At the quarter past the hour of the Ox, in the main hall of the Shen family residence, the shadows of trees swayed gently, casting slanted streaks of moonlight through the lofty windows, stretching the figures tall and low, illuminated by sparse moonbeams.
The entire Shen family, young and old, gathered together.
As soon as Consort Shen saw Shen Tanqi return, her heart started pounding uncontrollably against her forehead.
She was genuinely afraid of Shen Tanqi now. This troublesome young master was indeed the most headache-inducing figure in the entire Shen family; capable of anything.
“What are you doing?” Consort Shen couldn’t help but ask when she saw the two little ones Shen Tanqi was leading by the hand.
Inside the main hall, Shen Tanqi stood upright, bowed respectfully, and brought the two little ones forward. “Aunt, these are my two sons, whom I brought back to acknowledge their roots.”
Consort Shen felt like she couldn’t breathe; she was nearly choked by her own disbelief. “You have two three-year-old sons?”
Why hadn’t he mentioned this before?
The air seemed to freeze momentarily. Shen Tanqi looked up at the family head and whispered, “Yes, the eldest is Yu Jin, nicknamed Goldfish, and the second is Yu Yuan, nicknamed Taro Ball.”
Since he came in, the family head had remained silent, his eyes deep and inscrutable, as if nothing could stir his emotions anymore. The white hairs at his temples seemed to stand out like thorns, evidence of his repeated pondering over everything that had happened with Shen Tanqi.
When Shen Tanqi mentioned the dragon race’s dependency phase earlier, he had a faint premonition.
How could Shen Tanqi possibly know so much about the habits of the dragon race unless he had borne children himself?
He lost his temper and scolded; Shen Tanqi’s encounters with such misfortunes were not what he had wished for his son.
After a long while, the family head let out a deep sigh, his gaze settling heavily on the two little ones by Shen Tanqi’s side, and he said sternly, “Come here.”
Taro Ball had mastered the ability to hide his dragon horns, but Goldfish couldn’t conceal his. The two furry little horns were impossible to hide.
Sensing the displeasure in the family head’s tone, Taro Ball hesitated, unsure if he should approach. Worried that the two little ones might be frightened, Shen Tanqi instinctively was about to say something when he saw his eldest son, wide-eyed and innocent, looking up at the family head, and asked in a childlike voice, “Grandpa, are you angry?”
The family head was momentarily taken aback by this innocent question, but upon hearing ‘Grandpa’ from Goldfish, his initially furrowed brow relaxed slightly, though he still maintained a serious expression. “What does that mean?”
“If you’re not angry,” Goldfish lifted his little head and earnestly raised a finger, saying, “you should say ‘please’ when you talk to us. That’s what polite children do.”
The family head: ?
Who taught him that?
Taro Ball, sensing the shift in atmosphere, changed his expression and hurriedly tried to cover his brother’s loose tongue. Unexpectedly, the family head couldn’t hold back a chuckle.
Looking towards the source of the laughter, the family head narrowed his eyes slightly, his tone seeming mocking yet with a hint of a smile tugging at his lips, as he gestured towards Goldfish beside him. “This child has some guts.”
Consort Shen caught sight of his softened expression and felt reassured. Knowing that the head of the family had already acquiesced, she felt inexplicably relieved for Shen Tanqi, a member of the family.
It was strange; he wasn’t usually soft-hearted.
But seeing those two children, both clever and delicate, adorable as snow jade, truly beautiful.
The more she looked, the warmer and more tender her heart felt. Throughout her life, she had never borne a child for the Shen family. Always observing the legitimate and illegitimate children having sons and daughters, with their children around their knees, fulfilling their filial duties before her eyes, made her heart burn with envy.
It was probably just that.
Little Goldfish was a bit nervous. He didn’t know if Grandpa would still get angry like in his dreams, or if he would hit him. Looking carefully, that green stick seemed to be right next to Grandpa.
But for Daddy’s sake, he braved it!
Goldfish gritted his teeth and suddenly took small, careful steps to approach the family head. Amidst shocked gazes, he cautiously pulled out a small cookie from his palm, which had already been squeezed soft due to nervousness and sweating.
He extended his hand and offered it to the family head, his voice soft, “Grandpa, I’m also a polite child. This cookie is for you. Can you, um, not be angry?”
The Shen family head, accustomed to exquisite delicacies, found it difficult to appreciate a small, crumbled cookie in his hand.
But this child’s heartfelt gesture was like a tiny drumstick softly tapping on his heart, spreading circles of sour and bittersweet ripples.
The family head slowly reached out, picking up the broken cookie from Goldfish’s palm, and muttered, “You brought this all the way here?”
Goldfish nodded, a rare hint of shyness showing, “It’s broken, but it’s really delicious. It’s the best cookie I’ve ever had, Grandpa, please try it.”
Upon hearing this, the family head felt an indescribable sensation surging through him. He whispered, “Do you usually eat this?”
Goldfish nodded again, enthusiastically recommending his little cookie, “It’s really tasty. Uncle from the sect gave me two pieces last time; I ate one and saved this one to give to you.”
At these words, the family head suddenly looked up, glaring angrily at Shen Tanqi and Yu Ce. “Is this all you give the child to eat?”
A broken pastry, considered the best thing the child has ever eaten—clearly showing how they usually take care of the children. If it were in the Shen family, they would surely be plump and round, not in such pitiful conditions!
Shen Tanqi and Yu Ce were inexplicably scolded and looked somewhat confused. What did they feed the child? Isn’t it just normal little treats, right?
Seeing him getting angry, Goldfish trembled, subconsciously patting his chest with his little hand, “Don’t be angry, don’t be angry, Grandpa. Being angry is bad for your health.”
Realizing he had scared the child, the family head quickly covered his mouth with his hand, scooped Goldfish onto his lap, and took the broken cookie, saying, “Ah, Grandpa isn’t angry; I was just teasing your daddy and the others.”
Yu Ce widened his eyes slowly and exchanged glances with Taro Ball, who was standing nearby.
One set of eyes said, “What’s going on?”
The other set of eyes said, “I have no idea either.”
“It looks like Goldfish is quite clever,” Shen Tanqi leaned over and teased Yu Ce quietly, “Sweet-talking and knowing how to handle things, everyone likes him. You should learn from your son.”
Yu Ce looked down at him; how could he not hear the mockery in his tone? Unable to retort, he helplessly averted his gaze and simply said to Taro Ball in front of him, “You go too, don’t be afraid; they are your grandparents.”
In the end, it was a good outcome, much more satisfactory than he had expected. He had thought there would be a big fuss before things could be resolved.
It appeared that the Shen family was not as stubborn as he had imagined; after all, humans inherently hold affection for their children and grandchildren.
His understanding of humans had been too narrow before, but today, it was much richer.
Taro Ball responded and cautiously approached the family head and the others, only to hear the family head teasing Goldfish, “You only think of bringing snacks for me. Why didn’t you bring any for Grandma?”
Goldfish’s delicate little eyebrows furrowed slightly, seemingly troubled by this question. Taro Ball paused in his actions; he remembered he had something too.
Patting himself down, Taro Ball pulled out a small pouch from his bosom. It was embroidered by his nanny before he left Hidden Dragon Valley. His nanny loved embroidery and had stitched over a dozen pouches for him—some for spices, some for money, some for sunflower seed shells…
Taro Ball sometimes found the needle weaving in and out of the fabric quite intriguing, and embroidery could calm one’s mind, benefiting cultivation as well. So, when he had free time, he would also embroider something.
But the one he held now wasn’t his best work.
Taro Ball hesitated, cleared his throat, and tentatively raised his small hand, whispering, “I have a pouch I want to give to Grandma. Will Grandma like it?”
As soon as the words fell, everyone’s gaze fell on Taro Ball. He instantly wished he could find a hole to hide in; he didn’t like being stared at by so many people. His ears immediately turned bright red, from the tips to the roots. Before Consort Shen could answer, Taro Ball quickly pulled the pouch back and blushed, “Forget it, my embroidery isn’t that good. I’ll embroider a prettier one to give later.”
The child tucked his hand behind his back, fiddling nervously with the pouch in his palm, feeling both anxious and embarrassed.
After a while, Consort Shen at the head of the table spoke softly, “Come.”
Taro Ball slowly raised his head and met Consort Shen’s gaze.
Consort Shen beckoned to him, bringing the hesitant Taro Ball beside her. Though the child was not tall, he was handsome and smart, showing exceptional intelligence in both speech and appearance.
She liked such children. Just as she had spotted Shen Han among the illegitimate children, she had sensed a sharp intelligence in Shen Han’s eyes.
But compared to the child before her, Shen Han was still far behind. Shen Han’s eyes were bright, but they always hinted at schemes and calculations, as if he were constantly plotting to drag someone down. Consort Shen disliked such cunning, especially when it might jeopardize Shen Tanqi’s position. The distinction between legitimate and illegitimate was clear; she had always supported Shen Tanqi.
But there wasn’t a single person in the Shen family who wasn’t calculating Shen Tanqi’s position, so Consort Shen let him be.
After so many years in the Shen family, it was the first time she had seen such a delightful child. Moreover, Shen Tanqi’s child would surely be the future head of the Shen family; she believed he wouldn’t be able to escape that destiny.
Consort Shen suddenly unclasped the bronze coins with the phoenix and dragon pattern from her waist—these coins were unique to her and Shen Tanqi alone—and handed them to Taro Ball, her eyes curved with affection as she smiled, “I’ll exchange these five bronze coins for your embroidered pouch, how about that?”
Taro Ball didn’t understand the significance of these bronze coins with the phoenix and dragon pattern. He blinked and thought Consort Shen was teasing him and giving him five bronze coins as a joke. He smiled and said, “Okay, thank you, Grandma. I’ll give you an even better embroidered pouch next time.”
Consort Shen glanced at the family head, and both couldn’t help but smile. “Alright, alright, but next time, I won’t have any money left to give you.”
“I don’t need money; I’ll embroider the best-looking pouch for Grandma.”
Seeing the little ones favored by the Shen family, Shen Tanqi glanced at Yu Ce standing there and whispered, “Why still look so worried? Isn’t everything resolved well?”
Yu Ce shook his head, unsure of what to say.
Even though Goldfish and Taro Ball were favored by the Shen family, he was different. He didn’t have Shen family blood, and he was an outsider of a different race. He could never truly gain the family head’s approval. Who knows… maybe he might end up being sent away by the family head?
Shen Tanqi was completely unaware that Yu Ce’s mind was staging a domestic drama. Feeling much relieved now, he raised his hand and respectfully bowed to the family head and Consort Shen, saying, “Father, Aunt, the entire city of Shuoxia has been covered in formations. Soon, we will lure all the Chen Gui into the central square of the city. Please allocate more cultivators above the Golden Core stage to join me in slaying the Chen Gui.”
The family head was happily enjoying the company of Goldfish when he suddenly heard this and furrowed his brows unhappily. He didn’t want to scare the two children with his stern tone, so he suppressed his irritation and said, “Why are you in such a hurry? Attend to important matters first.”
Important matters? What important matters?
Shen Tanqi was puzzled and asked, “Isn’t eliminating demons and upholding justice the important matter?”
Upon hearing this, the family head was almost driven to twist his beard again in anger. He glared at Shen Tanqi and said, “What kind of important matter is that? Does it contribute to the succession of the Shen family?”
This old man only cared about the succession of his own family’s legacy.
People’s thoughts don’t change overnight. Shen Tanqi felt a bit helpless and smiled, saying, “But don’t you already have two chubby grandsons? How else do you expect to continue the family line?”
The family head squinted and squeezed out from between his teeth, “You tricky little rascal, what about the one in your belly?”
Shen Tanqi suddenly realized and touched his flat, small stomach. He still couldn’t feel the presence of a baby inside and was starting to feel a bit hungry.
In fact, he was already losing faith in that quack doctor’s words. Forget about the dependency period—even Yu Ce couldn’t sense the baby’s presence. This child must not have been conceived at all.
So he sighed wryly and said, “There’s absolutely no child. Yu Ce and I have already discussed it. If there were really a pregnancy, we wouldn’t be unaware.”
He was speaking with absolute certainty, and Yu Ce immediately added cautiously, “Sometimes, indeed, it’s possible not to feel it. We can’t generalize.”
Great, his teammate was now adding salt to the wound.
Shen Tanqi discreetly pinched his pig-like teammate from behind and smiled as he looked at the family head, explaining, “Father, there really isn’t a child. If there were, how could I not know…”
Before he could finish, the family head interrupted sternly, “Enough! Whether there is or isn’t, get married first!”
Shen Tanqi was determined to clear up the misunderstanding about his pregnancy, saying, “There really isn’t one. Father, if you don’t believe me… Wait, what did you just say?”
As Shen Tanqi realized what the family head had just said, he took a few steps back in shock, unable to believe it. “Who mentioned getting married?”
At the moment the family head’s last words were heard clearly, Yu Ce’s eyes lit up slightly, and he too couldn’t believe his ears.
Did the Shen family actually agree to marriage?
Was he dreaming?
How could this be possible? The Shen family, which held bloodline in such high regard, was actually going to marry Shen Tanqi to him?
Yu Ce felt somewhat dazed.
The family head observed the contrasting expressions on their faces and chuckled coldly, throwing down a remark, “In three days, once this matter settles, you can let Yu Ce marry into the Shen family, and only then will my precious grandsons be recorded in the family genealogy.”
“Three days later?” Shen Tanqi nearly blacked out.
“Marry into?” Yu Ce exclaimed in astonishment.
What was the family head thinking? Shen Tanqi had only mentioned bringing the children home to acknowledge their family. When did he ever suggest marriage? Did this acknowledgment have to be tied to marriage?
Shen Tanqi now wished he could pinch himself. He knew the family head would definitely like the two little ones, but he hadn’t guessed that the family head would like them enough to immediately include them in the family genealogy.
And all this—apparently, he was willing to have them marry each other.
Oh no, was he about to lose his single noble status, and to Yu Ce of all people, this straightforward guy?
Shen Tanqi and Yu Ce exchanged a glance, and when he saw the faint contemplation in Yu Ce’s eyes, as if he had no resistance at all, Shen Tanqi gritted his teeth and asked, “Yu Ce, say something. Do you really want to marry into the family?”
Yu Ce shook his head and after careful consideration, replied, “I don’t want to.”
Upon hearing this, Shen Tanqi finally felt relieved that Yu Ce seemed sensible at this moment, at least not impulsively agreeing to such a thing. He had initially wanted to persuade Yu Ce that two people who weren’t interested in each other couldn’t possibly marry, but it seemed Yu Ce understood this logic.
That made things simpler.
After a while, just as Shen Tanqi began to relax, Yu Ce let out a long sigh and said, “Why must it be a marriage into the family? I don’t want Yu Jin and Yu Yuan to change their names. These names were carefully chosen by me and my nanny from books.”
‘Carefully chosen’ meant opening any random book, throwing a small stick, and using whichever character it landed on, then having the nanny forcefully explain the meaning of that character.
“Senior Brother, could you ask your father if I don’t marry into the family, whether I can marry you back to the Dragon Clan?”
Shen Tanqi: “…”
Hey everyone! I just finished one of my TL projects, ‘The Villain Forced Me to Eat Soft Rice.’ It’s an interstellar ABO novel about a cute tyrant King and a hostage Prince couple. Make sure to check it out! ( ˶ˆ꒳ˆ˵ )
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
