Chapter 299: Chapter 299 : The Ominous Sign

The passionate affair lasted deep into the night, but Xie Jianyu rejected Zhang Fengxi’s further advances before they could cross the threshold of no return.

That night, as he lay in Zhang Fengxi’s embrace, Xie Jianyu dreamed of the future. He saw himself giving birth to two adorable babies, and Zhang Fengxi shedding tears of joy at the sight of his sons. He saw Zhang Fengxi transformed from a general of the Heavenly Empire’s military troops into a loving and devoted father.

He saw Zhang Fengxi cradling their sons in his arms, kissing their tiny fingers and toes, and playing with them with a tenderness that Xie Jianyu had never seen in him before.

Xie Jianyu continued to watch as a familiar figure approached his small family.

Judging from the elegant and unhurried way the person walked and moved, Xie Jianyu recognized his elder brother at once.

But when Xie Jianshen turned his head to look at Xie Jianyu, the latter woke up with a start.

Lost in thought, the Crown Prince stared at the criss-crossed beam of the ceiling. And then, he let out a soft sigh.

"Big Brother," he whispered softly against his pillow.

Xie Jianyu’s gentle shifting stirred his husband from his slumber. Zhang Fengxi, still drowsy with sleep, tightened his embrace around Xie Jianyu, pulling him closer.

"Baby, go back to sleep. It is barely past midnight."

"Mm."

Xie Jianyu cuddled closer to Zhang Fengxi. He tried to fall asleep, but the image of his elder brother refused to leave his mind.

After another half shichen of restless slumber, the omega gently extracted himself from his husband’s grip and slipped out of bed. Careful not to disturb anyone, he lit a small lamp and made his way to the study.

The Fuxi Palace was hushed and serene at night, the perfect time for meditation, Xie Jianyu thought with a touch of irony. The Crown Prince pushed open the study door and entered. He hung the lamp on the wall and then went to sit at his desk.

Sprawled across the desk were several work documents, as well as a blank sheet of paper. Xie Jianyu moved the documents aside, leaned back in his chair, and gazed at the blank page before him.

He was not used to writing a letter, let alone an apology letter.

He was not used to apologizing to Xie Jianshen, because he had never gotten into an argument with his elder brother before.

Well, that was also not quite the truth.

Xie Jianyu leaned back in his seat and recalled the events of his past life.

Once his father and his elder brother found out about his pregnancy, both of them forced him to abort the child.

At that time too, he got into a heavy disagreement with his elder brother.

Xie Jianshen literally shoved a bowl of abortifacient in front of him and told him to "do it as early as possible", and to "not prolong the inevitable".

The one and only time Xie Jianyu defied his elder brother was to protect the child in his womb.

Gratefully, Xie Jianshen did not go as far as pouring the abortifacient into Xie Jianyu’s throat.

They never spoke with each other again. All forms of meetings also ceased when Xie Jianyu was forbidden from leaving Fuxi Palace in his later months of pregnancy.

Xie Jianyu carried the unresolved quarrel with Xie Jianshen to his grave.

They might not share similar values the entire time, but Xie Jianshen remained Xie Jianyu’s greatest support in life from birth to death.

Xie Jianshen was there for Xie Jianyu in every Chapter of his life.

Xie Jianshen was the one who personally taught Xie Jianyu how to speak, write, and walk.

Xie Jianshen watched his little baby brother grow up from a mere sickly infant to the strongest swordsman across the realm, a prestigious cultivator.

Xie Jianyu owed Xie Jianshen too much.

He did not want to die a second time without ending the strife with the brother he loved the most.

The omega lifted his ink brush and let it hover over the piece of paper. Slowly, he wrote three words on the paper.

"Dearest Big Brother..."

Xie Jianyu paused in his writing, his brush hovering over the blank paper. He had reached a point where his words failed him. He wanted to convey the depth of his feelings, but he struggled to find the right words.

To make it even more difficult, Xie Jianshen loathed small talk. He found it inane and pointless, a waste of time and energy. As he preferred to speak to the point, he also expected a similar display of courtesy from the people who wished to talk to him.

Then again, if Xie Jianyu started with an immediate apology, it also felt awkward. It was almost as if the abortifacient was a harmless medicine.

Xie Jianyu did not wish to hold grudges any longer, but he also didn’t want to just ignore the situation altogether.

After all, it concerned the lives of his children!

"Ahhh..."

Xie Jianyu sighed. He put the brush back in its holder and rubbed the aching spot between his brows. Afterward, he stood up and walked to the window. He could see the first rays of sunlight peeking over the horizon, announcing the start of a new day.

Intent on inhaling a lungful of fresh air to clear his cluttered mind, Xie Jianyu unhinged the lamp from the wall and left the study. He leisurely walked in the direction of the front courtyard, paying attention not to make too much noise as he walked.

Xie Jianyu made a turn around the corner and looked up at the sky. He froze in his tracks when he realized that the light did not come from the sun.

Emergency flares shot up incessantly from the Golden Dragon Palace, sending bright red sparks to the sky.

Blood drained away from Xie Jianyu’s face as the realization kicked in.

Something awful was happening in the Golden Dragon Palace!

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Author’s note :

This author wants to emphasize that Jianyu did not apologize to his elder brother because he was wrong. He wanted to apologize for his rash and emotional behavior, and for not trying to reach out to Jianshen sooner.

Jianyu is a good person like that ʕ⁠´⁠•⁠ ⁠ᴥ⁠•̥⁠`⁠ʔ

Update : LOL Fitoria answered to the challenge so quickly. Enjoy the one early release and 2 bonus Chapters for reaching 100 Golden Tickets of the month~

Congratulations, my beloved readers (⁠｡⁠・⁠/⁠/⁠ε⁠/⁠/⁠・⁠｡⁠)

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay