Pregnant with the Empress’s Alpha Heir - Chapter 21.1

For several days in a row, Yu Zhitao had been in high spirits.

That night, Ah Jiu had personally promised to take responsibility for her.

Though the words didn’t sound particularly romantic, Yu Zhitao knew that for someone as pragmatic as Ah Jiu , making such a statement meant she had already begun or was preparing to reconsider their relationship.

One thing was certain: she would now be included in Ah Jiu ‘s future plans.

Just thinking about it made Yu Zhitao giggle foolishly.

Ah Jiu, too, was infected by her joy. Over the past few days, not only had their feelings deepened rapidly, but their usual little flirtatious interactions had also become more frequent.

Luck seemed contagious. That day, Yu Zhitao received a rather peculiar letter.

The envelope was roughly the size of an A4 sheet, and the description on the front simply read: “Invitation.”

Yu Zhitao was surprised.

“Who still sends paper invitations in this day and age?”

Ah Jiu walked over and ruffled her hair.

“That’s just how the Archaeology Institute operates.

“In some ways, they like to imitate the customs of the past.”

Yu Zhitao grabbed the hand that was messing with her hair.

“The National Archaeology Bureau? Why would they send me an invitation? Oh… could it be about the ancient qin score?”

Reassured that the letter was harmless, she settled onto the sofa and began opening the envelope.

“You know, Ah Jiu, you’re really knowledgeable.

“These things are pretty obscure, yet you can just casually mention them.”

Ah Jiu replied, “Not that obscure.”

Yu Zhitao thought for a moment, then added, “In all the time we’ve been together, I’ve never seen anything stump you.”

She grinned, looking proud. “I don’t care what you say, you’re just amazing!”

Ah Jiu raised an eyebrow.

Following Yu Zhitao’s words, she reflected on the past two months they had spent together.

Then, her expression dimmed slightly.

“If I were really as capable as you say… I wouldn’t have ended up in that bar, drowning in a 300,000 credit debt, only to be taken home by you.”

That had been the lowest point in her life.

Fresh from fleeing the palace, she had even considered following in her father’s footsteps, returning to the cosmos, dissolving into stardust.

Yu Zhitao picked up the thread. “But you had me, didn’t you?”

Ah Jiu looked at her.

Yu Zhitao blinked playfully. “If there’s something you can’t handle, I’ll handle it.

“Otherwise, if I keep clinging to you like this, you’d probably run away.”

Ah Jiu smiled.

She thought, perhaps she had turned to stardust, just not in the way she’d expected. Instead of drifting into the universe, she had been caught firmly in Yu Zhitao’s grasp.

“Wouldn’t run,” she replied. “You’re wonderful.”

Yu Zhitao wrinkled her nose. “I still have a lot to learn.”

As they chatted, she finally tore open the envelope and pulled out the oddly designed invitation.

Appearance aside, the contents were straightforward.

“…Huh. The National Archaeology Institute’s Ancient Instruments Division is inviting me to visit this Saturday morning.”

Yu Zhitao summarized the key points aloud.

Ah Jiu nodded.

“They’ve probably reverse-engineered the entire qin score from your performance by now.”

“Wow!” Yu Zhitao was stunned. “That was fast!”

Ah Jiu chuckled. “With the answer practically handed to them, if they couldn’t figure it out, they’d be out of a job.

“This invitation is likely for academic exchange.”

“Additionally, according to the regulations of the National Archaeological Institute, individuals who contribute to archaeology will receive rewards commensurate with their contributions.”

Of the lengthy explanation, Yu Zhitao only remembered the last sentence.

Her eyes sparkled with the gleam of a little money-grubber: “So there’s money involved? How much are we talking about?”

Ah Jiu narrowed her eyes slightly, made a quick calculation, and then said slowly, “Although you’ve only deciphered a few qin scores, you’ve established the foundational methodology for interpreting similar scores.

“This contribution is highly significant, though unfortunately quite niche. If I’m not mistaken, the reward should be around one million.”

“One million?!” Yu Zhitao’s jaw practically dropped.

She had been expecting something in the range of a hundred thousand, enough to comfortably get her through the next academic year. Never had she imagined Ah Jiu would mention a figure like one million.

In the high-cost capital planet, one million might not seem like much, but in any mid-tier planet across the star system, it would be enough to live comfortably for several years.

No wonder in Yu Zhitao’s mind, she thought her contribution was merely deciphering a few qin scores.

But in reality, she had completely decoded the ancient qin’s jianzipu notation system. The Archaeological Institute had already organized all other similar musical scores based on her work.

Realizing this, Yu Zhitao covered her flushed cheeks.

Ah Jiu looked puzzled. “What’s wrong? Too excited?”

“Not exactly,” Yu Zhitao mumbled.

On one hand, she was blushing from happiness.

But on the other, she couldn’t help feeling undeserving.

After all, her ability to decipher the scores wasn’t due to any real expertise, it was the cheat skill she’d brought with her from her past life!

Ah Jiu didn’t know her true thoughts but guessed a little.

“Are you worried people might question how you deciphered the scores?”

Yu Zhitao nodded slightly.

Ah Jiu then asked seriously, “Did you steal the method from someone else?”

Yu Zhitao shook her head. “No.”

She coughed lightly. “Unless there’s some unknown genius out there, I’m the first person in this world to understand ancient qin jianzipu.”

Ah Jiu said, “Then that’s that.

“Don’t worry about what others think. What’s rightfully yours, you should accept without hesitation.

“If you don’t want the spotlight, just have the Archaeological Institute release the news anonymously.”

Yu Zhitao thought for a moment. “Anonymity probably won’t help.

“The previous incident spread so widely across the star network, and many are waiting for the Institute’s ‘verdict’ on me.

“As soon as the announcement comes out, everyone will know it’s me.”

Ah Jiu said, “Then we’ll erase the traces on the star network.”

Her tone was as casual as if she were saying, “Then let’s buy a tool,” making it sound like covering up information on the star network was the easiest thing in the world.

Yu Zhitao quickly waved her hands. “No, no, it’s not that I’m ashamed or anything, and…

“Actually, I’m very interested in the Archaeological Institute. My dream is to join it. So, it’s fine if people know.”

In her past life, she had worked as a cultural relic restorer.

According to her grandfather, their ancestors had been a renowned family of collectors.

But after a catastrophic upheaval, their fortune was lost, and her grandfather went from being a noble connoisseur of antiques to a destitute scrap collector.

Yet, her grandfather never gave up his passion for antiquities. From a young age, whenever he had the chance, he taught her to identify and appreciate various ancient artifacts.

This was precisely what sparked Yu Zhitao’s immense interest, leading her to resolutely pursue the path of artifact restoration as an adult.

She had few other hobbies, and now, given a second chance at life in this world, she still wished to walk the same familiar road.

Hearing her words, Ah Jiu nodded.

“You’ll get your wish.”

Yu Zhitao couldn’t help but smile.

She leaned in gently and pressed a light kiss to Ah Jiu’s lips.

Ah Jiu’s breath hitched slightly, and the next moment, she cupped Yu Zhitao’s head, deepening the kiss.

Time flew by, and soon it was Saturday. Yu Zhitao brought Ah Jiu along to the Archaeology Institute as promised.

A department head from the Ancient Musical Instruments Division greeted them.

“I saw the video on StarNet. I knew you were young, but I didn’t expect you to be this young! You’ve just come of age, haven’t you?” The man, in his fifties, smiled warmly.

In this era, the average human lifespan reached 200 years, so fifty was still considered youthful.

Yu Zhitao nodded shyly and returned the smile.

“My name is Yu Zhitao, and this is Ah Jiu, my… well, girlfriend.

“How should I address you?”

“Just call me Director Hu. Pleased to meet you both.” Director Hu beamed.

As he led them on a tour, he explained, “The ancient guqin tablature is such a niche subject. Our department is short-staffed, so we haven’t been able to form a dedicated team to decode it yet.

“Fortunately, talent exists among the people! Miss Yu, your direct deciphering has been an enormous help to us!”

He turned back. “Here’s what our department has in mind.

“With your permission, we’ll use our official StarNet account to confirm the authenticity of the tablature. Additionally, we’ll finalize the reward details with you today and announce them together.

“How does that sound, Miss Yu?”

Yu Zhitao glanced at Ah Jiu beside her.

Ah Jiu gave her an encouraging nod, and she felt instantly reassured. “The Archaeology Institute’s procedures are well-established. We’ll follow your lead.”

Pleased by her cooperation, Director Hu nodded enthusiastically.

After some time, the three of them completed the formalities.

As Ah Jiu had predicted, the final reward settled at 900,000 StarCoins.

Yu Zhitao maintained a composed expression, but inwardly, she was over the moon!

By the time official matters were wrapped up, it was already afternoon.

Just as Yu Zhitao and Ah Jiu were about to leave, Director Hu suddenly said, “There’s a senior expert at our institute who watched your video on StarNet and was deeply fascinated by your performance.

“But he’s reluctant to visit lively places like bars, so he’s been regretting not being able to hear you play in person.

“Since you’re here today, if you don’t mind, would you be willing to play a piece for him in his office?”

Yu Zhitao hesitated. “…Ah, but I didn’t bring my guqin today.”

Director Hu waved a hand. “Oh, ancient musical instruments are the one thing our division has in abundance.

“Just follow me, both of you.”

Soon, Director Hu escorted them into an office adorned in classical Chinese decor.

Seeing such familiar ancient aesthetics in this world filled Yu Zhitao with warmth.

Director Hu had clearly prepared in advance, a guqin was already placed in the center of the adjoining tearoom.

He approached the desk. “Elder Yu, I’ve brought Miss Yu for you.”

Elder Yu nodded.

His hair was entirely white, but his voice remained deep and resonant. “Thank you. You may return to your duties.”

Director Hu nodded and then exited the room.

After he left, Elder Yu stepped out from behind his desk and approached Yu Zhitao and the others.

It was only then that Yu Zhitao got a clear look at his face.

She froze in place instantly.

Elder Yu bore a striking resemblance about seventy to eighty percent to her grandfather from her previous life, with whom she had spent decades.

Her grandfather had been gaunt and frail in his middle age, looking as if a gust of wind could knock him over. In contrast, Elder Yu had rosy, full cheeks, bright and lively eyes beneath a head of silver hair, and a robust, healthy physique.

The remaining differences lay in their demeanor and vitality.

Yu Zhitao couldn’t tear her eyes away, staring intently at him.

A sense of destiny washed over her, he even shared the surname “Yu.” Could he be her grandfather’s reincarnation?

While Yu Zhitao was still lost in thought, the man spoke first.

“Yu Zhitao? Miss Yu?”

Snapping back to reality, Yu Zhitao replied, “Ah, yes! That’s me. You,  your surname is Yu too? What a coincidence. We might have been family in a past life.”

Elder Yu chuckled and shook his head. “Actually, my surname is Yu, the character for ‘abundance.’”

Yu Zhitao flushed with embarrassment. “Oh, that Yu, My apologies, I got them mixed up.”

“No worries,” he said, nodding politely to Ah Jiu before continuing, “Hu Bin must have already explained things to you.

“Today, I’ll have to trouble you to play a solo piece for this old man.”

“No trouble at all!” Yu Zhitao assured him.

She had been happy to come in the first place, and now, seeing how much he resembled her grandfather, she felt even more eager to connect with him.

She wouldn’t hesitate to stay and play for three days and nights straight, let alone a single piece.

Without further delay, Yu Zhitao took her place behind the guqin and quietly plucked the strings.

Elder Yu and Ah Jiu found seats and settled in to listen.

Long ago, Yu Zhitao had played like this for her grandfather too.

Her grandfather had been a master of the erhu but refused to teach her, saying it wasn’t suitable for a girl. Instead, he had asked an old friend to instruct her in the guqin.

Though he didn’t play the guqin himself, his keen musical ear allowed him to offer her occasional guidance. Most of the time, however, he would simply cradle his erhu, reclining in his chair with closed eyes, quietly savoring the music.

Time had passed, and she had even lived another life since then.

But now, this scene before her overlapped with her memories, and the vibrations of the strings sent shivers down her spine.

By the time she finished playing, the sight of Elder Yu’s gentle smile nearly brought her to tears.

Thankfully, Ah Jiu’s calm presence beside her helped ground her, preventing her from breaking down completely.

Noticing her reddened nose, Elder Yu teased, “Were you completely lost in the music?

“This performance truly surpasses any video I’ve seen of you.”

Yu Zhitao smiled sheepishly. “Thank you for the praise.”

Elder Yu nodded.

“Though archaeology has gained popularity recently, ancient musical instruments remain a rather niche field.

“Miss Yu, what drew you to the guqin in particular?”

Not wanting to lie, Yu Zhitao skirted around the key details. “It was… someone very important to me who introduced me to the world of ancient instruments.”

Sensing her reluctance to elaborate, Elder Yu didn’t press further. Instead, he remarked, “Then this must be fate connecting you to the Archaeology Institute.”

Yu Zhitao couldn’t help but ask, “Are you an expert at the Archaeology Institute?

“My dream is to work there someday.”

Elder Yu paused. “What a coincidence.”

He briefly introduced the archaeology institute and found out that Yu Zhitao was about to enroll at Xuefu Star’s Huaqi Comprehensive University.

But when choosing her major, Yu Zhitao hadn’t yet crossed over. The major she was currently registered for, “Omega Etiquette and Cultivation,” had been selected by the original body.

Old Yu said, “That’s not a problem.

“If you’re interested, you can enroll first.

“After one week, you can submit a request to change majors. Once approved, you can transfer to our archaeology department.”

Yu Zhitao was thrilled: “Really?

“But the school has regulations, changing majors seems quite difficult?”

“You’ll need signatures of approval from both the original and new department advisors,” Old Yu replied. “That won’t be an issue. As the current head of the archaeology department, I’ll make sure everything goes smoothly if you apply.”

Yu Zhitao was so happy she could have spun in circles.

Not only could she study archaeology, which she loved, but she could also deepen her bond with someone who reminded her so much of her grandfather. It was killing two birds with one stone.

She politely asked, “Won’t that be too much trouble for you?”

Old Yu shook his head. “I’m just making the most of an opportunity. Your experience deciphering the musical score is the best justification for transferring. Our department wouldn’t want to miss talent like yours.”

Yu Zhitao nodded. “Then I’ll definitely apply as soon as possible.”

Overjoyed, she grabbed Ah Jiu’s hand to share her excitement. Ah Jiu smiled back, interlacing their fingers.

Old Yu didn’t mind being fed this display of affection and cheerfully said, “Alright, I’ve taken up enough of your time today.

“Classes start in a few days. Yu, you should go prepare for enrollment. I look forward to seeing you at Xuefu Star.”

Yu Zhitao nodded emphatically.

After bidding farewell to Old Yu, the two set off for home.

Along the way, Yu Zhitao was brimming with excitement, chattering nonstop to Ah Jiu.

Ah Jiu asked, “You really hit it off with that old man?”

Yu Zhitao hummed in agreement.

She mused, “Maybe it’s a connection from a past life.”

Ah Jiu frowned slightly.

“Then did I have any connection with you in a past life?”

Yu Zhitao turned her head, only to realize her usually cool girlfriend was actually…

Jealous!

Yu Zhitao burst into laughter, nearly doubling over.

“Ah Jiu, you’re so cute,” she managed between giggles. “I-I meant a familial bond like grandfather and granddaughter. What were you thinking?”

Ah Jiu’s face darkened for a moment before she pressed, “I didn’t misunderstand.

“If you share that kind of bond with him, then what about me?”

“With you?” Yu Zhitao tapped her cheek.

In her previous life, she’d never met anyone like Ah Jiu.

But in this world she’d crossed into, everything was connected to Ah Jiu.

So she answered, “It’s the kind of bond that would cross mountains and seas to find you.”

Ah  Jiu didn’t respond, but the side of her face turned slightly pink.

Yu Zhitao shamelessly wrapped her arms around Ah Jiu’s neck.

“Whew, does this count as having both love and academics flourishing?

“Ah  Jiu, I feel so happy!”

With the prize money, financial worries were temporarily eased.

With Ah  Jiu by her side and a clear path ahead, Yu Zhitao felt full of motivation.

Ah  Jiu held her hand.

“Your studies haven’t even started yet.”

Yu Zhitao playfully insisted, “I’ll work hard.

“With you beside me, no academic challenge seems too difficult!”

Hearing this, Ah Jiu fell silent.

They had been together for over two months now. In less than a week, Yu Zhitao’s contract with Fan & Dream would expire.

After that, she would need to prepare for her enrollment at Academia Star.

After a moment’s hesitation, Ah Jiu said, “Zhitao, you’ll have to go to Academia Star alone.”

Yu Zhitao was stunned. “Huh?”

Ah Jiu explained, “I have some matters to attend to and will be staying on Capital Star.”

“Once you’re at Academia Star, focus on your studies.”

Yu Zhitao’s emotions plummeted like a rollercoaster from its peak.

“You,  you promised you’d take responsibility for me, didn’t you?”

“Are you abandoning me now?”

“No.” Ah Jiu stroked her neck reassuringly. “I always keep my promises.”