TCPUAAV Chapter 101

 

(There is a small explanation for the title at the end, but it’s a bit spoilery, so you can read it after you finish the chapter <3)

 

 

 

The Crown Prince was extremely displeased.

 

It felt as if he had carefully hidden away a priceless treasure, only for it to be suddenly discovered—and almost snatched away right in front of him.

 

He had long known Ruan Shiqing’s capabilities.

 

But back when they were still on that tiny garbage planet, no one else could see him shine. No matter how brilliant he was, the outside world remained unaware. Naturally, no one tried to steal him away.

 

Rong Heng had personally carved out a territory, keeping him safely within his grasp.

 

But now, in Sikkim, the true connoisseurs had gathered—eager to claim this thousand-mile horse for their own stables.

 

Watching all these people trying to lure Ruan Shiqing away made his stomach churn with frustration.

 

Before storming in to claim him, Rong Heng had already been waiting outside the conference hall for quite some time.

 

He knew how much this event meant to Ruan Shiqing.

 

So today, neither he nor the little ones had insisted on tagging along.

 

Instead, they had obediently stayed back at the hotel, waiting for his return.

 

Ruan Shiqing had told them beforehand that the conference would end by 5:30 PM at the latest.

 

The cubs had wanted to celebrate with their dad, so they had even skipped dinner, planning to eat together once he got back.

 

But as time passed—he didn’t come back.

 

They sent messages—no reply.

 

By 7 PM, there was still no sign of him. No messages, no updates. The cubs grew worried. And Rong Heng finally lost his patience.

 

Leaving 09 in charge of the little ones, he shifted into human form, took a disguise capsule, and headed straight for the exhibition center.

 

Upon arrival, he quickly learned that the conference had been extended and was still ongoing.

 

Since he had no invitation, he couldn’t enter—he could only wait outside.

 

Finally, when the conference ended and people began leaving, the staff withdrew from the doors. But Ruan Shiqing still hadn’t come out.

 

At that moment, Rong Heng’s patience completely snapped.

 

He stormed inside.

 

And what did he see?

 

Ruan Shiqing, surrounded like a prized delicacy, being swarmed by a pack of hungry wolves.

 

His anger erupted.

 

Without another second of hesitation, he shoved his way through the crowd, grabbed Ruan Shiqing, and pulled him away.

 

Ruan Shiqing barely had time to react.

 

With one strong arm draped protectively over his shoulders, Rong Heng snatched his belongings and escorted him out.

 

All he could do was shoot a quick glance at Dace and Hawthorne, gesturing that he had to leave first.

 

Dace, frustrated at failing to keep him, waved his hands and shouted:

 

“Master Ruan! My teacher really wants to invite you over! I sent you the time and place—please, you must come!”

 

Hearing this, Rong Heng stiffened.

 

He turned back and glared daggers at the golden-haired man.

 

Then, without a word, he hauled Ruan Shiqing away even faster, leading him straight to the hover vehicle.

 

Only when he was finally seated in the passenger seat did Ruan Shiqing let out a long breath, his body finally relaxing.

 

Today had been exhausting.

 

The Q&A session alone had drained him, and afterward, he had been surrounded and questioned endlessly.

 

Everyone always said one does not strike a smiling face, so he had to remain courteous, skillfully maneuvering through conversations—all of which had taken a significant toll on him.

 

Now, at last, he could finally rest.

 

Turning his head, he smiled warmly at Rong Heng and said, “Good thing you came.”

 

But then—a thought struck him.

 

His expression tensed slightly as he leaned in closer, his fingers reaching up to touch Rong Heng’s face.

 

First, he pressed lightly against the human-skin mask, confirming its stability.

 

Then, he lowered his voice, whispering, “Are you sure no one will recognize you?”

 

Ever since realizing that every single one of the “children” in his home was a wanted criminal, he had been on high alert, constantly fearful of anything giving them away.

 

Rong Heng had been prepared for anything—except this sudden proximity.

 

His breath caught in his throat.

 

Before, when he had been disguised as a cub, Ruan Shiqing had touched him countless times—hugging him, stroking his fur, even cradling him in his arms.

 

But that was different.

 

Now, he was in human form.

 

And he could feel everything.

 

Even through the disguise capsule, he could feel the warmth of Ruan Shiqing’s fingertips, the gentle pressure gliding over his skin.

 

It was as if a tiny electric current ran through him, leaving behind goosebumps in its wake.

 

Yet Ruan Shiqing remained completely unaware, still leaning in dangerously close, gazing at him with those deep black eyes, waiting for his answer.

 

Rong Heng’s fingers twitched.

 

He averted his gaze, forcing himself to look away.

 

A few moments passed.

 

Then, unable to resist, he turned back and replied in a low, hoarse voice:

 

“No, I won’t be recognized.”

 

Hearing this, Ruan Shiqing finally relaxed.

 

He straightened up, leaning back into the passenger seat once more.

 

The warmth left abruptly.

 

A strange, faint sense of loss settled in Rong Heng’s chest.

 

Ruan Shiqing must have been truly exhausted, because after that, he fell completely silent.

 

He simply leaned against the car door, closed his eyes, and drifted into a light nap.

 

The vehicle flew smoothly through the night.

 

When they arrived at the hotel, he was already fast asleep—his body leaning against the window, his breathing soft and even.

 

Rong Heng hesitated for a moment before leaning over to wake him.

 

But just as he reached out—Ruan Shiqing frowned in his sleep, turning his face away, nestling deeper against the window.

 

He didn’t wake up.

 

Clearly, he was completely drained.

 

Rong Heng didn’t have the heart to disturb him.

 

After a brief pause, he stepped out, walked around to the other side, and opened the car door—intending to carry him up.

 

However—

 

Ruan Shiqing had been leaning against the door the entire time.

 

The moment it opened—His body lost its support and tumbled outward.

 

Rong Heng reacted instantly, catching him just in time—keeping him from hitting the ground.

 

Carefully unfastening the other’s seatbelt, Rong Heng stepped back, preparing to lift the person in his arms. However, his gaze was inadvertently drawn to a hint of snowy whiteness.

 

—Ruan Shiqing was sound asleep in his embrace, his head nestled against Rong Heng’s chest. Only half of the back of his head was visible, along with a single, pristine white ear.

 

After a long period of recuperation, Ruan Shiqing had not only grown taller, but the sallow dullness caused by past malnutrition had also faded completely. His skin was now as fair as snow, soft as frost, and under the contrast of his jet-black hair, it seemed to glow with a translucent luster, making it impossible for Rong Heng to look away.

 

The crown prince swallowed hard. As a thought flashed through his mind, a faint heat crept up his cheeks.

 

Having been single for all twenty-six years of his life, Rong Heng had absolutely no experience in such matters. Furthermore, he had spent his youth on the front lines, either slaughtering Zergs or surrounded by a bunch of roughneck soldiers. Even his adolescent impulses had been few and far between.

 

But ever since he had realized his feelings, the crown prince had secretly studied up to fill in his knowledge gaps. As a result, he was now considerably more well-versed in certain aspects.

 

Back when he watched those videos, he hadn’t felt much of a reaction.

 

But now, with the person he liked sleeping peacefully in his arms, an unfamiliar and long-dormant desire began to stir within him.

 

Standing rigidly by the car door, Rong Heng swallowed again, his Adam’s apple bobbing as heat spread across his face.

 

After an intense internal struggle, he finally hesitated, then slowly bent down. His lips inched closer… and closer… to that tempting ear.

 

His heart pounded so fiercely it felt like it would burst from his chest. Rong Heng was so nervous he nearly closed his eyes. Just as his lips were about to brush against that enticingly soft ear—

 

A sudden voice exploded beside his ear like a thunderclap.

 

“Are we there yet?”

 

!!!!!!!

 

Like a startled beast caught in the act, the crown prince jerked upright in alarm—only to completely forget about the car door frame above him.

 

His noble head collided with it head-on, producing a deep, muffled thud.

 

Still somewhat groggy, Ruan Shiqing was startled awake. Blinking in confusion, he turned to him with concern. “Are you okay?”

 

“N-no problem.” Rong Heng’s head was buzzing from the impact, but he still stubbornly tried to maintain his composure, forcing himself to come up with an excuse. “I saw you were sleeping soundly and was about to wake you up.”

 

Ruan Shiqing glanced at the dented car door frame. How could he not see through the act?

 

Frowning slightly, he got out of the vehicle, handed the hovercar over to the hotel valet, then took Rong Heng upstairs.

 

The crown prince followed behind dejectedly, his head throbbing.

 

He had suffered far worse injuries countless times before, but this time, it was probably the mix of guilt and embarrassment that made him feel utterly defeated.

 

When they entered the hotel suite, Ruan Shiqing asked 09 to bring over the medical kit. He then turned back to see a tall, imposing man sitting there in utter silence, head hanging low, looking completely pitiful.

 

Taking out disinfectant and sterile cotton balls, Ruan Shiqing pointed to the small stool at his feet. “Come sit here. Let me check your injury.”

 

Rong Heng pursed his lips but obediently sat down by his feet, not daring to meet his eyes.

 

Half of it was out of guilt, the other half out of frustration.

 

His first attempt at stealing a kiss had not only failed but had also resulted in a rather glorious self-inflicted injury.

 

And to make matters worse, the whole embarrassing ordeal had played out right in front of his crush. He seriously doubted anyone could be more humiliated than him at this moment.

 

“Lean down a bit,” Ruan Shiqing instructed, patting his own thigh as a signal.

 

Rong Heng was momentarily stunned, staring at him in disbelief.

 

If head injuries came with such privileges, then maybe bumping his head wasn’t so bad after all…

 

But before he could hesitate any further, Ruan Shiqing simply reached out and pressed his head down onto his lap. Gently parting his long hair, he examined the injured area.

 

That collision had been quite harsh. The back of Rong Heng’s head now sported a prominent bump, and the skin had broken slightly, leaving traces of blood staining his pale hair.

 

“We need to disinfect it before applying medicine.” Ruan Shiqing frowned slightly. Worried about hurting him, his movements were especially careful as he tended to the wound.

 

At this point, Rong Heng no longer felt any pain. In fact, he was secretly wishing the injury were worse—so he could stay nestled against Ruan Shiqing’s lap just a little longer.

 

Cherishing this rare moment of intimacy, the crown prince quietly rubbed his head against his thigh, savoring the warmth of their closeness in silence.

 

Unfortunately, Ruan Shiqing was exceptionally quick at treating wounds. In less than ten minutes, he had already applied the medicine. “All done.”

 

“Oh… thanks.” Rong Heng replied dryly, reluctantly straightening up. The lingering scent at the tip of his nose gradually faded away as well.

 

“Be careful when you sleep, don’t press on the back of your head. It should be fine by tomorrow,” Ruan Shiqing reminded him while packing up the medical kit.

 

Rong Heng let out a muffled “mm” in response. With no more excuses to stay, he had no choice but to leave for the living room.

 

The little ones, who had been sneakily peeking from the doorway the entire time, finally rushed over. “What happened to your head?”

 

“Just bumped it by accident.” The crown prince’s expression was gloomy, his mood downcast.

 

But the moment they heard it wasn’t anything serious, the little ones immediately dismissed their concern and eagerly bypassed him—running straight to their dad instead!

 

After all, they hadn’t seen Daddy all day!

 

Ruan Shiqing played with the little ones for a while, then ordered room service before deciding to take a quick shower and change into something more comfortable.

 

As he passed through the living room, he spotted Rong Heng—who had shifted back into his cub form—lying alone on a cushion. His tiny back was hunched, his posture exuding an air of deep dejection.

 

Ruan Shiqing paused, giving him an extra glance. Almost instinctively, he reached up to touch his left ear, only to retract his hand as if he’d been burned.

 

 

---

 

Title explanation: In the raws, it was a play on two sentences: attempted bride/dear theft and attempted kiss theft. Basically it referred to Dace and the other scientists trying to “steal” away Ruan Ruan, but also Rong Rong trying and failing to “steal” a kiss!

 

KYAAAAA WAS HE AWAKE WHEN THAT HAPPENED???? WAS HE??? HE HAD TO, right????

 

Thanks for reading!

For every three ko-fis, I will upload a bonus chapter~