Chapter 50. I will protect my family

Chapter 50: 50. I will protect my family

AT THE SAME TIME

XAVIER

I knew that I needed to make sure that I was able to figure out more about Wei’s original past. Someone must have planned to steal him from Song Hue and bring him. I Hugged Hin and Ana tightly. For a moment, I didn’t care about the mysterious note, Song Hue, the missing memories, or the unanswered questions surrounding my childhood. I just wanted to stay there.

"Thank you." I whispered.

Ana immediately patted my back.

"For what?" She asked.

"For staying."I said.

Hin smiled.

"Where else would we go?"She asked.

I laughed softly, but my eyes still burned.

"I mean it. Both of you knew from the beginning that I’m Xavier. You never treated me like I was pretending to be Wei."I explained.

Ana pulled back and looked directly at me.

"Because you aren’t."She said as she tapped my forehead. "You’re Xavier. Whatever memories you inherited, whatever happened to the original Wei, that’s not your fault."She said.

Hin nodded.

"And you don’t have to become him just because you remember him." She added.

I swallowed.

"But I want to know what happened to him."I said.

Ana’s expression softened.

"Then we’ll help you find out." She said.

I looked between them.

"Even if it gets dangerous?"I asked.

Ana snorted.

"Please. I’ve survived your cooking experiments."She said and laughed.

"Those were perfectly edible."I argued.

"They were purple."She said.

"The sauce was supposed to be purple." I chuckled.

Hin burst out laughing and I couldn’t help laughing too. For a few seconds, everything felt normal. Then my smile faded slightly. Someone had deliberately separated a child from his family. Someone had taken Wei away from Song Hue. Someone had erased records and somehow, that child eventually ended up in the Lycan Kingdom.

I tightened my arms around Hin and Ana once more.

"I’ll find out what happened."I said.

Ana squeezed me back.

"Good."She nodded.

Hin smiled.

"And until then?"She asked.

I raised an eyebrow.

"Until then?" I asked.

Ana held up another moon-shaped sweet.

"You eat."She said.

I stared at her.

"That’s your solution to everything."I stared.

"Yes."She nodded.

I laughed. Maybe I couldn’t recover Wei’s entire past tonight. But I could protect the people who had become my family and somehow, that felt like a good place to begin.

By evening, the palace had become unusually busy. Servants hurried through the corridors, musicians rehearsed in the courtyard, and the kitchens were preparing an enormous banquet. Apparently, Song Hue’s arrival required an entire celebration. I I stood near the garden railing, staring at the sunset. My thoughts kept returning to the same memory. Young Wei, Song Hue, that mysterious woman. The hand pulling me away. I barely noticed Lin Rui approaching until she gently touched my shoulder.

"You’re thinking about it again."She said.

I sighed.

"Is it that obvious?" I asked.

"To me, yes." She said.

Zhao Rui joined her, carrying two cups of warm tea. He handed one to me.

"You don’t need to solve everything tonight."He said.

I looked at him.

"But someone separated me from his family."I said.

His expression became serious.

"And we will find out who." He said.

Lin Rui stepped closer.

"You have already endured enough today."She said.

I lowered my eyes.

"What if the memories never become complete?"I asked.

"Then we wait."She said.

"What if they reveal something terrible?"I asked.

Zhao Rui calmly answered,

"Then we face it together."He said.

I stared at them. Together. That word still felt strange. I had spent so long thinking I was alone in this world. Now there were people who actually meant it when they said they would stay. Lin Rui gently pulled me into a hug. I stiffened for half a second before relaxing against her.

"You are our son." She whispered. "Whether you remember every moment of your childhood or not."

My eyes burned. Zhao Rui placed a hand on my shoulder.

"And you don’t have to earn that."He said.

A quiet laugh escaped me.

"I don’t know what I would do without you two."I said.

Lin Rui smiled.

"Probably overthink everything."She said.

"That’s unfair."I frowned.

Zhao Rui nodded solemnly.

"Accurate, though."He chuckled.

I laughed and then a servant hurried toward us.

"Your Majesties. Prince Wei. The banquet preparations are complete."She said.

Lin Rui released me.

"Come."She said.

I glanced toward the palace.

"Song Hue will be there." I said.

Zhao Rui nodded.

"Yes."He said.

My fingers tightened around the teacup. Maybe tonight would reveal something.

Or maybe it would create ten more mysteries. Knowing my luck, probably both.

I took a breath.

"Alright."I said.

We walked toward the banquet hall together. Behind the doors waited the entire imperial court and the Prince of the Blood Moon Empire who might somehow be connected to the life I had inherited.

The banquet hall was already filling when I felt the familiar flicker of the system.

"Ding."A system said.

I froze.

"Relationship analysis updated."A system said.

"Oh, no."I whispered.

A translucent panel appeared.

"Current Relationship Status:

Lang Li: 45%

Lin Rui: 35%

Zhao Rui: 35%

Han Jin: 0%

Mei Lin: 0%

Host towards Lang Li: 54%

Song Hue: 18%:A system said.

I stared at the last number.

"WHAT?"I gasped.

"Ding. Song Hue relationship detected."A system said.

"Why is there a percentage for him?!"I asked.

The system flickered.

"Emotional connection detected through recovered memories."It explained.

I immediately looked toward Song Hue. He was standing across the banquet hall, speaking with one of the officials. Then his dark red eyes shifted toward me and our gazes met.

Another notification appeared.

"Song Hue: 19%."A system said.

My face went blank.

"It went up?!"I gasped.

"Ding."A system said.

"Stop measuring people!" I argued.

"Ding. Request denied."A system said.

I covered my face.

"This is becoming a nightmare."I groaned.

Then another line appeared.

"Potential childhood bond detected."A system said.

I slowly lowered my hands.

"Childhood... bond?" I asked.

Before I could ask anything else, Lang Li appeared beside me.

"You seem troubled."He said.

I immediately closed the system window.

"I’m fine."I said.

He looked unconvinced. Across the hall, Song Hue was still watching me. Lang Li followed my gaze. His expression became noticeably more suspicious. I quietly groaned.

"This banquet is going to be terrible."I whispered.

"Ding. Highly probable."A system said.

I had barely recovered from the system’s newest disaster when Song Hue began walking toward me. My stomach immediately tightened.

"Oh, no." I gasped.

Lang Li glanced at me.

"What?" He asked.

"Nothing." I said.

Song Hue stopped in front of us. His black hair fell neatly around his face, and those dark red eyes settled on me with that same strange familiarity.

"Prince Wei." He said.

"Prince Song Hue." I said.

He smiled.

"I was hoping I could speak with you." Song Hue said.

Before I could answer, he reached for my hand. I froze. His fingers closed gently around mine and then he lifted my hand and pressed a respectful kiss against the back of it. My entire face went hot.

"I..." I gasped.

My brain stopped working. Behind me, someone made a tiny surprised noise. I didn’t need to look to know who. It was Lang Li. The Emperor had gone completely silent. Song Hue released my hand slowly.

"It is good to see you again." He said.

Again? My heart skipped.

"Again?" I asked.

Song Hue’s expression flickered. For just a second, something almost sad appeared in his eyes.

"Perhaps." He said sadly.

I stared at him. Before I could ask what that meant, Lang Li stepped forward.

"Prince Song Hue." Lang Li said.

His voice remained perfectly polite which somehow made it worse. Lang Li was never so calm before. I could tell that something was simmering inside his head.

"Your Majesty." Lang Li began. "You have greeted Prince Wei."

Song Hue nodded.

"I have." He said.

"Then perhaps you should allow him some space." Lang Li contunied.

I looked between them. Lang Li was jealous.

No, he was very jealous and apparently trying desperately to disguise it beneath his royal manners. Song Hue’s lips curved slightly.

"Of course." Song Hue nodded.

He released my hand completely and I immediately pulled it against my chest. My face was still burning. Lang Li noticed. His eyes narrowed slightly.

"Wei." He said.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"I’m fine." I said.

"You appear rather red." He said.

"I’m warm." I refused to agree.

"It is not warm."He said.

I stared at him.

"Please don’t start." I began.

Song Hue quietly laughed. Lang Li’s expression became even more restrained.

"Ding.*" The system appeared. "Song Hue relationship affection: 20%."

I nearly choked.

"Stop!" I gasped.

Both princes looked at me. I forced a smile.

"Nothing." I said.

Lang Li stared suspiciously. Song Hue looked amused, and I suddenly realized this banquet was going to be much more complicated than anyone had planned.