TCFGBH Chapter 101

The thick and profound night was rife with hidden currents.

The bright light rose from the east, pushing the darkness into the shadows.

When Xia Yan woke up that morning, both he and Grover had already been removed from the trending topics. Instead, familiar and powerful warriors were being enthusiastically ranked by netizens.

#Rob Ivan#

#Judith Evelyn#

#Antonia Cleveland#

#WhoIsYourNO1#

#MajorGeneralsWhoAreBothBeautifulAndStrong#

On the surface, everything appeared calm, no different from usual. Xia Yan briefly skimmed through the trending topics before shutting down the computer in boredom, casually tossing it toward Ludwig.

“Here, it’s yours.”

Ludwig caught it and stored it away, sneaking a glance at the youth out of the corner of his eye. He masked his true emotions, pretending to ask casually, “How did your date go last night?”

?

Xia Yan gave him a peculiar look.

To be honest, gossip didn’t suit Ludwig at all. He exuded an aloof aura, detached and unapproachable, like a flower on a high peak that one could only admire from afar.

And yet, this man cared about his love life?

“Not bad,” replied Xia Yan, who hadn’t even met Ian Hyde, without batting an eye. “That idiot was completely smitten by me, practically groveling like a dog.”

Who didn’t boast now and then?

To maintain his persona as a scumbag, Xia Yan delivered a flawless performance.

Unexpectedly, instead of being angry, Ludwig seemed almost… pleased. The chill in his gaze even softened a bit.

Xia Yan: “???” Confused.

Military academy schedules were packed, leaving little time for idle chat. After washing up, the two left the dorm, one after the other. On their way down the corridor, they encountered other students.
Some of them cast strange glances at Xia Yan.

Unlike the usual admiration or envy, these stares were mocking and disdainful, making him uncomfortable.

Xia Yan couldn’t make sense of it. Though inwardly puzzled, he maintained a composed exterior as he left the dormitory—only to be stopped by a third-year senior. “Young Master, the Duke has something to discuss with you and has asked you to return home.”

“What about today’s classes?”

“They’ve already been excused. Someone is waiting for you outside.”

“Alright.”

Bidding farewell to the senior, Xia Yan quickly headed to the pick-up point. Boarding the vehicle, the Duke’s trusted aide—a sharp-looking man who appeared rather young—handed him a new intelligent brain and succinctly briefed him on last night’s events.

Xia Yan sneered, feigning disdain. “An A-rank dares to compete with me?”

The aide, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and possessing thin lips and a sharp face, appeared exceptionally shrewd. He skillfully flattered Xia Yan, indulging the arrogant young master’s ego until he was thoroughly satisfied.

Approaching the Duke’s estate, Xia Yan belatedly grew nervous.

He had never interacted with the original owner’s family in both worlds he had transmigrated into. What should he do when meeting them later? What if he couldn’t even call them “Mom” and “Dad”?

The Xia family, inheriting nobility for generations, boasted an illustrious history and immense wealth.

This era was no exception. Xia Jiuqian, the current Duke, married the youngest daughter of the empire’s wealthiest family—a union of strength and prosperity that elevated their status to unprecedented heights.

Even the emperor himself had to show them deference.

With the emperor’s only heir missing, Xia Yan’s position among the younger generation was unparalleled. Even Grover resorted to schemes behind the scenes, not daring to openly challenge him.

Lost in thought, Xia Yan entered the drawing room.

“Baby!!! Mommy missed you so much!”

A fragrant breeze swept through, accompanied by the rapid clack of high heels. A beautifully dressed woman cupped Xia Yan’s face in her hands, affectionately squeezing his cheeks.

“Are your school courses keeping you busy? Are you eating well? Don’t worry about the online nonsense. Mommy won’t let anyone who bullied you off the hook.”

Her initially light voice turned sharp and ruthless by the end.

“Lina, you’re too worked up.” One step behind her, a man smiled helplessly, gently pulling his wife away.

The woman relented, pouting. “The academy’s outdated rules are absurd! Why must students live on campus? We only get to see him once a month—our darling will forget what his mom looks like!”

Xia Jiuqian put an arm around his wife’s waist, offering quiet comfort.

Xia Yan discreetly observed them.

In the interstellar age, with an average lifespan of 500 years, this couple—each over a century old—looked like they were in their twenties.

Lina Carter, the pampered daughter of the wealthiest family, exuded an air of languid elegance. Yet, when she raised an eyebrow, she carried an undeniable sharpness.

Xia Jiuqian, in contrast, had the classic features of a Chinese gentleman. His soft black hair and warm, scholarly demeanor made him seem approachable and reliable, like an affable university senior.

Many were deceived by his looks, only realizing too late—after losing everything—that he was a cunning fox.

Despite their youthful appearance, their gazes held the unmistakable warmth of parental love. For a moment, Xia Yan almost believed his real parents had followed him into this world.

“…Mom. Dad.” He murmured unconsciously.

Xia Jiuqian: “Hmm?”

“Nothing.” Snapping back to reality, Xia Yan sifted through the original owner’s memories of interacting with his parents. Keeping up his arrogant act, he frowned and grumbled, “The Enforcement Team is full of idiots! They even lost evidence. I seriously doubt their competence.”

The Duke didn’t respond, instead glancing at the servants. “Leave us.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

The servants exited in an orderly fashion, leaving the spacious hall empty except for their family of three.

Xia Yan pouted. “What’s the point of dismissing them? They’re just commoners. Even if they find out, what could they possibly do? They wouldn’t dare speak a word.”

Duke Xia: “…”

Lina: “…”

Their son’s arrogant and naïve demeanor made the couple feel both amused and exasperated. Lina sipped her floral tea, voicing her concern for the hundred-and-first time: “Dear, are we sure our son is fit to be king?”

“…I’ve never wanted him to compete for the throne,” the Duke sighed, rubbing his temples.

“Father! Mother!!” In front of his parents, the normally haughty Xia Yan widened his eyes in disbelief, pouting like a child. “I’m more outstanding than Grover. I have golden eyes! I was born to sit on that throne. How can you not support my dream? That’s too heartbreaking!”

The twenty-something youth, his face still carrying traces of childishness, pursed his thin lips as a layer of disappointed mist clouded his peach-blossom eyes. He looked like a cub reprimanded by its lion parents.

Lina’s heart broke instantly.

At that moment, she forgot all about whether he was suitable.

They could never refuse their child.

“Baby! Of course, Mommy supports you.” Lina stood up, hugging the youth and gently patting his back. “Whatever you want to do, Mommy will do everything to help you achieve it.”

“Thank you, Mom,” Xia Yan replied obediently, glancing meaningfully toward his father.

The usually stoic Duke, unfazed even in life-and-death situations against Zerg, now seemed slightly stiff. Awkwardly, he changed the topic, handing Xia Yan a document. “Read this.”

“Dad.”

“…” The Duke relented. “You know I’ll always support you. I’m just not good at expressing it.”

“I know, Dad,” the young man finally smiled, reassured by his parents’ affirmation. “But I wanted to hear you say it.” He released his mother and walked over to hug his father.

No matter how the outside world judged them, they were, without a doubt, a loving family.

The duality of human nature was on full display here. The outside world believed that Xian Yan’s desire for the throne stemmed from the Duke’s ambition to manipulate his son into seizing the supreme power.

Who would have thought that the one with unbridled ambition was Xian Yan himself?

The Duke’s mention of a document wasn’t a lie. He had indeed received an intriguing piece of intelligence from the frontier. Although the Gillingham family, led by Grover, couldn’t rival the Xia family in power, it still posed a significant force, boasting an array of talents. Yet, despite this, Grover had recently been relentlessly pursuing a particular mecha engineer, seemingly intent on recruiting them.

“And?” Xian Yan asked.

“If they’re worth Grover’s personal effort, they must be extraordinary,” the Duke said, handing Xian Yan an invitation to an auction. “You should attend as well. Ideally, you could win them over, but at the very least, you mustn’t let Grover succeed.”

Lina added, “Baby, just treat it as a little getaway. Buy whatever catches your eye.”

As for school, they would handle any issues there.

“Understood,” Xian Yan said, taking the invitation, his brow arched in mild amusement. “I doubt this mecha engineer could outshine the talent I have my eye on, but I wouldn’t mind playing along.”

This event didn’t exist in the original plot—or at least it wasn’t part of the fragmented storyline Xian Yan had received.

The auction lasted three days, giving him ample time to return to school before his duel with Huo Ruihe. As long as the main plot wasn’t thrown too far off course, Xian Yan wasn’t overly concerned with minor deviations.

Meanwhile—

Far away on the frontier.

A tall, red-haired man scrutinized the document in his hand, his gaze lingering on the familiar yet unfamiliar photo. The night before, when he’d been stood up, he had been consumed by an urgent, almost irrational need to capture the young man and lock him away at his side.

But seeing this real photo now, the impulse instantly evaporated.

He couldn’t even understand why he’d been so inexplicably drawn to him in the first place.

“Cool!” said a roguish subordinate nearby, whistling. “Turns out the sister-in-law is an imperial noble, with a potential future claim to the throne. Looks like we’ll have some serious backing.”

Ian Hyde gave a noncommittal nod, tossing the document into the trash with little interest.

The subordinate assumed his boss was still sulking about being stood up the night before. He opened his terminal and explained on Xian Yan’s behalf, “Turns out the sister-in-law’s intelligent brain got confiscated by the enforcers last night, so he couldn’t contact you.”

“Oh.”

“But if the sister-in-law is Xian Yan, that makes Grover our enemy. Are you still planning to attend the auction he invited you to?”

Ian shot him a sidelong glance. The man laughed awkwardly, “Right, you mentioned wanting to meet the sister-in-law in person. Guess you won’t have time for the auction. I’ll decline on your behalf.”

“…No,” Ian Hyde interrupted. “I’ll go.”

Subordinate: “???”

“Some people…” Ian’s expression grew complex. “Are better left unmet.”

If he only cherished the holographic version of Xian Yan, perhaps it would have been best to maintain their identities as they were and preserve their feelings.

The subordinate stared at his suddenly sentimental and poetic boss in silence.

This… wasn’t his usual style at all!