After Saving the Immortal Sect, I Became a Heartthrob - Chapter 14

Gu Cong Xing’s face turned deathly pale, and his eyes widened in disbelief.

No! This is wrong!

Anyone else could appear here, but the one person who shouldn’t be here was Xiao Wangyou! Because his appearance signaled the start of a tragic fate.

No! That’s not right! Xiao Wangyou was the Crown Prince, someone he had known for a very long time. Where did this idea of a tragic destiny come from?

What was going on?!

“Ugh…!” Gu Cong Xing’s head began to throb again with that agonizing pain, like a dull knife grinding against bone. The long-suppressed ringing in his ears returned.

Beep,  Beep, beep,

What a noisy sound! Stop it! Stop moving!

In an instant, Gu Cong Xing was drenched in a cold sweat. He clutched his head with both arms, bending over in pain as a muffled groan escaped his tightly bitten lips.

“…Hey?”

Xiao Wangyou had been waiting for Gu Cong Xing to admit his mistake and beg for mercy, but he never expected the boy to look as though he had seen a ghost. Even more unexpected was the look of pure agony on his face.

“Gu Cong Xing, what on earth are you playing at? Don’t think this little act will let you escape the crime of offending me.”

Despite his words, Xiao Wangyou instinctively reached out and gently pulled the trembling Gu Cong Xing into his arms. Gu Cong Xing kept his head lowered; from Xiao Wangyou’s perspective, he could only see the boy’s slender, fair neck trembling like a poplar tree in a violent storm.

What’s happening? It looks like he’s about to collapse…

Xiao Wangyou clicked his tongue, about to call for a royal physician, but in the blink of an eye, the person in his arms was snatched away. As the warmth in his embrace vanished, Xiao Wangyou’s face darkened. He looked up to see an even more frigid expression.

With one long arm, Lan Jue pulled Gu Cong Xing against his chest, while his other hand gently caressed the boy’s cheek. His movements were incredibly tender, but his grip was firm, pressing their bodies together without a single gap.

His voice, usually like a spring breeze, was now as cold as ice: “Your Highness the Crown Prince, please calm your anger.”

Though he spoke words of apology, his expression showed no sincerity, and his eyes remained somberly dark.

“Hmph. Why are you, the star of the Qionghua Feast, secretly paying attention to what’s happening here instead of attending to your duties?” A sneer appeared on Xiao Wangyou’s handsome face. “If you cared this much, why did you act as if you hadn’t noticed earlier?”

He was referring to how Lan Jue had seemingly ignored Gu Cong Xing’s intense gaze while chatting and laughing with others.

Lan Jue narrowed his eyes and retorted, “I was unaware that Your Highness and Cong Xing had already turned your swords into plowshares to the point where you would speak up on his behalf.”

Xiao Wangyou’s brow furrowed at this. He was about to speak when an anxious shout reached them.

“Gu Cong Xing!”

The newcomer was Mei Ci. He ran toward them, holding up the hem of his robes. It wasn’t until he was close that he realized the Crown Prince was also there. He gave a hasty bow before reaching for Gu Cong Xing’s wrist.

Lan Jue grabbed Mei Ci’s hand and frowned. “What are you doing now?”

“Lan Jue? Have you gone mad? I am a medical officer! He’s about to pass out from the pain!”

Rebuked by Mei Ci, Lan Jue seemed to snap back to his senses. He released his grip and silently allowed Mei Ci to proceed. He hadn’t had much contact with Mei Ci before; he had only noticed the man earlier because he was with Cong Xing.

Right, Mei Ci is the youngest medical officer in the Forbidden City, a descendant of the legendary physician Mei Mu. But why do I have no memory of him? Lan Jue’s brow furrowed slightly.

Mei Ci diagnosed, “It might be a relapse of his old head injury. We need to take him to a room so I can use acupuncture to suppress it.”

“The East Palace is nearby. We should take him directly to my side hall,” Xiao Wangyou responded quickly.

Lan Jue gave him a silent look before adjusting his posture to carry Gu Cong Xing in his arms. The person in his embrace was already losing consciousness, his face so pale that even his lips were losing their color.

As he prepared to head to the side hall, an attendant said hurriedly, “Master Lan! You cannot leave the feast…”

Lan Jue paused, then said in a heavy voice, “And if I refuse to stay?”

The attendant was stunned by the question and looked toward the Crown Prince for help. Xiao Wangyou let out a cold snort and quickly walked toward the side hall with Lan Jue and Mei Ci.

“Ugh… where am I?”

When Gu Cong Xing woke up again, he found himself in a completely unfamiliar room. The decor was elegant and expensive, exuding an extraordinary aura of nobility—clearly not his own residence.

He blinked in confusion, only then realizing that his hand was being held tightly, with warmth constantly being transmitted to him. Gu Cong Xing followed the hand with its well-defined joints and saw Lan Jue leaning against the side of the bed, his head resting on his arm, revealing his striking profile.

The morning light gilded his figure, making him look even more clear and refined, as if carved from white jade. Gu Cong Xing’s heart stirred, and he instinctively reached out, lightly brushing his knuckles against Lan Jue’s eyelashes.

It had been the same during the top scholar’s parade; dressed in his crimson robes and bathed in brilliant sunlight, it felt as though the world itself were crowning Lan Jue.

Back then, what did I want to do?

It seemed to be exactly this to stand side-by-side with him, holding his hand tightly.

“…Cong Xing?”

The slightest movement had awakened Lan Jue. His eyes snapped open, his gaze sharp. But the coldness vanished when he saw Gu Cong Xing, replaced by a soft look.

“Does your head still hurt? How do you feel?” Lan Jue sat up and asked softly.

“I feel much better. Don’t worry.”

Gu Cong Xing no longer felt any pain; his whole body felt light. Yet, for some reason, away from that sharp agony and in this comfortable ease, a part of him felt uneasy. The sensation of being on a suspension bridge over a cliff returned, causing him to frown.

Come to think of it, this intense headache had started right after he encountered Xiao Wangyou. Not only that, he felt as if he had remembered something at the time, but now he had no memory of it at all. It was almost as if… his memories were being gradually erased.

At this thought, Gu Cong Xing was startled, and a cold sweat broke out on his back.

“Cong Xing?” Lan Jue reached out worriedly, touching his face. “Are you feeling unwell again?”

Gu Cong Xing slowly shook his head. His gaze swept the room; after confirming no one else was there, he spoke carefully: “Lan Jue, do you… ever feel that something is wrong?”

As Lan Jue’s eyes flickered, Gu Cong Xing was about to continue when he felt the air grow chilly again. The shadows of the trees outside moved, casting irregular black shapes on the window frames that looked like countless dark eyes.

He paused for a moment, then leaned forward, his lips close to Lan Jue’s left ear as he whispered:

“Especially… regarding your memories?”

Lan Jue’s pupils contracted, and he suddenly looked up. Gu Cong Xing didn’t expect the movement and couldn’t pull back in time. His soft lips brushed against Lan Jue’s cheek, leaving a fleeting kiss.

Feeling that warm softness on his face, Lan Jue froze as if turned to stone. The two stared at each other, eyes wide; after a moment of silent staring, they both snapped back to their senses, their cheeks turning bright red.

“…I’m sorry.” Lan Jue cleared his throat, his gaze instinctively drifting to Gu Cong Xing’s lips. Seeing them naturally red, he suddenly thought of the phrase “delicious enough to eat.” He quickly looked away, his ears turning red. In his peripheral vision, he saw Gu Cong Xing also silently look away. Lan Jue let out a light breath before returning to the previous topic.

“I feel the same way about what you said.”

The two tacitly stopped talking. Their eyes met, and with a single nod, they knew what the other was thinking.

This place was indeed strange.

As they were lost in their own thoughts, a strong voice announced: “His Majesty the Emperor and His Highness the Prince Consort have arrived!”

Gu Cong Xing and Lan Jue looked at each other in shock. Both gave a quick, light nod, smoothing their expressions back into a relaxed state and quickly tidying their clothes.

As a gold-trimmed boot stepped over the threshold, Lan Jue helped Gu Cong Xing out of bed. Both bowed their heads in greeting.

“Peace to Your Majesty, blessings to Your Highness.”

“Haha, there is no need for such ceremony. You may rise.”

The man’s voice was solemn and authoritative, yet his tone was kind. Gu Cong Xing and Lan Jue stood up and looked at the two people before them.

The current Emperor of Xiang, Xiao Chujun, was looking at them with a smile. He was tall and somewhat thin for a middle-aged man. Rather than a royal, he looked more like a scholar in plain clothes. Beside him stood someone in black royal robes, his eyes lightly covered by a moon-white silken veil. His features were exquisite and noble, possessing a beauty that blurred the lines between male and female.

When he spoke, however, it was a gentle male voice: “Cong Xing is still ill; he should lie down and rest.”

Gu Cong Xing responded immediately, but he didn’t dare actually lie down in the Emperor’s presence. He waited for the Emperor and Prince Consort to take their seats on the high dais before sitting down with Lan Jue.

There was a reason these two royals were so kind to him. The current Duke of Xiang, General Gu, was the adopted son of the late Emperor and the adopted brother of the current Emperor. In a way, Gu Cong Xing could be bold enough to call the Emperor “Uncle.”

Over thirty years ago, the late Emperor and his trusted official, Gu Yuan, had faced great danger together. Gu Yuan had even cut flesh from his own thigh to feed the ruler, saving his life with his own flesh and blood. But when the crisis was over, the rewards the late Emperor distributed did not reach Gu Yuan. Gu Yuan was indifferent to fame and didn’t actively seek reward; instead, he took his elderly mother and lived in seclusion in the mountains.

If it had ended there, it would have been a standard story of loyalty between ruler and official. Unfortunately…

Gu Cong Xing thought about the past and sighed inwardly. Later, the late Emperor discovered that Gu Yuan had left a letter of resignation and disappeared. Full of regret, he led his men to the place of seclusion, hoping to persuade Gu Yuan to return to office, but he could not find him. Desperate to find him, the late Emperor listened to the slanderous advice of the Guo family and set fire to the mountain, hoping to force Gu Yuan out.

But all they found were the charred bodies of Gu Yuan and his elderly mother. It turned out Gu Yuan’s mother had a leg ailment and could not have possibly made it down the mountain in time! This mother and son were burned alive!

In his grief and rage, the late Emperor ordered the execution of the Guo family member who had suggested the plan and exiled the rest of the family into slavery. The only person he brought back was Gu Yuan’s adopted son, Gu Yu—the current Duke of Xiang.

At the time, Gu Yu had gone down the mountain to buy supplies and escaped the tragedy. The late Emperor brought the young Gu Yu back to the palace and, in an unprecedented move, took him as an adopted son, doting on him immensely.

Unfortunately, after reaching adulthood and learning of the late Emperor’s actions, Gu Yu found it difficult to remain by the ruler’s side. Thus, he requested to guard the border and rarely returned to the capital.

After Gu Cong Xing was born, Gu Yu stayed in the capital for a few more years. But soon after, there was a struggle for the throne. After helping his eldest brother ascend—the current Emperor—Gu Yu returned to the border.

By the time Gu Cong Xing reached his teens, the Duchess had also followed her husband to the border to defend against external enemies. In the past, there had also been General Jiang, who was like a god of war; he had led his troops with unstoppable force, but was injured while attacking the enemy’s capital and fell from a cliff, his fate unknown. Since then, the heavy responsibility of national defense had mostly been borne by the Duke and Duchess, who rarely returned to the capital.

Gu Cong Xing was raised by several nannies and gradually became the “Little Tyrant” he was today. Incidentally, he had spent quite a bit of time in the palace when he was younger. Because his “Uncle” Emperor was kind to him, he sometimes stayed overnight in Qianyuan Hall. Of course, he also frequently encountered Xiao Wangyou.

The two had never gotten along since childhood. The reason was actually quite funny—it was just the childish jealousy of competing for affection. Gu Cong Xing and Xiao Wangyou were close in age; sometimes when they went to see the Emperor and Prince Consort together, they would be doting and kind to Gu Cong Xing but always strict with Xiao Wangyou. After all, besides the Eldest Princess, he was their only son and was naturally being raised as the heir to the throne.

To the young Xiao Wangyou, it felt as though this “wild” cousin had stolen his parents’ love. Thus, they always bickered and even got into fights whenever they met. Sometimes they even claimed they were “sparring,” but they never held back their moves and often ended up with both of them injured, terrifying the palace attendants.

It wasn’t until they grew older and entered the Academy that Gu Cong Xing finally showed some restraint.

He stopped hitting the Crown Prince directly and hit the Crown Prince’s study partner instead.

I guess that counts as restraint, Gu Cong Xing thought, secretly wiping away a non-existent bead of sweat.

“How is your health, Cong Xing? Are you fully recovered now?” The Prince Consort turned his veiled face toward them, a gentle smile on his lips.

“In response to Your Highness, I am fine now.”

Perhaps because he hadn’t come to the palace often since entering the Academy, Gu Cong Xing didn’t feel very close to the Emperor and Prince Consort, despite how familiar they were in his memories. Instead, there was a sense of strangeness and distance.

“In our presence, you don’t need to be so formal,” the Emperor said, stroking his beard.

“Cong Xing has grown up; naturally, he won’t act like a spoiled child as he did in the past. Your Majesty should get used to it,” the Prince Consort teased. Seeing the blush on Gu Cong Xing’s cheeks, he laughed as if his plan had succeeded—a laugh as captivating as a night-blooming cereus.

“Haha, true. You’re right.” The Emperor followed his partner’s lead. Looking at Lan Jue, he changed the subject: “Speaking of which, you two were very close as children, making Wangyou quite envious. I still remember how Cong Xing always asked Lan Jue for hugs.”

“This…! I didn’t, right? Your Majesty must be remembering it wrong,” Gu Cong Xing’s face turned even redder.

“Don’t be shy, Cong Xing. When you were little, you always followed behind Lan Jue. Every time you made progress in your studies, you’d pester him to hug you.” The Prince Consort’s smile widened. “Back then, you loved to tousle Lan Jue’s hair, and Lan Jue would pinch your ears. Even though you were only five or six years apart, it was quite entertaining when you were together.”

The Emperor also laughed heartily.

Gu Cong Xing wanted to sink into the floor. His memories surfaced along with the Prince Consort’s words, and the heat in his face felt like it was radiating outward. He stole a glance at Lan Jue. Lan Jue was also silent; he was probably as embarrassed as he was… right?

But the moment he saw Lan Jue, it felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him, instantly chilling his embarrassment. Lan Jue looked as if he were bashfully lowering his head, but his eyes were filled with a cold, frigid light!

Only because they were sitting so close could he see that something was wrong with Lan Jue’s expression!

Right! Exactly! This is the correct reaction!

In his memories, he had indeed acted like a spoiled child seeking hugs, but that person had only ever used a crimson ribbon to tie his hair—never Lan Jue’s dragon-patterned jade crown! Otherwise, how could he have tousled that person’s hair?

Who was it?

Who was the person who had been erased and replaced in his memories?!

Gu Cong Xing didn’t show it on his face, but his thoughts were in turmoil. Just then, a sentence from the Prince Consort made him feel as if he had fallen into an ice cellar, unable to move.

“By the way, Lan Jue regarding the matter of your marriage to the Princess… what are your thoughts?”