The Beautiful Top Being Pursued Relentlessly [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 56

Since it was a private family dinner, the heavy doors of the Fengyi Palace were closed, and the attendants were dismissed. Without the prying eyes of the court, the rigid rules of etiquette fell away.

A string of prayer beads, recently presented as tribute, had caught the Emperor’s interest, but the Empress had promptly snatched them away. She sat regally in the seat of honor, staring at her two “daughters-in-law” in silence.

“So, you’ve truly made up your minds?” the Empress asked, taking a sip of tea to steady her nerves.

Xie Cheng sat beside her, cradling a hand warmer. He offered a nonchalant hum of agreement. As a leisurely prince with no ambitions, his parents would always be more lenient with him, but the same couldn’t be said for the other couple.

Across from them, the Crown Prince stood and bowed to the Empress. “Mother, I have no intention of selecting a consort. If you and Father do not permit this, then I shall”

“What?” the Empress interrupted. “As the heir to the throne, are you planning to bash your head against a pillar in protest?”

The Crown Prince lowered his head immediately. “That was not my intention.”

“Your Majesty, the Prince.” Ye Shu Qingzhu started to speak, but the Crown Prince placed a steadying hand on his shoulder. When Ye Shu looked back, he found a jade bracelet already slipped onto his wrist. His face filled with astonishment.

The Empress shot a sharp glare at the silent Emperor sitting beside her. “I suppose I’m the only one willing to play the villain here?” she muttered under her breath.

“Now, now, Empress.” The Emperor patted her shoulder. “It’s all my fault. This is a family gathering; give me a little face, won’t you?”

“Let go.” The Empress gave the Emperor’s arm a sharp pinch.

The Emperor took it with a chuckle and turned to the others. “Don’t just stand there, sit down. Look at our Zijue; he must be starving. His face is quite pale.”

Xie Cheng: 

Hearing this, Jiang Yi stopped admiring the matching jade bracelet on his own wrist. He turned to stare intensely at Xie Cheng’s face and hurriedly offered him a piece of pastry.

Xie Cheng remained silent for a long moment. “Mind your own business,” he muttered. These people really loved using him as a shield.

The Empress, catching the interaction, hid a laugh behind her sleeve, her previous sternness vanishing. “Those bracelets are for the two of you. Keep them with a peaceful heart.”

She wasn’t quite sure how to interact with male “daughters-in-law” yet, but she figured giving gifts was a safe place to start.

Jiang Yi smoothed his sleeves and adopted a prim, dignified posture, smiling broadly at the Empress. “Thank you, Mother. I promise to take great care of it.”

Mother again? Xie Cheng lifted an eyebrow. He couldn’t claim it was a slip of the tongue this time.

The Empress was momentarily taken aback by the title, but her smile only grew. She leaned toward the Emperor and whispered, “I like this child. He’s not shy at all.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Ye Shu added, standing to give his thanks.

“This child is good too,” the Empress noted, her smile unfailing. “Very dignified.”

“Yes,” the Emperor echoed. “If the Empress says they are good, then they are the best.”

The hall was filled with warmth, the affection of parents, the care of a brother, and the honest, clumsy laughter of Jiang Yi. Slowly, the atmosphere lost its stifling formality. Xie Cheng, who rarely spent time in such settings, felt a bit out of place at first. Like a wild crane that lived among the snow and ice, suddenly brought into a warm house, he folded his wings but remained cautious and a little lost.

“My Lord,” Jiang Yi called out softly.

Xie Cheng turned his gaze toward him, the coldness in his eyes softening. “What is it?”

“Have some bamboo shoots. They’re your favorite.” Jiang Yi piled a mountain of shoots into his bowl.

“I never said they were my favorite.”

“I could just tell,” Jiang Yi said with a touch of pride.

Xie Cheng stared at the heap of vegetables. “Well, aren’t you impressive,” he said, his tone dry but indulgent.

“Of course.” With the Emperor and Empress present, Jiang Yi couldn’t exactly lunge into Xie Cheng’s lap, so he settled for fidgeting with his hair. “I’ll definitely take good care of you, My Lord.”

The Imperial couple watched their silent communication, exchanging a knowing glance. The Empress’s eyes crinkled with warmth. “I heard from your brother that you intend to leave the capital?”

Xie Cheng set down his chopsticks. “I wish to travel north and see the landscapes of Dongli.”

The hall fell silent for a moment. After a long pause, the Empress sighed. She patted the back of his hand, her eyes tracing the lines of his face. “You’ve grown up. You want to see the world; I understand. I always wanted to keep you close… but I know I can’t hold you forever. Go then, with my blessing.”

Xie Cheng gripped her hand in return. “I will send letters regularly. Don’t worry, Mother. Once I’ve seen enough, I’ll return.”

The Crown Prince chimed in teasingly, “Zijue is just running away because he doesn’t want to help with court affairs.”

Xie Cheng admitted it instantly. “Mhm. That’s right.”

“See?” The Crown Prince turned to their parents with a grin. “He said he’d always help his brother when he was little. He’s forgotten all about it now that he’s grown.”

“Mhm. Forgotten,” Xie Cheng repeated.

The Empress laughed. “Alright, you two, stop bickering. Eat before the food gets cold. A family should always be happy together.”

The Emperor sat steadily in his seat, watching his family laugh. “As long as the family is together,” he echoed. He looked at Xie Cheng. “New Year’s is only a few months away. If you can make it, remember to come home.”

“I will.”

The Return to Pingyang

Two weeks later, in the south of Pingyang.

It was late autumn. A cool breeze swirled withered yellow leaves across the ground. A modest noodle stall sat on a street corner. Across the way was the old Prince Pingyang’s Manor, now a dilapidated ruin with official seals pasted across the doors.

Xie Cheng and Jiang Yi sat opposite each other at a back table. Xie Cheng wore simple traveling clothes and a pale cloak, his silver hair tied back with a jade pin. Despite his efforts to be low-key, his cold, noble aura felt out of place in the bustling alleyway, drawing stares from passersby.

Jiang Yi, meanwhile, greeted the stall owner like an old friend and began chattering away. “My Lord, remember the bowl of noodles I bought you back then?”

“I remember.” It’s hard to forget someone running up to a stranger and asking if they want noodles, Xie Cheng thought.

“This place is even better. The braised chicken legs are amazing,” Jiang Yi chirped.

Xie Cheng took a bite of the noodles. “It’s good.”

“Right? I knew you’d like it.”

They both spoke at once: “Since we’re here, don’t you want to go inside and look?”

The smile on Jiang Yi’s face faltered. He followed Xie Cheng’s gaze to the manor. The vermillion doors were dull, the copper rings rusted. The stone steps were buried under dust and dead leaves.

It was the place where he was born and raised, and the last place he saw before being sent to Dongli as a hostage.

Jiang Yi’s grip on his chopsticks tightened. He looked down quickly, blinking back a sudden surge of emotion. “No. I won’t go.”

“Truly?” Xie Cheng asked.

Jiang Yi looked up with a strained smile. “They committed treason. It was the Emperor’s mercy that spared their lives… besides, I still hold a grudge. I don’t know what I would even say to them. It’s better if we never meet again.”

“Not even your mother?”

“The truth, Jiang Yi.”

“I  miss her a little.”

“Then go see her,” Xie Cheng said.

“Is that okay?” Jiang Yi peeked at him.

Xie Cheng brushed his sleeve. “Why wouldn’t it be? Don’t forget, you said you learned to make chicken soup from her. You still owe me a bowl.”

“I remember!

 I remember!”

“I sent someone to ask her before we came to Pingyang,” Xie Cheng added. “She has made up her mind; she doesn’t wish to leave.”

Jiang Yi rubbed his eyes. “I figured she’d say that.”

“If you want to see her in the future, we can come back anytime.” Xie Cheng’s voice was calm, his gaze steady as always.

Jiang Yi took a shaky breath. Ignoring their surroundings, he stood up, walked around the table, and pulled Xie Cheng into a tight embrace. He buried his face in the Prince’s neck, his shoulders shaking. A man doesn’t cry.

 Ugh.

 I’m not crying.

Xie Cheng sighed and patted his back. “Alright. The noodles are going to get soggy.”

“My Lord, you’re so good to me.” Jiang Yi looked up, wiped his face, and pressed his damp cheek against Xie Cheng’s. “You’re the best person I’ve ever met.”

“Idiot.” Xie Cheng looked down.

“I’m your idiot, My Lord. Only yours.”

“Mhm. Mine.” A faint smile appeared on Xie Cheng’s face.

Jiang Yi hung off his neck as usual. “Once we leave Pingyang, let’s go to even more places and find even more noodle stalls, okay?”

“Mhm. Okay.”

Xie Cheng’s gaze softened with a hint of tenderness.

The future? A vast, boundless future.

Back to Reality

Task Complete. Task Failed. Ding! Task Complete. Ding! Task Failed.

After several rounds of flickering status, 222 slammed its body into the broken machine until the result stabilized.

Congratulations, New Group Leader! Task complete. You have successfully unlocked the ‘Stranger to Enemy’ romance ending for the protagonists. Task Rating: 

Seeing such a low grade for the first time, 222’s round body inflated. “Wow!”

Its new leader was truly a different kind of genius, the first “F” in the history of this department. 222 suspected the grade was practically invented for him.

Xie Cheng sat on his sofa. “Any news from the Purification Group?”

“No, Leader.” 222 hesitated. “But the Boss of the Purification Group posted a new update on social media. Do you want to see?”

“No.” Xie Cheng replied instantly. “He’s like an unweaned tree, sticking to people every time he leaves the house.”

222 stayed quiet, terrified of getting caught in the crossfire of department leadership squabbles.

Organize the files from the Specialist Group. Once I’ve stabilized my mental sea.

BOOM!

A massive explosion rocked the space above them. A hole was torn through the shell of the system space, and a cloying black mist began to seep in.

Xie Cheng stood up, recognizing the aura immediately. “Gnas.”

“It’s me, dear Daddy,” Gnas replied, mimicking a human child’s cheerful tone. “I’ve gotten much stronger, though I still might not be able to trap you for long.”

Xie Cheng threw a punch, causing the mist to cave in, but the black energy split apart and filled the room, wrapping around the man and his system.

Xie Cheng’s consciousness plunged into a thick, dark sea. Before he lost consciousness, he heard a flickering mechanical voice.

“Hello. Detecting. emergency. If you require. Please call the emergency rescue hotline. I am”

The voice cut off.

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