Identifying the real Yu Ce, Shen Tanqi acted swiftly and pulled the real Yu Ce to his side.
The original Yu Ce stood in the courtyard with a cold expression, watching the two of them. He said, “Even if you’ve identified him, I will never allow you two to marry.”
“Marry?” Yu Ce glanced at Shen Tanqi beside him, his eyelashes trembling slightly with a hint of surprise. “Did your father agree?”
Last time, he almost killed Shen Tanqi, and now the head of the Shen family couldn’t stand him from head to toe. He hadn’t mentioned the marriage they had talked about before, so he thought it was impossible.
Shen Tanqi reached out to straighten out the wrinkles on his clothes that were messed up from the fight, and whispered softly, “Not yet. I was going to discuss it with you tonight. Unexpectedly, I talked about it for half a day and explained it all to him. He’s sent by the main system.” Afraid that Yu Ce wouldn’t understand, he explained carefully, “It’s another version of you from a different world.”
Thinking about it was somewhat funny. The original Yu Ce was actually sent by the main system to eliminate bugs. Didn’t the main system know Yu Ce’s true nature?
Yu Ce would never commit an unjust act. It was absolutely impossible for him to kill three innocent children.
Thinking about it, Shen Tanqi felt somewhat relieved.
Thanks to the main system’s ignorance of the situation in this world, they sent the original Yu Ce here. If it were another transmigrated person in Yu Ce’s body, he might never see Yu Ce again.
Thinking of this, Shen Tanqi looked at the original Yu Ce and whispered, “But he didn’t do anything to harm me and the children.”
He even obediently helped with cooking and taking care of the children. It was really something Yu Ce would do.
Yu Ce narrowed his eyes, rolled up his sleeves, revealing the burn from refining pills, and whispered softly, “I’ve been diligently practicing alchemy at Dan Feng. Ah Qi hasn’t thought of me at all.”
Shen Tanqi gently touched the burn, feeling distressed, and said, “How could I not think of you? You and him are not much different; you look the same. Let’s go back to the room, and I’ll apply medicine for you.”
“I’m no different from him?”
Yu Ce was about to say something more when the original Yu Ce coldly interrupted, “Enough. There are indeed differences between us. I would never stoop to flattering the Shen family and Shen Tanqi. Have you forgotten how Shen Tanqi treated you in the past?”
“A person like him is cold-hearted, ruthless, and cunning, only using you for his own gain.”
In the winter with heavy snow, while copying the ninety-eight thousand words of Chen Zui’s book, during his weak period with a severe fever, he nearly fell off the cliff and died.
During the grand sect competition, he swapped the disciple list, matching him against an opponent one whole realm higher, nearly getting him killed. When he survived, Shen Tanqi, claiming it was under the sect leader’s orders, lured him to Bloodthirst Cliff, ambushed him from behind, and went straight for his dragon ball.
One after another, it was all Shen Tanqi’s doing.
And now, what is this?
Watching them display affection in front of him, talking about marriage and calling each other endearing names, he felt utterly nauseated.
“Think it over,” the original Yu Ce’s eyes were icy, devoid of any emotion, “If you really intend to marry Shen Tanqi, I will kill you and take your place in this world.”
Yu Ce glanced at him for a moment, then withdrew his gaze, taking Shen Tanqi’s hand and walking towards the house. “Ignore him.”
He couldn’t believe how stupid his former self appeared.
Refusing to discern right from wrong, good from bad, what else could be called stupidity?
Shen Tanqi opened his mouth as if to speak, then hesitated. Turning back to see the original Yu Ce’s grim expression, he whispered softly, “Shouldn’t you explain things clearly to him? I don’t think the original you would be someone who wouldn’t listen to reason.”
Regardless of whether it was the original Yu Ce or the current Yu Ce, as long as he could present reasoning to convince him, he wouldn’t stubbornly persist. This was one of Shen Tanqi’s favorite qualities about Yu Ce.
Yu Ce pulled him into his arms and said calmly, “Thank you for the compliment, but tonight I don’t want to see him again.”
Thinking of the fake Yu Ce holding Ah Qi and drinking, he couldn’t help but wish to tear off that face that looked exactly like his own.
Clearly he hadn’t done anything, hadn’t sacrificed anything, yet he wanted to enjoy Ah Qi’s affection like this.
Even if it was really himself, it wouldn’t be acceptable.
Unable to resist, Shen Tanqi turned back to look at the original Yu Ce from Yu Ce’s shoulder. The feeling was very strange—it felt as if, through the twists of fate, he had seen Yu Ce’s entire life.
The young Yu Ce, the adult Yu Ce, and the Yu Ce who hadn’t met him.
The original Yu Ce stood in the clear moonlight like still water, his brow still furrowed, his gaze coldly fixed on them. It seemed he noticed Shen Tanqi sneaking a peek at him, lifting his gaze to meet his.
Shen Tanqi met his gaze, his eyes softening, quietly waving at him and mouthing, “Hi.”
He hadn’t properly greeted the original Yu Ce yet, so let this be their first meeting.
Though the timing wasn’t ideal.
But Shen Tanqi liked the original Yu Ce too. As long as it was him, Shen Tanqi liked him.
Standing in the courtyard, the original Yu Ce saw him smiling and waving at him, and paused for a moment.
Shen Tanqi, was this provocation?
Yet his smile was so gentle, he couldn’t feel the slightest offense.
In his mind, it flashed back to the scene from dusk, Shen Tanqi earnestly cooking in the kitchen for them, pulling him aside to wash vegetables. The light was soft, the sunset gentle, and the air seemed to carry golden dust particles. Shen Tanqi finished cutting the meat slices, happily lowering his eyelashes—just like his smile now.
He had just said so many harsh words to Shen Tanqi earlier, yet Shen Tanqi still smiled so gently at him.
He stood still for a moment, then heard the sound of a sword wind cutting through the air. The original Yu Ce tilted his head to avoid it, only to find out it wasn’t a sword but a stone.
Turning his head, he saw Taro Ball standing angrily under the corridor, glaring at him with the angriest expression he could muster.
“You…”
Didn’t he listen to Shen Tanqi and go to sleep?
Taro Ball picked up another stone from the ground and threw it at him, furious. “Who are you, and why are you impersonating my father!”
And pretending so convincingly, if this person had really targeted his Daddy today, wouldn’t he have completely missed the danger?
If something happened to his Daddy, he wouldn’t forgive himself.
Thinking this way, Taro Ball bent down to pick up another stone from the ground. As he stood up to throw it again, he noticed that the courtyard was empty, devoid of the figure of the fake father.
He paused, then sensed the cold breath of a dragon escaping behind him. His pupils contracted, and instinctively, Taro Ball attacked with his elbow, only to be effortlessly caught by the other’s arm.
“You have good spiritual energy, but your skills are lacking,” a calm voice sounded in the dark night, as if merely evaluating his previous actions.
Taro Ball retaliated with a knife-hand strike, but his other hand was also grabbed by the opponent’s wrist.
“You’ve got the stance, but your reactions are too slow.”
Still critiquing!
Taro Ball stared at the familiar face before him, unable to bring himself to strike, feeling restrained at every turn. He couldn’t help but say, “Stop pretending to be like my father. I already know you’re a fake!”
Such lies might fool his brother, but not him. How could he be deceived?
Under the moonlight, Yu Ce’s face seemed shrouded in a vague mist, making it hard to discern his true feelings.
“I never said I was your father,” Yu Ce replied calmly.
Hearing this, Taro Ball’s small frame trembled slightly. He pursed his lips, feeling somewhat upset as he said, “You’ve deceived our feelings. Even though we’re not your sons, you held my brother and fed him. If my brother knew the truth, he would be devastated.”
At his words, Yu Ce’s movements paused slightly, and he gently released Taro Ball.
Goldfish trusted him innocently, yet his task was to eliminate them.
Thinking to himself, he murmured softly, “What’s your name?
Taro Ball adjusted his sleeve defiantly and glared at him. “I’m not telling you.”
“Hmm,” Yu Ce pondered for a moment, recalling the slip he showed when questioned by Shen Tanqi earlier. He whispered, “Your name is Erdan, isn’t it?”
Taro Ball’s face instantly darkened. “My name is Yu Yuan!”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Taro Ball immediately covered his mouth, annoyed at himself for falling into such a trap so easily.
But facing Yu Ce’s face, he found it really hard to stay on guard.
He and his brother had been raised by Yu Ce himself since they were little, making him the person they were most familiar with under the sun.
So familiar that he could even remember the other’s aura clearly.
Taro Ball lowered his head, feeling sad. He didn’t know why he felt this way, but when Yu Ce said he wasn’t their father earlier, he had felt like crying.
He hated this person.
Especially hated him for wearing their father’s face and saying such hurtful things.
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)
