As soon as Ye Shanshan finished speaking, the comment section instantly exploded in a highly cooperative manner:
“——One yuan and eighteen cents! I want to bring Sparkling home!!”
“——One yuan and thirty-nine cents! I just want to ask, isn’t it wrong to buy a cat? Are you gifting a divine beast with its owner? Are you? Are you?”
“——One yuan and forty-two cents! I feel like buying it will let me meet Shan in person! Even though it’s such a huge sum, I’ll bleed for this without hesitation! Don’t try to stop me!”
The price skyrocketed to seven yuan and sixteen cents. Ye Shanshan lowered his head, happily stroking Sparkling’s little ears. Seeing others love Sparkling too gave him an inexplicable pride, like, “My cat truly is the cutest in the world.”
However, the next second, something entirely unexpected happened.
“Ge, even if you turn into an old man with gray hair, I’ll still love you.”
Hearing his own voice clearly say this sentence, Ye Shanshan took two seconds to realize what he had done—once again, his clumsy fingers had accidentally touched that hidden heat-sensitive spot at the base of Sparkling’s ear. It was a 100% hit every time!
At that moment, Ye Shanshan desperately didn’t want to look up at the screen.
——My teammates betrayed me!
But Ye Shanshan wasn’t the type to pull the plug outright. Resigned, he raised his head with a tragic expression and looked at the screen. The comment section, which now occupied a third of the screen, was densely packed with messages, each flying by like a bullet.
For the first time, Ye Shanshan felt that having good eyesight wasn’t necessarily a blessing.
“——Ahhh, what did I just hear?! Is this Shan answering those earlier questions? I used to think it was inappropriate to keep bringing up His Majesty’s name and asking all those questions, but I was too naive! Shan actually answered! Ahhhh!!”
“——I didn’t mishear! I recorded it! I screen-recorded it! Evidence! Even if you say it was an illusion, I won’t believe it!”
“——Enough with the love confession nonsense. Didn’t you hear Shan say ‘Ge’? Expressing love among family is normal. Haven’t you ever told your parents or siblings that you love them?”
“——Gray hair = growing old together = lifelong love = staying together forever = eternal companionship. I’m nosebleeding! If any other idol said this, I’d unfollow immediately, but when our Ye Leader says it, why do I feel like a celestial being has graced the mortal world, or like a parent feeling proud as their child grows up? And I’m only twenty!”
“——Come here, little celestial boy! Don’t be shy. Don’t turn your head away from the camera. Face us directly and answer that question again. Let me record a frontal shot. Then tomorrow, I’ll go change my name on my ID to ‘bro’! Just imagining you saying you love me every day makes me want to jump to the heavens!”
Seeing the comments flash by faster and faster, Ye Shanshan composed himself and responded with a serious face:
“Did I scare you just now? I suddenly thought of a line from the script of Mountains and Rivers Endure, so I spontaneously recited it. In the show, I play the third prince, Ji Lingyun.”
His expression said, “You’re all overthinking it,” without a hint of guilt.
“——You’re so good-looking, I’d believe anything you say, but this I don’t believe [doge].”
“——Sure, sure, keep bluffing. I’ll just sit here quietly and watch you.”
“——I’m laughing but staying silent. Always remember, Ye Leader is an excellent actor.”
Ye Shanshan pretended not to see the comments and diligently promoted The Observer. Afterward, he introduced various specialties from the demon realm to his livestream audience. To avoid seeming guilty, this was the longest livestream he had ever done.
It wasn’t until he received a message from Gong Yue, saying he would be home in five minutes, that Ye Shanshan finally relaxed after rereading the message several times.
With the weight in his heart lifted, his smile grew brighter. Ye Shanshan turned Sparkling’s rear to the camera and wagged its tail. “That’s it for today’s livestream. See you next time, goodnight.” After saying that, he swiftly shut down the computer.
Once the computer was off, Ye Shanshan hummed a song and headed to the door. Before long, Gong Yue arrived.
As the door closed, Ye Shanshan observed Gong Yue’s expression. His “Great Demon King’s Emotional Weather Forecast” instantly detected that Gong Yue was in a foul mood—like a brewing snowstorm.
After setting Sparkling, who he’d been holding, on the floor, Ye Shanshan was about to say something when Gong Yue suddenly pulled him into an embrace. Ye Shanshan quickly returned the hug without asking any questions, using his body warmth to dispel the chill on Gong Yue.
After a long while, Gong Yue finally spoke in a slightly strained voice,
“On my way back from the Queen’s Stables, Gong Ji transferred the intercepted call from Gong Ze to me.”
His voice was heavy. “It was Gong Ze discussing my performance today with Durant. He concluded that I showed no signs of memory collapse. Durant was skeptical and brought up my mother.”
Ye Shanshan’s heart clenched. Images of Gong Youli sending him away flashed through his mind. Then he heard Gong Yue continue,
“At the time, the reason Durant chose my mother as his assistant instead of Bernard was purely because she was a woman—a woman with excellent genetic traits who could bear children. He believed her offspring would meet his experimental criteria. During the experiments, he intentionally exposed her to rare radiation, causing irreversible damage to her body. This directly led to the weakening vital signs of the fetus during the later stages of her pregnancy.”
Ye Shanshan immediately grasped the implications. “Durant intended to use Mom as a test subject from the beginning? He just didn’t expect the lab to be dismantled later, or for her to marry into the Gong family?”
“Yes,” Gong Yue’s voice turned icy. “In the end, she couldn’t escape entirely. As she was about to lose the fetus, having exhausted every other option, she remembered the incomplete alpha serum from the lab. She improved it with her own research, and with Bernard’s help, created the serum that saved my life and ensured my safe birth.”
Gong Yue didn’t elaborate further, but both of them understood what had happened next.
Gong Youli later realized that even though she had refined the serum and Gong Yue exhibited no immediate adverse effects, the alpha serum still posed significant risks and severe potential side effects—like a time bomb waiting to go off.
To resolve the hidden dangers the serum posed to Gong Yue, Gong Youli joined the “God-Making Project.”
Meanwhile, Durant and Gong Ze allied and used the unrefined alpha serum on Gong Ze. Gong Ze couldn’t withstand its effects, leading to genetic collapse manifesting as progressive ossification of muscle tissue.
Unwilling to give up on such a rare “test subject,” they continued their experiments. Eventually, they deemed Gong Ze of little research value and shifted their focus to Gong Yue.
Perhaps due to uncertainty, they staged a car accident to obtain Gong Yue’s blood samples for research. When none of the expected results materialized, including memory collapse, it led to the betrayal of Yister.
Even now, the second memory collapse that should have occurred never happened, making Durant suspect that Gong Youli had never used the alpha serum on Gong Yue in the first place.
“Gong Ze has invited me to go hunting on March 4th,” Gong Yue said, gripping Ye Shanshan’s hand as they walked. His hands were cold, but his grip was strong.
“Durant told Gong Ze that he still believes I’m the most successful test subject of the alpha serum, and my genetic blueprint is the key to the God-Making Project.”
“So, he won’t let me go,” Gong Yue paused, his tone chilling. “But I won’t let him—or them—go either.”
Time passed quickly, and March 4th arrived in the blink of an eye. Before dawn, Ye Shanshan got up with Gong Yue.
Gong Yue was already dressed in hunting gear—a brown-green jacket with a buttoned front, flap pockets, and larger “tiger pockets.” The back had a horizontal seam, a fitted waist belt, sleeve straps, and embroidered ancient patterns on the epaulettes. He wore leather boots, looking sharp and commanding with an air of breathtaking elegance.
Because of the cold weather, the clothes were made of soft, warm cashmere.
Ye Shanshan handed Gong Yue a pair of black gloves, helping him put them on. After checking the ammunition pouch, he picked up Gong Yue’s pistol, which had been with him for nearly a decade.
This gun was crafted by a traditional gunsmith. The grip was polished to a glossy finish, and the sleek lines of the barrel made it look like an exquisite piece of art when untainted by the smell of gunpowder.
Without saying much, Ye Shanshan handed Gong Yue a miniature tracking device and helped him put on invisible earpieces. Finally, he kissed the corner of Gong Yue’s lips, gazing into his dark, lake-like eyes full of quiet intensity.
“Ge, I’ll be waiting for you at home.”
—–
When Gong Yue arrived at his destination, dawn was just breaking.
The ancient castle was partially hidden among the trees, its full grandeur obscured. The morning air was still cold, and white mist hung over the surface of Loch Ness. Broken branches and withered logs lay scattered in the shallow waters, lending the scene an air of desolation.
Hooves trod on the damp ground, accompanied by the trained foxhounds running beside their masters. The once tranquil forest was disrupted by the sounds of hooves and barking, startling flocks of birds into flight.
Reaching the forest’s edge, fifteen pairs of foxhounds darted into the woods at the command of their handlers.
Gong Ze rode up beside Gong Yue, reins in hand. “About what you mentioned last time, dealing with old Carriage, I thought it over and found it feasible. After all, he’s been throwing his weight around in the Gong family for decades. Even if he once served your grandfather with merit, it’s more than enough by now. If we join forces, there’s no way we can’t pull it off.”
Holding a riding crop in his hand, Gong Ze glanced at Gong Yue’s upright posture and sighed. “If your parents could see you now, they’d certainly be proud of you.”
Sitting straight on horseback, Gong Yue’s gaze flickered with a hint of nostalgia before quickly concealing it. Clearly, he wasn’t interested in dwelling on the topic. “They probably would.”
Sensing Gong Yue’s reluctance, Gong Ze swiftly changed the subject.
“There are a few red foxes in these woods. I wonder if we’ll be lucky enough to encounter one today. Hunting pheasants is quite enjoyable too; their feathers are stunning, especially their tail feathers. When I was younger, I collected the tail feathers from the pheasants I hunted and gave them all to Catherine. She’s still kept them to this day.”
“You and Aunt Six have always been deeply affectionate,” Gong Yue remarked calmly, holding the reins as the sound of barking echoed in the distance. “I visited my cousin recently but didn’t get the chance to greet Aunt Six. Hopefully, I’ll have the opportunity next time.”
Looking at the dense forest ahead, Gong Yue raised his hand before Gong Ze could respond. Pointing with his dark brown riding crop, he said, “Uncle Six, let’s compete to see who can bag more game in the forest.”
Then, with a slight edge to his tone, he added, “How about we bet on a bay development project? Do you dare?”
Gong Ze, noticing the faint challenge in Gong Yue’s expression, thought to himself that the younger generation still couldn’t fully conceal their sharpness. Even after years of holding power, Gong Yue still lacked patience and composure.
However, Gong Ze laughed heartily and replied, “Let’s go. Today, your Uncle Six will show you what I’m made of.”
With a slight squeeze of his horse’s sides, Gong Ze nudged his mount forward. Gong Yue twirled his riding crop deftly between his fingers, spurred his horse forward a couple of steps, then glanced back at Gong Ze.
“I’m looking forward to it,” he said with a slight smirk.
[mfn]If you enjoy my translations, feel free to support me by leaving a comment below or sending me a Ko-fi. Thank you, and happy reading! -TL: Ysiad ❤️[/mfn]
