpha who has disengaged from vulgarity.”

Oser: “Tang De.”

“Here.” Tang De was serious for a second.

Oser looked at Ling Yi as he asked Tang De: “Do you know who Meng Tian is?”

“Apologies, Your Highness, I don’t know who Meng Tian is. Including Man Zhu, Mei Ying, Wu Wuli, and Sangxiao Mitao, I haven’t heard of any of these people.”

Ling Yi: “……”

He gave Tang De a thumbs up, full of admiration.

Oser extended his hand toward Tang De: “Give it to me.”

Ling Yi thought, what is this, asking for resources? Is His Highness Oser a freeloader?

What Tang De handed him was a report.

Oser: “I have bad news. This is the conclusion issued by a professional psychiatrist after counseling your didi.”

Ling Yi snatched the report and directly turned to the conclusion: “Traumatic amnesia?”

“He doesn’t remember anything that happened that day. The doctor says that this is his subconscious mind protecting him by blocking all memory of the incident.”

Tang De added: “That’s why during this period, the excuse we gave him was that Xi En is sick, and you and Xi Lei had to stay in the hospital to take care of him. He believed it.”

Ling Yi finally realized why Xi Lan seemed to be alright, and that the most difficult thing for him to accept was that Ling Yi had become an Omega.

“This is bad news? It’s actually a good thing that Xi Lan doesn’t remember anything.”

Oser: “His memory has only been blocked, not erased. It may come back if he’s stimulated in the future.”

“It’s better to have it happen later than to have to think about that disgusting experience all this time.”

Tang De: “The doctor said that if his family agrees, they can try to recover his memories through hypnosis.”

“What doctor? Make him scram,” Ling Yi said rudely. “Don’t let Xi Lan see him again. That scumbag doesn’t deserve to take up even a fraction of space in his memory.”

Ling Yi placed his arms around Oser’s neck: “Your Highness, Xi Lan is still young, and my adoptive father is seriously injured. When he recovers and is discharged from the hospital, you can find a place with few people and beautiful scenery to settle him and his family. And also get them new identities to avoid Lu Hulun getting up to no good again. This shouldn’t be difficult for you to do.”

Oser regarded him with a half-smile: “What about my benefits?”

“You will receive my sincere gratitude.”

“You’ll give me a punch in passing?”

Ling Yi smiled, eyes gleaming as he asked knowingly: “What benefits does Your Highness want?”

“I seem to have developed a sudden interest in civilian art.”

“Isn’t that a coincidence? I happen to have a collection of civilian art. I’ll invite His Highness to appreciate it together.”

Oser was satisfied: “Let me, an Alpha who has disengaged from vulgarity, broaden my horizons.”

. . . . . . .

Xi Lan finally fell asleep after crying himself into exhaustion. Xi Lei also advised Xi En to go to sleep early, but was called into the room.

“If Lu Hulun finds out Ling Yi is still alive, he definitely won’t give up. My health isn’t as good as before, and Xi Lan is still young. If we stay, we will become a burden to Ling Yi.”

Xi Lei: “Ling Yi has the protection of His Highness Oser…..”

“Listen to me,” Xi En stopped him from talking. “When I’m better, His Highness Oser will definitely send us somewhere safe to live. After things have been stable for a while, I’ll take Xi Lan away. Your father learned some skills when he was young, and even His Highness Oser won’t be able to find the place I plan to go.”

Xi Lei was becoming increasingly confused: “Dad, what do you mean by that?”

“I want Ling Yi to have no worries at all. Neither Lu Hulun nor His Highness Oser will be able to use me and Xi Lan as leverage to hold him hostage.”

“What about me?”

“You must stay to protect Ling Yi.”

“Why?” Xi Lei wasn’t happy about this. “His Highness Oser is head over heels for him now. Rather than a squadron of guards, he’d even give him an army. He doesn’t need me.”

“It’s not the same. No matter how many people His Highness Oser gives him, they are still His Highness’s men. Only you will truly stand on Ling Yi’s side.”

Xi Lei was emotionally agitated: “You taught me since childhood that I should follow His Highness Oser when I grew up. For so many years, I’ve dreamed of becoming His Highness’s bodyguard. I finally passed the assessment to join the team, but you want me to protect someone I don’t even like?”

“I really don’t get it. It was you who saved his life, not him who saved yours. Why do you act like you owe him something? He saved Xi Lan for the sake of repaying your kindness, so why should I sacrifice my life? When you paved all roads for him, did you even consider that your biological son also has his own ambitions in life?”

Xi En looked at the young man whose appearance matched his own by 70%, and his heart flooded with guilt.

“Son, I’m so sorry…..”

Xi Lei lowered his head and said: “I’m sorry Dad, I can’t accept your request. You should get some rest.”

He turned and left without looking back.

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Chapter 31 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 33